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13th September  2010

A meeting of the Parish Council was held in the Village Hall on 13th September 2010 at 8pm.

Apologies: None received

Present, Mrs Handley, Mr Huddleston, Mrs Pritchard, Mrs Hobbs, Mr Blatch, Mr Tebbit, Mr White, and, in the Chair, Mr Dalton.  Cl. Mrs Heazell and Cl. Kindersley were also present.

Minutes of the meetings held on 2nd August were approved and signed.

Matters arising from the Minutes

2          Nixon's Hall Tablet. It is not practicable to repair this. Agreed to investigate the cost of a replacement.  The Tablet is of interest in the history of the village.

3          Land Registration of Parish Property Declaration.  This remains in the hands of the solicitors.

4          Road at St Helen's Transfer.  This is in the hands of the solicitors and the Chairman.

5          Trees at 2 Wheeler's Way The SCDC housing manager is handling this at present.

6          Hedge at Wimpole Road. This has not yet been trimmed and is dangerously obstructing vision at the junction near the Hoops.  The Clerk will contact Mr Banks.

7          Village Plan Mr White reported that this had now been distributed to every house in the villages, but there had not been any volunteers yet. Agreed to mention in Tailcorn that volunteers would be welcome to clear footpaths.  It was hoped it might be possible to set up some groups to look after particular areas.

8          Standing Orders. Mrs Pritchard proposed that the PC should adopt the recent NALC draft.  She also believed that the practice of offering ten minutes at the start of every meeting for any member of the public to raise their concerns should be adopted. Some feared this might create too much formality The present system where members of the public could contribute their views when invited on any point in the agenda was considered particularly valuable.

            Agreed to raise the topic and ask for views in the Tailcorn report of the PC proceedings.  In the meantime, a copy of our current Standing Orders would be re-circulated to members.

9          Youth Club Bus (Connexions Bus). This continues to be a great success, and attract the full number of teenagers, but the funding for it has been largely withdrawn.  It will now cost £120 for each 2 hour session, instead of £50, and neither the Recreation Ground not the PC can afford sums of this size.  It was agreed that the Connexions Bus is a most valuable asset for the young people of the village and that every effort possible should be made to raise the money for it to continue.

10        Telephone Box at Little Eversden has been repaired but some glass is still missing.  Mr Blatch will obtain a piece of toughened glass and install it. The one at Great Eversden also needs four similar panes of glass to be replaced.

11        Salt Bins Mr Huddleston had found the web-site. Agreed to order three.  Once they arrive their precise positions can be set in the agreed locations.

12        Rats in Wimpole Road Ditch.  These are once again on the increase. Anyone seeing them should contact the Environmental Health Officer, Mr Russell Watkins, at SCDC.  Cl Mrs Heazell agreed to speak to him about the problem and ask for the area to be baited regularly.

13        Cycle Path Eversden to Comberton Still no response from Sustrans.

14        Recreation Ground Alterations  The draft plans would be shown to the PC at its planning meeting on 4th October so that the PC could make an application for planning permission

15        Affordable Houses Nothing further to report at present..

New Business

16        Foodstore Provision. A major development is planned in NW Cambridge between the Madingley and Huntingdon roads.  It is proposed to build a major foodstore there and the PC was asked for comments.  There were no objections, provided consideration was given to possible traffic problems.

17        Kiosk Food Provision A letter had been received offering to install a kiosk for emergency food supplies.  The PC wished to know about the cost, the possible location and consequent parking risks, the plans for maintenance and restocking, the risks of vandalism and litter.

18        Patrick Kilker has resigned from the PC.  He will be greatly missed.  The Clerk would post a notice of the vacancy and those interested should inform her in writing.

19        New Dog-bin at corner of Bucks Lane near the recreation ground. This is needed because some dog walkers have thoughtlessly used the recycling bins for this purpose. This will be further discussed at the next meeting.

20        Finance

            The following cheques agreed and signed:

            Audit Fee                     £215.03           LGA 1972 siii (i)

            £95 Received from  Recreation committee as contribution to the cost of Youth Bus last term.

21        Mobile Library  This would now visit only of the 2nd Thursday of each month. This is also the day for the Coffee Mornings.  It has been arranged that the library will stop at the recreation ground from 11.25-11.45 in addition to its usual stops at Little and great Eversden

22        Report from Cl. Kindersley. A full report had been circulated previously.

            In addition Cl. Kindersley said that he was campaigning strongly for a new secondary school at Cambourne.  This was urgently needed in view of the growing population of Cambourne and the fact that CVC had almost reached its maximum capacity.  There were fears in Haslingfield that if a new secondary school was not built in Cambourne, the catchment area might be altered and Haslingfield parents would no longer be in the catchment of CVC.

            He urged the PC to write to Hazel Belchamber to express anxiety at the failure of the Council to forward the projects for both a new primary and secondary school at Cambourne.

23        Cl. Mrs Heazell mentioned the continuing uncertainty about the regulations for the Addenbrooke's approach road, and the difficulties this could cause for car schemes and those delivering patients.

            She mentioned that staff morale at SCDC was very low because of the fear of redundancies.  The new CEO would take up her post at the end of September, and it was hoped that she would do an excellent job.

24        Correspondence  In circulation

Date of Meetings

Planning Meeting  Monday 4th October in the Village Hall at 8.30pm

Full Parish Council Monday 25th October in the Village Hall at 8pm.