We are the first District in Cambridgeshire to find an outlet to enable us to collect and recycle yellow pages

We have encouraged dog chipping to reduce strays and put dog waste bins in Ely and Little Downham.

115 people attended Council run training courses on food handling safety; 49 attended courses on Health and Safety at work.

The Environmental Health Department responded to 4,000 requests for its services.

The Council conducted an Audit of all Council buildings to reduce the amount of water/electricity etc we use.

A great achievement was winning 9 `Loo of the Year Awards’.

We have successfully enforced action against the unneighbourly open storage of chicken litter at Pymoor.

2. A Pleasant & Safe Environment

The Council approved £1m for the repair of unfit houses and for the provision of facilities for the disabled, to enable people to stay longer in their own homes.

We have collected some 400 abandoned cars in the last 12 months.

The Cambridge Road/Witchford cycleway awaits final touches and the Swaffham Bulbeck - Lode path is underway.

Additional cycle racks have been placed at Ely station.

We have adopted a strategy for Ely to encourage people to move away from car usage to public transport.

The Jubilee Gardens in Ely were officially opened in February and will be open to the public to enjoy in June.

3. An Environment for Work

The successful Farmers’ market is now held in Ely on the second and fourth Saturday of each month – the next one is this Saturday 25^th May.

Specialist business incubation units, E-Space South (Ely) and E-Space North (Littleport) are now occupied by a wide range of businesses.

The Economic and Community Development Strategy has been completed and a range of initiatives includes the Sutton based Small & Medium-sized Enterprise’s Get Fit project .

£500,000 has been given to ECDC from DfEE and the lottery over three years initially to set up 15 computer learning centres across the district, in villages without libraries – Reach has a computer at The Dykes End, and there is one at the Hereward Housing Association, Downing Court, Swaffham Bulbeck.

During the year some £3,378,000 was attracted to the District to fund initiatives which we would otherwise have not been able to afford, including funding for the regeneration of Littleport, money for the Active Sports Programme and funds for a major healthy Living Project for East Cambs.

Village/Community appraisals at Sutton & and Swaffham Bulbeck had been completed by Christmas.

The Economic and Community Development Strategy has been completed, and projects include East Cambs on-line (ECOL) Training project.

A series of leaflets for young people has been produced on Council Services such as housing and leisure.

Ely has been chosen to host the national Action for Market Towns Conference later this year.

Several hundred young people have been involved in a series of sports coaching sessions and competitions organised by the District Council.

Sportsdec is an initiative to work together with the District Leisure Centres and is already paying dividends with improved business performance already evident.

Through our arts development service (AdeC), we have been able to invest in more and better events.

We implement conservation area enhancement schemes and grant-aid the renovation of historic buildings across the district.

We have successfully completed the joint District/English Heritage HERS scheme at Littleport, enhancing the central area.

Planning decisions involving section 106 agreements are generating

community facilities and infrastructure e.g. education, affordable housing, open space, transport, and town centre improvement schemes.

We have taken some Council meetings to other parts of the District and introduced a public question time.

We continue to publish the District newsletter `Connexions’ twice a year.

We upgraded the telephone system so members of the public find it easier to contact officers about council services whilst officers can work more productively.

We have secured a £200,000 capital grant award for IT, to be spent within the Council on new IT projects which directly contribute to the Government’s target of 100% e-enablement by 2005.

We implemented an independent panel’s recommendation of Members’ Allowances.

We have put the Council’s financial management on a firm footing by developing a more robust system for budgeting and monitoring spend which will be implemented through this year. And by setting a sustainable budget, although this did require us to increase the precept for a Band D property by 73p per week. Even with this increase we continue to charge less Council tax than 189 of our 238 fellow District Councils.

.All Best Value reviews for 2001/02 have been completed with results that reflect the dedicated work that our staff put into delivering Council services

(Written report submitted by Isabel Hill, Minor Authorities Governor)

This term school has 101 children on its role, with 18 children due to join reception in September.

Mrs Pinhey from class 2 has safely delivered a baby girl, called Emily Rose on 1^st May. Her classes are being covered by Mrs Harris a supply teacher.

Keystage 1 and 2 SATS are taking place this term for years 2 and 6.

