The minutes of the May 2025 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 12th May 2025
Those present were:
- Parish Councillor Nick Ginn (chairman);
- Parish Councillor Chris Bane;
- Parish Councillor Michael Capps;
- Parish Councillor James Catmur;
- Parish Councillor Cathy Davis;
- Parish Councillor Nigel Day;
- Parish Councillor Paul Greenland;
- Parish Councillor Andrew Pett; and,
- Parish Councillor Alan Rowbotham.
Also present: District Councillor James Catmur and 2 members of the public.
- The meeting was opened with a silent prayer.
- Election of the Chairman and signing of the Declaration of Office:
Councillor Pett proposed that Councillor Ginn remain as chairperson for the forthcoming year. The proposal was seconded by Councillor Capps and unanimously approved. - Apologies for absence:
None. - Declarations of Interest: None.
- Election of Officers: The following post holders stood for re-election. Proposed by Councillor Pett, seconded by Councillor Capps and unanimously approved that all post holders be re-elected.
- Vice Chairman: Councillor Pett.
- Cemetery Manager: Councillor Day.
- Playing Field Manager: Councillor Pett
- Reading Room Committee Representative: Councillor Greenland.
- Gransden Society Representative: Councillor Capps
- Sportsfield Association Representative: Councillor Ginn.
- Tree Warden: Councillor Capps.
- Little Gransden Airfield Local Consultative Committee Representative and Gliding Club
Consultative Committee Representative: Councillor Ginn. - Communications Officer: Councillor Day.
- Minutes
6.1 Minutes of the previous meeting held on 7th April 2025: the Minutes were proposed by Councillor Day, seconded by Councillor Catmur and approved by those at the April meeting.
6.2 Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting held on 28th April 2025: Postponed for consideration to the next Parish Council meeting. - Open Forum:
Phil Taylor provided an update on the following projects:
• Fencing – south end of Bowls and Croquet Club: The new fence will be put up in the next week. The chairman of the Club will overlook the work.
• Solar project: The background documentation of ownerships concerning the club house and Reading Room have been drawn together. This step enables acceptance of the grant, which will be sent imminently to HDC by the chair of the Reading Room Committee. It is projected that a contractor will be chosen by mid-June. The positioning and insurance of the battery is being reviewed.
• Street Lighting: Phil Taylor has bow been in contact with SSE / Utility Aid / Balfour Beatty / UK Power Networks with respect to the inventory of the street lights and ensuring this is up to date so that costs are correct. The change to half-hourly metering also being rolled out from September.
• Bowls and Croquet Club lease extension: The Club noted its thanks to the Parish Council for taking forward the lease extension which also enables the Club to continue to apply for grant aid.
• Defibrillator: The Reading Room defibrillator is confirmed as working. Monthly test results should be uploaded to The Circuit register. Action – the clerk. Noted.
Will Bentall provided an update on the MUGA maintenance: He has recently checked all the lower bolts. Two sections were loose. Councillor Bane agreed to assist Will Bentall with checking the higher bolts. Noted that the date for the annual MUGA maintenance is currently being arranged.
Report from District Councillor James Catmur.
Cllr Catmur highlighted:
a) The election of the new county councillor Sarah Caine.
b) The Additional Sites Land Availability Assessments, HDC consultation.
c) Pride of Place Grants – grants up to £2500 available.
d) Local government re-organisation – the Districts in Cambridgeshire have agreed to buy in the same data so as to work on the proposal together. Proposal have to be submitted to government in November.
e) Local elections planned for next year may be moved back to 2027 due to local government re0organisation.
- Matters Arising:
8.1 Solar panels project: see above Open Forum notes.
8.2 BT Phone box: BT has confirmed that it is unable to reconsider its guidelines on adoption of phone boxes. Thus, adoption by the Parish Council is not possible as the box is situated on BT land. Noted.
- Bowls & Croquet Club – lease: Councillor Greenland
Councillor Greenland proposed a 30-month extension to the Bowls Club lease, dating from 24th May 2025, together with the insertion of ‘& Croquet’ in the Club Name, with full renewal and revision after this period. In addition, a letter to be appended detailing agreement of the Parish Council to the “use of the property for activities other than as a bowling green (ref. clause 3.12) and to allow a charge to be made for hiring out the pavilion for non-bowls activities (ref. clause 3.23).
