MINUTES OF CLAVERING PARISH COUNCIL MEETING
HELD IN THE VILLAGE HALL ON MONDAY 1 OCTOBER 2007
(Key to votes: P: Proposed S: Seconded F: For the proposal A: Against Ab: Abstained D.Int: Declared an interest).

1 PRESENT: Vice Chairman Richard Carter, Nigel Cook, Jon Cooke, Brian Barrow, Mike Patmore, Philip Smith, Edgar Abrahams, Ron Couchman, Des Abrahams, together with 5 members of the public. Apologies received from Edward Oliver and Rebecca Stanford.

2 DECLARATION OF INTERESTS:
Edgar Abrahams: Prejudicial interest in Item 9 (P3 Scheme) as receiving funds.
Ron Couchman: Prejudicial interest in Item 8, UTT 1568 as a colleague of the applicant, Jon Cooke.
Philip Smith: Prejudicial interest in Item 8, UTT 1679 as related to the applicant.
Jon Cooke: Prejudicial interest in Item 8, UTT 1568 as the applicant.
UTT 1568: All councillors declared a personal interest as they served on the Council with the applicant. It was decided to discuss recommendations, and that the Clerk should check with the Monitoring Officer whether this was allowed before submitting them.
Venue: Edgar Abrahams, Des Abrahams, Phil Smith, Brian Barrow, Jon Cooke; prejudicial interests as having children at the school, or grandchildren, or being on CVH Committee.

REGISTERS OF INTERESTS The Clerk asked if several councillors needed to update these since being appointed to represent the Council on other organisations. It was noted that the Board of School Governors had appointed someone else as Vice-Chairman, but Edgar Abrahams said he was still Vice-Chairman and did not need to revise his Register.

3 PUBLIC QUESTIONS
Mr Howard asked if the Council had received the Dog Control Orders information, and the clerk said this had been handed to Edgar Abrahams as Chairman of the Jubilee Field Committee.
Mr William-Powlett summed up his objections to the size, location, materials and in his view inappropriate development proposed under UTT 1568; Mr Ramuz summed up his objections also.

4 MINUTES: The Minutes of the meeting of 6 August 2007 were approved and signed.

5 MATTERS ARISING.

6 ENFORCEMENTS ETC:
a. Barn and lake at Starlings Gn.: Under review by UDC.
b. Parking at The Druce: being monitored by Enforcement Officers.
c . Sign at Jojacks Farm: Brian Barrow reported.
d. TPO Tree in Sidestream Woodland: Ron Couchman asked the date this was reported and this was confirmed.
e. UTT 1708/05, The Wheelhouse; being checked by Planning Dept.
f. Use of fishing lodge at Clavering Farm as a restaurant: the Enforcement Officers reported they were investigating.

2 Highways & Byways:
a. Speed Limits : VMS sign on Wicken Road had been concreted in wrongly.
b. Byway 50: Temporary closure expired. Byway 63, Parsonage Farm; being investigated for resurfacing.
c. Coley Lane – awaiting hedge trimming quotes; and the adjacent LH owner to cut the this side back.
d. Roadworks lists: List sent to Highways, awaiting Planned Parish Visit. No date received. To add pavement repairs outside 38 Pelham Road.
e. Verges extra cut: Proposals sent to Highways.

3 Other items:
a. Venue: The Council voted not to move its meetings to the School. (JC, ECA, DA, PS, BB left the room)
b. Land adj Cricketers – Des Abrahams to check or ask the Cricketers to clear the land ready for bulb planting.
c Druce Footbridge: The Environment Agency had arranged a preliminary meeting with the Clerk.
d Parish Notice Board for village events – Edward Oliver was investigating possibilities.
e Tree donation: Awaiting Richard Carter meeting the Starlings Green residents and decide on a site.
f Hedge by Bus Shelter: The adjacent owner had agreed that the Council could cut this back.
g Bulb planting project: Had been welcomed with enthusiasm and donations; two work parties arranged for planting.
h Grasscutting: It was agreed that Mike Patmore should decide when the contractor should stop cutting, and advise the clerk who would contact him.