Yet again the barrow of Booze was successful at Reach Fair raising £890 for the school.

The children are busy preparing displays around the school for their Golden Jubilee celebrations on 31^st May, parents, governors and friends are invited into the school on that day to talk to children about their childhood and join the school for a picnic in the afternoon. If anyone would like to come in and join the celebrations on that day please contact Brenda Wilson.

The school is planning to set up a school council for the next school year.

Plans are being drawn up to extend the staff room and school entrance area.

Cllr Lambert reported that meetings had been well attended. The quotations for the building work for the extensions have been opened this week, and some quotations were too high. The building would commence this summer. The cost looked likely to be near £50,000. We could draw on Village Hall Funds and Grants and the Lottery Fund to finance it. Reach Fair had gone very well due to the hard work of the Fair Committee. There had also been a Rounders competition, Reach Sports Day, Carols, Football, and Darts day. It was felt that the Village Picnic in Reach Wood could become an annual event.

Dave Summers had attended some of the Police Liaison meetings. These meetings, which had taken place around the country, have emphasised statistics rather than listening to the general public. There had been a change to all-day meetings at Tesco’s. Reach has had its share of crime, including a break-in at one of the houses, when it was felt that the police should have contacted the Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator. A lot of unlicensed cars were being driven around illegally.

Clllr Robinson felt that some of the pathways were in a very bad state, especially in front of the Village Hall. There is still a lot of flooding in Great Lane, which needs attention. The wall in front of the Village Hall is getting into a dangerous state. It was debated whether it should be removed, but this may cause danger to the playgroup children.

Nobody raised any matters.

Chairman Cllr Lambert, Vice/Chairman Cllr Robinson, Cllrs Summers, Harrison, Pearson, Aves, and Moseley; also C/Cllr Fitch, D/Cllr Cane

Boat dwellers on the Point

These people had been asked to move on, after a special meeting of the Parish Council had been held, following a complaint by the Environment Agency. Cllr Lambert had been deputed to talk to them, saying that we were worried about the number of boats, the detrimental effect they were having on village amenities, and the fact that they were not licensed. Some of the boats have now gone, but there are still two there, and these boat dwellers seemed to think that it would need a court order to remove them. It need not come to this, and it was suggested that the chairman should go back in a week or two to find out what their plans were for moving on, as they had been requested. The chairman had written to Anglian Water to explain the situation. It was suggested that we should put up notices preventing mooring along the banks of the river, for anything longer than 72 hours.

John Robinson had got the wood to make the benches and was about to cut it up. He has also got the wood for the bus shelter, and would see to its repair.

A letter from Mr and Mrs Lingley of the Hythe was read out. They said that they objected to Mr Groom’s decision to widen the road and allow lorries to pass nearer to their house. D/Cllr Cane said that she would have a word with some residents who still parked on the road and blocked the way for lorries. Various solutions were suggested, such as providing hard-standing on the left of the road, nearer to the sewage works, or putting yellow lines or deliberately narrowing the road further, to prevent parking opposite the Lingleys’ house.

There was also a letter from the Lingleys objecting to the planning application for Marshalls Airport to put in a new passenger Terminal. The Chairman said that there had been a big public meeting about it in Cambridge, and it had been taken off the agenda by South Cambridgeshire District Council. East Cambridgeshire had not been consulted about the matter.

Jenny Moseley

Chairman Cllr Lambert, Vice/Chairman Cllr Robinson, Cllrs Summers, Harrison, Pearson, Aves, and Moseley; also C/Cllr Fitch, D/Cllr Cane

Cllr Fitch said there would be a possible period of unrest at County as the union of employee’s pay claim was higher than the employers were willing to pay. Cllr Summers declared an interest so the subject was terminated.

The Northeast of England appeared to be in favour of regional government – possibly because they were more aware of the success of the Scottish parliament. Cllr Fitch said he thought that this area would be amongst the last to regionalise, as it was not popular in the Eastern region. He thought that unitaries (such as Peterborough) would become popular; there would be one council which would combine both regional and parish councils. However, it could be years before this would happen.

Marshall’s airport – The proposal of housing on the site of Marshall’s airport had been put abandoned for now. There was a question mark over the site’s future because of noise pollution and increased airport transport.

