AGENDA
21/213 Apologies for Absence 
    Accept apologies of absence.


21/214 Public Forum 
Members of the public are welcome to attend the Parish Council meeting. Those wishing to speak or raise any issue are requested to do so at the public participation session with respect to items on the agenda and other matters that are of mutual interest.              


Please note: When Council starts to discuss any item on the agenda, where a member has an interest, the member with that interest must have regard to the Code of Conduct and make the necessary disclosure and where appropriate leave the meeting.


The maximum time allowed for this item is 15 minutes, at the close of this item members of the public will no longer be permitted to address the council and members with prejudicial interests will also not be permitted to speak and address the council on those interests.


21/215 Members’ Declarations of interest
To declare the existence and nature of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interest, other Pecuniary Interest or Non-Pecuniary Interest relating to items on the agenda having regard to the Code of Conduct for Members and having taken appropriate advice where necessary before the meeting.


21/216 Minutes
    Approve the minutes of the Council meeting held on 16th November 2021 as a true record.


21/217 District & County Councillors Reports
    Receive reports from District and County councillors.


21/218 Clerk’s Report
    Receive report from the Clerk.
21/219 Action Tracker
    Review and update action tracker.


21/220 Finance
Agree payments for this month, payments circulated to members prior to the meeting.


21/221 Grants
Consider a grant of £200 to the AMBO magazine.


21/222 Certificate of Exemption
Approve certificate of exemption for the year 2020/2021.


21/223 Internal Auditor
Consider appointing Val Evans as the internal auditor for this year.


21/224 Play Area
Receive report from Cllr Thompson.


21/224.1 Play Area Refurbishment
Receive update on play area refurbishment.


21/225 Grass Cutting and trees
Receive report from Cllr Thompson & Cllr Parker.


21/226 Publicity
Receive report on Publicity.


21/227 Website and IT
    Receive report from Cllr Boyce.


21/228 Liaison with Village organisations
    Receive report from Cllr Beaney.


21/229 Village Hall
    Receive report on the Village Hall.


21/230 Local Plan    
Receive update and report on the UDC’s Local Plan.


21/230.1 Neighbourhood Plan    
    Receive update on Neighbourhood Plan.


21/231 Planning
Receive report from Cllr Deuce.
No current planning consultations.


21/232 Highways and Footpaths
    Receive report from Cllr Deuce.


21/233 The Queens Jubilee
Receive report from the working group and consider producing something commemorative for the community for the event.


21/234 Matters to be Raised by Members for the Next Agenda
    Please note that no decisions can lawfully be made under this item.  LGA 1972 section 12 10(2) (b) states that business must be specified; therefore, the Council cannot lawfully raise matters for decision.


21/235 Date of the Next Meeting 
        To be determined.
        
21/236 Meeting Close






Signed…Luke Brown… Clerk & RFO 
Dated 12 January 2022, the Public and Press are welcome to attend. 


A PUBLIC PARTICIPATION SESSION IS HELD AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING where contributions are always welcome at the Chairman’s discretion. 

​

Minutes of The Sampford’s Parish Council meeting held on Thursday 30th September 2021, at Great Sampford Village Hall.

Present:
Cllr Parker (Acting Chairman), Cllr Beaney, Cllr Boyce, Cllr Thompson, Cllr Bradford. DC Smith
ECC Foley
Luke Brown (Clerk)
4 members of the public
MINUTES
21/140 Apologies for Absence
Cllr Woods, Cllr Butcher and Cllr Deuce.
Resolution: Accept apologises for absence.
Proposed: Cllr Boyce Seconded: Cllr Bradford - carried unanimously.
21/141 Public Forum
A member of the public asked for an update on the huge pile of mud at the top of Howe Lane and a missing salt bin. DC Smith is chasing to get the mud removed and get the salt bin replaced.
Several members of the public were interested in the Council’s plans for the Queens’ Jubilee. It was noted that the Arts, Crafts and Plants event that is planned for next year would do well to co-inside with the Jubilee extended bank holiday.
The Council asked the public present for advice on the best way to get ideas and suggestions for what the residents might like to do for the Jubilee. It was suggested that the Council should put an article in the Sampford signal and create a sub-committee that anyone from the area could join, including members from all the various village groups and individual residents.
On the Sunday of the Jubilee, it is expected that towns and villages will have street parties, which would involve closing roads. The Council suggested that they could have the party on the playing field/play area, or at the pavilion instead of closing roads, which would require submitting a request to Essex County Council.

