Stansted Mountfitchet Parish Council Open Spaces Committee
Minutes of a meeting of the OPEN SPACES COMMITTEE held at 7.30pm on Wednesday 4th June 2025 in The Mountfitchet Exchange, Crafton Green, 72 Chapel Hill, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex
Present Cllr T van de Bilt (Chair), Cllrs A Barnes, G Braeckman, M Caton, A Guney, J Hardy, J Kavanagh, A Khan and A Love
Attending Mrs Ruth Clifford – Parish Clerk, 2 members of the public (2 via Zoom)
48 Apologies of Absence – None
49 Declarations of Interest – None
50 To Approve the Minutes of the Meetings Held on 16th April and 14th May 2025
At the Clerk’s request, an addition was made to minute number 407 to read “Year 1 cost is £6,480”
Resolved to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 16th April and 14th May 2025 as a true and accurate account with the above amendment made.
51 To Receive an Update on Action Points From the Last Meeting
406 – An email had been received from Touchpoint Gardening Team which the Clerk read to the meeting. Following a brief discussion, it was agreed that Cllrs Kavanagh and Love would circulate their suggestions.
409a – Treehouse on the Recreation Ground – Has now been removed due to vandalism.
409b – RoSPA inspections still awaited
52 To Receive a Report From the Chair
Tom Van de Bilt – Meeting 04/06/25
There are three updates to note since the last Open Spaces meeting.
Tree House
The decision to demolish the treehouse at the end of the season was publicised and met with a range of feedback from parishioners. Clearly it was a much-loved amenity, and it will be missed but there was also appreciation from some that it has been a target for vandalism and that this made the cost of a like-for like replacement or a repair effort of questionable value. Since the decision was publicised, further damage resulted in the Treehouse needing to be demolished with immediate effect, and I thank those members who responded promptly to signal their acceptance of that decision. I feel these events have highlighted that there is a desire in the community to see some form of replacement equipment and I would welcome suggestions from members as to any cost-effective alternative uses for the now vacant space.
Biodiversity Program
The biodiversity working group met and discussed how we can further progress this initiative. I have been in contact with Sustainable Stansted and have met with the consultant who they have engaged to conduct a biodiversity audit of the village. I requested to include our current and prospective wildflower sites within the study. I am also coordinating between Sustainable Stansted and our officers to identify small sites for wildflower seeding this autumn. Both actions are in line with the program described in the original zero carbon communities grant application for the Knight sign and Pennington Lane sites. The biodiversity group felt that it was important to demonstrate adherence to this program so that we strengthen any future grant applications.
Islington Council Farmland
Following their survey of the site the council has been made aware via Sustainable Stansted that there are proposals being developed within Islington Council to sell the land it owns around Gorsefield Rural Studies Centre in response to financial pressures. Though the site is not within Uttlesford’s current Local Plan or our draft Neighbourhood Development Plan, we may infer that the potential development of the site for housing will likely drive the value of the sale. Further to this we have now also been made aware that some members of Islington Council would like to develop alternatives to sale with an initial deadline at the start of June. They have contacted Sustainable Stansted, asking if they are able to identify any interested local stakeholders. On this last item I would be keen to hear members thoughts about what our involvement should be, both as a council and as an Open Spaces committee.
53 To Receive a Cemetery Report
Interments:
T/L Arthur Law – 21st May 2025
T/L John Hollis – will take place on 6th June 2025
54 Sustainable Stansted
- a) To Receive a Report – Nothing Received
- b) to Consider a Request to Be Involved With a Planned Stansted Nature Day
The Chair read an email which had been sent by Sustainable Stansted to a variety of village organisations. It was agreed that the Parish Council would be represented, and the date would be circulated when available.
55 Allotments – to Receive an Update From the Allotments Working Group
- a) Elms Farm Allotments
Cllr Barnes reported that the next inspections were due the following day. The community block has now been removed from the site which will hopefully enable further plots to be created. The EFAA have raised a number of points following their recent AGM and the Working Group will meet to consider these and follow that up with meeting the EFAA Committee.
