Halstead Town Council

Membership:

Also in attendance:   Mr M C Murkin, Town Clerk, 
                                 Mrs J Smith, Minute Clerk
                                 PC 71040 Jan Deal
                                 

310.    APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies received from Cllr Mrs J A Pell; Cllr M J Fincken; Cllr G Howlett and Cllr H Messenger

311.    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.
Cllr Mrs B Gage declared a personal interest in planning applications as member of Braintree District Council Planning Committee.
Cllr Mrs B Gage declared a personal and prejudicial interest in Agenda item 12, Street Names, as owns property close to the area
             

312.    PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
There were no members of the public present.

PC Jan Deal, who has recently taken up the post of Neighbourhood Specialist Officer, introduced herself to Members, and assured them that Neighbourhood Police are accessible at all times.  Cards were handed out with a mobile phone contact number and also direct dial and extension numbers.  It was explained that building work at the Halstead Police Station has overrun but that opening times are 8a.m. to 5p.m  daily with some late night opening.   Chairman said he had spoken to Inspector Murray and asked if a Police representative could sit on the Town Centre Strategy Panel, and Officer Deal said she would hope to attend the next meeting scheduled for 30^th September.   It was said that Halstead's CCTV system was now in use, although Police had not been officially informed of this fact.  Cllr Mrs S Diver said that it was imperative that signs advising of working CCTV must be posted and Town Clerk was asked to liaise urgently with Braintree District Council on this matter.  Cllr Mrs L Hilton asked if Community Support Officers were patrolling on Friday evenings when it was observed that there was a need for Police presence as observed by Youth Workers.   Officer Deal asked for details of where problems were likely to occur and it was agreed that Youth Workers and PCSOs should liaise on this matter.  It was said that at a recent Neighbourhood Action Police meeting a Youth Worker had attended but was not aware of contact details for Police Support Officers.  It was agreed that communication between these two sectors was desirable.
Cllr Mrs S Diver asked if there were still problems with sales of underage purchase of alcohol in the Town, and it was agreed that youths still were obtaining alcohol, although it was not known if this was purchase in local shops or if parents were purchasing drinks for children.

313.    COUNCIL MINUTES
Minutes of the Council meeting held on 27^th May 2010 having been previously circulated were unanimously approved and adopted. 

314.    COMMITTEE  MINUTES
(i) The minutes of Amenities Committee, minutes 223 - 231 of 1^st July 2010 having been     previously circulated were unanimously approved and adopted.  
There were no recommendations from that Committee.
Cllr Mrs H Catley asked if there were notes of the verbal report on Youth and copies of the notes were provided.

(ii) The minutes of Finance and General Purposes Committee, minutes 258-268 of 8^th July 2010 having been previously circulated were unanimously approved and adopted.
There was a recommendation on these minutes that item ‘Parish Support Grant' be discussed at Full Council Meeting.
Clerk referred to the letter recently circulated to all Parishes and Towns in the Braintree District regarding a statement at a recent Braintree Association of Local Councils meeting that the Parish Grant may be abolished.  Clerk had estimated that loss of the grant would mean that Halstead's precept would have to be increased by 11% to cover the shortfall.  Members of the Finance and General Purposes Committee have recommended that Halstead support Earls Colne's stand, but that the matter be discussed at Full Council meeting.
Cllr Mrs B Gage said that to lose the Parish Grant would be unfair on parishes that rely on this money and it was very unfair that it should be stopped as Braintree residents pay no parish rates.
Cllr M Gage put forward a resolution that was unanimously accepted.
RESOLVED that Clerk write to Earls Colne giving support to their action, and to say that Halstead would be disadvantaged against Braintree Town if the Parish Support Grant was withdrawn.
Cllr M Gage said that he was sorry that no-one from Halstead had attended the Association of Local Councils meeting and felt that Halstead was in a minority by not attending. 
Cllr M Gage, who is a Braintree District Councillor, said that it had been mooted that savings of 33% over three years would have to be made by District Council to comply with Government targets.   He said that some £3m in grants had been lost from departments such as Planning Development, Housing Revenue and Development in the Area.  This would mean that probably some personnel would be lost and some hard decisions about which services to keep and which may be lost would have to be made.  It was agreed that consideration must be given with all possible speed on how to make savings where required. 

