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HALSTEAD TOWN COUNCIL |
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MINUTES OF FULL COUNCIL MEETING
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Membership:
| Councillor Mrs S Diver | Chairman | Present |
| Councillor Mr Andy Munday | Vice Chairman | Present |
| Councillor Mrs J Allen | Apologies | |
| Councillor M Day | Apologies | |
| Councillor Mrs S Dingle | Apologies | |
| Councillor C Fox | Present | |
| Councillor D Gronland | Present | |
| Councillor D Hume | Present | |
| Councillor Mrs J A Pell | Present | |
| Councillor Mrs E Penn | Present** | |
| Councillor M Radley | Present | |
| Councillor Mrs J Sutton | Present |
**Cllr Penn was present for part of Agenda item no. 5 but had to leave after a short period.
Also in attendance: Public – Mr Tinton, Mr S Davies (Press), Mr Richmond, Mr Wiseman, Emma Benson/Nicky Parsons/Mike Carr/Gordon Hodgkinson/Jason Evans – Bloor Homes, Mr and Mrs Pilgrim, Ms P Jones, Mr Walker,Ms A Wilson, Mr Bullock, Ms C Torrall, Ms D Mort, Mr and Mrs Kuhlman.
Mrs S Greatorex – Town Clerk
Mrs J Smith – Minute Clerk
162. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE received from Cllrs Mrs J Allen, Cllr M Day and Cllr Mrs S Dingle.
163. DECLARATION OF INTERESTS: Cllr Mrs J Pell Declared NPI Agenda item 3(b) as member of Halstead Community Centre Co. a recipient of section 106 monies; NPI Agenda items 7(b) and 7(c) as member of Courtauld Sports Ground Management Committee; NPI Agenda item 17 as member of Braintree DC. Cllr Pell declared NPI for all Councillors present in Agenda item 5 planning applications 17/00129/LBC and 17/00243/FUL as Council owns property nearby both locations. Cllr Mrs J Sutton declared NPI in Agenda item 17/00048/LBC as lived at this property in the past. Cllr Mr D Hume declared NPI at Agenda item 7(d) as Secretary to St. Andrew’s Church PCC; NPI at Agenda item 7(b) and 7(e) as Secretary to Courtauld Sports Ground Management Committee; NPI at Agenda item 17 as member of Braintree DC. Cllr Mr M Radley declared NPI at Agenda item 7(e) and 7(b) as member of Courtauld Sports Ground Management Committee. Cllr Mr A Munday declared NPI at Agenda item 7(e) and 7(b) as member of Courtauld Sports Ground Management Committee. Cllr Mrs S Diver declared NPI at Agenda item 7(b) and 7(e) as member of Courtauld Sports Ground Management Committee.
164. PUBLIC QUESTION TIME (a) (i) Mr Richmond commented on Agenda item 161 of minutes 16th January 2017 stating that minute was poorly written and gave no information regarding equipment purchased. Mr Richmond said that no indication had been given in the Agenda that purchase would be discussed and felt that there had been unnecessary secrecy about this agenda item with no details given. He noted that minutes have not yet been posted on website and felt that such practice was unworthy of Halstead TC.
Cllr Mrs Diver explained that all is above board but said that Mr Richmond’s claims will be investigated and he will be contacted. It was explained that minutes are not posted on website until approved but Mr Richmond felt that Clerk’s minutes should be posted.
(ii)Cllr Gronland read a representation from Mr Brian Slade regarding Council’s decision to charge blue badge holders in car parks and noted that the disabled often take longer to shop and asked if the practice adopted by some other Councils of allowing blue badge holders longer for the same fee could be applied in Halstead.
(iii) Cllr D Gronland then made a statement: Cllr Gronland is concerned about the number of housing applications being made in the Halstead area and felt that applications are being made, and commented upon by HTC on an ad hoc basis with no overall picture of the effect on infrastructure. He asked that all of the applications made recently, those that are under consideration and those in the pipeline be pulled together and a report put before Council as an Agenda item at a future meeting then published to the public.
(iv) Mr Wiseman asked that location of pay machines relative to disabled parking spaces be considered by Council.
Cllr Mrs Shirley Diver said that everyone paid for the car parks in their rates.
(b) Presentation by Bloor Homes Representatives of Pegasus and Bloor Homes gave a presentation about the development on land opposite Oak Road. It was said that outline permission had already been given but consultation will now take place about design of site which is in two halves, separated by an existing tree/hedgeline.