7 FINANCE:
Budget figures checked and some corrections required. The new Mandate not yet in place; passed to the Clerk to  sign and process. The VAT reclaim was ready to be sent in. Audit passed to the Clerk for circulation next month;
Internal Auditors Report awaited. HMRC reclaim awaited. Interest to be added to Allotment & Easement accounts.
 

Invoices: It was agreed to pay the following:
Valuation Office Agency Cricketers assessment                          340.75          50.75           000885
Cancelled - - -                                                                                                                  000886
HMRC Tax on salary                                                                  337.44                             000887
A Hickman Ptns Payroll fee                                                          30.00                             000888
Harts Direct & PO Printing & stamps                                           73.50            5.59            000889
MG Maintenance Grasscutting                                                   475.00          No vat           000890
Clerk’s salary * Apl – Oct 07                                                     1709.26                              000891
Bulb planting project Donation (via Mrs Tina Brown)                    20.00                               000892
* Local govt revised pay structures not yet issued; to be backdated.

8 PLANNING:
UTT 1231 Fowler, Greengages, Sheepcote Green. Garage. Approved.
APPEALS:
UTT 1481, 0270, 0178. B F Contracts, 8 houses in Barlee Close: All three appeals had been Dismissed.
UTT 2117 Wingham, Site adj. Allington House; Wingham. No decision.
UTT 1510 Whelam, Poohs Cottage, Starlings Green. Single storey extension etc. No objections.
UTT 1335 Downham, The Views, Hill Green. 2 dormer windows. No objections.
UTT 0545 Talks, Ash Tree Market Gardens. Application to retain use of mobile home. No decision.
UTT 1246 Talks, Ash Tree Market Gardens: Egg grading/storage etc. No decision.
UTT 1463 Funston, Jubilee Works, Arkesden Rd. No decision.

UTT 1569 Buckley, Old Garage House. Single storey extension. No objections.
UTT 1668 Woodhouse, Hawthorns, Mill Lane. No objections.
UTT 1679 Peter Smith, 1 Colehills Close. 2-storey side extn. No objections.
UTT 1697 Evans, Toad Hall, Starling Gn. Single storey side extn. No objections
UTT 1697 Keeble Bradford, Camlea Arkesden Rd. No objections, but request that window overlooking neighbours should be of obscure glass.

UTT 1568 J Cooke, The Old Vicarage, Pelham Road. Building for indoor swimming pool. (Jon Cooke left the meeting, and Ron Couchman declared a prejudicial interest and left the room also. All other councillors declared personal interests as they worked with the applicant on the Parish Council, and it was agreed to discuss recommendations which would only be sent in if the Monitoring Officer confirmed that this was allowed). There were general strong objections on the grounds of size, location, appearance, in a Conservation Area, that the house was noted as a building of architectural interest and designated for protection from inappropriate development. Also objections to the materials, ie zinc roof, and closeness to neighbouring property.

UTT 1246 and 0545 – Talks, Starlings Green. Enforcement Notice had been issued for the removal of the structures on the site, with a deadline of 3 months from 2 November 07, unless an Appeal is made.

9 P3 Scheme & Footpaths:
Footpath taped off at the Humps & Bumps where a tree branch had fallen; other footbridges awaiting Highways work.
Ron Couchman reported a large ash tree on Elmstreet Lane needed attention, Edgar Abrahams confirmed this
belonged to the adjacent neighbour.

10 LAND REGISTRATION:
Track from Chipperfield House to Hyaway: Awaiting confirmation of registration by Mr Davey of Hyaway.

11 ACCESSES & GREENS:
a. The Cricketers – no further information.
b. Earth on the Bridges – the wheelmarks had been filled in and the adjacent owner offered to do the first few cuts.

12 CORRESPONDENCE: All correspondence was available in the file and the list had been circulated to all councillors.

Des Abrahams had said the previous month that a parishioner had been annoyed by the Council’s letter asking them not to park on the grass at Blacksmiths Corner. The Chairman confirmed that this was not true, as no letter had been written. The Clerk said this sort of accusation was unacceptable from councillors, and Des Abrahams said that he withdrew his statement.