315.    PLANNING  APPLICATIONS.
Cllr Mrs S Diver, Chair of Planning, took the Chair for this part of the meeting.

There was one outstanding planning application
10/00850/FUL Revised Plan.28A Whitehorse Avenue, Halstead, CO9 1AH
Formation of new crossover and vehicle hard standing to enable safe access and use of the premises by a registered disabled person.
Members raised no objections.
Cllr Mrs L Hilton asked if the matter of the Kid's Café had been discussed.  It was said that the matter had been discussed at Committee level, and that a hearing by Inspectors regarding refusal of an application for Certificate of Lawful Use was pending.  It was thought that some colour photos of the building should be taken and shown to the Inspectorate prior to the hearing and objections to colours above the shop line be lodged.  Clerk to arrange for pictures to be taken.
Cllr Mrs K Little asked if Council had formally objected to plans, and it was said that no objection in principle to the facility had been raised.  No vote had been taken on the colour scheme.
Town Clerk said that he had spoken to Braintree District Planning Department regarding provision of hard copy plans in all cases, but as yet had not received a response.   
         

316.    MAYOR'S APPOINTMENT AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.
Report was noted
                      

317.    REVIEW OF STRUCTURE FOR COUNCIL BUSINESS.
Report was noted.  It was agreed that review should take place as soon as possible and that any revisions should be in place for next Fiscal Year.
It was being considered that the Full Council should meet 10-12 times a year and the Amenities and Finance and General Purposes Committees be amalgamated and meet 6 times a year.  Further discussions will take place.
It was thought that this revised structure would save money, save time and be more effective.  It would give more immediate action and if some devolution of responsibilities takes place it would make it much easier for
Halstead Town Council to work with other groups including volunteer groups

318.    HALSTEAD LIBRARY - PARTITIONING
Plan was shown for a small module of glass partitioning to create a small private interview space that could be installed inside the existing building.
Cllr M Gage said that he had no objections in principle and that the design was acceptable but he asked if there was any clause in the existing lease to say that Essex County Council would be responsible for the installation and de-installation of the module and also for any damage that might be caused to or by the installation.
Town Clerk said that this was a temporary structure so no other permissions were required.
It was agreed that Essex County Council should insure the installation.
It was said that this would bring Halstead into line with Witham and take various Braintree Council facilities into other Towns.  It was questioned why these facilities were to be in the Library and not at Mill House.  It was said that Library staff would be trained to answer various questions.  It was said that the system has worked in Witham and it was hoped that District Council would work more locally.  Cllr D Hume said that it was his aim to make Halstead Town Council a central hub for information, but that Essex County Council had made decisions on this matter.
Cllr M Gage asked if it would be in order to ask for an increase in rent when this installation was made and it was said that lease is due for renewal next April.
           

319.    STANDING ORDERS AND FINANCIAL REGULATIONS
Further to recommendation made at Full Council meeting on 27^th May 2010 members reviewed the full set of Standing Orders and Financial Regulations that Clerk had brought to the meeting.  Three amendments were 
recommended by external auditor:
1) Regulations on Quorum numbers had been changed slightly to read that three Members or one third of the committee, whichever is the greater must be present.
2) Paragraph 77 - Planning Applications needs to be changed to reflect the electronic reporting now in existence.
3) Standing order regarding notification of contracts exceeding £10,000 in newspapers should be increased to notification of contracts exceeding £20,000.  It was said that advertising is expensive, and that not many contracts exceed £10,000.
RESOLVED to accept these amendments

320.    ANGLIA IN   BLOOM AWARDS
Members noted that the Awards Ceremony 2010 will take place on Wednesday 15^th September in Sudbury.
Chairman reported that the Anglia in Bloom judges had visited on 15^th July and that community spirit had been very evident.  Chairman was pleased that community groups had come together to present Halstead in the best light.
           

321.    STREET  NAMES
Cllr Mrs Beryl Gage left the meeting at this point.
Mr. James Wicks of A.R.Clarke (Builders) Ltd. had asked for Town Council approval on choice of name for 9 properties to be built alongside Stanstead Road;  Planning Application No. 09/00029/FUL.  Mr. Wicks had suggested Stanstead Crescent or Jackie Pell Crescent or Terry Rivers Crescent.  It was noted that Braintree District Planning Department had indicated that use of ‘Crescent' was not appropriate, and Halstead Town Council had been asked to put forward recommendations.  Discussions took place, and it was agreed that ‘Stanstead' should be in the name.
RESOLVED on a majority vote that recommendation should be Stanstead Terrace for this development.
Cllr Mrs Beryl Gage rejoined the meeting

322.    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.

Chairman closed the meeting at 9.47 pm