Minutes HPC Meeting 10th April 2025

HENHAM PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes (unapproved) of an Annual Parish Council Meeting

Date: Thursday 10 April 2025

Time: 7.30pm

Venue: OSCA, Henham

Present: Cllrs N. Baker, M. Fisher, Z. Rutterford, P. Franklin, G. LeCount, District Cllr B. Donald, Clerk M. Dacey and member of the public.

Election of Parish Council Chair for 2025-2026 – proposed Cllr Baker by Cllr Fisher seconded by Cllr Le Count. Passed nem con. Cllr Baker signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office of Chair.

Declaration of interests: The Chair reminded Councillors of their duty to declare any relevant personal or pecuniary interests.

1. Apologies for Absence: Cllrs S. Lee, C. Walker, J. Leech, District Cllr P.Lees, County Cllr R. Gooding

2. Approval of the Minutes of the Last Meeting

The minutes of the 6 March 2025 meeting was approved and signed by the Chair.

3. Matters Arising –

4. Reports and Recommendations

• Greens and Village Estate – Cllr. Baker:
• Greens damage – Village greens are being monitored over the winter months and inspected by the Chair and Cllr Leech later this month.
• Greens Bylaws – Bylaws submitted to Secretary of State for approval by our solicitors and receipt acknowledged. Unfortunately, the SOS has rejected the Parish Council’s application on legal drafting grounds. Following a discussion, it was agreed nem con that the Parish Council would instruct our solicitors to amend the bylaws in accordance with the advice provided by SOS, costs estimated to be up to £800-1000 plus VAT.
• Coronation commemoration – Cllr Fisher will look into organising an opening ceremony and obtaining a plaque.
• Church works – The Chair and Cllr Lee had a meeting with the Church last month. Greens now reseeded and levelled. The Parish Council will continue to monitor the state of the greens.
• Common land – The Parish Council recognises that it needs more guidance on Common Land within the Parish. Advice from barrister circulated to planning sub-committee prior to this meeting. Chair has written to the Commons Registration Authority 7/4/25.
• Gigaclear – Gigaclear have written to the Chair confirmed they have received a service request in an area of Henham where their network has not yet been built by Village Hall/High street. Initially, they planned to utilise an existing telegraph pole; however, due to restrictions preventing additional cable attachments, they were unable to proceed as intended. To address this challenge, they have developed an alternative solution and have asked Chair to sign documentation to facilitate this which the Chair has now done.
• Tree survey – Quote for £1310 for the Parish Council’s biannual tree inspection as required by our insurance obligations as been circulated to Cllrs for approval prior to this meeting. Previously agreed by Cllrs by email. The great advantage of having the trees inspected is safety, given the gales and storms this winter there were no damaged trees. Inspection scheduled for w/c 7^th April 2025, potential issues with 2 tree boughs in the allotments and some trees in the church yard, Chair to meet with arborist 11/4/25 to discuss.
• Footbridge – Cllr Walker has informed the Chair and clerk that a resident has raised concern over the poor state and potentially dangerous condition of the foot bridge across the ditch at the south end of the Glebe field accessing the bottom end of Carters Lane. This is the longest of the footbridges. It was agreed that the Chair would liaise with Cllr Walker with a view to reporting to Essex Highways.

Village ponds/Woodland – Update Cllr Walker. Cllr Walker has been liaising with Planteria regarding its kind donation of 32 Hornbeam whips which the resident team have planted out. The Woodland Trust tree and bush saplings that we planted earlier in the year are thriving although some have been lost to our busy badger and deer population.

Village Hall – (1) General – update from Cllr Fisher regarding the UDC hosted Zero Carbon Event which he attended on behalf of the Parish Council. Cllr Fisher also attended a training course provided by EALC for cllrs and Village halls/trustee duties on 27/3/25.  (2) Solicitors – Cllr Fisher confirmed the Parish Council is now a trustee. (3) HPC Community Support Fund – nothing to report.

