Draft Minutes
Minutes of a meeting of the WINDMILL SUB-COMMITTEE held at 7.00pm on Wednesday 27th March 2024 in The Mountfitchet Exchange, Crafton Green, 72 Chapel Hill, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex
PRESENT Cllr J O’Brien (Chair), Cllrs G Braeckman, M Caton, J Kavanagh along with Millers J Bowie, T Owen and R Thomas.
ATTENDING Mrs Ruth Clifford – Parish Clerk, Mrs Emma Philbrick – Deputy Clerk, Cllrs S Ghosh and P Jones, 1 member of the public (via Zoom)
485 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE – None
486 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – None
487 TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 6TH DECEMBER 2023
RESOLVED To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 6th December 2023 as a true and accurate account.
The Millers asked if the draft minutes could be sent to them when they are sent to Councillors.
488 TO RECEIVE AN UPDATE ON ACTION POINTS FROM THE LAST MEETING
284 – Millers to ask the Millwright to update the “to-do” list and provide ballpark costings – Most jobs on the list have been completed but the Millwright will supply an updated list after the next inspection which is due at the end of April.
489 TO RECEIVE ANY UPDATE FROM THE MILLERS ON MAINTENANCE
Not a lot has happened yet this year. 14 damaged shutters were removed and these have been repaired and waiting to go back in the sails. The cost of this was £2324.00. Cllr Braeckman asked how many shutters there were in total and it was confirmed there are in excess of 100.
Cllr O’Brien asked regarding the striking chain. The Millers advised that this was present and correct after the work was done 2 years ago. This is now used to turn the sails and allows people to see how it would have been operated in the early years.
490 TO RECEIVE ANY UPDATES SINCE THE LAST MEETING
Nothing to report from the Millers
Cllr O’Brien asked if the wet weather has had any effect? They have had water coming in due to the state of the pointing and damp plaster and woodwork so it has suffered. The timbers are protected by steel shoes. They confirmed that the re-pointing is provisionally booked to start at the end of April and they will use as much money as they have which will enable approx. 3.5 mtrs to be completed. The start date will be subject to weather conditions.
491 TO RECEIVE AN UPDATE FROM THE MILLERS ON FUND RAISING AND ACCOUNTS
A copy of the accounts will be emailed over and circulated with the minutes.
A race night had been booked for April but due to the refurb in the Day Centre, this has now been moved to the Autumn. Coffee mornings no longer work due to the free drinks offered by other organisations in the village.
Windmill Fete – They applied for a grant from the Lottery Community fund for £4,000 but this was rejected due to the inability to evidence adequate consultation with the community. Beeline have been booked for this year again and the Parish Council has agreed to underwrite the costs again as in previous years.
There is an easter egg hunt on Sunday 31st March and Monday 1st April but this doesn’t raise a lot of funds as is more about providing an event for the community to enjoy.
No further progress has been made with other grants. A further application has gone into the Airport, and they are awaiting the outcome of this.
Cllr Jones suggested they contact MP Kemi Badenoch to see if she is aware of any funds.
Richard Thomas also advised that they will be applying to the Parish Council for a grant and handed in the application to be considered at the next F&GP meeting.
Jeff Bowie had chased up a lead with Rural Land Register but they were not eligible. It was agreed that the office would look into adding the Windmill to the register in due course.
Meeting closed at 7.21pm
ACTION POINTS
487 Send draft minutes to the Millers
491 Copy of accounts to be emailed to the office and circulated with the minutes.
491 Office to look into adding the Windmill to the Rural Land Register.
Agenda
Members of the Committee you are hereby summoned, and members of the public and press are hereby invited, to attend a meeting of the WINDMILL SUB COMMITTEE which will be held at 7.00pm on Wednesday 27th March 2024 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 6th December 2023
4 To receive an update on action points from the last meeting.
5 To receive any update from the Millers on maintenance
6 To receive any updates since the last meeting
7 To receive an update from the Millers on fund-raising and accounts
Parish Clerk, 21st March 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.