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DANBURY PARISH COUNCIL Minutes of the meeting of the FACILITIES COMMITTEE held on 13
September 2006 Present:
Councillors A. Allen, S. Berlyn
(ex officio), J. Brooks, F. J. Hawkins, Mrs J Wells, M Wood (ex officio) In attendance: Clerk to the Parish Council, Assistant
Clerk to Facilities. Public Question time No members of the public were present. |
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35 Election
of Vice Chairman Cllr Wood proposed that Cllr J Brooks be elected to
serve as Vice Chairman for 2006-07.
This was seconded by Cllr Allen.
There were no further nominations.
RESOLVED that Cllr Brooks be elected as
Vice Chairman.
36 Apologies for Absence Apologies for absence
were accepted from Cllrs Matthews, Powell and Telling. 37 Declarations of Interest Cllrs Hawkins and Brooks declared an interest in Item 5 d). 38 Minutes of the Meeting Held on 12 July 2006 39 Football 39.1 Football
Posts The meeting that the
Groundsman and Assistant Clerk, Facilities held with a representative from
Essex FA on 13 July to discuss 50% funding for new football posts was
reported. The representative commented
that:
It was proposed that if the funding is granted, and the monies have to
be spent this financial year then the purchases should go ahead. If the grant extends to next year then the
costs should be put in the budget for 2007-08. Cllr Brooks made a formal amendment to the
proposal to purchase the posts for Pitches 1 & 3 and defer the decision
on using the Beacon area to the next Facilities meeting. RESOLVED that the proposal, with the amendment, be accepted. 39.2 New
Football Team It was reported that
a new football team, Wickham Royals, had signed a football agreement to play
on Saturdays. This is a fairly new
club and one of the teams, Adults, will be playing on Pitch 3, kick-off at
1.30pm. RESOLVED that the information be noted. 39.3 Goal
Post Nets It was reported that a further set of goal post nets had gone
missing and a new set had been purchased at a cost of £47.12 plus delivery. The RESOLVED that the information be noted. 39.4 Danbury Mission Community Football Club As Cllr Hawkins had declared an interest in
this item he stood down from the Chairmanship and Cllr Berlyn was elected
unanimously as the new Chairman for this item. Cllr Berlyn took the Chair. The matters raised by the Football Club
were discussed. RESOLVED that the Club be written to and advised that: a) The increase in rent was due to increased costs of maintenance of
the pitches. However, the Club should
be advised that it is paying less on its annual contract fee than if it
booked pitches individually which would work out to be in the region of
£1000.00. d) A specification in writing
was required regarding a storage container.
This would need to include information on the size, style and colour
of the container and where it could be located. The Club would need to take into
consideration that Dawson Memorial Field was in a conservation area and the
container would need to comply with conditions pertaining to this. The details should be brought back to a
future Facilities meeting. Cllr Hawkins returned to the Chair for the rest of the meeting. 40 Play Area Nothing further was reported. 41 Sports and Social Club 41.1 Legionnaire Risk Assessment. The Clerk reported that she had inspected
the Centre’s monitoring on 13 July and was satisfied that it was being
carried out correctly. RESOLVED that the information be noted. 41.2 Colchester United Football Club. It was reported that the Manager of the
Sports & Social Centre had booked football activities for all the school
holidays through to Easter 2007. Each
half term date is of two day duration, and end of term is three day duration. RESOLVED that the information be noted. 41.3 Health & Safety Report. In a report that the
Centre Manager commissioned, it was noted that the brick wall at the rear of
the Centre, near the cellar, was crumbling.
It was a requirement that the wall be repaired. Approximately six bricks needed to be
replaced. RESOLVED that a) Information to be obtained on how long the wall had
been damaged. b) Information on how the wall had been damaged. 42.1 Allotments 42.1 i) Outstanding
Tenancy Agreement. This matter
was discussed. The tenant had been
sent two written reminders and a telephone message. RESOLVED that a final notice be sent to the tenant via Recorded
Delivery. This would advise that the
Council assumed the allotment plot was no longer required and would be
offered to a new tenant as from 1 April 2007. 42.1 ii) Rental
Costs. At Facilities on 1 February
2006, Minute 88.1, it was agreed that the lease would be discussed when
agreeing next year’s budget. The rent
had not been increased from £10 since 1997.
