Parish Forum Minutes March 2005
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Chairman:  Cllr. Paul Stirland Clerk:  Ms. Angela Balcombe
Telephone:  01376 330230  6 Shires Close, Great Notley, Braintree, CM77 7FT 
Email: chair@greatnotley.gov.uk Telephone  01376 528081 / 550927
  E-Mail: AngieGNPC@aol.com

 NOTES OF THE PARISH FORUM MEETING

Thursday 10 March 2005, 7.30 p.m. at the Notley Green Primary School

 

Name Representing Present
Cllr. Paul Stirland Chairman - Great Notley Parish Council Yes
Angela Balcombe Clerk to the Parish Council Yes
Cllr. Betty Barltrop Church Yes
John Sones Braintree Housing Partnership Yes
Trish Painter/Hilary Bewley Brownies Apologies
Nick Day Braintree District Council Apologies
Melvyne Crow Braintree District Council Yes
Cllr. Roger Walters County/District Councillor Apologies
Andy Young Football Club Yes
Cllr. Bill Howley Neighbourhood Watch Yes
Ken Yap NGCA Yes
Jessie Rix NGCA Yes
Keith & Linda Johnson NGCA Yes
Faye Trussler Notley Green Primary School Apologies
Philip Heady Parish Plan Yes
Cllr. Ray Falco Parish Plan Yes
P.C. Natsha Keaney Braintree Police Apologies
Jill Burdett Ramblers / W.I. Yes
Cllr. Bert Rix Residents Association Yes
Ken Game Residents Association Apologies
Neil Gamble Resident Yes
John Childs Resident Apologies
David Wright Resident Yes
Ray Hollingsworth Resident (Sports Pavilion) Yes
Dan Collis Scouts Yes
Jean Bailess Scouts Yes
Liz Starie 1st Great Notley Scouts Yes
Adrian Jones/Paul Hunt Tesco’s Apologies
Cherry Hagger Toddlers Yes
Jacquie Jordan White Court Dance Yes
Margaret Cave White Court Dance Apologies
Pauline Michaels W.I. Yes
Stephen Hayhurst White Court School Governor Apologies
Gaye Hampshire Youth Club Yes

 NOTES OF THE LAST PARISH FORUM MEETING

The notes of the meeting held on 30 September 2004 were approved.

 REVIEW OF THE PREVIOUS NOTES

bulletLitter – Great Notley now has three permanent full time gardeners who will also pick up litter where they are working.
bulletClash Diary – although no one has offered to co-ordinate a clash diary the idea is still open.  Ken Yap offered web-space services and will give a demonstration at the next Forum meeting.
bulletNeighbourhood Watch – new members have joined Neighbourhood Watch and a resident of Cuckoo Way has volunteered to co-ordinate the whole of Great Notley.  Subject to agreement, the NGCA may offer the Community Hall free of charge for meetings.
bulletStreetlights – nearly all of them have been painted and most of them are working although there are still one or two problem areas.
bulletSupermarket Trolleys – Cllr. Morris had met with the manager of Tesco, who explained that they would not implement a coin-operated system.  There is a dedicated phone number to report abandoned trolleys.
bulletProject Daffodil – considered a huge success.
bulletRSPB Birdwatch – this idea never really took off although an article was included in the Great Notley Times.

SPORTS PAVILION
So far the Parish Council have allocated £30,000 towards the Sports Pavilion and other interested parties may also be willing to contribute.  Although the response from residents has been small, most of those that have responded have been in favour.  The positioning of the Pavilion has been the main concern; most of those present agreed that it either be an extension to the Community Centre or built close enough to enable easy connection to existing utilities.  The Football Club were very keen to be involved and may have the services of an architect free of charge.  Community Grants of up to ¼ million were available.  The permission of the District Council would be needed and it was agreed that planning officers should be involved from the start.  The first step would be to identify the needs for the Pavilion and to produce a spec.  Other suggestions included keeping as much of the hedgerow as possible, looking into managerial arrangements and taking into consideration the Disability Discrimination Act.  It was agreed to invite the architect to the next meeting if possible.

