MELBOURN PARISH COUNCIL
UNAPPROVED MINUTES
Minutes of a Parish Council Meeting held on Monday, 23rd August 2010 at All Saints’ Community Hall at 7.15pm.
Present: Cllrs. D. Mowatt (Chairman), V. Barrett, A. Brett, R. Gatward, J. Hales,
A. Mulcock, M. Sherwen, M. Townsend and R. Wakerley.
In attendance: The Clerk, C. Cllr van de Ven and one member of the public.
257/10 Apologies for absence: Cllrs. Bloomfield, Hardingham, Linnette and Simmonett
258/10 Declarations of Interest: None
259/10 Minutes of the meeting held on 26th July 2010:
It was proposed by Cllr. Gatward and seconded by Cllr. Sherwen that the minutes of 26th July be signed as a true record.
260/10 Matters arising:
Item 212/10 (Village Car Park) (Planning) Cllr. Gatward enquired if C. Cllr. van de Ven had any information on this matter. There had been a reply from David Fletcher who said that the Head Teacher knew about the change but it seems that the Board of Governors had not been informed. The closure of the main school entrance was not a permanent measure but was only construction related and the entrance would be opened again when building had finished work was completed.
Item 190/10 Cllr Sherwen asked if there had been any response from any of the Authorities with regard to the condition of the path. Cllr Mowatt said that due to the actions of Cllr. Hales and The Clerk who had considered this path to not be as dangerous as first thought, the path had not been closed.
He asked the Clerk to e-mail the authority responsible for this path and to tell them that for safety reasons the Council will carry out the repair at their cost due to their failure to communicate with the Council over this matter. Copy of this to be sent to CCC.
It was proposed by Cllr. Brett THAT PAS BE ASKED TO CARRY OUT A REPAIR TO THE PATH AS SOONAS POSSIBLE. Seconded by Cllr. Barrett and CARRIED.
Item 190/10 Cllr. Barrett, as requested, had talked to Chishill Parish Council who had been advised not to adopt the Telephone Box. So repairs are now back with BT.
Cllr. Mowatt asked the Clerk to get the Handymen to look at the repair carried out on the windows of the telephone box as sealant was missing in places.
261/10 Clerk’s Replacement:
This matter is to be made an agenda item at the Finance and General Purpose meeting on Tuesday, 31st of August.
262/10 To receive the Minutes of the Planning Committee meetings held on 2nd and 16th August 2010:
2nd: Cllr. Gatward reported that the barns at White House Farm now look more finished.
16th: There were no comments.
263/10 Heydon Grange Wind Farm:
There was nothing new to report at the present time.
264/10 Report from C. Cllr. Susan van de Ven:
Football on the Recreation Ground. There were a number of sixth formers playing on a regular basis who had contacted C. Cllr. van de Ven with regard to the removal of the goal posts. They would like the posts to remain so that they could play through the months of June and July. C. Cllr van de Ven would like this matter taken into consideration next year. It was suggested that the youth could use the Old Recreation Ground if the posts needed to be removed for purposes of the maintenance of the pitch.
There is a Libraries Service Review questionnaire which C. Cllr van de Ven will forward to the Clerk. It was requested by Cllr. Mowatt that this be filled in by one of the new Council representatives on the Library Committee.
C. Cllr. van de Ven spoke about the letter received by the Council from CCC on Winter Service – Gritting Arrangements. She drew the Council’s attention to the document and said that a response was needed by 10th September.
A practical approach had been taken in Heydon as a farmer, with the permission of CCC, had helped grit the roads.
The Practical Solutions Group and not met recently but will meet on September the 14th.
265/10 Possible locations for a new site for the Parish Office:
Cllr. Mowatt read out the letter received from Mr Rawlings, Secretary to All Saints’ Community Hall.
The Clerk is to write to thank Mr Rawlings for his letter and express the view that the Council fully understands the position with regards to the temporary use of the meeting room.
Cllr. Hales will present a report on his findings with regard to a proposed new site for the parish office at the meeting in September.
266/10 Audited Annual Return for the year 31st March 2010:
It was proposed by Cllr. Barrett THAT THE ANNUAL RETURN BE ACCEPTED. Seconded by Cllr. Brett and CARRIED.
267/10 Suspension of Councillor:
The Clerk reported that as not apology had been received from Cllr. Stead that he was now suspended from office for a term of three months. This term commenced on the 21st August 2010.
268/10 Financial Report as at 31st July: Noted
269/10 Cheques to be signed:
Click attached file to see cheque list
The Clerk recommended the transfer of £ 15,500 from the Business No Notice Account to the Current Account.
The Clerk recommended the transfer of £100 from the Business No Notice Account to the Martin’s Charity Account.
It was proposed by Cllr. Townsend that the cheques be approved and signed, seconded by Cllr. Wakerley and Carried.
270/10 Correspondence:
(a) CCC – Winter gritting arrangements.
The Council is to take careful note and make comments of anything to add.
(b) Letter from JS Camilletti – Unacceptable speeds on section of Cambridge Road.
The Clerk is to write to Mrs Camilletti informing her that this matter is to be made an agenda item at the meeting of the Highways and Rural Footpaths Committee on 13th September. She is also to add that the Council have noted her comment and acknowledges in principle the problem and will lobby CCC over the matter.
The Clerk is to send a copy of Mrs. Camilletti’s letter to C. Cllr van de Ven.
Cllr. Hales had contacted Sergeant Capes to see if speed checks could be done. These can be carried out within the village. However, outside the village high speed checks need to be carried out by a different division.
C. Cllr van de Ven reported that a 50 mile per hour speed limit is being considered for the junction at Frog End.
(c) Cambridgeshire ACRE – AGM. Noted
(d) Melbourn Playschool – Move to Melbourn Primary School. Noted.
