Date of Next Meeting Thursday 1st May 2008 at 8.00pm 3rd April 2008
Widdington Parish Council Minutes of a Parish Council Meeting held on Thursday 3rd April 2008 Present Andrew Gardner, Roy Darling, Cathie Southcott, Anne Taylor, Denis Mongon In Attendance Asa Clark, 0 members of the public Apologies for Absence Cllr Andrew Yarwood Minutes of the meeting held on 3rd March 2008 were AGREED and signed FINANCE 1. Statement of Accounts for year end 2007/08 and 1st month for 2008/9 were reviewed and the council APPROVED total payments of £822.80. A decision on the amount to be donated to SSE was deferred until discussion with members of the public during the Annual Village meeting had taken place. 2. It was AGREED to transfer sufficient funds to current account to cover payments Action AG/TMC Airport & Grants 1. Airport 2nd runway application for planning approval has been submitted 2. Grants nothing to report 1. Another successful walk to clear footpaths took place on Easter Sunday. There was not a lunch after the walk, therefore no costs were incurred. 1. Verges Highways will reinstate the verge on Beetle Lane following the recent visit of travellers 2. Dog Warden will replace the current signage with new signs advising dog walkers of the new dog control orders 3. Damage to the Green Highways to investigate a range of proposals put forward by the council. An additional suggestion was made that drivers park on the Green side of South Green to protect the grass, forcing traffic to pass on the kerbside 1. The grass is to be cut shortly 2. Play equipment is to be washed, following a complaint about its state 3. Quiz evening raised over £800 for the Playground Appeal 1. Ben Sewell has removed all of the wrecks from the car park 1. The group has received feedback from UDC and RCCE on the draft document. A final draft is to be produced in the next few weeks 1. Parishes meeting recently took place Tip 1. The plastic rubbish blowing from the site has been cleared up 2. Colin Carr has agreed to the a site visit for interested Councillors 3. It was AGREED that this items would be renamed the Recycling Centre on future Agenda Date of Next Meeting Thursday 1st May 2008 at 8.00pm Asa Clark 28/04/08 ANNUAL VILLAGE MEETING CHAIRMAN’S WELCOME Chairman Andrew Gardner introduced the members of the Parish Council to an audience of some 20 villagers. He thanked Phil Mullenger, who had recently stood down, for his work on the council and announced that 2 vacancies exist for the position of Councillor should anyone be interested in standing. The Chairman highlighted a number of areas that had been of concern to the Parish Council over the last 12 months, which included: the building of a house in the Fleur de Lys garden, the public enquiry for the development of Stansted Airport, the Playground Appeal which the Parish Council whole heartedly supports, the excellent Village Design Statement the final draft of which is due to be published shortly. He explained that the Precept for 2008/9 had risen to just over £10,000 and then went on to elucidate the reasons behind this increase. Over the last 4 or 5 years the precept had been kept to a minimum with very little being spent over the standard requirements for the village. In years prior to this there had been occasions when the precept had been higher to raise funds for a playing field and for the village hall. With the exception of the donation to the playground appeal the remainder of costs within the budget had been kept as low as possible. The audience was polled on their views on a donation to Stop Stansted Expansion; previously a donation of around 85% of £500 had been made to SSE. Villagers present were asked whether the Parish Council should continue to make donations of a similar amount or whether it more appropriate that the amount should be reduced. A show of hands indicated that 8 members of public were fore the donation to continue at this level, whilst 7 were against the proposal believing the amount should be reduced. It was therefore AGREED that this matter should be discussed further at the next Parish Council meeting in May. The appeal was set up in October to improve the playground for children up to the age of 11-12 years old. The group wished to provide a landscaped environment and update the equipment with additional sustainable and challenging equipment for children of all ages. The Parish Council had been approached for funding and quotes in the region of £30,000 had been obtained from specialist suppliers. Plans for the new equipment were launched at the Christmas Fayre and excellent feedback on the equipment was collected plus further play ideas from the children attending. As part of the grant applications the appeal group is required to give evidence that the village has approved of the scheme and a show of hands for support of the scheme was requested. The vote in favour of the project was unanimous. The Parish Council has given £2000 to the group and a number of other grants have been applied for. A grant from Viridor has been sort for £30,000 but conditions of the application require a 10% (£3,000) from an independent 3rd party local company, which the appeal group is currently seeking. A number of fund raising events have taken place since October and the appeal has currently raised just short of £5,000. Caroline Lloyd has organised the making of a patchwork quilt to be raffled later in the year to raise funds. There have also been a number of generous donations from local people and others have agreed to host events to raise further funds. Finally the group expressed thanks to the Parish Council, and in particular Cathie Southcott, and the Village Hall Management Committee for their support of the project.