- b) Walpole Meadows
Cllr Barnes reported that the plots have only been active for 2 months but to date, everything is looking good and they start monitoring from 3 months. He was pleased to see that the Bentfield School plot is making good progress. Some maintenance works has been undertaken by the adjacent landowner to clear the path and Cllr Barnes extended the Council’s thanks for this. Cllr Khan raised a question about the weed which is creeping into some of the plots and believed to be Mares Tail. Cllr Barnes stated that he has discussed this with Cllr Love and they have undertaken some limited research. The RHS recommends digging it out and not using a Herbicide. However, it will re-occur and needs to be controlled. Cllr Braeckman referred to the Councils Bio-Diversity Policy which discourages use of glyphosate but stated that other products are available. He suggested MCPA which is more established and has been widely tested and should be very effective. Cllr Barnes confirmed that the Working Group would investigate this and the Clerk undertook to ask our contractors if they have ever used it and if so, to what effect.
56 Elms Farm – to Discuss and Decide Frequency of Cuts of the Public Open Space Once Handed Over and to Note Associated Costs
Despite assurances given by Crest Nicholson at the last site visit, little maintenance has been undertaken. Cllr Guney confirmed that the metal gate is still buried under the brambles which have not been cut back. The grass is not regularly cut and therefore the weeds are continuing to take over. The Clerk has been assured that transfer of the land should start before too long and she felt the Council should be in a position to undertake maintenance from the beginning. To that end, she has obtained a quote from the council’s grass cutting contractor. The cost for a monthly cut would be £300 and treatment of the weeds £125 per visit with an estimate of 3-4 treatments being required. There followed a discussion with ideas about future use of the land including such things as Wildflower Meadow. Cllr van de Bilt was aware that Sustainable Stansted are interested in being involved. It was agreed to canvass opinion from the general public at the Sustainable Stansted Nature event or by other means of consultation if that does not go ahead.
Having been proposed by Cllr Caton and seconded by Cllr Kavanagh, it was unanimously
Resolved to accept the quote from MD Landscapes LTD in the sum of £300 per cut and £125 per weed treatment + VAT.
It was agreed to re-establish the Elms Farm Working Group with Cllrs van de Bilt, Kavanagh and Hardy. Cllr Guney would also be a member as she is resident in Dairy Lane and she will invite up to 2 more residents to join the group. Finally, Sustainable Stansted will be invited to send a representative.
57 To Consider a Quote From Our Contractor to Cut Back Boundary Hedge/bramble at Walpole Meadows
The Clerk explained that the hedge along the boundary with Pennington Lane, which is made up of a lot of bramble, needs to be cut back. This does not form part of the regular ongoing maintenance as it does not need to be done frequently. She has obtained a one-off quotation from the maintenance contractors in the sum of £800 + VAT. This covers the section of hedge behind the allotments and the orchard.
Having been proposed by Cllr Kavanagh and seconded by Cllr Love, it was unanimously
Resolved to accept the quotation from Rileys Ground Maintenance Ltd in the sum of £800 + VAT.
58 To Receive an Update Report on Footpaths
No report received.
Meeting closed at 8.17pm
Action Points
51 Cllrs Kavanagh and Love to circulate suggestions
55a Working Group to meet and discuss and follow up with a meeting with the EFAA
55b Working Group to investigate MCPA and the Clerk to speak to current contractors
56 Re-establish the Elms Farm Working Group and invite Sustainable Stansted to have a representative. Cllr Guney to invite two residents.
Members of the Council you are hereby summoned, and members of the public and press are hereby invited, to attend a meeting of the OPEN SPACES COMMITTEE which will be held at 7.30pm on Wednesday 4th June 2025 in The Mountfitchet Exchange, Crafton Green, 72 Chapel Hill, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex where the following business will be transacted:
Agenda
1 To receive apologies for absence
2 To receive declarations of interest
3 To approve the minutes of the meetings held on 16th April and 14th May 2025
4 To receive an update on action points from the last meeting
5 To receive a report from the Chair
6 To receive a Cemetery report
7 Sustainable Stansted
- a) To receive a report if available
- b) To consider a request to be involved with a planned Stansted Nature Day
8 Allotments – to receive an update from the Allotments Working Group:
- a) Elms Farm Allotments
- b) Walpole Meadows Allotments
(written report will follow if available)
9 Elms Farm – To discuss and decide frequency of cuts of the Public Open Space once handed over and to note associated costs
10 To consider a quote from our contractor to cut back boundary hedge/bramble at Walpole Meadows
11 To receive an update report on footpaths – to follow if available
Parish Clerk – 29th May 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.