MINUTES OF THE ORDINARY MEETING

MINUTES OF THE ORDINARY MEETING OF EPPING TOWN COUNCIL

HELD IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM, EPPING HALL, ST JOHN’S ROAD, EPPING,

ON TUESDAY, 20^th NOVEMBER 2007 AT 8.15PM

PRESENT: Councillors: N. Hines (Town Mayor); B.D. Murphy (Deputy Town Mayor), J.A. Smith, Miss O.D. Dunseath, R. Macrae, Miss M. Starling, J. Lewis, Mrs M-L Whitbread, H. Pegrum, Mrs J. Hedges and K Avey.

OFFICER: Bob Whittome (Town Clerk)

263 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr. Mrs L. Clark.

264 DECLARATION OF INTERESTS

Councillor Smith declared a non prejudicial interest in item 8 of the Key Members Reports, ’Grant Application – Royal British Legion’.

265 CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES

Council RESOLVED to approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on Tuesday 23^rd October 2007 with one amendment; in the record of Members Present “Cllr M-L Whitehouse should be correctly shown as Cllr Mrs M-L Whitbread”.

266 COMMUNICATIONS

The Clerk advised Members of two letters from the Royal British Legion. The first of the letters expressed gratitude for Council’s donation for wreaths and the second letter expressed general gratitude for the assistance of the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Senior Admin Officer in organising the Remembrance Sunday Parade.

267 TOWN MAYOR’S & DEPUTY TOWN MAYOR’S DUTIES

Council NOTED the duties of the Town Mayor and Deputy Town Mayor and requested an amendment, which was approved by Council, which would alter the phrase ‘Remembrance Day Celebrations’ to ‘Remembrance Day Commemorations’.

268 MEMBERS REPORTS

Cllr Macrae reported assisting with the installation of the Christmas lights and Christmas trees and attendance at a meeting of Countrycare.

Cllr Miss Maxine Starling reported attendance at the Town Show working party.

Cllr J. Lewis had nothing to report.

Cllr M-L Whitbread reported attendance at the recent planning appeal in respect of development on the High Road and attendance at the Remembrance Services.

Cllr H. Pegrum reported attendance at the meeting of the Theydon Garnon Charities and advised Members of the Almshouse Foundation Christmas Grants, which had benefited 70 people, and the education grants. Cllr Pegrum also advised Members that the combination of the Theydon Trust and the Almshouse Trust was under consideration since the two bodies have similar aims and objectives. The employment of an administrator would be feasible for a combined charity. Members were advised that that the new Chairman of Theydon Trust is Letitia Berry and the Vice Chairman is Richard Clay.

Cllr Mrs J Hedges reported attendance at a recent meeting of the Citizens Advice Bureau where she had received, on behalf of Council, the gratitude of the CAB for the recent £600 grant. Cllr Mrs Hedges also reported attendance at the Remembrance Services.

Cllr J A Smith reported attendance at a recent Passenger Transport meeting and also attendance at the Remembrance Services.

Cllr K Avey reported attendance at the Remembrance Service and assistance with the erection of the Christmas Lights.

Cllr Miss O D Dunseath reported attendance at the Remembrance Services and a meeting of the Horticultural Society and advised Members that a meeting of the Epping Society was imminent.

Cllr B.D. Murphy requested his assistance with the Christmas Lights be added to his duties attended as Deputy Town Mayor.

269 PLANNING & GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE

Members RESOLVED two changes be made to the minutes of the Committee for 6^th November 2007:

Minute 251, paragraph 3. Members requested the addition of the sentence ‘The Clerk is requested to write to EFDC Planning Department to ask why the conservation officers were not consulted in respect of the kerb build-out scheme.’

Minute 225 of the minutes of the Planning & General Purposes Committee held at Epping Hall on Tuesday 23^rd October 2007: Members requested an entry be made under this minute that “the Clerk was directed to write to the MP with details of Committee’s response”. It was NOTED that a copy of Committee’s response had been sent to the MP and that the minute also required correction in this regard.

270 TOWN SHOW WORKING PARTY

Council NOTED the statutory basis for this item is Local Government Act 1972, Section 145.

