Membership:  

Also in attendance:

                        Mr P Tetley, Town Clerk

                        Mr R Winter, Community Warden

                        Mrs S Goodwin, Minute Clerk

Councillor Mrs H Catley welcomed Mr Richard Winter, Community Warden.

62.       APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

None.

63.       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.

Councillor Mrs G McCoyd declared a personal interest in Library Announcement - works in Library as Manager, a personal and prejudicial interest in item 20 - works in Library and a personal interest in planning applications 06/02586/FUL and 06/02588/LBC - Town Council own adjoining land.

Councillor Mrs J Pell declared a personal interest in item 6 Planning Applications as a Braintree District Councillor, a personal interest in item 55 Finance & General Purposes Committee Minutes - River Colne Countryside Project - member of committee and planning applications 06/02586/FUL and 06/02588/LBC - Town Council own adjoining land.

Councillor M Gage declared a personal interest in item 6 Planning Applications as a Braintree District Councillor and a personal and prejudicial interest in item 19, Halstead Town Football Club - President of the Football Club and Trustee of the Ground.

Councillor Mrs B Gage declared a personal interest in item 6 Planning Applications as a Braintree District Councillor and a personal and prejudicial interest in item 19 Halstead Town Football Club - spouse of President.

Councillor Mrs H Catley declared a personal interest in item 6 Planning Applications as a Braintree District Councillor and planning applications 06/02586/FUL and 06/02588/LBC - Town Council own adjoining land

Councillor K Little declared a personal and prejudicial interest in 12 - as applicant and a personal interest in planning applications 06/02586/FUL and 06/02588/LBC - Town Council own adjoining land.

Councillor Mrs C Burne declared a personal interest in planning applications 06/02586/FUL and 06/02588/LBC - Town Council own adjoining land.

Councillor T Middleton declared a personal and prejudicial interest in item 11 - lives in close proximity and a personal interest in planning applications 06/02586/FUL and 06/02588/LBC - Town Council own adjoining land.

Councillor Mrs G McCoyd announced that the Library will be closed from 12^th February to 1^st March for self service issue machines to be installed

64.       PUBLIC QUESTION TIME

No members of the public were in attendance.

65.       MINUTES

The minutes of the Council Meeting held on 23^rd November 2006, having been previously circulated, were approved as a true record and signed by the Chairman

66.       COMMITTEE MINUTES

(i)The minutes of the Amenities Committee held on 10^th January 2007, having been previously circulated, were accepted.

MATTERS ARISING

Minute 52 - Fun Run

The Clerk gave an update on part (b) of the Recommendation.  He had received an email from the Road Runners requesting a grant for the Marathon.

RESOLVED: 

(a)  That a grant of £300 is made to Halstead Road Runners to support the Fun Run 2007.

(b)  That a grant of £300 is made to Halstead Road Runners to support the Marathon 2007.

Minute 55 - Chapel Street Car Park

The recommendation should read " Residents Only parking not Permit Holders"

(ii) The notes of the Finance & General Purposes Committee held on 16^th January 2007, having been previously circulated, were accepted.

Councillor Mrs J Pell left the meeting for discussion of item 55 - River Colne Countryside Project.

            MATTERS ARISING

Item 56 - Members approved action taken by the Town Clerk, in consultation with the Chairman of Finance & General Purposes Committee, in order to secure a grant of £4,629.19 for Halstead in Bloom.

Item 57 - Planning

Members re-considered the following: -

06/02385/LBC - 1 Congregation House, Parsonage Street - Erection of satellite dish to side of building.  Members had no comments to make

06/02586/FUL - Red House, Colchester Road - Partial demolition, conversion and extensions to form 6 no. flats.   Members had no comments to make

06/02588/LBC - Red House, Colchester Road - Partial demolition, conversion and extensions to form 6 no. flats.  Members had no comments

67.      PLANNING APPLICATIONS

The Chairman of the Planning Committee, Councillor Mrs G McCoyd took the chair for the planning items:

07/00023/FUL - 8 Kingfisher Meadows - Erection of first floor extension.  Members had no comments to make.

07/00024/REM - Former Greenwood School, Mill Chase - Erection of 11 no. residential units comprising 2 no.  two bedroom flats, 1 no. two bedroom house, 6 no. three bedroom houses and 2 no. four bedroom houses.  Members made the following comments: 

Extra lighting is required along Bois Field Terrace (Section 106 Agreement).  (The lighting survey which has already been carried out by Essex County Council to be referred to.)

