Purleigh Parish Council

4.5/06/10 Other planning matters: Members did not have any other planning matters to discuss.

5.1/06/10 New Gateway, Chelmsford Road, Purleigh: Members noted that on 17^th May 2010, the Clerk had attended the CIF Highways panel, where a grant of £14,800 (the total project cost) had been approved to pay for the new gateway in Chelmsford Road. The grant would go straight to the Highways Department who would arrange for the delivery of the project.

Members noted that the Parish Council had subsequently been advised that the Highways CIF scheme would cease, following the delivery of this year’s programme.

Concern was expressed about the seemingly huge cost of installing the new gateway. It was agreed however to wait until the project had been completed before expressing a view on the matter to the County Council.

5.2/06/10 Road Closure (Palepit Corner): Members noted that Essex County Council had advised that the following lengths of the B1010 Fambridge Road, Latchingdon Road and the B1018 Cold Norton Road would be closed from 10^th June for three nights between the hours of 7.00 p.m. and 7.00 a.m. so that carriageway resurfacing could take place.

Members noted that access for emergency service vehicles and pedestrians would be maintained at all times during the closure.

5.3/06/10 Other highway matters: Proposal to divert Purleigh Footpath 48: Members noted that Essex County Council had confirmed the Order to divert the Footpath (See Minute 5.2/04/10).

Mr. Ascott explained that the permissive path may remain.

Speeding traffic Hackmans Lane: Following three recent accidents in Hackmans Lane, the Parish Council was asked by a resident if there was anything more that could be done to improve highway safety in the area.

It was agreed to write to Essex Police requesting regular enforcement action in Hackmans Lane and for the installation of signs to advise motorists that the Police regularly used mobile speed cameras to detect speeding vehicles in the area. Whilst writing, the Parish Council would thank the Police for deploying officers during recent weekends to accompany motorcyclists en route to Burnham etc. to ensure that they remained within the speed limits.

6.1/06/10 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, apart from the rolling log (See Minute 6.6/06/10 below).

Members noted that there had been some graffiti applied to the slide (which had subsequently been removed), and that litter was a persistent problem in the area.

It was also noted that one mole hill had appeared outside the children’s play area.

6.2/06/10 To receive RoSPA’s report on the condition of the play area: Members noted that RoSPA’s report on the condition of the play equipment had not yet been received by the Parish Council.

6.3/06/09 Chairs in the pavilion: Members were reminded that the Parish Council had allocated the sum of £400 in the precept 2010/2011, plus the remainder of Mr. May’s legacy (£208.58), to purchase 20 new chairs for the pavilion (which worked out at approximately £30 per chair). The current Staples catalogue had been placed in the May circulation folder so that Members could look at the types of chair within budget and express a preference.

As the Staples catalogue was still in circulation, it was agreed to defer discussion of this item to the July Parish Council meeting.

6.4/06/10 Asbestos Survey: Members note that the following verbal estimates had been obtained to survey the pavilion for the presence of asbestos:

It was agreed to ask AES to conduct a survey of the pavilion to determine whether or not there was any asbestos present in the building.

6.5/06/10 Oak Tree at Oak Lodge, Lodge Lane: Members noted that Jackie Gilbert (Maldon District Council Tree Officer) had responded to the Parish Council’s request for a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) to be placed on the Oak tree in front of Oak Lodge as follows:

Mrs. Gilbert had advised the Parish Council that information had recently been requested by Marishal Thompson (subsidence mitigation unit) working on behalf of the insurers of Oak Lodge as to the status of the Oak tree to the front of Oak Lodge which had been implicated in tree related damage to the property. At that time, the District Council had advised Marishal Thompson that the tree was not protected.

Members noted Mrs. Gilbert’s advice that before serving a Tree Preservation Order, the District Council had to ensue that it was appropriate and expedient to do so. If a tree had been identified as causing an actionable nuisance to a property, then it was neither expedient nor appropriate to serve a TPO.

