STANSTED MOUNTFITCHET PARISH COUNCIL HIGHWAYS Sub-committee
Draft Minutes of a meeting of the Highways Sub-Committee held at 7.30pm on Wednesday 23rd April 2025 in The Mountfitchet Exchange, Craton Green, 72 Chapel Hill, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex
PRESENT Cllr G Sell (Chair), Cllrs P Jones, A Khan, J O’Brien, T van de Bilt and co-opted member Katherine Playle
ATTENDING Mrs Ruth Clifford – Parish Clerk, Mrs Emma Philbrick – Deputy Clerk, Cllr A Barnes – via Zoom, 1 member of the press – via Zoom, 1 member of the public – via Zoom
411 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Caton – Holiday
RESOLVED To approve the apologies for absence from Cllr Caton
Apologies were also received from Cty Cllr Gooding
412 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – None
413 TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 23RD OCTOBER 2024
RESOLVED To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 23rd October 2024 as a true and accurate account
414 TO RECEIVE AN UPDATE ON ACTION POINTS FROM THE LAST MEETING
201 – Cllr Gooding to ask officers to send out LHP agendas and minutes – So far these have never been received.
201 – Cllr Gooding to find out information regarding LHP website – No report received but the Clerk has established that the website now appears to be up to date.
201 – Cllr Gooding to find out updates on the schemes submitted by us so far and report back – see Cllr Gooding’s report with was circulated to all members ahead of the meeting and attached to the minutes.
202 – Purchase grit bins for Stoney Common and Bentley Drive – Done and installed
203 – Invite parishioners to submit questions for Cllr Cunningham – Done
203 – Clerk to send over finalised list of questions to all members and also responses when received back – list circulated to all members and any responses received back have been circulated.
205a – Clerk to request sight of the design of the Church Road Footway – This was received and circulated.
205c – Carry out consultation on the Bentfield Road and Croasdaile Road schemes – Done and on the agenda for discussion.
415 TO RECEIVE A REPORT FROM THE CHAIR, CLLR GEOFFREY SELL
Cllr Sell reported the following
He had suggested to the Uttlesford DC Scrutiny Committee that they look at the work of the North Essex Parking Partnership as he and a few others have concerns. There is now a workshop at the end of May and depending on the information gathered from that, they may look to take this further.
He has had a number of people complain to him about the fading white lines on pedestrian crossings, especially the one on Cambridge Road. Cllr Gooding in his report has said that white lines will be done in the new financial year.
He has been contacted by a resident in Cannon’s Mead who is worried about the parking situation. This is not airport parkers but residents parking. Cllr Sell visited the area and spoke to a number of residents, but it appears that there is not one view. Some would like to see parking restrictions but others are against this idea. He is not hopeful that it would get the 75% support that NEPP would require if we did a consultation for a scheme to be put in place. He promised to raise it this meeting but is loathed to go through a consultation when it will not get the residents support.
416 TO RECEIVE AN UPDATE FROM COUNTY COUNCILLOR RAY GOODING ON HIGHWAYS PROJECTS FOR STANSTED MOUNTFITCHET
See attached report which was circulated to members and read out at the meeting by the Chair:
Report from County Councillor Ray Gooding
I would just make a few comments regarding the current works that are going on in Stansted:
Road Closures in Stansted are currently causing disruption in the village and the closure of the Elsenham Road for an extended period is just one example. The work is however essential infrastructure improvement by both Cadent (Gas) and Affinity (water) and this has caused some significant disruption particularly to Elsenham residents.
The provision of the work on Grove Hill has been scheduled as a result of traffic control measure funded by a S106 Contribution from the Dandara Development in Elsenham. I will be sharing details of the proposals with Maureen Caton on Monday 28th April.
The meetings of the Local Highway Panel have currently been delayed largely as a result of the proposals for Local Government Reorganisation. Details of the constraints that this imposes will be shared with the respective Chairs of the LHPs and I await those details which I will share as soon as they are to hand.
Other works in Stansted are being planned for the new financial year and this will include the replacement of the white lining to Lower Street and the respective zebra crossings.
I can confirm that the Member Led Scheme is being extended for a further year and I will liaise with the Clerk regarding any items that can be included within this process. I am advised that this can now carry our small works to footpaths and pavements and I would suggest that this be used as an opportunity to “tidy” some of the areas where stumps of redundant signage remains. Report Ends.
It was agreed that the office would highlight the issue of white lines at the pedestrian crossings to Cllr Gooding and not just the white lines and roundabout in Lower Street.
Cllr Jones and Cllr Khan questioned why the Local Government Reorganisation was stopping any action taking place by the Local Highways Panel. It was agreed that the Clerk would seek clarification when she meets with him next week.
