Epping Upland Parish Council
MINUTES
A Meeting of the Members of Epping Upland Parish Council was held in Epping Green Chapel on Monday 22 January 2018 at 7.36pm.
092/17 Members Present: Cllrs Ms A Pegrum (Vice Chairman), Mr D Buckle, Ms J Eldridge
In attendance: Mrs V Evans – Clerk to the Council
093/17 Chairman’s Welcome In the absence of the Chairman, the Vice Chairman took the chair and welcomed everyone to the meeting.
094/17 Apologies and reasons for Absence There were apologies for absence from Cllr Mr J Barber DL, Cllr Mrs A Jones and Cllr Miss P Jones as they were all on holiday. There were also apologies from District Cllr Mrs L Hughes.
095/17 Declarations of Interests (existence and nature) There were no Declarations of Interests referring to items on this agenda.
096/17 Minutes of Previous Meeting The Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 20 November 2017, having been previously circulated, were confirmed as a true and correct record and signed by the Vice Chairman.
097/17 Public Participation Session There were no members of the public present.
098/17 Clerk’s Report The Clerk advised of the following - Casual Vacancy – has been advertised on the website and notice boards. Those who have already shown an interest have been or will be contacted. Data Protection – Subject Access Request received and being dealt with. Epping Forest Branch of the Association of Local Councils – next branch meeting is on Tuesday 6 February.
099/17 Finances 1 Statement of Finance The Statement of Finances as at 15 January, circulated, was discussed and accepted.
2 Payments and Receipts It was unanimously AGREED to approve the following payments:
Cheque No Amount £ Payee Details 101158 47.70 TBS Hygiene Limited Dog Waste Bin collections 7/17 – 9/17 Epping Forest District 101159 30.27 Burial Ground waste clearance Council Councillor Training Day 1 14 11 17 – Cllr 101160 80.00 EALC Eldridge 101161 1024.26 Val Evans Clerk’s salary and disbursements 101162 118.65 M J Sams Grounds maintenance 101163 41.34 TBS Hygiene Limited Dog Waste Bin collections 10/17 – 12/17 Clerk’s telephone line: fixed charge 01/12/17 – Direct Debit 143.90 BT 28/02/18, usage 08/09 – 06/12/17
The following receipts were noted:
Amount £ From Details 270.00 Austin & Sons Interment J17
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18.00 Allotment Holder Allotment Rent 17/18 – half plot 7.37 Barclays Bank Interest - Business Premium Account 4/9 – 3/12/17
100/17 Bank Signatory It was proposed by Cllr Pegrum, seconded by Cllr Eldridge and unanimously AGREED that Cllr Miss Pat Jones be the new cheque signatory with Cllr Ms Jean Eldridge as reserve.
101/17 Planning The Minutes of the Planning Committee held 20 November 2017 and 18 December 2017 (draft), circulated, were noted.
102/17 Local Plan Details of the Epping Forest District Local Plan Submission Version 2017 had been circulated. Following much discussion and consideration it was unanimously AGREED that there was nothing significant to make a representation on in the submission version using the form but to suggest that in Appendix 4: Policy Designations Local Wildlife Sites the following sites were added or amended –
Site Add or amend Millennium Garden Epping Green Add Doorstep Green Epping Green Add Burial Ground Epping Upland Add Nabhill Grive Amend - Grove Near Epping Upland Ballhill Wood Amend - Near Epping Upland Gills Plantation Amend - Near Epping Upland Orange Peel Windfall Near Epping Upland Add Orange Field Plantation Amend - Near Epping Upland Spratts Hedgerow Wood Near Epping Upland Add Spratts Hedgerow Near Epping Upland Add Jenkins Plantation Amend - Near Copped Hall Little Rookery Wood Amend - Near Copped Hall Fitches Plantation Amend - Near Copped Hall Warren Wood Near Epping Add Epping Thicks Near Epping Add Epping Long Green West Amend – Near Epping Green Epping Long Green East Amend – Near Epping Green
103/17 Playground It was noted that the Playground Committee was hoping to meet on Monday 19 February.
104/17 Allotments and Millennium Garden There was nothing to report on the sites. Rent invoices would be sent out shortly.
105/17 Burial Ground 1 Councillors’ and Clerk’s reports The Clerk advised that the rubbish was to be cleared very soon as there had been a delay at EFDC. There were no other issues at present.
