UNAPPROVED MINUTES

A PDF download of the minutes, is available at the bottom of the page.
Minutes of a Parish Council Meeting held on Monday, 26th January, 2009 at Vicarage Close Community Centre at 7.15pm.
Present: Cllrs. D. Mowatt (Chairman), V. Barrett, C. Charter, J. Guest, I. Bloomfield, R. Gatward, D. Hardingham, A. Kulina, M. Linnette, J. Robson, M. Sherwen, C. Stead, M. Townsend and R. Wakerley.
In attendance: The Clerk, C. Cllr D. McCraith, Mrs Kirstin Bicknell (Arts Development Manager) and one member of the public
489/08 Apologies for absence: Cllr. C. Purbrook.
It was at this point in the meeting that Kirstin Bicknell Arts Development to the village college was invited to address the meeting. She told the meeting that it was the 50th Anniversary of the opening of the college and over the summer months the front windows, which were in disrepair, were to be replaced. Sarah McNickel was to create a kiln glass design to go across the new windows on a theme which would reflect life at the Village College. The college wanted to recognise the partnerships in the village and to this end there will be workshops held to work with the artist and participants will be able to create small glass tiles which they can then take away with them. When the designs for the windows have been chosen Kirstin will bring these to a meeting so that the Parish Council may view them.
490/08 Declarations of Interest: None
491/08 Minutes of the meeting held on 15th December 2008:
It was proposed by Cllr. Charter and seconded by Cllr. Wakerley that the minutes of 15th December 2008 be signed as a true record.
492/08 Matters arising:
Item 437/08 (BMX Trails) Cllrs. Barrett, Guest and Charter met with an Ecological Officer and a Planning Officer on site at the Conservation site. It was decide that there was no significant plant life to have concerns about. Planning permission would be needed for change of use. Unfortunately jumps have already been made and soil piled up exposing tree roots. A PCSO had spoken to the youths and it was understood that the youths thought they had permission to use this land. Cllr. Hardingham explained that two of the youths had taken it upon themselves to remove the jumps and put back the earth as it was.
The Chairman had put together some rules and regulations which will be considered at the next Parish Council meeting. The Clerk is to make this an agenda item.
Cllr Barrett is to look into the fact that the site may have a S106 agreement on it.
Cllr Charter reported that burial ground at Grinnel Hill is undermined by rabbit warrens. The Clerk is to write to English Heritage and explain what is happening and request that they come out and inspect the site.
493/08 Minutes of the Planning Committee:
22nd December: At this Meeting Cllr. Barrett had asked for help with the task of sourcing CCTV cameras. Cllr. Robson offered her help in this matter.
5th January: No comments.
19th January: No Comments.
494/08 Cutting of the grass verges in the village:
The Clerk is to contact three contractors requesting a quotation for the work. These are to be priced on individual cuts of approximately 6/7 per season and are to be priced for periods of 1, 2 and 3 years.
495/08 Reducing height of hedges in Orchard Road Cemetery:
It was proposed by Cllr. Charter that THE QUOTATION RECEIVED FROM JW MAINTENANCE FOR THE REDUCTION IN HEIGHT OF THE RIGHT HAND SIDE HEDGE AND THE BOTTOM SECTION OF HEDGE PRICED AT £390 AND £510 PLUS VAT WITH A PRICE REDUCTION IF BOTH HEDGES ARE TO BE REDUCED IN HEIGHT, BE ACCEPTED. Seconded by Cllr Gatward and CARRIED.
496/08 Updating Parish Office software:
Cllr. Kulina is to liaise with the Clerk over this matter.
[The Chairman Suspended Standing orders at 8.00pm to allow for public participation]
[The Chairman resumed Standing Orders at 8.25pm]
497/08 Financial Report as at 31st December 2008: Noted
498/08 Cheques to be signed:
NB Details of cheques can be found in the attached downloadable pdf version of the minutes
The Clerk recommended the transfer of £8,500 from the Business No Notice Account to the Current Account
It was proposed by Cllr. Charter that the cheques be approved and signed, seconded by Cllr. Barrett and carried.
499/08 Correspondence:
(a) Letter from Melbourn and Meldreth Self Help Group – requesting donation of £300 for the year 2009/10 with enclosed year end accounts.
It had been decided at the Finance and General Purpose Meeting to increase this donation to £400.
(b) Letter from Meldreth Parish Council – Installation of yellow lines on Station Road.
The Clerk is to write to Meldreth Parish Council accepting its very kind offer of money towards the installation of the yellow lines. She is also to contact Mr David Lines of CCC and request that these lines are put in place.
(c) Letter from the Mobile Warden Scheme – request for a donation accompanied by annual statement of accounts for the year 31st March 2007 to 31st March 2008.
The Clerk is to write and ask what the plans are for this money as the accounts as seen by the Council are healthy and to enquire what justification there is for this amount.
(d) E-mail from Jayne White – re Lunch Club Cook.
Cllr. Bloomfield will attend the farewell lunch for Mary.
Cllr. Townsend is to purchase a Community Award to be given to Mary.
It was proposed by Cllr. Gatward that A DONATION OF £25 BE MADE TOWARDS THE LEAVING COLLECTION FOR MARY. Seconded by Cllr Charter and CARRIED.
