Minutes of the Great Staughton Parish Council meeting held on 25 January 2018 7.30pm in the Village Pavilion
Present: R Jewell (RJ) (Chair) H Duberly (HD) D Moore (DM) A Withers (AW) N Yates (NY) J Gray (JG) J Russel (JR) (clerk)
a) Residents’ Forum – Parking Problems – Lauras Close – P. Rowe, D. Chapman, D. Hirst, W. Hirst, A. Foster -there are problems with illegally parked cars and the residents are very concerned that an accident will occur soon as their visibility is obstructed when exiting Lauras Close. Cambridgeshire Police have advised that this is a road traffic offence not simply a parking issue and indeed the Traffic Management Officer, Derek Crosby has written to the Clerk to advise that the restriction on parking is not being adhered to. Clearly illegal acts are being committed and the police will need to enforce the law. The residents indicated that the police have advised that they do not have the police time to do this and it was agreed that the PC would raise this issue with them. The Clerk will also write to local businesses asking them to politely advise their customers/users of the parking restrictions and also write to CCC Highways about the possibility of putting yellows lines in place which road users are more likely to adhere to perhaps. Mr Rowe has already placed an article in Life Magazine.
b) J. Reid and K. Reid – Parking problems – The Highway – the recent double yellow lines have caused a problem with parking outside their property. This is blocking their view when exiting their drive and also their exit from their house is blocked by cars parking right in front of their gate. The Clerk will ask the police to determine if blocking a pedestrian access is illegal. BJ advised that the police have visited the area in question and have advised that if a driveway is blocked, or if a car is parked on the pavement or on yellow lines then an offence has been committed and then they will act accordingly. Mrs Reid asked who owned the pavement outside of their property and BJ advised that it was probably CCC and that the PCSO had advised that as it is effectively a lay-by then people could park there. Mr Reid also expressed concerns that as a result of the work to the junction on the Causeway cars are now accelerating off the junction due to its design and that the junction should have come further out into the road. BJ advised that the shape of the junction is as far out into the road as it could be. The PC will also ask the PCSO to attend the Parish Assembly on 19 April, so residents can raise all of their concerns direct to him. If residents are unhappy about how the police have dealt with these issue then they might also want to consider reporting this issue the Police & Crime Commissioner.
1. Apologies for absence G Gilbert (GG), Ian Gardener (IG), J Bowen (JB), K Fisk (KF)
2. Minutes of the meeting held on 22 November 2017 The minutes were agreed as a true record and signed by the Chairman.
3. Matters Arising
Drain outside village hall – work has been completed. Dog Control Orders – JR has been unable to locate the bye-law. No further action to be taken. Footpaths –HD and WM will prepare a list of the footpaths in GS showing who is responsible for each footpath. Ditches – Cage Lane – JR to chase CCC again. WM confirmed he has been asked by one of the landowners in question to clear one part. Missing sign – Clerk has again reported that the County road sign between Little Staughton and Great Staughton is missing. Timebank – Clerk has emailed HWPC, Perry PC and K&S PC asking if they are interested in setting up a scheme similar to the one in St Neots. Tree Warden – Norman Hardy is to continue his work as tree warden albeit in a slightly reduced capacity. Overgrown foliage on footpaths – the Clerk has written to the residents in question. Data Protection – changes to the law in May 2018. The Clerk will attend a training course on this issue in March and then report back to the PC. Transparency Fund Grant – JR will apply for this grant which will enable the PC to set up and administer its own website.
4. Attendance at other meetings None to report
5. Planning Update on: 17/00764/FUL to build new warehousing at Orchard Farm – the Clerk has circulated a draft letter to the residents of The Town, Church, School, Doctors Surgery, Hail Weston PC and preschool to see if they will support the objections to this development. 17/02626/HHFUL – 6 Cage Lane – no objections 17/02417/FUL – Land west of 69 The Highway – no objections 17/02538/S73 – Land at Top Farm and Little Staughton Airfield – no objections 17/02585/FUL – 45 Dillington – no objections 17/02691/FUL – Agden Green Farm – no objections Local Plan 2036 – Clerk to submit comments on behalf of the PC. In view of the parking issues recently raised by residents any potential new development will need to include adequate parking. Enforcement 17/00229/ENACCE – 18 The Highway – a retrospective application has been submitted for the dropped kerb.
