Minutes HPC Meeting 6th March 2025

HENHAM PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes (unapproved) of a Parish Council Meeting

Date: Thursday 6 March 2025

Time: 7.30pm

Venue: OSCA, Henham

Present: Cllrs N. Baker, S. Lee, P. Franklin, J. Leech and Clerk M. Dacey

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

1. Apologies for Absence: Cllrs M. Fisher, C. Walker, Z. Rutterford, G. LeCount, District Cllrs P. Lees and B. Donald and County Cllr R. Gooding.

2. Approval of the Minutes of the Last Meeting

The minutes of the 6 February 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 next month. Cllr Leech continues to investigate methods to strengthen the greens. Effectiveness of barley straw bales placed in pond in order to alleviate the weed problem continues to be monitored.
• Greens Bylaws – Bylaws submitted to Secretary of State for approval by our solicitors and receipt acknowledged. Our solicitors have chased SoS again and have been advised a response will be issued within the next month.
• Church works – As the works are now drawing to a close, Cllr Lee will arrange an inspection of the greens with the Church with regard to greens restoration.
• Footpath hedging – A resident has contacted the Parish Council regarding residents’ overgrown hedges making the footpaths very narrow and difficult to walk along. In some areas stepping on the road is the only option particularly if cars are parked alongside the narrow footpath mainly along High street and Church street. The Chair received confirmation from the environmental officer at UDC that overgrown hedging needs to be reported to Essex Highways and if the owner does not cut it back, then Essex Highways will do this and charge the owner. It was agreed that a note would go in the dragon and the website advising residents of this process.
• Footpath along fields – A resident has contacted the Parish Council regarding the current state of the public footpath from Glebe field to Woodend Green which is very muddy due to flooding and tractor ruts filled with water. Essex Highways are responsible for footpaths.
• Common land – The Parish Council recognises that it needs more guidance on Common Land within the Parish. Following a discussion, Cllr Lee proposed to obtain barrister advice for a fee of £750 plus VAT, seconded by Cllr Franklin, approved nem con.

Village ponds/Woodland – The supply of 30x hedge and 30x tree saplings have been received and the woodland team have planted out.

Village Hall – (1) General – update from Cllr Fisher – Cllr Fisher is delighted to confirm that the Village Hall is being awarded a grant of £7,995.00 for solar panels. The Zero Carbon Communities Grant Scheme panel commended Henham Village Hall on the quality of their application form, they were pleased to see that a whole building approach had been taken, and that project delivery included a clear plan for engaging the wider community. (2) Custodian Trustee/solicitors – Cllr Fisher to attend a training course provided by EALC for cllrs and Village halls/trustee duties on 27/3/25. Clerk will apply for the training bursary (3) HPC Community Support Fund nothing to report.

Speedwatch – TruCam: The Essex police enforcement representative has advised decision to implement is on hold awaiting highways recommendations on the lack of 30mph speed repeater (small 30mph signs) between the main 30mph sign and the intended TruCAM site on the corner of Mill Road.  Cllr Walker has written back advising them of the new Bellway development and that this could be addressed with highways when they reposition the 30mph sign.

Management of Pledgdon Green – Conservation Area Status – Place Services have looked into extending the proposed conservation area to include to the Pledgdon Green area and the report was previously circulated to all cllrs. CAAMP circulated to Cllrs by Cllr Franklin in December 2024. Revised report sent to Cllr Rutterford for review, if approved it can be sent to UDC to review and approve the document. The following activities that follow approval are coordinated by UDC: Consultation and associated works/ Website publication/ Coordinate the public meeting/ Notify statutory consultees/ Consultation evaluation/ Write and submit a report to Cabinet/ Legal notices to the Secretary of State/ Advertise in the London Gazette/ Constraints mapping / final website update.

Litter picking on Saturday 12^th and Sunday 13th April 2025 – The annual litter picking event is being organised by residents. Details are on Facebook.

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

Grass Cutting contract – Our contractor is holding his prices this year £480 per cut, agreed nem con to renew contract.

           (ii) Finance

Treasury Management Investment Policy and Strategy 2024/25 – Cllr Fisher, Cllr Baker and the clerk agreed that the Yorkshire Building Society bond would be renewed on 6/3/25 with the accrued interest of £6,809.24 rolled over into an new annual bond in the sum of £302.111.15 at an interest rate of 4.17%, maturing on 6/3/26, with accrued interest of £12,598.03 on maturity.

• Planning and Developments –

• UTT/25/0517/LB – proposed Replacement of 5 no. windows and 2no. doors, The Old Coach House Pledgdon Green

• UTT/25/0521/FUL – S73 application to vary condition 2 (approved plans), application to vary conditions 3,4,5 (Archaeology) 6 (landscaping), 8 (Biodiversity) and 9 (materials) of UTT/23/2092/FUL – to account for submitted information. (Proposed dwelling and cartlodge garage on Plot 2 (alternative design to that approved under planning permission UTT/21/2328/FUL) – The Barn Old Mead Road – Cllr Frankin declared an interest and absented himself from any discussion.

Breaches:  none

Appeals:  none

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. No response back from Bellway on the points discussed with them at last month’s meeting.  Residents had made a noise complaint a few weeks ago on a Saturday morning.  Cllr Walker has been to see site manager and he assured Cllr Walker this will not be repeated. Residents backing onto the development have raised concerns directly with the site manager about 1.5m difference in the height of the land either side of the ditch and the threat of flooding.  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.

Bloor – UTT/23/2063/DFO (200 houses) – Land East Of Station Road – Cllr Franklin emailed Bloor 11/12/24 regarding installation of a footpath by the Level Crossing. Cllr Franklin has written several emails both to our District Cllrs and County Cllr Gooding to request support from them regarding putting pressure on Bloor to respond to the Parish Council’s request to install a footpath by the level crossing. Bloor have been unresponsive to date. Cllr Frankin will now pursue with the Bloor’s regional director.

Decisions: none

• Highways – Update

School parking – Meeting is being arranged with the acting head teacher and County Cllr Gooding.

Toot Toot signage – nothing to report.

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 use Greens by Star Garage for driveway works, permission granted by HPC on basis the greens are restored. Resident request to put up marquee outside village hall for wedding reception. Various enquiries via website.

Planning Applications  – see 4(iii) above

• Clerk – approximately 150 emails in February.

6. Waste and Minerals Development Issues – Local Plan Review – 2025 to 2040 Nothing to report.
7. Stansted Airport – Chair has responded on behalf of the Parish Council to the airport’s consultation regarding the proposed increase in passenger numbers. Cllr Franklin attended the Airport’s consultation meeting for Parish Councils on 26/2/25 and circulated a report to councillors prior to this meeting.
8. Governance – Cllr Franklin attended a risk assessment webinar hosted by our insurers last month and reported to all councillors prior to this meeting.
9. Local Plan – Nothing to report
10. Henham SOV 100 Club draw – No draw conducted at the meeting.
11. Date of Next Meeting

The Annual Parish Council meeting is on Thursday 10th April 2025 at 7:30pm at OSCA. Everyone Welcome

Mareike Dacey, Clerk