In light of the above, Mrs. Gilbert had asked Marishal Thompson for copies of the results of their investigations into the alleged tree related damage to Oak Lodge. Once she had reviewed this information she would be able to advise the Parish Council whether or not a TPO could be served. In the meantime she would assess the tree’s health and its amenity value using a recommended method of evaluation in the event that protection be deemed appropriate.

Members agreed that the Oak tree was a fine specimen tree with huge amenity value in the area and that every possible action should be taken to protect it.

It was therefore agreed to write to Mrs. Gilbert requesting a copy of Marishal Thompson’s results of their investigation into the alleged tree related damage to Oak Lodge, or a précis of its contents; an explanation of the method of evaluation the District Council would be using to assess the tree’s health and its amenity value, and a copy of the results of Mrs. Gilbert’s assessment. The Parish Council would advise the District Council that it would not hesitate to seek legal advice if the tree wasn’t adequately protected and would also seek technical advice on the matter from Essex County Council.

6.6/06/10 Vandalism in the parish: Members noted that a representative from Essex Police had been invited to attend the public session prior to the start of the June or July Parish Council meetings, but that to date a reply to that invitation had not been received.

It was noted that on 29^th May 2010 Mr. Perriman had discovered that vandals had attacked the rolling log with a knife or similar implement and had chiselled some lumps out of it. Nothing could be done to repair the damage which had left a gouge in the equipment of approximately 6 x 4 inches.

Members noted that the Police had been informed (Crime reference number C425A-08953-10) and a statement taken. Due to the difficulty of obtaining any forensic evidence the matter would be recorded as undetected. The investigating officer had suggested however a targeted mail drop to properties overlooking the playing field asking for increased vigilance and for anyone who witnessed any inappropriate behaviour on the playing field to report it to the crime bureau.

Members noted that Mr. Steeples (Chairman, PPFA) had also suggested informing Purleigh School about the vandalism as its pupils had helped choose the new equipment.

The Chairman agreed to talk to Mr. Figg (Headteacher, Purleigh Community Primary School) about the problems of vandalism in the Children’s Play Area.

It was also agreed to write to Chief Inspector Ditchburn and the Chief Constable complaining about the apparent lack of Police interest in the problems being experienced in the parish and particularly about the lack of a response to the Council’s invitation to attend a Parish Council meeting dated 20^th May 2010.

6.7/06/10 Other playing field and open space matters: Purleigh Croquet Club: Members were reminded that Purleigh Croquet Club had originally been set up by Purleigh Parish Council, Purleigh Women’s Institute and the Purleigh Playing Field Association and continued to be subsidised by the Parish Council (i.e. by Purleigh’s council tax payers) through its generous lettings policy for local organisations. It had been the understanding of the Parish Council that the control and management of the Croquet Club (i.e. its Officers) would always be in the hands of Purleigh parishioners so that the club would qualify for continued subsidy as a local organisation. It now appeared that there was a possibility that the membership of the croquet club, who were joining from outside the parish in increasing numbers, might replace Officers who were resident within the parish with those resident outside it.

It was therefore agreed that the Parish Council would write to the Croquet Club to clarify its lettings policy as follows. The Parish Council would explain that annual expenditure on the pavilion and playing field always exceeded the income derived from them (often by four to five thousand pounds a year) and that the difference was made up from the precept (i.e the parish’s portion of the council tax).

Since therefore council tax payers in Purleigh directly subsidised the running costs of the facilities, the Parish Council always ensured that Purleigh residents and organisations were able to hire them at a far cheaper rate than those coming from outside the parish, who had to pay a more realistic hiring fee which reflected the actual cost of providing and maintaining the facilities.

To qualify as a ‘Purleigh’ organisation, the Parish Council expected it to be managed and run by Purleigh residents primarily for the benefit of Purleigh residents, with people living outside the parish welcome to join and participate as ‘guest’ members if so desired. It should not be so named merely because it used the facilities at Purleigh. Should this not be the case, for the reasons outlined above the Parish Council would either decline to hire the facilities to that particular organisation, or would set a hiring fee well in excess of that charged to Purleigh residents.

