MINUTES
MINUTES of a meeting of the Highways Sub-Committee held at 7.30pm on Wednesday 9th September 2020. This was a virtual meeting using the Zoom platform.
PRESENT Cllr G Sell (Chairman), Cllrs M Caton, J Harding, M Jessup, A Khan and F Richards, Peter Jones and Raymond Woodcock
ATTENDING Mrs Ruth Clifford – Clerk
Mrs Emma Philbrick – Admin Assistant
Cllrs J Kavanagh, J O’Brien and D Wallace-Jarvis
2 members of the public
364 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE – None
365 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Cllr Harding – Item 10 – Lives in that area
366 TO RECEIVE THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 4TH MARCH 2020
RESOLVED To accept the minutes of the meeting held on 4th March 2020 as a true and accurate account
367 MATTERS ARISING
Cllr Sell asked the Clerk if there had been any complaints about Dominos parking on the pavement? The Clerk advised that she had received some at the beginning of lockdown and this was discussed with Linda Howells at UDC. The Chairman, Cllr Caton, had also paid them a visit to discuss it. There had been no recent complaints. Cllr O’Brien advised that when he was recently doing the footfall count for Uttlesford that the Dominos delivery drivers were dominating the loading bay and parking zone and he witnessed them intimidating other drivers trying to use these. It was agreed that a letter would be drafted and signed by Cllr Sell as Chair of Highways.
Ray Woodcock had asked if item 300 (127) at Burton End had been resolved? Cllr Khan advised that the issue had arisen again. The Clerk had drafted a letter which Cllr Khan and District Cllr Caton had distributed. The PCSO had also attended and carried out speed checks but no vehicles were found to be speeding. Residents that had been spoken to had advised that the issue is centred on one property in particular, and Cllr Khan had knocked to try and speak to them but no one available. The situation will be monitored. Cllr O’Brien commented that he regularly travelled through the area and it was always the same car that was parked on the pavement. The Clerk advised that she will get the PCSO to visit the property thought to be causing the issues.
Item 131 – Ray Woodcock advised that signage had been put up on Grove Hill but unfortunately it was totally ineffective as no one is paying attention to it. Cllr O’Brien feels that Sat Navs are partly to blame as it is a recognised registered road so leads lorries there as the quickest route to their destination.
Ray Woodcock read out information from a document from 1987 concerning the weight limit on Grove Hill. The Clerk advised that she had received a copy of the document from County Councillor Ray Gooding and it is the word ‘access’ in the document that is causing the issue legally. It had also been advised that post-1987 it ceased being the role of the police to enforce such issues and became the job for Trading Standards but it had proved impossible to get them to complete a site visit.
305 – Ray Woodcock challenged the statement that bollards would not conform as he had been informed that the County Council were now considering this option. Cllr Sell pointed out that during the meeting in March they had advised that they wouldn’t conform. Things had obviously moved on since that meeting but at the time this statement was correct. The Parish Council will be working with Cty Cllr Gooding regarding this.
Cllr Sell advised that they were hoping to meet with Cty Cllr Gooding and that there are no easy answers with Grove Hill. Ray Woodcock advised that he would like a maximum of 4 members who were representing the residents of Grove Hill to attend any meeting where Grove Hill was being discussed. He felt they had a right to participate in all meetings with Essex County Council. Cllr Sell advised that he could not commit to this but that they should all be working together but had so far not seen any minutes of a meeting held by the residents
Peter Jones agreed that residents should be given some update even if there was not much to report but he felt that nothing much would change until Trading Standards carried out a site visit which was unlikely to happen. Cllr Sell advised that Cty Cllr Gooding had undertaken to update the residents at the last meeting held regarding this and will chase up to ensure this is done. Peter Jones also felt that the District Council should put pressure on Essex Highways but so far the District had failed to take the matter seriously
368 CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
Cllr Sell reported the following:
There is a meeting of the Highways Panel at the end of the month, but no papers had been received yet.
The Clerk asked Cllr Sell if he could chase regarding the 4 or 5 projects that had been submitted by the Parish Council as she had continuously tried to chase but with no luck.
369 GROVE HILL – TO REPORT AN UPDATE FROM CTY CLLR GOODING
This has been covered under matters arising.
