he minutes of the April 2024 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, and in any conflict between the version below (provided for ease of access online) and the PDF version, the latter shall be deemed authoritative.
Minutes of the Parish Meeting held on 8th April 2024.
Those present were:
- Councillor Ginn, Chairman;
- Councillor Pett, Vice-chairman;
- Parish Councillor Michael Capps;
- Parish Councillor Paul Greenland;
- Parish Councillor Alan Rowbotham.
Also present: 2 members of the public.
- The meeting was opened with a silent prayer
- Apologies for absence.
Parish Councillors Chris Bane, James Catmur, Cathy Davis and Nigel Day. - Resignation of Councillor West as District Councillor for Great Paxton Ward: Councillor West was well known for his support of individuals, as well as the Parish Council over the years. His contribution to Parish Council meetings was extremely positive and he was particularly helpful in finding the right contacts when problems needed to be resolved. His dedication will be much missed.
Agreed that a letter of appreciation and thanks be sent to Councillor West from the Parish Council. - Declarations of Interest:
None - Minutes of the previous meeting held on 4th March: The Minutes were proposed by Councillor Pett, seconded by Councillor Ginn and unanimously approved.
- OPEN FORUM:
• Speedwatch volunteering: A question was put as to the number of new Speedwatch volunteers that had come forward since the request in the ‘Roundabout’ newsletter. Noted that only two new people had come forward.
Agreed that a specific request for a Speedwatch co-ordinator and additional volunteers be advertised in the next ‘Roundabout’.
• Damaged road signs: A number of damaged road signs were reported in the village. Individuals were asked to report them directly on the CCC Highways Road Fault Report portal. - Matters Arising:
7.1 Mandene Gardens and Dutton Gardens open space areas – update: No update yet received from HDC. Councillor Pett will request this.
7.2 Tree management – Tree Works planning applications update: Councillor Capps has submitted the respective applications to HDC and SCDC; the results are awaited. - Churchyard management:
- -mowing: Proposed by Councillor Ginn, seconded by Councillor Pett and unanimously approved acceptance of the quote from The Mower Shed for mowing the churchyard for the remainder of 2024. Agreed that 2024 would be used as a guide to defining a mowing specification for the churchyard.
- Churchyard cross needing repair to surround: Councillor Bane has begun investigating as to whether there are living relatives in respect of the grave cross and surround that need repair.
- Sportsfield:
- mowing: Due to sad personal circumstances of the previous contractor, a new contractor has been arranged. Condolences have been sent to the former contractor, who is also thanked for their excellent work. We look forward to working with the new firm. In the hiatus between one and the other, two volunteers closely associated with the football club have stepped up, organising and undertaking the mowing, for which grateful thanks.
- Battens with nails behind pavilion: Agreed to speak to the nursery about removal.
- MUGA:
- slippery surface: Noted that some slipperiness is to be expected as the MUGA does not provide a competition court. However, agreed to see if the timing of the annual surface clean could be brought forward.
- review of bolts: Noted volunteer work undertaken to review and tighten the fence bolts. Also noted the bolt that was found missing behind the southern goal net, and that this is apparently the major cause of the noise problem. Agreed that ETC would be asked to put the bolt in place at the same time as the annual clean.
- RFO’s Financial Statements Oct 2023 – Feb 2024 and Budget Review:
There was appreciation for the ‘catch-up’ work by the new RFO.
The Financial Reports Oct 2023 to March 2024 and Budget Review March 2024 were proposed by Councillor Pett, seconded by Councillor Ginn and unanimously approved. - Payments for Approval: Proposed by Councillor Ginn, seconded by Councillor Greenland and unanimously approved.
