TEWIN PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on Monday 31st January 2005 in Tewin Memorial Hall at 7.45pm.

Present:  Cllrs K.Lawson (Chairman), K.St Pier, S.Glew, D.Howson, C.Pool and S.Stott.

In attendance:  Mrs C.McFarlane (Clerk), East Herts District Councillor M. McMullen, and one member of the public.

Community Police Officer Andy Woodward attended the meeting, accompanied by Police Community Support Officers Janice Carter and Paul Weston. Both Andy Woodward and Paul Weston are responsible for Tewin and can be reached at Hertford Police station (01992-533013). Over the last four months only 12 crimes were reported - this is the same as the previous four months - of which 3 were burglaries. A ‘Safe as houses’ video is available for loan, from the Clerk.

The results of the speedometer exercise have been passed onto the mobile speed patrol and it is hoped that the police will undertake a speed check in Tewin.

The police attended when the telephone kiosk windows were broken and advised that the glass be replaced with plastic, which has now been done.  The police also thought the Youth Club was a good idea.  

85. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE WERE RECEIVED from Cllr A.Hill, Cllr M.Howe and East Herts District Councillor T. Robertson.

86. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING held 6th December 2004 were agreed and signed by the Chairman.

87.  MATTERS ARISING 

100 Year Wood – The Parish Council agreed with the Tewin Society that the best course of action for the clearing in this wood would be to plant more trees, in accordance with the original plan. Cllr K St Pier offered to contact the Tree Warden.

88. FINANCE   

Accounts for Payment - In accordance with the Council’s Financial Regulations the schedule of payments amounting to £946.48 was approved by the Council.

 

Donation towards Christmas Tree – The sum was increased from £75 to £100, as the electrical testing required for insurance purposes was kindly done free of charge by Mill Green Electrics. The total expenditure was therefore the same as originally agreed.

 

Financial Regulations – The Council agreed to the various amendments and agreed to sign the new regulations at the next meeting.

 

Budget for the next Financial Year – The budget for the next financial year was circulated, including the revisions agreed at the last meeting.

 

89.  PLANNING

Planning Applications Received

3/04/2556/PT/EH – Bulls Green Water Tower, Bulls Green – Replacement of 6 antennas together with associated feeders & cables – TPC No Objection

3/04/2402/LB/EH – 3 The Cowper, Tewin Water House – Insertion of 2 conservation velux windows – TPC No Objection

3/05/0051/FP/LAH – 28 Grass Warren, Tewin – Balcony to side of property – TPC No Objection

3/05/0030/FP/SD & 3/05/0031/LB/SD – 30 Lower Green, Tewin – Remove existing porch and construct new porch – TPC objected as they felt that professional advice should be sought as to the design of the porch on this listed building.

3/04/2518/FP/LAH – 3 Cowpers Way, Tewin – Detached Double Garage – TPC objected as they felt it was over development of the site.

Planning Applications Decisions

3/04/2192/FP/HF – Tewin Mill, Tewin  - Change of use of building for Assembly of Water Purification Equipment – TPC Obj – EHDC Granted

3/04/2254/FP/SD – 2 Hertford Road, Tewin – Erection of detached chalet bungalow on existing garden land with shared use of existing vehicular access – TPC No Obj – EHDC Refused

3/04/2211/FP/TH – Land to Rear 74 Upper Green Road, Tewin – Erection of one dwelling – TPC No Obj – EHDC Refused

3/04/1909/FP – 38 Firs Walk, Tewin – New roof & Single Storey front, rear and side extensions – TPC No Obj – EHDC Granted

3/04/2051/FP – 4f Cannons Meadow, Tewin – Single Storey front/side extension – TPC No Obj – EHDC Granted

3/04/2103/FP – 8 West Riding, Tewin – Rear Extension, roof extension, new dormers to front and rear – TPC No Obj – EHDC Granted

No 8 West Riding - Re-naming to Yew Tree Lodge

 

Enforcement Issues

Sevenacres (barn) – EHDC has reported that authorisation has been given for action to be taken in this matter.

