Draft Minutes
Minutes of a meeting of the HIGHWAYS SUB-COMMITTEE held at 7.30pm on Wednesday 21st August 2024 in The Mountfitchet Exchange, Crafton Green, 72 Chapel Hill, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex
PRESENT Cllr G Sell (Chair), Cllrs M Caton, P Jones, A Khan and J O’Brien
ATTENDING Cllrs J Kavanagh and T van de Bilt
In the absence of the Clerk and Deputy Clerk, it was agreed that Cllr Jones would take the minutes.
125 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Prior – working
RESOLVED to accept the apologies for absence from Cllr Prior
Apologies for absence were also received from County Cllr Gooding
126 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – None
127 TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 24TH APRIL 2024
RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 24th April 2024 as a true and accurate account.
128 TO RECEIVE AN UPDATE ON ACTION POINTS FROM THE LAST MEETING
539 – Office to try to arrange a 3-way meeting with the Goldsmiths and Sarah Lewin – UDC – Reply awaited from UDC
539 – Office to write to Kevin Bentley regarding lack of response from Cllr Cunningham – Email sent
539 – Office to write to the Chief Executive regarding lack of response – Email sent
541 – Cllr Gooding to give update on the water leak on Grove Hill after site visit
Already reported – leak repairs completed
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
541 – Cllr Gooding to give an update on banning HGVs from Grove Hill after Chair’s meeting – Report from Cllr Gooding already circulated.
Cllr Khan was critical of the lack of responses from Cllr Gooding.
Cllr Sell highlighted the failure of Cllr Tom Cunningham to respond to invitations to meet since Autumn 2023. It was agreed to mount a publicity campaign if no communication received by early/mid-September. Cllr Khan still supported a vote of no confidence in Cllr Gooding and asked for this to be minuted. Members continued to be concerned over the erosion of the value of the money in the Section 106 Highways fund.
129 TO RECEIVE A REPORT FROM THE CHAIR, CLLR GEOFFREY SELL
The failure to cut back vegetation on Church Road was of concern particularly as a new school term was about to begin and this is an issue of health & safety.
Negotiations between the Gemmill family and Essex Highways have been moving slowly. It was agreed that the Clerk should write to the Gemmill family and Essex Highways asking for action on cutting back vegetation on Church Road to be undertaken as a priority.
Cannons Mead – Cllr Sell had been contacted by residents over the problem of airport parking. Signage, which is no longer offered by Stansted Airport, was of limited value and Cllr van de Bilt pointed to the dispersal effect i.e. moving not solving the problem.
130 TO CONSIDER THE REPORT FROM CTY CLLR GOODING RELATING TO HGV’s ON GROVE HILL AND IN STANSTED IN GENERAL AND DRAFT OUR POSITION STATEMENT
Two reports from Cllr O’Brien and Cllr Jones were tabled. Both were critical of the content and conclusion of the Essex Highways document. Cllr Caton commented that the report was very negative and disrespectful and ignored the main problem of large vehicles.
Cllr Sell considered that there was a lack of political will and suggested asking an Opposition member to table a question to the Cabinet Member for Highways. Alternatively, a parish councillor could attend a Cabinet Meeting and ask a question under Public Participation.
Having been proposed by Cllr Sell and seconded by Cllr Caton it was unanimously
RESOLVED to proceed in the following way forward:
1 – Cllr O’Brien and Cllr Jones to draft a position statement which would be circulated to the Sub-Committee for comment.
2 – The Clerk to ask Essex Highways for the full report
3 – A meeting between Grove Hill residents and representatives of the Parish Council to be arranged for mid-September to consider the position statement.
4 – The position statement to be an agenda item at Full Council on 2nd October 2024
131 TO CONSIDER A SUGGESTION CONTAINED IN THE DRAFT REGULATION 19 UTTLESFORD LOCAL PLAN RELATION TO HIGH LANE
After a short discussion it was agreed that the proposal was unworkable and detrimental to an already difficult situation on Chapel Hill. Also noted that there had been no consultation. It was agreed to notify parishioners of the proposal and remind them that UDC has a consultation on the Local Plan.
132 TO CONSIDER THE WAY FORWARD RELATING TO CONSULTATIONS ON SCHEMES TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE NEPP AND TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO RE-CONSULT ON ANY PROPOSALS REJECTED
Having been proposed by Cllr Jones and seconded by Cllr Sell, with 4 votes in favour and 1 abstention, it was
RESOLVED to put the following two schemes forward:
1 – Bentfield Road
2 – Croasdaile Road (on approach to junction with B1383)
133 TO CONSIDER A REQUEST FROM A PARISHIONER FOR “FLASHING SPEED SIGNS” ON HIGH LANE
Having been proposed by Cllr Khan and seconded by Cllr Sell, it was unanimously
RESOLVED to approach Bloor Homes to fund a speed reduction signage scheme.
Meeting closed at 8.50pm
ACTION POINTS
129 Clerk to write to the Gemmill family and Essex Highways asking for action on cutting back the vegetation on Church Road.
130
1 – Cllr O’Brien and Cllr Jones to draft a position statement which would be circulated to the Committee for comment.
2 – The Clerk to ask Essex Highways for the full report
3 – A meeting between Grove Hill residents and representatives of the Parish Council to be arranged for mid-September to consider the position statement.
4 – The position statement to be an agenda item at Full Council on 2nd October 2024
131 Notify parishioners of the proposal and remind them of the Local Plan consultation
132 Put forward two schemes to the NEPP
133 Approach Bloor Homes for funding
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 21st August 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 24th April 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 consider the report from Cty Cllr Gooding relating to HGVs on Grove Hill and in Stansted in general and draft our position statement
7 To consider a suggestion contained in the draft Regulation 19 Uttlesford Local Plan relating to High Lane – report to follow
8 To consider the way forward relating to consultations on schemes to be submitted to the NEPP and to decide whether or not to re-consult on any proposals rejected – report to follow
9 To consider a request from a parishioner for “flashing speed signs” on High Lane
Parish Clerk 15th August 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.