(e) Letter from Mr Parkinson – Thanking the Council for the refurbishment of the War Memorial. Noted.
(f) Letter from Melbourn Bowls Club – Help required with removal of cuttings from site plus approval sought for the removal of a small tree from the Play Area.
Cllr. Gatward will meet with club members to discuss these issues.
(g) Letter from All Saints’ Community Hall Secretary, M Rawlings – Temporary use of All Saints’ Community Hall
(h) E-mail from Linda Brown, Community Liaison Support Assistant, SCDC – invited to nominate two people to attend the next liaison meeting.
Cllrs. Townsend and Barrett will attend this meeting.
(i) Letter from Mr Larcombe – Purchase of Recreation Ground. Noted
(j) Letter from Mr Neil Wilson – Thanking Mr Stanford and the Council for the donation. Noted.
(k) E-mail from Kirstin Bicknell – with attached report for the art project to date. Noted.
(l) No further correspondence was received.
271/10 Letting of football pitch on a Sunday to a newly formed club:
In principle the Council were happy to let the pitch on a Sunday to a newly formed club but required more information on the matter.
This is to be made an agenda item at the meeting of Play Areas, Recreation and Youth on 13th September along with the matter of the square shaped goal post.
272/10 Little Hands Nursery:
Cllr. Wakerley reported that the survey on the windows was now complete but as yet no estimate was available.
The Clerk is to request a copy of the lease from Hewitson, Becke and Shaw.
273/10 Cemetery and Churchyard Inspection Record:
This had been carried out by Cllr. Hales. He had found no problem with New Road Cemetery or All Saints’ Churchyard but felt that Orchard Road Cemetery was not as good and needed a business plan drawn up so that the work could be tackled in a more structured way. The Clerk is to make this an agenda item for the next meeting of the Cemetery committee.
274/10 New Road Cemetery:
Cllr. Sherwen had requested three sealed quotations to be delivered to the Parish Office for the levelling of the entrance to the cemetery. So far none of these quotes have been received.
275/10 Further Developments to Village Car Park:
Cllr. Brett reported that the lease had now been formally exchanged.
There is to be a meeting between the Huck Partnership (car park designer) and Cllr. Brett. Any councillor interested was welcome to attend this meeting which will be held in the daytime at a date to yet be finalised. Councillors are asked to contact Cllr. Brett if they wish to attend this meeting.
Cllr. Mowatt said that a well thought out car park design should be matched with the regeneration of the centre of the village.
The Clerk was to ask one of the handymen to rake over the beds by the car park, which are then to be sprayed to control the weeds.
Cllr. Mowatt thought that the owner of the kebab van needed to bag up more of his rubbish. These bags could be left on one side and collected by the Litterpicker next day.
276/10 Update on BMX Trails:
Cllr. Barrett had chased up the Planning Officer and Conservation Officer. The Conservation Officer had signed off the things that needed to be done. The Planning Officer was waiting for the Environmental Health Officer to get back to him.
The Clerk is to request the Ranger to chain and padlock both gates securely together.
Cllr. Mowatt felt there was a need to get the club formed as soon as possible and until all aspects have been signed off, regular checks must be carried out and an inspection log maintained, as written evidence that the site is not being used.
277/10 Practical Solutions Group:
Next meeting is to be held on 14th September.
278/10 Anti-social behaviour of Motor Vehicles down The Moor:
The Police have taken ownership of this matter and at the moment all seemed quiet down The Moor.
279/10 Village Plan:
There is to be a meeting on Wednesday 25th August. At this meeting a representative from Cambridge ACRE is to come and talk.
Most questionnaires have been received back and these are now being analysed/collated.
280/10 Neighbourhood Panel:
The next meeting is to be held on in October. Cllr. Townsend asked if the Council had anything they wished her to bring up at this meeting.
There has been a noticeable increase in the number of PCSOs walking round the village.
281/10 Committees:
(a) Conservation: Cllr. Gatward reported on Stockbridge Meadow car park and said that John Cobb & Sons had agreed to put down the grass blocks, which will be laid at the end of the newly formed tarmac pathway. This work will be carried out at the end of August. When this is complete the disabled access gate, which is in Cllr. Gatward’s possession, will be fitted.
The management plans for the park need to be finalised and costed. There is to be a meeting at the Parish Office with Rob Mungovan at 4.00pm on 7th September. Cllr. Mowatt thought that some of the work in the park could be given over to the Friends of Stockbridge Meadows.
[As the time was approaching 10.00pm it was proposed by Cllr. Hales and seconded by Cllr. Brett that the meeting continue until 10.15pm]
(b) Cemetery: The two beds at the end of the rows need weeding and some trees have died and need replacing.
(c) Urgent reports from Committee Chairmen: Cllr. Wakerley asked if any councillor had noticed any flooding anywhere in the village due to the storms. There did not appear to have been much serious flooding observed
Cllr. Hales had reported the matter of a smiling face being painted in yellow on the road at the Water Lane end of Beechwood Avenue. He has contacted the Highways Department who having inspected this and had passed it on to a specialist term to treat.
Cllr. Sherwen reported that Orchard Road was still narrow due to overgrowing tress and hedge. At the present time Mike Cooper of CCC Highways Department is trying to trace the owner of this piece of land.
282/10 Future Meetings.
(a) 6th September – Planning
(b) 13th September – Highways & Rural Footpaths + Play Areas, Recreation and Youth
(c) 20th September – Planning
(d) 27th September – Full Parish Council Meeting.
283/10 Clerks Holiday: Noted and agreed to.
284/10 Urgent Matters: There were no urgent matters.
There being no other business the Chairman closed the meeting at 10.10pm