For the whole site 292 dwellings have been given permission with192 of these being on the north site of which 58 are affordable homes. The areas of green space including play area and allotments were noted and three access points to the site shown. It was said that Oak Road would be widened within the Bloor site. A convenience store was also on plan and all hedges and mature trees will be left in situ. Work will be in two phases – north site and south site and access for works will be put in place first. Cllr Fox asked about ‘affordable’ homes and it was said that 40 homes would be under social landlord ownership with part ownership plans for 18 homes. Cllr Mrs Pell asked for reassurance that the affordable homes will be built and it was said that these were identified in outline planning permission given and were protected by legal agreement. Cllr Radley asked about S106 money for community land and it was said that there is legal agreement for open space, play area and allotments. It was said that allotments will be passed to ownership of Braintree DC and Halstead TC has been nominated to have first refusal on ownership. The rest of green space will be maintained by a Management Company.
Cllr Mrs Pell made the point that this area does not fall under Halstead TC but under Halstead Rural and Greenstead Green to whom precept will be paid.
Members of the public wished to speak so Cllr Mrs Pell moved that standing orders be suspended and this was seconded by Cllr Mrs Diver.
Mr Kuhlman noted that one access point was from the busy A131 road and he was surprised that this had been allowed.
He was told that this was approved when outline planning permission was granted and that Essex CC Highways had raised no objections.
It was pointed out that changes would be made to road layout to allow for a dedicated right turn into the site and that the existing speed limit would not be changed.
Mr Tinton queried the width of Oak Road and was told that it is 5.5m wide.
Cllr Mrs Pell asked that dialogue between developer and residents of Oak Road be maintained to make a smooth transition and was reassured that this would be the case.
It was said that building was planned to begin in May or June. Cllr Mrs Pell said that no consultation had yet been made with Councillors and asked that Councillors, especially Ward Members, be kept informed.
Mr Tinton asked about plans for dealing with surface water and was shown areas on site that would deal with this.
A dedicated number for queries was given, Emma Benson is the contact. 0800 1488911
Bloor Homes representatives were thanked for their presentation and left the meeting. Some residents also left the meeting.
Standing Orders were re-instated.
165. MINUTES
To approve the minutes of the Town Council Meeting held on 20th January 2017 It was proposed by Cllr Gronland and seconded by Cllr Munday that the minutes of the Town Council Meeting of 20th January 2017 be approved. Motion carried with one abstention.
166. PLANNING APPLICATIONS
Cllr Hume – Chair of Planning took the Chair for this part of the meeting and made the point that Halstead TC is a consultee on planning applications and cannot make final decisions.
17/0045/FUL – 65 Butler Road, Halstead, Essex, CO9 1LF – Erection of a single storey rear extension providing sun room, bathroom and study/bedroom. Cllr Mrs Pell moved that there were no objections to this application and motion was seconded by Cllr Radley. Motion carried by unanimous vote.
17/0048/LBC – Slough Farm Cottage, 22 Slough Farm Road, Halstead, Essex, CO9 1XR – Erection of single storey porch extension. Cllr Mrs Diver moved that there were no objections to this application subject to conditions laid down by Listed Building Consent and motion was seconded by Cllr Gronland. Motion carried by unanimous vote.
Cllr Mrs Sutton noted that she had previously lived in this property and that a neighbouring property had suffered sinkage found to be related to a tunnel from Slough Farm Cottage to Holy Trinity Church.
17/00110/FUL – 12 Mitchell Avenue, Halstead, Essex, CO9 1DS – Erection of two storey rear extension. Cllr Mrs Pell moved that there were no objections to this application and motion was seconded by Cllr Mrs Diver. Motion carried by unanimous vote.
17/00205/FUL – 33 Winston Way, Halstead, Essex, CO9 2TH – Demolition of conservatory and erection of two storey side extension. Cllr Munday moved that there were no objections to this application and motion was seconded by Cllr Mrs Sutton. Motion carried by unanimous vote.
17/00129/LBC – 6 Head Street, Halstead, Essex, CO9 2BX – The removal of 4no. old doors from the site (Condition 2 of 09/00137/LBC). It was moved by Cllr Mrs Diver and seconded by Cllr Radley that this was a technical planning issue and not within the remit of Halstead TC. No comment was therefore made on this application.
17/00167/FUL – Land Adjacent to Hedingham Road, Halstead, Essex – Construction of detached single storey storage building. Cllr Mrs Pell moved that there were no objections to this application provided that conditions laid down by Public Health Authority were complied with and motion was seconded by Cllr Gronland. Motion carried by unanimous vote.