Members were asked to consider the rent in preparation for the next
Facilities meeting which will be to discuss budgets. They were also advised that two tenants
would be vacating their plots from 1 April 2007 and would it be possible to
offer the plots as half plots. RESOLVED that a) The charges made for other allotments to be
investigated. b) The suggestion of offering half plots to be put on the next agenda. 42.2 Basketball
Court Nothing further was
reported. 42.3 Bowling
Club 42.3 i) Parked Cars. Cllr
Berlyn proposed that the bowling club members who were disabled and parked
their cars by the club gate be asked to park outside the Parish office on the
North side. This was seconded by Cllr Wood. Voting on the proposal was as follows:
In
favour 3
Against 3
Abstentions 0 As there no was majority this meant the Chairman of
Facilities, Cllr Hawkins, had the casting vote. He recommended that the
situation remain as it stands for the present moment and he voted against the
proposal, therefore the proposal was lost. Cllr Berlyn requested
that it be noted that he raised the proposal due to serious concern about the
risk of a vehicle accident involving users of the tennis club.
The Chairman of Facilities wished it to be noted that there had been no
reports of dangerous driving by these people and until such time as this was
identified the situation should remain the same. The Clerk advised
Members that a risk had been identified and there could be repercussions if no
action was taken. RESOLVED that no action be taken to change where the cars park.
RESOLVED that a) Chelmsford Borough Council to be asked for their
advice on this matter. b) This matter be itemised for the next Facilities meeting. 42.4 Car
Parks Nothing further was
reported. 42.5 Cricket
Square 42.5 i) The report on the meeting held on 24
July 2006 with the Cricket Club This report was discussed. RESOLVED that the Club be advised that: a) The Parish Council was
unable to offer either a new location to store the cricket net or a permanent
position. b) The Club to inform the
Council what is its perception of viability for the season 2007-08. The Parish Council needs to know an
estimate of likely usage before it commits to a cost in excess of £4,200.00
for providing a pitch. The information
is required by the end of October 2006. 42.5 ii) The Clerk reported that
she had billed the Cricket Club £1,680.00 out of the expected £2,450.00
budgeted for. RESOLVED that the information be noted. 42.5 iii)
Heathcote School. Members considered the request from the
school to programme games on a junior sized wicket into next year’s schedule.
RESOLVED that a decision be deferred until the future of the Cricket Club is
known. 42.6 Elm
Green Nothing further was reported. 42.7 Eves
Corner The request raised at the
last meeting that the missing posts be put on this agenda was deferred to the
next meeting. 42.8 Football
Fields Nothing further was reported. 42.9 Griffin Meadow Nothing
further was reported. 42.10 Lingwood Common Nothing further was reported. 42.11 Notice-Boards Nothing
further was reported. 42.12 Pedlar’s Path This item
was placed under Item 8n) Runsell Green in error. Branches from a tree had fallen and damaged
the fence of one of the local residents.
Emergency work was done to make the tree safe and our insurance
company contacted. Discussion on this
item was deferred to Item 13. 42.13 RBL Pavilion Nothing
further was reported. 42.14 Runsell Green Nothing
further was reported. 42.15 Tennis Club This item
had been referred from the Planning Committee, 4 September, for
information. A letter of complaint had
been received questioning the original planning consent for the lighting and
its current usage. The Club
Chairperson had been advised and she said it would be brought up at their
committee meeting this evening and investigated. 42.16 War Memorial Nothing further was reported. 43 Play Activities 43.1 Summer Play Activities It was reported that the event in the
Sports & Social Centre on Monday 21 August was well attended with
approximately 80 children taking part. 43.2 Mobile
Skateboard Park A verbal report of
the event organised by Chelmsford BC and held on Sunday 10 September 2006 was
given. Only four girls attended and
the event was closed early. RESOLVED that the information be noted. 44 Drainage & Car Park Improvements 44.1 Report of meeting with Derek Stebbing, CBC
on car parks. 44.2 Car Park – Charging
Fees. Previously sent to Committee. 44.3 A meeting with the FA Facilities Manager for
the South East had been arranged for Monday 18 September to discuss funding
for capital works on drainage of football pitches and all weather
pitches. Grants (maximum 50%) for up
to £20,000 would take three months to process and over £20,000 up to six
months. RESOLVED that the whole item be deferred to the next meeting. 45 Theft of Diesel from the Groundman’s Shed 45.1 New Oil Tank. The old tank was removed from the compound
on Thursday 7 September. The cost was
taken from the agreed funding of £2,200 for the replacement tank. RESOLVED that the information be noted. 45.2 Survey of the Floor The Committee considered the report from
the Structural Engineer. RESOLVED that a) The sketches for the proposal by the engineer at a
cost of £150.00 to be commissioned. c) The Clerk to be authorised to commission the work identified in
45.2b) if the costs were considered to be reasonable, without referral back
to Committee. 46 Maintenance Equipment A new starter motor was installed for the tractor. RESOLVED that the information be noted. 47 Trees Survey 47.1 The tree surveys were
discussed along with a further one on Pedlars Path that was circulated at the
meeting. The Clerk advised that the
costs for the works could be taken from the Field Maintenance budget. Members were advised that the tree surgeon
is meeting with Chelmsford Borough Council to inspect Pedlars Path and she
will provide costs for this area after then.
