Meetings
All meetings of Birch Parish Council are open to the public and the Council particularly welcomes the attendance of residents in the Parish. At meetings, members of the public may ask questions relating to the work and services of the Council. Questions cannot always be answered immediately but will be dealt with appropriately.
Anyone wishing to have an item placed on the agenda for discussion at a Parish Council meeting should notify the Clerk not less than seven days prior to the meeting.
Parish Council Meetings in 2010/11
Meetings are usually held on the first Tuesday of each month except August.
They are held in Birch Memorial Hall, starting at 7-30pm.
Meetings are scheduled to take place on the following dates:
September 7th.
October 5th.
November 9th.(rescheduled)
December 7th.
2011- Provisional Dates
January 4th.
February 1st.
March 1st.
April 5th. - to include the Year End meeting of the Council
May 3rd. - to include the 2011 Annual General Meeting
June 7th.
July 5th.
August - no meeting.
Press Releases
After each meeting the Parish Council issues a press release summarising the discussions and decisions taken at that meeting. The texts of recent press releases are reproduced below.
6th July 2010 • 1st June 2010 • 4th May 2010 • 31st March 2010
The formal minutes of a meeting are not available until they have been approved at the next meeting of the Council. Approved minutes of previous meetings are available as downloads, in MS Word format, from the Minutes page of this website.
Press Release following the Meeting held on 6th July 2010.
At the recent meeting of Birch Parish Council the following items were discussed and agreed:
The next "Police Beat Surgery" meetings will be held at Birch Tea Room and Gallery on 23 July, 13 August, 10 September, 8 October, 5 November and 3 December between 11.30am and 1.00pm.
Cllr Bentley & Cllr Ellis reported there were still a number of outstanding Highway issues which are subject to on-going discussion; however the majority of reported items are in the system or have been completed.
The Police reported that there had been two recorded crime incidents during the month. These were isolated incidents between people known to each other and are of no concern to the general public.
Heckfordbridge is still a regular site for speed checks and has been visited several times this month.
No further information has been received regarding the CIF Grants for 2009/10 that were awarded to the Parish Council (£2,000) towards the cost of new fencing at the Play Area and the TVCA (£1,564) to expand the Village Hall car park for overspill parking on the grassed area next to the hall.
It has been confirmed, however, that the CIF Grants for 2010/11 are likely to be cancelled. This may result in an increase in the Parish Council tax for 2011, depending on the budget requirements for next year.
Following recent complaints about the state of the footpath from Winters Hill to Mill Lane this has now been cleared. Residents are asked to report all incidents of blocked footpaths to a member of the Parish Council so that action can be taken.
The expansion of the Parish Council Website continues. All residents with internet access are encouraged to look at the Birch Parish website www.birchpc.org.uk and feedback their suggestions and comments.
The Parish Council congratulated Mr Harrison on the success of the recent Children's Art Show and agreed to make the full donation of £250 as previously discussed at the last meeting.
No planning applications had been received by the Council for discussion this month.
Work to generally improve the appearance of Birch Graveyard has started, overseen by the PCC. It is hoped that the work will be completed by the end of July with a working group carrying out a regular on-going maintenance programme to keep the Graveyard up to standard after that.
The long-awaited dog fouling signs have now been put up at the Play Area by CBC with a fine of up to £1,000 being given to owners who fail to poop and scoop after their dogs.
ROSPA have carried out the annual safety inspection of the children's play area and no major faults were reported.
The football goal posts at the Play Area have now been moved to give the grass in the old goal mouths a chance to grow. The area will be seeded if needed at a later date.
The new Parish Notice board has been installed in Birch Street. It had been the intention to position the old one in Mill Lane but unfortunately the notice board was found to be in poor condition. A new board will be considered for Mill Lane when funds become available.
Due to the present financial situation it seems unlikely that the Youth Bus will make any visits to the Play Area this summer.
Residents are reminded that attended refuse freighters will be in Birch as follows: - Luard Way, 31 July and 25 September, 9.30am - 10.45am.
A number of residents have now expressed an interest in the Shoppers Mobility Bus running from Birch to Tollgate on a regular basis. This could be set up as a door-to-door service and would be of particular interest to residents who do not have access to transport or need help to get to Tollgate. ECC will now be contacted to see if the service can be made available as soon as possible.
