` Association of Local Councils

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE LARGER LOCAL COUNCIL FORUM Thursday 13th February 2014 10.00 am – 12.30 noon hosted by Gt Dunmow Town Council at Foakes Hall

Present:

Cllr Keith Miles S.W.Ferrers Cllr Marion Wilson TC

Cllr John Buchanan Billericay TC Cllr Jim Devlin Billericay TC

Deborah Tonkiss Billelricay TC Cllr Vivien Chapman TC

Cllr Lew Schnurr Heybridge PC Laurie Wiebe Heybridge PC

Derek Farr SWFerrers TC Cllr Sam Coley Sth Woodham Ferrers TC Danbury PC/ Margaret Saunders Danbury PC Cllr Stuart Berlyn EALC Exec

Nigel Moore PC Kelly Holland Canewdon/Ashingdon PC

Elaine Du Can TC Ellea Hunt Canvey Island TC

Cllr David Wixley TC Cllr Patrick Horner TC

Enid Walsh Loughton TC Mark Squire Witham TC

Myrna Liles Frinton & Walton TC Cllr D Stevenson Galleywood PC

Jannetta Sosin Gt Baddow PC Cllr Ron Clover Gt Dunmow TC

Cllr P Milne Gt Dunmow TC Caroline Fuller Gt Dunmow TC

Cllr Carole Mulroney Gt Notley PC Mike Murkin TC

Paul Beckerson Leigh on Sea TC Cllr D Fraser Leigh on Sea TC

Cllr Vic Leach Hawkwell PC Cllr Roy Patient Hawkwell PC

Aimi Middlehurst Ongar TC Cllr Sheila Jackman Ongar TC

Cllr Diana Roberts Ongar TC Cllr Eddie Dray Rayleigh TC

Janice Rigby PC Cllr Heather Glynn Rochford PC

Cllr Ted Denyer Newport PC Cllr Peter Arscott Newport PC

Cllr Colin Golding Shalford PC Derek Farr Sth Woodham Ferers 228

Kathryn Richmond TC Cllr John Gili-Ross West Bergholt PC

Cllr John Harrison Heybridge PC Cllr Don Smith Rayne PC

In the Chair: Chairman Cllr Keith Miles

Also Present:

Staff Linda Golding Committee Officer & PA to CEO Pearl Willcox Training Course Assistant

Speakers Cllr Rodney Bass Essex County Council Danny Gatehouse Essex Fire & Rescue Service Jane Moore NALC

Opening Introductions by the Chairman Cllr Keith Miles

The Chairman told those present that keeping with the recent trend of increased attendance for these meetings he was pleased to say this is the largest meeting we have known for the LLCF and was delighted to welcome everyone here this morning. He hoped the speakers we are arranging and the varied subjects they are covering has something to do with the continued support. This morning we have 28 Parish or Town Councils represented with some 47 delegates representing them. Cllr Miles informed the meeting that some of the regular updates had been omitted from the Agenda this time to allow extra question time for Cllr Bass, but these would return at the June meeting.

Apologies for absence:

Cllr Tony Shrimpton TC Angie Balcombe ECC

Joy Darby EALC Ann Wood Gt Baddow PC

Cllr Barry Easter Gt Dunmow TC Cllr Sue Martin Hockley PC

Cllr Sue Sullivan Springfield PC Cllr Roy Martin Hockley PC

Minutes The minutes of the meeting held on the 9th October 2013 were agreed but not signed by the Chairman as the wrongly dated minutes had inadvertently been brought to the meeting. The item would be added to the next meeting’s agenda when they would be signed with the minutes of this meeting.

Welcome from Gt Dunmow Town Council by the Mayor Cllr Phil Milne.

229 Cllr Milne welcomed everyone to Gt Dunmow which is a thriving town and the second largest in , being situated in close proximity of the M11 and Stansted Airport and therefore within easy reach of London. He spoke of the future growth of the town, the Council’s Neighbourhood Plan, the famous Flitch Trials and that Foakes Hall would soon be celebrating its 80th Birthday.

