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BLACKMORE, HOOK END & WYATTS GREEN PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES
Of the Ordinary Meeting of the Blackmore, Hook End &
Wyatts Green Parish Council held on
THURSDAY 15th FEBRUARY 2024 at 7.30pm
At Tipps Cross Remembrance Hall
MEMBERS PRESENT – Cllr’s R Keeble (Chairman), N McCarthy, K Bennett, T Lockhart, T Hinton, J Swettenham, H Eltham, K Parkinson, K Wood. S Clapham (Parish Clerk), R Nelson (RFO). Borough Cllr T Bridge.
0650 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE – Cllr’s H Cannon, V Dean, T Thomas (retrospectively). County Cllr L Wagland.
0651 APPROVAL OF MINUTES – 18th January 2024
The minutes were signed by the Chairman as a correct record with no amendments.
0652 DECLARATION OF INTEREST (for items on the agenda) – Nil.
0653 OPEN FORUM – There were two residents in attendance who had recently moved in to Plovers Mead and wished to learn what was happening in the area. No representations were made by them.
0654 Progress Check/ReporT– Nil
0655 Correspondence/Communications– Nil
0656 Reports of Borough & Essex County Councillors–
Cllr Bridge reported that Brentwood Borough Council (BBC) would be increasing its Council Tax by 2.99% and notification is to be sent out in the next two weeks. BBC had also received a letter from developers Andersons, advising that initial site works are underway on R25 (LDP). Crest Nicholson however, had still not submitted a revised planning application. Cllr Bridge also advised that their Arboriculturist Alan Marsh is looking at potential sites for tree planting. If the PC has any suggestions these could be submitted as part of that process. He said that speeding issues are to be discussed at their next meeting and he would report back on this. He also advised that he will not be standing as a ward member for this parish at the next Elections.
POLICY & RESOURCES-
0657 Finance – Payments made online:
S Clapham –
Pension –
HMRC –
Mrs R Nelson –
Broadmead Leisure – £110.00 (+VAT) inv.no. 2656 – this covers the £70.00 bi-monthly play area inspection and £40.00 to carry out small works at Mill Lane play area.
Broadmead Leisure – £3,450.00 (+VAT) inv.no.2655 – this covers £1,300 for installation of Proludic 4xseat see-saw at Walter Hobbs, removal of old see-saw and making good rubber mulch surfacing. It also covers £2,150 for supply and installation of springer item at Mill Lane plus grass mat surfacing.
Proludic Play co. – £1,529.28 – supply of Walter Hobbs 4 x seat see-saw.
T Lockhart – £6.00 – Reimbursement for NPPF document binding
Tipps Cross Remembrance Hall – £46.63 (inc.VAT) – reimbursement – 200 heavy duty sacks for litter picking
Payments made on the PC Credit Card: Amazon – £9.96 – Recreation hi-vis. Spray paint
Cash drawn: – nil
Transfers: –
Memberships:– nil
Income/receipts/Reimbursements:
Blackmore Village Hall – football/cricket rents paid – £3,875.00
1 x allotment rent – £50.00
Rubbish bin collection – BVHA complex – £476.00
Reimbursement from Stondon Massey PC – shared use of Cherry Picker hire equipment during December – £239.00
Vat reclaim from HMRC – £4,004.98 for period 1st October 2023 – 31st December 2023.
0658 Financial Report to 31st January 2024:
All in accordance with the Finance reports circulated ahead of the meeting, with no amendments.
0659 Financial Powers:
Mrs Nelson is preparing for the Internal Audit in April.
PLANNING COMMITTEE-
0660 There had been a Planning Committee meeting on 12th February and the following plan(s) were discussed. The reports were distributed prior to the PC meeting.
24/00061/HHA – Bluebells, Second Avenue, Hook End. CM15 0HH – No objection*.
*Subsequent to the Planning meeting, Cllr Lockhart read out the following update:
“At our planning committee on held Monday 12th February we considered an application for a loft conversion and rear dormer at Bluebells, Second Avenue, Hook End (application no: 24/00061/HHA). Our report was submitted to Brentwood Borough Council (BBC) later the same day was as follows: We have no objection to this application in principle but the size and bulk of the rear dormer is excessive and overbearing on the rear roof slope
An hour after our meeting had finished, we received a letter of objection from the neighbour living in ‘Whithouse’. Our Chairman Cllr. Roger Keeble wrote detailed reply explaining that the objections were received too late for the committee to consider and also pointing out factual errors in the objection.
At the Parish Council meeting on 15th February, Cllr. Terry Lockhart, Chairman of the Planning Committee added some further observations (1) policy H7 in the previous Local Plan was out of date and owners of bungalows are now free to convert them into chalets or 2 storey dwellings, (2) The size and design of the rear dormer contravened the current policy but this did not change our view that we offered no objection to application in principle as it was a more acceptable design overall that the previous applications which had all been refused (3) The Permitted Development Limitations document states that “Upper floor side facing windows to be obscure glazed and openings to be 1.7M (min) above floor level”. The purpose of this is to prevent overlooking. The 3 windows on the side elevation of White House are full height and in clear glass. So in effect the owner has been benefitting for some years from the contravention of this policy. If his current view looking into the rear garden of Bluebells is now slightly impaired, it is not something we are overly concerned about. The planning chairman concluded that if the application was to be recommended for refusal, he would apply for it to be referred the BBC planning committee for a final decision amongst the Members”.