6. Highways – the footbridge on Footpath 3 is damaged and the Clerk has reported this to CCC Highways to ask that this is repaired as soon as possible. See above for action to be taken re Lauras Close parking issues. Regarding junction at The Causeway and speeding traffic – DM will carry out Speed Watch. The PC will also ask the police what can be done about residents parking laterally across the pavement. NY will undertake a Highways search to see who is responsible for the for the layby outside Mr and Mrs Reid’s house. Clerk will ask the police to see what can be done about people parking their cars in front of a pedestrian gate.
7. Report from County & District Councillors JG – there has been no further news on the Orchard Farm development he has been advised by Planning that data is being gathered. He has a meeting pencilled in with Planning in 2-3 months time and he will ensure that the PC is kept fully informed of developments. Regarding the Local Plan JG advised that nothing will be built without going to a full planning application. As regards to the HDC budget it is likely that the Council Tax will increase by 2%. There are local elections in May 2018 and due to boundary changes JG will stand in the Kimbolton Ward and Hail Weston and Great Staughton will cease to be in his area. JG said it had been his great pleasure to with GS and BJ thanked him for his support.
8. Correspondence – SENT
A. Chapman Luminus. CLT R. Braddick PCSO. Parking issues – The Highway D. Wildridge CLT F. Mastrandrea HDC. CLT J. Gray HDC CLT Highways. Missing County Sign and Village Hall drain Hedges 14 The Highway, 4 Smiths Yard, 1 Moory Croft 18 The Highway. Kerri Boydell Mark Saunders running water issue No 8 The Highway and speeding Rose Klemperer CLT HDC Precept 2018/19 Residents of The Town. Orchard Farm Planning Application Highways Asset Management. Footpaths in GS HW, Perry, Kimbolton PCs. Timebank T. Batha HDC updated to councillor’s register of interests Bluntisham PC. Objections to Local Plan 2036 Mr Chapman. Re parking issues Lauras Close Mr P Rowe Parking issues Lauras Close school, surgery, church, HW PC – Orchard Farm Planning Application Derek Crosby. Cambs Police re parking issues Lauras Close Karl Brockett. Ditches Cage Lane CCCHighways. Damaged bridge on Footpath 3
RECEIVED
Ross Goody. Orchard Farm Planning Application R. Braddick PCSO Parking issue The Highway J Gray CLT inaugural meeting K Hiden Orchard Farm Planning Application K Miller Orchard Farm Planning Application J Newell orchard Farm Planning Application HDC Precept 2018/19 HDC Local Plan 2036 T Batha HDC Update of councillor’s register of interests K. Boydell HDC 18 The Highway R. Klemperer CLT Tracey Davidson Bluntisham PC Objections to Local Plan 2036 D Chapman Parking issue Lauras Close P Rowe Parking issue Lauras Close D. Crosby – police Parking issue Lauras Close CCC highways Damage to bridge on Footpath 3 Martin Wilson – Perry PC Clerk Timebank Loraine Harris – Doctors Surgery Orchard Farm Planning Application
9. Cashbook, Cheques in and out
Income: Playing field committee grant for play equipment – £4140.00
Expenditure: Clerk November salary – £215.35 CLT Solicitors fees. – A. Collins – £448.60 ACRE – payroll services – £36.00 HMRC Quarterly payment – £204.00 Clerk December Salary – £215.35 DJ Hoenig – 78.00 Balfour Beatty – £483.48
Total £1680.78 Balance in Community Account £18,457.50 Cashbook was reviewed and approved.
10. Affordable Housing RJ reported that the inaugural meeting will take place on 3 February in the Village Hall. Leaflets will be distributed to all GS households prior to the meeting. The meeting to decide the CLT Board will take place on 1 March 2018.
11. Report from: Village Hall Committee – work will start on 5 March 2018 and the hall will be closed for three weeks. NY thanked BJ for all his work on securing a £22,000 grant. The Parish Council also provided £3000 towards the work.
Playing Field Committee – NY reported that a pre-installation survey had been carried out with a view to the installation of the new equipment starting at the end of February. She gave her thanks to WM who has very kindly agreed to carry out the groundworks. The Playing Field Committee will run gala day on 21 July 2018 and the proceeds will go towards further play equipment needed.
Neighbourhood Watch No report.
Speed Watch DM is planning a further Speed watch shortly.
12. Parish Matters AW is not standing in the next elections in May 2018. BJ will place an article in Life magazine asking for potential new councillors to come forward.
Dates of meetings for 2018 22 March, Parish Assembly 19 April, AGM 10 May, 5 July, 27 September, 15 November