BLACKMORE, HOOK END & WYATTS GREEN PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES
Of the Ordinary Meeting of the Blackmore, Hook End &
Wyatts Green Parish Council held on
THURSDAY 21st December 2023 at 7.30pm
At Tipps Cross Remembrance Hall
MEMBERS PRESENT – Cllr’s R Keeble (Chairman), N McCarthy, K Bennett, T Lockhart, H Cannon, T Hinton, J Swettenham, H Eltham. S Clapham (Parish Clerk), R Nelson (RFO). Borough Cllr T Bridge.
0598 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE – Cllr’s J Clarke, K Parkinson, V Dean, K Wood. Borough Cllr R McCheyne, County Cllr L Wagland.
0599 APPROVAL OF MINUTES – 16th November 2023
The minutes were signed by the Chairman as a correct record with no amendments.
0600 DECLARATION OF INTEREST (for items on the agenda) – Nil
0601 OPEN FORUM – No attendees
0602 Progress Check/Report – None
0603 Correspondence/Communications –
1. Letter received from Mr Fisher regarding the incorrect road sign on Blackmore road incorrectly stating’ Parish of Blackmore’. This was first raised by the Parish Council with BBC in 2012 to no avail. The Clerk has written to Mr Fisher stating the position. Cllr Bridge will make new enquiries with BBC.
2. A thank you letter was received from the Blackmore Village Hall Committee for the £10,000 contribution agreed towards the Village Hall roof repairs.
0604 Reports of Borough & Essex County Councillors
Cllr Bridge gave an update on the new parking charges for the Borough, raised from £1,10/hr to £1.50/hr, with free parking on Sunday. Shenfield will be limited to 3 hours parking.
Cllr Wagland has put some of the parish pot holes through the Pot Holes Initiatives Scheme, as reported by the Clerk.
POLICY & RESOURCES
0605 Finance – Payments made online:
Castle Water – supply to War Memorial, £9.31 inc VAT
Brentwood Borough Council – dog/litter collections 1 Apr 23 to 30 Sept 23, £2,857.92 inc. VAT
Castle Water – supply to War Memorial, £9.57 inc. VAT
Netwise – set up of new Gov.UK domain name, £132.00 inc. VAT
Interact – VOIP telephone, £41.53 inc. VAT
Castle Water – supply to Allotment Garden, £16.56 inc. VAT
NBB Recycled Furniture – fixing kit for new bench for Elkins Green, £23.76 inc. VAT
Glasdon – purchase of new rubbish bin for Elkins Green, £274.20 inc. VAT
Mr A Elmes – refurbishment of Christmas lights (£470), hire of cherry picker (£573.24) and purchase of additional new lights (£220.56), Total £1,263.80 inc. VAT
Christmas refreshments – £36.80
Total Landscapes – £732.00 inc VAT – installation of bin and seat at Elkins Green, Blackmore
Payments made on the PC Credit Card:
Cash drawn: –
Transfers: –
Memberships:–
Income/receipts/Reimbursements: £168.00 – Parish mini bus hire fees.
0606 Financial Report to 30th November 2023
All in accordance with the Finance reports circulated ahead of the meeting, with no amendments.
0607 Financial Powers:
Nothing new to report.
PLANNING COMMITTEE
0608 The minutes and reports of the Planning Committee meeting held on 18th December were circulated prior to the meeting. These were approved with no amendments:
23/01385/HHA – Treetops, Outings Lane, Doddinghurst, CM15 0LS – No objections.
23/01453/HHA – Cloverley, Wyatts Green Road,Wyatts Green, CM15 0PT – No objections.
23/01420/HHA – Treardour, Hook End Rd, Hook End, CM15 0HA – No objections.
23/01463/HHA – Widbrook, Wyatts Green Lane, Wyatts Green, CM15 0PY – No Objections.
23/01441/FUL – Land at Chitral, Wyatts Green Rd, Swallows Cross, CM15 0SS – No objection.
A list of all planning applications reviewed during 2023 by the PC was circulated prior to the meeting.