   
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A member of the public asked about Spare Penny Lane and when it was going to be serviced. DC Smith noted that although work had been done on the road in the past, it hadn’t been adopted by Essex Highways and therefore they do not see it as their responsibility to repair.
A number of footbridges had been reported to Essex Public Rights of Way (PROW), but nothing further had happened. DC Smith requested that the Clerk send him a list of issues that the Parish had raised with Essex Highways and PROW.
21/142 Members’ Declarations of interest Non to declare.
21/143 Minutes
Resolution: Approve the minutes of the Council meeting held on 19th August 2021 as a true record. Proposed: Cllr Beaney Seconded: Cllr Boyce - carried unanimously.
21/144 District & County Councillors Reports (APPENDIX A)
DC Smith noted that UDC had a new CEO starting.
It is expected that the result from the Call for Sites consultation will be available by the end of October 2021.
UDC had a meeting to discuss the ending of funds to people who were out of work due to Covid and to pass a motion on Solar farms so that their land use status remains unchanged from its original status.
ECC Foley introduced himself to the Council and highlighted some issues from their report.
Thieves are targeting road drainage covers and catalytic converters. It was noted that there is an event on Sunday the 17th of October 2021 in Saffron Walden, to mark catalytic converters so that if they are stolen and recovered, the owners can be traced.
21/145 Finance (APPENDIX B)
Resolution: Agree payments for this month.
Proposed: Cllr Bradford Seconded: Cllr Beaney - carried unanimously.
21/145.1 Accounts for Year Ending 2021 Deferred to the next meeting.
21/146 Standing Orders
Deferred to the next meeting.
21/147 Letter from the Sampford’s WI
The Council would like to get a balanced view on the matter and would like to reply to the letter received from the Sampford’s WI. The Council proposed meeting with the school Headmaster to understand the issue fully.
The WI representative noted that they keep a filing cabinet in the Village Hall storage room, which they would like to remain where it is as they have nowhere else to keep it, but they have been informed that it must be removed. The Council will investigate who has authority to use the storeroom.
Resolution: Cllr Bradford and Cllr Parker to meet with the headmaster to get their input on the issue before the next meeting.
Proposed: Cllr Parker Seconded: Cllr Beaney - carried unanimously.

         
6
21/148 Village Speed Watch
The Council plan to put together a speed watch group made up of Councillors, to perform a speed watch roughly every 6 weeks.
It was noted that the Police had completed a speed watch of their own recently on Monk’s Corner.
21/149 Play Area
Deferred to next meeting.
21/149.1 Play Area Refurbishment
The refurbishment is to replace some of the older equipment.
A pre-application had been accepted and the final grant application form has been completed and submitted. The Council are asking for £10,000 in grant money, with the total cost expected to be £23,000.
The supplier for the new equipment was put forward by Cllr Boyce, and the new equipment has been chosen to cater to a much wider age group. There are items for children over 12 and outdoor gym equipment that all ages can use. It is hoped that the new equipment will be installed in Spring 2022.
The Council are also investigating installing benches in the hope to promote walking in the village and are interested in the community’s input.
21/150 Grass Cutting and trees
Cllr Thompson has spoken to Mr Butcher to get hedges and verges cut.
The Clerk made the Council aware that instructions to carry out work should come from the office.
21/151 Publicity
Cllr Bradford to make sure Minutes and Agendas are published on the website and noticeboard, to make sure that other notices and reports from the Council are published for the public to view.
Resolution: Cllr Bradford to take over this responsibility and put dates of the Parish Council’s meetings in the Sampford Signal.
Proposed: Cllr Bradford Seconded: Cllr Beaney - carried unanimously.
21/152 Website and IT
The website is working fine, the latest minutes and agendas have been uploaded.
There can be an issue when trying to view the minutes and agendas on a mobile phone, it was suggested that an update to the website could help make it more user friendly.
21/153 Liaison with Village organisations
Resolution: Cllr Boyce to take over this responsibility from Cllr Bradford. Proposed: Cllr Bradford Seconded: Cllr Parker - carried unanimously.
21/154 Village Hall
Deferred to the next meeting.

          
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21/155 Local Plan
Deferred to the next meeting.
Clerk to separate item 21/155 and 21/155.1 more clearly by naming 21/155.1 the Neighbourhood Plan instead of Local Village Plan.
21/155.1 Local Village Plan Deferred to the next meeting.
21/156 Bardfield Housing Presentation
Barfield have done well with making sure they get affordable housing built in their area and Cllr Bradford is to meet with DC Smith to discuss how they went about that.
21/157 Planning
The presentation on the development behind the bungalows, was well presented by the planner and the residents found it very valuable but only a few attended. It was noted that the land is still in the ownership of the farm owner.
21/157.1 New Planning Applications No new applications.
21/157.2 Recent Planning Applications
Status of recent and previously reviewed applications.
21/157.3 Planning Results No recent results.
21/158 Highways and Footpaths Deferred to next meeting.
21/159 The Queens Jubilee
The Council were happy that this had been covered in the Public Forum.
21/160 Christmas Dinner
Cllr Boyce proposed the Council arrange a Christmas Dinner for seniors in the Village. It was noted that January 2022 (TBC) could be a better time to arrange the event and call it a New Year’s Lunch, as time to organise and hold the event in 2021 is tight.
The intent is to source food locally from local markets and farmers and to use the Village Hall as the centre to hold the event, since it has a fully kitted out working kitchen and the possibility of hiring the cook.
It was noted that getting enough volunteers and possible future Covid restrictions could make organising the event difficult and the best way to promote the event would be to flyer the village as well as put an advert in the Sampford Signal.

