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Draft Mintues, Report & Highways Agenda – 23rd October 2024

Highways Uploaded on October 16, 2024

Minutes of a meeting of the HIGHWAYS SUB-COMMITTEE held at 7.30pm on Wednesday 23rd October 2024 in The Mountfitchet Exchange, Crafton Green, 72 Chapel Hill, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex

PRESENT  Cllr G Sell (Chair), Cllrs Caton, P Jones, A Khan, J O’Brien, L Prior and T van de Bilt. Also present was co-opted member K Playle

ATTENDING   Mrs Ruth Clifford – Parish Clerk, Cllr A Barnes, Cty Cllr Ray Gooding

196      APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE           –           None

197      DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST      –           None

198      TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 21ST AUGUST 2024

RESOLVED    To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 21st August 2024 as a true and accurate record.

199      TO RECEIVE AN UPDATE ON ACTION POINTS

            See attached Clerk’s report attached below action points

200      TO RECEIVE A REPORT FROM THE CHAIR, CLLR GEOFFREY SELL

Cllr Sell reported that he has received a number of complaints from residents related to the new development by Troy Homes on High Lane. He has received confirmation from UDC that their enforcement team is investigating. 

201      TO RECEIVE AN UPDATE FOM COUNTY COUNCILLOR RAY GOODING ON HIGHWAYS PROJECTS FOR STANSTED MOUNTFITCHET

Cllr Gooding reported on the Local Highways Panel. The majority of funds for the current year have been allocated and he confirmed that the zebra crossing for Silver Street is “in validation”. The Parish Council’s applications for additional zebra crossings in Forest Hall Road and Walson Way have not progressed as initial technical findings indicate there is no suitable location to accommodate new crossings with the zig zag lines and Traffic Regulation Orders which would be required. Members expressed their disappointment and found it difficult to believe that there was not a way around these issues as there are examples on Chapel Hill and on Lower Street where zebra crossings are very close to junctions. Cllr Gooding replied that under current regulations the crossing at the bottom of Chapel Hill would never be permitted but there is no appetite at Essex Highways to remove older crossings.

Discussion turned to the administration of the Panel as, despite several requests, agendas and minutes are still not circulated to Parish Councils and we do not know when the next meeting is taking place. Cllr Gooding stated again that he would ask the officers to send out this information. It was noted that the LHP website is “under maintenance” and this has been the case for at least 6 months. Cllr Khan questioned how effective the LHP online Dashboard is as this is meant to give real time information to members on the progress of LHP projects. Cllr Gooding replied that this has not been fully implemented and he was asked to find out why this has not happened, when it would be operational and to inform Essex Highways that it is misleading information.

Cllr Gooding stated that the next meeting will be held in January and encouraged the Parish Council to submit any new schemes ahead of the meeting. The Clerk stated that she had still not received responses to the majority of applications already submitted so should these schemes be resubmitted for the January meeting. She passed a list of these schemes to Cllr Gooding who said that he would get updates for the Parish Council.

202      GRIT BINS – TO CONSIDER PURCHASING ADDITIONAL BINS FOR AROUND THE VILLAGE

Members agreed that subject to funding being available, grit bins should be located in the vicinity of Stoney Common and Bentley Drive.

203      TO CONSIDER QUESTIONS TO PUT TO CLLR CUNNINGHAM WHEN HE ATTENDS FULL COUNCIL IN NOVEMBER

After lengthy discussion, it was agreed to invite parishioners to submit questions which the Council could consider submitting ahead of the meeting with Cllr Cunningham. The Council’s own list of questions would focus on Grove Hill, Church Road (footway improvements, flooding/drains and traffic calming), long term strategy for traffic flow along the B1383 and Essex Highways’ approach to commenting on planning applications. The Clerk will circulate the finalised list to all members and when responses are received from Cllr Cunningham, hopefully ahead of the Full Council meeting on 13th November, she will circulate those also.

204      UTTLESFORD LOCAL HIGHWAYS PANEL – TO CONSIDER WAYS OF IMPROVING THE COMMUNICATION WITH THE PARISH COUNCIL

Covered under item 201 above.

