STANSTED MOUNTFITCHET PARISH COUNCIL OPEN SPACES COMMITTEE
Minutes of a meeting of the OPEN SPACES COMMITTEE held at 7.30pm on Wednesday 5th March 2025 in The Mountfitchet Exchange, Crafton Green, 72 Chapel Hill, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex
PRESENT Cllr J Kavanagh (Chair), Cllrs A Barnes, M Caton, A Guney and A Love
ATTENDING Mrs Ruth Clifford – Parish Clerk, Mrs Emma Philbrick – Deputy Clerk, 3 members of the public (1 via Zoom)
323 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Braeckman – university, and Cllr Prior – work commitments
RESOLVED to accept the apologies for absence from Cllrs Braeckman and Prior
No apologies were received from Cllr Khan and Cllr van de Bilt.
324 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – None
325 TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 22ND JANUARY 2025
RESOLVED The minutes of the meeting held on 22nd January 2025 were approved as a true and accurate account
326 TO RECEIVE AN UPDATE ON ACTION POINTS FROM THE LAST MEETING
301 Contact the Social Club regarding the Parish Council noticeboard – Emailed them twice regarding this and have not received any response. Cllr Barnes knows the contact and agreed to speak to him.
302 O/S Committee members to do a site visit and bring back any suggestions before the next committee meeting – Two members have made suggestions. Another has supported these and suggested possible funding/labour options. On the agenda for discussion
304a Cllr Kavanagh to consider writing a document regarding the remit for the Allotments Working Group – Has drafted something and will discuss further outside of the meeting.
304a A regular agenda item for an update from the Allotments Working Group to be an agenda item at every meeting – Done
308 A letter and background paper to be drawn up for all residents of Walpole Meadows – The office have been busy writing the tender and meeting contractors on site and getting the documents out for quotes. We now feel we should wait until the contractor has been chosen so this information can be included.
327 TO RECEIVE A REPORT FROM THE CHAIR, CLLR KAVANAGH –
It has been a long wait, but we now have tenants on the allotments at Walpole Meadows.
The allotment working group met with the Elms Farm Allotment Association to discuss several ideas, proposals.
An allotment update has been circulated ahead of this meeting.
The maintenance contract for the open spaces at Walpole Meadows will be a standalone, all-in (gardening, grass cutting) contract.
We have also been advised that the open space at Elms Farm is in the process of being handed over, although the clerk and I still await our requested meeting with Crest Nicholson to discuss various issues we have raised, relating to the boundary, maintenance schedule and general condition. It seems there was a meeting on site between the s106 officer and the developer to which the parish council were not invited.
The clerk, deputy clerk and I will be meeting with Crest Nicholson on site on 13th March.
We will need to look at convening the Elms Farm working group to start discussing our ideas for this area – the simpler the better!
The clerk, deputy clerk and I have met with the gardening contractor and discussed again one area for improvement – the Crafton Green garden. This is on the agenda for discussion this evening.
At our last committee meeting I advised that I had raised the matter of signage for footpaths and cycle routes, which was a discharged condition. So far, we have not received a definitive response. Open Spaces Chair Report Ends.
328 TO RECEIVE A CEMETERY REPORT – None
329 TO RECEIVE A REPORT FROM SUSTAINABLE STANSTED
Attached – This was circulated to members ahead of the meeting
Sustainable Stansted
Report to Open Spaces Committee 2nd March 2025:
2.1 Sustainable Uttlesford: Sustainable Uttlesford has been established, as an umbrella group, that hopes to support local sustainability groups like ours. One of our members, Bob Burlton has undertaken the role of Treasurer, and will be a member of the Committee.
2.2 Thermal Imaging Camera & training: We have received 7-8 requests for Thermal Imaging home visits. The first of these were undertaken on 27th February and we look forward to hearing how they went at our March meeting.
2.3 Green home event: On 11th February, Bob Burlton supported Community Energy South (CES) in running an event focussed on solar panels, heat pumps and the thermal imaging camera. It was one of a series that CES is running, and produced the best attendance they have seen to date – 9. Overall, it was judged to be a success. Motivating members of the public to attend meetings like this is proving to be difficult, with low returns for the effort expended.
- Biodiversity Group update:
Mapping activity by Sustainable Stansted for the Biodiversity Study is almost complete. The Ecology firm will be building on the field work with desk mapping and their team will look in more detail at areas of particular interest, for example near Dairy Lane and St Mary’s.
A positive article on the Biodiversity Study appeared in The Bishop’s Stortford Independent, organised by Fiona Neathey.
- Zero Carbon Communities Grant Scheme
We have been successful in our bid to the Uttlesford Zero Carbon Communities Fund. On the Energy saving side this will fund running and advertising information/ training sessions with the Thermal Imaging cameras with local residents and for an energy saving event in autumn 2025. For the environment group funding for information signage and a number of bird boxes for various bird species as advised by the ecologists we are working with.
Next meeting of Sustainable Stansted will be: Tuesday 11th March. Report from Sustainable Stansted ends.