PARKS & OPEN SPACES (POS)-
The minutes of the meeting held on 12th February 2024 at 10.00am were circulated prior to the meeting. The Minutes were accepted and the following items were discussed/approved:
Walter Hobbs-
0661 New fencing to play area: Total Landscapes has this work in hand, pending completion.
Ted Marriage-
No new reports received.
Mill Lane–
0662 Broken/rotten fencing: The following quotes were received:
Broken rotten fencing to road-side fencing – A quote was received from Total Landscapes of £275 (+VAT) to replace 2 posts, 3 rails and 2 gravel boards. The POS Committee recommended approval.
Broken/rotten fencing to play area – A revised quotation was provided by Total Landscapes (price matched £800), to replace the 8 replacement posts and timbers. The POS Committee recommended getting the two jobs completed by Total Landscapes at the same time the Walter Hobbs picket fence is completed. Cllr Parkinson proposed that the above expenditure be approved and Total Landscapes be awarded both jobs. This was unanimously agreed. Action: The Clerk will instruct Total Landscapes.
Millennium Park–
0663 No reports received.
Blackmore Village Hall-
0664 Sports & Social club Roof Repairs:
Work now completed.
0665 Tennis Club fencing–
The fencing had almost been removed. It was noted that four upright posts still remain and this will be monitored for complete removal.
0666 FA Grant Application –
Cllr Keeble, Cllr Cannon and the Clerk had met with members of the Blackmore Football Club and a representative from the FA. The Football Club were in the process of making a grant application to the FA to renovate and extend the Changing rooms and showers at the Blackmore Village Hall complex. It was in its very early stages and the Football Club were aware that before any applications could be submitted, they must first seek approval from the PC who would need to approve any plans. Updates will be received in due course.
GENERAL PARKS & OPEN SPACES-
0667 Fingerposts: A claim has been submitted by the Clerk to the Insurers. Pending response.
0668 Seating upgrades: Three new back-less seats have been ordered by the Clerk. Pending delivery.
0669 The small seat as reported to ECC is being dealt with by Cllr Wagland. Pending update.
0670 Bus stop on Wyatts Green Road – Cllr McCarthy noted that the bus stop sign had not been removed as was agreed by ECC some months ago. Action: Clerk to liaise with ECC for an update.
0671 CLERK’S REPORT-
a) Councillor email accounts: All emails had been updated and the new gov.uk email addresses are now being used.
b) Mini bus enquiry and price review:
The Clerk had received an enquiry from a regular hirer asking if the mini bus could be hired to make collections and drop-offs to the Brentwood FC Football Club local football matches. The Clerk had checked with the Insurers who confirmed that this would be acceptable providing that it was hired on a ‘not-for profit or reward’ basis and the hirer had been made aware of this. The hire fees were also discussed as these had not been increased for several years, and the following proposal made by Cllr McCarthy – Price to be increased to £60 (from £45) for a full day’s hire and £45 (from £33) for a part day. This was unanimously approved and adopted with immediate effect.
c) The King’s Portrait Scheme – The Government are supplying, free of charge, a framed portrait to commemorate the accession of King Charles III. Action: It was agreed that the Clerk would apply.
d) The Local Parish Council Elections 2nd May 2024 – The Clerk is attending the BBC Elections briefing at the Town Hall on 15.3.24. She will then provide further information to Cllr’s. Cllr’s should bear in mind that applications have to be submitted by hand in person to Brentwood Town Hall.
0672 Date of next meeting(s):
POS – Monday 18.3.24– 10.00am – Zoom
PC – Thursday 21.3.24 at 7.30pm – Tipps Cross R Hall Committee Room
Planning – TBC subject to planning applications being received.
INFORMATION EXCHANGE/NEXT AGENDA ITEMS-
0673 Cllr Keeble advised that the next speed watch will be outside the Blackmore School on Saturday 17th February at 10.00am. It was noted that a Traffic Warden had recently been in the area issuing parking tickets to people parking on the double yellow lines.
0674 Cllr Wood discussed with Cllr Bridge the issue of overhanging low-level branches from trees in Jericho Priory resulting in loose branches falling onto Church Street. He had reported this and he would provide Cllr Bridge with the online report numbers so that this issue could be progressed.
0675 Cllr Keeble advised that there will be a Blackmore village litter pick on Saturday 30th March. Action: The Clerk was asked to order 10 new litter pickers.
0676 Parishioner of the Year – The PC proposed that Terry and Eileen Smith be this year’s recipients in May, for their services and dedication to produce the Parish Herald Magazine for around 25 years.
0677 Cllr McCarthy mentioned the May Annual Assembly and asked if it could be made a bigger event and local groups and organisations could be asked to give a talk. The Clerk would circulate further information to Cllr’s on the nature of the Parish Annual Assembly, which is not a meeting of the Parish Council ahead of any further discussions.
CLOSE OF MEETING –
There being no further business, the meeting was closed by the Chairman at 8.40pm.