Draft Minutes
STANSTED MOUNTFITCHET PARISH COUNCIL F&GP COMMITTEE
Minutes of a meeting of the F&GP COMMITTEE held at 7.30pm on Wednesday 2nd April 2025 in The Mountfitchet Exchange, Crafton Green, 72 Chapel Hill, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex
PRESENT Cllr J O’Brien (Chair), Cllrs M Caton, P Jones and G Sell
ATTENDING Mrs Ruth Clifford – Parish Clerk, Mrs Emma Philbrick – Deputy Clerk, Cllr Alan Barnes – via Zoom, 1 member of the public via Zoom
369 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Hardy – Work Commitments
RESOLVED To approve the apologies for absence from Cllr Hardy
No apologies were received from Cllrs Ghosh and Khan
370 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Cllr Sell declared an interest in the grant applications from Uttlesford Community Travel and Stansted Hall and Elsenham Cricket Club.
371 TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 8TH JANUARY 2025
RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 8th January 2025 as a true and accurate account.
372 TO RECEIVE AN UPDATE ON ACTION POINTS FROM THE LAST MEETING
None
373 TO RECEIVE A REPORT FROM THE CHAIR, CLLR JOHN O’BRIEN
F&GP Committee Chair Report 02-04-2025
Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” announcement, due today, will expose weaknesses in the worldwide economy. To what extent we have yet to discover.
The present inflation rate in the UK has dropped from 3.7% to 3.5% this last month, with the CPI dropping from 3.0% to 2.8%. There does appear to be an expectation for the economy to achieve an average of 2.5% in 2025. In view of Mr Trump’s intervention, we can assume that all economic predictions are likely to be outdated.
The problem for this Parish Council is that it pared down its Council Tax demands for this coming fiscal year, to help lessen the effects of inflation on our community. The issue now for this committee is how to prepare for doing the same for the following fiscal year.
The 13-year saga of trying to get Croudace to pay its S106 monies, (£93,000 plus a bit of interest), for the Foresthall Park development, is not yet over.
However, I am pleased to report that at the end of last week and with the assistance of Peter Holt, UDC were able to contact a senior member of the correct Croudace team. That person expressed their shock to learn that this issue had not been completed and has now given an undertaking that it will be progressed by a different member of staff. The original £93,000 commuted sum due under the S106 agreement has now grown to £135,562. Good news indeed.
374 LIGHTING
- a) TO RECEIVE AN OUTAGE REPORT
No new lights out. CD2 isn’t working but this has been reported, and we believe this is a UKPN issue.
- b) TO RECEIVE A GENERAL REPORT ON LIGHTING
In December it was noted that 4 lights along Chapel Hill had been stolen. Cllr O’Brien reported this to the police and two of them have since been recovered, although one of these is useless as the grub screw is broken. CH3, CH6, CH10 and CH14 were the stolen ones. We have not replaced CH3 or CH6 as there is plenty of other light around these.
Cllr O’Brien has been in contact with Network Rail and they have agreed to cut back the vegetation on the right hand side as you are going from Water Lane to the bridge. The problem we have is that to attempt to put any lights on the metal structure will be very costly, but Cllr O’Brien is still trying to arrange a site visit with them. Cllr Caton stressed that safety is still a big issue due to the condition especially of the flooring and that we need to keep pushing them.
375 FINANCE
- a) TO APPROVE THE LIST OF PAYMENTS
The list of payments was tabled at the meeting and the invoices checked against the schedule by Cllr Jones before the start of the meeting. The list of payments was approved
- b) TO RECEIVE THE INCOME & EXPENDITURE STATEMENT TO 28TH FEBRUARY 2025
This was emailed to all members ahead of the meeting and there were no questions.
376 TO CONSIDER GRANT APPLICATIONS RECEIVED
Three grant applications were received and these were circulated to all members with the agenda. Cllr Caton stressed that anyone receiving a grant must understand that they need to attend the Annual Parish Meeting to give an update on the grant money received.
