Draft Minutes
Minutes of a meeting of the FULL COUNCIL held on Wednesday 22nd May 2024 at 7.30pm in the Mountfitchet Exchange, Crafton Green, 72 Chapel Hill, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex
PRESENT Cllr M Caton (Chair), Cllrs A Barnes, S Ghosh, P Jones, J Kavanagh, A Love, J O’Brien and G Sell
ATTENDING Mrs Ruth Clifford – Parish Clerk, Mrs Emma Philbrick – Deputy Clerk, Cllr J Hogg – via Zoom, 4 members of the public – via Zoom
40 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Braeckman – Holiday, Cllr Guney – Work Commitments, Cllr Hogg – Holiday and Cllr Prior – Work Commitments
RESOLVED to accept the apologies for absence received from Cllrs Braeckman, Guney, Hogg and Prior
Apologies were received from District Cllr A Dean & District & Cty Cllr Gooding
No apologies were received from Cllr Khan and Cllr van de Bilt.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION – None
41 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – None
42 TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE FULL COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 1ST MAY 2024 AND THE ANNUAL COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 8TH MAY 2024
RESOLVED To approve the minutes of the Full Council meeting held on 1st May 2024 and the Annual Council meeting held on 8th May 2024 as true and accurate accounts.
43 TO RECEIVE AN UPDATE ON ACTION POINTS FROM THE LAST MEETING
547 – Cllr Gooding to clarify re the pothole report – No update – Chase Cllr Gooding
549 – Chair to write to MP Kemi Badenoch and ask her to intervene with the Grove Hill water leak – Done and response received. The Chair also followed up with a phone call to her office.
44 TO RECEIVE A REPORT FROM THE CHAIR, CLLR MAUREEN CATON
Some of you may recall our successful fight to save our library. We did this with the support of Save Our Libraries Essex (SOLE). SOLE have had another recent success and ECC have – following their pressure – now decided not to charge for the book reservation service. This has not been widely publicised – the initial reasoning behind this proposal being the low collection rate of books that had been reserved – which has been countered by the time it takes for the books to be made available! Thanks to SOLE for continuing to work for library users.
We are following up what action is being taken forward in relation to the 3G football pitch – initially agreed as part of the S106 from Columbia Threadneedle and their development of the Stansted Airport Northside. Speculation is that the pitch is not going to be delivered – if this is the case – we will be requesting a financial contribution towards a community building which can be held in an Escrow account until needed.
We are also checking up on the systems to prevent HGVs from the site entering the village – as appears to be the case. We are asking for confirmation that promised systems are in place monitoring and diverting the traffic as agreed and sanctions imposed where this occurs and that these will remain in place for the whole of the construction period and beyond.
The issues on Grove Hill in relation to water and potholes appear to be nearing a conclusion. A leak at the top of the Hill which was running off of the land – and spotted by a parish Councillor – was reported and addressed last week. The blocked drain is to be repaired in early June – whilst Affinity and Essex highways continue to battle it out over responsibility for the initial leak. We will continue to lobby on this issue for our residents.
Some members of the Youth Club and Youth Council are to join forces and meet up with Southend Youth Council to debate and highlight issues that are important to them and worthy of further debate in their local area. They will be spending the day together during the summer holidays. Your Youth Councillors are also completing the Make Your Mark Questionnaire – to vote on policies and strategies they would like to see introduced or taken forward by the UK Youth Parliament group – and to discuss with us.
The long-awaited wildflower project is underway. Rotavating has taken place on land in front of the northern Knight Sign and on the two verges at the junction of Rainsford Road with Pennington Lane. Seeding/turfing will take place this week and we’ll start to see some results in a number of weeks. However, the areas won’t reach their full effect until next year.
We await feedback from County and District Cllr Gooding on the Local Highway Panel schemes put forward by this Council. Church Road and Grove Hill are both listed schemes which are not yet progressed – the majority of our schemes are awaiting validation or feasibility outcomes – interestingly the date they were first received is not listed!