Members discussed a report of the Town Show working party on Tuesday, 16^th October 2007, and RESOLVED to accept the following recommendations:

a) Cllr Maxine Starling should be appointed Key Member for Events to enable the Clerk to have a formal point of consultation in regard to delegated matters.

b) Organisation of the Town Show should be brought in-house under the direct control of Epping Town Council.

c) To provide a resource for the organisation of events a new part time post of events co-ordinator should be created. The Clerk was directed to consult with the Key Member for Events and bring forward a detailed proposal for the creation of a suitable post at the December budget meeting.

d) The events co-ordinator will be charged with developing experience in running all Council’s events (including the ‘At Home’ and Annual Town Meeting)

e) An overall budget for events should be set aside and should include the cost of the events co-ordinator but the budget provision should be decided at the December budget round meeting.

f) The next Town Show will be during the first two week of July 2009.

g) A Christmas Fair during 2008 will be the main event for that year.

h) The Town Show will be titled The Epping Summer Fair.

i) The Clerk, in consultation with the new Key Member, should give the new Summer Fair a specific theme and identity.

j) Members are encouraged to investigate how events such as the Great Dunmow Carnival and Theydon Bois Donkey Derby are set up and funded and to provide relevant information to the Clerk for consideration with the Key Member and inclusion, where appropriate, as items for Council’s agendas.

k) As part of the organisation of events, a full and detailed communications plan should be developed to ensure optimal awareness is achieved of the event in the surrounding area.

271 2008/09 BUDGET REPORT OF AIMS & OBJECTIVES WORKING PARTY

Council NOTED the statutory basis for this item is Local Government Act 1972, Section 111.

Members considered the conclusions of an informal working party which had discussed aims and objectives for Council. The Clerk tabled some notes of the working party meeting for Members consideration.

Council RESOLVED to request the Clerk to include the following expenditures in the second draft budget for 2008/09 which Council would further consider at its meeting in December: £50,000 for play equipment provision; £20,000 for events; £5,000 for the commencement of a development plan for Stonards Hill; a total budget of £4,000 as a contingency for the provision of Christmas lights; £18,000 as a general maintenance budget will be the focus on works to the bus shelters.

With regard to the £30,000 which was added to the precept in 2007/08 for the purpose of purchasing land at Swaines Green: since that matter has not yet been resolved, Council determined that the £30,000 should be retained until the project could be finalised. Members also determined that the £10,000, which had been received for community purposes from the development at Fairfield Road, should be ring-fenced for a new Stonards Hill pedestrian access and it was anticipated that this expenditure would be completed during 2007/08.

272 STAFF & FORMER STAFF DINNER

Council NOTED the statutory basis for this item is the Local Government Act 1972, Section 112 (2).

Council considered the proposals of the Clerk arising from the exclusion of existing and former staff from the Mayor’s ‘At Home’. Because Members consider it important to remain in touch with the Council staff and wish to reward good service, Council had requested the Clerk to bring forward a proposal for a separate meal which would include an invitation to the Mayor and Deputy Mayor.

Council RESOLVED that a subsidy up to £25 per head should be paid to provide a meal for the 10 current employees of Council. The Mayor and Deputy Mayor would be invited as part of this arrangement but would not receive a subsidy.

273 CHRISTMAS LIGHTS – REGULATORY ISSUES

Council NOTED the statutory basis for this item is the Local Government Act 1972, Section 144.

The Clerk advised Council that following a mechanical test of all Christmas tree light fixings, the Christmas trees and lights had now been erected. The fixings for the festoon lights had not yet been tested but work had commenced on this matter with the objective of trying to install the festoons before the Christmas period. Some of the tree fixings could not be tested because of the fabric of the buildings in which they were installed and some of the fixings had failed. In conjunction with the members of the Christmas Lights Association, the Clerk was currently seeking to acquire, or have made, the testing apparatus which would enable individual fixings to be replaced and tested. The Clerk advised Members that the physical test of the fixings will only be required on a five year basis but that this further regulatory burden was an addition to a considerable annual workload. The Clerk further advised Members that the major costs would result in an overspend of the Christmas Lights budget for this year of approximately £3,000 but that no new regulations were currently known which would affect the event in 2008.

Council NOTED the report of the Clerk and requested that the minute of this item should include a note of gratitude to all those involved, Council staff, the Christmas Lights Association and, in particular, Cllr Avey should be thanked for his engineering assistance with this matter.

274 MARKET PLACE KERB BUILD-OUTS

Council NOTED the statutory basis for this item is the Local Government Act 1972, Section 111.