Rapid transit – There had been a report on the ‘guided bus’ which might run from Huntingdon to Cambridge (Addenbrooke’s Hospital), via St Ives. Cllr Fitch said it might be 2007 before any development took place.

Buses – There had been problems over bus delays lately but there were signs of improvement. Complaints should be directed to Clare Ritson or Alex Gee at CCC.

Cycleway – The first section from Quy to Bottisham had been officially opened. Sustrans had expressed a preference that the section from Swaffham Prior to Burwell go via Reach.

Fordham bypass – This had been delayed because of a dispute at the Newmarket end of the road. There was to be a public enquiry.

As local electricity pylons were up to capacity and more were needed Cllr Fitch was asked why the National Grid could not put up one large pylon instead of two smaller ones. Cllr Robinson commented that County were not shouldering the responsibility of this issue and were putting the environment at risk.

Councillors discussed the ‘rat run’ that might be caused with extra traffic turning out of the new housing estate in Burwell, particularly at busy times. Traffic lights at the junction of Burwell and Swaffham Road might be an option. Cllr Fitch said £1/3m might be allocated to roads in Burwell.

Cllr Summers complained about the high cost of bus fares, which had gone up recently.

David Groom from Eastern Highways had written detailing his proposals to alter the pavement layout in The Hythe, which had been an ongoing problem with lorries mounting the verge on their way to the sewage farm. The alternatives were to be discussed with residents. Cllr Cane said he was being very helpful in a difficult situation; the delays to the work on the drainage of Great Lane were because Mr Groom wanted to do all the work at the same time.

Cllr Cane asked parish councillors for their opinions on proposals to charge full council tax on second homes (it is currently 50%). She said it would make an enormous difference to council revenues.

The House of Commons select committee had been criticised for not preparing for legislation on the disposal of household fridges.

The European Parliament had issued a communication regarding the disposal of car tyres. This was a problem in the fens, said Cllr Cane; ECDC had cleared 400 away last year. Proposals included making the car manufacturer take back the tyres at the end of their use and recycling them, or the last car owner having the responsibility of their disposal. The government would probably be lobbied to put a levy on new cars to pay for subsequent tyre disposal.

Cllr Cane told councillors that she would be taking maternity leave from 15^th July to the end of August. Carolyn Coates at ECDC would be dealing with her work.

Cllr Cane was asked if the district council was aware that Mr Dyson’s field is ‘full of rubbish’. She replied that CCC and the environment agency are taking care of it. It was possible to prosecute firms who are fly tipping if they were known.

Two members of staff had broken bones; there would be an acting head of staff while they are on sick leave. Governors were subsequently trying to get the OFSTED inspection delayed. All agreed that the staff had been ‘fantastic’.

The school needs to renovate certain areas of the building, which might necessitate raising some funds from the community. It was agreed to discuss this at a later meeting.

Cllr Lambert reported that although the bank account was looking healthy it was still not nearly enough for the proposed extension to the village hall. The committee was looking at alternative plans, ways to raise extra money, and the grant situation. Now the war memorial fund is completed Cllr Lambert wondered if a similar fund could be set up to raise money for the extension.

Cllr Summers reported that the Trading Standards Authority had issued a warning about bogus people distributing leaflets asking for clothing for Eastern Europe.

The clothes were then being sold for the vendor’s own gain.

Young people were still driving unlicensed cars around the village, said Cllr Summers.

Anglian Water had written disclaiming ownership of the part of The Hythe where the boats were moored. Cllr Robinson is to ask the Inland Drainage Board and the Clerk to investigate deeds relating to the area.

A complaint had been received regarding the non-emptying of rubbish bins at the bridge on The Hythe and the playing field. Clerk to report to Cleanaway.

The amount of money required to undertake the task had been reached. Cllr Robinson agreed to contact Ivett and Reed to see if the price had increased in the year since it was quoted. It was agreed that Phil Vincent, landlord of The Dyke’s End, had done a great job in initiating the fund and helping to raise money.

It was agreed to form a working party to trim the bottom of the trees in the old part of the cemetery.

Cllr Robinson had repaired the bus shelter at Ditchfield.