Following concerns from a number of residents and an intervention by Cllr Ellis, rabbit runs on the banks under the trees in Rectory Road have been inspected by CBC and the trees declared safe.
There has been an increase in lorries through the village but on investigation hardly any of these have been found to be Abberton Reservoir development traffic. It is thought that much of the increase is due to general vehicles that would normally have travelled on routes via Layer de la Haye are now using Birch to avoid the development area.
ECC are currently holding a public consultation regarding Changes in responsibility to concessionary travel passes. Details can be found on www.essex.gov.uk/buspass/ or by Telephone 01206 436296. Further information will be posted on the Parish Notice board at the bus stop in Birch Street.
It was agreed that the Parish meeting due on 2 November will be rescheduled to 9 November.
The next Parish Council Meeting will be held at the Village Hall on Tuesday 7th September at 7.30pm. (There is no meeting in August)
PRESS RELEASE ENDS
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Press Release following the Meeting held on 1st June 2010.
At the recent meeting of Birch Parish Council the following items were discussed and agreed:
The next "Police Beat Surgery" meetings will be held at Birch Tea Room and Gallery on 18 June, 16 July, 13 August, 10 September, 8 October, 5 November & 3 December between 11-30am and 1-00pm.
Cllr Bentley & Cllr Ellis reported there were still a number of outstanding Highway issues which are subject to on-going discussion. Highways have agreed that signage leading to and at the Maldon Road/Birch Park junction needs attention and this will be added to the work list for action.
The Police reported that there had been five recorded crime incidents during the month, though none of these were major incidents with on-going implications.
The Audited Parish Accounts for the period 1st April 2009 to 31st March 2010 were discussed and agreed as was a resulting risk assessment linked to the accounts.
No further information has been received regarding the CIF Grants that were awarded to the Parish Council (£2,000) towards the cost of new fencing at the Play Area and the TVCA (£1,564) to expand the Village Hall Car Park for overspill parking on the grassed area next to the hall.
A new Greenfield Houses road sign was erected by the Highways Department to replace one that had been damaged but this will have to be replaced again as it now reads Greenfield Road. There is however some debate with ECC & CBC regarding the correct name of the road which is being discussed with Councillor Ellis.
Following a complaint about the state of the footpath from Winters Hill to Mill Lane the local landowner had been asked to make necessary repairs. Unfortunately no improvement work has been carried out so far but it is hoped this will be completed shortly.
Two residents have come forward to sponsor commemorative plaques on Parish Benches at Pudding Lane & Hardy's Green. If anyone else is interested in sponsorship of other benches and would like further details of costs please contact the Clerk.
Two alterations have now been made to the Parish Definitive map and as a result action will be taken to have the restricted "Byway 39" along School Lane from Birch Street to Caper Lane cleared for access as soon as agreement has been reached with the Highways Department and the local landowner.
The expansion of the Parish Council Website continues and it was agreed to add a link to the Essex weather forecasting service. All residents with internet access are encouraged to look at the Birch Parish website www.birchpc.org.uk and feedback their suggestions and comments.
The Parish Council agreed to make donations towards prizes for the recent Police School Poster competition as well as the Children's Art Show Awards which will be held at Birch Gallery & Tea Room on 20th June.
Planning applications for extensions at Laurel Cottage, Birch Street & Conduit Farm, and Birch Park were discussed and no objections thought necessary by the Parish Council.
The Parish Council has had further conversations with organisations on behalf of the PCC to help tidy up and generally improve the appearance of Birch Graveyard. A working group who will carry out a regular maintenance programme to bring the Graveyard up to standard should start work shortly.
Residents who also expressed interest in being part of a working group to help at the Graveyard will be contacted again in due course once initial work has been carried out and a plan of action has been agreed by the PCC.
A meeting will be held with ECC on 7 June regarding further visits by the Youth Bus to the Play Area.
Residents are reminded that attended refuse freighters will be in Birch as follows: - Luard Way, 5 June, 31 July and 25 September, 9-30am to 10-45am.
