Minutes HPC Meeting 1st June 2023

HENHAM PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes (unapproved) of a Parish Council Meeting

Date: Thursday 1^st June 2023

Time: 7.30pm

Venue: OSCA, Henham

Present: District Cllr P. Lees, Chair N. Baker, Cllrs S. Lee, P. Franklin, G. LeCount, M. Fisher, clerk M. Dacey and County Cllr R. Gooding.

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

2. Apologies for Absence: Cllrs M. Francis, Z. Rutterford, J. Leech, District Cllr B. Donald
3. Approval of the Minutes of the Last Meeting

The minutes of the 17 May 2023 meeting was approved and signed by the Chair.

4. Matters Arising
5. Reports and Recommendations

• Greens and Village Estate – Cllr. Baker:
• Greens damage – (1) Erosion – works are ongoing. (2) (i) Construction damage by Hollybank – Cllr Lee is monitoring the situation and is in discussions with the contractor regarding a plan for the repairs. (ii) Driveway – The owner of Hollybank has contacted the Chair requesting that a section of the driveway is bonded to allow for easy wheelchair passage, it would be a narrow strip and would not look different in appearance. Following a discussion it was agreed Cllr Lee would liaise with the owner.
• Gravelling over and parking on Greens at Bell Cottage, High Street – Chair and Cllr Fisher to meet on site to review extent of proposed greens repair works.
• Greens Bylaws – Nothing to report.
• Starr Road Signage and pot holes – Nothing to report.
• Coronation commemoration – A generous resident who is very skilled at ironmongery has kindly offered to design and make a sculpture to celebrate the coronation. Cllrs have approved the design and Cllr Fisher will liaise with the resident.
• Development at Saffron House – Cllr Fisher declared an interest and absented himself from any discussions. There then was a discussion regarding the owner of Saffron House recent contact with the Chair with regard to developing the paddock behind the house.

Defibrillator – The Parish Council thanks the resident who has so kindly given up her time to maintain the defibrillator and thanks the new volunteers who are helping taking on the responsibility.

Village ponds/woodland – The Parish Council will review the possibility of asking woodland organisations/charities to maintain the woodland on behalf of the Parish Council.

Village Hall – Update from Cllr Fisher who mooted an idea for the Parish Council to launch a community grant scheme available for not for profit organisations/residents in order to support their use the village hall. It was agreed that Cllr Fisher would research this further and provide a proposal for the next meeting.

Speedwatch – Nothing to report.

Management of Pledgdon Green –Solicitors have now been instructed and have quoted £500-750 plus VAT.

Coronation Event – Total approx. net cost to Parish Councill was £2,165 (nb total gross cost was approx. £3,700 less £900 grant from UDC which the Chair applied for and £635 refund from fete committee for Gazebos and ice machine which are fete committee assets).

Website – Nothing to report.

Gigaclear – Gigaclear have applied to road closures on Mill Road and Dark Lane 30/6/23. Chair is signing the Wayleave Agreement for greens access. Parish Council is aware they would need to give careful consideration to the location of a large infrastructure box so that it is not an eyesore.

           (ii) Finance

Treasury Management Investment Policy and Strategy 2023/24 – Cllr Fisher- Nothing to report

2022-2023 Accounts – The clerk has given the Q4 Accounts for 22/23 to Cllr Fisher for review and approval, these have been approved by Cllr Fisher.

VAT Reclaim – This was submitted by the Clerk on 25/05/23 for the amount of £22,667.11.

Signing of AGAR 2022-23 for Henham PC – The Year-End Accounts, produced in conjunction with the Parish Council’s internal auditor, together with the unsigned and undated S1 and signed and dated S2 of the Annual Return and the Internal Auditor Report have been distributed to councillors for their appraisal prior to this meeting. These accounts have been used to prepare the AGAR (annual return) prior to submission to External Auditors. The steps below need to be taken in the following order in order to comply with the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015:

• Annual Return Procedure Policy – the Parish Council approved the policy.
• A review of the effectiveness of the system of internal control was carried out and the findings of the review was considered by the Parish Council;
• It was resolved by the Parish Council that the Annual Governance Statement (s1) was approved, Cllr Fisher proposed the approval, Cllr LeCount seconded the proposal nem con;
• The Accounting Statements (s2) (which has been dated and signed by the RFO prior to this meeting) were considered by the Parish Council as a whole;
• It was resolved by the Parish Council that the Accounting Statement (s2) was approved, Cllr Fisher proposed the approval, Cllr LeCount seconded the proposal nem con;
• The Chair signed and dated the Accounting Statements (s2). The Chair and Clerk signed and dated the Annual Governance Statement (s1).

