Minutes of the Great Staughton Parish Council Meeting
held on 14 March 2024 – 7.30pm
Present: R Jewell (BJ) W Mumford (WM) H Glanville (HG) L Goody (LG) J Duberly (JD) G Brittain (GB) Helen Hopperton (HH) S Cawley - HDC
J Russel – Clerk
1.Apologies for absence – Ian Gardner, David Moore, Nicole Yates
2. Declarations of Interest JD agenda item 13, HH agenda item 17
3. Resident’s Forum – no one attended
4. Reports from District and County Councillors - SC reported that 40% of households had signed up to the Green Bin Scheme. There is a scheme for some parish councils to apply for up to 10 free bins. Details will be received shortly. HDC have voted to increase Council Tax by the maximum amount. A survey will be sent to the clerk shortly regarding the plan for a new EV Strategy.
5. Minutes of the meeting held on 18 January 2024 – approved.
6. Matters arising:
Blocked footpath (40) near 5 Acres Salvage yard – no report. Clerk will email IG to ask him to look into this.
Holiday Scheme – the PC voted to arrange 4 sessions over the summer as it was so successful last year.
7. Attendance at other meetings – none reported.
8. Highways
23/24 LHi Bid – the clerk will ask IG to try to progress this. We are still waiting for the MVAS sign and solar panels to be installed at the Kimbolton end of the village.
Current LHi bid 24/25 – no update.
Blocked highway in Perry – carried forward to next meeting. Clerk will email IG to ask him to meet with WM.
20mph speed limit – there have been no adverse comments so the scheme will go ahead.
Pedestrian crossing issues and potential grant funding – the trees have been cut back and the CLT will apply for a grant of £8000 to fund further MVAS signs.
Flooding Cage Lane gullies – the flooding has ceased but there is still a defective drain that needs fixing. Clerk will raise with IG.
9. Planning
Five Acres enforcement – no update.
Wyboston Garden Village/developments in Beds near A1 – ongoing.
22/01813/FUL Land East and West of Little Staughton Solar Farm – comments submitted re Rights of Way – we will ask SC to look into this.
24/00053/HHFUL 19 The Green, 2 storey extension – no comments/objections received.
10. Cashbook – approved.
Current account £4036.24
Business account £21953.08
Expenditure: £
J Russel | 508.32 |
D Hoenig | 277.00 |
Cambs. Acre | 60.00 |
J Russel | 508.52 |
Wicksteed Ltd | 21,292.39 |
Cambs. Acre | 1,575.00 |
Arthur Ibbett | 49.39 |
11. Purchase of new laptop and software - details had been circulated prior to the meeting and it was agreed to purchase a new laptop and Microsoft 365 for Business.
12. Correspondence - an email and video was received from a resident regarding parking outside the surgery. This is a police matter but the PC does recognise the problem. The plan is for the surgery to be moved at some point in the future.
13. Neighbourhood Plan – BJ had circulated a report on 8 March 2024 to be read prior to this meeting. The Neighbourhood Plan (NP) for Great Staughton has reached a critical phase. There are a number of issues which the Parish Council (PC) needs to consider and agree a way forward.
A. The PC note and agree the initial responses to date to the Reg 14 consultation and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Screening Report by HDC, the SEA consultations and responses from stakeholders. The responses will be updated after the SEA is completed and with any comments made by the PC.
B. Do the PC wish to continue with the site allocation to the south of 29 The Green in the NP as proposed in the Regulation 14 version taking in to account the comments by the Environment Agency (EA) / Anglian Water, and Cambridgeshire County Council (CCC) as Local Lead Flood Authority on surface water flood risk. The PC agreed to continue with this site.
C. Do the PC wish to continue with site allocation at Brook Farm proposed in the Regulation 14 version in view of the SEA requirements. The PC agreed to continue with this site.
D. Do The PC wish to continue with NP given that no more funding is likely to forthcoming from locality. The PC reviewed the estimate of work to complete the NP to submission stage and further work to Referendum. It was estimated that the additional work would be in the region of £3000 and the PC agreed to fund this.
14. Ideas for use of CIL funding and National Power Grant – remove grant from the agenda as the PC is not an eligible body to apply for this.
15. Reports from:
Village Hall Committee – HG reported that they are still very busy with bookings.
Playing Field Committee - NY reported that the new play equipment is now installed.
Speed Watch – no report
16. Parish Matters - GB reported a blocked pipe on the way to Perry but JD indicated that this had already been resolved. WM reported that the cycle event proved dangerous again this year. He also reported that there were long delays at A & E when he had to attend with a relative recently. BJ reported that the litter pick will take place on 23 March.
17. East Park Energy Solar Farm – we have been asked to provide details of hard to reach groups. The following were suggested: WI, Parish Charities, St Neots Cycling Club, Church, School. There was also a discussion as to whether the prospective electoral candidates should be contacted for their views. Not sure there is a formal list yet though so we will wait until one is.
18. Meeting dates for 2024 – Parish Assembly 25 April, AGM 16 May, 4 July, 12 September, 7 November
Meeting closed at 21.16
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