Open Spaces Minutes, Reports & Agenda – 25th January 2023

Minutes

Minutes of a meeting of the OPEN SPACES COMMITTEE held at 7.30pm on Wednesday 25^th January 2023 in The Mountfitchet Exchange, Crafton Green, 72 Chapel Hill, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex

PRESENT Cllr J Kavanagh (Acting Chair), Cllrs A Guney, A Khan, L Prior, F Richards

ATTENDING

Mrs Emma Philbrick – Deputy Clerk

Mrs Laila Azure-Marxen – Project Officer

Cllr G Braeckman (via Zoom)

Cllr P Jones

1 member of the press (via Zoom)

327 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Barnes (work commitment), Cllr Caton (holiday), Cllr Braeckman (away at Uni). Having been proposed by Cllr Richards and seconded by Cllr Khan, it was unanimously:

RESOLVED to accept the apologies from Cllrs Barnes, Caton, and Braeckman

328 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

None

329 TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE OPEN SPACES MEETING HELD ON 23^rd NOVEMBER 2022

RESOLVED To approve the minutes of the Open Spaces meeting held on 23^rd November 2022 as a true and accurate account.

330 UPDATE ON ACTION POINTS FROM THE LAST MEETING

253 re-seeding of the Rec is on the agenda

254 Rewilding is on the agenda

255 Comments received.

260 Jubilee oak tree guard is on the agenda

262 Ongoing

263 It was not clear who was taking this action. The office will write to the school.

264 Climate change reports added as a standing agenda item

331 TO RECEIVE A REPORT FROM THE CHAIR

Attached

Cllr Kavanagh read out the Chair report from Cllr Barnes. Cllr Prior asked to be updated on SIB progress with a report in April/May. It was requested that SIB is featured on the agenda (April/May).

332 TO RECEIVE A REPORT FROM THE PROJECTS OFFICER

Attached

The labels on the newly planted trees are in Latin and residents have asked for the English names. The names have been listed in the project report which will be available on the website. Dan will be asked to make a post about the variety of species.

333 TO RECEIVE A REPORT OF INTERMENTS FROM THE CLERK

No interments.

Memorial consent has been granted for additional inscriptions for Trudy Foster and Robert John Dellow. Permission has been granted for a new memorial for Bob and Elsie Stoddart.

334 TO RECEIVE AN UPDATE REPORT FROM SUSTAINABLE STANSTED

Attached

Cllr Jones gave a brief update on the group’s activities. The group elected Kate Allen as Chair and they plan to distribute flyers with grant money from UDC. The group is working on more grant applications. It was agreed that the group would receive a regular report on relevant Open Spaces activities. Dan to promote the group further on SMPC Facebook and website. The Committee wanted to record their thanks to the Sustainable Stansted group for all their hard work so far.

Items 335 and 336 were discussed as one item during meeting as the quote for the swing repair on Walson Way was covered in the play equipment maintenance report.

335 TO CONSIDER ACCEPTING THE QUOTE FOR THE REPAIRS TO THE SWINGS AT THE WALSON WAY PLAY AREA

336 TO RECEIVE A REPORT ON PLAY EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE AND TO DISCUSS THE FINANCING OF THE RECOMMENDED REPAIR WORK

The Deputy Clerk read out the Clerk’s report and recommendations for financing the

repairs of the play equipment. The recommendations are to undertake all amber and yellow items as costed, but not to replace the entire safety surfacing under the Multiplay on the Rec this year. Some of this would be covered by this year’s maintenance budget with only a small shortfall that can be covered by the Free Reserve. The works at Foresthall Park will be funded from the FHP S.106 Maintenance Fund.

Having been proposed by Cllr Richards and seconded by Cllr Khan it was unanimously:

RESOLVED to undertake the repair of all amber and yellow items highlighted in the play equipment report as recommended by the Clerk

Going forward it is important to get guarantees for adopted play equipment.

The Councillors discussed a communications campaign about the upkeep of the play equipment, with before and after posts. This could also include posts about recent vandalism and highlighting the importance of reporting it.

337 TO CONSIDER QUOTES ON THE RE-SEEDING OF THE REC FOOTBALL GOAL AREA

The committee asked for the item to be deferred so that more quotes can be obtained. Members also asked for more information on the different seeding and goal options available and options on financing of the project.

338 TO RECEIVE A REPORT ON THE RECOMMENDED REWILDING SITES

The committee discussed the recommended rewilding sites. Cllr Braeckman informed the committee that his family was going to sow wildflowers on land bordering Walpole Meadows.

