Draft Minutes
Minutes of a meeting of the FULL COUNCIL held at 7.30pm on Wednesday 2nd October 2024 in The Mountfitchet Exchange, Crafton Green, 72 Chapel Hill, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex
PRESENT Cllr M Caton (Chair), Cllrs A Barnes, A Guney, P Jones, J Kavanagh, A Khan, A Love, J O’Brien, L Prior and G Sell.
ATTENDING Mrs Ruth Clifford – Parish Clerk, Mrs Emma Philbrick – Deputy Clerk, District Cllr A Dean, District & County Cllr R Gooding, 2 members of the public (1 via Zoom), 1 member of the press
173 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Braeckman – University, Cllr Ghosh – will be late or absent due to work commitments and Cllr van de Bilt – family reasons
RESOLVED To accept the apologies for absence from Cllr Braeckman, Cllr Ghosh and Cllr van de Bilt.
Public Participation
One member of the public addressed the meeting regarding the issues with the Manor Road flats. He gave the history of the issues and what he has tried to do over the years to get the situation rectified and hold UDC responsible. He asked if there is anything the Parish Council can do to support the residents.
Cllr Sell stated that he will work with his fellow ward members to try to get funds allocated in UDC’s Capital Budget. Cllrs Gooding and Dean confirmed that they would support such a request. Cllr Sell added that as a group, the ward members should also request a meeting with Cllr Coote (Portfolio Holder) and relevant officers to discuss the matter in more detail. Cllr Gooding confirmed that Kemi Badenoch MP has been contacted and has approached the Secretary of State to intervene.
It was agreed that the position statement on the Parish Council’s website would be updated, and the Parish Council will also write again to the MP for updates. It will also support the actions of the ward members as detailed above.
174 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – None
175 TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 4TH SEPTEMBER 2024
RESOLVED To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 4th September 2024 as a true and accurate account.
176 TO RECEIVE AN UPDATE ON ACTION POINTS FROM THE LAST MEETING
137 – Planning Working Group to review differences between Reg19 & Reg 18 documents and review the NPPF – Done and draft response on agenda for consideration.
138 – Update website with position paper on Manor Road flats – Will be updated
144 – Policy Working Group to forward revised documents to the office – Some received and is ongoing
177 TO RECEIVE A REPORT FROM THE CHAIR, CLLR MAUREEN CATON
A meeting with the Grove Hill Resident group proved productive. They were grateful for our work on this issue and the response to the recent report. Our response is now finally updated with minor additional comments from them which was circulated to yourselves and will be going to Cllr Gooding and will make its way to Cllr Cunningham. We are researching the cost of a potential commissioned traffic survey and will need to consider if commissioned what impact on the final decision this will have.
Cllr Cunningham – the ECC lead for Highways has agreed to meet with the Parish Council and has requested dates for November and December – when a date is agreed we will also be requesting he has a pre meet with the residents of Grove Hill.
Cllr Jones and myself met and discussed our comments in relation to the Reg 19 Local Plan – these have been made available to you also. One of our main complaints is the poor advice we were given in relation to housing development numbers and therefore the impact on our decision re Elms Farm developments and the lack of any consultation re proposed changes to High Lane (to become a none through road).
The Youth Club are to engage intalks with the Rungis Twinning Association to enable a visit of some young people to the French town to meet their counterparts potentially next Easter.
As Chair, I have forwarded a letter drafted by Councillor Khan on our behalf to our MP Kemi Badenoch , to request her assistance in promoting Pension Credit access to those in our community who will need support to heat their homes this winter.
The Neighbourhood Development Plan should be ready for consultation in the New Year and we are looking to commission specialist support to enable us to promote the consultation within the community. Hopefully next month I will be able to give you firmer dates and details of the consultation proposed.
A further meeting with the Gemmill family in relation to the potential Church Road development proposals has been held by the Planning Working Group – prompted by our request to discuss the commissioning of burial land. The Planning Working Group are to consider a very clear and defined list of community benefits that the Parish would like to see delivered along with any future proposals for the land. The family will be promoting their inclusion/ or lack of it in their response to the Local Plan – a further meeting and potential community consultation on any proposals would be planned dependent on outcomes from the above actions.