Payments for approval at the Parish Council meeting on Monday 8th April 2024 –
Cheques/Bank Transfers payable April 2024:
- Mr R McIntosh (Garden of Remembrance) £ 7.50
- The Mower Shed (cut & strim cemetery) £ 156.00
- The Mower Shed (cut & strim churchyard) £ 144.00
- CAPALC Affiliation 1st April 24 to 31st March 25 £ 423.96
- Andrew Pett (Microsoft 365 March & April 24) £3.98
- Swarco (posts & fixings for MVAS Meadow Rd) £ 138.00
- Clerk’s Salary – April 2024 £ 717.80
- RFO’s Salary – April 2024 £ 345.40
- RFO Expenses (printer toner cartridges) £ 33.99
Automated Payments payable April 2024:
- DD BT – Broadband Reading Room £ 48.20
(11th April 2024) - DD SSE – Street lighting £ 189.81
(3rd April 2024)
*Invoice expected, but not available in time for meeting
**Approximate amount. Subject to slight variation. (Not available in time for meeting.)
- Poor’s Land correspondent: Noted, that the Poor’s Land correspondent has resigned and the Trustees will be seeking a new person for the role.
- Highways & Rights of Way:
- Any repairs or maintenance needed:
- Roundabout signs, junction Church St / Crow Tree St / Middle St: The Parish Council will seek replacement of the missing route indicator signs.
- Weeds control, Highways, CCC: Councillor Greenfield requested clarification and further information about the Highway Weeds Control Policy, noting there was some concern being expressed by individual residents. It was noted that the weed control is for gullies (kerb sides) and pavements, not grass verges. Also noted that more detailed information was available on the CCC website.
- • LHI bid – Caxton Road:
- Highways has developed a proposal for a narrowing of Caxton Road nearer the nursery which will go to the Highways committee for consideration. The proposal costs are far higher than expected. Some concern was expressed that this narrowing would be by the junction with Hardwick Road.
Agreed to await the results of the Highways decision before reconsidering the costs. - New speed data has also been collected using the MVAS. It shows that the 40mph limit is largely respected, with 85% driving at or within this limit. The problem in fact seems to be with a very few vehicles being driven at much higher speeds.
- Caxton Road pavement: An informal volunteer group is now gradually removing soil and vegetation from along the edge of the pavement.
- Highways has developed a proposal for a narrowing of Caxton Road nearer the nursery which will go to the Highways committee for consideration. The proposal costs are far higher than expected. Some concern was expressed that this narrowing would be by the junction with Hardwick Road.
- A428 Social Value Fund:
- Little Lane Playing Field access application:
Site visit with possible contractor to be arranged. - Sportsfield car park surfacing application:
Councillor Ginn to continue with an application.
- Little Lane Playing Field access application:
- Meadow Road speeding:
The posts and fixings for mounting the MVAS in Meadow Road locations have been purchased. - Waresley Road flooding:
No response received from Highways concerning a requested update on the agreed investigation and timing of the project. This will be sought as a matter of urgency. The excessive recent flooding, its depth, long duration and consequent state of the road were noted. Councillor Pett also agreed to write to the MP.
- Any repairs or maintenance needed:
- Correspondence
15.1 Bowls Club sign – request to include croquet on the sign: A request to be made to the Bowls Club for a mock-up of the proposed sign alteration, taking into account that the Reading Room is a listed building.
15.2 Reasonable bus service for Great Gransden: Councillor Rowbotham spoke on this matter. Noted that all the surrounding villages have this problem and that the Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough has worked on the situation in other areas of the County. Unanimously agreed to invite the Mayor to speak about and to discuss the situation in relation to Great Gransden and nearby villages.
15.3 Cambridgeshire Constabulary – Huntingdonshire Community Meetings 2024 dates: Noted. Agreed to publicise the meeting dates in Roundabout Notes. - Planning Applications:
• REF. 24/00350/HHFUL Single storey rear extension, raised patio and sun tunnels, 20 Mill Road Great Gransden Sandy SG19 3AG: Proposed by Councillor Pett, seconded by Councillor Capps, with one abstention, that the Parish Council recommend approval of this application to HDC. - HR Committee Update. In line with the legislation below*, this item will be closed to the public.
The HR meeting was postponed until 13th May. - Date of Next Meeting: Monday 13th May 2024 which will commence at 7:30pm.
- Date of the Annual Parish Meeting: Monday 22nd April 2024 which will commence at 7:30pm.
The meeting ended at 21:50 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.’