Minutes of Hullbridge Parish Council meeting held on Monday 14 April 2008

Present:            Cllrs. Mrs. J. Stracey (Chairman), A. Bray, Mrs. L. Daley, H. Dunmow, E. Hall, M. Hoy, Miss A. Marriott, Mrs. W. Stevenson

Apologies:            Cllrs. Mrs. R. Brown, S. Karsten, C. Morgan.

7279 - Chairman’s remarks:  none.

At this stage PC S. Judd was invited to speak.  PC Judd reported that he had spoken to the area manager of OneStop and the shop is considering siting a bollard on the frontage to prevent drivers parking on the forecourt.  Other measures were also being considered.  Trading Standards and the Police were carrying out a joint operation in Watery Lane. On four occasions 35 tickets were issued for overweight vehicles using the road plus the details of 54 drivers were also taken.  PC Judd concluded that parking was a big issue in Hullbridge and a little discretion must be allowed.

7280 - Members’ Interests:  none.

7281 - Public participation on agenda items: none.

7282 - Minutes of meeting held on Monday 10 March 2008 were agreed and signed.

7283 - Matters arising from minutes of Monday 10 March 2008:  none.

7284 - Finance

7285 - Planning

08/00187/FUL – 31 Cedar Drive

Proposed: construct single storey rear extension – no objections or comments.

08/00214/FUL – Lords Golf Club, Hullbridge Road

Proposed: reshaping and landscaping parts of existing golf courses including raising land levels to parts of site by up to 4m to improve quality and safety of facilities.  Creation of new reservoirs for irrigation water supply.  Construct temporary site access onto Hullbridge Road for duration of construction period.  Remove existing ball safety fencing to practice range and remodel practice range to be contained within raised mound up to 5m high and provide 2m high fence on mound top with landscaping – objections were raised on the following grounds:  potentially increase in water running off the peaks and causing problems in surrounding ditches off the site, height of the mounds excessive and changing the surrounding natural landscape, soil brought in from the Olympic site (previously industrial sites) now under constructing potentially being from contaminated land and drainage flowing into the surrounding watercourses, excessive vehicle movements which would affect traffic in Hullbridge road, plus spoil from the lorry tyres being left on the road surface.        

7286 - Final accounts for 2007/08 – these were approved and signed.

7287 - CCTV camera in Pooles Lane car park:  Members considered the proposal put forward by the contractor to replace the existing defunct general view camera with two new cameras sited on the side of the HCA.  It was agreed the whole system needed a review and therefore Members of the Emergency Committee would meet at the HCA and look at the current images at night to determine if it would be more beneficial to replace some of the other cameras. A plan showing the views of the eight cameras to be drawn up.

7288 - Finance & Development Committee – number of Members:  due to there having been a number of meetings over the past years where there had not been sufficient Members present to form a quorum it was agreed to reduce the number of seats on this Committee from 8 to 6 as from the next Annual Parish Council meeting.

7289 - Minutes & Reports from Committees and Working Groups

Allotments’ Management – no meeting

Finance & Development – 17/3/2008 not quorate

Emergency Committee – report 1/4/2008 circulated

Youth Provision Committee – no meeting

7290 - Reports from Representatives to Outside Bodies

Citizens’ Advice Bureau – the Bureau had gained 76% in an assessment, which was very good.  It had cut expenses and had a surplus of £11905.  It was endeavouring to maintain services and encourage more funding.

Crime & Disorder Partnership – minutes circulated.

Hullbridge Community Association – there had been a water leak and quotes for the repairs were being sought for an insurance claim.

Hullbridge Sports Association – it was currently very active with a new committee looking for funding, probably from the Lottery

Neighbourhood Action Panel – report circulated

Parish Transport – no report

Rochford DC Central Area Committee – no meeting

Senior Citizens’ Welfare  - a representative of RAVS would be visiting to see the progress made over the last 12 months.  The next project was to re-organise the far end of the main hall.  More members are needed to attend on Mondays and Fridays.

Village Fayre – the majority of the entertainment had been organised and application forms for stall holders would be sent out shortly.

Ad hoc meetings:

a)     Hullbridge Community Initiative:  it had been agreed there should be more provision of youth facilities.  It appeared the ECC Youth Service was not keen on volunteers helping.

b)     ECC Highways:  a meeting had been held with the Chairman of Highways, Cllr. N. Hume and Mr. Ciabarro, Director of Highways and Transportation regarding the possibility of making up and adopting some of the unmade roads in Hullbridge.  Hullbridge Parish Council would have to undertake an unofficial survey, giving all the details of the scheme for making up and funding.  Those roads that were in favour of the scheme would then be officially surveyed by ECC.  The matter to be placed on the next agenda.

7291 - Correspondence:

Cllr. A. Seaman – letter of resignation.

7292 - Village reports/request for items on next agenda:

In response to a Member’s query about the debt counselling service of the CAB, Cllr. Mrs. Stracey stated the banks and financial institutions had been requested for donations but none had been forthcoming.

A tribute was paid to all Members who were standing down at the forthcoming election, particularly, Cllr. Mrs. Rosemary Brown.

A query was raised as to why road repairs had not been made to junction of Thorpedene Avenue/Mapledene Avenue despite being added to the road and pavement audit last year.

At this stage the meeting was opened to the public:

The following was mentioned/discussed – Lords Golf Course and the potentially contaminated spoil that was proposed to be deposited there plus the disruption caused by the lorries, bus passes for seniors now commencing 09.30 hrs – letter to be sent to RDC, noise caused by the wind turbine on roof of house in Wallace Close, adults riding cycles on pavements

20.50 hrs – there being no further business the meeting was closed.

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