Minutes of the Meeting of Stock Parish Council
Held on the 27^th March 2000 at 19:30 in the Meeting room of the Village Hall

Present 8 Members of the Council and Borough Councillor Stringer

In the chair Councillor Mrs Johnson.

130. Casual Vacancy
It was proposed by Councillor Mrs Tully and seconded by Councillor Mrs Johnson that Mr Nicholas Peacock of 24 Myln Meadow be asked to fill the vacant seat on the Parish Council. Agreed Unanimously
Councillor signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office

131 Minutes of the Meeting of Monday 28^th February
These were agreed by the meeting and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

132 Matters Arisin

1 Village Appraisal
The Questionnaire would be distributed before Easter and collected shortly after. Estimated cost of the resulting brochure (which will be available as a historical document) is £3000. Advertising sponsorship is being sought. In reply to request from Borough Councillor Stringer, Agreed Parish Council donate £100 (See Accounts)

2 Traffic Calming
In the absence of any road-work activity on Stock’s bit of the B1007, we would enquire when the traffic splitters would arrive.

3 New Village Hall
Mr Taffs had verified that insurance on the hall had been effected by addition to existing policy until the end of May 2000.
The new hall was now officially open with a short fall in 6 figures. The management committee was anxious to meet the Parish Council to discuss the way forward. Our Chairman repeated the request for a full financial statement.

Agreed
1 The subject of the Village Hall would appear on every agenda.
2 The Parish Council Chairman would meet with Mr Otter and others of the Parish Council and Village Hall Management Committee to discuss the way forward.

4 Flyposting Agreement.
Our copy of the agreement had now been returned, duly signed and sealed by the Borough Council. We were now legally permitted to remove advertising material sited on unauthorised locations. Members attention was drawn to recent proliferation of cheap coal notices around the village.

5 BT Payphone
Requested by member of the public that we explore the possibility of re-instating this facility in Mill Road, near the Well Lane crossroad. Agreed.

6 Highways Agency
Councillor Tant had attended the Margaretting session of this community workshop, which dealt with Route Management on the local stretches of the A12 and A120. Councillor Tant reported that possible improvements in junction and slip-road layouts had been identified.

7 Litterbins at Swan Woods
Clerk would meet with Mr Bacon of Chelmsford Borough Council to discuss a "Combi-Bin" ( cost approximately £120) at this site

133 General Correspondence
Recycling Banks at the Bear Public House
These have been removed at the request of the new manager. The nearest site is now in Swan Lane, obviously away from the village centre. Members were unanimous in regretting the loss of this facility but agreed extremely difficult to identify an acceptable/easily accessible site.

134 Tree Preservation Orders
2 orders revoked
Crantock, 1 Common Road . . . 2 Oaks no longer exist.
Rear of Hawthorns, Common Road . . . 2 groups of trees are in fact a hedge. Members expressed amusement that Tree Preservation Orders seem to make trees vanish or turn into hedges.

135 Willow Trees, Mill Road
These have been Rre-Pollarded and the invoice settled. As a result of earlier correspondence, Clerk had asked residents opposite trees weather he would like to contribute towards the cost; a cheque for half the cost was sent in reply, but with the strong implication that because the trees could not be removed, the Parish Council should not expect financial help with maintenance.
Agreed we return the cheque and apologise for misunderstanding.

136 Land at Appledore, Stock Road Billericay
This refused by Basildon Council had gone to appeal. We would repeat our objections based on existing heavy traffic on the B1007

137 Summer Children’s Play Activities
We had been offered Tuesday 1^st August for Picnic Play, Thursday 17^th August for Play in the Park. Also agreed £1 per child to be collected.

138 Aircraft Movements
Colin Jarvisof west Hanningfield provided contact numbers for those troubled by noisy jets in and out of Heathrow and Stanstead.

139 Village Design Statements
Planning at Chelmsford Borough Council offer a Countryside Agency video to explain the concept of a statement. Agreed too late for appraisal work, but we should register our interest in seeing the video.

140 Planning Matters

Decisions by the Borough Council

Applications referred
Comments required before Meeting

Meeting Confirmed no comment

Considered at meeting

All no comment except

280/00 OUT If permitted, this house would be in Mill Road, not The Lindens & will lead to further garden development along Mill Road.

Notice of appeal
Mr & Mrs Squibb against refusal of residential annex at Fairfields.
We would repeat our earlier objections.

Result of appeal
Mr & Mrs Ward’s appeal re Hillside Farm was allowed. We had made no comment.

141 Accounts

Cheques drawn for

Agreed not to contribute to CCVS newsletter.

142 Date of next meeting
8^th May 00 Contents of Chairman’s report also discussed.

143 Any other business
5 members of the public present.
Posts missing near Bishops Farm.

Suggested that we write to Lord Hanningfield about the huge cost to be borne by the Essex tax payers Rettendon protest.

We would query with Planning the demolition of part of the Bear brick wall, Mill Road side.

All saints churchyard was unsightly with rubbish laying in the hedges.

There had been a bonfire on the Myln Meadow – Mill Lane footpath . . . householder concerned to be warned.

We would asl Farrer’s about the names on the War Memorial – could they be more distinct.

The Cock Car Park needed watching with regard to advertising.

Car Parking around the Common would require monitoring at busy times until the Village Hall was established.