ECC are still looking to see if there is interest in having the Shoppers' Mobility Bus running from Birch to Tollgate on a regular basis. This could be set up as a door to door service and would be of particular interest to residents who do not have access to transport or need help to get to Tollgate. If you are interested please contact the Clerk or Mrs Bowtle as soon as possible so that a meeting can be set up with ECC that is convenient to all residents to give further information. The bus can only be made available if there is sufficient support from residents.
The next Parish Council Meeting will be held at the Village Hall on Tuesday 6th July at 7.30p.m.
PRESS RELEASE ENDS
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Press Release following the Meeting held on 4th May 2010.
At the recent meeting of Birch Parish Council the following items were discussed and agreed:
Seven nominations were received to fill seven vacancies on the Council for the next four year term so no election was needed. Mrs Boyce joins the council as a new member.
Mrs Bowtle was re-elected as Chairman and Mr Harvey as Deputy Chairman. Special mention was given to Mr Carr for all his work on the Parish Website.
The next "Police Beat Surgery" meetings will be held at Birch Tea Room and Gallery on 21 May and 18 June between 11.30 and 1 pm.
Cllr Bentley and Cllr Ellis reported that most of the pot holes have now been repaired by the Highways Dept. There were a number of outstanding Highway issues which are subject to ongoing discussion.
Residents near to the Heckford Angel Public House should hear from the Highways Dept shortly regarding the best way forward, to allow trees and hedges to be safely cut back to improve line of sight as you approach Stanway.
The Police reported that there had been four crime incidents during the month, one involving the burning of bales of hay with a similar incident happening in Copford. Anyone who may have information on either incident should contact the Police with details.
A Police day has been held at Birch School to inform children on how the Police work with in the local community which had been a great success. This will be repeated in a number of local schools. It is hoped that a series of Summer Children activities can be arranged later in the year supported by the Police, School, Parish Council and other interested organisations.
Recent speed checks in the Heckfordbridge area has indicated that vehicle speeds have been reduced and that results are very good compared to those checked in other areas without an electronic speed sign.
Details of a proposed planning application to replace the Oat Stores at Hardy's Green with a new detached house were given to the meeting. The Parish Council will now be in a better position to make a recommendation and comment when the plans are considered by CBC and presented officially to the Parish.
CIF Grants have been awarded to the Parish Council (£2,000) towards the cost of new fencing at the Play Area and the TVCA (£1,564) to expand the Village Hall Car Park for overspill parking on the grassed area next to the hall.
A new Greenfield Houses road sign has been ordered by CBC to replace the one that has been damaged and subsequently removed.
Following a complaint about the state of the footpath from Winters Hill to Mill Lane the local landowner has been asked to make necessary repairs.
Fly tipping continues to be a problem with four incidents being reported and then cleared by CBC during the month. A note of thanks was given to Cllr Ellis for his swift reaction to these incidents.
It was agreed to give residents the opportunity to sponsor a number of benches in the Parish with commemorative plaques. The sponsor opportunity charge was set at £125 plus the cost of the plaque details and any fixing costs, which would have to be approved by the Parish Council. If anyone is interested and would like further details please contact the Clerk by 31st May.
Work to repair the damaged railings on the bridge just past Birch Park as you approach Birch from Layer de la Haye has now been completed.
Flooding problems in Lower Road and Birch Street have been corrected by CBC and Anglian Water respectively. The incident in Birch Street was a mains problem and involved the water being cut off for a number of hours with very little warning to residents.
The expansion of the Parish Council Website has continued and a map which contains the Birch Parish Boundary is well worth a view. All residents with internet access are encouraged to look at the Birch Parish website www.birchpc.org.uk and feedback their suggestions and comments.
Planning applications for extensions at Heathcote Cottage have been approved by CBC.
The Parish Council had a number of conversations with organisations on behalf of the PCC to help tidy up and generally improve the appearance of Birch Graveyard; further details will be discussed at the next meeting.
Some residents have already expressed interest in being part of a working group to help at the grave yard and they will be contacted again in due course once a plan of action has been agreed by the PCC.
Birch will join the Colchester Association of Local Councils in June with Mrs Boyce being appointed the Parish Council contact.
