The minutes of the November 2023 meeting, below, are also available in PDF form, primarily for offline reading and printing. Please note that all minutes are draft until approved at a subsequent Parish Council meeting.
Those present were:
- Councillor Ginn, Chairman;
- Councillor Pett, Vice-chairman;
- Chris Bane, Parish Councillor;
- Michael Capps, Parish Councillor;
- James Catmur, Parish Councillor;
- Cathy Davis, Parish Councillor;
- Nigel Day, Parish Councillor;
- Alan Rowbotham, Parish Councillor.
Also present: Councillor Richard West, HDC, Councillor Stephen Ferguson, CCC and 3 members of the public.
1. The meeting was opened with silent prayer.
2. Apologies for absence.
None
3. Declarations of Interest:
None.
4. Minutes of the previous meeting held on 4th September: The Minutes were proposed by Councillor Pett, seconded by Councillor Bane and unanimously approved,
5. OPEN FORUM:
- Poppy installation: The Parish Council wishes to add its congratulations and thanks to all those involved in the incredible Poppy Project installation at the lychgate. Concern about shedding of microfibres if left too long in place, was noted.
- Barneys phone: Agreed, Barneys could use the BT connection and pay for the phone part of the bill.
- Co-option to PC: The Council agreed to invite a prospective councillor to the December meeting.
- Town / Parish council engagement with HDC: In the response to the Chief Executive’s survey concern about planning issues to be highlighted.
- Proposed TTRO – 24-050 West Street, Great Gransden 18/01/2024-27/01/2024: Noted.
- 23/02047/S73 Variation of condition 25 (Affordable Housing Scheme) of 17/01375/OUT Land North East Of Mandene Gardens Great Gransden. This planning application was received after the November Agenda had been published. It was agreed to ask for an extension to the consultation period. If this is not granted, a Special Planning Meeting will be arranged before 27th November.
6. Matters Arising / points of information:
6.1 Noticeboards repair: This will go ahead as soon as the weather allows.
6.2 Tree Survey: The Tree Survey was undertaken mid-October. The comprehensive report was reviewed and the actions itemised approved by the Council.
6.3 Gigaclear works – concerns: Contact has been made with CCC Highways – Street Work section which is monitoring the Gigaclear works. Any problems should be reported directly using the Street Works email.
6.4 Playing Field – MUGA: Sound proofing methods used by other firms to be investigated.
6.5 Cambs ACRE – Housing Needs Survey: There has been no further information from ACRE on a possible external survey. Considered that funding of such a survey by the Parish Council was too costly.
6.6 E-W Rail Huntingdonshire / South Cambridgeshire Local Representatives Group – October meeting: The next stage is design and approval process. E-W Rail now have a communities fund. A cycle route to Cambourne was put forward as an option.
7. Crown & Cushion – ACV – update:
A purchase offer made by the Great Gransden Community Benefit Society has been refused, as has a building survey. Legislation passed at the end of October now allows for 10 years for planning enforcement action.
8. Green Space Land North East of Mandene Gardens. S106 Agreement under planning application 17/01375/OUT, (‘Dutton Gardens open space’). A site meeting date still to be agreed with Julie Ayre, HDC.
9. Gransden & District Bowls Club – lease: The Council approved the inclusion of croquet as one of the designated activitiesat the Bowls Club. When the lease is renewed, at the end of 2024, the wording will be changed to reflect its inclusion. This new activity was considered an excellent development.
10. Churchyard management: Noted that Rob Chignall now wished to step down from organising the grass cutting volunteer group at the churchyard. He was thanked for his long-term commitment to this activity over many years. There was discussion as to the merits of regular mowing and /or possible wildlife conservation management for the churchyard in the future. Agreed that Councillors Capps, Bane and Ginn would meet with Mr Chignall for further discussion.
11. RFO’s Financial Statement and Budget Review October 2023.
This update was postponed until the December meeting.
12. Payments for Approval.
The payments below: Proposed by Councillor Capps, seconded by Councillor Bane and unanimously approved.
Payments for approval at the Parish Council meeting on Monday 6th Nov 2023
Cheques/ Bank Transfers payable Nov 2023
1. Mr R McIntosh (Garden of Remembrance) £7.50
2. The Mower Shed £156.00*
3. Buchans Landscaping & Grounds Maintenance £332.08
4. CAPALC – Cemetery Mgt and Compliance course. 120.00
5. Clerk’s Salary – October 2023 £676.20
6. HMRC – PAYE (period ending 5th December 23) £23.20
Automated Payments payable Nov 2023
1. DD BT – Broadband Reading Room £44.36
(11th Oct 2023)
2. DD SSE £ TBC*
(DD 18th Oct 2023)
*Invoice expected, but not available in time for meeting
**Approximate amount. Subject to slight variation. (Not available in time for meeting)
13. Bank signatories: Noted, addition of third signatory now complete.
14. Councillor email addresses: Agreed funding for the implementation of councillor email addresses, with a budget of £500.
15. Precept proposal / Budget Review 2024-25: A precept of£40,500 was unanimously approved.
16. Risk Register – update: The Parish Council Risk Register has been updated, taking into account such points as: planning – increased risk of tilted balance / essential that HDC update the District Plan; County and /or District Councils unable to fulfil statutory and non-statutory activities due to budget deficits; positive benefits of village projects currently in research phase. Thanks were expressed to Councillor Catmur for undertaking the Risk Update.
17. Highways.
- Any repairs or maintenance needed.
- LHI bid – Autumn 2023 bidding round: The Caxton Road bid, as agreed at the October meeting, has been sent in with newly recorded speed data collected by the Parish Council.
- Waresley Road flooding – update: Councillor Capps reported on a site meeting with Highways in early October. Highways agreed to undertake investigations into the flooding problem on Waresley Road and take remedial action as soon as possible. Highways will apply for a road closure order, so that the work can be undertaken.
- Meadow Road closure – Anglian Water – 23-1362 Proposed TTRO – Meadow Road (B1046), Great Gransden 11/12/23 to 13/12/23 – CCC, Highways request for comments: Noted.
18. Correspondence.
18.1 St Neots Museum Funding: Noted, but funding declined.
18.2 Public Rights of Way Officer – Huntingdonshire: Considered excellent news that a Rights of Way Officer is again in post after a lapse of 2 years. The footpath problem reporting portal is the same as for Highways. The RoW Officer will be invited to a walkabout in due course, to look at long term problems.
18.3 Greater Cambridge Statement of Community Involvement – consultation 18/10 – 29/11/2023: Noted.
19. Planning Application:
REF. 23/01997/FUL, Extension to existing warehouse, Aquadistri Uk, Highbury Fields, Eltisley Road, Great Gransden, Sandy SG19 3AR: The Parish Council approved this planning application, noting that the extended warehouse is on the site of pre-existing hard-standing and that rainfall from the roof will be discharged to a drain and thence a watercourse, not to the pumping station.
20. HR Committee Update. In line with the legislation below*, this item will be closed to the public.
21. Date of Next Meeting: Monday 4th December 2023 which will commence at 7.30pm.
The meeting ended at 21.30 pm.
*‘Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960
(2) A body may, by resolution, exclude the public from a meeting (whether during the whole or part of the proceedings) whenever publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest by reason of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted or for other special reasons stated in resolution and arising from the nature of that business or of the proceedings; and where such a resolution is passed, this Act shall not require the meeting to be open to the public during proceedings to which the resolution applies.’