Parish Council Meeting Minutes: Monday 19th October 2020
Minutes of Parish Council MEETING on Monday 19th October 2020 at 8:00 pm
via ZOOM
Present: Mrs Dalton, Mr Dinsdale, Mrs Edwards, Mrs Glasse, Mrs Mallows, Ms O’Callaghan, Mr Oliver, Mr Watterson and, in the Chair, Mr Prince.
1. Apologies for absence were received from Mrs Handley.
2. Declarations of interest received from Mr Dinsdale (Item 9) and Mrs Mallows (Item 8).
Mrs Glasse asked why the meetings were recorded. The Chair said it was for accuracy of minutes and if any disputes were raised as well as good practice.
3. Approve Minutes of the Monday 21st September and Monday 5th October Planning
Wheelers Way reference in minutes of 21st September to be removed.
Mr Dinsdale asked for an explanation of 6 x4m, the Clerk indicated that this was from a comment by a member of the public on the increase in the footprint. Unanimously approved.
4. There were no items from the Public.
5. Matters Arising & Clerks Report
a) Tree Work: Village Sign: Work scheduled for Thursday 22nd September.
b) Eversden Footpath Walks: We do not have a millennium survey or definitive map. The Chair had gathered all the audit materials and proposed to put something on EOL to request volunteers for assigned paths. He indicated there is no footpath file in the Parish Council cabinet.
c) Fossey Maintenance Contract: It was confirmed we do have a Procurement Standing order under Standing Order No 28 so a Tender can be raised. In the interim Derek Blatch will cut the grass once and Paul Tebbit will do the hedge once drilling is finished.
d) OSP148 Update: New contact at SCDC, Julie Fletcher. Beginning Sept Ecology Survey completed. The Sheep are still there, SCDC are aware but until planning permission passed they are content for them to stay there. SCDC wanted to change housing mix to include 1 bedroom but Accent Nene have said they unable to make this mix work. Ms O’Callaghan said would prefer to have 1 bedroom as figured highly in Housing Needs Survey. The Clerk will approach Accent Nene, via Julie Fletcher for a further explanation as to why no one bedroom properties.
e) Asset of Community Value: The Hoops. We can apply again but need a lot more evidence, FB posts, social hub, testimonials; village lunches. Without the ACV the property can be sold and developed. Clerk to email EOL for testimonials from the lunches.
6. East West Rail
a) Mr Watterson gave a briefing Update: – since last met Cambridge Approaches
carried on their work and we have continued to be part of their discussion. We voted on the options being presented and we voted on a strong preference on Route 6 outside the area. We also voted on 1/1A towards Barton. We were very much in the large majority of the villages that did vote. More recently Anthony Browne MP and Parish Councillors met and Mr Browne favoured a re-siting of the station north of Cambourne and also a suggestion to look again at a route that tracks the A428. CAG are widening their consultations to include more villages not currently included.
Going forward the key is to assert as much pressure as possible to our MP and EWR to reconsider Option E; re-siting the station North not South of Cambourne. Correspondence needs to emphasise the cumulative impact on this area in running this kind of rail and freight line through a quiet rural area and the impact on the local infrastructure. They will engage in a non-statutory consultation in the new year and the=n there will be a statutory Public consultation, we need to influence before the first consultation.
b) EWR Leaflet Drop – Mr Watterson said should we prioritise any form of influence,
write to their MP and Councillors. Also add James Palmer, Major of Cambridge. Mrs Glasse suggested one letter to the MP and copying in other interested parties. Mrs Edwards will add to the leaflet.
Mr Watterson highlighted possibly factually incorrect information in that freight trains may not necessarily be in the day with more at night and also cannot guarantee we will be cut off from Comberton. Mr Watterson clarified non statutory on route alignment then a statutory public consultation once route alignment decided. Leaflet is a good length. Contact Mrs Edwards by Wednesday close of play with amendments.
