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HALSTEAD TOWN COUNCIL |
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MINUTES OF TOWN COUNCIL MEETING PUBLIC SESSION MINUTES 16 September 2024: at 19:15 |
Membership:
| Councillor Andrew Munday | Chairman | Apologies |
| Councillor James Bond | Vice Chairman | Present |
| Councillor Janet Atkinson | Present | |
| Councillor Malcolm Fincken | Apologies | |
| Councillor Linda Hilton | Present | |
| Councillor Gemma MacAndrews | Present | |
| Councillor Grahame McCoyd | Present | |
| Councillor Paul Nunn | Present | |
| Councillor Jackie Pell | Present | |
| Councillor Felix Preston | Present | |
| Councillor Linda Smith | Apologies | |
| Councillor Garry Warren | Present |
Also in attendance: Cllr Chris Siddall (from 19.55) PC James Draper, Emily Hume, Sarah Greatorex (Town Clerk)
24/60. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Cllr Smith sent apologies because of work commitments, Cllr Fincken sent apologies as he was attending the Local Plan meeting at BDC, Cllr Munday sent apologies for personal reasons.
Cllr Atkinson proposed, seconded by Cllr Hilton, acceptance of the apologies. This was unanimously agreed.
24/61. DECLARATIONS OF INTERESTS:
All councillors declared an interest in Item 5, 24/01701/FUL, as the land is owned by Halstead Town Council.
Cllr Pell declared NPI item 7b & 7b(a) as a member of BDC and CSGMC. Cllr Hilton declared NPI item 7b& 7b(a) as a member of CSGMC. Cllr Bond declared NPI, item 5, 24/01701/FUL as a neighbour of the sports ground. Cllr Warren declared NPI item 7b& 7b(a) as a member of CSGMC.
Cllr Bond delivered the Chairman’s statement :
This month sees the completion of the first 6 months of the Safer Streets project. Halstead Town Council has overseen the installation of 29 CCTV cameras in the town, and the presence of our Street warden has resulted in a significant reduction in shoplifting from major stores in the town, and a reduction in littering and dog fouling.
Another project which has taken several years to complete is the restriction on parking outside the Public Gardens on Trinity Street from 7.00 – 18.00. This will be completed during September and will come into force on 30 September. The aim of this restriction is to remove the congestion caused by parking in this area.
The refurbishment of the skatepark planned for Ramsey Road playground has also at last been completed. It was due to open on 24 August but that had to be postponed due to wet weather. This will provide state-of-the-art skateboarding for the young people of Halstead.
You may have noticed the pristine walls in the hall, and the smell of fresh paint. Following damage from a hirer, the hall has now been repainted with washable paint, in the hope that future damage will not be so bad.
24/62. PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
a) PC James Draper gave an update on policing in Halstead
PC Draper said that Halstead had seen over 40 hours of policing in the past month. He said that there would be a Night of Action as part of the Safer Streets project on 18 October between 18.00 and 21.00 when members of the police, of BDC and the Halstead Streetwarden will be talking to the public about safety, walking the streets and visiting pubs. The BDC Skatejam will now take place on 28 September and the police will be present. The police have also started weekend walks when they visit different parishes over the weekend to engage with the public. PC Draper said that knife crime, violent crime and ASB have all decreased over the past year. There have been 16,000 incidents in Braintree and Uttlesford over the past year, and 1494 arrests.
b) Cllr Warren made a public statement that he had attended the final parade of the ATC. The ATC have now said that they are hoping to reopen in a year’s time, and are looking for volunteers to run training. Cllr Warren has volunteered to do this, but more volunteers are needed and he urged councillors to encourage others to apply via the RAFAC website.
24/63. MINUTES To approve the minutes of the Town Council meeting held on 12 August 2024. Minutes had been circulated and proposal to adopt minutes of the Full Town council meeting of 12 August 2024 was put forward by Cllr McCoyd, seconded by Cllr Hilton and agreed with 2 abstentions.
The Minutes of the brainstorming meeting on events held on 19 August 2024 were noted.
24/64. PLANNING APPLICATIONS – Cllr Pell, Lead for planning
The following Planning Applications, which were received and circulated electronically, were considered at the Council meeting.
24/01795/HH – 29 Nether Court, Halstead, Essex – Proposed single storey side extension to accommodate an annexe, new front
canopy extension and installation of new fascia and soffit boards and new external cladding formed of horizontal weatherboarding in grey colour
Cllr McCoyd proposed no objection, seconded by Cllr Nunn and agreed with 1 abstention.