Finally, I attended the Standards training offered to all councillors – I have to say – you did not miss anything that common sense would not indicate.
178 TO RECEIVE WRITTEN DISTRICT COUNCILLOR REPORTS
District Cllr Geoffrey Sell
The Local Plan Reg 19 Consultation is due to end on 14th October. The Local Plan Panel will be meeting in November to look at the next steps before submission.
A report by the Association of Electoral Administrators was discussed at a recent meeting. The delay in issuing some postal votes for the last election was concluded as being an avoidable error and came down to issues of communication between the printers and the council. It was suggested in the report that the Chief Executive take a refresher course in Media Presentation.
Next week is Full Council and he will be putting forward a motion to ask UDC to play its part in informing residents regarding the Winter Fuel Allowance and benefits that they may be eligible to receive.
District Cllr Alan Dean
He has today written to Cllr Cunningham regarding the footpath along the B1383.
Requested that the Parish send him any correspondence between themselves and UDC regarding Manor Road flats. This was agreed
Cllr Khan commented that UDC had put out a statement regarding Norse, the maintenance contractors, and made an admission that taking them on was their worst decision but what are they doing about it? How are they holding the provider to account?
District Cllr Ray Gooding
Once the Norse contract has ended, the plan is to have part of the work in-house and part contracted out. Apart from the Manor Road issues, there are problems with a new development elsewhere in the district where the fire separation doors in the block don’t fit properly in the walls and the gaps have been filled with foam. The officer in charge seems to be on the case.
There have been other issues with houses on the Mountfitchet Estate that Norse have been working on resulting in someone’s access to their property being blocked and the resident threatening to take out an injunction against them.
Cllr Caton asked what can the Parish Council do, say or raise as it is total incompetence? He advised that the four ward members would need to continue pressing. Cllr Khan commented that he had previously raised the idea of a vote of no confidence and would like to raise it again as it’s a complete disgrace.
The Parish Council agreed with Cllr Khan’s proposal and asked the four ward members to put forward a motion for a vote of no confidence in the Portfolio Holder, Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive and the management of the issue.
[Cllr Ghosh arrived at the meeting.]
179 TO RECEIVE A WRITTEN COUNTY COUNCILLOR REPORT: County Cllr Ray Gooding
There are a number of schemes he has put forward on his Members Request service and these include potholes at the top of Rainsford Road.
The flood alleviation scheme for Church Road is in design after it was found that it was not just a matter of flushing the drains. It is hoped that remedial works would take place in the next financial year.
Cllr O’Brien discussed the issues at the trash screen and advised that the responsibility lies with Essex County Council. He called for them to take action urgently. Cllr Gooding agreed to raise this.
Cllr Sell asked if there had been an Essex Highways Panel meeting and if so, why was the Parish Council not made aware? Cllr Gooding said that a meeting is due to take place next week but that most of the budget has already been spent. There is only £28,000 left in the budget for this financial year. Cllr Sell pointed out that we were not aware of this meeting and there is no longer any communication. How can we support our schemes at the meetings if we are unaware. He asked for agendas to be sent to all town and parish councils. Cllr Caton asked for an update on the schemes for Stansted and Cllr Gooding agreed to send over the details.
Reports End.
180 FINANCE – TO APPROVE THE LIST OF PAYMENTS
The payment schedule was checked against the invoices by Cllr Jones before the start of the meeting. The list of payments was approved.
181 Planning Applications
1 UTT/24/2204/FUL – MARLENSDALE, BURTON END
S73 application to vary condition 2 (approved plans) of UTT/21/1455/FUL (subdivision of a single dwelling into 2 no. dwellings with associated gardens and parking) – amendments to originally submitted plans
No Comment
2 UTT/24/2205/FUL – MARLENSDALE, BURTON END
S73 application to vary condition 2 (approved plans) of UTT/23/1644/FUL (Application to vary condition (approved plans) of planning application UTT/22/2094/DFO (Details following outline application UTT/19/2666/OP for the demolition of existing agricultural buildings and erection of 5 no. dwellings – details of access, appearance, layout and scale)
No Comment
3 UTT/24/2206/FUL – MARLENSDALE, BURTON END
S73 application to vary condition 2 (approved plans) of UTT/22/1638/FUL (2 no. detached dwellings)
No Comment
4 UTT/24/2207/FUL – MARLENSDALE, BURTON END
S73 application to vary condition 2 (approved plans) of UTT/23/1645/FUL (Application to vary condition 2 (approved plans) of planning application
UTT/21/2152/FUL (Erection of 1 no, dwelling and cartlodge (on site of previously approved outbuilding under UTT/20/3420/CLP)
No Comment
5 UTT/24/2228/HHF – HILLSIDE, 2 BROOK ROAD
Conversion of garage attached to the house into a habitable self-contained Granny flat with new flat roof.