330 TO DECIDE WHETHER TO HOLD AN ANNUAL LITTER PICK AND IF SO, SET A DATE
The Committee agreed it would like to go ahead with this. After discussion it was decided that the Litter Pick would be held on Saturday 5th April 10am – 12noon. Cllr
Kavanagh will email all members of the Council asking for volunteers to help organise and run the event.
331 TO CONSIDER A QUOTE FOR WORK TO THE TREE AT THE CORNER OF CRAFTON GREEN
The Clerk explained that the Committee had previously agreed a quote for another contractor to carry out the work. Due to local road works and the fact they needed to put traffic management in place, the work never went ahead and the contractor has now decided he doesn’t want to do it. We have obtained another quote from the company who we have awarded the rest of the tree works to and their quote is cheaper than the original quote agreed by the Committee.
Having been proposed by Cllr Caton and seconded by Cllr Love, it was unanimously
RESOLVED to accept the quote of £780 for the work to be done to the tree at the corner of Crafton Green
332 TO CONSIDER AN OFFER FROM A LOCAL BUSINESS TO TAKE ON THE PLANTING AND MAINTENANCE OF ONE PLANTER ON LOWER STREET
The Clerk detailed the offer from the local business. After a discussion it was agreed that we would thank them but not take them up on the offer. It was felt that the uniformed look of all the planters was important and this was one of the positive things that the judges of Anglia In Bloom had commented on. If one of the planters was done differently then it would not look right. It could also set a precedent for others who have planters situated outside their properties.
333 TO CONSIDER SUGGESTIONS FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS ON THE GARDEN AREA AT THE END OF CRAFTON GREEN ROAD
Two members had emailed their suggestions to the Committee prior to the meeting and emailed suggestions from Cllr Prior were read out.
Lengthy discussions took place, and it was agreed that they need to take this step by step as there is a lot to consider. The first step being that Cllr Barnes will speak to a contact he has through Stansted In Bloom to try and get some professional opinion on designs for the area that they could potentially consult residents on and the office will speak to Touchpoint to see if their gardening team had any ideas.
The position of the clothing bank was also discussed. This has become an eye sore and a dumping ground for unsuitable items which are having to be cleared daily. It was agreed that the office would contact Scope and ask them to contact Uttlesford District Council with a view to moving it into the Lower Street Car Park and also increasing the number of bins available to allow more capacity.
334 ALLOTMENTS
- a) ELMS FARM ALLOTMENTS
- b) WALPOLE MEADOWS ALLOTMENTS
A written Working Group report for both site was circulated to all members before the meeting and is attached to the minutes:
Allotments Working Group – Winter Update
- Elms Farm (EF)
It was reported over the summer that there was an increasing rat problem on the site. Following consultation with a specialist, a rat reduction program was introduced using baited traps and regular inspections and reports. Recent visual reports from tenants noted a reduction in rat sightings. An owl box was put in place to encourage wider biodiversity on the site. The Human Roots allotment plot was part of the Stansted AIB portfolio and were nominated and certificated in the Special Awards category of this competition.
Plot inspections by SMPC continued throughout the Summer and Autumn with the last in Oct 2024. Overall plot occupancy at Elms Farm is near 100% with five plot holders handing back their plots at the end of the season and new tenants being taken on. The current waiting list is 18.
A new committee at EF was elected in Sept 2024 under the chairmanship of Mick Wilson. The new committee identified several improvement ideas they wanted to undertake and were instrumental in clearing a lot of invasive bramble and nettle growth and the installation of an additional, and long needed, water trough.
At the end of last year’s growing season a meeting was held between the SMPC WG and the EFAA. Matters discussed were the responsibilities of SMPC and the EFAA following the election of the new committee with SMPC undertaking strategic and administration responsibility and EFAA looking after most operational aspects apart from inspections which remain the responsibility of SMPC. Other topics discussed concerned finance, the community block’s future, allotment maintenance and plot clearance, site grass cutting, car park maintenance, rats and the Tenancy Agreement (TA) revision process.
It was confirmed by SMPC that the EFAA owned the community block and could decide what to do with it provided they consulted all plot holders. Because of a lack of use, maintenance issues, costs and deteriorating condition, it was suggested that it should be demolished.
An EFAA SGM was held in December 2024 with the main topic being the committee’s proposal to demolish the community building and repurpose the land for new plots and the materials for raised beds. Some opposition was voiced to the proposed demolition and it was agreed to undertake a second consultation exercise.
An EFAA and SMPC WG meeting was held in February 2025 to update SMPC on the community block consultation and to seek approval for site improvements including the creation of mini plots as a way of reducing the waiting list. It was reported that out of approx. 57 plot holders four tenants put forward alternative uses for the building. A summary of the consultation outcomes will to be circulated to plot holders. A tentative timeframe of April 2025 was given for the building’s demolition if no alternative use was found.