1 member of the press joined the meeting on Zoom

Members selected the following sites to be consulted on: The triangle around the Knight Sign (northern end), the Memorial Gardens, the Recreation Ground, the SUDS area at Foresthall Park. The corners on Rainsford Road and Longcroft were also considered, but parking might be an issue. Permissions might be required. This will need to be investigated.

All areas selected need to be consulted on, firstly with the contractors (grass cutters and gardeners), and then a public consultation for each area.

339 TO CONSIDER THE PURCHASE OF TREE GUARDS FOR THE JUBILEE OAKS

The committee discussed the options presented in the report. The watering bags on the trees make it difficult to install a tree guard. It was agreed that watering is more important while the trees are still getting established, and the purchase of the guards will be revisited at a later date. Financing should also be considered when the item goes back on the agenda.

340 TO CONSIDER THE REPLACEMENT OF THE PARISH TREE WARDEN

The former Tree Warden stepped down a few months earlier and the office have had no luck replacing him. Cllr Braeckman stated that he had some knowledge of trees and was learning more on his university course. The committee asked Cllr Braeckman if he would be prepared to take on the job as the Parish Tree Warden and he agreed to this until the next Elections and Annual Council Meeting.

341 TO CONSIDER ALTERNATIVE PLACEMENT OF THE PLANTER ON MOUNTFITCHET GREEN

The committee was asked to clarify exactly where the planters agreed on at the last meeting should be placed. Some of these areas might need additional licensing from Essex Highways, so it was agreed to move the planters onto areas the Parish Council is responsible for. The old notice board will be moved to the main entry to Mountfitchet Green as part of the refurbishment project, and it was agreed a planter should go next to the notice board. The other planter will go the corner of Church Road/Maitland Road.

342 TO CONSIDER THE REFURBISHMENT OF THE CORONATION SHELTER ON CHAPEL HILL AND ESTABLISH A WORKING GROUP TO PROGRESS THIS PROJECT, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT ANY SUGGESTIONS MADE BY COUNCILLORS

The committee was asked to form a working group and take any ideas of refurbishment and quotes to Full Council. Ideas were briefly discussed. The Coronation Shelter working group consists of Cllrs Barnes, Guney and Richards. The project does not need to be finished by the coronation in May.

443 TO RECEIVE AN UPDATE ON FOOTPATHS

Mr Stiles was not able to produce a footpath report due to the bad weather. No other comments on footpaths.

344 MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THE NEXT AGENDA

Cllr Khan asked for a verbal update on the handover of the Walpole Meadows. Cllr Guney asked for an update on the handover of Elms Farm Open Space.

Meeting Closed at 8.56pm

Action Points

263 The office to contact the schools regarding litter

331 Ask SIB to produce a report for O/S meeting in April/May. Laila to include this on the agenda.

332 Dan to make a post about the varieties of the newly planted tree species.

334 Sustainable Stansted to receive a regular report on relevant Open Spaces activities from Laila

Dan to promote Sustainable Stansted further on Facebook and website

336 Dan to do a communications campaign on the repair work of the play equipment

337 The office to source 3 quotes and information on the different options for the reseeding project on the Rec

338 The rewilding group to investigate any restrictions planting wildflowers on the corners of Rainsford Road and Longcroft

Reports

Chair Report: Alan Barnes

I only have a few points to report on that are not on the agenda or covered in Laila’s project update;

