Prior to the start of the meeting, Members welcomed Councillor Mrs. Penny Channer, who introduced herself as Purleigh’s County Council Ward Member. Mrs. Channer discussed a wide range of topics with Members including the District’s housing need allocation, local policing and highways matters, including the cost of gateways and the frequency of verge cutting in Maldon District.

Members present: Mr. G. Strathern (Chairman), Mr. K. Ascott, Mr. L. Cooper, Mr. K. Gower, Mr. M. Perriman, Mr. S. Potter, Mrs M. Stock.

Also in attendance: Mrs. J. Potter (Clerk).

Mrs. Channer and one member of the public attended the meeting.

Apologies were received from Mr. B. Oliver and Mrs. S. Owen who were unable to attend the meeting due to prior personal commitments. Apologies were also received from Mr. J. Archer and Mr. J. Sears (District Council Ward Members) who were unable to attend due to prior engagements.

2/08/10 THE MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 9^TH JULY 2010, having been circulated to all Members, were approved, and signed by the Chairman.

3/08/10. TO DISCUSS ANY MATTERS OF INFORMATION ARISING FROM THOSE MINUTES:

3.1/08/10 Clerk: 6.2/07/10 To receive RoSPA’s report on the condition of the play area: Members noted that Playquip Leisure had supplied the Parish Council with a dozen pegs to secure the safety mats, free of charge.

3.2/08/10 Members’: Members did not have any matters of information arising from the July 2010 meeting to discuss.

4.1/08/10 Decisions taken between meetings: HOUSE/MAL/10/00635 Erection of single storey building for domestic storage. Grebe House, Chelmsford Road, Purleigh. Mr. P. Grace.

The Parish Council RECOMMENDED APPROVAL, provided that:

1. The land on which the building was to be situated had been granted change of use from agricultural land to garden ground
2. The District Council did not deem the building too large for domestic storage or too obtrusive in a rural area
3. The building would be used for domestic storage only and not for any industrial, commercial or residential purposes.

4.2/08/10 Current applications: TCA/MAL/10/00647 T1 Walnut tree – Slight crown width reduction and lift using cuts of no more than 3cm. Reduce limb over shed by 1m in length. Remove pegs, cutting back to collar. 1 Purleigh Hall Cottages, The Street, Purleigh, Essex. Mr. and Mrs. Dellar.

The Parish Council RECOMMENDED APPROVAL.

4.3/08/10 Notification of Appeals: Members noted that the Parish Council had not been notified of any Appeals between meetings.

4.4/08/10 Maldon District Council planning decisions: Maldon District Council has APPROVED the following applications:

4.5/08/10 Roof tiles (porte cochere) and railings – Coachmans, Church Hill: Members noted that in response to the concerns raised in the Parish Council’s letter to the Planning Authority dated 12^th July 2010 regarding Coachmans, the new building adjacent to The Old Rectory (Minute reference 4.6/07/10), Yee Cheung (Development Control Officer) had sent a copy of the Parish Council’s letter to the property owner’s agent and then as her answer to the points Members had raised had forwarded the Parish Council a copy of the Agent’s reply to her dated 21^st July 2010 together with a copy of a letter from the property owner to the Agent dated 20^th July 2010.

It was noted that copies of both these letters had been circulated amongst Members prior to the meeting.

Members were most dissatisfied with the action of Maldon District Council’s Planning Officer as outlined above, believing it to be thoroughly unprofessional of her to have copied the Parish Council’s correspondence and sent it to the planning agent and then simply to have forwarded his response to it together with a letter from the developer as Maldon District Council’s response. The Parish Council had raised legitimate concerns with the District Council about the development which was situated within Purleigh’s conservation area, occupied a visible and prominent position adjacent to the road and was very close to a Grade 1 listed building. Members therefore expected the Officer to have investigated the issues the Parish Council had raised, to have consulted with the District Council’s Conservation Officers, and then to have responded to the Parish Council with a well-considered account of her findings. Photocopying and forwarding on letters from third parties without any critical appraisal or conclusions of her own was simply not a good enough response.

At this juncture, with the agreement of all present, the Chairman closed the meeting in order that a question about the development could be put to an interested member of the public who was present. After an informative exchange of views the meeting was reconvened

It was agreed to write to the Chief Executive Officer of Maldon District Council outlining the Parish Council’s great dissatisfaction with the Planning Department’s handling of its legitimate enquiry regarding the railings and porte cochere at Coachmans.

4.6/08/10 Unauthorised barn conversion – Fambridge Road: Members noted that between meetings, at the request of a concerned parishioner, the Parish Council had passed on an enquiry to Maldon District Council about the apparent conversion of a barn on the property between Ashlea and Red Oaks Farm, Fambridge Road. Paul Bignall (Enforcement Officer) had attended the site on two occasions and on 26^th July had discovered the new owner moving in. According to Mr. Bignall, the structure appeared to be a barn from the outside but inside concealed a self-contained dwelling. He had written to the new owner giving them 28 days to return the building to a barn, but considered it a real possibility that an application for a Lawful Development Certificate would be submitted.

