Minutes of the Great Staughton Parish Council
Meeting held on 27thSeptember 2018 – 7.30pm in the Village Pavilion
Present:
R Jewell (BJ) H Glanville (HG) G Brittain (GB)
D Moore (DM) L Goody (LG)
N Yates (NY) A Gilbert (AG)
J Bowen (JB) W Mumford (WM)
Darren Tysoe (DT)
J Russel (JR) (clerk)
PCSOs – Richard Braddick (RM) and colleague
DC – Derek Campbell and residents of Lauras Close
Apologies for absence – I Gardener (IG)
Residents’ Forum – Parking Problems – Lauras Close residents in attendance –the residents attended the meeting for an update. RB confirmed the issue had been raised with traffic police, but the matter isn’t a priority. The difficulty is that the traffic officers need to cover Beds, Cambs and Herts which is a very large area. PCSO confirmed he has visited the area and has not forgotten about it. He has spoken to people parking in the area and tried to educate road users. DC said he was concerned about delivery drivers and emergency vehicles being able to gain access. DM has been in touch with CCC and they have provided costings for double yellow lines and also extra parking outside the White Hart pub, similar to that in Kimbolton. Cars would need to reverse out of those spaces though, which could cause problems. The cost of this will be in the region of £10,000. Unfortunately, this does not increase parking substantially and might only increase parking spaces by only 3 or 4 cars. Regarding the yellow lines the police would need to be consulted to ask their opinion about how far to take the lines. PCSO advised that this could push the problem elsewhere and if people park on a corner this is very dangerous and will cause problems.
The PCSO then updated the council on crime figures over the last 5 months. There has been one burglary, 2 RTAs, 1 attempted burglary, theft of a caravan and theft of a horsebox. He advised residents to be extra vigilant and guard against break-ins.
A Lauras Close resident also reported a blocked storm drain on The Highway, which the clerk will report to Highways.
Minutes of the meeting held on 5thJuly 2018 – The minutes were agreed as a true record and signed by the Chairman.
Declarations of interest – none declared.
Matters Arising:
Parking in the Highway– residents have reported to the clerk that cars are parking on the grass verges on The Highway. Although the matter seems to have been resolved, please can all villagers refrain from parking on the grass verges.
Ditches – Cage Lane – CCC have sent precedent letters to the clerk, which she will send to the relevant landowners once WM has identified them.
Missing County sign– Clerk has again reported as it has still not been replaced. But CCC report that matter is being dealt with and the works ordered.
Time bank– HW and Perry have indicated that willing to join a grant application to the Innovate Fund to set up the scheme.
PC Website – this is nearly complete.
Green Close potholes – DM will report to Highways.
Bridge on Footpath 3 – this is now being fixed.
Speed limits in The Town – DM has arranged for LG to attend Speedwatch training.
Corner Green Close/The Highway – the hedges have been cut.
14 The Highway –the hedges have been trimmed but are still well over the path. Matter will be looked at again in the Spring.
GDPR Councillor email addresses – clerk will ask the website designer to set these up using the councillor’s initials and also to have separate ones for Chair and Vice-Chair which are then easily transferable.
Weight Limit The Town –this concerns the bridge and HGV potentially causing damage – is was agreed that the clerk will write to CCC about this issue to see if a weight limit can be put in place.
Broken Fence Beachampstead Road –HG will ask Steve Tims to quote for this work as CCC will not make this a priority.
Attendance at other meetings – n/a
Planning – update on Orchard Farm. BJ and DT attended the DMC to oppose the application, which was unfortunately granted. BJ was very grateful to DT for his assistance and support in this matter.
Solar Farm – Grafham Water – GSPC is not a statutory consultee, but it was agreed the clerk would raise the issue with Perry PC to see if a joint meeting should be held between Anglian Water to obtain more information.
Highways – the PC has received a proposal from Highways as set out above. The costs are around £10,000 but need to be clarified. It may also be possible to apply for an LHI grant in July 2019, but the PC will still need to contribute at least £2000. The council are concerned that if yellow lines are put in place then the parking problem will simply be moved elsewhere. It is highly unlikely CCC would reassess the road and remove the white line. There was also a concern about cars reversing out onto The Highway if the proposed new parking scheme is put in place and the problems this would cause. As it is a conservation area the PC may also be prevented from putting the suggested scheme in place. If yellow lines are put in place as suggested, then there will be a knock-on effect and the parking problems will simply move elsewhere. DT suggested that one solution might be to ask a CCC engineer to look at the parking issues in GS as a whole and then to come up with some solutions that the PC could then put to the residents of GS. All of the PC were agreed that yellow lines were not appropriate – the council cannot afford £10,000 for parking and yellow lines. It was agreed that the clerk would write to CCC thanking them for their assistance so far and requesting an engineer to provide a more strategic view of parking issues on The Highway in view of growth in the village. The whole of The Highway has issues and any solution must be more than a temporary fix and not simply move the problem elsewhere.
