Minutes of Steering Committee meeting 5th December 2008

Present:    John White (JW), Liz Lawrie (LL), Christine Piper (CP), Alison Pritchard (AP), Linda Nicholls (LN), Guy Nicholls (GN), Terence Wheeler (TW), Mary Elbourne (ME), Desmond Elbourne (DE),

Melanie Baker (MB) (ACRE) Apologies: Jack McCollum, Estelle Flack, Catherine Huntington, Sally Oliver, Abbi Chiswell-White.

It was noted that Wendy Freezer has decided not to participate in the Steering Group as Kirk and Wendy are leaving the Eversdens in the New Year.

JW welcomed all to the inaugural meeting of the Eversden Parish Plan Steering Group and said that there were some administrative details to be dealt with first.  These included the Adoption of a formal constitution and the election of officers.  He circulated copies of a specimen constitution provided by ACRE and it was agreed that members would study this and indicate agreement or suggest changes in time for the next meeting.

Election of Officers: It was agreed that JW be elected as Chairman, LN be elected as Vice Chairman and ME as Treasurer.  No person was, at this meeting, prepared to act as Secretary so this post was left to be decided in the interim period or at the next meeting.

Finance: The source of funds for the Parish Plan and possible items of expenditure was discussed. 

JW acting for the Parish Council had made an application for a grant administered by ACRE (on behalf of DEFRA).  The maximum grant was £1500 and MB stated that the Eversden bid was successful and a cheque should be paid within the next two weeks.  Monies had to be paid to the Parish Council although this money is specifically for Parish Plan purposes.  It is a condition of the grant award that the Parish Council makes a contribution equal to 5% of all monies raised for the Parish Plan.  JW has already discussed possible contributions from local businesses and these might realise another £400 in total.  The Parish Council has therefore budgeted £100 (5% of £2000).  A decision has yet to be made as to where Parish Plan monies are banked.  All income needs to be processed via the Parish Council but a separate Parish Plan bank account administered by the Steering Group might be considered.  There are advantages perhaps of using the Parish Council as it is registered for VAT purposes.

Some items of expenditure can be identified.  For Questionnaire development, the University of Gloucestershire Village Appraisal software package costing £75 provides a standard database of some 350 questions that can be tailored to our needs and allows custom designed questions to be incorporated.  It allows analysis of questionnaire responses.  MB offered to provide a loan copy for us to study before we ordered our own.  Printing of some 300 questionnaires (probably one per household in the two villages) and the printing of the final Parish Plan plus incidental expenses might cost in the region of £1450 based upon typical costs incurred by other Parish Plan developers.

Wish List: A general discussion took place about the aims and aspirations that the Steering Group believed were of great importance to The Eversdens.  The questionnaire to be constructed will, of course, more closely identify these.

It is known that people have concerns about:

- traffic problems e.g. speeding, increase in number of vehicles, heavy vehicles, noise pollution especially through traffic on main road through Great and Little Eversden
- poorly maintained side roads.
- junction with A603 very dangerous
- Recreation Ground not being fully utilised by all age groups and lack of activities for 12-to-17 year old residents. (specifically raised by GN)
- very poor bus service

- a perceived increasing lack of community spirit within The Eversdens linked to demise of Village Shop/Post Office, loss of local pub.

- village communications

Promoting the Parish Plan:  It was agreed that the title "The Eversdens Parish Plan" does not enthuse and that some catchier name and perhaps logo needs to be created.  All members were asked to give thought and suggest ideas to AP.

Awareness events are needed.  Amongst suggestions are:

-         Open day in Village Hall (February 2008?) with perhaps a photograph competition (identify the location in the villages of these shots?)  Yesteryear photographs and maps of The Eversdens? Maps for people to highlight areas of like and dislike

-         Open day at the Recreation Ground. Treasure Hunt starting and finishing at the Rec but including areas of the two villages

JW said he would talk with Dave Farnell about use of the many village photographs he has.

Web Site: JW undertook to discuss use of The Eversdens website with Dave Farnell.  It was agreed that the plan needed something eye catching on the website perhaps a rolling banner on the front page directing visitors to a specific webpage for more detail

Tailcorn:  Articles for Tailcorn are needed.  It is too late for the next issue but the Spring issue is to be targeted.

Village Notice Boards:  Poster(s) for the various Village Notice Boards to include the one in the Pavilion.

Village Coffee Mornings: leaflets?

New Year's Eve: leaflet available on tables at the forthcoming New Year's Eve dance in the Village Hall

Xmas Fayre: This event might be too soon for us to have anything constructed.  Space for the Fayre itself is at a premium so it was unlikely that any would be available for Plan use. JW to investigate

Parish Council: Feedback on progress will be given at each Parish Council meeting via JW.  This will get reported in the PC minutes (available on the Village Website)

Village Groups:  there are some 20 village groups/ organisations and these are to be canvassed by members to seek their views about the villages and their likes, dislikes and wishes.  A list of these is attached and it was agreed that these would be divided between members for action.  CP undertook to take the Table Tennis Club, JW agreed to take The Eversden Players.

Stakeholders: A list of Stakeholders (organisations and individuals needing to be informed of our Parish Plan and progress) was circulated.  A copy of this list is attached.  We need to decide who takes responsibility for contacting these both initially and on a regular contact basis.

Date of Next Meeting: 16^th January 2008, 8.00pm Eversden Village Hall

Eversden Village Groups and Businesses

Groups:

Vital Spark Theatre (Dance Yourself Healthy & Children’s Drama)

Eversden Bellringers

Eversden Gunners

Eversden Youth Brass Band

8 O’clock Club

Eversden Tennis Club

Eversden Players

Eversden Cricket Club

Computer Club

Eversden Table Tennis Club

Eversden Parents and Toddlers

Bookworms

Friends of Eversden Churches

Eversden Car Scheme

Businesses:

Cambridge Insitu (Clive Dalton) - JW progressing

Briar Security

Red House Farm

Traditional Flooring

Kilker Construction

Rider Sale Associates

Lesley Fotherby

Parish Plan Stakeholders

South Cambs Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership

C/o Bridget Fairley, South Cambridgeshire Hall, Cambourne Business Park, Cambourne, Cambridge CB3 6EA

District Councillor - Sebastian Kindersley

The Manor Barn
East Hatley
Gamlingay
Cambs
SG19 3JA

Telephone: 01767 651982

Council e-mail: sebastian.kindersley@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

District Councillor - Liz Heazell

101 New Road

Haslingfield
Cambridge
CB23 1LP

Telephone: 01223 870289

e-mail: cllr.heazell@scambs.gov.uk

District Planning

Planning Policy, South Cambridgeshire District Council, Cambourne Business Park, Cambourne, Cambridge, CB3 6EA.

County Planning

Head of Strategic Planning, Box ET1010, Shire Hall, Cambridge, CB3 0AP

Local MP

Andrew Lansley

House of Commons

Westminster

London SW1A 0AA

Telephone: 01954 211444

e-mail: lansley@parliament.uk

Primary Care Trust

Inger O'Meara, Assistant Director of Health Improvement, Cambridgeshire PCT, Nightingale Court (Block 1), Ida Darwin, Fulbourn, Cambridge, CB1 5EE

Cambs Association of Local Councils

Ian Dewar, Interim Chief Executive, 33 Stephenson Road,  St Ives, Cambs, PE27 3WJ

Locality Manager

Amanda Barnard, Locality Coordinator
Comberton Village College, West Street, Comberton, CB3 7DU
Telephone: 01223 264935
e-mail: abarnard@cambsyouthservice.org.uk

Natural England