The SMPC Working Group, alongside Council Officers, have been working to revise the current Tenancy Agreement and Schedule 1 at Elms Farm. These documents lay out the terms and conditions of occupancy that plot holders must follow and against which plot inspections are made. Based on the current 2025 TA, and using observations and ideas put forward by the working group, a revised TA was drafted. SMPC WG presented a draft of a new EFTA and schedule 1 at the February meeting and, following discussion, a separate meeting was arranged and undertaken at which useful feedback was given and a further draft scheduled for later this summer. Main changes will include a revised disciplinary process, allowances for changes in growing strategies, a change in notification period and many detail clarifications. However, any revised EFTA cannot be introduced until Jan 2026 at the earliest, and more likely Jan 2027, because of the current requirement to provide 12 months’ notification of any TA changes.
- Walpole Meadows
Finally, the Walpole Meadow allotments have been transferred to SMPC and tenant occupancy started on 1st March 2025. All fourteen plots have been allocated to tenants with one being a community plot and occupied by Bentfield school.
The Tenancy Agreement sent out to tenants was modelled on the revised EFTA that is under discussion and may be subject to change going forward.
Water run off from the farmland either side of Pennington Lane is still a general issue on the allotments and playground areas and it is hoped that recently installed French drains will help solve the problem. Time will tell. We are still waiting for the allotment holder parking spaces to be identified and marked out and for Bloor Homes to confirm that they will maintain them as previously discussed.
Currently, the waiting list for plots at Walpole Meadows is 12. Allotments Report Ends
335 TO RECEIVE AN UPDATE REPORT ON FOOTPATHS
Attached – Members thanked the author and commented on how positive the report was:
FOOTPATH REPORT No. 87 – Bill Stiles
My goodness, what a wet and cold winter this is, it seems to go on forever! But Spring is just around the corner and there are signs of lots of new life coming along in the hedgerows. Just need more sunny days! The daffodils on the roadside are all starting to appear.
Gall End trash collectors – these seem to be doing their job as lots of debris has been accumulated during high water flows in the brook.
PF 14 Park Road to “Black Bridge”: On leaving Park Road the path descends a steep slope until it reaches West Road and the “Black Bridge”. This steep slope is quite mucky underfoot and slippery in wet weather, it could do with a good sweep to clear away the debris. There are bits of litter but not too bad.
Action Needed: Give steep path a good sweep to improve safety.
Public Park at Elms Farm: I reported that during October the grass had been cut. It looks like it has been another cut during February and is currently quite trim. I have noticed an increase in footfall by both walkers and dog walkers. It is now possible to walk over the field quite easily and I have seen family use of the parkland. Hopefully it won’t be too long before it comes into the ownership of our Parish Council
Action Needed: Complete the S106 agreement so that the ownership of the park is with the parish council.
FP42 – Manor Road to Church Road: Since my last report, the partially fallen tree has been removed, the path generally quite free from litter.
Burton End Bench: I am pleased to report that this bench has been repaired – good job done – thank you.
FP15 West Road: This is actually a public footpath. I can only assume that it was in existence long before the houses were built. It’s another example of where the built-up area of the village has expanded along the line of the historical footpaths. Anyway, it’s very easy to walk without anything to report.
FP 24 – Stoney Common to Forest Hall Road: This path was a bit muddy in places, mainly where it runs parallel to Brook View and up the steep slope. Generally, quite clear of litter apart from where someone had dropped litter just beside the council waste bin at Stoney Common which I am sure the Parish Council litter team will soon clear.
BR 53 – Felstead Crescent and Peachey Walk: This is a nice bridleway, easy to walk and free from litter. The wooden rails at the junction with Walson Way are getting a bit rotten and may need attention sometime.
BR 53 Forest Hall Road to Church Road: This was free from litter and an easy walk.
Years ago, this bridleway ran across the eastern end of Rochford’s Nursery and was pretty impassable for much of the year as it became very overgrown. This is another example of change as this community has evolved. Meeting closed at 8.25pm. Footpath Report by Bill Stiles Ends
ACTION POINTS
326 – Cllr Barnes to speak to his contact at the Social Club re the noticeboard
330 – Cllr Kavanagh to email all members re the Litter Pick
333 – Cllr Barnes to speak to his contact re a design for Crafton Green and the office to speak to the Touchpoint gardeners
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 OPEN SPACES COMMITTEE which will be held at 7.30pm on Wednesday 5th March 2025 in The Mountfitchet Exchange, Crafton Green, 72 Chapel Hill, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex where the following business will be transacted:
1 To receive apologies for absence
2 To receive declarations of interest
3 To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 22nd January 2025
4 To receive an update on action points from the last meeting
5 To receive a report from the Chair, Cllr J Kavanagh
6 To receive a Cemetery report
7 To receive a report from Sustainable Stansted – if available
8 To decide whether to hold an Annual Litter Pick and if so, set a date
9 To consider a quote for work to the tree at the corner of Crafton Green
10 To consider an offer from a local business to take on the planting and maintenance of one planter on Lower Street
11 To consider suggestions from committee members on the garden area at the end of Crafton Green Road
12 Allotments – to receive an update from the Allotments Working Group:
- a) Elms Farm Allotments
- b) Walpole Meadows Allotments
13 To receive an update report on footpaths – to follow if available
Parish Clerk 27th February 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.