The Clerk advised Council that the work on kerb build-outs was almost complete and that it would be necessary to make arrangements to negotiate with the market stall-holders and the market’s contractor to obtain solutions and settlements for the disruption caused by the new structures. Cllr Mrs Whitbread tabled a note listing correspondence between the district council, county council and town council in relation to parking matters and the kerb build-outs. Cllr Mrs Whitbread requested that the list be noted by Council as representing adequate consultation. Other Members were concerned that the consultation for the parking scheme had not encompassed consultation on structural works in the market place.

The Clerk stated he lacked the confidence of Council to negotiate the market issues and therefore requested that a member or members be nominated to assist him in negotiating with the parties concerned. The Clerk also requested Council to consider all the correspondence in relation to this matter at its December meeting and to decide by specific resolution what action should be taken in respect of all matters regarding the kerb build-outs and market area. Council NOTED the information brought forward by Cllr Mrs Whitbread and the information provided by the Clerk, Council RESOLVED that all market correspondence should come before Council for specific decisions and that the Clerk be delegated authority to deal with the negotiations with stall-holders and the market’s contractor with the assistance of Cllrs Miss Starling and H Pegrum.

275 FINANCIAL REPORT 15^TH NOVEMBER 2007

Council NOTED the statutory basis for this item is the Accounts & Audit Regulations 2003, Sections 4 & 5.

Council considered the Financial Report 15^th November 2007 and resolved that the report should be NOTED and no action was appropriate at this time.

276 PURCHASE OF LAND AT SWAINES GREEN – UPDATE

Council NOTED the statutory basis for this item is the Local Government Act 1972, Section 111.

The Clerk advised Members that although completion had now occurred on the sale of this land, no substantive contact had yet been made with the new owner and therefore there was no new information for Members attention. Council NOTED this position.

277 GRANT APPLICATIONS – THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION

Members considered the recent Remembrance Commemorations in Epping and RESOLVED to approve a grant of £275 to meet the cost of hiring the Epping Forest Pipe Band using its powers under the Local Government Act 1972, Section 145. Also a donation of £75 towards the cost of three wreaths because, in the view of Council, this expenditure was commensurate with the benefits to the local community and, therefore, the expenditure complied with the requirements of Section 137 of the Local Government Action 1972.

278 WINSTON CHURCHILL – REPLACEMENT OF PLAQUE ON THE COOPERATIVE SHOP BUILDING COMMEMORATING EPPING’S CONNECTION.

Members NOTED the statutory basis of this item is the Local Government Act 1972, Section 144.

Council considered the progress with this project. Council RESOLVED to revise the proposal for a commemorative plaque on the Co-op building (recorded in minute 114 of 07/08) and to approve a supplementary estimate in the sum of £250, at maximum, for a suitably engraved plaque commemorating Winston Churchill’s association with Epping. Council further NOTED that a donation from the Winston Churchill International Society of £100 had been approved and a significant donation from the Epping Society would be sought by Cllr Murphy toward this project.

279 GRANT – DONATION OF DRINKS FOR ETOPWA CHRISTMAS DINNER

Council considered its annual support for Christmas meals for Epping’s elderly citizens.

Council RESOLVED that under powers available to Council under the Local Government Act 1972, Section 145, Council approves a grant of up to £200 for the provision of drinks at the ETOPWA Christmas lunches.

280 COMPLAINT – JACK SILLEY PAVILION

Council NOTED that the statutory basis for this item is the Local Government Act 1972, Section 111.

Council noted a letter of complaint about a variety of matters in relation to a booking at Jack Silley Pavilion and email messages from Cllr Macrae in respect of the same event. The Clerk also tabled a copy of a letter of complaint and the Clerk’s notes in relation to the issues raised.

Council considered the various items and recognised that there had been defects in the way the Council had dealt with this event. However, it was also recognised that the age and condition of the Pavilion were factors in this matter.

Members resolved to direct the Clerk to respond to the complainant with a letter of apology and to carry out an inspection of the Pavilion with a view to providing information to Council on what action could be taken to remedy the defects with the Jack Silley Pavilion.

282 ACCOUNTS FOR PAYMENT

Council NOTED the statutory basis for this item is the Accounts & Audit Regulations 2003 as amended by the Accounts & Audit (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2006, Sections 4 & 5.

Council RESOLVED to approve payment of the accounts as set out in the cheque list on page 156 of the minute book 2007/08.

283 ADDITIONAL AGENDA ITEM – PUBLIC TRANSPORT INFORMATION

Council NOTED the statutory basis for this item is the Local Government Act 1972, Section 111.

The parish passenger transport representative, Cllr Smith, advised Members of changes to the bus services 501, H1 and SM19 and Council resolved to NOTE the information.