MINUTES of the Meeting of Wivenhoe Town Council Held in the Council Chamber on Monday 15

Unconfirmed Minutes MINUTES of the Meeting of Wivenhoe Town Council held in the Council Chamber on Monday 21 July 2014. ______

Present: The Town Mayor, Cllr. K. Read (Chairman), Cllrs: A. Aldis, P. Kraft, D. Henley, A. Stinson, A. Vaughan and N. Tile. Mrs. A. Stinson (Town Clerk) County Cllr. J. Young Borough Cllrs. C. Liddy, M. Cory and R. Scott Peter Kay

Prior to commencement of business safety announcements were given.

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE. Apologies for absence were received from Borough Cllr. J. Manning and Cllrs. I. Endean, R. Needham, N. Lodge, K. Hall and F. Richards.

2. MINUTES. RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting of the Town Council held on 16 June 2014 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

2.a) RESIGNATION OF COUNCILLOR. Members received the formal resignation of Cllr. Brian Sinclair after 10 years service on the Town Council. Cllr. Read stated that he had sent a personal letter of thanks to Brian for his dedication in addition to the Town Council’s formal response and acknowledgement. The Town Clerk had informed the Monitoring Officer at Colchester Borough Council and the official Notice of Vacancy had been received from Adrian Pritchard, as Returning Officer, and would be posted on the Town Council’s noticeboard on 23 July 2014.

3. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES. None.

4. POINTS RAISED BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. None.

5. REPORTS FROM MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY AND BOROUGH COUNCILS. a) Essex County Council: Cllr. Young extended her sorrow in learning of the resignation of Cllr. Sinclair after 10 years of dedicated public service. Cllr. Young reported further on the home to school transport issue, which at the moment contained no scope for movement at the moment, apart from political pressure. It would also seem that there would be very few children from Wivenhoe who would actually qualify for free bus travel to the Colne School as the majority of properties in Wivenhoe were nearer to the Colchester Schools. However pressure would continue to be put on ECC to review this situation. Things were moving on the new Surgery and an announcement should be made shortly; the cyclepath had taken a step forward in that ECC had found some extra money to enable Option 1 to go forward as this was the preferred route by the University. Parking in Old Ferry Road should soon be improved following a LHP application and a start would be made on designing a scheme. Cllr. Young would continue to chase up the Vine Parade issue of the grass verge with Highways. Concerning a question on the LHP application for bollards on the quay Cllr. Young responded that it would have to go before members in September before the validation process.

1 Unconfirmed Minutes b) Borough Council: Cllr. Cory also recorded his thanks to Cllr. Sinclair for his great service to Wivenhoe; Cllr. Cory reported that he had also been working on the home to school bus issue; fly-tipping in Elmstead Road; unkempt properties which could be reported under a s251 matter to planning enforcement; and the Cross Boundary issue. Cllr. Cory thanked Cllr. Read for attending the Youth Club recently. The opening day for the youth club would be on 9 and 11 September and as usual volunteers were needed.

Members welcomed recently elected Cllr. Rosalind Scott who gave a joint report on town centre CCTV, the Neighbourhood Plan, police matters and how community cohesion was needed over the home to school transport issue. Concerning the TRO request for bus passing bays in Station Road and High Street it was disappointing to learn from NEPP that these had been deferred to the Town Council to conduct consultation with residents, despite the fact that the Town Council’s Neighbourhood Plan Group had already done this. A response would be put together for Cllr. Scott before 4 August.

