Highlights from the meeting of the Much Hadham Parish Council on Tuesday 7th March 2006.

Fencing erected along the side of the road running from the High Street to Winding Hill and adjacent to the Lordship had been the subject of objection as it appears it was erected without the necessary planning permission being granted. The PC had investigated and following prolonged enquiries by the PC, the Planning Authority has confirmed that retrospective planning permission has been granted for the fence at the Lordship, which boarders the B1104.

BAA may be subject to a take over from a consortium organized by a Spanish company. How this will end we know not. However it is felt that the greatest asset in the BAA. empire must be Heathrow and on the current figures Stansted is the least successful of their UK airports. This may all work to the advantage of those who are opposing a second runway and growth at Stansted. Our Chairman, Martin Dillon, has made himself the village expert of the subject of Stansted Airport and he is ready, willing and able to discuss the matter with you.

Residents at Windmill Way have received notification from the Hertfordshire Highways of plans to upgrade the lighting there and install approx 15 new lights for reasons of road safety and to comply with current requirements. Some residents are not happy with the proposals and the PC was not consulted about this. We will be contacting Highways to say that we should have been consulted. Since the meeting leaflets have been distributed to all the residents in Windmill Way giving them the name of the engineer at Hertfordshire Highways whom they may contact if they wish to complain or comment.

We had received a request to consider the state of a footpath over the Green at Green Tye. The PC owns this land, although the path only serves three houses .The PC agreed to leave the maintenance of the path to those owners who have the benefit of it.

As you may be aware there does not appear to be the possibility of any grant funding to repair the War Memorial. This is a listed monument and we firstly need to apply for permission to repair or renew it and this is now being done.

Another bin for dog waste is to be purchased and sited and signs asking for owners not to allow their dogs to foul public areas will be erected.

Prices have now been obtained for essential repair work to the area surrounding the swings and roundabout. We hope to have the work completed before too long.

The good news is that the Environment Agency and Thames water have confirmed to the recent Inquiry in Public that there is not sufficient water or sewage facilities to serve any large scale development in or near Harlow. It will take them several years to receive the necessary funding so that plans and proposals could be made to supply these facilities. However it looks as though there will be no go ahead to development in this area for some time. We await the report of the Inspector following the recent Inquiry in Public.

Skateboarding and BMX riding are to become Olympic sports. The Youth Club, through Wendy Dockley, has produced an artist’s impression of how any such a facility at the sports field may look. The project has the support of the Local Authority, the Police and the PC. The Youth Club are now asking the Sports Association to review its decision not to proceed with the scheme. The PC agreed that it is for the Sports Association to decide whether or not to allow the facility on the sports field.