 

East Herts Local Plan

The second review of the East Herts Local Plan has been issued and the Parish Council was required to respond by 26th January 2005. The Parish Council agreed to maintain its objections, lodged in August 2001, to the East Herts Local Plan Deposit Draft.

 

The Parish Council will next be invited to submit a further written representation prior to a Public Inquiry scheduled for September 2005. Old arguments cannot be reiterates, but the old objections will still remain on the table for the inquiry.

 

In outline the objections lodged by the Parish Council in 2001 were:  -

i. The village (as defined by a boundary which includes the area of Lower Green, Grass Warren, Cannons Meadow and Upper Green Road as far as the garage) should not be excluded from the surrounding Landscape Conservation Area. It is currently included within.

ii. The village should not be included as a Category 1 settlement wherein limited small scale and infill housing development is permitted.

iii. The village should be included as a Category 2 settlement.

iv. The village should not be excluded from the Green Belt. It is currently ‘washed over’ by the Green Belt.

v. Site 8 (the ‘hen field’) was unsuitable as a site for housing development.

 

Parish Plan

The Parish Council agreed they would be pleased to support the Tewin Society in the production of a Parish Plan. 

 

90. YOUTH CLUB 

Despite the lack of response to the Youth Club Questionnaire, the Parish Council agreed to hold a one off Youth Club meeting in the summer, to assess the level of interest. The date will be confirmed at the next meeting.


91. PLAYGROUND

The Council agreed that the plans of possible playground layouts should be circulated quickly and any responses emailed to the Clerk before the next meeting.

 

92. COUNCILLORS’ ALLOWANCES

The Parish Council unanimously agreed to forgo entitlement to travel allowances in accordance with The Local Authorities (Members Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003. The Clerk will undertake to advertise this decision in accordance with these regulations.

93. 388 BUS SERVICE CONSULTATION

Cllr K. Lawson reported that on 5th January the Parish Council received an invitation to comment on a new proposal for the 388-bus service from Herts County Council. The proposed timetable would commence from 29 March 2005. The purpose of the changes to the 388, and one other service in East Herts, is ‘to reflect demand and meet joint funding priorities within East Herts’. If the proposal is accepted by the County Council, the changes will be as follows:

 

1. The peak period journeys via Welwyn are withdrawn as there are no passengers on this part of the route and Reg’s coaches provide an alternative schools service to Hertford and Ware.

 

2. The off peak journeys via Datchworth are withdrawn, as the service is not used. A once a week service will be tried between Datchworth and Welwyn Garden City, which will also serve Watton at Stone.

 

3. On school days the 388 service will extend from Hertford to Presdales School, Ware, to encourage additional school passengers from Tewin and ease capacity problems on other buses between the school and Hertford. The service will therefore no longer directly serve Simon Balle School.

 

The changes mean that the bus will leave Tewin Rose & Crown for Hertford at 10.16 instead of 10.31, allowing slightly longer shopping time. In the afternoons, the bus will leave Tewin at 13.16 instead of 13.31. The earlier arrival time at Welwyn North and WGC would make it easier for passengers to catch off-peak train services to London and the North.

 

The Parish Council did not object to these proposed changes, but throughout recent months has continued to discuss with HCC small changes which would help to keep the bus service running. It has suggested that the school service (which currently departs at 08.05) should leave the Rose & Crown no earlier than 08.00, rather than 07.56 as proposed.

 

The proposed timetable was displayed on the Notice Board by the shop and in the Memorial Hall.

94. HIGHWAYS & TRANSPORTATION

The Hertfordshire Highways have apologised to the Council for the lack of completion of several of the works orders placed. This was due to an administration error. The Council agreed to write to Highways expressing their concern and disappointment.

