Minutes 1st October 2013 – Swaffham Bulbeck Parish Council

NUMBER 398

Held in the School on Tuesday, 1st October 2013, starting at 7.30pm

Present: Margaret Chadwick-Chairman (MC), Brian Ambrose (BA), Gordon Reid(GR), Lynn Reed(LR), Sharyn Robinson (SR), Sue Romero(SRo) and Ian Woodroffe(IW)

Members of the Public: None.

In attendance:
CCC – Cllr David Brown
ECDC – Cllr Allen Alderson
Parish Clerk – Karen King

3344: Apologies for Absence:
Bert Collins (conflicting commitment)
Mary Smith (away)

3345: Members’ Declaration of Interest for Items on the Agenda + Requests for Dispensation:
None.

3346: To Approve & Sign the Minutes of Extraordinary Meeting Number 396, 13th August 2013:
The minutes were agreed and signed as a correct record. Proposed: Ian Woodroffe. Seconded: Brian Ambrose.

3347: Matters Arising from Previous Minutes (for information only):
Min.ref.396/3323: Gritting routes for 2013/14: Following CCC’s invitation to add/amend gritting routes, the Clerk confirmed a request was sent to add Heath Road to the gritting schedule due to the ever increasing volume of traffic using the road.
Min.ref.397/3332: Local Highway Improvements 2013/14: Margaret Chadwick told the meeting that there had been little progress. Matthew Belton of CCC was asked for an update and replied that he was waiting for the completion of a safety audit.
Min.ref.397/3340: Footpath from Gutter Bridge to Cowbridge: Kate Day of CCC confirmed that she was to investigate the access issues and come back to Parish Council.
Min.ref.397/3340: Signs for Vicarage Close/Downing Court: No further news on when the signs were to be installed. Clerk to follow up with ECDC.
Min.ref.3339: Insurance: IW referred to the query raised. MC confirmed that the Pavilion had its own insurance and as such the query on the Parish Council insurance was not relevant.

3348: County Councillor’s Report: Cllr David Brown reported to the meeting.
There followed discussion on the plans for the A14 and the traffic calming at Quy.

3349: District Councillor’s Report: Cllr Allen Alderson reported to the meeting.
There following discussion about the noxious smells the village had had to endure over a period of approximately 5 days caused by the spraying of sewage effluent on the land. It was considered this was unacceptable and Cllr Alderson was asked if ECDC had a policy for the control of this process. Cllr replied that ECDC did not have a policy but would request that the farmers be considerate when spraying.
There followed discussion on Neighbourhood Panels and the new waste & recycling service. Cllr Alderson was informed that the promised leaflet drop to households explaining the new service had not happened and he was asked to follow this up.

3350: Correspondence for Consideration/Circulation:
ECDC – Consultation relating to the draft masterplan for land east of Bell Road, Bottisham. MC noted the close date should anyone wish to comment.
ECDC – Updated DCLG Guidance – Openness and transparency on personal interests. This was agreed.
ECDC – Councillor Code of Conduct – revised wording (Principles of Public Life). This was agreed.
General – Cambridgeshire ACRE – Affordable homes for local people in rural communities. Representative from Cambridgeshire ACRE was to be invited to attend a future PC meeting to discuss this with members.

3351: Section 106 Monies – Report from Working Group on Draft Spending Plan:
SRo reported on meeting of the Working Party. The purpose of the meeting was to draw up a draft spending plan which took into account suggestions and ideas received from village residents. The spending recommendations put forward by the Working Party were as follows:

1. Exercise/trim trail in The Denny Woods for adults and older children (£300-£1000 per item)
2. Outdoor table tennis table; (£800-£3000)
3. Picnic tables and permanent barbeque area on The Denny; tables could be ‘sponsored’ (tables £200-£500)
4. Target Wall on The Denny for football and other ball games – possibly with basket ball hoop attached (£300-£1000; £3000 with basket ball attachment)
5. Swaffham Bulbeck Woodlands project (Once lease agreement has been reached by the Parish Council to take on Gutter Bridge Plantation, grant funding applications can be submitted to a variety of organisations which will include suggestions 1 and 3 above. Grant funding, however, is not guaranteed but is more likely to be successful if seed money can be made available.)
Suggested plan for the future:
Upgrading aspects of the Pavilion (e.g. showers/toilets) and extending the building to provide a storeroom or additional space was considered a very important future development for the Parish Council to discuss and plan in the near future.
The Working Party recommended that:
The Parish Council adopts the above outline spending plan and determines allocation of funding to each of the five items.
There followed discussion on allocation of S106 funding. MC asked if the above 5 items were acceptable to members. Everyone agreed.
SRo was to submit to ECDC an itemised spending plan for approval. IW asked that the plan for Pavilion improvements was not overlooked but considered as a separate project. Everyone thanked the members of the working party for their hardwork. Action: SRo

3352: Diamond Jubilee Woods – National Trust Lease (Gutter Bridge Plantation):
A copy of the proposed Heads of Terms for the 25 year lease of Gutter Bridge Plantation was received from the National Trust. Following review of the document it was agreed to carry this forward until after the meeting with the National Trust and Forestry Advisor in order to clarify some of the points. There was also some discussion on the name for the woodland.

