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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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BOTTISHAM PARISH COUNCIL 2/03
Minutes of Council Meeting held in the Village College - 3rd February 2003
Present - Cllrs Astill, Boal, Buchanan, Laister, McCartney, Rayment, O’Dell, Tilley and Walker. Cllr Buchanan chaired the meeting. Our new Cllr Edward Clark was welcomed and signed his declaration of acceptance. Councillors James Fitch and Valerie Leake attended. 1. Apologies were received from Cllr Bryant 2. Minutes of the meeting of 13th January were amended as follows:- Item 3G “Mrs James not Mr James” and the seventh line of Cllr Fitch’s report Item 5 to now read “ Whilst the Area Cost Adjustment anomaly has disappeared we have still had a shortfall, as £10m has been reserved by the Government to be paid to the Council within the next 2 years.” The minutes were then agreed and signed. 3. Matters Arising A. St Peters Field. Eastern Tree Surgery have done part of the tree work. Residents are now moving into their new homes. The footpath and grass verges in Bell Road will be re-instated. It was proposed by Cllr Walker and seconded by Cllr O’Dell that a noticeboard should be provided, Cllr McCartney suggested that the cost should be restricted to £250. The Council supported this unanimously. B. Cllr Buchanan reported that there are 75 commemorative jubilee mugs still available for sale. These will be available at the Annual Meeting and Cllrs were asked to suggest other suitable sale points. C. The revised agreement for the Children’s Play area at the Primary School is nearly ready for signature by the Chairmen of the Parish Council and the Primary School Governors. An invoice is awaited for the purchase of replacement sand. Quotations are being obtained for some new equipment. A request will be made in the Cresset for villagers help in maintaining the site now that a new agreement has been negotiated. D. The County Council confirmed on 28th January the closure of Bottisham Public Library. Councillors had met to discuss ideas to support and run a library within the Village College Library. Funding would be a major issue. It was hoped to continue to provide community information, computer access and archives. Considerable back-up will be needed from the Library and Information Services and it was hoped that the book stock would be retained. Access during school holidays will be required. A re-arranged meeting for Councillors, Peter Hains and Mike Hosking, Head of Libraries and Information, Parish Cllrs and other interested parties will discuss the way forward. Cllr McCartney and a representative from the Friends of the Library will attend a meeting at Little Downham Book Cafe on 17th February to examine the system in operation there. E. Anglian Water will review the current hydraulic model following continued drainage problems in Lode Rd and Beechwood Ave. A representative will be invited to a Council meeting as necessary.
4. Chairman’s Report a. Cllr Buchanan had written to the College Governors concerning current letting problems when meetings for affiliated bodies have been moved or cancelled during holiday periods. The present system is under review and Peter Hains will advise the outcome. The heating system at the Youth Centre is not effective possibly because the heating is not turned on early enough. b. Concerns have been raised by a resident about the vandalism and misuse of the brick built shelter in the High Street. He has suffered abuse. The Police have been made aware. Cllr Buchanan will meet with PC Mark Hurry to discuss this and ensure that the shelter is closely monitored.
5. Reports of County and District Councillors. Cllr Fitch reported on County matters. The County Council budget will be fixed on 11th February - the recommendation is for a 9.2% increase. Snow ploughs and gritters had been out in force during the recent snowy weather. There had been 10 circuits with 60,000 tonnes of salt dropped and on 30th January gritters worked from 4.00am until midnight. There were problems possibly due to the type of snow!. A current information sheet for winter gritting and snow clearing was provided. The Council have registered their objection to the plan to provide another overhead transmission line over agricultural land (and Bottisham United Charities land) between Burwell and Lode. The District Council will also be objecting and it could mean further delay to Bottisham receiving an unbroken power supply. A County Periodic Electoral Review will start soon following the recent District review. Cllr Leake’s District Council report circulated with the minutes gave details of the Stay Warm Surgery at the Village College on 14th February and the food hygiene course for Chinese Restaurants and Take-aways. The vandalised trees in the Jubilee Gardens at Ely have been replaced and a Band Stand will be in place for the summer. The Green Waste Collection has started - there were a few teething troubles but there was an encouraging first collection of 2.4 tonnes. Totals of recycling have risen from 1146 tonnes in 1997/98 to 2352 tonnes last year. Additional funding is now available to provide for an another 8 community beat officers in East Cambs. They could work as teams when “hot spots” are identified. Cllr Laister provided details of the large amount of rubbish around the Heath Way and the layby on the A1303. Cllr Leake will advise Gerald Tickner. Cllr Leake explained the background, funding and scope of the East Cambridgeshire Care and Repair scheme which provides help and advice for the elderly, disabled and those on low incomes. A leaflet was available and the Clerk will obtain 3 copies of the Annual report. The United Charities should be aware of this scheme.
