TEWIN PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on Monday 3rd December 2007 in Tewin Memorial Hall at 7.45pm

Present:  Cllrs K.Lawson (Chairman), K.St Pier, A.Hill, M.Howe, D.Lloyd and S.Stott.

In attendance:  Mrs C.McFarlane (Clerk), East Herts Cllr Linda Haysey and two members of the public.

83. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE were received from Cllr D.Howson (holiday), B. Evans (illness) and East Herts Cllr M.McMullen.

PARISHIONERS’ COMMENTS

Mr T Cook, Chairman Village Shop Steering Committee – The open session at the village hall was a great success and they have raised £11,616 and expect to achieve £12,000. The building works are nearly finished and opening is anticipated in January. They are currently working on job lists. They asked the Council for a letter confirming the amount they have donated to date.

 

Mr J Sheridan, Friends of Tewin - The Christmas tree has been ordered and weather permitting will be put up on 12th   or 14th December. The PAT test has been arranged for these dates as well.

                                  

Mr J Sheridan Chairman, Parish Plan Steering Committee advised that, having met Cllrs K. St Pier and B. Evans, various changes have been made mainly to the Action Plan. A village meeting has been arranged for Monday 4th February and Friends of Tewin has agreed to distribute the parish plan and the draft action plan to every household in the parish.

84. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING held 12th November 2007 were amended, agreed and signed by the Chairman.

85. MATTERS ARISING

Rural Parishes Conference – Cllr D.Lloyd attended the meeting and will put the information received into circulation.

HAPTC Conference – Unfortunately no one was able to attend.

Affordable Housing at Seven Acres – The Council agreed to request a response to their letter sent on 14th November to Mrs Smallwood and EHC Development Control regarding these issues. Cllr Linda Haysey also agreed to look into this.

86.  FINANCE   

Accounts for Payment - In accordance with the Council’s Financial Regulations the schedule of payments amounting to £1464.25 was approved by the Council.

 

Telephone/Broadband –  As a result of  the increased volume of work the Clerk is now required to do using the internet/email the Council agreed accept a package whereby the Council will get broadband and unlimited anytime phone calls except for mobile calls. This new package will result in only a £100 pa increase in costs to the Council as historically the Clerk has bourne the costs of broadband.

The Clerk’s contract will be amended to include payment for a broadband connection.

 

Financial Regulations – Signed copies were circulated to the Council.

 

Standing Orders – Signed copies were circulated to the Council.

 

87.PLANNING

Planning Applications Received

3/07/2289/FP/JS – 43 Bishops Road, Tewin – Rear single storey extension, part conservatory – TPC Obj on the basis the plans are inadequate, the proposed wall is too close to the neighbours property, concern over the possible impact of the building works on neighbouring properties, there are no doors to the balcony and the balcony would be obtrusive to neighbours.

 

Planning Decisions Received from EHC

3/07/2022/LB/JS – The Rose & Crown, Upper Green Rd, Tewin – Various internal alterations incl additional gents toilets – TPC No Objection to the proposal although felt a full disabled toilet would have been preferable. TPC would refer EHC to plan used in application 3/05/1255/LB/SD for the correct site boundary in particular in front of the Rose & Crown - EHC Granted

 

3/07/2048/FP/HW – Whitespar, Queen Hoo Lane, Tewin- Replacement of garden store following demolition of existing prefabricated garden store & greenhouse - TPC No Obj – EHC Granted

3/07/1908/FP – Yew Tree Lodge, West Riding, Tewin Wood – Alterations to first floor en-suite located to west side of house also extension to ground floor porch – TPC No Obj – EHC Granted

 

87. HIGHWAYS & TRANSPORTATION

 

Ditch on Churchfield Rd – This has now been completed and the Clerk will inform Highways.

Birdsmouth Fencing at Grass Warren – Highways have confirmed that it is their responsibility and is on the list to be repaired however as it is not dangerous it is relatively low priority.