PCSO – Chair has contacted the PCSO to facilitate a meeting between him and the acting school head teacher regarding parking issues at the school. The PCSO also confirmed that he had discussed parking with the previous head teacher last year who was informed to contact North Essex Parking Partnership before Essex police would intervene. The PCSO has prepared a partnership letter for the school to send to parents in due course. Update re parking on the junction at School Lane from Cllr Walker: the parish council understands that parents dropping off children to school, have been requested to not park on the double yellow lines, blocking the road and to not cause an obstruction.  Going forwards the police will be issuing tickets where appropriate.

Our PCSO is also looking to organise an allotment tool, horse tack/property marking session alongside the Rural Engagement Team, on 10th of May 2025 15.30pm until 17.30pm in the allotment car park. Details posted on website and Facebook. Residents are encouraged to attend.

Speedwatch – Regarding TruCAM: PCSO mentioned that a police liaison offer in is working to get Henham approved as a TruCAM site.  PCSO will be providing dates that he will be available for speedwatch over the next few months, the speedwatch team will plan to lock in a specific day and time for one of the weekly sessions so that the regular Police can plan to join when they are available to do so. Cllr Walker has emailed Essex Highways 2/4/25 re 30mph signage by Bellway site.

Management of Pledgdon Green – (a) Common Land – Update from Cllr Rutterford. Dead wood from the green is being cleared for residents to use. (b) Conservation Area Status – Cllr Rutterford has confirmed to Place Services that the Parish Council has agreed that the draft document can be progressed for consultation.

Essex Devolution – The clerk has circulated the link to the Greater Essex Devolution Consultation Document to all councillors prior to this meeting. ​The Chair attended a meeting with Chairs of Local Parish Councils on 7th March 2025 to discuss the document and circulated comments to Cllrs prior to the meeting.

Cemetery Bench – A resident has asked the Parish Council to consider allowing her to purchase a bench to put in the cemetery in a position where loved ones could sit and see the cremation plots. From the other bench already there one can only see the burial graves. The resident showed cllrs details of the proposed bench which is made out of recycled plastic. Agreed nem con.

(ii) Finance

Treasury Management Investment Policy and Strategy 2025/26 – Cllr Fisher update. Annual interest received £11,679.23 and £13,648.32 respectively from the Nationwide accounts.

Clerk’s Salary – The Parish Council has agreed to award the clerk a 4.2% pay rise from April 2025.

• Planning and Developments –

• UTT/25/0611/HHF – proposed Relay existing path and patio to provide ramped access from the drive to the patio doors of bedroom 2, The Old Coach House Pledgdon Green
• UTT/25/0572/LB – proposed Alter the existing path and patio to form a ramp with platforms from the drive to the rear patio doors, with a handrail on one side of the platform by the door, reusing the existing paving slabs, The Old Coach House Pledgdon Green
• UTT/25/0754/HHF – proposed Demolition of conservatory and construction of single storey rear extensions. Erection of double cart lodge to front of dwelling at The Laurels Old Mead Lane Henham, The Laurels Old Mead Lane. Cllr Franklin declared an interest and absented himself from any discussion.
• UTT/25/0761/LB – proposed Replacement of 22 no. windows with timber windows, Green End Farm Wood End Green

Breaches:  none

Appeals:  APP/C1570/W/25/3361465 – Erection of 3 no. self build dwellings with garaging and

associated landscaping, Saffron House, High Street (UTT/24/1757/FUL). The appeal will be determined on the basis of written representations. All representations must be received by 18 April 2025. Planning sub committee have recommended to all Cllrs that the parish Council instructs our planning advisor to review and submit a written statement for a flat fee of £1295, approved by Cllrs by email prior to this meeting. Cllr Fisher declared an interest and absented himself from any discussion. Parish Council written representation submitted on 7/4/25.

Developments:

UTT/24/0670/DFO (Re- Consultation) Mill Road Development (45 houses): UTT/24/2419/DOC proposed Application to discharge condition 17 (lighting design scheme for biodiversity) attached to UTT/20/0604/OP (approved under Appeal APP/C1570/W21/3272403).