Report from District Councillors – DT said he was disappointed that the DMC had recommended that planning permission be granted in respect of Orchard Farm. He also confirmed that precept letters had now been sent to the PCs. HDC have made a number of easy savings but £1.6million still needed to be made. He also advised that changes had been made to the HDC telephone systems.
Correspondence – BJ thanked the clerk for her work liaising with UKPN and Balfour Beatty to fix the streetlights in Dillington.
SENT
UKPN – street light Dillington
Balfour Beatty – street light Dillington
Inspector Paul Rogerson – Lauras Close
G Holgate – street light Dillington
N Orchard – street light Dillington
G Stiles – street light Dillington
R Braddick PCSO – Beachampstead Road parking issue
PKF Littlejohn – audit
Mark Millmore – website designer
HDC planning – Orchard farm
HDC planning – Solar Farm -Grafham
RECEIVED
Tracy Stokes – CLT issues
N Orchard – Dillington street lighting
G Holgate – Dillington street lighting
B Crabb Balfour Beatty – Dillington street lighting
Inspector Paul Rogerson – Lauras Close parking
R Braddick PCSO – Beachampstead Rd parking issues
J Lloyd HDC – Orchard Farm
K Buchanan Weight limit – The Town
M McKnight Footpath gate Beachampstead Road
PKF Littlejohn – Audit queries
G Stiles – Dillington street lighting
Jo Challis CCC – Ditches in Cage Lane
T Batha – HDC – Councillors DPI form
Cashbook, Cheques in and out –
Income: £0
Expenditure:
D Moore £29.99
St Neots museum grant – £50.00
D Hoenig – £167.00
Bradgate – £235.00
Clerk July Salary – £245.38
Church Grant – £500.00
Anthony Collins – £766.60
Clerk Aug salary – £245.18
D Hoenig – £140.00
SLCC – membership – £84.00
PKF Littlejohn – £240.00
Balance in Community Account £3508.28
Balance in Tracker Account. £18,479.16
Cashbook was reviewed and approved. Audit is now complete – BJ thanked the clerk.
Affordable Housing – RJ provided an update. The land is now registered but it still needs to be valued. A meeting is being arranged with Luminus to discuss the allocation policy and types of houses to be built. There will be a meeting of the whole CLT membership before any final agreement is reached.
Report from:
Village Hall Committee – HG reported that there was an issue with the flue and this incurred further work. It was agreed that the PC would pay for this work totalling approx. £400. The PC also wish to express their thanks to Simon Clerk who very kindly provided the screen covering the wall.
Playing Field Committee – NY confirmed £1285 was raised at Gala Day in July. The committee are also looking at the skate park repairs which are very expensive. DM has done a massive amount of work for Piglets which the PC thanked him for. On behalf of the PC LG thanked NY for all her hard work regarding Gala Day.
Neighbourhood Watch –no report
Speed Watch – LG will attend the next Speedwatch course.
Parish Matters – JB – reported that dogs are not being kept on a lead – she will place a notice in Life. In addition, people are removing information from the notice board in Beachampstead Rd. JB will place a notice in Life. Regarding the cut through on Green Close to Beachampstead cars and motorbikes are using this. The clerk will write to CCC asking for bollards to be put in place.
HG –she will chase UKPN for them to correct the electricity post that need straightening. HG also asked if the PC could pay for the emergency lighting work that the village hall needs. The PC agreed but indicated that it would then consider the grant given to the Village Hall in the next financial year.
LG –will attend Speedwatch course so she can assist DM in preparing evidence to send to CC regarding reducing the speed limit in The Town.
WM –enquired about the litter pick. NY will place a notice in Life and agree a date.
Meeting closed at 10.15pm.
Dates of meetings for 2018/19:
15 November, 24 January, 21 March, Parish Assembly 2 May, AGM 16 May, 4 July, 19 September, 21 November.