205      TO RECEIVE REPORTS ON

  • a) S106 PROJECTS SUBMITTED

The Clerk reported that she had received an update from the ECC Section 106 officer who stated that the Church Road Footway Improvements Scheme is about to go out to tender and hopefully a fixed price will be available soon and the project added to the delivery programme. It was agreed that the Clerk should request sight of the design drawing for this project and ask for either a ballpark cost or whether the officer expects to have any funds remaining after completion of the two live schemes.

  • b) UTTLESFORD LOCAL HIGHWAYS PANEL PROJECTS SUBMITTED

Covered earlier in the meeting.

  • c) NORTH ESSEX PARKING PARTNERSHIP PROJECTS SUBMITTED

In addition to discussions earlier in the meeting about the Highways Panel, Cllr Jones referred to the two schemes agreed at the previous meeting. Members agreed that these projects should be treated as a pilot scheme to see if we can be successful in achieving the 75% support from residents.

1   Bentfield Road – The scheme is as previously submitted but consultation letters will be sent to households in Bentfield Road and Bentfield Causeway. Local residents will be asked to assist in gathering neighbour support and responses. It was agreed that the letter should highlight the pros and cons of the scheme.

2   Croasdaile Road – it was agreed to apply for double yellow lines from the junction with Cambridge Road along past the junction with Rainsford Road to house number 1 Croasdaile Road. Consultation letters, with the pros and cons, will be delivered to households in Croasdaile Road and Croasdaile Close.

Meeting closed at 8.58pm

ACTION POINTS

201      Cllr Gooding to ask officers to send out LHP agendas and minutes

201      Cllr Gooding to find out information regarding LHP website

201      Cllr Gooding to find out updates on the schemes submitted by us so far and report back.

202      Purchase grit bins for Stoney Common and Bentley Drive

203      Invite parishioners to submit questions for Cllr Cunningham

203      Clerk to send over finalised list of questions to all members and also the responses when received.

205a    Clerk to request sight of the design of the Church Road Footway Improvements Scheme and also ask for a ballpark cost and if any funds will left.

205c    Carry out consultation on the Bentfield Road and Croasdaile Road schemes

 

Clerk’s Report to Highways Sub-committee Meeting 23rd Ocotber 2024

Action Points outstanding from meeting held on 24th April 2024:

541      Cllr Gooding to chase update regarding S106 and to check that the developers cannot take back any outstanding monies from the Foresthall Highways fund.

Response requested

541      Cllr Gooding to update after the new ULHP Chairs’ meeting.

Response requested

Agenda Item 4 – Action Points from the last meeting (21ST August 2024)

129      Clerk to write to the Gemmill family and Essex Highways asking for action on cutting back the vegetation on Church Road.

Gemmill family have cut back for the length of their boundary

130

  1.  Cllr O’Brien and Cllr Jones to draft a position statement which would be circulated to the Committee for comment. Completed.
  2. The Clerk to ask Essex Highways for the full report.  Requested

3 – A meeting between Grove Hill residents and representatives of the Parish Council to be arranged for mid-September to consider the position statement. Meeting was held.

4 – The position statement to be an agenda item at Full Council on 2nd October 2024. Document was approved and submitted to Essex.

131  Notify parishioners of the proposal and remind them of the Local Plan consultation. Completed.

132  Put forward two schemes to the NEPP.  Clarification required as there is no detail as to the extent of the waiting restrictions the sub-committee has agreed to

133  Approach Bloor Homes for funding. They have just contributed to the Fireworks event – this item should form part of negotiations on planning application for land east of High Lane.

CLARIFICATION REQUIRED

At the last meeting, it was agreed that we should submit two applications to the NEPP – one for Bentfield Road and the other for Croasdaile Road.

Is the Bentfield Road one the same as the one already submitted and rejected?  If so, what has changed as we could not fulfil the 75% support criteria.

Croasdaile Road – what is the request?  Is it for no parking, ie double yellow lines?  If so, what is the extent of the proposal?  No submission can be made without consultation – which houses?

Report Ends.

 

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 October 2024 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 21st August 2024

4  To receive an update on action points – report to follow

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  Grit bins – To consider purchasing additional ones for around the village

8  To consider questions to put to Cllr Cunningham when he attends Full Council in November

9  Uttlesford Local Highways Panel – To consider ways of improving the communication with the Parish Council

10 To receive reports on

  • a) S106 projects submitted
  • b) Uttlesford Local Highways Panel projects submitted
  • c) North Essex Parking Partnership projects submitted

Parish Clerk 16th October 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.