370 WINDMILL FIELDS – TO CONSIDER PARKING IN THE VICINITY OF THE WINDMILL AND WINDMILL FIELDS
The Clerk advised that she had put this back on the agenda as although the quote had previously been agreed as long as it was confirmed that the wood would be treated, it had been a year since the quote had been received and the contractor advised that the cost would increase by approx. 10%. They had also confirmed that they do use treated wood. Are members still happy to go ahead with the increased price? The money is coming out of the S106 Brook Road fund and after paying the new amount there would still be £3,000 left.
Cllr Sell asked if residents had been notified and the Clerk confirmed that once agreed they would do this out of courtesy. He also commented that there may be a need for resurfacing in years down the line, but the Clerk advised that the money was never meant to be used for that but for general maintenance and improvements.
Cllr O’Brien commented he was concerned because of topography as drains should be top priority and that the S106 money should be there to protect properties at the bottom of the hill. Cllr Sell advised that he grew up in the area and had never heard of an issue with flooding there and the Clerk confirmed that nothing had been reported this year.
Cllr Sell proposed:
RESOLUTION To go ahead with the amended quote
Having been seconded by Cllr Caton it was passed with 1 abstention and 7 votes in favour.
The Clerk will get the updated quote as soon as possible and place the order.
371 UPDATE ON SECTION 106 PROJECTS
The Clerk advised that she had chased Annette Thornton but had not received any acknowledgement, let alone any answers.
Cllr Sell asked how much was left in the fund, but this is something that the Clerk had also asked and was awaiting a response. She had been assured though that the funding was secure as this had previously been confirmed by Annette Thornton. The Clerk advised that she needed to contact cabinet member Cllr Kevin Bentley about another matter so would bring this up also.
Peter Jones commented that taking into account cost inflation the community was losing out and there needs to be a more aggressive approach to this. It was agreed that the Clerk would draft a letter to be signed by Cllr Sell and Cllr Caton
372 UPDATE ON PROJECTS SUBMITTED TO THE UTTLESFORD LOCAL HIGHWAYS PANEL
As previously mentioned there was a meeting due to take place at the end of the month and Cllr Sell thought it would be a good chance for himself, Cllr Caton and the Clerk to attend and put forward the Parish Council’s case. The Clerk confirmed she would ask Ben Ferguson to send them the invitation.
373 REQUEST FOR PARKING RESTRICTIONS AT BAYFORD WAY, ADJACENT TO PARK NEAR BLAKE MEWS
Correspondence had been received from a resident who said that the on-street parking blocked the sightlines out of Blake Mews making it very dangerous and he wanted parking restrictions in place. Blake Mews is privately maintained but need to investigate if Bayford Way was also. The Clerk read out an email from Cllr Harding who had responded with his concerns of parking when the original request was circulated. The layout of the area of road concerned is very confusing so the Clerk agreed to speak to the North Essex Parking Partnership to see what is adopted and where lines could possibly be put if the request was successful.
Cllr Khan commented that he had long been an advocate of 20mph speed limits and wanted to know how this could be taken forward? After some discussion between members it was agreed that this will be pursued and that a consultation with residents would be held to see what they would support in the area. This could be done via the Link, social media and leaflet drop. Cllr Caton stressed that it would need to be made clear to residents that this was a consultation and it could be that nothing would be changed as it is not within the Parish Council’s power to introduce new measures.
Meeting closed 8.40pm
ACTION POINTS
367 Clerk to draft a letter to Dominos to be signed by Cllr Sell
367 PCSO to be asked to visit property in Burton End
368 Cllr Sell to chase for update on projects submitted to the Highways Panel
370 Clerk to get an accurate updated quote and give the go ahead for the work. Also need to notify residents
371 Clerk to draft letter to be signed by Cllr Caton and Cllr Sell
372 Clerk to ask for invitation to the UDC Highways Panel meeting at end of the month
373 Clerk to speak to the Parking Partnership and look into a consultation with residents
AGENDA
You are invited to attend a meeting of the HIGHWAYS SUB-COMMITTEE to be held on Wednesday 9 September 2020 at 7.30pm using the Zoom platform.
1 To receive apologies for absence
2 To receive Declarations of Interest
3 To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 4 March 2020
4 Matters Arising
5 Chairman’s Report
6 Grove Hill – to report any update from Cty Cllr Gooding
7 Windmill Fields – to consider parking in the vicinity of the Windmill and Windmill Fields
8 Update on Section 106 projects
9 Update on projects submitted to the Uttlesford Local Highways Panel
10 Request for parking restrictions at Bayford Way, adjacent to park near Blake Mews