Parish Council Meeting

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

Cllr Fitch spoke about the proposed new town. The recommendation was that it be built at Oakington/Longstanton. There would now be a public enquiry. The proposal to build the town at Six Mile Bottom came at the bottom of the shortlist.

It was hoped that Cambridgeshire Direct would be operational by December 2002. County, District and Parish services would all be available online.

The new deputy Chief Fire Officer was to be Laurie Booth.

5% of the teaching posts in Cambridgeshire were now vacant although the work was being carried out by supply teachers. Cllr Fitch said we were ‘living dangerously’ as far as education was concerned.

Queen’s Court, Bottisham was now owned by Hereward Housing. Planning permission had been granted for the building of more accommodation.

A ‘babysitting’ service for children with special needs (Goodnight service) had been launched.

Cllr Fitch spoke welcomed the heritage lottery grant given for the Devil’s Dyke restoration project.

Priorities had been given to roads, including driver’s education, in particular speeding. It had been suggested that a share of speeding fines should be donated to installing speed cameras.

[Cllr Robinson asked about the citizen’s panel. In reply Cllr Fitch said that about 1200 people were on the panel. They were all committed to its cause. Long bi-annual questionnaires were filled in by the members.

Cllr Fitch wondered why there were lights in the middle of the new cyclepath on the A1303.

This was on the shortlist for next year and Cllr Fitch was very hopeful that the bid would be successful.

Cllr Fitch told the PC how CCTV cameras in 18 locations in Cambridge monitored the city 24 hours a day. Ely and Soham were to take on a similar scheme.

A lengthy discussion about provision of places in local schools took place. Concern was raised that when the new Bellway Homes estate at Burwell was built it would overload classes. Cllr Fitch said that he was aware of the situation; the Director of Education updated the forecast every year.

In Cllr Cane’s absence Cllr Fitch spoke of the Periodic Electoral Review. It was recommended that Cllr Cane’s ward remain as it is, but the south of the District was to be changed. Bottisham and Lode were not happy about this and had complained.

The government are consulting on ‘quality community councils’. This would be discussed at a special parish forum arranged for January.

The Children in Need disco had raised £450.

Full building specifications had been agreed on the village hall extension.

It had been agreed that two coaches would be used for Reach Fair 2002 to ferry people from the car parks to the centre of the village. Three drivers, rather than two as last year, would be used to maintain the service during the fair (to give each of them a break during the afternoon).

Cllr Robinson said that the committee had been able to pay each pensioner and deserving applicant £30 for Christmas. However, the declining interest on invested money meant that a donation for the Reach War Memorial refurbishment would be put on hold. Cllr Robinson suggested that the PC apply for a contribution to the railway bridge footpath.

Cllr Summers had attended a public meeting held at Tesco’s in Bar Hill. This, he considered, was ‘a waste of time’.

Cllr Cane had written explaining how District Council reserves had dwindled making it necessary to raise council tax for the coming year. Cllr Robinson demonstrated that council tax records were years out of date.

Donna Radley, the conservation officer from English Nature, had written offering to attend a PC meeting to discuss the Devil’s Dyke restoration project. It was agreed to ask her to come to the February meeting.

Clerk reported that she was applying for the Reach War Memorial to become a listed monument. John Selby, Conservation Officer at ECDC, thought this was unlikely as there were only seven in the whole of the District (including Ely).

The Principal Development Control Officer at ECDC had issued a report in response to a request by Central Government that the planning process be speeded up.

Councillors discussed a Local Government Order ‘The Parish Councils (Model Code of Conduct) Order 2001. This set out the general obligations and conduct expected of members of parish councils.

Councillors discussed the legality of fly posting, following a complaint about posters not being taken down after the event they were publicising.

Clerk asked to report overgrown byways to the Rights of Way Officer. Cllr Moseley reported that one footpath next to a field had been ploughed up.

The bus shelter at Ditchfields had been vandalised.

The bus shelter on Fair Green appeared to be being used as a car park during day. This was causing problems for the school bus, which could not stop here to offload passengers.

Grahame Miller asked about care of trees in Reach Wood. Clerk to contact The Woodland Trust to discuss.

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

The lights in the middle of the A1303 cyclepath were to be removed (see December’s minutes).

The proposed new town has been recommended as Longstanton/Oakington. This is good news, said Cllr Fitch, however, there will be a lot of work to be done regarding the infrastructure, in particular the improvement of the A14.

There is still some uncertainty regarding the footpath around the old railway bridge. Cllr Fitch said that Transportation at CCC were not too keen but the Rural Group were. He had been to the site; the scheme had yet to be costed.

Bottisham Village College, already a Beacon school, had been chosen as a school to advise others on good practice. Burwell Village College had also been chosen.

Although the Local Government Commission had recommended that Cllr Cane’s Ward (Swaffham Bulbeck, Swaffham Prior and Reach) stay as it is the District Council have indicated that they would prefer the Ward to combine with Bottisham and Lode. This would mean three councillors representing the new Ward. Councillors discussed this and agreed that although they would prefer maintaining the status quo, the proposed re-structuring would be acceptable. Clerk to write to the Commission.

The National Crime Audit had shown that crime in East Cambs is below the national average, apart from thefts of, and from, vehicles. However, the fear of crime is just as high in this area. Cllr Cane reported that she had persuaded the Crime Safety Committee to allow members of the public to attend meetings (although not to take part).

Cllr Cane reported that, despite much representation from the public that it wished to retain the status quo, East Cambs PCG was to merge with Fenland PCG. She said that she was unhappy that there had not been a completely new board – rather than just two members from East Cambs joining the present Fenland board. In answer to questions from councillors Cllr Cane said the restructuring should not make any difference to local healthcare.

A discussion took place about the concerns felt over councillors having to sign forms declaring interests etc.

Cllr Robinson said that the Christmas distribution of monies had gone well.

Clerk had written requesting that the War Memorial be made a listed ‘building’.

The Rights of Way Officer had been to the village to see problem footpaths. Arrangements had been made to trim the hedges of Byway no 5.

A breakdown of figures for ECDC’s budget 2002/2003 had been received.

The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Structure Plan Review had been re-timetabled to go on deposit between March 11^th and 22^nd April.

ECDC had written to publicise the ‘Supplementary Planning Guidance: Ely Environment Capacity Study’.

Road salting was discussed, as unsalted roads had become only too apparent in the recent cold spell. It was agreed to purchase two further salt bins for next winter.

The Queen’s Golden Jubilee was discussed and it was decided to celebrate this on the Bank Holiday Monday. Initial plans were for a party for the children on Fair Green and a Barn Dance in the evening.

Penny Lang