Notes on the meeting of Reach Parish Council held on

Wednesday 7th May 2003

Following an election on 1st May the following were elected to the Parish Council:

John Robinson

Michael Aves

Joyce Harrison

Bryan Pearson

Dave Summers

Jenny Moseley

Ian Hill

The meeting commenced with the election of officers as follows:

Chairman: John Robinson

Vice/Chairman: Michael Aves

Swaffham Prior Primary School: Bryan Pearson/Jenny Moseley

Village Hall Committee: Joyce Harrison/Ian Hill

Police Liaison Committee: Dave Summers

Tree Officer (honorary post): John Reed

Present

Chairman Cllr Robinson, V/Chairman Cllr Aves, Cllrs Summers, Harrison, Pearson,

Moseley and Hill; also D/Cllr Cane.

Reports

District Council

Councillors offered their congratulations to Charlotte Cane for retaining her seat as District Councillor for The Swaffhams.

Conservation lighting scheme

Cllr Cane said she would study the plan of the original proposal before taking the matter any further.

Councillors discussed recent media reports that money promised by the government for education was not reaching schools. Cllr Cane said that the County Council had passed on money provided by Central Government, but it seemed that extra costs, such as National Insurance and pensions, had not been factored into the equation. If schools were complaining the government would have to find more money, she said.

Swaffham Prior Primary School

The OFSTED report had been outstanding, said Cllrs Moseley and Pearson. Morale was consequently very high. Governors had already been aware of anything needing before it was pointed out by the report. An extra 1.5 children were needed to move the school into the next financial bracket by January of next year.

Village hall committee

Councillors congratulated the committee on this year’s Reach Fair – in particular how it had been tidied up at the end of the day. The Park and Ride scheme was proving very successful; Cllr Robinson said he hoped that the land used for parking would not be built on in the future. The Police had also been impressed by the fair’s organisation, he said.

Swaffham Prior PCC

Cllr Robinson reported there was still no response to Reach Clerk’s letter to the PCC Secretary about the constitution of the charity. Cllr Cane said that as a trustee Cllr Robinson should know the constitution. Councillors agreed that if necessary some money would have to be spent contacting the Charities Commission to find out.

Police liaison committee

Cllr Summers said that he would be contacting the police about ‘activity’ in the bus shelter on Fair Green. He was going to ask for more frequent patrolling of the area.

Matters arising

Trees felled on The Hythe

Councillors discussed a message from Keith Lambert saying that the PC should take advice from the tree officer about removing suckers from trees in the conservation area (there is apparently a £20,000 fine for removing trees without permission)

Broadband

Councillors agreed to support the District Council in their efforts to get broadband internet access to everyone. Cllr Cane said that computers were a key tool in education; having a computer was becoming essential for children who might otherwise fall behind. Fast/good internet access was also good for viewing planning applications etc.

Cllr Hill said that his company (an internet provider) heavily subsidised broadband users in Reach. They needed 50 subscribers to break even.

Correspondence

Affordable housing

The new Rural Housing Enabler from CALC had written offering to come to a PC meeting to explain about affordable housing. It was agreed to invite her to a meeting.

Police matters

The new police constable for the area is PC Ian Butcher. Councillors agreed to invite him to a parish council meeting.

East Cambs District Council invited a Reach Parish Councillor to a meeting to discuss police community support officers. Cllr Summers agreed to attend.

Buses

Alan Woods, Operations Manager of Stagecoach, had replied to a letter, written on behalf of residents, complaining about buses being driven fast through Reach. He said that drivers were encouraged to have awareness of horse riders. Cllr Robinson said that riders didn’t help the situation on narrow roads by sometimes by riding two-abreast.

Reach matters

Cllr Aves suggested that the Clerk should write to thank Keith Lambert for his work done as councillor, and more recently as Chairman of the Parish Council.

Cllr Pearson said that the sale of the Dyke’s End pub was going ahead. The lease had been sorted out and it was hoped that the changeover would take place on June 2nd.

Public forum

Helen Platt asked Cllr Cane why council houses were sold, as there weren’t enough available. Cllr Cane said it had been made an Act of Parliament many years ago.

Commenting on Cllr Robinson’s response to the reply from Stagecoach about horses and buses, Helen said that horse riders would get onto the verge out of the way of traffic if the grass was cut. Cllr Robinson said that it was a policy not to cut the grass at certain times of the year in order to preserve wild flowers and wildlife.