 

Sign on B1000 nr the junction with Churchfield Road – Hertfordshire Highways are currently looking into how they can change the sign so that the visibility will not be impaired and the existing sight line at this junction will be maintained.

 

Bus Shelter – The Parish Council agreed that the interior walls of the bus shelter needed cleaning and asked the Clerk to ascertain the correct cleaning procedure for the anti-graffiti paint.

 

Notice Board – The notice board from the green in front of the Plume of Feathers has been found in a field after having been vandalised over a year ago. The Parish Council agreed to repair it and perhaps put it in the bus shelter at the top of Desborough Drive.


95.  INTERPARISH CONFERENCE ON 21st FEBRUARY 2005

The Council was informed that numbers would be finalised on 11th February and the caterer advised of numbers.

96. CORRESPONDENCE

Allotments – The Land Rental agreement has been signed.

Christmas Tree Illuminations – The Clerk reported that Mill Green Electrics had advised that the electricity supply for future year’s illuminations should be altered. It was not considered appropriate to run a cable from a private house.

School Governors – The Parish Council has been made aware that by August 2006 the School will have to adopt a new model for the size and membership of the governing body. Under the new legislation, there will no longer be Minor Authority Governors for Voluntary Aided Schools, so it is unlikely that the Parish Council will be represented. Local Authority Governors can sometimes include representatives from local councils. The Parish Council agreed to continue to seek further information.

Poppy Appeal – The Poppy appeal in Tewin raised £946 for the Royal British Legion.

97. PARISH PATHS PARTNERSHIP

FP26 – The step near Tewin Stores has been repaired

FP30  - The Rights of Way Officer has been contacted about hedge trimming along this path by Hickory Hollow.

Cllr K St Pier will meet with PPP representative and the Rights of Way Officer on 11th February.

83. REPORTS OF REPRESENTATIVES TO OUTSIDE BODIES

Tewin School – Nothing further to report (see under Correspondence).

Tewin Charities Trustees – the next meeting will take place in February.

Tewin Memorial Hall – Nothing to report

Tewin Website – the Conservation Area Statement will be added to the website.

 

98. DATE OF NEXT MEETING

The next meeting will be on Monday 7th March 2005 in Tewin Memorial Hall at 7.45pm. The Interparish conference is on Monday 21st February at 6.45pm in Tewin Memorial Hall. As there was no further business the meeting was closed at 10.25pm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 




 

APPENDIX 1 – HIGHWAYS AND TRANSPORTATION MATTERS January 2005

Fault line: 01438 737321   

District Team: 01992 526900

Assistant District Manager: Val Weaver                              

Assistant Engineer: Ian Bishop (last meeting 26.2.04 next meeting due in March)

 

 

Ref:

 

WORK IDENTIFIED AS NEEDING TO BE DONE AND REPORTED TO THE PARISH ENGINEER.

 

ACTION

1

Flooding at junction of Margery Lane with Churchfield Rd as

Drainage ditch along Margery Lane needs clearing

Works Order placed but mislaid

2

Collapse of the side of the road along Upper Green

VW noted

3

Trip Hazards - Grass Warren outside old peoples bungalows

VW noted

4

Bollard – replacement for missing one in Grass Warren/Cannons Meadow

IB Ordered

5

Bridge Reflectors in Churchfield Road – White lining & chevrons to be repainted & reflective discs/paint on bridge

IB Noted

6

Bridge Repair at Tewin Hill – past farm – railings on bridge over stream and missing fencing

Works Order Placed but mislaid

7

Kerbing – Two loose kerb stones on drive opposite Tewin Stores

IB noted

8

Railings - Repair of railing outside 14-44 Upper Green Road

Riversmead

9

Ownership  – Clarify ownership of access road off Godfries Close

 

 

 

10

Signs

Heavy Vehicles signs on Hertford Rd

Tewin Sign at Hollybushes – broken

Works orders placed but mislaid

11

Line Markings - Many need renewing as fading

IB Noted