The Parish Council and Economic Development Working Group are pleased to announce that the publicity promoted locally for small business grants has succeeded in 6 local businesses getting grants for website and IT related upgrades and training for their businesses.
The Fireworks event in November is to proceed at Forest Hall School. More details on this will be shared as they become available.
Finally, the D Day Commemoration Service will be held at St John’s Church on June 6th at 11 a.m. We hope to see as many of you as possible there. Report Ends.
Cllr Barnes commented that the work towards the rewilding seemed to be going well and the company have so far done a good job. He also asked for clarification re the 3G football pitches. Cllr Caton explained that it was a very poor S106 agreement and all that is required is the replacement of the two pitches that were lost to Elsenham Junior Football Club.
45 TO RECEIVE WRITTEN DISTRICT COUNCILLOR REPORTS
No written reports were received.
Cllr Sell reported the following:
Last night was the Annual Council meeting, Cllr Martin Foley has been elected as Chair with Cllr Chris Criccione elected as Vice-Chair.
With regards to the Local Plan, there is a key meeting on 20th June 2024 of the Local Plan Panel and assuming it’s favourable, it will then go to Council on 16th July. An 8-week consultation period will then open.
Their contract with Norse will be ending in March 2025 so work has started on a specification for the new contract.
46 TO RECEIVE A WRITTEN COUNTY COUNCILLOR REPORT
No written report was received.
47 FINANCE – TO APPROVE THE LIST OF PAYMENTS
The invoices were checked against the payment schedule by Cllr Jones before the start of the meeting. The list of payments was approved.
48 PLANNING APPLICATIONS
1 UTT/23/2634/FUL – THE ASH, BURTON END
Section 73A Retrospective application for installation of a temporary accommodation cabin to provide staff accommodation consisting of bedroom and toilet and shower facilities.
No Comment
2 UTT/24/1119/LB – FOXVANE, 14 MILLSIDE
Repair and partial rebuilding of boundary wall, reusing the original materials with the addition of an extra supporting pier.
No Comment
3 UTT/24/1129/HHF – THE OLD POST HOUSE, 15 BLYTHWOOD GARDENS
Demolition of existing single storey garage extension, and replacement with single storey side extension, reconfiguration of driveway to create rear garden and erection of new boundary wall and fence.
No Comment
4 UTT/24/0848/HHF – 20 DAIRY LANE
Proposed single storey rear extension and enlarged driveway.
No Comment
5 UTT/24/1043/HHF – 17 WETHERFIELD
Proposed two storey side and rear extension, garage conversion with a new flat roof, entrance hall canopy and driveway to be enlarged for additional off street parking.
No comment as long as it meets UDC Parking Standards.
6 UTT/24/1260/HHF – OSTRA BRAMA, PINES HILL
S73A Retrospective application for refurbishment of existing garage/outbuilding. Permission to site a temporary mobile caravan as living accommodation for the duration of the construction of the main dwelling.
No Comment
49 TO CONSIDER RE-ADOPTING THE RISK MANAGEMENT POLICY
This had been circulated to members with the agenda. The Clerk and Deputy Clerk had reviewed this policy and felt that no changes were necessary. Having been proposed by Cllr Jones and seconded by Cllr O’Brien, it was unanimously
RESOLVED to re-adopt the Risk Management Policy with no changes.
50 OPEN SPACES COMMITTEE – TO RECEIVE THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 8TH MAY 2024
The minutes of the meeting were received.
51 F&GP COMMITTEE – TO RECEIVE THE MINUTES OF THE MEETINGS HELD ON 8TH AND 15TH MAY 2024
The minutes of the meetings were received.
52 HIGHWAYS SUB-COMMITTEE – TO RECEIVE THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 8TH MAY 2024
The minutes of the meeting were received.
53 PERSONNEL SUB-COMMITTEE – TO RECEIVE THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 8TH MAY 2024
The minutes of the meeting were received.
54 WINDMILL SUB-COMMITTEE – TO RECEIVE THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 8TH MAY 2024
The minutes of the meeting were received.
55 EMERGENCY PLANNING SUB-COMMITTEE – TO RECEIVE THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 8TH MAY 2024
The minutes of the meeting were received.