Beware Children Signs – These are due to be installed near the playground shortly.

Ownership of Road outside Plume – Highways has confirmed that it does not belong to Highways. Cllr K St Pier agreed to look at Land Registry records.

 

Flashing Speed Signs – Highways Engineer Alan Forsyth had advised the Clerk that the machine costs approx £7500 to buy/install and a further £7500 has to be paid for maintenance either in a lump sum or £500 pa for 15 yrs.

 

The Parish Council agreed that this is a major concern in the village as highlighted by the Parish Plan and is part of the Action plan and is therefore likely to be the subject of a Steering Committee. They agreed to write to Herts County Councillor Bryan Hammond and East Herts Cllr Nigel Poulton expressing their concerns about speeding and the need for a survey and consultation of the area.

 

88. RISK ASSESSMENT WORKS

New Benches for Lower Green – In view of the high cost of annually renovating the two benches in the centre of Lower Green the Council agreed to purchase two new teak “Meridian” benches from Earth Anchors at a total cost of  £1042.

 

89. CHRISTMAS TREE AND CAROLS

The Christmas tree has been ordered at a cost of £90 and weather permitting will be put up on 12th  or 14th December. The PAT test has been organised for that afternoon. A donation of £100 to Welwyn Garden City Band has been agreed.

 

90. ALLOTMENTS

 A meeting is to be arranged between the landowner’s Land Agent, the Allotment Association and the Clerk to look at the possibility of an increase in the area of the site.

91. PLAYGROUND

Weekly Inspections – No incidents to report.

 

Planning Condition –The three trees have now been planted.

 

92. UPPER GREEN & PAVILION

Datchworth Veterans Football Club - They have signed the Agreement and are now using the football pitch on Sundays.

 

Barriers in Car Park – Bollards to prevent vehicle access to Upper Green adjacent to the tennis courts would cost £85 each excluding vat and a small fee for installation. The Council agreed not to install bollards or a barrier between the car park and the green. The Parish Council also maintained its existing policy of not installing a barrier at the road entrance to the car park.

Tokens for electricity meter – Cllr S. Stott agreed to try and source replacement tokens.

 93. PARISH PLAN

Cllr K St Pier and B Evans met with the Steering Committee to finalise the Action Plan. The Parish Council agreed to accept the Plan including the Action Plan as the way forward for discussion at the village meeting on the 4th February 2008 at Tewin Memorial Hall.

 

94. CORRESPONDENCE

Correspondence Received:

Abstraction Borehole - The Parish Council agreed to write to the Environment Agency asking for more information on the proposal and clarification of the normal procedure and invite them to a meeting.

Remembrance Memorial – The lettering is getting very worn and may need restoring. The council agreed to research options.

95. REPORTS OF REPRESENTATIVES TO OUTSIDE BODIES

Tewin Charities Trustees – Nothing to report.

Tewin Memorial Hall – Rents are due to go up.

Parish Paths Partnership – Abusive cyclists have been reported on FP17 and Cllr D.Lloyd and Linda Haysey agreed to mention this at the next Rural Police Meeting.

Transport – Nothing to report

Tewin Society – Nothing to report

Tewin Website – Linda Adams has agreed to remain as Webmaster.

Locality Policing – Nothing to report 

Pavilion Refurbishment – Nothing to report.

 

96. DATE OF NEXT MEETING

As there was no further business the meeting was closed at 10.30pm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX 1 – HIGHWAYS AND TRANSPORTATION MATTERS November 07

Fault line: 01438 737321   

District Team: 01992 526900

Assistant District Manager: Raj Goutham                              

Assistant Engineer: Ian Bishop

        Three Valleys Water 0845-7823333 (fault/leak reporting)                      

 

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.

Removal of kerb on Churchfield Rd and landowner to arrange a ditch in adjacent field similar to White Horse Lane and alongside top end of Margery Lane.

 

Ditch Completed

Highways informed

2

Grass Warren – Broken birdsmouth fence – reported to E