RESOLVED that a) Work to be commissioned on those areas identified as
containing High Risk trees at a cost of £300.00 for The Chantry and £450.00
for Elm Green. b) No other work to be
commissioned until the rest of the quotations for the tree surveys is known. 47.2 Pedlar’s
Path. This item was deferred from
Minute 42.12. The Clerk read the
following extract from Environment Committee held on 6 September 2006. “On
Monday 28th August, 2006 Cllr Whiteing was called to an area
behind No. 10 Landisdale as a tree branch had fallen from a tree on to the
resident’s fence damaging two panels.
The Clerk had authorised emergency works to remove the fallen branch
from the are During Cllrs Whiteing’s
visit to the area it was ascertained that notices had been placed on trees
behind 6 Landisdale requesting notification of ownership by 18th
September. The Clerk had placed this
in the hands of the Council’s insurers to proceed in the correct manner. Further correspondence had
been received from the owner of 5 The Hawthorns who has received permission
from Chelmsford Borough Council Tree Officer to cut back trees and was
requesting permission from Danbury Parish Council to cut back the trees.” RESOLVED that a) The two panels of fencing to be paid for at a cost of
approximately £40.00. b) The cost for the cutting back of the trees to be met from the
Parish Council’s insurance. c) The resident to be advised of the Council decision based on ‘Without
Prejudice’. 47.3 Request For a Cherry Tree A resident had requested that the Council
purchase a cherry tree for the Copt Hill area. RESOLVED that the matter be deferred pending the costs involved for
the tree works mentioned in Minute 47.1. 48 Tree Planting Grant Chelmsford Borough Council has a 50% Tree Planting Grant towards the
cost of new planting. An application
must be made by 1 October 2006 and planting completed by March 2007. There is a supplier of trees that
Chelmsford BC has agreed a 10% discount for parish councils with. The CBC had been asked if this funding
could be used for any replacement trees referred to in Minute 47. The answer
was no. RESOLVED that the information be noted. 49 Ponds It was requested at the last meeting that this was put on the agend RESOLVED that the item be deferred to the next meeting. 50 Litter Bins 50.1 A request was
made to Committee to purchase new litter bins to replace ones that had been
vandalised. Two litter bins had
already been purchased as per Facilities Committee Minute 16. Six further ones were required to replace
that stolen from Eves Corner, those vandalised at the bus shelter outside the
play area, on the path to the Sports & Social Centre and Copt Hill, plus
two spare. They cost £153.00 each, making a total of £918.00. There would be installation costs in
addition to this if the Groundsman was unable to install the bins. RESOLVED that a) The bins to be purchased. b) The Groundsman to be asked to install the waste bins. 50.2 It was
requested that bins could be purchased in the future without referral back to
Committee. RESOLVED that the authorisation to purchase bins to replace any
vandalised without referral back to Committee, provided there was sufficient
funds in the Grounds Improvements budget, be agreed. 50.3 If new bins
were cast iron rather than plastic, Chelmsford BC could supply and install at
an approximate cost of £1200.00 each. RESOLVED that the information be noted. 51 Dawson Memorial Field The Clerk and Assistant Clerk, Facilities had to put out a fire on the
field on 6 September. They took
contact details of four boys that were present at the fire but who did not
start it. The incident was reported to
the Police Community Support Officer who has arranged for an Anti Social
Behaviour Order register to be sent to the Parish Council so that we can
record such incidents. RESOLVED that all the Parish staff be thanked for the additional work
they undertook as a result of trouble and vandalism over the Summer period. 52 Danbury Village Sign It was reported that a quotation from Bakers of Danbury to repair the
sign for the sum of £1,050.00 was received.
RESOLVED that a) The quotation be accepted. b) A claim on the insurance to
be made. 53 Matters For Report 53.1 The Clerk reported that there was at least
one tile missing from the roof of the Groundsman’s shed. RESOLVED that a) The tile be replaced. b) Due to the nature of the repair the work should be carried out as a
matter of urgency without the requirement to acquire three quotations. 53.2 Cllr Wood recommended that those items
deferred from tonight’s agenda be itemised at the beginning of the next
agenda. RESOLVED that items deferred this evening be raised at the beginning
of the next Facilities meeting. 54 Dates of Meetings in 2006 8 November, 15 November
(if required), 13 December. There being no further
business the meeting closed at 10.20
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