Notes on the meeting of Reach Parish Council meeting held on Wednesday 5th May 2004
Present
Chairman Cllr Robinson, Vice-Chairman Cllr Aves, Cllrs Harrison, Summers, Hill, Pearson, and Moseley; also C/Cllr Fitch.
Visit
Dave Robertson, District Manager of East Cambridgeshire section of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Fire and Rescue Service, came to talk about the Integrated Risk Management Plan. The Plan replaces national standards of fire cover that had been in place since 1947 and do not now adequately reflect the risk of fire and non-fire incidents in the UK.
Mr Robertson is one of six District Officers with a team of 10 based in Queen Adelaide; HQ of the six districts is at Huntingdon. Burwell is deemed to be a ‘C’ risk area, i.e. it needs its own fire appliance to attend fires etc.
The fire service is very keen to recruit more local retained fire fighters, said Mr Robertson. It has broadened its role in recent years and now works with the Highways authority and the NHS, and considers prevention vital, e.g. the educating of children about fire, assessing risks to businesses, and fire in the home (the highest risk area).
Reports
General
The council was settling down since the recent council taxes changes.
Police
The new police constable for the area was Tony Payne. There were only two PCs locally – they worked together when possible. Adam Gallop was in charge of the police in the Burwell area. Cllr Fitch said there had been a noticeable drop-off in local crime.
Several signs were to be put up locally warning about hare coursers.
Highways
• Traffic in Cambridgeshire had increased by over 30% in the last 10 years and the A14 by 40% since it was built. Generally traffic in the county was 70% over the national average.
• The road from Fen Ditton to the A11 was to be widened.
• Road calming in Bottisham and Burwell would include advisory and interactive signs to persuade drivers to slow down. £330k would be spent in Burwell.
Police Liaison Committee
There were still many ‘distraction’ burglaries locally, carried out by young people on the elderly.
Matters arising
• Councillors discussed measures to stop gypsies settling in Reach wood as several groups had apparently been seen locally.
Correspondence
• Planning permission had been approved for an extension to Orchard Cottage, Chapel Lane.
· Permission had been given for tree work to be carried out at Needholy, 22 Fair Green.
• Cllr Robinson had received a letter from the Cambridge’s Mayor’s Office thanking him for his welcome at Reach Fair. The Mayor and Councillors offered to support fund-raising events for the village centre. Councillors agreed to give this some thought.
Reach matters
• Planning application for an extension for Mr and Mrs Knight, Fair Green Cottages was supported.
• The parish council insurance was discussed and approved.
• Cllr Harrison said the Parish Council was 50-years-old.
• Cllr Pearson said the play area at the top of Fair Green was in need of some new bark and tidying up. New goal posts were also needed.
• Councillors discussed the safety of the Old Railway Bridge as the Cycling Projects Officer had declined to attend a PC meeting. Clerk to contact Highways to ask if the hedges close to the bridge could be trimmed to aid visibility.