Cllr. Liddy also expressed his thanks to Cllr. Sinclair for many years of work with the Town Council. On planning issues Cllr. Liddy reported that 58 Queens Road would again be coming before planning in several weeks. There was opposition against Network Rail’s proposal to close the Paget Road crossing and this was put to the Town Council where members voted unanimously for the crossing to remain open. Cllr. Vaughan said she would prepare a response. Cllr. Liddy also reported that as of April 2015, the Government will reduce the scope of s106 agreements and replace them with the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). Local authorities can charge CIL on new developments in their area. This was intended to provide new infrastructure to support the development, rather than compensate by contributing towards providing amenities and funding projects in the area where development takes place. So in future, it will be more difficult to fund projects as been done before. c) Public Transport: Peter Kay reported on several issues especially the fact that some buses were going round Colchester town centre twice in order to put more time between them on their routes. Peter would also prepare a response for Cllr. Scott on the TRO for High Street and Station Road bus passing bays issue.

6. COMMITTEE REPORTS. 6.1 Planning. a) Minutes of the meeting held on 24 June and 15 July 2014 were received and noted. Cllr. Vaughan noted that refusal had been received for the development of a garage in Blyth’s Lane to which 8 residents had attended to express their concerns on. The resignation of Cllr. Sinclair had reduced the number of Planning Committee members and it was Agreed therefore that either Cllr. Richards or Cllr. Henley step in as substitutes.

On other Committees Cllr. Kraft would be substitute on the Finance Committee and the Town Clerk would contact Richard Moulson and ask that he keep the Town Council informed regarding Wivenhoe Woods. Cllr. Sinclair would continue as lay member on the Jubilee Gardens Group.

2 Unconfirmed Minutes b) Cooks’ Shipyard Working Group: Cllr. Read reported that the Fisherman’s Store would be re-marketed again. The Town Clerk had written to the Valuation Office regarding the Non Domestic Rates on the car parks and dinghy parks, amounting to just under £4000 per year. Cllr. Read reported on the site meeting to discuss Option E of the Safe Access to the River report, attended by Cllr. Lodge, Sue Jackson and Bernie Hetherington. A report on their findings will be submitted shortly. c) Health Centre: Noted that an announcement should soon be made on the progress.

6.2 Personnel Committee. a) Noted that the next meeting would be held on 11 September 2014 at. 7.30pm.

6.3 Finance and Administration Committee. a) Minutes of the Finance Committee held on 17 July 2014 were received and noted.

6.4 Estates Committee. a) Noted that the next meeting would be held on 28 July 2014.

7. WORKING PARTY REPORTS. 7.1 William Loveless Hall Working Party a) Report of the meeting held on Thursday 19 June 2014 was received. Cllr. Vaughan questioned the decision of the Working Party not to allow Moving Image to install a permanent screen in the main hall but was informed by Cllr. Kraft that following a site meeting in the main hall, to which Moving Image were present, it was realized that the hall could not accommodate such a fixture. Cllr. Kraft also reported that grants were being looked into for a hearing loop. b) The date of the next meeting would be 10 September 2014 at 7.30pm.

7.2 Wivenhoe Wood Working Party: Nothing to report.

7.3. Minibus Working Group: Cllr. Stinson reported that two more drivers had been recruited and that a donation of £1015 had been received from the Quay Quilters following their exhibition on 12 July 2014 at the William Loveless Hall. A letter of thanks had been sent to the Quay Quilters.

7.4 Youth Facilities Working Party. Group in suspension at the moment. 7.5 Community Opportunities Group. Group in suspension at the moment.

7.6 Jubilee Gardens Working Group. Cllr. Vaughan requested details from the Town Clerk of the amount of funding in Town Council reserves for the project, which had previously been notified to Cllr. Sinclair. Town Clerk would email the details to Cllr. Vaughan at the close of the meeting. As stated in the previous Town Council minutes the group needs to draw up a specification of the work needed to complete the project, obtain quotes from contractors and submit the quotes for Town Council approval.

3 Unconfirmed Minutes 7.7 Pavilion, Offices, Yard and Police Houses Working Group. Cllr. Henley reported that the issue of a canopy had now been resolved following legal advice and that approval had been given with certain conditions attached.

7.8 Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group. Nothing to report.

