The Parish Council met on Thursday 10th June. After a lengthy period of holding meetings via Teams it was a pleasant step towards normality to meet at the Village Hall. Various social distancing, sanitising and other safety arrangements were in place thanks to the risk assessment carried out by the Clerk. The Parish Councillors were joined at the meeting by our County Councillor, Lesley Wagland, and our Borough Councillors, Cliff Poppy and Chrissy Golderbloem.
The Parish Council reviewed the internal audit report and noted that the report had not identified any material issues or causes for concern. Some recommendations were made by the auditor on how some administrative processes could be improved and the Clerk laid out a table describing how those actions would be implemented.
Cllr Hugh Gorton laid out the plans for a significant upgrade in equipment that is planned for the play area. The Parish Council reviewed and approved the spend and are hopeful that the new equipment will be in situ before the summer is out.
There was also a discussion about the use of the Kelvedon Green recreational field which is one of the few recreational areas in the village that is available for use by all of its residents. There has previously been some confusion as to the ownership and use of this land with some residents being advised that it isn’t recreational land but privately owned. The Parish Council is happy to confirm that this area is available for everyone’s use.
There was also a discussion about replacing the planters that have been stolen from the village. Cllr Wagland advised that there may be financial assistance available that the Parish Council could apply to receive a grant from. It was decided that this was the best route to explore in the best interest of the village. Some ideas were also presented as to how the replacements could be less likely to be stolen, including filling the bottom of them with concrete.
The Council went on to discuss Eagle Field. We are all hopeful that once the disputes with the adjacent residents over boundaries and litter are resolved that we may be able to reach an agreement with the landowner which allows residents access to the land while the landowner develops other options. Unfortunately progress on the two issues has somewhat stalled and as those issues start to involve lawyers and protracted legal processes it may be some time before that is achieved. The Parish Council continues to have dialogue with the owner.
The Parish Council also considered a request from Kelvedon Hatch Football Club who are appealing for financial assistance in maintaining the football pitch and broader field area which residents also enjoy. A more detailed discussion will be held at the next Parish Council meeting when there is more clarity on the figures involved but the principle of the idea was widely supported and acknowledged as something that should be supported for the benefit of our community.
Several mails had been received from the residents of Crown Corner who have been the victim of vehicle crime recently. The mails requested support to combat the issue. The Parish Council are very sympathetic to the issues residents faced and challenged the Borough Councillors in attendance to explore potential ideas and had a lengthy discussion considering ideas of their own. The Parish Council is happy to continue a dialogue and address specific ideas and options with residents.