      
UTT/21/1618/OP | Outline application with all matters reserved except access for proposed
residential and community development including 27 dwellings (14 private and 13 affordable),
community shop, play area, shared gardens, public green space and associated parking | Land At
Parsonage Farm Parsonage Farm Lane Great Sampford Essex.

     
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DC Smith maybe able to get additional funding for the event.
Cllr’s are to consider the proposal and bring ideas and further details to the next meeting.
21/161 Matters to be Raised by Members for the Next Agenda No comments.
21/162 Date of the Next Meeting
Scheduled for Thursday the 21st of October 2021.
Cllr Bradford is unable to make the next meeting. The Clerk advised Cllr Bradford to pass on details to Cllr Boyce to report to the Council.

  
21/163 Meeting Close @ 9:25 PM
APPENDIX A
Signed.............................................
Date........................................

 
Ward Member report – September
Day Centres

The Council’s Day Centre review continues. The Saffron Walden centre having been closed since Covid started has now been permanently closed. The review of service provision continues and when the review is complete, I expect the Council to find alternative premises to replace the Saffron Walden site. I remain concerned at the lack of public consultation so far and will be pressing the Cabinet member responsible, to ensure that meaningful consultation takes place with both residents and with local organisations.
Environment
Climate Change Working Group is looking into Cycle scheme pilots in Saffron Walden, using money from Developers for some recent planning applications. In addition, they are looking into the possibility of an additional pilot in Dunmow or Stansted, I believe utilising the money that UDC had promised to the Local Highways Panel but withheld.
UDC have recently announced that they have installed electrical vehicle charging points on Council-owned property and car parks. Radwinter PC are investigating the installation of such a scheme on the village car park, and I am liaising with the officer responsible to see whether UDC can enable this. If any other Parish would be interested in such a project, I would be happy to support you and to put you in contact at with the team at UDC.
Local Plan
According to the letter the Council are submitting to the Government on their progress towards the new local plan. The assessments of the call for site locations should be sent onto Parish Council’s and other organisations in October. The next public consultation then begins in the spring when members of the public and Parish Councils will be able to have their say on the emerging local plan.
Officers have raised a risk of additional slippage in the local plan project, due to the requirement for further transport modelling, and the volume of the evidence base that members will need to review. It is hoped that this additional work can be accommodated within the existing timeframe as the Government may not look favourably on the Council failing to meet their deadline of 2033 for submission of a draft local plan.

 
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Chief Executive
At an Extraordinary Council meeting last week, the Council voted to approve the appointment of a new Chief Executive of the Council. The appointee, Peter Holt, has lots of experience in local government and I am sure will prove to be a good appointment for the Council.
George Smith, September 2021
Essex County Councillor’s Report
Highways
Apart from the day to day highways issues we have been dealing with there has also been another spate of drain cover thefts. These thefts leave a very dangerous situation and there has been accidents caused as cars hit these drains particularly at night If it happens in this parish please report to highways and the police immediately with a copy to me.
If there are any dangerous and urgent highways issues that could cause accidents... please report on ECC Highways website as normal and also send me an email with details, including reference number and I will follow up.
Catalytic converters theft..
The precious metal in catalytic converters has led to an increase in their theft within Uttlesford, with more than 40 cases reported in the district over the last six months.
The Uttlesford Community Safety Partnership is holding a free catalytic converter marking session in Saffron Walden next month. In conjunction with Tread First, residents are invited to attend and have their catalytic converters marked by Tread First and registered by local community safety officers.
Using Selectamark’s CAT Converter marking kit, catalytic convertors will be marked using a specially formulated metal etching compound and two highly durable, heat resistant labels that are uniquely numbered and impossible to remove in one piece. This will allow stolen CATs to be identified within seconds by police and scrap metal dealers once registered.
The marking event will be held on Sunday 17 October, from 10am to 2pm, at Tread First, Shire Hill, Saffron Walden.
The kits, which retail at about £25, are subject to availability. To register a vehicle, please send an email to uttlesford.cpt@essex.police.uk and specify the time slot you would like to attend (10am to 12pm or 12pm to 2pm). Residents are welcome to drive in on the day without an appointment, although are encouraged to email prior to the day to guarantee a kit.
Covid -19 Update
Issues to note:

