Little Totham Parish Council
Minutes of Meeting, Tuesday 5th September 2023
The Parish Council met on Tuesday 5th September in the Evangelical Hall, at 7.30 pm.
PRESENT
Chairman N. Lawrence
Councillors: T. Gritton, V. Hare, J. Hughes and R. Siddall Parishioners: 1
23.59 Apologies for Absence: Councillors A. Philpott and S. Venton sent apologies.
23.60 To invite Councillors to declare an interest in matters on the Agenda. None were declared.
23.61 Minutes 04/07/2023
RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 1st August 2023 be approved and confirmed.
23.62 Election of Vice-Chairman
Councillor Siddall proposed and Councillor Gritton seconded Councillor Hughes as Vice-Chairman of the Parish Council. The Declaration of Office was then signed by Councillor Hughes and witnessed by the Clerk.
23.63 Update for parish newsletter
Councillor Gritton had written August’s update paragraph which had been published. Councillor Hughes will provide the text for August.
RESOLVED Councillor Hughes to send paragraph to the Clerk.
23.64 a) Planning applications
23/00366/FUL Retrospective application for the change of use of land to domestic at Willowbrook Farm, The Street. Councillors discussed the application and agreed their reasons to object.
b) Planning decisions
FUL/MAL/22/00958 Construction of detached dwelling Land South of White Gates, School Road. MDC refused this application because it is outside of the village development envelope.
22/00612/AGR Appeal notification for agricultural grain, straw and hay storage building Land south of Park Wood Lane. Appeal allowed.
RESOLVED The Clerk to submit response for Willowbrook Farm application.
23.65 Common land
a) Feedback from meeting with Richard Mabbitt
The Clerk had circulated the notes which Richard Mabbitt had written from a recent meeting held on the common with Councillors Lawrence and Hughes and the Clerk. Attendees agreed it had been a useful and productive meeting and councillors further discussed the issues which had been considered at the meeting including ownership.
RESOLVED Councillor Hughes to clarify with Mr Mabbitt if the land and title ownership can be separate.
b) Proposed noticeboards
Councillors agreed in principle to the siting of a joint noticeboard for the Evangelical Church and Parish Council, subject to conditions previously discussed with Dennis Ivey including permission from adjacent residents and no restriction to sight line from car park.
23.66 TCWG & Speed watch
Tru Cam patrols had been carried out on four occasions during July and five drivers were caught speeding.
To re-invigorate the speedwatch activity, the Clerk will contact the people on the list of volunteers to see if the are still available to participate.
RESOLVED Chairman Lawrence to send the Clerk the contact details for the volunteers.
23.67 Invoices presented for payment
LT Evangelical Church hire of hall £20.00
Councillor Siddall Microsoft renewal £59.99
Michelle Gardiner interim wages £180.33
23.68 Correspondence
Form from Barclays to be signed by Councillor Lawrence and the Clerk for anti-fraud measures. Maldon Parish Clerk’s forum is being held on 14th September and Chairman are also invited.
RESOLVED The Clerk to attend forum and also circulate details to Chairman Lawrence.
23.69 Update from District Councillors
Councillor Siddall talked about the importance of the parish councils working together in the district and how the forum meetings will be useful for MDC officers to keep parish councils informed and updated. He would like to see them being held in the evenings to allow greater attendance.
The Local Highways Panels now have less money available for projects than previously and feedback from their decisions is not forthcoming.
There is now a Finance Board established at MDC and they will be discussing the budget gap and cost savings.
Councillor Siddall will be attending a meeting of Essex local authority Leaders at the end of September.
Devolution discussions are currently on hold but the North Essex alliance of authorities could eventually become a unitary authority.
The UFest event held in Promenade Park over the summer was successful and well attended and the Saltmarsh Coast walking festival will be running for 10-days from 8th September.
23.70 Public questions
No questions from the public.
There being no further business the meeting was closed at 8.43pm
Signed by the Chairman…………..…………………………
ITEMS FOR NEXT MONTH’S AGENDA
7th October village tidy-up
Remembrance Sunday