24/01791/HH – 14 Nightingale Drive, Halstead, Essex – Proposed loft conversion
Cllr Nunn proposed no objection, seconded by Cllr Pell and agreed with 1 abstention.
24/01701/FUL – Courtauld Sports Ground, Colchester Road, Halstead – Erection of 5M high ball stop fencing
HTC were unable to comment on this application, as they own the land.
24/01746/VAR – Former Courtauld Boiler Building , Factory Lane West, Halstead – Variation of Condition 7 (Window details ) of planning permission 16/00850/FUL – Change of use of existing former Courtauld boiler buildings to create 22 flats together with commercial storage, landscaping and car parking. Variation is toremove the wording ‘All new windows shall have gauged brickwork arches and theirpanes shall be vertical in proportion like those of the existing windows’ fromcondition 7.
Cllr Pell proposed no objection, seconded by Cllr Warren and agreed with 1 abstention.
24/65. MAYOR’S APPOINTMENTS
The planned engagements were in the report, but an error was noted in that there is a duplicate event shown for 9 December.
24/66. FINANCE
Finance – Cllr Atkinson, Lead for Finance, led this part of the meeting.
All members of the Council are members of the Finance section
a) Income and expenditure for August 2024
Cllr Atkinson proposed, seconded by Cllr Warren, approval of the income and expenditure report for August 2024. This was agreed unanimously.
b) To approve the List of payments and the supplementary list of payments.
Cllr Atkinson proposed, seconded by Cllr McCoyd, approval of the lists of payments. This was agreed unanimously.
c) To note the External auditor’s report
Cllr Atkinson proposed, seconded by Cllr Warren, that the External auditor’s report be noted. This was agreed unanimously.
24/67. DISTRICT COUNCILLOR REPORTS
Cllr Pell said that she attended the Planning Forum, where she had heard that the developer at Bournbridge Hill may intend to install a roundabout on the A131. She also attended Cabinet, where it was agreed that green bins will continue. She had attended licensing where it was agreed that taxis must now offer the possibility of paying by card as well as cash.
Cllr Bond said he had attended training in the use of social media for councillors.
24/68. To receive reports from Champions
Doctors’ surgery – 4 trainees are now fully functioning at the surgery and a fifth will be there soon. Nothing appears to be happening with the use of Halstead hospital.
Education – no report, but Cllr MacAndrews said that she is now a parent governor at Richard de Clare school.
Police – No report
Open Spaces – No report
Tourism – No report
24/69. To update Risk assessments
Cllr Pell proposed approval of the updated Risk Assessments en bloc. This was seconded by Cllr McCoyd and unanimously agreed.
24/70. To approve a CIF application for funds to enable the streetwarden to continue in post from September 2025- March 2026
Cllr Pell proposed, seconded by Cllr Warren that HTC approve the CIF application. This was unanimously agreed.
24/71. To update the Code of Conduct
Cllr Atkinson proposed that the updated Code of Conduct be approved, seconded by Cllr Hilton and unanimously agreed.
24/72. To update the Disciplinary procedure
Cllr Pell proposed that the updated Disciplinary procedure be approved, seconded by Cllr Atkinson, and unanimously agreed.
24/73. To update the Grievance procedure
Cllr Pell proposed that the updated Grievance procedure be approved, seconded by Cllr Preston, and unanimously agreed.
24/74. To update the Publication scheme
Cllr MacAndrews proposed that the updated Publication scheme be approved but be amended in the near future, in line with current thinking on social media. This was seconded by Cllr McCoyd, and unanimously agreed.
24/75. To update the Training and development policy
Cllr Warren proposed approval of the updated Training and development policy, seconded by Cllr MacAndrews, and unanimously agreed.
Cllr Atkinson proposed suspension of Standing Orders to allow Cllr Siddall, who had just arrived, to present his report. This was seconded by Cllr MacAndrews and unanimously agreed.
24/76. Cllr Siddall stated that the refurbishment of the town centre by BDC is to start in about 6 weeks’ time. He also said that Essex Highways are ready to repair the worst potholes and pavements in specific areas. He asked councillors to send their suggestions for this to the Clerk and she would send the list to Cllr Siddall.
Cllr Pell proposed reinstatement of Standing Orders, seconded by Cllr Preston and unanimously agreed.
24/77. 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 and 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”.
24/78. The recommendations made at SAC on 29 August 2024 were approved.
There being no further business, the meeting closed at 20.33.