Bushes should be removed from site and replaced by trees to screen Bois Field Terrace.

Road access to the site should be angled to make it easier to access from Hedingham Road and not from Head Street.

07/00026/FUL - 49 Winston Way - Erection of single storey kitchen extension.  Members had no comments to make

07/00030/FUL - 50 Tidings Hill - Erection of single storey rear extension to house new bathroom.  Members had no comments to make.

07/00041/FUL - 114 Beech Avenue - Erection of single storey side extension and rear conservatory, Members had no comments to make.

07/00053/FUL - The Poplars, 27 Sudbury Road, Halstead.  Proposed conversion of existing garage to form therapy/exercise area.  General internal modifications, proposed detached garage and carport and replacement front boundary wall.  Members had no comments to make.

68.       MAYOR'S APPOINTMENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Noted.  Councillor Mrs Catley reported that she had attended Age Concern on 25^th January and had also sent a letter of congratulations to Dr David Hessayon on being awarded the OBE.

Councillor Mrs McCoyd announced that the library would be closed from 12th to 28^th February inclusive to allow for the installation of self service machines.

Award of Grant

The Town Clerk advised that £14,800 grant has been received from Essex County Council's Communities Initiatives Fund for environmental improvements to develop the stretch of river between the Town Bridge and Chapel Street Bridge.  The project is predicted to cost £36,000.

69.       ROLE OF THE COMMUNITY WARDEN

Mr Richard Winter gave a presentation on his role as Community Warden. He works for BDC and is based in Halstead. Community Wardens have extended powers under the Police Community Safety Accreditation Scheme and although not a policeman, he is an authorative figure. Any areas of concern can be reported to the Town Council. 

70.       REQUEST FOR MATCH FUNDING FOR ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY SUPPORT OFFICERS

            Members considered a letter received from Essex Police asking if the Town Council would support the provision of additional policing services by match funding the sum of £13,500 for a Police Community Support Officer.

            Proposed by Councillor M Gage

            Seconded by Councillor Mrs B Gage

            RESOLVED:

That a response is sent to Essex Police advising that the Town Council has no funding available now or in the future to provide additional policing services.

71.       DEVELOPING THE COUNCIL'S ASSETS

When considering the budget for 2007/8, Members agreed to create a new "asset improvement" budget of £43K.  This would be used to fund improvements to

Car parks, such as new fencing and white lining (includes Courtauld Sports Ground)

Mill House, decorating the exterior

Allotments, surveying each site, marking out all plots and re-fencing

Closed churchyards, improvements to paths, lighting etc.

Members had agreed that the Budget Working Group would consider a programme to prioritise and carry out the improvements.  Some of the proposed improvements may attract lottery funding and generally an application for funds will only be considered for proposed, rather than completed works.  Members considered the temporary and part time appointment of a member of staff to work with the Town Clerk to put together funding bids and administer the contracts.  An appointment of 4 days per week for 8 months would cost £7,561.77.

            Proposed by Councillor Mrs J Pell

            Seconded by Councillor Mrs G McCoyd

RESOLVED:

(a)That an Administrator is employed for a temporary period based on 22 hours per week at a salary of £7,561.77. Funding to be taken from the "asset improvement" budget of £43K.

(b) That authority is delegated to the Town Clerk, in consultation with the Chairman of Finance, to appoint consultants to draw up schemes to improve the Council's assets.  Such appointments will only be made after discussion with the Budget Working Group.

Councillor T Middleton left the meeting for discussion of the next item.

72.       BAYER SITE

Members received a letter received from Fenn Wright, agents for E Hobbs Farms Ltd, owners of the Bayer site, in respect of the proposed development.  Members had no comment to make on the development but wish to see benefits for the town.

Councillor T Middleton rejoined the meeting.

Councillor K Little left the meeting for discussion of the next item.

73.       QUEENS HALL - REQUEST FOR REDUCED RATES

The Jackson School of Dancing, a regular user of the hall, has made a request for a special rate for hire of the hall for rehearsals prior to a fund raising show.   The hall will be used for about four rehearsals and each session lasts between four and seven hours.

            RESOLVED:

            (a)  That the request for a rate of £15 per session is approved.

            (b)  That delegated authority is given to the Town Clerk to agree future        discounted rates with the Jackson School of Dancing.

Councillor K Little rejoined the meeting.

74.       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 9.10pm.