3353: Proposed Tree Works on Recreation Ground following meeting with ECDC Tree Officers:
MC met with Cathy White and Ian Lorman to inspect and agree the proposed tree works as follows:
• Fell one Horse Chestnut (just behind ‘bus stop’ due to damage caused by canker).
• Fell one Beech Tree (near village sign as dead).
• Lift the crown of one Beech Tree (behind football goal – main road end). It was noted by Tree Officer that an application to ECDC would be required.
• Remove dead branches from several of the Lime trees on the perimeter of the Recreation Ground. It was suggested that there might be some services near the Beech tree and the Clerk was to check with CCC.
• Clerk was asked to obtain quotations for the above work. With the Horse Chestnut and the Beech tree near the village sign, replacement trees are to be planted. Action: Clerk
Hawthorn in cemetery: The felling of this tree was also approved by the Tree Officers.

3354: Review of Grass Cutting Contract:
The Clerk told the meeting that the grass cutting contract was due for renewal for the next 3-year period from February 2014. It was agreed that the Clerk would obtain 3 quotations in time for consideration at the November Precept meeting.

3355: Approval of Exclusive Grant of Burial:
This was agreed in the name of Helena Johnson – cremation plot no.AB3. Proposed: Sharyn Robinson. Seconded: Sue Romero.

3356: Clerk’s Reports:
Annual Audit: Audit for 2012/13 completed by External Auditors. ‘End of Audit’ notices were to be displayed as required. MC referred members to the comment made by the Auditor on the Annual Return.

3357: Finances including Approval of Payment of Outstanding Accounts:
Payments:
a) Karen King – Clerk’s salary – September 2013 £ 233-07
b) Inland Revenue – Clerk’s PAYE £ 58-40
c) Herts & Cambs Ground Maintenance – grasscutting £ 262-80
d) Anglian Water – cemetery water supply £ 113-83
e) PKF Littlejohn LLP – annual audit fees £ 120-00
Total: £ 788-10

Payments agreed; Proposed: Brian Ambrose. Seconded: Lynn Reed

Receipts:
BAA Bank Interest – September £ 1-26
Weymans F.S. – burial – Waterfall (plot-O177) £ 90-00
Total: £91-26

3358: Parish Councillors’ Reports
Missing sign – parking area: It was reported that the ‘No Overnight Parking’ sign was missing at the parking area. Clerk was asked to order a new one. Action: Clerk
Brambles: Complaint received about brambles overhanging the cemetery footpath. Clerk to speak with BC.
Action: Clerk/BC
Play area inspections: SRo carried out September inspections of play areas and summarized minor damage and repairs carried out.
Resignation: Margaret reported that the Clerk had given verbal notification of her resignation and that written confirmation was to follow. There followed discussion on how to advertise for a replacement.

Meeting closed at 10.10pm

3359:- Dates of Next Meetings:-
5th November
19th November (Precept Meeting)
3rd December
7th January 2014
4th February
4th March

APPENDIX 1
CCC
Louise Meats – budget consultation
Kate Day – footpath Gutter Bridge to Cowbridge
ECDC
Ian Lorman – trees on recreation ground – request for meeting
Ian Lorman – approval for tree works at the cemetery
Ian Lorman – approval for tree works at 1 Station Road
Sustainable Development Team – Growth delivery newsletter
Jeanette Thompson – Updated DCLG Guidance – Openness and transparency on personal interests – A guide for Councillors September 2013
Jeanette Thompson – revised wording in the Councillor Code of Conduct – Principles of Public Life
Wendy Hague – Consultation by East Cambridgeshire District Council relting to the Draft Materplan for Land east of Bell Road Bottisham (25/9/13 – 23/10/13).
Cathy White – Horse Chestnut Tree on Recreation Ground
General
Cambridgeshire ACRE – Affordable homes for local people in rural communities.
National Trust – Swaffham Bulbeck Jubilee Wood
PFKLittlejohn – Annual Audit Return
CPALC – training courses – Oct-Dec 2013.
Came & Company – Aviva insurance documents
Richard Pike Associates – Solar Farm development – land off Heath Road, Burwell
Lois Baker – Wicken Fen Community Forum – details of meetings
Cambridgeshire ACRE – News Digest