(e) Letter from Anglo Irish Bank – clarifying the position now the bank has been taken into public ownership by the Irish Government. Noted
(f) E-mail from Tracey Purslow – with regard to the remedial work done to the toddlers slide on The Moor play area.
Cllr. Robson will look into this matter. In the meantime the Clerk will not post off the cheque for this work till she hears from Cllr. Robson that it is satisfactory.
(g) No further correspondence was received.
[Cllr. McCraith left the meeting at this point, the time being 8.55pm]
500/08 Minutes of the Finance and General Purpose Committee and consideration of the Precept for 2009/2010:
Minutes of the Finance and General Purpose meeting.
The Conservation precept is to be raised from £10,000 to £11,000 to facilitate the repair/renovation of the wooden seats in village.
It was proposed by Cllr. Charter that THE PARISH COUNCIL PRECEPT FOR 2009/2010 BE SET AT £153,340. Seconded by Cllr. Sherwen and CARRIED.
501/08 Cemetery and Churchyard Inspection Record:
The inspection for this month had not been carried out as yet.
502/08 New Road Cemetery:
The Clerk has been asked to write to the residents of 12 Victoria Way in connection with vehicles being parked in front of the gate that leads to the cemetery.
Cllr. Gatward reported that due to inclement weather conditions little work has been carried out in the cemetery and that two seats are still waiting to be installed.
Cllr. Mowatt asked about the covers for the water reservoirs Cllr. Sherwen had received a quote for stainless steel covers which were priced at around £330 per cover. This is to be made an agenda item at the next cemetery meeting.
Cllr. Sherwen reported that Mr. Quinton Carroll suggested that some of the skeletons were of no archaeological value and could be returned to the Parish Council for reburial. Cllr. Mowatt would like all the skeletons back and would be happy to take whatever the Parish Council can have. The Council would look forward to having them all back in the fullness of time.
The Clerk is to write to Mr Quinton Carroll expressing the Councils wishes.
[Cllr Guest joined the meeting at this point the time being 9.12pm]
Cllr. Charter enquired if the design for the lychgate had got any further.
Cllr. Gatward has been advised by an Architect to look at a gate in Wicken, which was thought to be on the lines of what was required by the Council.
The soil store is to be made an agenda item for the next cemetery meeting.
503/08 Further Developments to Village Car Park:
Cllr. Sherwen reported on the meeting held with SCDC over the proposed leasing of the car park. There were two proposals that were put forward for the car park and were discussed. Cllr. Sherwen is to contact Jenny Clark for some financial figures before any decisions are made.
504/08 Parish Plan and village questionnaire:
Cllr. Mowatt is keen to have a Parish Plan which would allow the Council to see the future in a clearer perspective.
Cllr. Robson had spoken to a gentleman from Ashwell who had told her that Ashwell has a very good parish plan. A working party is to be formed consisting initially of Cllrs. Linnette, Mowatt, Robson and Sherwen. Cllr. Gatward would be willing to help at any time. The first meeting date of the working party is to be agreed by the above Councillors.
505/08 Neighbourhood Panel:
Cllr. Townsend and three other Councillors and four residents of the village had attended the last meeting. Residents from the surrounding villages had also attended. There are still behaviour problems in the area of the car park.
The new PCSO, Carly Freed, had explained that Speedwatch can be carried out in the village by residents if they so wished. They would be shown how to use the speed measure and three people at once are needed to carry out the operation of this. The findings are then passed on to the Police who would send out letters warning people that they had been recorded as speeding.
Cllr. Townsend will look into what the Speedwatch entails.
The next meeting of the Neighbourhood Panel is to be held on 21st April at 7.30pm at Melbourn Village College.
506/08 Committees:
(a) Urgent reports from Committee Chairmen: There were no urgent reports.
507/08 Future Meetings.
2nd February – Planning
9th February – Highways and Rural Footpaths + Conservation
16th February – Planning and/or Cemetery
23rd February – Parish Council
508/08 Urgent Matters.
Cllr. Gatward had been given a copy of a letter sent to the Head Teacher of Melbourn Primary School in connection with speeding in Mortlock Street and New Road. The Clerk is to put this letter on the agenda of the Highways and Rural Footpaths committee.
There being no other business the chairman closed the meeting at 9.55
Addendum to the Parish Council meeting held on 26th January 2009
A member of the public addressed the meeting and asked what the Council intended to do in connection with the cut in hours of the booking office at Meldreth Station. He would be willing to run a campaign and get people to sign a petition.
Cllr. McCraith said that First Capital Connect had already put in place car parking charges and were now considering closing the booking office at certain parts of the day and on a Saturday morning. He urged people to send e-mails to First Capital Connect telling them this was a disgraceful way to treat people. He called on the Parish Council to e-mail First Capital Connect with its concerns.
Cllrs. Barrett and Guest had both been in contact with Andrew Lansley over this matter.
The e-mail address for First Capital Connect to make your views known is customer.relations.fcc@firstgroup.com
Cllr. Stead thought that ticket office days were over and he that tickets would eventually be issued from machines on the train, which he felt would be a great shame.
The Clerk was asked to write to Andrew Lansley expressing the concerns of the Council particularly the view that the reduction of the hours of the booking office would have an effect on the elderly, safety and loss of advice on the best fare for the journey.
PDF – Council Minutes  26 January 2009