56 TO CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT TO SUPPORT POTENTIAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ON LAND AT CHURCH ROAD
The Clerk reminded members that a significant amount of information including reports from the working group and a letter from the landowners had been circulated to all members ahead of the meeting. A lengthy discussion ensued during which the following key points were noted:
1 There is a risk that housing numbers would rise by 39% – in addition to those already allocated in UDC’s Reg 18 draft Local Plan – if the ChurchRoad site goes ahead. This represents a significant increase.
2 The inclusion of an area for “retirement living” would address a housing need identified in the Housing Needs Assessment undertaken as part of the Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) evidence.
3 We need to clarify whether the cemetery, allotments and/or community orchard would be delivered “ready to use” which no set up costs to be funded by the Parish Council.
4 The land falls within the Metropolitan Green Belt.
5 Any development must demonstrate “special circumstances” which are not defined in law.
6 No consultation with the wider community has been undertaken.
7 If we decide to support this, the process required to be followed by UDC could result in a long delay in progressing our NDP.
8 The site is considered to be most sustainable than the Land to the East of High Lane.
9 The development would provide access to more public open space for those living in the south of the village.
10 It is not possible to get a firm financial value on the cash sum that the landowners would contribute to a fund to provide other community benefits either on or off the site. It was noted that with the Dairy Lane development, the landowners have delivered all that was offered, and the family has always played fair.
11 Significant highway improvements could be delivered including a revised traffic calming scheme for Church Road. The proposed illuminated pedestrian/cycle link to be constructed within the development site would make a safer route for the community.
12 The purpose of the MGB is to prevent coalescence with other communities, this site poses no risk of this whereas other sites in the village are located much closer to our neighbours.
At the end of the discussion, having been proposed by Cllr Jones and seconded by Cllr Sell, with 7 votes in favour and 1 abstention, it was
RESOLVED
- a) To inform UDC that this Council is minded to support the proposed development on Church Road but this would be dependent on a reduction in total housing numbers i.e at The Walpole Meadows site or on the Land to the East of High Lane.
- b) To prepare a briefing paper to be sent to all members of the UDC Local Plan Panel by 13th June 2024.
- c) To undertake a community wide consultation on the three proposed development sites named above. The results of the consultation will help to inform the Parish Council’s comments on the Regulation 19 Local Plan.
Meeting closed at 8.48pm
ACTION POINTS
43 Chase Cllr Gooding to clarify re pothole report.
56 Briefing paper for Local Plan Panel.
56 Consultation with community on the three site allocations.
Agenda
Members of the Council you are hereby summoned, and members of the public and press are hereby invited, to attend a meeting of the FULL COUNCIL which will be held on Wednesday 22nd May 2024 at 7.30pm in The Mountfitchet Exchange, Crafton Green, 72 Chapel Hill, Stansted, Essex, where the following business will be transacted:
1 To receive and approve apologies for absence
Adjourn for public participation
2 To receive declarations of interest
3 To approve the minutes of the Full Council meeting held on 1st May 2024 and the Annual Council meeting held on 8th May 2024
4 To receive an update on action points from the last meeting
5 To receive a report from the Chair, Cllr Maureen Caton
6 To receive written District Councillor Reports
7 To receive a written County Councillor Report
8 Finance: To approve the list of payments – to be tabled
9 To consider the list of planning applications received – see attached
10 To consider re-adopting the Risk Management Policy – attached
11 Open Spaces Committee – To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 8th May 2024
12 F&GP Committee – To receive the minutes of the meetings held on 8th & 15th May 2024
13 Highways Sub-Committee – To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 8th May 2024
14 Personnel Sub-Committee – To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 8th May 2024
15 Windmill Sub-Committee – To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 8th May 2024
16 Emergency Planning Sub-Committee – To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 8th May 2024
17 To consider whether or not to support potential housing development on land at Church Road – already circulated
Parish Clerk 16th May 2024
Any intention to record, film or take photographs during a meeting must be notified to the Clerk prior to the start of the meeting.