Membership:

Also in attendance:         Mr M Murkin, Town Clerk
                                       Mrs S Goodwin, Minute Clerk   

In the absence of the Chairman, Councillor Mrs B A Gage, the Vice Chairman, Councillor T Middleton chaired the meeting.

63.      APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mrs B A Gage and Mrs H W Catley.

64.       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 or Part 2 of the Code of Conduct for Members and having taken appropriate advice (where necessary) before the meeting.

Councillor Mrs J Pell declared a personal interest in item 5 Planning Applications as a Braintree District Councillor and a personal and prejudicial interest in Planning Application 08/00327/FUL - 58 Parker Way, Halstead - owns a property in Parker Way.

65.       PUBLIC QUESTION TIME

            None.

66.       MINUTES

The Minutes of the meeting held on 10^th January 2008, in open session, having been previously circulated, were approved as a true record and signed by the Chairman. 

67.       PLANNING APPLICATIONS

08/00272/FUL - Nether Priors, Colchester Road. - Conversion and change of use of Nether Priors care home and adjacent Flint cottages to residential use (use class C3) and construction of 8 no. new supported housing units (use class C2).

Members had no comments.

08/00314/FUL - 14 Kestrel Rise - Erection of first floor extension and dormer.

Members had no comments.

08/00325/FUL - Brookside, Chapel Hill, Halstead, Essex, CO9 1JP - Proposed new window in ground floor side elevation.  Members had no comments.

Councillor Mrs J Pell left the room for discussion of the following application:

08/00327/FUL - 58 Parker Way, Halstead, Essex, CO9 1NR - Erection of two storey rear/side extension.  Members had no comments.

Councillor Mrs J Pell rejoined the meeting.

A Sub-Committee meeting was held on 13^th February, attended by Councillor T Middleton, Councillor Mrs H Catley, Councillor Mrs S Diver, Councillor Mrs L Hilton, Councillor G Howlett, Councillor M Gage, Councillor D Hume, Councillor Mrs K Little, Councillor H Messenger, Councillor Mrs J Pell and the Town Clerk, Mike Murkin.

Apologies for absence

An apology for absence was received from Councillor M Fincken

            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 or Part 2 of the Code of Conduct for Members and having taken appropriate advice (where necessary) before the meeting.

Councillor H Messenger declared a ‘personal and prejudicial' interest in Planning Application 06/00772/FUL as the applicant is his employer.

Councillor Mrs S Diver declared a ‘personal' interest in Planning Application 08/00163/FUL as she lives nearby.

Councillor Mrs K Little declared a ‘personal' interest in Planning Application 08/00163/FUL as she lives in close proximity.

08/00123/FUL - 7 Cherry Tree Close - Erection of conservatory.  Members had no comments to make.

08/00118/COU - Unit 3, Halsted Snooker Centre, 5 Second Avenue, Halstead Urban - Retrospective consent for change of use to provide hand carwash facilities to the rear car park/service area.  Members had no comments to make.

Councillors Mrs K Little and Mrs S Diver left the meeting whilst the following application was discussed.

08/00163/FUL - Land in the Grounds of Pitchards, Trinity Street - Modifications to Ridge height Block C previous approved application 05/01316/FUL.  Members had no comments to make.

08/00186/FUL - 3 Crossfields - Erection of conservatory at rear of property.  Members had no comments to make.

08/00260/FUL - 51 Bois Hall Gardens - Erection of rear conservatory.

Councillor H Messenger left the meeting whilst the following planning application was discussed.  Members had no comments to make.

A letter had been received from Savills asking Members for their comments on the following  application which was refused by Braintree District Council on 4^th July 2006 and is in process of being redesigned and resubmitted.

06/00772/FUL - Anglian Water - Parkfield Water Tower.  Members supported residents' objections to this on the grounds that:

a)         Children from the nearby nursery play in the shadow of the tower;

b)        Although as yet unproven, there may be a health danger and residents and children should be protected; and

c)       The tower is already an eyesore and this should not be added to.

68.       GARDEN WASTE COLLECTION SERVICE

A letter had been received from Braintree District advising that the operation of the garden waste collection service in Butler Road Car Park had been reviewed and it has been concluded that it is not viable to continue with such a low usage.  Members discussed the matter and

RECOMMENDED:  That a request is made to Braintree District Council for a collection service to be provided, for a trial period, in Butler Road Car Park,

to collect larger items of household waste which cannot be recycled.

 Members agreed to take the following additional item:

69.       EXCESS CHARGE TICKETS

The Town Clerk read a letter of appeal which had been received against the issue of an excess charge ticket for parking for more than two hours in Solar Car Park.  Members discussed the matter and

RECOMMENDED: 

a) That on the information received there are no grounds for appeal and that this appeal is refused.

b)  Not to form an appeals sub-committee (Minute 10(i) (17^th May 2007) and any subsequent appeals to be discussed at the next available committee meeting.

70.       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 meeting closed at 7.48pm.