• Covid rates in Essex have been steady although are likely to increase a little to around 250 in the
  coming days. This remains below both regional and national average. There is little variation between districts;
  
• The rate is driven by a large increase in secondary school-age children, where rates are approaching 800, followed by primary school-age children. Most positively the rates in older people are dropping slightly and are around 80;
  

    
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• Additionally, hospital admission rates for Covid remain low although other non-Covid challenges are being seen in the NHS;
  
• This evidences the impact of the vaccines in preventing severe illness. Studies however are showing the decline in vaccine efficacy over time especially in older people;
  
• Booster vaccination in older and vulnerable people is therefore a priority and is beginning, using Pfizer and Moderna vaccines;
  
• We remain focused on getting to the small numbers who have still not been vaccinated at all, and will be focusing on ensuring full booster take-up.
  
• The last week has seen a very pleasing increase in the percentage of social care workers who have been vaccinated, this now being estimated at around 94 – 95%.
  
• NHS have previously announced that they will be rationalising the number of vaccination centres to focus on sites enabling the greatest throughput and operational efficiency. All sites have to be assessed and we are expecting the final list to be provided in the next week to ten days.
  Rural Services Network - possible sources of funding
  Here is a digest prepared by Rural Services Network as to possible sources of funding which might be of use and serves as a ready reference to our communities https://rsnonline.org.uk/rural-funding-digest- september-2021
  Cllr Martin Foley
  

​AGENDA
21/140 Apologies for Absence Accept apologies of absence.
21/141 Public Forum
Members of the public are welcome to attend the Parish Council meeting. Those wishing to speak or raise any issue are requested to do so at the public participation session with respect to items on the agenda and other matters that are of mutual interest.
Please note: When Council starts to discuss any item on the agenda, where a member has an interest, the member with that interest must have regard to the Code of Conduct and make the necessary disclosure and where appropriate leave the meeting.
The maximum time allowed for this item is 15 minutes, at the close of this item members of the public will no longer be permitted to address the council and members with prejudicial interests will also not be permitted to speak and address the council on those interests.
21/142 Members’ Declarations of interest
To declare the existence and nature of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interest, other Pecuniary Interest or Non-Pecuniary Interest relating to items on the agenda having regard to the Code of Conduct for Members and having taken appropriate advice where necessary before the meeting.
21/143 Minutes
Approve the minutes of the Council meeting held on 19th August 2021 as a true record.
21/144 District & County Councillors Reports
Receive reports from District and County councillors.

   
1
21/145 Finance
Agree payments for this month, payments circulated to members prior to the meeting.
21/145.1 Accounts for Year Ending 2021 Discuss the state of last year’s accounts.
21/146 Standing Orders
Council members to consider adopting new standing orders circulated prior to the meeting.
21/147 Letter from the Sampford’s WI Receive letter from the Sampford’s WI.
21/148 Village Speed Watch
Discuss setting up a speed watch.
21/149 Play Area
Receive report from Cllr Thompson.
21/149.1 Play Area Refurbishment
Discuss and agree next action on play area refurbishment.
21/150 Grass Cutting and trees
Receive report from Cllr Thompson & Cllr Parker.
21/151 Publicity
Receive report on Publicity.
21/152 Website and IT
Receive report from Cllr Boyce.
21/153 Liaison with Village organisations Receive report from Cllr Bradford.
21/154 Village Hall
Receive report on the Village Hall.
21/155 Local Plan
Receive update and report on Local Plan.
21/155.1 Local Village Plan
Receive update and report on Local Village Plan.
21/156 Bardfield Housing Presentation Receive report from Cllr Bradford.
21/157 Planning
Receive report from Cllr Deuce.

             
2
21/157.1 New Planning Applications No new applications.
21/157.2 Recent Planning Applications
Status of recent and previously reviewed applications.
21/157.3 Planning Results No recent results.
21/158 Highways and Footpaths Receive report from Cllr Deuce.
21/159 The Queens Jubilee
Discussion on what the Council will do for the Queen’s Jubilee in June 2022.
21/160 Christmas Dinner
Discuss and agree next action on the Council’s Christmas Dinner.
21/161 Matters to be Raised by Members for the Next Agenda
Please note that no decisions can lawfully be made under this item. LGA 1972 section 12 10(2) (b) states that business must be specified; therefore, the Council cannot lawfully raise matters for decision.
21/162 Date of the Next Meeting
Scheduled for Thursday the 21st of October 2021.
21/163 Meeting Close