4.7/08/10 Other planning matters: Members did not have any other planning matters to discuss.

5.1/08/10 Gateway signs – Chelmsford Road: Members noted that Jackie Roerig (Traffic and Road Safety Engineer, Essex County Council) had supplied the Parish Council with designs showing the lettering, dimensions, carriageway markings and proposed location of the new Purleigh Gateways in Chelmsford Road. It was noted that the designs were those chosen by the Parish Council in September 2009 (Minute reference 5.1/09/09) and the location was that agreed at the site meeting held on 8^th October 2009 (i.e. where the existing gateway was situated just before Edgewood Veterinary Practice).

Members noted that between meetings these designs had been approved by the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Mr. Potter and had been returned to Essex County Council.

5.2/08/10 Speeding traffic – Hackmans Lane: Members noted that the Parish Council had been asked by a resident of Clarksfield Cottages to try to get an extension of the 30mph speed limit in Hackmans Lane so that it started nearer to Corporation Bridge. The resident felt that the current location of the 30mph signs at the start of the speed limit (in the vicinity of Bramble Cottage) was unsatisfactory, as the signs were nearly always obscured by vegetation or were facing the wrong way as high-sided vehicles frequently hit one of them. It was the resident’s belief that starting the speed limit closer to the bend would also encourage drivers not to speed up after negotiating the corner. Members noted that in addition, the resident had asked for a Speed Indicator Device (SID) or Vehicle Activated Sign (VAS) to be installed at this end of the speed limit.

Members noted that a copy of the latest Police Speed Complaint Investigation results for Hackmans Lane, which had been obtained on 7^th July 2010, had been placed in the circulation folder for Members’ information. Out of 100 speed checks, 8 vehicles had been caught travelling at over 40 mph per hour within the 30 mph speed limit (at 41, 42, 42, 45, 46, 47, & 49 mph) and that the highest vehicle speed recorded had been 64mph.

It was agreed to write to Essex County Council fully supporting the parishioner’s request that the 30mph speed limit be extended to start as close to Corporation Bridge as possible and to repeat the Parish Council’s previous request that a SID or VAS be deployed at this end of the 30mph speed limit.

5.3/08/10 Other highway matters: Essex Highways Development Management Policy consultation: Members noted that Essex County Council had circulated a consultation draft of its Development Management Policies alongside the new Development Management Route Hierarchy Plan. The consultation period closed on 30^th August 2010.

The Chairman agreed to review the policy document on behalf of the Parish Council.

Parish Council request for mobile speed cameras signs in Chelmsford Road and Hackmans Lane: Members noted that Jackie Roerig had advised the Parish Council that she has added the request for mobile speed camera signs to the list for future funding through localism. Unfortunately, the Highways Department’s budget had been drastically reduced for this type of work and localism was currently the only avenue of funding available. Mrs. Roerig advised the Parish Council that the work for this year had already been agreed by the Local Highways Panel, so she was unable to give any indication when this work was likely to be undertaken.

Return of Vehicle Activated Signs: Members noted that Mrs. Roerig was waiting for a response from the County Council’s supplier as to when the Vehicle Activated Sign was due back in Purleigh.

Encroaching vegetation in the vicinity of Kent Wood: Mr. Ascott reported that remedial action had not yet been taken to deal with the encroaching vegetation in the vicinity of Kent Wood.

Vegetation outside Threeways, Birchwood Road: Members noted that the up-growth on the verge had been cut back.

The condition of the carriageway, Howe Green Road: It was agreed to write to Essex County Council requesting that urgent action be taken to improve the condition of the carriageway in Howe Green Road. The surface of the highway was littered with pot holes, (especially by the Common and in the vicinity of Nearby and West Cottage) some of which had been marked up for repair months ago and there were also several sunken drains which were very dangerous to cyclists. Members noted that these highway defects were forcing motorists to pull into the middle of the road to avoid them which was detrimental to highway safety as Howe Green Road was a narrow lane with lots of bends in it. Members believed it very important that these remedial works were attended to before the winter set in and the surface of the carriageway became further eroded.

6.1/08/10 Children’s Play Area: Monthly report: Mr. Perriman reported that he had carried out his weekly inspections of the Children’s Play Area and that all items of play equipment therein appeared to be in a satisfactory condition. Mr. Ovel had attended to many of the points raised by RoSPA following its playground inspection and the area generally looked in good condition.