Residents are reminded that attended refuse freighters will be in Birch as follows: - Luard Way, 5 June, 31 July and 25 September, 9.30am - 10.45am.
ECC are looking to see if there is interest in having the Shoppers Mobility Bus running from Birch to Tollgate on a regular basis. This could be set up as a door to door service and would be of particular interest to residents who do not have access to transport or need help to get to Tollgate. If you are interested please contact the Clerk or Mrs Bowtle by the end of May so that a meeting can be set up with ECC that is convenient to all residents to give further information.
The football goal posts at the play area will be repositioned shortly to allow the grass to be reseeded. Dog fouling signs will also be put up in appropriate positions near to the parking area.
It was agreed to apply for a grant to replace the old bus shelter at Hardy's Green which is still used as a pick up point by school buses.
The next Parish Council Meeting will be held at the Village Hall on Tuesday 1st June at 7.30pm.
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Press Release following the Meeting held on 31st March 2010.
At the recent meeting of Birch Parish Council the following items were discussed and agreed:
The next "Police Beat Surgery" meetings will be held at Birch Tea Room and Gallery on 23 April, 21 May and 18 June between 11-30 and 1-00pm.
Cllr Bentley and Cllr Ellis again reported that because of the recent bad weather a lot of new pot holes have been made and a large amount of flooding has occurred. The highways department are still repairing problems as fast as possible with priority being given to the largest ones first. A litter pick had been organised from Old Post office junction to Lower Road and two further locations identified for further action by CBC.
The Police reported that there had been one crime incident during the month involving the theft of builder's equipment.
A yellow tipper truck has been seen in the area that is suspected of being involved in fly-tipping and residents are asked to make note of the registration number if they see a similar vehicle they think may be disposing of waste illegally.
Following Stanway Parish Council agreement to put forward a proposal to the highways department to install an electronic speed sign in the direction from Warren Lane to Heckfordbridge, a traffic survey has been conducted during the month with results expected shortly.
It was agreed to replace the bench at the Old Post office junction, which was destroyed in a road accident in December, with the bench from Pudding Lane Green. A new bench will be purchased for Pudding Lane Green with money from the Essex forum.
Signage for the new disabled & mobile bus parking bay has now been installed. This parking area is on land owned by the Parish Council and is designated for users of the play area only and is not a general parking area for residents who may live in properties nearby.
Work to repair the damaged railings on the bridge just past Birch Park as you approach Birch from Layer de la Haye has not yet been started by the highways department due to the amount of other surface repair work that needs to be completed in the borough.
The local land owners are still working through the Parish to clear as many ditches as possible to disperse water/flooding problems. Recent rain however has in some cases made it unsafe to use diggers in a few locations. This is particularly relevant to the flooded ditch in Birch Park.
The expansion of the Parish Council Website has continued and it is hoped to add a map which will contain the Birch Parish Boundary in due course. All residents with internet access are encouraged to look at the Birch Parish website www.birchpc.org.uk and feedback their suggestions and comments.
A larger Notice Board will be positioned in Birch Street near to the bus stop with the current smaller board being moved to the Mill Lane/Greenfields area. Both will be erected as soon as possible.
A planning application for the reconstruction of Birch Hall in Birch Park has been approved by CBC. An application to extend part of Conduit Farm, Birch Park, had been refused by CBC.
The Parish Council agreed to work with the PCC to help tidy up and generally improve the appearance of Birch graveyard. Any residents who would be interested in being part of a working group to achieve this objective should in the first instance contact the Parish Clerk who will co-ordinate with all members of the Parish Council and PCC.
It was agreed that Birch will join the Colchester Association of Local Councils which now represents all Colchester Parish Councils' members on a number of local Associations and CBC Committees.
The CIF grant application to fix the kerbs and pavements at Greenfields has been turned down and Cllr Ellis and Bentley are now working with the highways deparment to see how a permanent solution to the problems in the area can be achieved.
The attended refuse freighters will be in Birch as follows: - Luard Way, 5 June, 31 July and 25 September, 9-30am - 10-45am.
The next Parish Council Meeting will be held at the Village Hall on Tuesday 4th May at 7.30pm, subject to the need for a Parish Council Election. (This meeting will include the Annual General Meeting).
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