Agenda item

(a)           To note that there are no reports from Council representatives on the business of joint arrangements and external organisations; and

(b)           To request written reports from representatives on joint arrangements and external organisations for future meetings.

The Council received a written report from Councillors Smith and Johnson in relation to their roles as Grange Farm Managing Trustees.

Councillor Murray suggested that the facilities currently provided at Grange Farm in no way replaced what had been available to the public some 30 years ago.  He suggested that this Council had been responsible for the loss of public facilities.

Councillor Murray drew attention to the difficulty in accessing the Chigwell Nature Reserve from the west due to the gate on the pedestrian motorway bridge being locked.  He suggested that there was a need to regularise the arrangements for the opening of the gate and suggested that during the summer months it should be open from dawn to dusk.

Councillor Smith apologised about the restricted access and stated that she would pursue this matter although she understood that the opening of the gates was controlled by another party.

Councillor Wixley stated that he had visited the pavilion on 1 October 2011 and had not seen any evidence of an Interpretation Centre for Essex Wildlife Trust.  He asked if a lack of funds had prevented this from being pursued.

Councillor Smith advised that the Essex Wildlife Trust had moved into the pavilion and a wealth of information was now available.  The Trust were also engaging with local schools.  She suggested that on 1 October 2011 the project had been in its infancy and that matters had progressed considerably since that time.

Councillor Knapman referred to the grants awarded by the Grange Farm Trust amounting annually to approximately £120,000.  He questioned how many projects had received grants and what proportion of the Trust’s investment income was being devoted to grants each year.

Councillor Smith advised that grants were paid on the receipt of invoices for approved schemes.  She stated that there were a number of outstanding applications which had been approved but in respect of which invoices had not yet been received.  Accordingly, the grants in respect of those schemes had not yet been paid.  Councillor Smith also referred to money which had been spent by the Trust in recent years on the pavilion and on the provision of football pitches.

Councillor Wagland referred to the comments made by Councillor Murray about the facilities on the site and pointed out that there had been doubts about ownership of the land which had been resolved through the establishment of a Trust.  This had also ensured that any future development of the land could be controlled.

Councillor Knapman repeated his request for a report on the Trust’s investments income and the amounts given in grant.

Councillor Smith confirmed that she would submit a report to a future Council meeting.

Councillor Webster advised that she was also a Managing Trustee nominated by Essex County Council.  She advised that the Clerk to the Trustees could provide the information requested by Councillor Knapman and there was no reason why such information could not be provided on an annual basis.

Councillor Smith agreed with the comments made by Councillor Webster and again confirmed that she would report to a future meeting.