1. We still continue with our efforts to resolve the issues around the Public Open Spaces at Elms Farm and Walpole Meadows.
2. On Walpole Meadows, I met with Kalvin Nelson, the person responsible for landscaping issues at Bloor Homes, to discuss enabling action for the early transfer of the allotments to SMPC. It was agreed to divide the site into 14 plots using turf paths which Bloor will lay. Because of recent heavy rain the newly laid top soil is very wet and the laying of turf may be delayed for a few weeks. However, things are moving forward. We have drafted out a new tenancy agreement for the Walpole allotments and potential plot holders are being, or will be, contacted shortly.
3. It has been agreed that from 1^st February the administration of all allotment matter for which SMPC are responsibility will now be undertaken by Laila. I would like to thank Emma for all her hard work over the last few years in the setting up and operation of the robust systems put in place at Elms Farm.
4. The other issues around the children’s playground fencing on Walpole Meadows are yet to be resolved by UDC. However, the new drainage has been completed although considerable corrective ground works are required to the POS area caused by the heavy equipment used for this work.
5. I attended a meeting of the SIB/AIB organising committee. The group plan to hold a primary and secondary schools photographic competition (ages <11 and 11-18) to encourage young people to look more closely at their surrounding and photograph unusual and interesting things under the theme of “I love Stansted Mountfitchet”. Prizes will be given. An AIB judging route starting from the Aubrey Buxton Nature reserve and finishing at St Mary’s is being planned. The SIB open garden viewing event is being planned for early July.
6. The Urban Planting project has been completed for the six sites identified as benefiting from additional tree planting. Ideas for new sites for this type of initiative are encouraged for both small and large scale planting and will be run in conjunction with the Climate Change initiative group. Please come forward with ideas.
7. This week saw the completion of phase 1 of the Mountfitchet Green renovation project with the installation of football goals and goal mouth matting. These complement the recently installed zip wire, disabled persons swing, provision of safety fencing and additional bench seating and picnic tables. We have also filled in the hedging to discourage unsafe egress by children and planted ten trees positioned to both soften the Green and provide shade to children and parents. I would like to thanks Laila for her unstinting commitment to this project by way of fund raising, design contribution and persistence to get the project completed. I look forward to the completion of the leasing agreement with UDC so that the National Lottery grant application can be completed and phase II of this project started. Report Ends.

Project Report: Committee & Project Report Officer Laila Azure-Marxen

Urban Tree planting

The trees were planted the second week of January. So far, we have only seen positive comments from the residents on Facebook. A big thank you to Essex Forest Initiative for helping us with the application and their patience with our public consultation and redesign process. The planted trees are scheduled to be weeded, stake checked and watered 7 times a year, so we are optimistic that they will survive.

Trees planted (55 total):

Windmill Fields (1)

1 Maple – Acer campestre louisa red shine

The Rec (9)

1 tulip tree – Liriodendron tulipifera

1 European beech – Fagus sylvatica Purpurea

2 horn beam – Carpinus betulus

1 red twigged lime – Tilia platyphyllos Rubra

2 European hop hornbeam – Ostrya carpinifolia

1 oriental plane – Platanus orientalis Minaret

1 small leafed lime – Tilia cordata Erecta

Mountfitchet Green (10)

2 white birch – Betula albosinensis Fascination

2 hazel – Corylus colurna

2 Ginko biloba

2 oriental plane – Platanus orientalis Minaret

2 Rowan – Sorbus thuringiaca fastigiate

Walson Way (10)

2 white birch – Betula albosinensis Fascination

2 scots pine – Pinus sylvestris

2 rowan – Sorbus thuringiaca fastigiate

2 Ginko biloba

2 honey locust – Gleditsia triacanthos Skyline

Urban square (11)

2 Maple – Acer campestre Louisa Red Shine

2 red maple – Acer rubrum Red sunset

3 rowan – Sorbus thuringiaca fastigiate

3 ornamental pear – Pyrus calleryana Chanticleer

1 Japanese pagoda – Sophora japonica

Wilkin’s Crescent (14)

2 field maple – Acer campestre Elegant

2 red maple – Acer rubrum Red sunset

2 maple – Acer campestre louisa red shine

3 rowan – Sorbus thuringiaca fastigiate

3 ornamental pear – Pyrus calleryana Chanticleer

2 honey locust – Gleditsia triacanthos Skyline

Jubilee Memorial Oaks

Re Agenda item 13: The newly planted Jubilee memorial trees might need guards to protect them from vandalism and animals. The committee needs to consider:

If it is necessary to have guards on the trees? As far as we know there are not any deer or rabbits on the Rec or Mountfitchet Green. The guards would protect the trees from potential vandalism.
Where to find the money for this. The reserve funds for the memorial trees do not cover tree guards, only the supply and planting of the tree, and the stone plinth and memorial plaque.

Simple mesh metal guards: approx. £30, excl. installation. Easy to install, something a Councillor or staff member could do. Possible easy to remove by others.

Ornamental metal guard: approx. £200-250, excl. installation. Needs to be installed by a professional. Cannot be removed easily.

Mountfitchet Green

Play equipment project

Mortimer contracts will finish installing the goals, matting and closing off the MUGA sometime in February, weather permitted. I have also enquired on design and costs on signage, but we will not purchase this until the remaining ground work is done and we know how much money is left. I will be reporting to Essex Community Initiative Fund, which we received £6,500 from in December 2021 – A project report is part of the conditions of the grant.

