Minutes 3rd September 2019 – Swaffham Bulbeck Parish Council

MINUTES OF SWAFFHAM BULBECK PARISH COUNCIL
MEETING NUMBER 478
Held at Downing Court on Tuesday 3rd September 2019 starting at 7.30pm

Present: Cllr Sue Romero (SR); Cllr Lynn Reed (LR); Cllr John Trapp (JT); Cllr Peter Raby (PR); Cllr Robin Sewell (RS); Councillor Kay Ballard (KB); Cllr Gordon Reid (GR);Cllr Sophie Singleton (SS);
Clerk: Mrs D Bayliss
2 Parishioners
County Councillor Shuter

Meeting opened at 7.30pm

4732 TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Cllr Nicky Bates; Cllr Gordon Reid will be late.
4733 MEMBERS DECLARATION OF INTEREST FOR ITEMS ON THE AGENDA & REQUESTS FOR DISPENSATION
Councillor Trapp – Planning Matters at all meetings.
4734 OPEN FORUM FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
A parishioner expressed her interest in the discussion the parish council is going to be having about tree planting and exploring ways to improve bio-diversity in the village and beyond, hopefully including linking up with Anglesey Abbey, Wicken Fen and Swaffham Prior.
It was resolved to bring both the County Councillor’s report and the CLT report forward to be discussed. George Ballard was present as Mathew Shuter was going to talk about CLT matters relating to the CCC Heath Road site.
4737 COUNTY COUNCILLOR REPORT/CLT REPORT (brought forward)
The County Councillor reported following a request from George Ballard, (Chairman of Swaffham Bulbeck CLT) that he had spoken to the chair of Asset and Finance committee regarding the proposed application for 18 houses at the top of Heath Road expressing concern at the scale of the proposal put forward by Carter Jonas. The point was raised that just disposing of the land and making money should not be done at the expense of the village heritage. No further information and no planning application have yet been received from Carter Jonas.
Both the Chairman of the Asset and Finance Committee and the Leader of East Cambs District Council are fully supportive of the role of the CLT in any future development in the village. Officers at the County Council will consider the site and look at other options for the development of it.
George Ballard also reported that he was to meet with Simon Butler-Finbow at the Quarry Lane site following his attendance at this meeting.
The County Councillor outlined a few of the priorities for the County Council.
• The County Council are re-considering their policies pertaining to maintaining verges across the county.
• Protected verges are currently being cut three times per year.
• Consideration is also being given to the operation of waste recycling centres, and to the increase of fines for fly-tipping in Cambridgeshire
Councillor Shuter left the meeting at 7.55pm
4735 TO APPROVE MINUTES OF MEETING 477 6th AUGUST 2019
It was proposed by Cllr Sophie Singleton, seconded by Cllr Robin Sewell and resolved that the minutes of meeting 477 held on 6th August be approved and signed by the Chairman.
4736 MATTERS ARISING including REPORTS FROM CLERK AND COUNCILLORS (For information only)
None.
Clerk’s/Councillor’s Report
• In connection with a planning application for a car park extension at Downing park, the chairman had received a phone call from Mr Turner pointing out that there are currently four electric charging points in the car park at Downing Court.
• The clerk advised the parish council that Cambridgeshire County Council are devolving responsibility for parish council owned street light energy to the Parish Council. Energy suppliers are currently being sought for the two lights owned by the parish.
4737 COUNTY AND DISTRICT COUNCILLORS REPORTS
a) County Councillor
Item discussed earlier.
b) District Councillor Report
Cllr Romero asked about the planning application at Dullingham which has been approved with only 30% affordable housing as this may have implications for any future development in Swaffham Bulbeck.
4738 PLANNING MATTERS
a) Planning Applications
19/01181/LBC Proposed repairs to perimeter walls and gable brickwork plus new timber picket fences to playground at Swaffham Bulbeck Primary School, 84 High Street, Swaffham Bulbeck – the Parish Council had no comments or objections to the proposal.
19/01067/LBC Retrospective permission to replace study window adjacent to new extension ref 17/01067/LBC at The Merchants House, Commercial End, Swaffham Bulbeck – the Parish Council had no objection to the proposal.
b) Planning Approvals
19/00896/VAR Variation of condition 1 (Approved plans) of previously approved 17/00766/FUL to demolish and replace existing rear ground floor extension at Newnham House, Commercial End, Swaffham Bulbeck
4739 CLT UPDATE
Item discussed earlier.
4740 FINANCES INCLUDING APPROVAL OF PAYMENT OF OUTSTANDING ACCOUNTS
a) It was proposed by Cllr Raby, seconded by Cllr Ballard and resolved that the bank reconciliations for July are approved.
b) It was proposed by Cllr Sewell, seconded by Cllr Reed and resolved that the council donate £100 to MAGPAS from the Section 137 budget.
c) To note receipts:
Burial Fees £485
A credit note from Wave (Anglian Water) for the cemetery water has been received. The clerk had been unable so far to establish why the council had received this.
d) The invoices had been verified by Cllr Romero and Cllr Reed before the meeting.
It was proposed by Cllr Romero, seconded by Cllr Singleton and resolved that the September accounts are approved and paid.
Action: Clerk to set up payments for councillor authorisation.
Payments Since the Last Meeting
Mrs D Bayliss Clerk’s Salary Confidential
Payments for Tonight’s meeting
HMRC Tax & NI Confidential
Mr J Sugg Handyman Payment £ £0.00 £
Mrs D Bayliss Travel/Telephone £ £0.00 £
JCS Bookkeeping Payroll £20.40 £4.08 £24.48
Herts & Cambs Ground Maintenance Grass Cutting £456.00 £91.20 £547.20
Came & Company Insurance Premium £803.00 £0.00 £803.00
4741 DENNY AND PLAY AREA MATTERS
a) The new inspection rota has been sent round. Councillor Sewell will carry out the inspection in September.
The repairs have not yet been carried out to the play area equipment approved at the last meeting.
b) It was proposed by Councillor Reed, seconded by Councillor Trapp and resolved that a sign stating ‘this play equipment is to be used by children under 12 only’
Councillor Reid arrived at 8.28pm
c) It was proposed by Councillor Romero, seconded by Councillor Raby and resolved that the quotation for removing the overgrowth around the edge of the Denny for £200 is approved.
Action: Clerk to arrange for work to be carried out.
4742 HIGHWAYS MATTERS
a) Arrangements still need to be made to install the Speedwatch signs. The roads suggested for these are the High Street, Abbey Lane and Fen Lane.
4743 CEMETERY MATTERS
a) The cemetery working group had met to discuss remedial works needed at the cemetery. Quotations are to be sought for the recommended works to clear the overgrowth from the graves, removing the spoil heap from the site, fencing the area off and repainting the railings. Councillor Ballard will write a piece for the Beacon about removing vases and flowers from the graves in order to facilitate the grass cutting and levelling of graves when needed.
b) The funeral arch repairs are currently under way. The Chairman advised the Council that the work was likely to cost more than the original £200 that had been set aside. It was therefore resolved that the necessary funds should be made available to complete the project.
c) It was proposed by Councillor Ballard, seconded by Councillor Raby and resolved that the quotation for £105 to spray and clear the overgrowth at the back of the cemetery and the corner of the cemetery path to prepare for sowing wildflowers is approved.
4744 AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE NEXT MEETING
P3 Discussion.
4745 Date of Next Meeting:
Meeting to discuss CIL income/expenditure on 17th September 7pm
1st October 2019
The meeting closed at 8.49pm