17/00243/FUL – 121 Colchester Road, Halstead, Essex, CO9 2ES – Amendment to planning permission 16/00696/FUL – Amendment to roof. Cllr Gronland moved that there were no objections to this application and motion was seconded by Cllr Mrs Diver. Motion carried by unanimous vote.
17/00197/FUL – 118A Colne Road, Halstead, Essex, CO9 2HP – Erection of single storey rear extension. Cllr Hume moved that there were no objections to this application and motion was seconded by Cllr Mrs Diver. Motion carried with 2 abstentions.
17/00192/FUL – 12 Chaffinch Way, Halstead, Essex, CO9 2HW – Erection of part single storey/part two storey side extension. Cllr Munday moved that there were no objections to this application and motion was seconded by Cllr Gronland. Motion carried with 2 abstensions.
(b) General discussion on planning and infrastructure
The comments made by Cllr Gronland earlier in the evening were noted and he reiterated his feelings that the bigger picture was not being seen and the public were not sufficiently aware that Halstead TC was assimilating information on the effect on the town. Chair of Planning, Cllr Hume, noted that as a Town Councillor and a District Councillor he had no more access than any other member of the public. He understood that collated information might be helpful and undertook to look at all available information and put together a report that could be brought to a future meeting. Cllr Radley said that in a time of change it was important to have all available information at one point so that constructive comments could be made; information would need to be regularly updated to give the full picture but summaries of all available details would be helpful. Cllr Fox agreed and said that brief summaries would then be available for individuals to look deeper if necessary. Cllr Mrs Pell said that a Draft Local Plan had been formulated and would be available for further public consultation in the near future. She urged all members of the public to take part in these consultations and to view webcasts of planning meetings to have an insight into Policies that dictate how infrastructures are managed. Cllr Hume agreed to look at available information and how to format this into useful detail to bring to a future Council meeting.
Members of the public wished to speak so Cllr Munday moved that standing orders be suspended and this motion was seconded by Cllr Mrs Pell.
Mr Walker cautioned that some developers use loopholes to gain permissions and other pockets of land in the Halstead area will be targeted as green field sites for development. He said that Braintree DC need to get a Local Plan in place as soon as possible and the public need to look to Halstead TC to fight unsuitable developments.
Cllr Hume said that Braintree DC do not ‘rubber stamp’ applications but assured Mr Walker that all developments are fully researched and discussed.
Standing Orders were re-instated by motion made by Cllr Munday and seconded by Cllr Mrs Pell.
167. MAYOR’S APPOINTMENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS – Report was noted.
168. FINANCE Cllr Radley – Chair of Finance took the chair for this part of the meeting
a) Finance- Report was before Council and was noted Chairman gave date for Internal Audit as 11th April.. Cllr Radley moved acceptance of report, this was seconded by Cllr Munday and vote for acceptance was unanimous.
b) List of payments to be approved- Some discussion took place and Cllr Radley noted that new car parking machines should be in place by Mid March for 1st April change. Dog poo bags have been purchased and it was agreed that it is important for Council to be seen to support dog owners in clearing up – a cost of £153.50 for 10000 bags was deemed to be reasonable. Cllr Radley proposed acceptance of this report and this was seconded by Cllr Radley. Motion was carried with 1 abstention.
c) Refurbishment of floor at Kings Road toilets – Discussion took place about need for some refurbishment; Cllr Radley noted that this expenditure had not been allowed for in present budget. It was agreed that work should be done before the summer months and Cllr Munday proposed that work be put in hand for early in next financial year. Motion was seconded by Cllr Mrs Pell and was carried unanimously.
Cllr Fox raised concerns about disposal of potent chemicals and Clerk agreed to speak to contractor about this.
Cllr Radley said that savings would have to be made in other areas to pay for this unbudgeted expense.
d) St. Andrew’s Church Clock Cllr Radley said that repairs had been quoted at a significant sum that had not been planned. Cllr Mrs Pell said she had had several complaints about the clock not striking and asked if there might be any grants available for repair of this historic clock. Cllr Munday proposed that Clerk be asked to look at what grants might be available and bring information back to Council. Motion was seconded by Cllr Gronland and carried unanimously.
e) Courtauld’s Pavillion extension Cllr Radley gave background to the expenditure at Courtauld Sports Ground and said that there was an outstanding sum of £896 owed to Halstead TC by Templars Halstead Rugby Club. He was confident that this will be paid and it was suggested that a time limit of 12 months be put on repayment.