7.9 Members' Individual Proposals or Reports: a) Mayoral Activities: Cllr. Read reported on attendances at the Midsummer Fete on 21 June at the KGV Playing Field; Open Gardens garden party on 22 June; Scout & Guides AGM on 25 June; Millfields Summer Fete on 27 June; Grassroots garden party on 29 June; Broomgrove parent and teacher meeting on 30 June; The Hub on 1 July; slow drive protest on 2 July; Colne School production of Oliver on 10 July, Quay Quilters exhibition on 12 July; CBC WWI commemoration service on 13 July; Town Council cricket match on 16 July; CBC Civic Service at St. Luke’s Church, Tiptree on 20 July. Total of 13 events. b) Wivenhoe Community Safety and Neighbourhood Watch report: Cllr. Kraft submitted a report which was received and noted. c) Report of Cllr. Needham: Cllr. Needham had submitted a report on 1) WTC submission to Boundary Commission – members agreed to the draft response prepared by Cllr. Needham. This would now be submitted; 2) Bollards on The Quay – agree to obtain a quote for 4 or 5 suitable bollards to replace those outside the Nottage Institute, Cllr. Henley would look into this; 3) Police Presence in Wivenhoe – Cllr. Aldis would look into this.

8. TOWN CLERK'S REPORT. 8.1 Burial Grants and approval of memorials. The Town Clerk reported that One Burial Grant had been issued and one memorial had been approved since the last meeting. One burial had taken place and one interment of ashes.

8.2 NALC/EALC Communications. June DIS had been circulated electronically and Making the Links communications were being circulated electronically when received.

8.3 Work Management. a) General: The Town Clerk reported that grass-cutting and footpath clearing was continuing in all areas. Overgrown hedges had been cut back. Grass-cutting on an old plot in the New Cemetery had commenced. Mede Way play area had been cut and a start on re- painting the skatepark was being scheduled. Minor repairs to gates and play equipment carried out. Three ceiling lights in the WL Hall had been replaced. The number of visitors to the Council Offices for the month of June totalled 282.

Cllr. Vaughan asked when the scalpings would be laid on the wildlife garden and the Town Clerk said that the groundsmen would schedule this in when they were up to date on their regular work, which had fallen behind.

4 Unconfirmed Minutes 9. FINANCE. 9.1 Current Financial Report a) The June spending and income report was received and noted.

9.2 List of cheques numbered 504182 - 504202 drawn since the last Town Council Meeting was approved and signed. 9.3 List of Payments made from the Imprest Account since the last Town Council Meeting was approved.

9.4 Motions Under Standing Orders Recommending Expenditure. None. 9.5 Appeals for Financial Support. None.

10.1 Correspondence. a) Electoral Review of Colchester - Boundary Commission: Cllr. Needham had proposed that the Town Council should respond to the consultation by recommending a change to the administrative boundary to the North West of Cross Ward. The proposed change being - that the boundary should follow the natural line of Salary Brook for its entire length of the border. This contrasts with the existing border that does not bear a relationship to any recognised contours or borders. Members AGREED to the draft submission of Cllr. Needham and this would be submitted as the Town Council’s response.

10.2 Conferences/Seminars. None to report.

10.3 Notices. Members noted the following events:

Mayoral Functions Mayor’s Charity Vintage Tea Dance and Evening Dance on Saturday 9 August at the William Loveless Hall. Candlelit supper at Wivenhoe House on 19 September 2014.

Civic Events Civic Service Sunday 19 October 2014 at 10.30am

10.4 Licences. None.

10.5 Highway Matters. a) TRO for bus passing bays in High Street and Station Road. Noted that these would go before the NEPP meeting in October 2014 following recommendations from CBC. Peter Kay will send a response to Cllr. Scott.

10.6 Press Releases. A press release would be prepared on the home to school issue for inclusion on the Town Council’s web-site.

The meeting closed at 9.55pm CHAIRMAN