6. CORRESPONDENCE 1. ACRE Details of the Voluntary Sector Learning Development Project 2. CALC. February Bulletin was issued to each Cllr. National Training for Clerks and Quality Parish Councils detailed on page 2 will be an Agenda item in March. Information about forming a Cambridge branch of the Society of Local Council Clerks Details of Playground Inspections and Health and Safety Course was passed to Cllr Boal A request for volunteers for a Local Access Forum to advise on Countryside Access was passed to Cllr Astill. 3. CCC Highways Review Best value Report - copies attached 4 ECDC Copy of Best Value Performance Plan received and passed to Cllr Tilley Decision List for :- Planning Committee 8th January Agendas for committee meetings to be held on 4th and 6th February 6. Additional post Histon Sector Police Local Consultation Group meeting 16th Feb at Comberton - to Cllr Boal Sawston Sector Police Local Consultation Group meeting 13th February - Harston and Newton Primary School Ivett and Read postcards showing examples of their work. Bottisham Village College letter of thanks for promised £150 - 2003/2004 precept award. South Cambs NHS Primary Care Trust Bulletin No 5. Request by villager that wooden posts outside and near Stocks be painted with luminous paint. This was not considered necessary. South Cambs NHS Primary Care Trust Poster re course commencing 26th March helping patients with a long-term condition. To be included in the Cresset. Complaint by villager of encroaching hedge at 51 Lode Rd on the path. Letter sent 29th Jan Letter of thanks from Leisure in Retirement Group for the promised 2003/2004 S137 award. Request for the telegraph pole at the Pightle erected to provide a phone during building work to be demolished. The Clerk will contact British Telecom.
7. Committee reports A. Planning 1. Planning Decisions made since last Council meeting. a. 02/00847/FUL Parsonage House 106 High St - double detached garage to front of the property - approved b. 02/01139/02 - 1 Rowley Gardens - proposed porch - approved 2. Planning Applications considered and to be returned to ECDC a. 02/01241/FUL - Bottisham Village College - Proposed Day Nursery - single storey building. Need for child care facility recognised but concerns over development in the Green Belt, access, car parking and security fencing. Concerns too for a commercial development on this site and the leasehold sale of public land. It was felt that there should be more public consultation with further information to enable residents and Parish Council to provide input before the site is developed. b. 03/00033/OUT - Rear of 10 Lode Rd - residential development access from The Pightle. Recommended refusal of this application, overdevelopment of site, concerns over entrance from the Pightle and that additional parking would use private parking site for Pightle residents. Queried whether other access points to the site had been considered. c. 02/00928/FUL - Land rear of 23 Pound Close - amendment “change to rear elevation fenestration including patio doors and double height first floor window, corner inset to be infilled to form wc.” Council considered that the style of windows and patio doors for this building were not suitable for the location d. 03/00047 /FUL - Windy Ridge 50 High Street - extensions and alterations - no objection. A good well planned extension which will improve the look of the bungalow. e. 03/00001/LBC - 109 High Street - alterations to doors and windows of building to side of the main house - no objection 3. Other matters 1. Affordable Housing Development. Suggestions for additional sites following request from ECDC to be returned by end of April. 2. Bottisham Public ByWay No 7 and Planning Permission E/3009/02/CW retrospective use of land as scrapyard at Green Gables Newmarket Road Bottisham discussed at planning meeting 20th January. Invitation to James Paice MP to meet members of the Parish Council. 3. Leeds Builders have confirmed that verges in front of 44 Lode Road will be reinstated.
