Notes on the meeting of Reach Parish Council meeting held on Wednesday 3^rd November 2004

Present

Chairman Cllr Robinson, V/Chairman Cllr Aves, Cllrs Summers, Harrison, Pearson, Moseley, and Hill; also C/Cllr Fitch and D/Cllr Alderson.

 Visit

Lucas Oliver, a community support worker from the Cambridgeshire drug and alcohol action team, gave a talk on drugs and alcohol; their appearance (samples were shown), the effect on the ‘user’, and what was being done to try to stop abuse.

Illegal drugs were ‘big business’, said Mr Oliver, but were here to stay. Of the 47% of young people offered drugs, one-third actually used them. However, 97% of those who took drugs grew out of the habit.

Drug dealers were being targeted locally with the use of camera cars to monitor suspects.

Mr Oliver said it was important to be able to recognise the symptoms of a drug user. The Bridge Project had been set up to advise those concerned (01223 214604)

 Minutes

The minutes of the previous parish council meeting were agreed and signed.

Reports

County Council

• Cllr Fitch spoke about the approved plans for work on the sewage plant at

The Hythe. It was expected that work would start in the near future and would take about a year to complete.

The County’s Chief Fire Officer is keen that fire sprinklers be installed in all schools. The CCC is concerned about the cost so an investigation is to take place. Cllr Fitch pointed out that money is available from the government for personal smoke alarms.

• The Police are getting tough on hard-to-see cyclists. There are to be £30 on-the-spot fines. Lights are now compulsory.

District Council

• ECDC have revised the timetable for its new office accommodation. A decision will be made in December to give more time for consultation.

• A new licensing act is to come into force on February 7^th 2005. The District Council will formulate a response to the changes and review every 3 years.

• The council had held a 30^th anniversary party – 200 guests attended the celebration.

• The proposed work on the Burwell to Horningsea electricity line had undergone amended landscaping. Councillors discussed and it was agreed there was a certain amount of confusion over objections to the plans.

Swaffham Prior Primary School

· A new Deputy Head had been appointed.

 Village Hall Committee

The committee had discussed and agreed to funding new goalposts and replacement nets from the village amenity fund. The secretary had written to ask the Parish Council to publish the fund’s accounts in the Out of Reach to enable villagers to be aware of the benefit of the fund.

 Matters arising

• A contract between the Parish Council and the contractor for the sewage works at The Hythe had been drawn up and signed.

• The Chairman and Clerk had met with a representative from Wicksteed Leisure to discuss renewing the surface at the play area.

• The transfer of the freehold from Reach for a Pint Ltd to the Parish Council had taken place on October 29^th.

Correspondence

• A coordinator from Parkside Police Station had written about a community project called the Cambridge Open Out Scheme, which allows third party reporting of hate crime incidents. An article was attached for inclusion in the parish newsletter.

• Street lighting maintenance charges for the year 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2006 were to be £16.16 per lamp (13 lamps)

• The National Cycle Network is to be officially opened in September 2005. The County Cycling Projects Officer had written asking if the PC would like to purchase signs as one of the routes passes through the village. Councillors declined.

• Code of Conduct: Councillors who are Freemasons and members of the Grand Charity must register in the Register of Members’ Interests and declare this, when appropriate, at council meetings.