6.2/08/10 Croquet Club – Pavilion and playing field hire: Mr. Ascott declared a non-prejudicial interest in this Agenda item, being a member of the Croquet Club.

The Chairman reported that the contents of the Parish Council’s letter to the Croquet Club sent after the June meeting (Minute reference 6.7/06/10)　which clarified the Council’s lettings policy for the pavilion and playing field had been noted by the club, who would probably give it further consideration at a future meeting.

The contents of a briefing note prepared by Mr. Oliver, were noted in his absence.

6.3/08/10 Emergency repairs to the notice board in Maldon Road: Members noted and approved that between meetings, with the approval of the Chairman, Graham Cornell had been asked to carry out emergency repairs to the notice board in Maldon Road as the doors had been flapping about and could no longer be closed or locked properly.

6.4/08/10 Localism Rangers Work: Members noted that Essex County Council would soon be providing a Ranger service in conjunction with Maldon District Council. The Rangers would be undertaking minor works such as street furniture cleaning and painting; vegetation clearing; verge repair and grip cutting; the ad hoc clearing of gullies and pipe work; the removal of graffiti; the removal of weeds from pavements; the removal of illegal signs and fly posting, and the removal of fly tipping from highways land.

According to Essex County Council, this was an opportunity for Town and Parish Councils to report works that might otherwise not be seen as a priority and which, if completed, would achieve aesthetic and practical improvements within the local environment.

Where works were identified, they should be detailed on a form designed for the purpose and sent to Essex County Council’s Highways Department to be collated and passed onto Maldon District Council who would be managing the Rangers. Members noted that the Rangers would not be able to undertake any works that required excavation or large scale works such as cutting back extensive amounts of vegetation. This work would still be carried out by the County Council’s contractors.

Members noted that there was no restriction on the number of forms a Parish Council could submit with requests for work, but in order to offer the service to all parts of the Maldon District the County Council would have to programme and order the works in the most efficient way to best use the Ranger resource.

Prior to the meeting each Parish Councillor was given a copy of the Rangers request form to list any work in the parish that might be eligible for the service. It was agreed that these forms, once returned to the Clerk, would be collated and forwarded to the Highways Department.

Mr. Ascott suggested that the grips in Birchwood Road near Hoot House would benefit from being cleared out.

6.5/08/10 Other playing field and open spaces matters: Missing First Aid Kit: Members noted that the First Aid Kit had been removed from the pavilion between meetings without permission. The Parish Council had therefore purchased a new one, as was its responsibility, and had placed it in the pavilion kitchen.

New chairs in the pavilion: Members noted that the twenty new chairs had been delivered and that the redundant ones had been removed by Enterprise Ltd at a cost of £18.75.

The Common: Members were reminded that in November 1996 the Parish Council had given Mrs. Youngs, a resident of Howe Green Road, permission to plant three flowering Prunus trees along the front edge of The Common in memory of her late husband. Since this time, one tree had disappeared altogether, one had recently died and the remaining tree was dying.

It was agreed therefore that as a gesture of goodwill the Parish Council would offer to purchase a replacement tree in memory of Mr. Youngs, preferably a fruit tree, to the value of £25 and would remove the dead and dying trees from the front edge of the common. The Parish Council would advise Mrs. Youngs that the replacement tree would be planted on the far side of the Common, rather that at the front where the previous trees had made hay making difficult.

It was agreed that Mr. Potter would visit Mrs. Youngs and discuss the matter with her.

Members also accepted Mr. Potter’s offer to level the front corner of the Common in the autumn where a big pile of dirt had accumulated following the building works at Gordene, once he could gain access to the area.

7.1/08/10 To receive a report of the annual site inspection: Members noted that the Clerk and Mr. Potter had visited the allotment gardens in Chelmsford Road on 3^rd August 2010 and had carried out the annual site inspection.

The Clerk reported that it had again been a genuine pleasure to carry out the annual inspection of the allotments and to see the results of so much hard work by the tenants. There had been a wide variety of fruit, vegetables and salad crops being grown on the allotments with a few flowers and some vines and the communal areas had generally been tidy. The tenants deserved congratulating on another productive year.

Members noted that there were currently eight people waiting for an allotment, five of whom resided in Purleigh parish.

Members noted that some plots however were larger than they should be and appeared to have incorporated part of the surrounding paths within them. There was also evidence that some paths surrounding the plots had been sprayed off.

Members noted that since the inspection, some tenants had complained about muntjac eating their sweet corn. The tenants were concerned that the deer had been able to gain access to their vegetables because of the lack of a front gate and fence at the site. They also asked that if the Parish Council ever replaced the front fence, it extended the recessed gateway to allow more off street parking.

