Posted inmeetings minutes

Minutes of the July 2024 meeting

29/07/2024

The minutes of the July 2024 meeting, below, are 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 Council Meeting held on 1st July 2024

Those present were:

  • Councillor Michael Capps (in the chair)
  • Parish Councillor Chris Bane
  • Parish Councillor Cathy Davis
  • Parish Councillor Nigel Day
  • Parish Councillor Paul Greenland
  • Parish Councillor Alan Rowbotham

Also present: 1 member of the public.

The Chairman and Vice-chairman both being unable to attend the meeting, it was proposed by Councillor Bane that Councillor Capps stand as acting chairman. Councillor Capps agreed and the proposal was unanimously approved.

  1. The meeting was opened with a silent prayer.
  2. Apologies for absence.
    Councillor James Catmur, HDC and Parish Council,
    Parish Councillors Nick Ginn and Andrew Pett.
  3. Declarations of Interest:
    None.
  4. Minutes of the previous meeting held on 3rd June. The Minutes were unanimously approved by those members present at the June meeting.
  5. Open Forum:
    No items were raised.
  6. Matters Arising.
    6.1 MUGA annual maintenance: will now take place on 8th July.
  7. RoSPA Play Safety Inspection Reports – update and quotes: Councillor Davis and Councillor Pett have made a site visit and reviewed the Inspection Report.
    MUGA items:
    The quote of £246.00 plus ‘decorations’ for repair of the seat at the north end of the MUGA, was put to the meeting. Councillor Davis will seek clarification on the method of wood treatment. Councillor Davis proposed a maximum budget of £300.00 in total. This was seconded by Councillor Greenland and unanimously approved.
    Councillor Pett has agreed to obtain caps to put over protruding screw fitting to one of the MUGA noticeboards.
    Playground items:
    Councillor Davis and Councillor Pett recommended that a professional company undertakes the works required and that CIL money held by the Parish Council should be used. Work is required to the swings, the basket swing, climbing frame, rocking horse and large slide. It was considered whether securing the train carriage might done by volunteers. The train is very popular, although aging considerably. Noted that Wicksteed originally installed the rocking horse and certain other equipment. Councillor Capps proposed that three quotes be obtained for all works, which was unanimously agreed. Councillor Davis will obtain the quotes.
  8. Elm stump grinding; Three quotes were considered. The quote of £725.00 was proposed by Councillor Capps, seconded by Councillor Bane and unanimously approved. Councillor Capps will accept the quote and liaise with the contractor.
  9. Playing Field lease – renewal: A new lease is required and Barnabus Oley School wishes to go forward with this. Councillors Capps, Day and Greenland will review the original lease and propose an up-to-date wording.
  10. RFO’s Financial Statements and Budget Review:
    The Financial Report June 2024 and Budget Review June 2024 were noted and unanimously approved.
  11. Payments for Approval:
    The payments were proposed by Councillor Bane, seconded by Councillor Capps and unanimously approved.

Payments for approval at the Parish Council Meeting on Monday 1st July 2024

Cheques/ Bank Transfers payable July 2024

  1. Mr R McIntosh (Garden of Remembrance) £7.50 *
  2. The Mower Shed (cut & strim churchyard 1 June) Inv 1868 £144.00
  3. The Mower Shed (cut & strim churchyard 18 June) Inv 1883 £144.00
  4. The Mower Shed (cut & strim cemetery 18 June ) Inv 1885 £156.00
  5. Brookfield Contracting (cut sportsfield 8 & 30 May) Inv 2830 £336.00
  6. Huntingdonshire DC (cottage council tax for July) £176.00
  7. Baptist Chapel Graveyard 2024/25 Contribution £130.00
  8. Roundabout Magazine 2024/25 Contribution £140.00
  9. Reed Roofing Ltd (Reading Rooms works) £5928.00
  10. LGS Services (Internal Audit) £186.00
  11. Andrew Pett (Microsoft 365 May & June 24) £3.98
  12. RFO Expenses (Ream A4 paper & printer ink) £23.72
  13. Clerk’s Salary – July 2024 £717.80 *
  14. RFO’s Salary – July 2024 £345.40 *
  15. HMRC Tax & NI (Month 2 ending 5 July 2024) £120.00 **

Automated Payments payable July 2024

  1. DD BT – Broadband Reading Room £47.86 **
    (13th July 2024)
  2. DD SSE – Street lighting £203.39
    (1st July 2024)

*Invoice expected, but not available in time for meeting
**Approximate amount. Subject to slight variation. (Not available in time for meeting)

  1. AGAR (Annual Governance and Accountability Return) – Exercise of Public Rights – 24/6/24 to 2/8/2024: Noted.
  2. Financial Regulations – review: The draft updated Financial Regulations were reviewed. Councillor Day agreed to produce the second draft incorporating the discussion, to be brought to the August Parish Council meeting.
  3. Highways & Rights of Way
    • Any repairs or maintenance needed:
  • Proposed TTRO 1080 – Waresley Road, Great Gransden 20/08/24 to 23/08/24: TTRO 1080 was unanimously approved.
    • Street light PC12 repair and other similar lights: Proposed by Councillor Davis and unanimously approved that the quote be accepted.
    • Overgrown pavements: Unanimously approved that Councillor Greenland would approach those in the village who still needed to take action on this matter.
    • LHI bid – Caxton Road: Noted, the Highways meeting of 27th June, at which the Caxton Road bid was approved. Highways will fund up to £25K. The Parish Council consensus is that it now requires Highways to produce formal design options and costings before it can consider any increase in funding contribution.
    • A428 Social Value Fund:
    Sportsfield car park surfacing application: It is understood that this application will be considered by the Social Value Fund in September.
    • Meadow Road speed data: The speed data recently gathered comprises over 11,000 vehicles leaving the village.
    The data collected shows that:
  • The average speed is 39.8 mph.
  • 85% of vehicles travel at less than 43 mph, ie. 15% exceed 43 mph.
  • The highest speed recorded was 60mph.
    This information has been provided to nearby residents.
  1. Highways Correspondence.
    15.1 Meadow Road – speed data: A request has been received from some Meadow Road residents, that the Parish Council use the speed data gathered to support an application for an extension to the 40mph speed limit zone. Agreed to review this matter along with any other suggested road improvements when the next round of LHI bidding is open.
    15.2 Proposed TTRO 1046 – Gransden Road, Caxton 05/08/24 to 19/08/24: TTRO 1046 was unanimously
    approved. It was noted that the dates maybe at harvest time and therefore it was advisable that Highways contacted local farmers.
  2. Correspondence
    16.1 St Neots Museum Donation Request: Prposed by Councillor Bane, seconded by Councillor Day and approved with one abstention, that no donation should be given at the present time.
    16.2 Shop Front Grant Scheme, HDC – District Wide from 1 July: the information has been passed to the shop owner in the village.
  3. Planning Applications: REF. 24/00893/HHFUL 48A Church Street Great Gransden Sandy: Proposed by Councillor Greenland, seconded by Councillor Bane and unanimously approved, that the application be recommended for refusal by the District Council. The reasons given are: the mass of the building is too great and that a two-storey building is not appropriate in this position; the plans appear to show a wall dividing 48A from the proposed studio, thus creating a separated large building, with off-street parking for 48A being left questionable.
  4. Date of Next Meeting: Monday 5th August 2024 which will commence at 7:30pm.

The meeting ended at 9:45pm.

Last updated on 28/08/2024