It was agreed that the pavillion was now an excellent amenity for the town and credit should be given to HTC staff who had stepped in to effect necessary repairs and also to make some refurbishment to the building. Halstead Road Runners had paid some money towards refurbishment and it was agreed that the remaining £905 should be taken from Capital Reserves. Cllr Gronland moved acceptance of written report with a time limit of end of February 2018 for repayment of outstanding monies. Motion was seconded by Cllr Fox and carried with 2 abstentions.
Cllr Diver thanked Cllr Radley for his hard work on this matter.
Cllr Mrs S Diver resumed Chair of the meeting.
169. COMMUNITY HALL No report was given. Cllr Mrs Diver asked if a date had yet been set for the proposed meeting but no date had yet been arranged.
170. YOUTH There was no report
171. TOWN TEAM Report was noted. Cllr Mrs Pell noted that the date set for Town Team AGM and Open Forum was the date of the next Halstead TC meeting meaning that Councillors would not be able to attend. Cllr Hume voiced concerns that the Town Team may be in danger of disbanding.
172. DISTRICT COUNCILLORS Written report was before the Councillors from Cllr Mrs Pell and report had been received from Cllr Mrs Allen. Cllr Hume noted that he had not been able to attend many meetings due to ill health. Cllr Mrs Pell said that a Press Release was due from Braintree DC and this would be emailed to all Councillors in due course. Report was noted.
173. RISK ASSESSMENTS. Report was before the Council and was self-explanatory. It was agreed that these risk assessments are necessary and will be reviewed and updated as necessary. Cllr Munday moved acceptance of the 9 risk assessments as report and this was seconded by Cllr Gronland. Motion was carried by unanimous vote and thanks were given to Town Clerk for hard work on these documents.
174. PARKING PASSES FOR BRAINTREE JOB CENTRE EVENT. It was said that 20 passes had been requested, probably for exhibitors at the event. After discussion Cllr Hume proposed that 10 free passes be allowed from 09.30 to 14.30 on 22nd March 2017. Motion seconded by Cllr Munday and carried unanimously.
175. TOWN PLAN
No report was to hand.
176. EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS
To give consideration to adopting the following resolution:- ‘That in view of the confidential nature of the business about to be transacted an pursuant to the provisions of section 1 (2) – of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960, as amended, the public and the press be temporarily excluded from the meeting.
Mr Tinton, Mr Davies and Mr Wiseman left the meeting.
177. PROGRESS REPORT ON CHRISTMAS LIGHTS.
Discussion took place on the various tenders received. Clerk said that the requirements had been widely advertised attracting enquiries from various parts of the country. An in depth discussion took place, after which it was proposed: by Cllr Munday and seconded by Cllr Fox that the Clerk be given delegated authority to negotiate with the chosen contractor for installation, maintenance and removal of Christmas lights. There were 4 votes in favour and 4 abstentions. Motion not carried.
Cllr Mrs Pell made a proposal to move Standing Orders be extended for 30 minutes. Motion seconded by Cllr Mrs Sutton and carried unanimously.
Further discussions regarding Christmas lights took place.
It was proposed by Cllr Radley and seconded by Cllr Sutton that Town Clerk use negotiations making maxium use of our own resources to achieve the price as set in the budget of £8000 for this project and to email all Councillors with results of negotiations to allow for a further vote. This was carried with 2 abstentions.
Cllr Munday initiated discussions about capital expenditure on additional lights for High Street. Town Clerk said that existing strings of red and green lights were still workable but Councillors said they had received many complaints that Christmas lights were not sufficient to bring in visitors. After much discussions about cost and Cllr Radley noting that there is no way at present to top up general funds it was proposed by Cllr Munday and seconded by Cllr Radley that the Town Clerk speak to the chosen contractor to quote for some additional lighting displays for High Street.
178. S106 FUNDING
Cllr Munday proposed that Council reverse resolution made on 19th September 2016 to purchase the Ramsey Road Recreation Ground. Cllr Munday noted that S106 monies from the Oak Road development would be used for development at the Ramsey Road recreation ground and there is therefore no reason for HTC to secure purchase of the ground. Motion was seconded by Cllr Gronland and carried with 2 abstentions.
Cllr Mrs Diver asked for guidance about comments made by Mr Richmond and it was noted that as minutes of 16th January 2017 were now approved they would be made public.
There being no further business, Chairman closed the meeting at 9.45p.m