MINUTES OF THE 6TH FEBRUARY 2003
HELD AT THE HAILEY DAY CENTRE SAWBRIDGEWORTH
PRESENT: Ted Barrows (Chairman) Steve Karn
Warren Richards (Secretary) Hazel Mead
David Thorogood (EHDC) John Rider
Bert Puncher (Sbw A/S) Stan Barker
Chris Rees John Collier
David Mead Dorothy Chancellor
Diana Richards Ron Taylor
Monya Billings Jacqueline Dore
Ellen Knighton Tom Potts
APOLOGIES: Mary Huxtable Michael Vincent (Treasurer) Elizabeth Waugh Tony Vidler (Sbw A/S)
Brian Rochester Michael Brown
Emma Jordan (EHDC) Kate Yarnold
Mary Whitehead Joyce Vincent (Sbw Town C)
MINUTES: The minutes of the meeting of Dec
05 02 was accepted as a true record, after recording that Brian Rochester was present at the meeting.
MATTERS ARISING.
Esbie Estate. Members’ comments were ‘it was an absolute disgrace that heavy work was still proceeding on the site’. They asked the Sec to write again to EHDC and the Town Council. The Sec replied that the reply to his earlier letter to EHDC calling for an injunction was not considered.
Members asked the Sec to write to the EHDC Officer dealing with the local plan and ask to have the environmental strip on the edge of the Esbie Estate defined. It was also asked if the Esbies Estate fell within the floodplain?
Post Meeting Note. The Environment Agency’s INDICATIVE map dated 15th August 2000 shows it well within the floodplain.
The HCC “Observatory”. The Sec has contacted Jean Holmes at Bp’s Library and she has passed to a contact at Hertfordshire University.
The Area Forum. Date of the next meeting is the 27th February at the Memorial Hall, which will include the new Community Strategy.
Community Strategy (ComS). Although we will have a Sawbridgeworth ComS this will include Sheering, Highwych, Much hadam and Spellbrook.
Grants. John R apologised for misdirecting our application for a £1000 to HCC for notice boards, however they have offered us £250 for an environmental study. The Sec has applied for a LEAF, Rotary and SQ Environmental Trust grants. David T advised that future LEAF grants will favour those application tied in with the Community Plan.
Footpath Working Party. The W/P recommended that 5 interlocking walks should be promoted with a coloured leaflet and 3 notice boards along the Stort. Members volunteered to ‘walk the walks’ and provide commentaries. These will be tested by independent members in the future.
Fair Green. The petition presented to the Highways Partnership to improve safety at the junction of Fair Green/Sheering Mill Lane/Vantorts Road was objected to by our local HC Councillor A Dodd including the addition of a footpath because it is a conservation area. The Chairman has asked it to be raised at the Local Transport Committee meeting and it was agreed it should form an item on the Community Strategy. Ted B has measured traffic speed through Fair Green between 7.8mph and 21.8mph. What are our politicians doing about the problem!! It was agreed we need to approach people e.g. Stan B, Elizabeth W and the Town Council to build a file of accidents in the past years.
AGENDA.
Area Forum. See in Matters Arising above.
Village Greens. Evidence of Sayesbury Manor being used as a village green over the last 25 years should be recorded on a form available from the Town Council. All other public open spaces should be listed in the Community Plan and their pedigree established.
Living Streets. Hazel M explained that this group produces a pack to audit the Towns streets and advises on how to improve them. Members agreed that Hazel should purchase a pack at £10.
CVS AGM. This is on 19th February at 7.30pm and space will be available to promote the SVP. Hazel M agreed to be our rep on the CVS.
Kekseys. Michael Brown telephoned prior to the meeting expressing his concern about this farm and whether we could approach the owner with an offer of help. Members talked about the rights of way through this property and past history. They felt the owner was somewhat of a recluse and would require a confidence building exercise over a period before help could be offered. Members felt this would have to start with one person and asked if Michael B would like to take the lead.
Limited water supplies. Mary Whitehead also phoned with an article faxed from last year’s national newspaper highlighting the lack of water in this area and the Governments response being we will have to use better management of water. As we have fully loaded our water supply already (water restrictions every Summer) where is the water coming from for major housing development and an expanded airport.
Member would like the article presented to the local paper and a fight Stansted campaign.
AGM. Members were reminded that the next meeting will be our AGM and any members wishing to serve on the committee should inform the Sec on 01279 723347.
AOB.
Web Site.
o answer a previous question Tom P informed the meeting that we get 30 hits a day in comparison with Rivers Nursery who gets 40/50 hits a day.
Chris R said if we want status to land where we have an interest we need to record sightings of flora and fauna and to this end he supplied everybody with a very neat bound note pad and pencil holder. He also supplied a book to make a composite record. He gave an example of seeing 500 lapwings on the back road to High Wych.
Matting. Members asked about the unsympathetic matting placed at the entrance to Pishiobury car park.
EHDC Awards. David T asked that schools should be aware that the Environmental Awards should be applied for, as the level of scrutiny would be minimal.
DNM. The 6th March 03at 8.00pm in the Hailey Day Centre-Bell St Car Park.
* Items held in SVP file in Reference section of Sbw Library. SVPmin 060203