Election of Chairman and Vice Chairman

Cllr Keith Miles told the meeting that no nominations had been received for the posts of Chairman or Vice-Chairman since the Agenda had been sent out.

The current Chairman, Cllr Tony Shrimpton from Maldon Town Council, had indicated that due to commitments in France which prevented him from attending meetings regularly, he was happy to step down as Chairman and stand as Vice-Chairman. Cllr Miles told the meeting he was willing to step up from Vice-Chairman to Chairman.

Cllr David Stevenson from Galleywood Parish Council proposed Cllr Keith Miles was elected Chairman. Cllr Sheila Jackman seconded the proposal. The motion was carried

Cllr Jannette Sosin from Gt Baddow Parish Council proposed that Cllr Tony Shrimpton was elected Vice-Chairman. This was seconded by Cllr David Stevenson. The motion was carried

The Chairman thanked everyone for their support.

The Chairman welcomed Cllr Rodney Bass Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Highways and Transportation to the meeting.

Presentation by Cllr Rodney Bass

Cllr Bass spoke at length and covered many subjects relating to highways and transportation, the cuts at Essex County Council and how it affected the management of the road structure. He said he realised that highways was always a high profile subject and that it attracted 10 times as much interest as other services. Subjects he covered in his presentation were:-

• The cost of bringing the roads up to standard • Potholes and road maintenance • His approved increase in budget of approximately £50mllion this year • Local Development Plans • Building on Flood Plains • Housing developments with no connecting roads • with its roads being over complicated by excessive housing • The airports and ports in Essex needing good road links • The powers which lie with Districts not the County Council including Highways Panels • The problems the recent bad weather was causing. Blocked ditches, drains etc and how we all need to pull together. • Damaged grass verges where vehicles had left deep tyre marks

230 • Reclassification of roads • Street lighting and the forthcoming “switch off”

Cllr Bass then took some 16 questions from the floor which he took time in answering and on occasions stating he would look into some of the items brought to his attention.

The Chairman thanked Cllr Bass for attending the meeting and giving his presentation. {Cllr Bass then left the meeting at 11.30am}

Danny Gatehouse from the Essex County Fire and Rescue Service

Danny and Lisa Hart were welcomed to the meeting. They had come along to speak to Councils on the new initiative that Parish and Town Councils are being asked to help publicise and lead in their communities. This initiative provides properly trained and uniformed ‘Parish Safety Agents’ who will be able to check smoke detectors and install new ones free of charge. The Parish and Town Councils will need to identify volunteers where possible, and be able to hold a toolkit and a supply of smoke detectors. The paperwork will be carried out by volunteers. Trials will first take place in Rochford and Tendring Districts.

Danny and Lisa took questions from the floor. Rochford and Frinton and Walton Clerks appeared to know nothing about the proposed trials in their District expressing concerns that the Clerks are already at full stretch.

Loughton, Rayne, Newport and Heybridge representatives took the opportunity to voice opinions and ask questions on the scheme.

Details of the scheme or contact details are available from the EALC or Danny Gatehouse whose email address was given on the Agenda.

The Chairman thanked Danny and Lisa for attending the meeting.

Jane Moore – NALC talking about the Local Councils Explained Book

Jane spoke about the book and how it can be used by everyone. How it had been written by Meera in 11 chapters laying out the role of Local Councils, the ease of its use, and the Standing Orders section. She thought the Index made it quick to find the section needed and the colour coding of the pages also helped.

Jane answered a few questions on the cost of the book and the new Standing Orders which NALC had recently released.

Copies were available to purchase if Councils wanted to take a copy back with them.

The Chairman thanked Jane for attending.

Open Forum Time

231 The Open Forum time took on the subject of Social Media with several Councils expressing details of how they got on with Facebook, Twitter etc. and how some found it helpful. Delegates were asked if the EALC ran a course on the topic how many thought they would find it useful and attend. This would now be looked into.

Next Meeting date

11th June 2014 when The Maldon Mud Race will be the main presentation.

Leigh on Sea offered to host the meeting.

The Chairman closed the meeting at 12.30

Signed……………………………………………. Date …………………………….

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