Parish Council Meeting

Present

Those present were Chairman, Cllr Aves, V/Chairman Cllr Lambert, Cllrs Summers, Robinson and Pearson; also C/Cllr Fitch and D/Cllr Cane.

Apologies

Apologies received from Cllrs Harrison and Moseley.

Finance

Finance for the county has gone up by £15m. Cllr Fitch said it was annoying that the cost of living allowance had not been adjusted, he thought the county was 'struggling'. Performance-related pay for teachers won't be as much as was hoped. The county precept is to go up by 7.5 - 8%.

General

The Council chamber now has new loud-speakers and an electronic voting system for councillors to vote for/against/abstain.

The library in Cambridge city centre is to open from 9 to 7 (Monday to Friday) and 9 to 5.30 on Saturday (Sunday opening would cost an extra £30,000).

Education

Cllr Fitch said he thought the county should receive more money for schools s achievement was comparatively high nationally. Burwell Village College is suffering from 'cash starvation'. The Warden from Bottisham Village college is to attend a jamboree in London to celebrate their exceptional results in last year GCSEs.

Social Services

Complaints had dropped by 44% with the loss of Peterborough; there were signs of improvement in the department, progress was being made.

Police

5,000 more police were planned over the next five years. Cllr Fitch wondered how this would be achieved - possibly through an increased precept. The 'detective' side had been sectorised and crime was mostly down locally.

Highways

The Newmarket Road Park and Road had been awarded a medal by the Landscaping Association.

The cycleway programme was advancing and £200,000 was to be spent on the Quy to Bottisham (via Bell Road) path. The Fen Edge scheme would be next.

Fire

The Fire Authority want to buy the land at present occupied by the Burwell Fire Station, at nil cost, from John Smiths.

Questions to Cllr Fitch

Cllr Robinson asked Cllr Fitch if he was aware that farmers were being asked for protection money (or they will be robbed); he also asked about the cost of policemen retiring early.

District Council

The draft electoral register has been published. The rate support grant has gone up by 7.5% - a major review is taking place. Cllr Cane said the grant was generous as the District is sparsely populated, in three years time there may be possible major cuts. The Council Tax would be increasing by 7.5% to plan for the increase.

The Crime and Disorder Partnership is looking behind the crime figures. ECDC has relatively low crime figures; youth and domestic crime are prominent target areas.

Swaffham Prior Primary School

HM Inspectors have done their first statutory examination of the school after the OFSTED inspection. Their report back was very positive on progress made. However the costs of the Special Measures remained a source of controversy between the school and the County education department with deadlock on discussions over whether the school would receive additional funding. The Caretaker of the school, Mrs Day, is to retire at the end of term after 29 years of service. It was agreed to donate £10 towards a leaving fund which was to be put towards renovating the school clock and renaming it after her.

Swaffham Prior PCC

The charity is to distribute £3000 to pensioners and single-parent families (between 25-30) and £200 for a Christmas lunch. One parishioner is to be given £200 for a trip to Nepal.

The building of the houses at the top of Cage Hill is progressing. £500 is to be given to the Baptist Chapel towards an overhaul.

Millennium committee

The Reach amenity fund had agreed to donate money for the village New Year's Eve party in the village hall. The book was progressing well and mugs for the children would be sent soon. Quotes for the Churchyard seat had been sent to ECDC for approval

Matters arising

A discussion took place about the sign for long vehicles at the bottom of Fair Green and the street light on the Old Post Office wall.

Correspondence

A letter from Janet Hall of Great Lane asked the PC for suggestions for parking when she opens her garden to the public for the Red Cross next summer.

The transfer document for the purchase of the Old Burial Ground had been sent from the District Solicitor. This was signed by Cllrs Aves and Lambert and witnessed

Paul Davis, the Community Officer, from the Histon Sector of Cambridgeshire Constabulary had written telling the PC of the restructuring at Histon. He requested the minutes of future meetings.

Bottisham Village College had written asking from donations from Parish Councils in its catchment area to help with the re-building of the swimming pool damaged earlier in the year by fire. PC declined to contribute.

The draft register of electors has been published. Amendments were requested to be returned to the Electoral Services at ECDC by December 13th.

Reach Matters

It was reported that the bark surface on the new playing field play area has become impacted.

The Precept for the coming year has been calculated as being £3457. Cllr Lambert proposed that this should be agreed and it was seconded by Cllr Summers; all councillors agreed.

Wicksteed leisure have inspected the swings on Fair Green and submitted their report.

Those present were Chairman, Cllr Aves, Cllrs Summers, Robinson and Pearson; also C/Cllr Fitch.

Apologies received from Cllrs Harrison, Lambert and Moseley, also D/Cllr Cane.

Reports

Council tax is to increase next year. Cllr Fitch explained that this will be below average for similar counties. Cambridgeshire is suffering from not having a cost of living adjustment.

Education

This is a top priority at County, £201.2m is being put into schools which is £2.3m above the inflation rate. Cllr Fitch showed the PC a report of all the schools in the county. Cllr Fitch said that County are paying great attention to Swaffham Prior Primary school. Cllr Pearson thanked Cllr Fitch for helping the school over a difficult period and spoke about the increasing responsibility faced by parent/governors. Social Services

Although 14 old people's homes are up for sale only one has been sold.
Fire

The fire authority have asked John Smith to donate the land next to the fire station to be used as a car parking area for fireman. Cllr Fitch said the entrance to the fire station is in bad condition which is giving cause for concern.

Highways

The Fordham by-pass will be built in 2001-2 at a cost of £12m. Cllr Fitch showed the PC a letter he had sent to David Brace, the team leader of traffic management, about the minor highways improvement schemes for 2000/1 which is jointly funded by District and County. PC agreed to support Cllr Fitch's request for the Fen Edge Way cycle/footpath to be completed, particularly a possibly by-passing of the dangerous railway bridge between Lower End, Swaffham Prior and Reach. Clerk asked Cllr Fitch to follow up a letter she had written to David Brace, Team Leader Traffic Management, about the signage for long vehicles approaching the bottom of Fair Green. In answer to a question Cllr Fitch said gritting is only done in Reach if ice conditions are continuous.

In Cllr Cane's absence Cllr Fitch reported that Council Tax from the District would go up by 5.5%. Clerk reported that the enhancement scheme to replace the street lights on Fair Green would be started at the end of August with the plan remaining unchanged.

Cllr Aves reported a successful party in the village hall on New Year's Eve. It was agreed that it should be an annual event. Commemorative mugs are to be distributed to children in the village.

Parking on Fair Green

Two letters had been written to the village magazine about notes being placed on parked cars on Fair Green. It was decided to put a notice in the magazine to the effect that it is permissible to park on this public highway.

The Hythe

It was decided to send letters to residents of The Hythe advising that it is not permissible to park at the side of the road. This causes an obstruction thereby forcing lorries visiting the sewerage works to mount the kerb and destroy the grass verge.

Penny Lang