Concern was expressed about how often the site was updated. It was therefore agreed to write to local clubs and organisations once again and ask them for up to date contributions about their activities to publish on the website.

Rural Broadband Partnership – High speed broadband parish needs survey: At the request of Essex County Council, the Rural Broadband Partnership asked the Parish Council whether the quality of Broadband delivery in Purleigh was:

and for the Parish Council to confirm whether it would like information and support to conduct a parish wide survey to confirm the level of satisfaction with the broadband service provided in the parish. It was agreed to inform the Rural Broadband Partnership that the quality of broadband delivery in Purleigh was unknown and that the Parish Council would not like to carry out a parish wide survey.

8.1/06/10 To receive a report of the independent audit for the year ended 31^st March 2010: Members noted that Mr. Stichbury had carried out a thorough internal audit of the Parish Council’s accounts for the year ended 31^st March 2010 on Friday, 21^st May 2010 between 11.00 a.m. and 1.00 p.m. and that he had completed his report to the external auditor (Section 4 of the Annual Return), a copy of which had been circulated to each Parish Councillor prior to the meeting.

There were no matters arising from the internal audit to report to the Parish Council.

Members noted that the Parish Council’s completed Annual Return for the year ended 31^st March 2010 had been sent to the Audit Commission for external audit.

8.2/06/10 To receive a report of receipts: The Parish Council received a report of the following receipts:

8.3/06/10 To approve payment of accounts between meetings: Members noted and approved that the following accounts had been paid between meetings, adhering strictly to the procedures outlined in the Parish Council’s Financial Regulations 5.3 - 5.7.

8.4/06/10 To approve payment of accounts to hand:

Fly the Flag – Armed Forces Day : Members noted that the Chairman of the District Council, Cllr. Robert Long, would be supporting the Armed Forces Day on Monday, 21^st June 2010. The Chairman would be delighted if a representative of the Parish Council would join him at the raising of the Flag Ceremony at the Maldon District Council offices on Monday, 21^st June at 10.00 a.m. in appreciation of the contribution made by all those who serve or who have served in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces. Light refreshments would be served following the ceremony.

Members noted that Mr. Ascott and Mr. Cooper would attend on behalf of the Parish Council.

Maldon District Local Strategic Partnership ‘ Making Choices for the District’: Members noted that the Local Strategic Partnership was holding a conference on 5^th July 2010 in Wickham Bishops Village Hall between 9.30 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. and that a representative from the Parish Council had been invited to attend.

The conference aimed to identify the most important issues facing the District and to develop a renewed sustainable community strategy.

Mrs. Stock agreed to attend the conference on behalf of the Parish Council.

Love Where You Live Week: The Parish Council was asked to support ‘Love where you Live Week’ which was running from 7^th – 14^th June 2010, by organising a litter picking event in the parish. Members noted that the District had recently been commended for having extremely clean streets. It was agreed to write to Maldon District Council congratulating its contractors, Appletons, for doing such a good job keeping the district clean and tidy.

Members noted that the next meeting of the Mid-Essex Area Forum would take place in public on 24^th June 2010 at 2.00 p.m. in Maldon Town Hall. The main agenda item would be a presentation from Essex Police updating the forum on Essex Police activities and its performance in the Mid-Essex area.

Members noted that the Annual Meeting of the Parish and Town Councils in the Maldon District of Essex would take place on 22^nd June at 7.30 p.m. in The Parish Room, Queensborough Road, Southminster. At the meeting there would be an opportunity to meet the members of the newly formed Maldon District Highways Panel.

Mrs. Owen gave her apologies, as she would be unable to attend the August 2010 Parish Council meeting due to a prior personal commitment.

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 9.07 p.m.

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