Notes on the meeting of Reach Parish Council held on 6th August 1997

Present

Chairman Cllr Robinson, V/Chairman Cllr Aves, Cllrs Harrison, Lambert, Pearson, Reed & Davies; also C/Cllr Fitch and D/Cllr Shulver.

Reports

District Council D/Cllr Shulver reported that grant aid for villages shops as reported in July's meeting was not available.

The ECDC have agreed to give £5755 towards the cost of restoring St Etheldra's Arch. The PC will be expected to make a small contribution and the final cost is expected to be £8222 + VAT.

Cllr Shulver told the PC she has been appointed to the Planning Committee & the Licensing Committee at ECDC.

The District Local Plan has been placed on deposit. Any objections should be made before 13th October. Reach has been designated an 'infill only' settlement.

County Council

The new Chief Executive at County is Alan Barnish.

The new music suite at Bottisham Village College is complete.

Fire authority - the new combined authority is one quarter financed and represented from Peterborough and three quarters from Cambridge.

Police - Fred Lawes is the administrator for the Neighbourhood Watch.

Pensioners bus passes - this is being re-thought as the increase has caused a fuss but there has been no progress so far.

Planning - the northern fringe of Cambridge. CCC have gone for the third option, to develop the site behind Robert Sayles. There will be a public enquiry.

Cllr Lambert asked Cllr Fitch if there is an official Liberal Democrat representative for Reach as Charlotte Cane had attended a Police Liaison Committee meeting. Cllr Fitch said this was not the case and she was going purely as a member of the public.

Matters arising

The Clerk had spoken to the Conservation Officer about the Enhancement Scheme. PC agreed to ask for replacement Victorian type street lights; also a new wall outside the Village Centre and possible burying of overhead cables.

Correspondence

Clerk had written to Nigel Brown at ECDC Planning Department re Michael Aves' planning request to build a bungalow. PC asked for it to be discussed at a Planning Meeting. Cambridge Landscaping have given Ranald Scott the go- ahead to build a seat around the Jubilee tree. PC discussed ownership of land bordering Barston Drove. The soil which had been dumped there had deterred gypsies but not inconvenienced motorists so it was suggested no more action take place. Swaffham Prior had acted similarly. Swaffham Prior Primary School - PC had asked for an official representative to sit on Board of governors but were told they had to share with Swaffham Prior PC. It was agreed the sum required to purchase the old burial ground was too high and the PC would decline the offer.

Playing Field Update

Cllr Pearson reported the conveyancing was nearly through. Two issues had taken a little time to resolve.

Reach matters

Clerk to write to Highways Department re condition of Little Lane, Great Lane and The Hythe.

A discussion took place re grass cutting.

A new bus stop sign had appeared outside the Village Centre for buses travelling in the Newmarket direction. Clerk to write to Stagecoach Cambus asking for it be taken down and for the timetable to be re-instated in the bus shelter.

Cllr Reed told PC Alison Condor from County was coming to the October meeting to discuss possible landscaping projects.

Planning applications - Clerk to write to the Cambridge Association of Local Councils for advice on the way these should be dealt with by the PC.

Penny Lang