Eaton Bray Parish Council

Below is a summary of the minutes of the Eaton Bray Parish Council Meeting of 4th February 2008.

A full version can be downloaded in Adobe Acrobat format (PDF):

Download Full Minutes for 4th February 2008

Summary of Minutes - Monday 4th February 2008

Public Open Forum

Parish Councillor

Cllr Beal asked potential candidates for Parish Council to introduce them to the Council.

Peter Hooton introduced himself, confirming he has lived in the parish for seven years, very happy in the area and would like to represent it.

Alan Aldridge introduced himself as a candidate willing to help and be on the council, he informed the council that he may not be the most ambitious person but had a career in organisation.

Cllr Beal informed the two candidates that a decision would be made between the council and invited the candidates to attend the next Parish Council Meeting in March 2008 for the result.

Mill End Close

Mr and Mrs Dear of Mill End Close raised the issue of the gap running alongside their drive and the putting up of a fence. Cllr Marriage said the Parish Council would need to look into this in more detail and recommended it be put forward to the General Purposes Working.

Ransome Strip

The issues regarding the ransome strip were again raised. The Clerk confirmed that the owner of this strip had been located and that a copy of an estimate to deal with the strip had been forwarded to them; the council were awaiting a response.

Middle Path Conservation Area

A question was raised with regards to the middle path conservation area and that in the last 8 months, since being raised as an issue, the signage/fences had not been sorted. Cllr Pearson informed the meeting that timber for the fencing was on order and that the supplier was out of stock and was waiting for new deliveries.

Chairman's Comments and Correspondence

Cllr Beal welcomed and introduced the new Parish Clerk, Heidi Head, to the Council wishing her well in the new job, confirming her contact times during the week. From now all correspondence should be addressed to Heidi.

The following items have been received:

A letter from residents, Mr and Mrs T. Christie was read out regarding the problems resulting from the allotments, The Meads, adjoining the side of their property - problems with members of the public cutting through their garden to enter the allotments. It was recommended that the council make an inspection of the site and to come back to the next meeting with recommendations.
A letter from Eaton Bray Lower School was read out thanking the Parish Council for the donation of £2,000, including the council's offer of a £3,000 interest free loan.
Other correspondence can be found in the full minutes

Eaton Bray Cricket Club

With reference to Mr M Quinn, Chairman of Eaton Bray Cricket Club of 22nd December 2007, approaching the Parish Council for a new long-term lease/extension to the present lease held for the land at the Rye Allotment for use as a Cricket Ground.

The Parish Council agreed in principal to the renewal of the lease, subject to the General Purposes Working Group review.

Police Representatives

PC Viv Dady presented crime statistics for the month of January:

3 burglaries at dwellings. Two on the same night - front doors being 'popped' open, residents need to be made aware of double locking their doors to prevent them being 'popped' open. One entry to another dwelling, entry unknown.
Mr Wood reported chickens being stolen, has promised to make chicken pen more secure.
Criminal damage - road sign thrown through the chip shop window on 4th January 2007. There was an offender caught at the scene, this is currently under investigation.
In Wallace Drive a flower pot was thrown on a vehicle.
A chicken theft in Moor End, all chickens were in a secure pen.

PC Dady recommended the Parish Council look into what the crime priorities are for the parish, ie. Traffic, youth nuisance. Viv advised that the Parish Council should recommend to the police three areas of priority, suggestions of which should come from the residents of the village.

Viv advised that the village should have a 'Key Individual Network (KIN)'. A scheme where all villages/parishes have a representative (resident) who is aware of what goes on in the village and is happy to speak to the police, going through a questionnaire/giving opinions, with the police speaking with these representatives every three months for an update.

Viv informed the council that they would be operating speed checks in the village in February 2008.

GP Report and Signing of Minutes

Cllr Marriage mentioned the Youth football teams visit and the suggestion that they join the General Purposes Working Party on 21st February 2008 to go through the Holmans Field Project.

Cllr Brand discussed Mill End Close, the area needing new fencing and general cleaning up of the area. The priority being the safety aspect of the fencing next to the field and the water. This needs to be completed and made safe and secure as children do play on the field which is in close proximity to the water. Cllr Brand said he was happy to take on this project and report back to the Parish Council with his findings.

Fly Tipping

Areas of concern, (i) Northall Road (ii) Sports and Social Club;

Gas cylinders on council strip in Northall road (blue and red). Cllr Marriage asked what was happening regarding this. The Clerk confirmed she had actioned this (using an on-line number) and confirmed this should be cleared up within the next week.
At the Sports and Social Club site still many items dumped after a clear out at the club. It was proposed that a letter be sent to the Sports and Social Club, requesting them to clear the site giving a 28 day deadline to do so (from receipt of letter). Failure to do so will cause the council to arrange clearance of the site and the cost of such to be forwarded on to them for payment.

Confident Communities

The following planning applications were considered:

TP/08/0024 35: Erection of front extension to garage.
No objection

Plans were submitted with proposed development in The Comp. The Parish Council asked the Clerk to acknowledge receipt of these initial plans.

Items for the March agenda to be requested no later than Friday 22 February 2008.

The Parish Clerk can be contacted using the details shown on the Eaton Bray Parish Council home page.

Next Council Meeting

Monday 3rd March 2008, 7.30pm, in the Coffee Tavern.