Minutes of the Parish Council meeting 11th February
HASLINGFIELD PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of meeting held on Monday February 11th 2013
Present –, Bob Branch, Julie Coxall, Lucian Hatfield, Christine Kipping, John Offord, Rebecca Ridley, Wendy Timbs , Ron van der Hoorn, John Wheelhouse
Sebastian Kindersley and Robin Page were in attendance
There was one member of the public present
Michael Coles gave a presentation on the history and organisation of the Warden Scheme
Julie Ayre updated the council on the progress of the pedestrian cycle route from Haslingfield to Grantchester. There is £97K in the Section 106 fund for Trumpington Meadows. HPC will need to bid for some of this to be spent on the cycle route when the 100th dwelling is occupied at Trumpington Meadows. JA has a meeting with King’s College on 12.2.13 to discuss the route crossing their land. The title of the path will change from footpath to Bridleway. There will be no cost to Haslingfield Parish Council at any time, initial costs will be picked up by CCC. The surface of the path will be atting which the grass can grow through. JA felt that representatives from CCC should come along to a meeting of HPC. A meeting is to be set up with TFC
1 Apologies for absence –none. The Chairman announced that Roger Scott had resigned from the Parish Council
2 Members Declaration of Interest – JW Tree work application and RR planning application for 2 Church Way
3 Open Forum – No comments
4 Minutes of meeting held on January 14th were agreed and signed with one alteration – Prue van der Hoorn had offered to paint the village sign and not the finger post near the village hall
5 Matters to be reported from these minutes –
Local Plan I and O Consultation 2 response – some amendments were proposed and agreed, letter to be sent by 18th February 2013
Trumpington Meadows Community Governance Review application to SCDC – the draft letter was agreed by the council with some amendments
Budget 2013/14, revised budget agreed
Motor cycle in the river near the bridge has been reported to the police
Water running from Back Lane is due to excess water running down from the fields
No action taken about broken gate between the two Wellhouse meadows
Signage in Broad Lane has been changed by CCC before it was agreed by HPC and the dead end signs have not been erected. RR to follow this up to achieve Council’s preferred options
6 Confirmation of decisions made since last meeting – none
7 Additional Matters for discussion .
The history of the names on the war memorial has now been scanned and is to be put on the web site. Thanks to RvdH for all his hard work.
TB to investigate insurance on Financial investments for Parish Councils
Snow clearance of paths was discussed. It was felt more volunteers were needed and to be supplied with snow shovels etc – agenda item for September 2013.
8 County Councillors Report – Black Bin rubbish is currently being landfilled due to the breakdown of the Mechanical Biological Treatment facility at Waterbeach. The landfill tax is being paid by AmeyCespa the manufacturers of the equipment, therefore CCC is protected from any additional costs. CCC needs to find savings of £32M this year, which includes a like for like drop of £10.3M Government funding. The council tax will be rising by 1.99%. and making 100 staff redundant. The Government has allowed the Fire Service in Cambridge an increase of up to £5 a year, this makes it increasingly unlikely that Gamlingay Fire Station will have to close. Over 24,000 homes and businesses supported the Connecting Cambridgeshire campaign during 2012, making it the biggest in the country. The supplier is in the process of being appointed. Buses – we do now have a commitment from CCC that services will not disappear until there is an alternative plan in place. The police are making drug dealing and drug taking a People’s Priority following the recent Police Panel meeting. The police cannot act on second hand information, so every incident must be reported to the police by dialling 101. There are a lot of metal thefts happening around at the moment. SCDC have decided to freeze the funding for Citizen’s Advice Bureaux for the next 2 years and then tapered down by £15K per annum over the following two years. Art funding for SCAMBS is being cut completely. Haslingfield School will get £6,300 extra funding this year from the Pupil Premium. CEMEX have withdrawn from holding a consultation exercise in the village.
9 District Councillors Report – RP commented he was sorry to report that the weekly phone calls to residents living in Sheltered Housing have now stopped. He felt this was an important line of communication. He is trying to get SCDC to take more interest in the care of the elderly, and is pushing to get more action. He admires the Warden Scheme being run in Haslingfield and feels this should be run by SCDC. Workshops are being held at SCDC rather than debates about support and facilities ie green spaces, green belt, provision of doctors etc.
10 Committee and Working party Reports
A – Environment – a map of the drains on the recreation ground showed drains along the Porkers Lane side meaning that trees cannot be planted there. Funding for landmark trees has been withdrawn. RR to pursue the offer of a tree from Jeremy Cole. An application is also to be made via Andrew Grimmer (SCDC Tree Officer) for a tree from the Jubilee Tree Scheme.
Neighbours of the Wellhouse Meadow have objected to hedging being planted alongside their boundary. It is now planned to plant hedging alongside the moat and around the far corner.
Fly tipping is evident behind one house in New Road
B – Pavilion – 6 new small tables and one large one have been ordered. Several complaints have been received about the level of heating in the hall since the new boiler was installed. Advice will be taken on this. The refurbishment of the toilets and shower rooms is being investigated by Jw and JO. The Chairman of the Pavilion Committee Paul Brammer is to resign at the end of March, and Christine Tod, Treasurer/Secretary is to retire at the same time. Christine is happy to continue taking bookings for the Pavilion. LH offered to read the solar panel meter on a quarterly basis
C- Highways Safety measures –RS is doing an excellent job in taking this forward and has set up meetings with neighbouring parishes to discuss speed limits etc on adjoining roads. Contact has been made with the local PCSO, Paul Lancaster about conducting a local traffic survey. CCC have been informed of the long list of speed reduction and traffic calming options, and cost estimates have been requested.
D – Allotments – a request to erect sheds on the allotments was discussed and deferred until the next meeting. There is currently no waiting list. Closing balance at 31.12.12 was £1263.72
The following amendments to the constitution were discussed and agreed
1 That the AGM should be held during the first week in December
2 The number of officers be increased to four to accommodate the secretaries job being split
There is considerable increase in the rabbit population
E – Trumpington Meadows – report from In-Site Arts Committee – gold bricks are still being produced and hopefully Barretts will install a notice board to explain the story behind them. A book has also been prepared, and copies will be given to each household with a brick. There will be another social event in the spring with a walk stopping at various art installations along the way , followed by a picnic. Neville Gabby from Addenbrookes and Southern Fringe development is to organise some walks around both sites. Michael Cole to be asked to help with those that reach Haslingfield land. The ‘Maze’ in the country park has been given planning permission. It has been agreed that there will be a work of art at Byron’s Pool.
F – Play Area – damaged slide has now been replaced, and other repairs carried out
G- Website – the web site is seen as belonging to the village and not the Parish Council. The idea of a ‘drop box’ for HPC was suggested this could have précis items displayed This was felt not to be an ideal solution. LH to go back for more discussions and revert to the next meeting
10 Correspondence – development of North West Cambridge approved by Governing Body of the University
Suggestions for Olga Murkin memorial deferred to March meeting
Voluntary litter picking, suggested employing someone to sweep gutters etc
Opening of footpath from the school playing field to The Hemlocks
No information on this
Letter from Elizabeth Galpin outlining plans for shop at 21 High St
Parish Paths and Future Partnerships meeting – 7.3.13 at Over Community Centre
Fund Raising event 12 March 2013 12 – 4 pm at Gamingay
11 Planning – Tree Work Application 9691, 1 The Knapp – agreed
Alterations to 6 Church Way – agreed
Application for Pool House at 21 Church Street refused by SCDC
12 Finance –
Resolution to pay outstanding accounts proposed by JO seconded by WT
Date of next meeting Monday March 11th at 7.30 pm in the Pavilion.
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