PARISH COUNCIL (From Maldon and Burnham Standard)

PARISH COUNCIL

1:35pm Friday 2nd May 2008 in Tiptree

The amenities committee met on Monday April 21.

Cemetery - The rector, Revd Martin Fletcher, attended the meeting. Having been granted permission to speak, he expressed the deep concern of the local churches at the apparent lack of progress being made in the matter of the provision of a cemetery.

Both the St Luke's and the United Reformed Church churchyards have few grave spaces left, he said, and a new cemetery will be needed very soon. Councillors said that they have been pressing Colchester BC for some time on this very issue but that there now appears to be a difficulty over Chapel Lane.

They find it difficult to understand why the problem of access over Chapel Lane, which leads past the URC to the land set aside in the developers' plans for a council cemetery, was not determined at the planning stage. It was noted that the right of access seems not to have been a problem in the past for local land owners and house owners in the lane. The council will write to Colchester BC to ask if they ill ascertain, from the deeds, the question of rights. They will also write to Essex CC highways department to express the hope that the department can find a means of surfacing the lane satisfactorily, as intimated in the recent letter received from Colchester BC.

Tiptree Heath - In her written report the Community Warden stated that children from St Luke's School are taking part in National Curriculum activities on The Heath and are showing great interest in The Heath's wildlife and history. Plans are being made to ease the problems of car parking on the day of the Heath Fair, Sunday June 22.

Grove Road playing field - Councillors, frustrated at the delay to the handing over of the extension to the playing field by the developers, will write to Colchester BC to ask the reason for this long delay. Councillors noted that the landscaping scheme for the extension was drawn up two or three years ago and that delays mean that each year a further wildlife survey is considered to be necessary. Why the delay? councillors wonder.

They will write to Colchester BC to ask when surveys are to be undertaken and will ask for enforcement to be placed on the project.

Trees - Councillors were alarmed at the report of the Essex CC tree officer who recently carried out the required regular inspection of the trees on the parish council's land: Grove Lake, Windmill Green, and Park Lane field. The report indicates that there is a great deal of work which needs to be done on trees in those areas - with consequent high costs involved. Tenders for the work will be sent out, and in the meantime a forestry officer will be asked to give his opinion on the condition of the trees in question. Councillors will also seek advice relating to the replacement of any trees which will need to be felled. An offer of trees has been received from Essex CC but, before accepting, the council will ascertain the size of those trees which are on offer.

Tiptree in Bloom - It was agreed that the scheme, as it operated in the past, is most unlikely to go ahead. However, Councillor Ron Ratcliffe offered to ask shop owners if they would consider purchasing a hanging basket, at a cost of about £20, and then keeping it watered. The committee chairman, Councillor Diana Webb, offered to replant the planters in The Centre as appropriate, and the Garden Club will be asked if some of its members would like to be responsible for the planting and maintenance of the planters thereafter.

Banner - Councillors gave their permission for Tiptree Priory Heath WI to display a banner on the railings along Church Road, adjacent to Grove Lake, for the week preceding their table top sale on May 10.

Funfair - Councillors agreed to the request of the Village Hall Fund for Preslands Funfair to operate on Grove Road playing field on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday June 19, 20, 21. The fair will arrive on the previous Monday and leave on Sunday.

FOOTPATH WALK

The parish council's monthly footpath walk will take place on Sunday May 4 leaving from the Centre, Church Road at 2.15pm.

Those joining the walk will be led along New Road, Elwin Road, Grove Road, Ransomes Grove, The Rampart, Pods Wood, Coneyfield Wood, and Parsonage Farm to Stubbers, returning by way of Oak Road, Willow Walk, Walnut Tree Way, Barbrook Lane, and Green Lane - a distance of about six miles. Footpaths and tracks will be followed wherever possible which makes it essential that suitable clothing, especially footwear, is worn. Anyone interested in the walk will be welcome and may join or leave the walk en route.

TEA DANCE

Tiptree Co-op Community Group will be holding a tea dance in St Luke's extension on Wednesday May 14 from 1.45 - 3.45pm.

Admission is £2.50 per person, including refreshments. For further information please contact 817203 or 815907.

ROGATION WALK

On Rogation Sunday April 27, after Parish Communion, a group of parishioners walked part of the parish boundary with a stop for lunch at Tolleshunt Knights Village Hall.

At various locations the rector, Revd Martin Fletcher, offered prayers for the crops, for residents and their homes, and for the businesses in the area.