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Bottisham Parish Council Minutes |
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On this page are the Minutes of Bottisham Parish Council |
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MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL PARISH MEETING 15th MAY 2002 HELD IN THE LECTURE ROOM BOTTISHAM VILLAGE COLLEGE
1. Apologies were received from Cllr Christine Bryant, Helen Cole, Joan Denison, Cllr Charles McCartney, John Overton and Cllr David Tilley Councillor Hilda Buchanan chaired the meeting and welcomed visitors. 7 Councillors and 21 villagers attended. The Chairman welcomed Andrew Budden Regional Development Manager from Hastoe Housing Association, Peter Hains, Warden of Bottisham Village College and Sgt Kerr and PC Mark Hurry representatives of Cambridge Police Force.
2. The minutes of the 2001 Annual Parish Meeting were read, agreed and signed.
3. Chairman’s Report including Matters arising a. Cllr Walker and his team had worked hard and received much community support for the Provision of a ‘Pocket Park’ near Hilton Park Care Centre. Unfortunately, the landowner was unwilling to sell the land. b. New cemetery land requirements for Bottisham The laurel hedge within the cemetery has been partly removed. Apologies had been made to those families who were upset by this as insufficient warning was given. A survey will be made to mark out the extra plots now available. The hedge to the Bowling Green and Legion carpark is to be tidied and additional shrubs planted. A search for a new site will continue. c. The 15 minute Public Question Time sessions held before the start of official business had been poorly supported and have been discontinued. The Council will continue to answer queries and Cllrs regularly raise questions on behalf of residents. d. Public Planning meetings have been difficult to arrange as applications are received at irregular intervals. Nearby residents are advised by ECDC and plans can be seen at Ely or within the Parish once planning committee members have seen them. Residents were reminded that Cllrs can only comment on planning grounds and with their local knowledge. Residents should make their individual letters of support or objection to any planning application directly to ECDC.
Cllr Buchanan reported that it was 4 years since she had been Chairman and was aware that since then the volume of paperwork for Councils and especially Clerks had greatly increased - most of it non productive and time consuming. She was pleased to report on the new Surgery building, the business development at Tunbridge Court and the new houses in Bell Road. The council had been working for 10 years to provide village homes for village people and thanks were extended to ECDC and Hastoe Housing Association. The planning committee led by Cllr Tilley is continuing with the preparation of a village plan with help and input from ACRE. The new town development at Six Mile Bottom will hopefully not take place but we must remain watchful. Continued concerns with possible development to the East of Cambridge will be discussed when the Green Belt Review takes place. There have been many concerns with the condition of footpaths and roads, and work on pavements on the Park Estate and resurfacing of the High St are expected in 2002. The Council understand and accept the moans and disappointments on several matters and are trying to solve them. Vandalism is on the increase and we have been concerned at the lack of Police presence in the village and written to the Chief Constable on the slow response we receive to our communications. We have decided not to replace the glass panels in the A1303 bus shelter after they were broken a month after their repair. We have applied for a CCTV facility in Bottisham. The Warden and Police have ascertained the culprits who removed or damaged parish pictures from the Round Room and the two pupils will pay for the repairs. We have been concerned that we are not receiving value for money from our Councils (particularly with the Police Authority) and our County Cllr James Fitch has been supportive. There are good things happening in the village. We are proud of the College, the litter pickers have been working well and Laurie van Someren and John Harris have been promoting Broadband Services for Bottisham. The WI(with a donation from the precept) will prepare a Jubilee Tea for the over 70’s (we are lucky to have so many active ones) and the Council will be distributing commemorative mugs for Bottisham children under 11 on Jubilee day. We hope that individuals and groups will arrange their own events to celebrate the Golden Jubilee. Cllr Buchanan thanked all Councillors Parish, County and District and the Clerk for their support during the year. She reminded members that elections for new Cllrs would be held in 2003 and that new members would be warmly welcomed.
Andrew Budden thanked the Parish and District Councils for their support in the Hastoe Housing Association Plan to provide 14 houses off Bell Rd - 10 for rent and 4 in shared partnership. Properties should be available at the end of October and would be reserved for local people. Housing Managers would assess those who claimed (new applications could still be made) - sadly some applicants would be disappointed. Allocations would be made shortly so that choices in decoration could be made. It was noted that affordable housing need not necessarily be family housing - one bedroomed properties could be considered. The Chairman advised that the development of land near the new Surgery will include a proportion of affordable housing and a partner Housing Association could be involved. Peter Hains Hains thanked the Parish Council for their support of Bottisham Village College which continues to be oversubscribed. The Governors are considering an 8 form entry which would result in 1200 pupils within 5 years and require further building for additional classrooms and dining area. The College continues as a Beacon School providing training to other schools in budgeting, timetabling and Community Education. The College has been chosen as one of 12 schools in the country to demonstrate our community aspects which should be available in all schools. The examination results were the 2nd best ever and well above the national average and there have been successes in debating at Youth Speaks, 2 members of the National Youth Parliament and following excellent results in the Maths Challenge one pupil has attended the England Maths Team Training camp. The Community Education department run in conjunction with Linton and Burwell continues to thrive. The Turning the Red Lights Green Charity has concentrated in the past year in supporting a project to help youngsters with autism and Aspergers Syndrome. The Sensory Garden should open in June and disaffected pupils have been successfully working with handicapped people in growing and selling plants. The Pegasus Training Company provides training in computer courses, first aid and health and safety. The College Hall has been refurbished with a grant of £130000 provided by the District and County Councils. An application for the provision of a Day Nursery will be made in the coming year and there are intentions to revise the car park entrances. Peter felt there was a continuing good relationship between the College and the local community and Laurie van Someren confirmed this by stating he was proud to be associated with the College.
