Notes on the meeting of Reach Parish Council held on Wednesday 3rd December 1997

Present          

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

Apologies       

Cllr Reed

Visit   

Eleanor Hoggart the District Solicitor came from ECDC to explain the   Section 106 Obligation. She told the PC it is a formal deed that is signed before planning permission is given.

Resignation

The Chairman told the PC that Sarah Shulver had resigned from the District Council.

Reports

County Council

Cllr Fitch thanked Cllr Robinson for attending a meeting to meet Alan Barnish the new Chief Executive at CCC.

Cllr Fitch said that clearly we were in for a difficult budget, it had been suggested it could up as much as 10% but he thought that the present administration would try to bring it down to 8%. The main cause of the tightness is the loss of Peterborough which takes out a smaller proportion of people but a larger proportion of money.

Social services at Peterborough have another problem following the death of another child. The new director Liz Railton from Hertfordshire CC starts in the Spring.

Education - Bottisham Village College have held their open evening. Cllr Fitch said he thought the new Warden was improving matters there with increased tidiness and reduced litter problem locally. He asked for donations of books for the library as the book fund had been pruned to channel money into things considered more important.

Fire service - the Shadow County Fire Authority has now been formed. It will take over from the existing Fire Brigade and rescue service on April 1st but will be financed in proportion of 3:1 by New Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Unitary.

Burwell Surgery - there has been a withdrawal of some services for children. It is not as bad as first thought and children in need will continue to be catered for.

Anglian Water - CCC have objected to Anglian Water taking water from the Ouse.

Bad weather payments for the elderly - the CCC thinks that windchill effect should be taken into effect

District Council

Cllr Fitch reported that the ECDC had received a second Charter Mark. Only 75 bodies in the whole county received a second one so the ECDC did well. It was handed over by Hilary Armstrong the Local Government Minister. Cllr Fitch said there is a good record at District for getting in Council Tax payments and for catching benefit fraud.

A Citizen's jury has been created to test ideas coming up to get public reaction. There is also the District Council/Parish Council Forum and business people so ECDC are trying to get feedback from all three. The Charter Mark assessors thought this was an excellent idea.

Cllr Fitch expressed his sadness at Sarah Shulver leaving the District Council after such a short time.

The gypsy site at Burwell is to re-open which should relieve the pressure on local verges. The CCC have dug a ditch to stop gypsies encamping near Swaffham Prior House.

Cllr Fitch reported that some Churches have been able to get money for repairs from the Historic Buildings Fund and various other sources. ECDC have records of where money can be raised. Burwell Church have obtained a grant to continue with work on the wall around the Churchyard.

Correspondence

The PC discussed details of the sites for landscaping following a letter from Allison Conder of CCC.

Swaffham Prior Post Office - The PC commented on a letter from Post Office Customer Services stating that they had no plans to close the Post Office.

The Local Plan representations from Reach were discussed. There were 135 names in support of the 'infil only' policy and 3 against.

Conservation area - Clerk had received a letter from David Archer the Planning Officer saying that an architect was being appointed to do a scheme. This had already been done for Reach and the type of replacement street lights agreed. Clerk to write pointing this out.

Playing Field Update

The draft documents have come through. A grant application for new mowers has been received from Shirley Blake.

Reach Matters

It was agreed that the Clerk should write to Sarah Shulver to thank her for being a District Councillor and getting several matters achieved in her time of office.

The precept for April 1989 to March 1999 was discussed with an estimated figure of £2,439.50. This was proposed by Cllr Aves, seconded by Cllr Lambert and agreed.

Cllr Harrison reported the dumping of rubbish in carrier bags on the Hythe.

Cllr Lambert voiced his concern about the removal of trees & vegetation at the front of the new houses on the corner of Burwell Road. It was reported that conservatories were being constructed at the rear of the houses. Clerk to write to Nigel Brown of ECDC Planning department asking if this was in accordance with planning permission.

Cllr Davies suggested inviting Anglian Water to come to a meeting to discuss the increase in traffic to the sewerage works on the Hythe and possible re-location as it is getting overloaded.