Halstead Town Council

Membership:

Also in attendance:   Mr M C Murkin, Town Clerk, Insp. N Murray and Mr S Gilbert.

228.    APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
There were apologies for absence from Cllr D Hume and Cllr H Messenger.

229.    DECLARATION OF INTERESTS
To declare any ‘personal' or ‘personal and prejudicial' interests relating to items on the agenda having regard to paragraphs 7 to 11 inclusive of Part 2 of the Code of Conduct for  Members and having taken appropriate advice (where necessary) before the meeting.

230.    PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
Mr Gilbert asked why water could not be provided on the Colchester Road allotment site as part of a deal with St Johns.  The chairman explained that it was not council policy to provide water and that we had suggested that a rainwater collection system be incorporated into the construction of the ambulance station extension.

231.    MINUTES
The minutes of the Council meeting held on 16^th July 2009 were approved as a true record and signed by the Chairman. 

232.    COMMITTEE  MINUTES
(i) The minutes of the Amenities Committee of 2^nd September 2009 were approved and signed as a true record.

(ii) The minutes of the Finance and General Purposes Committee of 10^th September 2009 approved and signed as a true record. 
          

233.    POLICING  IN  HALSTEAD
Inspector Neil Murray summarised his service career and outlined his policy for policing in Halstead and the surrounding area.  His basic aim is to create an area which is safe for the public and he hopes to go out on the streets with his officers on Friday and Saturday nights.  Insp. Murray supports CCTV, and accepted that a non-monitored system was better than no system at all.

234.    COLCHESTER UNIVERSITY HEALTHCARE TRUST
Mr J Dann outlined the new trust and stated its aim as bringing service provision under local control.  There is a board of 30 members including staff and lay persons and it is planned to have public questions at board meetings.  Cllr Mrs Pell asked if a cash machine (ATM) and more car park machines could be considered.

235.    PLANNING APPLICATIONS
Cllr Mrs. S Diver  took the chair for this part of the meeting.  Cllr Mrs B Gage declared a personal interest in all planning applications as a member of Braintree DC Planning Committee
09/01150/FUL - 4 Blue Bridge Cottages, Colchester Road.
Councillors considered:
1. that reason 3 of the June 2007 refusal was still relevant as the proposed house was too large for the plot;
2. there was also a concern over visibility for emerging traffic; and
3. this was back-land development.

09/01092/FUL - Land opposite garage, Mount Hill
Councillors were concerned that:
1. visibility would be impaired when exiting the site;
2. the proposed entrance was on the brow of a hill; and
3. difficult to see down the road towards Greenbanks.

236.    MAYOR'S APPOINTMENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Cllr D Hume advised councillors that the chair of Braintree DC would be attending the Italian Market on 18^th September.

237.    ALLOTMENTS

The Town Clerk reported on a meeting he had attended between Braintree DC, St Johns Ambulance and the Allotment Holders Association (AHA) on the subject of the transfer of land from BDC to St Johns.  After discussion it was agreed to confirm the Amenities Committees' recommendations as:
(i)         should not support placing a standpipe on the allotment for environmental reasons
(ii)        should not accept the £2,000 sale proceeds and encourage SJA to use this money to install a rain-water collection system on the new building which allotment holders could use
(iii)       should not contract with Anglian Water for any water supply
(iv)       should not be involved in any licence to use toilet facilities
(v)        should offer to include a ‘recuiting' letter from the AHA with our annual invoices to allotment holders.

238.    MEETING DATES

1. It was agreed to hold a meeting with youth workers and Police on 8^th October to discuss the success of the barbeque and to plan a move forward.
2. Full Council 19^th November 2009 - it was reported that the Chairman was unable to attend, but it was agreed to keep the meeting on that date and allow the vice-chair to take the meeting.
3. Annual Town Meeting 22^nd April 2010 - although the Chairman has a potential difficulty with this date it was agreed to keep the meeting on that date.

239.    HALSTEAD ST. ANDREWS REPRESENTATION
Braintree DC have issued a consultation document on the number of councillors representing this ward.  Currently 4 councillors represent 2363 electors in the north and 3 councillors represent 2846 electors in the south.
A proposition that the Town Council supports a reversal of numbers to 3 in the north and 4 in the south was seconded but defeated on a vote.
A second proposition to keep the status quo was seconded and carried.

240.    QUEENS HALL - ELECTRIC HAND-DRIERS
After discussion, it was agreed to keep the existing roller towels at the Queens Hall.

241.    EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS
The following resolution was proposed and seconded:
RESOLVED:  That pursuant to the provisions of section 1(2) of the Admission to Meetings Act 1960, in view of the next items to be conducted, the press and public to be excluded from the meeting.

The Chairman closed the meeting at 9.15 pm