MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING HELD IN THE VILLAGE HALL ON MONDAY 14TH MAY 2012 AT 8.00 PM

Present: Parish Councillors: Ray Perrins (Vice Chairman), Lindsey Squire, Sandra Nunn Parish Clerk: Christine Wakeling 4 members of the public

15.i Election of Chairman Cllr Nunn proposed Hayden Garrood as Chairman for the coming year. This was seconded by Cllr Squire. Although absent, Cllr Garrood had accepted this post.

ii) Election of other officers:

Post Name Proposed by: Seconded by:

Village Hall S. Nunn R. Perrins L. Squire Management Committee Representative

Footpath H. Garrood R. Perrins L. Squire Representative

Blue House Farm L. Squire S. Nunn R. Perrins Representative

Civil Emergency This post will be Agreed by all Planning the joint Councillors Coordinator responsibility of all Councillors.

In addition, Jeffrey Kershaw is a co-opted member of NFPC Planning Committee to advise in his capacity as a planning solicitor as and when issues merit it.

16. Apologies for absence: Cllrs Hayden Garrood and Michelle Hooper, District Cllrs John Archer and Sue White, County Cllr Penny Channer

17. Declaration of Interest: None

18. Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 14th April 2012 and the Annual Parish meeting of 14.4.12 approved and signed.

19. Visitor Talk Time: PC Sam Pateman advised that speed watch training of volunteers can now be arranged. He proposed dates of 29th or 30th May, or 11th or 12th June. The clerk will communicate with the volunteers to agree the date.

Nikki and Jason spoke of their intention to open a kiosk at North Fambridge railway station within the waiting area on the platform. Originally, they intended just to open between 5- 10am to serve commuters and the feedback received from their research had been positive for this. They are now considering extending the opening hours and providing additional facilities as a village shop.

The Parish Council confirmed that the village appraisal had shown a great deal of enthusiasm amongst villagers for a shop, and 30 people had volunteered to assist in running a community-run venture. Concern was raised about health and safety issues, but Nikki confirmed that they had applied to have a door installed on the road, rather than the platform side. She had also spoken the NCP contracts manager about parking outside the shop. As long as it was for a ’10 minute stop’ this was not seen as a problem. They additionally hoped to provide wi-fi facility within a waiting area. They left a number of leaflets and a questionnaire which they invited parishioners to complete to give further suggestions for useful services. Cllr Perrins said that the Parish Council would support the venture although could not provide any financial assistance.

20. Clerk's Report • ECC Highways are coming to inspect the faults reported last month, but have said that with the increase in road damage due to the weather, repairs will have to be prioritised according to danger. • The ECC Big Society Fund panel have met to consider expressions of interest for funding and have invited the Parish Council to submit a full application for a grant towards the replacement of the damaged play equipment. This will not be decided until November however. An application has also been submitted to the Playing Fields Association, to be determined in September. • The Parish Council has passed its internal audit with no comments made. The annual accounts are available for inspection by any member of the public on request of the clerk. • Dave Taylor of MDC Parks Team has apologised for the length of the grass on many playing fields around the district. They have been unable to access a lot of areas due to soft ground and standing water. This will be put right as soon as the weather permits. Invoices will be adjusted accordingly. • Enquiries were made recently about the increase in activity by Anglian Water at the two village pumping stations. This has been due to refurbishment at both stations. As part of their maintenance strategy, the Avenue pumping station has had both pumps replaced with new energy efficient pumps and the internal pipe work and valves replaced. The Hirtes Corner pumping station has had one pump replaced and they are still waiting delivery of the second. Tankers are also seen at the sites on a regular basis to clean fat, oils and greases from the wet well of the stations.

21. In accordance with Standing Order 13d, the meeting was adjourned for 15 minutes to receive questions or statements from the public.

No questions or statements made.

22. Village Matters / Information

22.i Highways Cllr Squire reported that the heavy rain had resulted in a blocked pipe on Church Road near to the hall and the church which had caused flooding. The clerk will report this to ECC Highways.

Two residents had emailed the Parish Council to make a suggestion regarding improving road signs at the end of Ferry Road, prior to the current sign ‘liable to flood’. Many people are not aware that they cannot turn round or access anywhere when they approach, due to poor visibility beyond the blind bend. They suggested putting up a sign (no through road or no access), possibly near the Yacht Haven entrance, to allow people to turn around before they get too far and find they cannot make it through and then try to reverse with limited road space. This was approved by the Parish Council and the clerk will write to ECC Highways accordingly.