The Chairman reminded the meeting that it would be a mistake not to explore the possibility of using the Discovery Centre as the Pavilion and to create a cricket pitch nearby.

DISCOVERY CENTRE / COUNTRY PARK
Melvyne Crow (BDC) explained that contractors working for Countryside continue to top dress the pitches and they are confident they will be ready for the next season.  Nick Day (BDC) has overall responsibility for the running of the Discovery Centre and the Sports Pitches.  Melvyn Crow has the overall responsibility for the running of the Country Park.  A new member of staff has been employed at the Discovery Centre, Angela Norton, who has experience of working with volunteers, it was agreed to invite her to the next meeting.  Work will be done to improve the access road and the car park in the next financial year.  BDC are looking at ways to improve usage of the Discovery Centre and were open to suggestions, they don’t feel the idea of using it for a conference centre is sustainable and they are conscious of the fact that it is not manned on Saturdays.  It was agreed that publicity should be improved and Melvyne explained that a diary of events is to be published which will cover all events.

Legal rights have now been obtained to cross the cart bridge to link up the bridleway in the Country Park to Fairyhall Lane in Rayne.  New signage is to be installed.

BRAINTREE DISTRICT COUNCIL
Melvne briefly explained the work the new three-man, all-purpose team were doing in Great Notley.  The team are based at the Discovery Centre and it is hoped they will develop an affinity with the area and its community.

PARISH PLAN
The Parish Plan is still ongoing although response has not been that good.  Approximately 10 people are needed once the project is underway to carry it forward.  It was suggested that to get the project off the ground the Parish Council could carry out an appraisal and that key outcomes were important.

MID-ESSEX COUNTRY FAIR
BDC has suggested holding an event, at the Country Park in September, organised by themselves and the five surrounding parishes, with two members from each parish forming a committee to take the project forward. 

NEIGHBOURHOOD SCHEME
One or two volunteers have come forward.

NATURE AREA
It was agreed to involve the Great Notley Gardeners and Angela Norton (Discovery Centre) to help the Scouts to start work on the nature area.  It was also suggested that a Nature Club for children could be set up.  Another project the Council has considered it working to improve the ponds around the parish with the possibility of fencing them if necessary.

VILLAGE FETE
Due to lack of volunteers to organise this years fete, it seems likely that it will not take place and interested parties will get together to start to organise the fete for 2006.

CONTAINERS IN THE COMMUNITY CENTRE CAR PARK
There was lively discussion on various issues of the storage containers in the car park.  The fact that they needed planning permission was not known at the time, but will now be applied for.  It was agreed to disguise the appearance of them by planting brambles at one end and to use anti-climbing paint (plus a sign) to deter youngsters from climbing on them.  The Community Association to check their insurance policy for public liability cover.

GREAT NOTLEY TIMES / COMMUNICATIONS
The Chairman, as Editor of the Times, reminded those present that the magazine was there for all to use and to take advantage of it by submitting articles, more input was needed.  The Council was thanked for the production and delivery of the magazine (delivered free to all households within the parish).

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

bulletNGCA – no one from BDC sits on the NGCA Committee although there is a position available, a member of the Parish Council was also invited to sit on the committee.
bulletVandalism – continues to be problem in certain areas although generally it has improved.  The Youth Club and the Parish Council have worked hard with our teenagers, by providing facilities such as the Youth Club, Skate Ramp and more recently the Youth Shelter.  Time has also been spent talking to the youngsters to involve them in these projects.  The possibility of installing CCTV was discussed although it was considered too expensive.
bulletSpeeding / parking on the pavements – another form of anti-social behaviour that continues to upset local people.  Road safety in Tesco’s car park was raised; the advertising boards at the exit roads obscure the view of oncoming traffic making it dangerous to exit the car park onto the exit road.

THE MEETING CLOSED AT 9.50 P.M.