In terms of the Member Led Schemes, Cllr van de Bilt wondered how these are prioritised given that there is no data available to support any decisions as we have been asking for the data repeatedly so that we can prioritise our requests. We need data and it’s just not there. Cllr Sell commented that he was dissatisfied with the Local Highways Panel and how it is now operating.
Cllr Jones asked if we could write to Cllr Cunningham again and chase him for updates and more information on the questions submitted to him when he attended Full Council in November 2024. The answers received so far are unsatisfactory. It was agreed that Cllr Bentley and Cllr Gooding would be copied into this.
Katherine Playle advised that two reflective bollards are missing from one of the chicanes on Church Road. The office will check that this has been reported online and will mention this to Cllr Gooding at next week’s meeting also.
417 TO RECEIVE THE RESULTS OF THE BENTFIELD ROAD AND CROASDAILE ROAD CONSULTATIONS RE PROPOSED WAITING RESTRICTIONS AND TO DISCUSS THE WAY FORWARD
The results of the consultations are as follows:
Bentfield – 140 houses consulted – 56 responses received (40%) – 50 of those in favour (36%)
Croasdaile – 67 houses consulted – 27 responses received (40%) – 20 of those in favour (30%)
Both consultations fall way short of the 75% support that NEPP require.
It was noted that there is a consultation for waiting restrictions for Walson Way by Essex County Council. The Parish Council had previously submitted a similar request but this had been rejected. The Clerk undertook to establish if it was the bus company who had made the latest application. If so, it may be that other bus companies would support restrictions in other parts of the village such as Bentfield Road and Croasdaile Road and we would contact the operators of the 7/7a service.
418 TO RECEIVE REPORTS ON:
- a) S106 PROJECTS SUBMITTED
This has been covered above and the Clerk confirmed that the office has not received any further updates and that there is approximately £300,000 left of the S106 money. The Church Road footway scheme is currently being costed.
Cllr Sell commented again that the money is being depreciated and we need to write to Cllr Cunningham as this is an important issue. Cllr Jones asked that we contact the landowner of Elms Farm to see if they have any further updates.
- b) UTTLESFORD LOCAL HIGHWAYS PANEL PROJECTS SUBMITTED
Have been told that the zebra crossing on Silver Street will be done in the new financial year.
Cllr Sell asked that an email be sent to all members to think of anything else we would like incorporated in future. These need to be schemes under £25,000 and they normally favour schemes that improve traffic safety and improve footways.
Cllr O’Brien suggested trying the Cambridge Road scheme again by Tesco and the Clerk agreed to look at why it was rejected last time to see if it was worth trying again.
Katherine Playle asked about the footway as you come out of Manor Road onto Church Road and it was agreed to put this forward.
- c) NORTH ESSEX PARKING PARTNERSHIP PROJECTS SUBMITTED
Nothing to report
Meeting closed at 8.13pm
ACTION POINTS
416 Office to highlight the issues of faded white lines on pedestrian crossings to Cllr Gooding
416 Seek clarification from Cllr Gooding on why the Local Government Reorganisation is stopping action by the Local Highways Panel
416 Write to Cllr Cunningham chasing for updates/information and copy in Cllr Bentley and Cllr Gooding
416 Check if the bollard issue on Church Road has been reported online and inform Cllr Gooding
417 Find out who has made the latest application on Walson Way
417 Contact the operators of 7/7a bus service to see if they would support a scheme for Bentfield and Croasdaile Road
418a Write to Cllr Cunningham re depreciation of S106 money
418a Contact Landowners to see if they have any update
418b Ask all Councillors if they have any suggestions for future Local Highways Panel schemes
418b Look into why the Cambridge Road scheme was rejected
418b Submit scheme for footway improvements at the end of Manor Road
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 HIGHWAYS SUB-COMMITTEE which will be held on Wednesday 23rd April 2025 at 7.30pm in The Mountfitchet Exchange, Crafton Green, 72 Chapel Hill, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex
1 To receive apologies for absence
2 To receive declarations of interest
3 To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 23rd October 2024
4 To receive an update on action points
5 To receive a report from the Chair, Cllr Geoffrey Sell
6 To receive an update from County Councillor Ray Gooding on highways projects for Stansted Mountfitchet
7 To receive the results of the Bentfield Road and Croasdaile Road consultations re proposed waiting restrictions and to discuss the way forward
To receive reports on:
- a) S106 projects submitted
- b) Uttlesford Local Highways Panel projects submitted
- c) North Essex Parking Partnership projects submitted
Parish Clerk 15th April 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: 942 5337 7816 Password: 920789