Colin Carr announced to the meeting that he had that day been notified that planning had been refused for the waste transfer station and a wood burner for the site. At this stage he was unsure why the applications for the recycling centre had been refused. There had been some confusion over the planning application, which had been delayed in submission. Originally it was believed a reapplication for permission was required rather than a completely new application. Over the last 5 years £175,000 had been spent on fees and testing for the site to ensure regulations were adhered to. However it appears that the Environment Agency and the Local Council are unable to agree how the site should be used and restored. The meeting was informed that 40% of the contents of a skip goes into the tip, with every load being sorted and screened before tipping. It was also reported that the footpath that passed through the site had been reinstated to its original position, as recorded on local maps. Mr Carr stated that once details of the reasons for refusal were known there were a number of decisions to be made about the site in Hollow Road. Until then he was unable to comment further on the matter. Sustainable Uttlesford – Paul Garland Mr Garland, Chairman of the group, explained the group of local volunteers is supported by the local authority to aid sustainable development of the area. In 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit Agenda 21 was set up to provide development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations. The Government wants to reduce carbon emissions by 80-90% to stop the irrecoverable damage of the life support systems of the planet. Uttlesford District Council plans to reduce its carbon footprint to a sustainable level similar to that of the national level. The average carbon footprint for an individual in the US is 20 tonnes per annum, in Uttlesford District Council it is 11 tonnes per annum, the world average figure is 2.5tonnes per annum for sustainable life, whilst in Tanzania it is just 0.1 tonnes. Sustainable Uttlesford’s recent carbon neutral conference looked at practical solutions for people to reduce their carbon footprints. The group also has held a number of road shows and themed meeting as part of the sustainable homes network. At a recent show in Saffron Walden individual carbon footprints for over 100 visitors were calculated and gave a range of 22.5 between 7.9 tonnes of carbon. The meeting was told that making small changes could make a difference ; if everyone turned electrical equipment off rather than leaving it on standby one power station could be shut down. Switching off a light when you leave a room, buying locally where possible and using seasonal foods will reduce carbon costs. Ensuring that all new appliances are AA or AAA rated and making sure that loft insulation is of a high standard are also effective means of reduction. Using public transport where possible, reducing car and plane travel usage and reviewing emissions of cars when purchasing a new vehicle can also make a contribution. Grants for loft insulation are available from Uttlesford. Details can be found on www.uttlesford.org.uk or from Jake Roos at the Council Offices. Uttlesford District Councillor – Peter Wilcock Councillor Wilcock gave his support to the Playground Appeal Group and their work to raise funds for new playground equipment. He mentioned the financial difficulties Uttlesford District Council had had over the last year with the Director of Finances and the Chief Executive leaving. He also talked about the proposed development of 4,000 houses in Elsenham. The scheme is one of 15 nationally being put forward for further investigation by the Government. The NATS scheme currently under consultation for a change of flight paths routed over Saffron Walden in 2009 was also mentioned, along with the application for a second runway at Stansted that had recently been submitted by BAA. The outcome of the public planning enquiry for the current runway is still awaited but Councillor Wilcock believed that the go ahead would be given for an increase in flights from Stansted. Councillor Wilcock reported that in the district of Uttlesford recycling reached 60%. The contents of the green bins goes to Tilbury where it is sorted; paper is recycled in Europe and returns in the form of newspaper. Compost waste is taken to Cambridge where is it sold as a soil conditioner after processing. Essex County Councillor – Ray Gooding Councillor Gooding explained that Essex has one of the longest coastlines in England, with 2 airports, 2 seaports, 10,000 miles of roads, a population of 1.3 million and a budget of £2.1 billion. There are 600 schools in the county and some 30,000 elderly people are cared for, with 1,300 children in care. Currently the County Council is looking for 200 additional foster carers. A programme of rebuilding, replacing or refurbishing schools over the next 10 years is being undertaken by ECC, with £1.1 billion budgeted to be spent by 2009 – 2013 on schools in the county. Councillor Gooding confirmed a cross party consensus within the county to support Stop Stansted Expansion’s campaign against further development of Stansted Airport. There is also strong opposition to the plans for an eco-town in Elsenham. Such a development would have a major impact on the area in terms of water and power resources, and the local road network, all of which are currently inadequate for such a expansion. The plans indicate that 60% of the new population would be likely to work at Stansted. Following thanks to the speakers for most interesting and informative talks and to the members of the public who attended the Chairman of the Parish Council closed the meeting at 9.40pm Refreshments were served following the meeting. Asa Clark 28/04/08 Minutes of the Widdington Parish Council Meeting held on Thursday, 3rd March 2005 Present. Colin Taylor. Anne Cline. Muriel Dennison. Ken Kemp. Jeremy Wilson. Apologies for Absence :- Andrew Gardner. Juliet Bickerton . Bill Bowker. Peter Wilcock. In Attendance. Richard Wallace. 