Present
Chairman Cllr Lambert, Vice/Chairman Cllr Robinson, Cllrs Summers, Harrison, Pearson and Aves; also C/Cllr Fitch and D/Cllr Cane.
Reports
County Council
County budget
It was likely that the county’s section of council tax would go up by 12%.
Social services
There had been a £0.5 million overspend this year, mainly due to a shortage of foster parents and lack of space in children’s homes. There were also increasing numbers of old people needing care.
Library service
It is likely that ten public libraries will close in Cambridgeshire, including Bottisham. Cllr Fitch said he was hopeful something could be done to stop Bottisham’s library closing.
Floods
Cllr Fitch said people should be encouraged to phone the Flood Helpline to the Environment Agency.
Highways
Roadworks to install traffic calming measures had commenced in Mill Hill, Swaffham Prior. The village had been chosen for experimental tests on traffic control to be carried out by the community.
Cllr Fitch commended the highways authority for the way they had salted the roads during the recent cold weather. Eight gritting lorries had worked round the clock and put down a total of 600 tons of salt. This was actually pre-wetted salt, i.e. dry salt and brine, which seemed to work better than normal road salt. Cllr Fitch pointed out that County highways did not look after the trunk roads such as the A14 and M11, where there had been particularly bad hold-ups due to the late salting of the roads.
Planning application – Overhead transmission lines Burwell–Horningsea
Both the County and District Councils had objected to this proposal. There would now be a public inquiry. Councillors discussed this issue at some length.
District Council
Power lines
Cllr Cane said many people had complained to the District about the powerline proposal.
Council tax
There would be a 5% increased in the District council tax, i.e. an increase of nearly £5 for a Band D house. ECDC were proposing to collect the council tax on the 1st of each month, rather than the 15th as at present, as it would earn extra revenue for the council.
Stay warm surgeries
District councillors were holding ‘stay warm’ surgeries to inform residents about grants available, including discounts and free energy-saving light bulbs. However, these were not available to people living in Hereward Housing accommodation. Cllr Cane said she would organise a surgery in Reach if there were a demand.
Housing benefit
Inquiries regarding housing benefit were usually dealt with in 30 days or less by Capita in order to save aggravating landlords.
Broadband connectivity
There was to be a meeting at ECDC to discuss this. The coordinator for bids was Margot Harbour.
Swaffham Prior Primary School
Cllr Pearson said the school’s financial settlement was positive. The school was building up to the OFSTED inspection. Building work had commenced; Cllr Pearson said the disruption factor had not been taken into account. The new mobile classroom was now in place.
Village hall committee
A survey had been sent round the village to see how people envisaged the future use of the village hall. Reach fair would be run along the same lines as last year, although there might be some problems running a bar as landlord Phil Vincent was leaving the Dyke’s End pub.
Police Liaison committee
A red Citroen car had been seen around the village. It was thought to be the same car which had been around at the time of some trouble near the pub last year.
Matters arising
Enhancement scheme
John Selby, the conservation officer from ECDC had replied to an enquiry regarding the completion of replacement streetlights on Fair Green. He said there was no money in the budget to finish the scheme. Cllr Cane to follow up.
Traffic calming on entering village from Swaffham Prior
County Highways said this was a police matter which required the site in question to be monitored. He suggested the PC might like to put it forward as a project for the highways minor improvements scheme next year.
Councillors then discussed the proposed traffic lights at the junction from The Beechings housing estate in Burwell onto Reach Road. Cllr Pearson said it would be more sensible to have traffic lights onto the main Burwell to Cambridge road. Cllr Fitch to follow up.
Correspondence
Reach fair
Reach village hall committee had written outlining the plans for traffic control for the forthcoming Reach Fair.
Reach matters
Planning application
Councillors supported a planning application for a large extension to 31 Burwell Road.
Affordable housing
Cllr Cane explained how ECDC needed more land to build houses. She explained how landowners were being asked to sell their land for little more than the price of agricultural land so housing associations could afford to build on it.
Elections
Chairman, Cllr Lambert, spoke about the forthcoming elections in May. He said it was important that more people came forward to stand for election and also that residents voted.
The Hythe
Clerk reported that, after a request from Grahame Miller, dead trees and shrubs on the ground near the sewage works would be replaced by Anglian Water. Grahame had contacted the Great Ouse Boating Association (GOBA) who would be advertising the fact that boats could moor in Reach in their magazine. They would manage the site and keep it clear with help from the parish council.
Mud on byway
After complaints about the poor state of the track up to the Reach wood Clerk had contacted the Rights of Way Officer at CCC. He said he would survey the track, probably later in the year, to see if it needed work doing on it.
Request for loan of football field
Burwell Tigers, a football club for children up to the age of 12 had asked to borrow the football field for 5 weeks. This was agreed. Clerk asked to point out that cars must not be parked on the bend near the play area, as it was a bus route; also the field would not be available during Reach Fair weekend.
Abandoned car
Cllr Summers complained about a car being abandoned behind his house. Cllr Aves said he had taken it there from its original dumping place to make it easier for removal. Clerk to report to ECDC.