Sgt Kerr and PC Mark Hurry PC Hurry our Community Policeman was frustrated in being unable to adequately cover our village and fully recognised our concerns. He had to be available to deal with response cover and recently 3 out of 6 of his working periods were used for this resulting in no community policework. Sgt Kerr outlined recent changes There are now 8 officers responsible (for 57 villages) to be used solely for community work. These officers will meet weekly reporting and explaining their individual problems so that they can assess priority cases and work together as a team if necessary. It is noted that our village suffers under this scheme due to the lower level of reported crime. There is a need for a minimum of 3 officers with an office in Burwell to cover our local villages. CCTV was questioned as a help in combating crime - it was found that crimes were displaced to other areas. He appreciated that our village was important to us but reported crime levels did not often warrant moving officers from Soham or Burwell. He stressed that all crimes should be reported and a crime number obtained.
5. Reports were given by :- a Bottisham Community Primary School - this report prepared by Janet Aves the joint Parish Council representative for Bottisham, Lode and Quy was read by the Clerk. The School has had another successful year and the Standard Assessment Tests were on a par with or above the national average. Pupils continue to thrive from excellent teaching and a happy atmosphere. b. Bottisham Local Charities. - The Local Charities Report and accounts to 31st Dec 2001 were circulated. Margret Coles stated that several small endowments had been amalgamated to provide a worthwhile sum of money distributed twice a year. Payments were made in vouchers to provide blankets, coal etc or vouchers for use in the local shops. There were no questions. c. First Bottisham Scout Group - Sue Stearne reported that the Beavers restarted in September and that the Cubs and Scout troops are both flourishing. Two assistant scout leaders have been appointed and two boys are working towards their Chief Scouts Award. There are many activities including camping and canoeing, and much time is spent in fundraising. Many expenses are incurred in maintaining the Scout Hut and security measures have been suggested by the Crime prevention Officer. d. Bottisham Sports Football Club. Mike Deakins reported that John Tideswell and Graham Daish ran the teams following on the success of Tim Lusher. 50 players are involved with 75% of these living in Bottisham or having village connections. There are 2 under 16 teams and a senior side. Cambridge FA had complimented the Club on the way it was run - new players are always required. Shirts were purchased with the Parish grant, different colours for each team and an away strip e. Bottisham Players. Rosemary Jolley reported on another excellent year for the Group with enjoyable productions in May, October and the January Pantomime. The Parish Grant was used to set up a video link between the main hall and the Lecture room with a communications link from the back of the hall to the offstage wings, and fixtures and fittings for a new costume store. Villagers were reminded that costumes suitable for fancy dress events are available for hire. f. Saplings Playgroup - Kasia Gdaniec reported that the Playgroup continues to provide a stable, safe convivial meeting place for all local pre-school children including those with special needs. Changes were recently instigated by Ofsted and the appointment of a new Play Leader required knowledge of requirements of both the Pre School Learning Alliance and CCC Care and Education partnership to ensure staff are well trained. A new wild garden play area with stepping stone logs (kindly donated by Mrs Jenyns) tractor tyres and a new slide/climbing frame. Parish Council funding has helped in the assisted place scheme. g. County Council. James Fitch reported on a year of considerable changes with Cambridgeshire the fastest growing county in the country. A new Council from June with a new constitution with a Leader and Cabinet of 9, with a fast growth of partnership schemes and additional consultation which had greatly added to the workload. The Council tax had risen by 9.3% because of a low Government grant and no Area Cost Adjustment. A new system of funding is expected for 2003. Education and Libraries cost £216m to run, standards are good in all schools. Libraries are short of funds but there has been IT development and new Libraries at Ely and March. Social Services Dept. is the second highest spender with £84m of the budget. £13m of this provides care at home for 3000 frail elderly. Fostering and adoptive parents are desperately needed. Queens Court has been sold to Hereward Housing. The Structure Plan favours the development of a new town at Longstanton/Oakington but a Public Enquiry is imminent. County farms continue to provide good income for the Council. New traffic lights at the junction of the A1303 and B1102 at Quy have been installed and refinements are expected soon to the junction of the A1303 and Bell Road.
h. District Council - Valerie Leake reported that the new forms of Political Management commenced in July and that the Best Value rolling programme of evaluation of council departments plan for 2002 is about to be published. This system is to be replaced with a Comprehensive Performance Assessment.. The District is actively looking for more affordable housing opportunities. There has been input into the Structure Plan Review and Planning Policy Guidance(PPG) 3 has now increased densities for housebuilding. Work has been done with young people with the Chairman’s Award and a Think Country Child Conference. The Boundary Commission proposes a link with Burrough Green, Brinkley and Westley Waterless under the Periodic Electoral Review. There has been another successful RSC visit to Littleport and the Babylon Art Gallery opened in Ely. Communications have been improved with Connexions published twice yearly, an ECDC website, up-graded telephone systems and the setting up of ICT Learning Centres. There were no questions to either Councillor.
5. The audited Accounts of the Parish Council to 31st March 2001 were distributed The accounts to 31st March 2002 are to be finalised, agreed by Council and audited.
6. Any Other Business There was no opportunity for questions from the floor as the caretaker was ready to lock the premises. The Chairman thanked villagers for attending and asked them to contact her or other Councillors if they had any problems or concerns.
The meeting closed at 10.15 pm.
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