Notes on the meeting of Reach Parish Council meeting held on Wednesday 4th February 2004
Present
Vice-Chairman Cllr Aves, Cllrs Harrison, Summers, Hill, and Pearson; also C/Cllr Fitch.
Reports
Cllr Fitch reported that drainage problems in the footpath on the pub side of Fair Green would soon be sorted out.
The Leader of the County Council had stated his wish to keep Council Tax at 6%. There appeared to be confusion between the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Education Secretary over funding, said Cllr Fitch. He thought things had ‘got out of hand’ at government level. A forthcoming debate might reveal more information. The CCC was in a difficult situation.
Funding for this depended on the budget. There would be a 1% deficit across county unless CCC was forced to put up the amount given to schools.
• Bottisham Village College were applying for special status in order to receive funding for humanities studies. This would cost in the region of £100k.
• The LEA and BVC Warden Peter Hains were to discuss cannabis. Although classification of the drug had been lowered it would still be considered a disciplinary offence at the college.
• Burwell sports centre was hoping to have a floodlit all-weather sports field.
Monies would be short at the end of the financial year. The department was trying to pass the blame for its problems onto the IT system. The CCC had only obtained a ‘good’ rather than an ‘excellent’ in the recent audit because of this department, said Cllr Fitch.
• The Highways department had done well in the recent snowy weather, using dry salt mixed with water. Cllr Fitch said Reach roads had not been salted, as there had not been five continuous days of icy roads.
• Plans for the proposed guided bus system were not going well. There would be a public enquiry.
• Fordham by-pass would be started in 2 months. The Ely to Newmarket road was having to be re-surfaced.
The Cambridgeshire Fire Authority was to become independent this year. This would cost roughly £1 per week per family.
District Council
The Conservative and Independent members of the ECDC wanted a nil increase on council tax, but this would entail cutting services generally.
Swaffham Prior Primary School
There were now 108 children on the school roll, which put the school into the next funding band.
Village hall committee
• Plans for the village hall extension had been put out to tender.
• Many stewards would be needed for the car park at the forthcoming fair. Discussions had taken place about the positioning of the beer tent.
Correspondence
• The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) had written about how it was dealing with equine issues. All horse owners would need to obtain a passport for their horse by the end of June this year; the Countryside Agency were to improve off-road access; and the Ragwort Control Act had come into force in February.
• The Cambridgeshire Local Access Forum had been established. It would ‘provide advice to help ensure significant and measurable improvements in responsible recreational access to the countryside’.
• Reach village centre committee had written outlining traffic plans for the forthcoming fair. Councillors raised no objections.
• The East Cambridgeshire Community Safety Partnership was offering a free graffiti-removing service.
• The District Council were embarking on a review of the Local Plan in the autumn. It was agreed that Reach Parish Council would not be producing its own Parish Plan.
• Planning permission had been granted for a new dwelling and detached garages at High Cloud Stud, Burwell Road.
Reach matters
• It was apparent that many Reach parishioners were not aware of the salt bins in the village (at the top of Fair Green and on its junction with Great Lane). It was agreed to have them re-filled.
• Repairs to the hut in the burial ground were going well. The weather vane had been restored. Councillors discussed the bier, which up until now had been kept in the hut, and agreed that it should be kept in the church. Clerk to write to Rev Stephen Earl about this.
• Ditchfield bus shelter had once again been vandalised.