MINUTES OF FULL PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 30TH SEPTEMBER 2013 AT 8 PM IN THE PAVILLION
Present: Mr Dalton, Mr Dinsdale, Mrs Glasse, Ms Green, Mrs Handley, Mrs Pritchard, Ms Spencer, Mr White and in the Chair Mr Tebbit,
Cllr Sebastian Kindersley was also in attendance for part of the meeting.
1 Apologies: Ms O'Callaghan, Cllr Page
2 The Chair welcomed Ms Green to the Council and will look forward to her contribution in due course.
3 The minutes of 12th August were approved, with abstentions from Mr Dinsdale and Mrs Pritchard as they were absent from the meeting.
Public Participation
4 Mr Bridgewater informed the meeting he had been making enquiries about 6-7 sites in the Eversdens which are not greenbelt are possibly suitable for affordable housing. He was happy to continue to help in identifying sites. Mr Tebbit stressed that the main criterion is that the sites are available.
5 Mr Nicholson asked whether it was possible to identify a particular apple variety in the Community Orchard. Mr Tebbit said that he had had a plan when he had planted the orchard. Mr Farnell informed the meeting that the grid was also on the website and he would ensure Mr Nicholson received a copy.
6 Miss Sach reported that the light in the telephone box at Little Eversden has been out of order for weeks. It was agreed that the Clerk would first speak with BT and then, if BT were unable to help, obtain quotes from a local electrician.
Declaration of Interests
7 Mr Dinsdale and Mrs Glasse expressed an interest in Item 7. Unknown Donors Charity.
8 Matters Arising
Report from Cllr Sebastian Kindersley
9 Cllr Kindersley had circulated his September report prior to the meeting.
10 He informed the meeting of 2 additions. Firstly CEMEX have submitted plans to build 350 houses at Barrington quarry. If successful this will impact on schools, roads and medical facilities. Barrington will fight the development and support from surrounding village would be much appreciated.
11 Secondly is the proposed vehicle parking charge of £1 at the P&R sites. This impacts particularly on those already poorly paid members of the community with an additional £5-7 per week. It is also a step backwards for SCDC residents to gain access to services. It was noted that this charge would make it cheaper for families to drive into the city rather than using the P&R. Cllr Kindersley reported that Stagecoach currently only pay £2 exit fee to leave the P&R sites. He urged the Parish Council to write Cllr Martin Curtis to oppose this charge. The Council resolved that the Chair would write to Cllr Curtis
12 Mr Tebbit raised the subject of the recent correspondence regarding a Better Bus Service. It was felt that this would not be applicable to the Eversdens as there was no longer a viable bus service.
Unknown Donors Charity
13 Miss Sach gave the following update, as obliged by the Charity Commission, as there has been a change in trustees.
14 As from September 2013 the retiring trustees Richard Ellis and Barbara Sach are pleased to announce that their places will be taken by Steven Dinsdale and Sue Glasse (both Parish Councillors representing Little Eversden on the current Eversden Council). Richard who has served for over 40 years and Barbara, 27 years, both felt younger trustees were needed at the helm being more in touch with the age group concerned.
15 To remind any newcomers to the area this charity was set up over 120 years ago to provide financial assistance to apprentices with recognized training courses living in Little Eversden. Future applications will need to be made in writing and addressed to either of the new trustees although the retiring trustees are still happy to answer any questions for applicants.
The Council would like to take this opportunity to thank Barbara Sach and Richard Ellis for their work over many years in enabling this charity to fulfill its aims, in giving many of our young people a helping hand in their chosen vocations.
Local Plan Consultation
16 Ms Spencer outlined our reply and the Clerk informed the meeting that SCDC had acknowledged receipt of our letter.
Parish Council Liaison
17 The Clerk will attend the meeting on Tuesday 1st October at SCDC and report back to the next meeting.
A603 Harlton/Eversden
18 Mr Dinsdale reported that they had received a positive 'no comment' from the Police. Highways can now proceed with an Official Plan and Order. It was agreed that we would pursue on basis as before, e.g 50 mph limit from Washpit Lane to just outside the limit of the Speed camera, with the wish that the speed camera be, at some date, reinstated.
Mrs Pritchard expressed concern that this would now leave only one area that is 60 mph. There was general agreement over her concern and Mr Dinsdale said he would raise the issue with Harlton, as the 60 mph area was within their jurisdiction.