2 members of the public. Declarations of Interest. None. Minutes. The minutes of the meeting held on 3rd February 2005 were approved and signed. Public Participation Matters Arising from the Minutes. Theses will be in 2 parts. First matters arising directly from the minutes and secondly matters arising from the circulated information. 1a) Bottle Banks. There will be a meeting at Shire Hill Depot on 17th March at 3:30pm to inspect the noise reducing bottle banks. 1b) Car Park Lease. This has been received and is to be circulated for comment. 2a) Best Village Competition. It was decided to enter the competition again this year and the Clerk will fill in the necessary application. 2b) Annual Village Meeting, Thursday, 7th April 20005. The meeting will commence a 7:30pm for essential business. The speaker for the evening at 8pm will be Alan Prentice from Sport Outreach. A flier has been printed for inclusion in the magazine. It was agreed that an update on the Airport situation would be helpful and Peter Sanders would be approached on the matter. 2c) Items for May Agenda. PP3, Christmas Event, Notice Boards, Clerk?s position, and Co-option of new councillor. Finance. The Statement of Accounts and the cheques to be paid were approved by the council. The Clerk had queried the Invoice for £117 for the connection to the Christmas lights on the Green. This will now be reduced to approx. £53. The council approved the payment of this amount when the new invoice is received. The Clerk estimated that there would be approx. £1,100 in hand at the close of the financial year, including £325 v.a.t. to be claimed. The council approved £500 being made available to match a grant for the notice board for the Definitive map if this grant is approved. Any remaining funds would be added to the contingency fund to build up a better reserve. Agenda Items. 1) Airport. Nothing to report. Grants & Agenda 21. Cllr. Gardner sent his report. The Grant application towards the cost of a notice board for the definitive map had gone to the Small Grants Board as the closing date for application was 1st March. 3)Car Park. Nothing further to report. Playground. Cllr. Dennison reported that following the circulation of the Wicksteed report and their quote for work to be done a quote for this work has now been received from Tim - £150 plus materials ( the main material item being bark approx £150). She proposed that this quote should be accepted and the work put in hand as soon as possible. This was seconded by Cllr. Cline and approved by the meeting. Cllr. Denison will make the necessary arrangements. 3)Ponds. Nothing to report. Neighbourhood Watch. Nothing to report. 4) Greens. A letter has been sent to the company whose lorry has been presumed responsible for damage to the Green. Cllr. Kemp reported that a letter had been received re. the Plane tree on the Green. The work can be put in hand in 6 weeks if there is no objection at an approx cost of £80. 5) Highways & Road Safety. The sign has now been replaced at the Beadle Lane triangle. Some of the rubbish had been removed from Hollow Lane, but there was still some in the culvert and by the railway. 6)Planning. There were no objections to the planning applications from 1 Brick Cottages, Clare House and Brookside. The rubbish has been removed from the Bluebells Site. Inspectors have visited the Oxcroft site but no information has been received. 7)Social Issues. The response to the East of England Plan is due by 16th March 2005. Cllr. Wilson will liaise with Cllr. Gardner to make the council response. Cllr. Wilson will also liaise with Cllr. Taylor to move forward the setting up of a free website through Local Channel. Cllr. Wilson raised the problem caused by the tenant landlord leaving the Fleur de Lys and the council awaits further information on the matter. V.H.M.C. The next meeting will take place on 10th March 2005. . D.O.N.M. 7th April 2005 at 7:30pm followed by the Annual Village Meeting at 8pm. Unapproved
Last update 16 May 2008
Widdington Parish Council News
Declaration of Interest NONE
MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
AGENDA ITEMS – essential business only
Environment, Footpaths, Ponds & Neighbourhood Watch
Greens, Highways & Road Safety
Planning nothing to report
Playground
Village Hall Management Committee Nothing to report
Car Park
Village Design Statement
Emergency Planning
Social Issues Nothing to report
The meeting closed at 7.30pm
SPEAKERS
Widdington Playground Appeal – Sarah Weir & Kevin Truscott
Carr & Bircher’s Recycling Centre – Colin Carr & Tony Weaver
Widdington Parish Council Archives
Minutes to the Parish Council Meeting 03-Mar 2005
Chairperson Colin Taylor Clerk: Doreen Robson
Letter from Mr Andrew Gardner to BAA
Mr Terry Morgan Widdington Parish Council
Managing Director C/o Elmstead
BAA Stansted Springhill
Enterprise House Widdington
Stansted Airport Essex
CM24 1QW
4th February 2006
Dear Mr Morgan
You have invited our comments on your December 2005 Consultation about the siting of your proposed second runway at Stansted Airport. Widdington Parish Council is opposed to a second runway regardless of its positioning. This is the overwhelming message which local people have given BAA, time and again.
In the October 2002 poll conducted on behalf of Uttlesford District Council 89% of those who voted were against any additional runway at Stansted. You claim to be listening to local people so what part of ‘NO’ do you not understand?
Yours sincerely
Andrew Gardner
Councillor
Widdington Parish Council