Grant Application 1 – Buffy Play Bus
Having been proposed by Cllr Jones and seconded by Cllr Sell, it was unanimously
RESOLVED to award a grant of £350 to Buffy Play Bus
Grant Application 2 – Uttlesford Community Travel
Having been proposed by Cllr O’Brien and seconded by Cllr Caton, with 3 votes in favour and 1 abstention, it was
RESOLVED to award a grant of £2,500 to Uttlesford Community Travel
Grant Application 3 – Stansted Hall & Elsenham Cricket Club
Having been proposed by Cllr Caton and seconded by Cllr Jones, with 3 votes in favour and 1 abstention, it was
RESOLVED to award a grant of £440 to Stansted Hall & Elsenham Cricket Club
377 TO REVIEW OUR INVESTMENT POLICY AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO FULL COUNCIL
This was reviewed by the Clerk along with the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Committee and proposed changes were circulated to all members ahead of the meeting. Cllr O’Brien talked through the reasoning for the changes and it was noted that the last paragraph of point 8 also needed to be removed.
Having been proposed by Cllr Jones and seconded by Cllr Caton, it was unanimously
RESOLVED to make a recommendation to Full Council to adopt the Investment Policy with the agreed changes.
378 STREETLIGHT REPLACEMENT – TO RECEIVE AN UPDATE ON MEETINGS/CONTACT WITH MANUFACTURERS AND DISCUSS A STRATEGY ON THIS PROGRAMME
Cllr O’Brien referred to the need to upgrade the lighting columns in Lower Street in Chapel Hill as highlighted in last Electrical and Structural tests. He has made contact with four lantern suppliers, two of whom have supplied quotes. However, the quotes do not include the removal of the old columns and installation of new nor the costs involved with electrical disconnection and reconnection. The columns will be retested in Summer 2026 and it may be that costs can be spread over 4 years rather than the planned 3 years.
379 TO RECEIVE THE MINUTES OF THE PERSONNEL SUB-COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON 31ST MARCH 2025
The minutes of the meeting were received.
380 TO CONSIDER RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE PERSONNEL SUB- COMMITTEE WITH REGARD TO THE ANNUAL PAY REVIEW
Having been proposed by Cllr Jones and seconded by Cllr Caton, it was unanimously
RESOLVED to accept the recommendation from the Personnel Sub-Committee to award salary increases within the agreed budget.
381 WINDMILL – TO RECEIVE ANY AVAILABLE UPDATES
Cllr O’Brien updated members on the meeting which took place before F&GP.
382 YOUTH MATTERS – TO RECEIVE ANY AVAILABLE UPDATES
Cllr Caton advised that the Youth Club is going well and they are busy preparing for their trip to Rungis. In answer to a question from Cllr O’Brien, she confirmed that average attendance is approximately 23 young people.
The young people are doing podcasts for Touchpoint Radio.
The providers secured a number of grants and have purchased new equipment which will be arriving ready for the summer.
The Youth Council has not been reconvened as Cllr Caton is awaiting a meeting with the Head of Forest Hall School.
383 STAFF MATTERS – TO RECEIVE ANY AVAILABLE UPDATES
No updates since the Personnel meeting earlier this week.
Meeting closed at 8.09pm
NO ACTION POINTS
Agenda
Members of the Committee you are hereby summoned, and members of the public and press are hereby invited, to attend a meeting of the FINANCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE which will be held at 7.30pm on Wednesday 2nd April 2025 in The Mountfitchet Exchange, Crafton Green, 72 Chapel Hill, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex where the following business will be transacted:
1 To receive apologies for absence
2 To receive declarations of interest
3 To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 8th January 2025
4 To receive an update on action points from the last meeting
5 To receive a report from the Chair, Cllr O’Brien
6 Lighting:
- a) To receive an outage report
- b) To receive a general report on lighting
7 Finance:
- a) To approve the list of payments for authorisation – to be tabled
- b) To receive the Income & Expenditure statement to 28th February 2025
8 To consider grant applications received – Attached
9 To review our Financial Investment Policy and make a recommendation to Full Council
10 Streetlight Replacement – To receive an update on meetings/contact with manufacturers and discuss a strategy on this programme
11 To receive the minutes of the Personnel Sub-Committee meeting held on 31st March 2025
12 To consider recommendations from Personnel Sub-Committee with regard to the annual pay review
13 Windmill – to receive any available updates
14 Youth Matters – to receive any available updates
15 Staff Matters – To receive any available updates
Parish Clerk 26th March 2025
Any intention to record, film or take photographs during a meeting must be notified to the Clerk prior to the start of the meeting.
Zoom details for the meeting: ID: 997 6233 2649. Password: 512640