OSP 148 Update & Statistics
19 The following letter was received by the Clerk from Mr Bidwell of Little Eversden:
20 With reference to the published minutes of the last PC meeting dated 12th August 2013 I would like to express my concerns regarding the use of Statistics to represent the opinion of the two villages regarding the OSP 148 development.
Using data from the same source it could equally be reported that when given the opportunity only 9 people out of 810 residents identified a need for accommodation this equates to 1.11%
Equally again when given the opportunity to comment on whether more accommodation was welcome only 70 people out of 810 were either 'strongly in favour' or 'in favour' whereas 180 people were either 'definitely not ' or 'have reservations' this could be summarised as 28% for and 72% against.
In the interests of fairness I would ask that my version of statistics be reported and recorded at the next meeting and would ask that caution is exercised when using such data in the future.
I would also point out that I have two daughters who would no doubt fit the description of young people requiring affordable accommodation but both put the environment and the character of the village they have grown up in ahead of their own individual requirements.
We must all as a species understand how to leave in equilibrium with our environment and that unrestrained growth is ultimately not sustainable.
21 Please see below the Council's response:
The figure Mr Bidwell quotes of 810 residents seems to come from the Eversdens Website where it states that some 210 residents are in Great and 600 in Little. The actual totals from the 2011 census appear to be 241 Great and 600 Little. These figures include all residents of whatever age at the date of census so will include newborn, toddlers and small children as well. The figures I used come from the households that returned the questionnaire these numbers being 56 Great Eversden and 112 Little Eversden. The questionnaire was only completed by those people aged 11 years and older. If people chose not to complete and return the questionnaire then I believe that their views are not determinable and cannot be included in any statistical analysis. I don't believe that extrapolating the questionnaire figures over 810 residents is correct. In total there were 427 people who made up these households but not all households or people answered every question.
The figure of 9 people identifying a need for accommodation comes from the questionnaire summary results and responded to the question 'Is any Individual in your household or your whole household currently in need of alternative accommodation?' In fact 13 of the households who submitted a questionnaire return said they were in need. There was no specific question about people with a connection to either or both of Great and Little Eversden and this is what forms the basis of the SCDC Housing Register in respect of housing needs for the Eversdens particularly OSP148.
In so far as affordable housing is concerned, the summary results show 343 people expressed their views on Village Development. However 330 people answered the specific question about affordable housing. Of these, 123 were 'in favour' or 'strongly in favour' with 66 'definitely not' and 79 'having reservations'. Nobody in the 'have reservations' gave any explanation as to what their reservations are.
22 In answer to questions arising from the letter, the questionnaire 'Eversden Ahead' was circulated as part of the Village Survey in 2009 looking at all aspects of village life, not just housing. The original survey did not record addresses of respondents, only which Village they lived in.
Mr Bridgewater suggested a new updated survey.
23 Miss Sach stated that the questionnaires were used to show the need for the 10 houses in Little Eversden and 10 houses in Great Eversden. Parishioners are now living in the Little Eversden houses and the Great Eversden homes should have been built at the same time.
24 The Clerk will clarify that all correspondence sent to the Parish Council is automatically then in the public domain.
2014 Meeting Dates
25 Mrs Handley explained that due to the public holidays in 2014 some dates were either 5 or 7 weekly. It was proposed that we investigate having meetings at monthly intervals. Mrs Handley would work out monthly dates and circulate to the Council for opinion.
26 Finance
Recreation Ground Connections Bus £2,000 LGA 1976 s19
PKF Littlejohn External Audit £120.00 LGA 1972 s111(i)
IT Support Partners £96.00 LGA 1872 s142
27 The Clerk expressed thanks to our Internal Auditor, Tony Richford.
28 It was resolved that the Precept Budget would be discussed at the November meeting.
Correspondence
29 Following the Planning Application for the reinforcement of Comberton Bridge it was agreed that the Clerk would clarify the closure dates of the road as this may impact on traffic through the Village.
The closure dates are from 10th October until end January 2014.
30 Further to a Flood Asset Management inspection in Wimpole Road it was resolved that the Clerk would follow up with ADC (East Anglia) on the outcome.
Next Meetings
Planning: Monday 14th October and Monday 28th October at 8:30 pm if necessary.
Full Parish Council: Monday 11th November at 8:00 pm.