Cllr Walker is liaising with Bellway on behalf of the Parish Council. Cllr Walker has  emailed Bellway 7/3/25 regarding the height of the footings in addition to a request for privacy screening to the boundary between the development and Vernons Close. Cllr Walker is arranging a site visit to discuss the footpath to the train station with Bellway.

Cllr Walker has also contacted Highways to ask if they can consider moving the 30mph signs on Mill Rd south to Hilltop Yard/Cottage, with the remainder of Mill Rd south to the B1051 a 40mph section as part of the Bellway Condition 13.  In addition, he has requested additional 30mph repeater signs along Mill Rd to be considered.  This request will be raised at the Highways Development Management team meeting later this week.

Residents to note: Intended closure of Mill Road, due to commence on 7th April 2025 for 15 days. The closure is required for the safety of the public and workforce while Energy Assets Pipelines Limited undertakes gas main connection works. Bellway have advised Cllr Walker it is a full road closure for 10 days.

Decisions: none

• Highways – Nothing new to report other than:

Intended closure of Old Mead Road, due to commence on 19th May 2025 for 5 days. The closure is required for the safety of the public and workforce while Essex Drainage Solutions undertakes drainage connection.

A resident has reported to Essex Highways in 2022 an uneven and potentially hazardous stretch of pavement on Church Street as you turn left out of The Chase, but nothing has been done, resident to liaise with Chair so the Parish Council can also report the issue.

Residents are encouraged to also report any matters to Essex Highways direct via the Essex Highways web site www.essexhighways.org (details also on the Henham Website), as the more people who complain regarding Highways matters the more likely something will get done.

Residents are encouraged to report unsafe or dangerous parking in our village to: swilliams@uttlesford.gov.uk Stansted Airport Limited operates a Freephone number for reporting suspected on-street airport related car parking. The Freephone number is: 0800 7312385

5. Correspondence

Sent/Received: Resident request to install a house sign on greens; resident request re greens work at Wrights Piece re water main works– both granted on basis that greens are restored; resident re overhanging tree at Sages. Residents re allotment vacancies, Various enquiries via website. Gigalcear request re greens works.

Planning Applications  – see 4(iii) above

• Clerk – approximately 250 emails in March.

6. Waste and Minerals Development Issues – Local Plan Review – 2025 to 2040 Nothing to report.
7. Stansted Airport – Nothing to report.
8. Governance – The clerk has prepared the Annual Risk Management Policy and Risk Assessment for 2025-26 which was circulated to all Councillors prior to this meeting for approval, proposed by Cllr Fisher, seconded by Cllr LeCount, approved nem con. The clerk will be in the process of receiving copies of up to date public liability insurance from our regular contractors.
9. Local Plan – Documents related to the local plan can be found at: www.uttlesford.gov.uk/new-local-plan. (1) Local Plan numbers allocation –The Chair has written to our solicitors to obtain a quote for barrister legal advice.

Press release from UDC on 9/4/25: Dates have been announced for the independent examination of Uttlesford District Council’s Draft Local Plan. Planning Inspectors Guy Davies and William Cooper have been appointed by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to carry out the examination, which will determine whether the plan is ‘sound’ and complies with all the legal and procedural requirements. As part of that process, a number of hearing sessions will be held, from 10 June to 19 June, with three reserve days of 29, 30 and 31 July, should matters not be completed during the scheduled two weeks in June. More information about the examination, including guidance notes to explain many of the administrative and procedural arrangements, as well as the hearing programme, can be found at: www.localplanservices.co.uk/uttlesfordlpexamination

(2) Neighbourhood plan – Nothing to report.

(3) RCCE- Introduction to Rural Affordable Housing –Nothing to report.

10. Henham SOV 100 Club draw – February and March draws were conducted at the meeting and details will be emailed to members. Many thanks for everyone’s ongoing support.
11. Date of Next Meeting

The Annual Parish meeting is on Thursday 1^st May 2025 at 7:00pm in OSCA. Everyone Welcome. This will be immediately followed by the Parish Council meeting at 7:30pm. Everyone Welcome

Mareike Dacey, Clerk