It was agreed to ring fence £100 for the production of the leaflet.
7. PC Email Account – Yahoo are withdrawing the service as a Dec 15th. The Chair suggested paying someone to manage the website, email service as a package. The Clerk said we are eligible for a Gov.uk account. CAPALC should be able to give advice on the GDPR as we are now paying as part of the subscription. Clerk to make enquiries as to a paid for service in time for the next meeting and add agenda item, Mrs Edwards and Ms O’Callaghan will also make enquiries.
8. Request for funding for an external hard drive – Mrs Mallows
Mrs Mallows said she did not want to lose data from Dave Farnell and also photographs of taken by Jill Marshall. It was agreed it was a good idea to have them backed up on external hard drive and Mrs Mallows suggested she was looking for 2TB hard drive. Unanimous agreed to allow a £60 budget.
9. Local Plan “Call for Sites”
Mr Watterson comments on the Great Eversden sites. The site at the end of Wimpole Road currently attached to a listed cottage is wholly inappropriate to develop a significant number of houses. The road is poorly maintained and becomes a farm track, it is right on the edge of the village boundary and a visual scar. The more central sites come of Chapel Road. In context of OSP148 the housing association were adamant that none of the sites could be developed because of significant access problems it would be peculiar and inconsistent if those access problems were not enough to prevent areas of Chapel Lane. One is large meadow, crossed by a public FP used by local residents and others and it would be very significant difference to develop that area. Other site next to Chapel, used for the Church Fete owned by the Diocese of Ely and objected to in the past. The other NW of Chapel Lane has no access and would have a significant impact on properties that back on to the meadow. The Chair confirmed that Highways would not allow development down Chapel Road in previous OSP148 tests.
Re the Little Eversden sites, a member of the public commented re the large site running opposite Wheelers Way to the back of Harlton Way. Concerned about increase in traffic and noise pollution and a significant development that would completely change the nature of the village. There was an application in the ‘70’s to develop this site that was rejected. This is also in green belt and one of the few that is not an in-fill site. It is also understood that it was a condition of Low Close was that the land to the back of the development, which is earmarked as a call for sites, could not be developed at any point.
It is believed the two sites at the bottom of High Street are not sustainable due to highways.
As with all the large sites, the Eversdens are not a sustainable village due to no shop or amenities or inadequate infrastructure. Within the village framework you can apply for infill for up to anything from 2 to 8 houses.
10. Covid Grant
Agreed to apply for £200 for Little and £100 for Great to purchase hand sanitiser stations and sanitiser for Village Hall and Recreation Ground. Agreed to have wall mounted sanitisers and money be administered by the Clerk.
11. 12 Wimpole Road, Great Eversden
Involves slight projection at the front of the house approx. 3-4ft with a more significant first storey extension to the rear above single storey above garage. Footprint is very similar and there appears to be no overlooking of neighbours. Council voted unanimously to SUPPORT the application.
12. Finance
OPUS Energy £78.15 DDR
Clerks Payment £388.79 LGA 1972 s.112.2
Payment approved.
No cheques 22253 – 22263 signed by the Chair until online banking mandate is operational.
13. Correspondence
a) Bourn Surgery –– Mrs Mallows volunteered to join the Patient Participation Group for Bourn Surgery.
b) The Clerk informed the Council that Carol Handley has resigned with immediate effect. It was agreed that the PC would send personal contributions to the Clerk and she would purchase a leaving gift and card. As a result of this the Clerk will also advertise the vacancy as a casual vacancy asap. The Council wished to note their sincere thanks to Carol Handley for her contribution to the Parish Council.
14. County & District Councillor Reports
Increase in Covid cases, spike in part due to students going to University but because not registered in their new GP surgeries the results were recorded here. The offices at SCDC are closed to the general public.
15. Next meetings: Planning, if required, Monday 2nd November and 16th November and Full Parish Council on Monday 30th November 2020.
The Chair closed the meeting at 21.35 pm.