Cllr Lockhart enquired with Cllr Thomas Bridge the situation with the ‘Call for sites’ document as part of the LDP process. Cllr Bridge explained that any land owner could put forward land for development consideration. BBC would then consider this in the usual way. BBC are currently looking for Bio diverse sites and sites for employment as part of the LDP process.
PARKS & OPEN SPACES (POS)
The minutes of the meeting held on 18th December 2023 at 10.00am were circulated prior to the meeting. The Minutes were accepted and the following items were discussed/approved:
All play area inspections were carried out by Paul Tucker, Broadmead Leisure on 14th December (reports pending).
Walter Hobbs –
0609 Replacement nest swing seat – dog damage
The seat was replaced by Paul Tucker on 14.12.23. The Clerk will now invoice the resident for reimbursement. It was also reported by Cllr Keeble that the junior swing seats have also been damaged by dog bite marks, and quotes are being sought. The Clerk will also enquire if tougher, durable plastic seats are available to purchase instead of rubber.
Ted Marriage –
0610 Cabin slide timber repairs and play area fencing repairs –
This work is in hand with Broadmead Leisure, pending completion.
MILL LANE:
0611 Paul Tucker installed the new springer item on 14.12.23, pending report.
Millennium Park:
0612 No new reports.
Blackmore Village Hall:
0613 Sports & Social club Roof Repairs –
Cllr Keeble reported that the roof repairs were due to commence in January 2024.
GENERAL PARKS & OPEN SPACES
0614 Spring bulb planting –
John Sharpe advised he will supply a quote in Spring 2024.
CLERK’S REPORT
0615 Parish Year Book –
A list of options was supplied by Cllr McCarthy and circulated prior to the meeting. It listed pricing options and various considerations if the PC was to continue to publish an annual year book now that Mr and Mrs Smith had retired as magazine Editors. It was noted that there was not adequate staff to take on the publication of the magazine as had been afforded by Mr and Mrs Smith for the past 25 years or so. Options were discussed and the following proposal made by Cllr Hinton – As there is no statutory obligation to produce a parish magazine or leaflet, the PC would continue to publish all Parish Council matters on its website and Facebook page. It would also continue to produce an annual Chairman’s Report at the Annual Assembly in May. This outlines PC activities and business for the previous year. This is in line with statutory requirements. This was proposed by Cllr Hinton and unanimously agreed. It would be reviewed again in one year’s time after a period of monitoring.
New gov.uk domain name – bhw-pc.gov.uk
Cllr McCarthy advised that the new PC email and website pertaining to the GOV.UK domain was now in operation. Cllr McCarthy and the Clerk would now disseminate individual Cllr email addresses and passwords along with set up instructions for immediate use. Each Cllr should refrain from using their own personal email addresses and switch over to the gov.uk address as soon as possible. Help could be given by Cllr Hinton if needed. This must first be discussed with the Clerk who would organise this if required.
0616 Date of next meeting(s):
POS – Monday 15.1.24– 10.00am – Zoom
PC – Thursday 18.1.24 at 7.30pm – Tipps Cross R Hall Committee Room
Planning – TBC subject to planning applications being received.
0617 INFORMATION EXCHANGE/NEXT AGENDA ITEMS
0618 Cllr Bennett advised that he and Mrs Nelson would be drafting the 2024-25 budget in January 2024. If there were any projects to be considered could these be forwarded to them.
0619 Cllr Keeble enquired about the Blackberry Barn Planning application. Cllr Lockhart advised that it had been visited by the Planning Officer at Brentwood Council and they were happy with the application to build a pool house. This is not a separate house.
0620 Cllr Keeble enquired about the corner plot of First Avenue which now has two caravans in the garden. Cllr Bridge said he would look into this matter and report back.
0621 Cllr Keeble advised that a budget needed to be considered for next year’s Christmas lights. It was agreed that Andy Elmes (Electrician) would give a list of items required to the Clerk for costing.
CLOSE OF MEETING –
There being no further business, the meeting was closed by the Chairman at 8.25pm.
The meeting was followed by festive refreshments.
Downloadable PDF of these minutes here: PC Minutes December 2023