Lease

The lease is still being reviewed by solicitors. As the lease is not yet finalised and there is no timeline for this, I am not able to complete the National lottery grant application for Phase two, as they need quotes no more than 3 months old. The funding officer has advised me that we will need to start the application again if I don’t supply them with the additional documentation by the end of January. This will not affect our chances to get a grant.

The Rec – Refurbishment of the football goal area

For agenda item 10, please see the quotes received below:

Top soil and re seeding existing goals:

New mats, topsoil and seeding Remove old goals, install two sets of sockets

Mortimer Contracts £650 £1,895 £600 Installation only

SMPC to supply new goals and sockets. Matting not incl.

MD Landscape £500 Incl. fencing to keep people off the area

Mortimer Contracts recommends to use meadow grass for heavy use areas.

Comments to consider (from MD Landscape):

“Just a note to add about the goals, we do get a lot of complaints from dog walkers especially, about open goal sockets and the safety aspect of dogs getting legs stuck in them. The caps to go in them always get lost. Worth bearing in mind when choosing which type of goals to get!

“If so it may be worth considering full frame goals that can be moved easily and then held down with anchor pins. The good thing about these goals is they can be positioned anywhere on the field.”

Planters

Lower Street Planter

The licences for Lower Street have still not been approved. The application was resubmitted with some changes on 1^st December, and chased on 18^th January.

Mountfitchet Green

Regarding agenda item 15: The planter locations agreed at the Open Spaces meeting on the 23^rd November 2022 will need a highways licence. As this has proven difficult to obtain for Lower Street the office recommends considering an alternative location. A suitable solution could be a planter where the vandalised picnic bench used to be – if the bench is ever replaced then the planter can be relocated. Report Ends.

Update report from Sustainable Stansted
— Councillor Peter Jones

From a standing start (with the first meeting on 3^rd October) an active group of residents have taken ownership of the project as was hoped by the Parish Council. The group has 10-12 members.
The organisational aspects needed for the group to function have either been put in place or are in train.

A chair has been agreed – Kate Allen

Documents are being exchanged via Google Drive

A logo has been created with the help of a young student.

A WhatsApp group has been set up and is functioning well

An application has been made to Lloyds to open a bank account. This should be complete with six weeks.

A Facebook page has been set up and Facebook is linking our posts up with their climate change centre. Find the Facebook group via this link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1264621150777766/ or search Sustainable Stansted.
Two subgroups have been set up:

Energy usage and how to reduce it

Environmental – green issues and biodiversity

An application has been made to Uttlesford District Council’s Zero Carbon Communities Fund for the £4,993. Other funding applications are likely to follow to Stansted Airport and the Five Churches.
SMPC has put £5000 into a climate change reserve. This group can apply to the Council for initiatives to be funded.
A number of initiatives are being pushed:

Monthly articles will be published in the Link (first at end January)

A link up with Human Roots to help with tree planting is in hand

A questionnaire (or questionnaires) is in preparation to go out on social media

A leaflet on energy saving has been prepared and will be distributed once funding is agreed.

A response to the proposed development by Bloor Homes is expected to be prepared focusing on green issues. Report Ends.

Agenda

NOTICE OF MEETING You are summoned to attend a meeting of the OPEN SPACES COMMITTEE which will be held on Wednesday 25^th January 2023 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

2 To receive declarations of interest

3 To approve the minutes of the Open Spaces meeting held on 23^rd November 2022

4 To receive an update on action points from the last meeting

5 To receive a report from the Chair

6 To receive a report from the Project Officer – circulated to members

7 To receive Interments report from the Clerk

8 To receive an update report from Sustainable Stansted – circulated to members

9 To consider accepting the quote for repairs to the swings at Walson Way play area

10 To receive a report on play equipment maintenance and to discuss the financing of the recommended repair work – to follow

11 To consider quotes on the reseeding of the Rec football goal area

12 To receive a report on recommended rewilding sites – circulated to members

13 To consider the purchase of tree guards for Jubilee Oaks

14 To consider the replacement of the Parish Tree Warden

15 To consider alternative placement of the planter on Mountfitchet Green

16 To consider the refurbishment of the Coronation Shelter on Chapel Hill and establish a Working Group to progress this project, taking into account any suggestions made by Councillors

17 To receive an update on footpaths – to follow

18 Matters to be considered for next agenda

Ruth Clifford, Parish Clerk – 19 January 2022