22.ii Recreation Ground The damaged multi-activity unit has now been removed from the play area, so the padlock can be removed and the fenced area re-opened for the younger children to play on the other equipment. Two grants applications have been made to The Essex Playing Fields Association and to the Big Society Grant Fund from ECC.

22.iii Green Waste Collection An email had been received from the Clerk to Stow Maries Parish Council asking if the Parish Council would be interested in joining with Stow Maries and possibly other local parishes in organising a green waste collection. Residents had written in to MDC individually with objections when the District Council’s green waste collection was discontinued earlier this year. The Parish Council agreed to reply and express an interest and enquire how any new scheme was to be financed.

22.iv Triathlon An email had been received from Jamie Cooper of Events regarding refreshment arrangements at this year’s triathlon in July. The landlord at the Ferry Boat Inn is keen to serve food and drinks at the pub throughout the day, including bacon rolls etc after the start once the athletes have left the village. Last year this was done by volunteers at the village hall and raised £200 for village hall funds. The Village Hall Management Committee had intended to do the same this year, but agreed there was not much point in duplicating provision with the pub. It was agreed to ask Nicola Moss to visit the landlord to find out exactly when they intended to provide their food; if it clashed they could be invited to make a donation to the village hall funds.

22.v Jubilee Garden Project Mark Eley from the had met Cllr Squire at the amenity site. He suggested that we ask the Essex Big Society Fund for money to fund the Jubilee Garden project and they would provide match funding. The clerk pointed out that an application to the Big Society Fund had been made for the play equipment at the recreation ground so she would speak to the contact Beverly Davies to check that there was no problem with submitting two applications at the same time for different projects.

22.vi District Councillor's Report District Councillor John Archer reported that the new waste collection service had had some problems to start with but these are smoothing out and complaints are now minimal. The two new pontoons have now been put in place at Ringwood on the River Crouch where they are awaiting the arrival of the first ships with the spoil from the Crossrail Bridge which is estimated to start in June/July.

22.vii County Councillor’s Report No report.

23. Planning Matters

23.i New Applications: None received

23.ii Decisions made by MDC: None

24. Financial Matters

24.i Bank Balances Community Account as @ 2.5.12 £11,923.03 Bus Res Account as @ 19.3.12 £2,704.86 Total £14,627.89

24.ii Payments to be made and agreed by Councillors: £967.70 to Broker Network Ltd for PC Insurance

24.iii Payments received: Precept of £12,120.00

24.iv The insurance proposal from Came and Co was considered. There will have to be some amendment once changes of the equipment at the recreation ground had been made. Also, in the light of the under-insurance of the multi-activity unit, the clerk was asked to check the replacement values of the other equipment for the younger children, particularly the swings and see-saw. In the meantime, the quote was accepted and approved for payment.

Cllr Squire pointed out that the benches at the amenity area are in a very poor condition. The clerk will arrange to have them removed.

25. Council Matters Councillors had seen the executive summary of the Essex Flood Risk Management Strategy produced by ECC. They agreed that a longer meeting of a sub-committee was required to study the full document and to respond to the consultation document. This would be arranged for June.

26. Councillor's Question Time. Cllr Squire reported that a parishioner had asked if it would be possible for the weekly shoppers bus to South Woodham Ferrers could sometimes go to . The clerk was asked to make enquiries and also to request a new supply of the shoppers scheme forms held at Deerlands Nursery.

27. Village Hall Management Committee Report Cllr Nunn reported that following a recent hiring, the internal door of the gents toilets was found to hanging off on one set of hinges and there were a lot of kick marks around the walls. The Committee was very grateful to Mr Ricky Huth of Franklin Road and to the cleaner, Mr Churcher, who managed to repair it.

The Committee is currently in negotiations with the Burnham Surgery regarding the possibility of them using School House for a weekly surgery. However, some of the requirements of the PCT are costly and may prove too expensive to fulfil.

The dismantling of one of the sheds behind School House has revealed just how bad a condition the rear walls are in and how sub-standard some of the work carried out in the past has been.

28. Media Contact. In Touch will contain items as mentioned in these minutes.

29. Next Meeting. The next meeting of North Fambridge Parish Council is on Monday 9th July at 8.00pm in the Village Hall. There is no meeting in June.