Environment a. An order for a replacement larger kissing gate was made on 15th January. The footpath is now open after the garden wall at the Golden Ball fell down. The 2003 Parish Paths Partnership claim will be made by Cllr Astill. b. Cllr Buchanan advised that the Village College Governors were unable at the present time to support a request for the siting of swings on the campus. A further request is to be made as and when any additional houses are built in the Bell Rd area c. The path at the rear of Cedar Walk and Maple Close is not a recorded right of way but a permissive path. The Clerk will write to Miss Barr, the landowner for the path to be cleared. d. We still do not have a replacement litter picker. The Prospects Trust Team would not be able to help. Mrs Ibbitt is to be thanked for clearing Lode Rd on several occasions. e. A map showing the grass verges has been received from Park Estate (Bottisham) Resident’s Society Ltd. The Clerk will write again for details of ownership, as requested, before the question of funding for grass cutting is addressed. f. Thanks are to be given in the Cresset for those villagers who spread the salt on the paths during the recent bad weather. All the bins have been refilled. g. Mr Bugg has accepted the grass cutting contract for 2003 and provided details of his insurance cover. h. The Clerk will contact Mr van Someren concerning the use of CCTV cameras. There is no funding available in the coming year and we would expect in any system that the Council uses that monitoring of areas would be done by the police force and not individuals. i. Cllrs Laister and Tilley will prune the trees in the verges in Lode Road. j. The footpath by the side of Tudor House is overgrown with ivy and probably needs to be cleared again. Cllr Laister will check the position of the root system. C. Cemetery Cllr Laister reported that :- i. The cemetery/bowling green hedge has been cleared by the Prospects Trust Garden team They had also cleared ivy from headstones and monuments in the old cemetery. Some of the holly and yew trees are planted. ii. The sum of £3000 set aside for replacement paths to the Church doors will be matched by up to a payment of £4000 promised by John Selby Conservation Officer subject to certain surface treatments which are under consideration. Concrete edging would prove over budget as would replacing the pathway to the rear of the Church. Building work within the Church will be delayed whilst an Archeological survey is made and needs to be completed before the paths are laid. Andrew Tipple has agreed that the public footpath is in need of resurfacing but it can not be budgeted for until 2004/2005 at the earliest. He will approach the Rights of Way Dept for earlier funds. iii. It was agreed that the land bordering the A1303 between the Smokery and the copse owned by the Newman family should not be used for a burial ground. It was near a noisy road and local businesses. A road would need to be constructed over the ditch and large amounts of hedging required. Land should be acquired for Bottisham residents. A Green Cemetery would have to be available for residents well outside the village. We should consider again the land north and south of the Scout Hall and the triangle opposite the former White Swan iv. Eastern Tree Surgery have quoted £535.76 for necessary work to the large sycamore tree in the Church yard. Cllr Laister will meet a Tree Surgeon from Urban Forestry on 7th February for another estimate. Two other estimates are awaited. v. There will be an article in the Cresset requesting owners to maintain the cemeteries now that a good standard of care has been established. A separate letter has been sent to the owner of a family plot to continue to maintain the area. vi. We will again subscribe to the Association of Burial Authorities - their subscription has increased from £20 to £35. vii. Hayden’s Tree Report is with a contact of Cllr McCartney for a layman’s interpretation of the urgent work to be done in addition to the above sycamore. viii. The Prospect Trust team have made a start on the epicormic growth around the trees in the Churchyard. It has been neglected for many years, it is laborious, time consuming work but needs to be done. ix. The Clerk will check with the Association of Burial Authorities regarding antiquated phraseology of cemetery internment qualifications which need to be changed to more 21st century English. The charges form also needs to be made clearer. D. Finance The audited accounts for the year ended 31st March 2002 were distributed to Cllrs with the agenda. The Clerk will contact Alan Fair our internal auditor to arrange a meeting with the Chairman of Finance Cllr McCartney, Cllr Laister and the Clerk to review the systems. 8. Notified business. a. Concerns about the safety of the barn at Bendyshe Farm have been raised with the tenant Mr Rayner and the Land Agent for Peterhouse College, Carter Jonas. Carter Jonas have asked the Council for support in developing this area for housing. The planning committee will discuss this. PC Mark Hurry has apprehended youngsters who were trespassing on the site and will continue to monitor the area. b. The Annual meeting will be held on Monday 28th April. It has been delayed to allow time for the Library Group to formulate an action plan for public discussion and approval. The editor of the Cresset Nick Martin is to be invited to the start of the meeting. PC Mark Hurry, Peter Hains and a representative from Saplings will also be invited.
9. Accounts The following cheques were signed TXU Energi - monthly account 8.61 S F Overton - Salary 246.00 S F Overton - Petty Cash for payment to litter pickers 30.00 The Prospects Trust - Clearing of path rear of Church 80.00 Moore Stephens - Audit 2001/2002 141.00 CCC Bottisham Village College - room hire 17/12/02, 20/1/03 21.88
10. Next Meeting
Monday 3rd March 2003 7.30pm Round Room at Bottisham Village College
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