2 Interments and Memorials Interment – J17 Rachel Mary Revell 23 November 2017. Memorials – none permitted since the last meeting.
3 Exclusive Right of Burial There were no Deeds to be signed granting Exclusive Right of Burial
4 Grave Reference B5 A letter from Mr A Sloan appealing against the Council’s decision on 20 November 2017, minute 083/17 3.1, had been circulated. The matter was again thoroughly discussed and it was unanimously AGREED that in these unusual circumstances a fee of £75 equating to an additional inscription at the resident rate be levied and that the Exclusive Right of Burial for the grave would remain with this council.
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106/17 Highways, Footpaths, Open Spaces and Village Green The Clerk advised that she had requested a litter pick from EFDC some time ago for the verges through Epping Upland and Epping Green and for the removal of fly tipping in the layby near Little Canons; she would chase. Chambers Manor Farm Lane – Cllr Eldridge confirmed that she had written to ECC who would not accept that repairs were required; she had also contacted local residents. She would write to County Cllr Jackson, copied to the Clerk. Epping (Green) Road - pavements in the Village still in bad condition in front of the Cock & Magpie, opposite Wayside and in Elm Close; hole outside Kingsway Cottage has been marked up for some time. Green Close – several instances of dogs being allowed to foul the pavements. Jacks Hatch – tree had fallen bringing down telegraph wires; ECC had responded promptly. Rye Hill Bridle Path – vegetation had been cut down but not cleared. Footpath diagonally from Travellers Friend to Jacks Hatch – still problems where this goes through Epping Upland Lodge. Footpath Upland Road to Lindsey Street – footbridge had fallen into the ditch. Village Green – damaged knee rail has been replaced.
107/17 Passenger Transport Epping Forest & Harlow area - next meeting Thursday 22 March at Epping Town Council. 87 – new timetable with times 10 minutes earlier is yet to be published; buses have been downsized.
108/17 Training Training information is regularly circulated particularly from the Essex Association of Local Councils (EALC). General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) – the Clerk would be attending for BHPC on 23 January at EALC.
109/17 Action Plan An amended Action Plan had been circulated for review which was discussed, further amended and unanimously AGREED, see Appendix A.
110/17 Budget and Precept 2018/2019 1 Budget A draft Budget for the financial year 2018/2019 had been circulated. After careful consideration it was unanimously AGREED that additional funds of approximately £450 should be included in the Reserves/Contingency eg for the Playground, Neighbourhood Plan rather than putting up the budget/precept by a larger amount at a later date as this was fairer to residents. The Budget for 2018/2019 was unanimously AGREED as £33316 plus £6191 in Contingency/Reserves.
2 Precept It was unanimously AGREED to set the Precept for 2018/2019 at £15464 giving a Band D property equivalent of £37.95, an increase of 3% on 2017/2018.
111/17 Information Items There were no information items.
There being no further business the Vice Chairman thanked Members for attending and closed the meeting at 9.30pm.
Chairman ……………………….
Date ………………………
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APPENDIX A
ACTION PLAN 2017-2018 and 2018-2019
Priority Activity Target Completion Target Review date
1 Playground Reopening Summer 2017 COMPLETED
1 War Memorial - additional inscription for Ernest William WOOLLARD October 2018 July 2018
1 War Memorial maintenance October 2018 July 2018
2 Allotments - permissive footpath Monitored March 2018
2 Burial Ground - arrangements for rubbish Monitored July 2018
2 Burial Ground - memorial for the late Cllr Penny Smith Summer 2017 COMPLETED
2 Councillors' and Clerk's Training Ongoing Regular agenda item
2 Neighbourhood Plan TBC Committee led
2 Newsletter Ongoing September 2018
2 Open Spaces - Elm Close use of Common Land Spring 2019 July/September 2018
2 Playground Refurbishment Subject to funding Committee led
3 Allotments - notice board Subject to funding September 2018
3 Burial Ground - notice board Summer 2017 COMPLETED
3 Burial Ground - Trafalgar Tree plaque Autumn 2018 July 2018
3 Financial Regulations review Annual Review July/September
3 Local Plan EFDC project EFDC led
3 Standing Orders review Annual Review July/September
3 Village Green - replacement shrubs etc Summer 2018 March 2018 Action Plan is reviewed 6 monthly - July and January END
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