The dates set for the period for the exercise of public rights are as follows – commencing on 5 June 2023 and ending on 14 July 2023. The Parish Council thanks our internal auditor for his work.

• Planning and Developments –
•  UTT/23/0249/HHF – Nothing to report
• UTT/23/1319/HHF – Section 73A Retrospective application for the reduction in ground level at the rear of the site and installation of sleeper retaining walls to rear and side boundaries. Proposed single storey outbuilding, part with pitched roof part with flat roof, to be used as a domestic garage, gym and home office ancillary to the main dwelling house – The Fuchsias Old Mead Lane – Cllr Franklin declared and interest and absented himself from all discussions. This will be called in by District Cllr Lees.
• UTT/23/0713/OP – Nothing to report.
• UTT/23/1228/HHF – proposed Two storey side extension and single storey rear extension, 4 Woodend Cottages Chickney Road. The planning sub-committee will lodge Parish Council comment as to size and scale.
• UTT/23/1257/HHF – proposed Replacement roof, replacement fenestration and minor alterations to existing outbuilding Cedar Cottage. The planning sub-committee will lodge Parish Council objection.

Breaches:  Continuing breaches at Cedar Cottage – Nothing to report.

Appeals:  APP/C1570/W/22/3311484 (UTT/22/0713/FUL) – Halt Bungalow Wood End Green, proposed Demolition of existing dwelling and erection of replacement dwelling, written representations by 7 June 2023. Clerk submitted HPC objection on 26/5/23.

Developments: Nothing to report.

Decisions: None

• Highways – Update

North Hall Road: Nothing to report.

Hall Road, Henham: Nothing to report.

OMR-OML – (1) Nothing further to report other than Cllr Gooding to liaise with Cllr LeCount re flooding by Cott Moor.

Mill Road/School Road yellow lines – Nothing to report.

Pledgdon Green Lane/Brick End Road. During the Hall Road road closure last week, there was extensive damage and traffic issues caused by vehicles using Pledgdon Road instead of the diversion route. Complaints and photos have been sent to County Cllr Gooding and requests made for the road to be blocked off during the road closure, although this did not occur. Cllr Gooding confirmed that as the works were carried out by Affinity Water, it was not the responsibility of Essex Highways (EH),but suggested that Cllr Rutterford could write to EH requesting that preventive action should be taken in the future.

Toot Toot bridge – Nothing to report.

Potholes –Some repairs on Mill Road have been carried out.

5. Correspondence

Sent/Received: resident requesting permission to temporarily park skip on Woodend Green.

Planning Applications  – see 4(iii) above

• Clerk – approximately 250 emails in May 2023.

6. Waste and Minerals Development Issues – Nothing to report.
7. SAW (Stop Stansted Expansion) – Nothing to report.
8. Governance – nothing to report.
9. Local Plan – Documents related to the local plan can be found at: www.uttlesford.gov.uk/new-local-plan. Chair advised UDC feedback on call for sites is due by late summer.
10. Henham SOV 100 Club draw –

May Draw – 160 Members

Cllr Petrina Lees conducted the May draw.  She drew from a black bag containing all current members lottery balls. The winning numbers were:
1st Prize Number 10 (L Peake)  £232
2nd Prize Number 160 (R Hunt)  £112

3rd Prize Christmas B0nus Ball Accumulator £56 Cumulative total £336

Total funds received per draw were £800. Half will be paid in prizes plus the cumulative Christmas Bonus Ball with the balance of £400 paid to Henham Parish Council SOV Funds.

11. Date of Next Meeting

The next Parish Council Meeting will be held on Thursday 6^th July 7:30pm at OSCA. Everyone Welcome. There is no meeting in August.

Mareike Dacey, Clerk