Members were reminded that at the May 2010 meeting the Parish Council had agreed to consider allocating a sum in the precept 2011/2012 to replace the front allotment fence, which was in a broken and dilapidated condition (Minute reference 14.3/05/10). A provisional sum of £1,000 had been put in the budget 2011/12, pending the receipt of quotations for consideration at the January 2011 meeting.

It was agreed to write to the tenant of those plots that had been expanded beyond their proper size requesting that the width of the plots be reduced to 20 feet and that the surrounding paths be reinstated to their correct width as soon as possible. They would also be asked to remove the extension to one of their plots which was situated in an area intended for communal use (i.e. for the storage of equipment, compost etc). Tenants would also be asked not to spray off the paths surrounding their allotments.

7.2/08/10 Rent review 2010/2011: Having given careful consideration to the allotment accounts 2009/2010 and to anticipated income from, and expenditure on, the allotments during 2010/2011, it was proposed and agreed that the allotment rents be increased by the sum of £5 per annum to £25 per plot per annum.

It was agreed that when writing to the tenants the Parish Council would explain that the increased rental fee reflected the rising cost of supplying water to the site. The Parish Council would also give tenants notice of its intention to replace the front fence in the next financial year and ask that they removed all their possessions, including compost heaps, extra crops, logs, hoses, barrows etc from the front of the site so that access could be gained to the fence line from the allotment side. This would give tenants plenty of time to dig in their compost heaps etc.

8.1/08/10 Internal audit of the Parish Council’s accounts for the period 1^st April 2010 to 30^th June 2010: Members noted that Mr. Strathern would conduct an internal audit of the Parish Council’s accounts as soon as his work commitments allowed, the results of which would be reported to the Parish Council at the September meeting.

8.2/08/10 To receive a report of the external audit of the Parish Council’s accounts for the year ending 31^st March 2010: Members noted that the Audit Commission had concluded their audit of the Parish Council’s accounts for the financial year 2009/2010. The Audit Commission had concluded that on the basis of their review, in their opinion, the information contained in the Annual Return was in accordance with the Audit Commission’s requirements and that no matters had come to their attention which gave cause for concern that relevant legislation and regulatory requirements had not been met.

The successful conclusion of the audit had been advertised on the Parish Council’s notice boards at Pump Corner, Rudley Green, and Cock Clarks alongside a copy of the completed Annual Return and would be advertised on the Maldon Road notice board once the doors had been replaced.

8.3/08/10 To receive a report of receipts: Members received a report of the following receipts:

8.4/08/10 To approve payment of accounts between meetings: Members noted and approved that the following account had been paid between meetings, adhering strictly to the procedures outlined in the Parish Council’s Financial Regulations 5.3 - 5.7.

Aon Limited Additional Insurance premium (chairs) £4.79

8.5/08/10 To approve payment of accounts to hand: It was unanimously agreed to approve payment of the following accounts to hand:

Transfer of Legal and Monitoring Officer Services: Members noted that since 1^st August 2010 the District Council had outsourced its Legal and Monitoring Officer services to Essex County Council. The District Council had a legislative duty to provide Monitoring Officer duties in relation to the Parish Council’s Members Code of Conduct. Since 1^st August therefore, Alex Hallam, Deputy Head of Essex Legal Services, Essex County Council had been the new Monitoring Officer for Purleigh Parish Council.

Seawalls Vegetation Clearance: It was noted that as part of its programme to improve the condition of the sea defences, the Environment Agency were planning to remove some of the vegetation on the seawalls. A map showing the location of the proposed works was placed in the circulation folder for Members’ information.

Next meeting: Members noted that the next meeting of the Maldon and District Crime Reduction Panel was scheduled for Wednesday, 29th September, at 7.30 p.m. in Room 19 in the St Cedds building　in the Maldon District Council offices car park.

Both the District Council’s　new Community Safety Development Officer, Lauren Hockney, and　the new Essex Police Crime Reduction Officer for this area, Dave Rapson, would be in attendance.

Members noted that this was a special Crime Reduction Panel meeting where representatives from Parish Councils would be given the opportunity to meet these two members of the Safety Partnership, and hear what they have to say about their plans for the future.　Also, representatives would　be able to discuss the problems being experienced in their own parish.

The Chairman agreed to try to attend this meeting on behalf of the Parish Council.

Village Agents Project: The Rural Community Council of Essex invited a representative of the Parish Council to the Village Agents stakeholder meeting for the Maldon area which would take place on Tuesday, 31^st August 2010 at 2.30 p.m. in the Plantation Hall, Colchester Road, Heybridge.

Mrs. Stock agreed to try to attend.

At the request of Mr. Ascott it was agreed to put the Purleigh Emergency Group on the Agenda of the September 2010 Parish Council meeting.

The Chairman warned Members about a recent spate of burglaries in the area.

Consideration was given to the crime and disorder implications of all decisions made at this meeting.

There being no further business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 8.49 p.m.

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