No objection as long as it meets the UDC Parking Standards. We would also seek a condition that it stays attached to the house and does not get sold separately in the future.
6 UTT/24/0830/HHF – KELMSCOTT, 47 RECREATION GROUND
Section 73A Retrospective application for the removal of front railings and replacement of existing garden fencing.
Object – Railings should be reinstated as there is an Article 4 Direction in place as this is a conservation area and members considered this important in the street scene.
7 UTT/24/1559/FUL – BARN AT 19 BENTFIELD END CAUSEWAY
Change of use and self build/custom-built conversion of barn to single dwelling, with associated access and vehicle parking.
Object – The access is not appropriate and the existing access in Pond Lane should be used. Some years ago, a planning application for 27 Bentfield End Causeway was refused by a Planning Inspector on the grounds that access onto Bentfield Causeway from the track would be dangerous given that the Causeway is a through route linking Stansted with Manuden and the villages beyond. In the intervening years, the volume of traffic has only increased.
8 UTT/24/2109/HHF – THE TOWER HOUSE, BENTFIELD GREEN
Proposed alterations to the existing dwelling including demolition of existing rear extension and erection of a two storey rear extension and a glazed dormer above the garage.
No Comment
9 UTT/24/2348/HHF – 8 SANDFORD ROAD
Rear single storey extension
No Comment
182 TO CONSIDER THE COUNCIL’S DRAFT RESPONSE TO THE UDC LOCAL PLAN REG 19 CONSULTATION
A report from the working group was circulated to members with the agenda. Cllr Prior had done some work on the presentation which everyone was happy with.
It was agreed that this would be submitted to UDC and posted on our website.
183 TO CONSIDER THE COUNCIL’S DRAFT POSITION PAPER ON ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL’S REPORT INTO REMOVING HGVS FROM GROVE HILL
A report was circulated to members ahead of the meeting and Cllr Jones gave background to this issue.
After a brief discussion during which amendments were suggested, it was agreed to submit the document to Essex Highways.
184 OPEN SPACES COMMITTEE – TO RECEIVE THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 11TH SEPTEMBER 2024
The minutes of the meeting were received.
185 F&GP COMMITTEE – TO RECEIVE THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 18TH SEPTEMBER 2024
The minutes of the meeting were received.
Meeting closed at 8.56pm
Action Points
PP Ward members to ask for funds from the Capital Budget for Manor Road flats
PP Ward members to request a meeting with Cllr Coote (Portfolio Holder) re flats
PP Parish Council to update their Manor Road flats position statement on the website
PP Parish Council to write to Kemi Badenoch MP
178 Send Cllr Dean any correspondence between the Parish Council and UDC in relation to the Manor Road flats
178 Ward members to put forward a vote of no confidence in the Portfolio Holder, Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive.
179 Cllr Gooding to raise the issues at the trash screen with Essex County Council
179 Cllr Gooding to send over an update on all schemes submitted to the Local Highways Panel for Stansted
182 Submit our comments for the Local Plan Regulation 19 Consultation
183 Send our Position Paper on Grove Hill to Essex County Council
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 2nd October 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 4th September 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 the Council’s draft response to the UDC Local Plan Reg 19 Consultation
11 To consider the Council’s draft position paper on Essex County Council’s report into removing HGVs from Grove Hill – to follow for members
12 Open Spaces Committee – To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 11th September 2024
13 F&GP Committee – To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 18th September 2024
Parish Clerk 26th September 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.