The Parish Council has agreed to both of these requests on the understanding that any activities undertaken will not breach any of the other clauses in the lease. In particular, it is important that in attention is taken to ensure that clause 3.16 is not breached.”
The proposal was seconded by Councillor Bane and unanimously agreed.
Councillor Greenland also suggested that the Bowls and Croquet Club be invited to present a report at following Annual Parish Meetings.
Councillor Capps suggested that an interim Solar Project presentation be given to the Parish Council at its September meeting.
- Play equipment maintenance
10.1 Ongoing: The swings have now been painted and the contracted works nearing completion.
10.2 RoSPA Report April 2025: Noted, only a few items need attention. Two screws on the train need filing or
cutting to size. - Defibrillator box at Reading Room: Noted the cost of a new box and fitting is nearly the same price as a completely new defibrillator for which grants are available. Agreed to obtain prices for a new defibrillator and research the various grant schemes.
- ACV Shop: Drafting of the ACV application and meeting with the shop owners and leases to be taken forward by Councillor Ginn and Councillor Pett.
- CIL
13.1 CIL projects for funds held by GGPC: Various possible projects were put forward. Agreed more detailed discussion at the June meeting.
13.2 CIL Strategic Fund, HDC – new funding round: Various possible projects were put forward. Agreed more detailed discussion at the June meeting. - RFO’s Financial Statements and Budget Review:
The Financial Reports for April 2025 and Budget Review April 2025 were proposed by Councillor Catmur, seconded by Councillor Bane and unanimously approved. - Payments for Approval: The May payments were proposed by Councillor Catmur, seconded by Councillor Pett and unanimously approved.
Payments for approval at the Parish Council Meeting on Monday 12th May 2025
Payments made as agreed at previous Meeting
- CPM Playgrounds Ltd £1338.00
- The Mower Shed – cut & strim churchyard 19/4 £162.00
- The Mower Shed – cut & strim cemetery 7/4 £150.00
- The Mower Shed – cut & strim churchyard 8/5 £162.00
- The Mower Shed – cut & strim cemetery 8/5 £150.00
Cheques/Bank Transfers payable May 2025
- Mr R McIntosh – Garden of Remembrance £7.50
- DM Payroll Services Ltd – 2025/6 tax year £132.00
- Brookfield Contracting – Sports field grass cutting 10/4 & 23/4 £336.00
- ROSPA Play Safety – Annual Inspection £196.80
- Octopus Energy – Cottage electricity 24/3 – 7/4 £8.26
- Huntingdonshire District Council – Cottage May Council Tax £185.00
- Clerk’s Salary – May 2025 £745.70
- RFO’s Salary – May 2025 £362.69
- HMRC Tax & NI (Month 1 ending 5 May 2025) £192.03
Automated Payments payable May 2025
- DD SSE – Street lighting £220.00 *
(30th May)
*Invoice expected, but not available in time for meeting
**Approximate amount. Subject to slight variation. (Not available in time for meeting)
- Parish Council Insurances for 1/6/2024-31/5/25. To consider the insurance schedules, renewal premiums and sums assured:
Approval of renewal of the main Parish Council insurance with Clear Councils, proposed by Councillor Ginn, seconded by Councillor Pett and unanimously agreed.
The imminent tenancy signing of the Reading Room Cottage has affected obtaining quotes for the insurance renewal. The current insurance being expensive, agreed that three quotes will be sought for the cottage. - AGAR (Annual Governance & Accountability Return) 2023-24.
17.1 Review of Internal Controls: The internal financial controls were reviewed and unanimously approved.
17.2 Approval of the Annual Governance Statement 2023/24 – AGAR Section 1: Unanimously approved in relation to 17.1 above.
17.3 Approval of the Accounting Statement 2023/24 – AGAR Section 2: Approval proposed by Councillor Catmur, seconded by Councillor Capps and unanimously approved.
Thanks were expressed to the RFO and Clerk for their work over the past year.
- Highways & Rights of Way
18.1 Any repairs or maintenance needed:
• Hedges overgrowing pavements in the village:
Agreed, a reminder be put in Roundabout for all overgrown hedges by pavements to be kept regularly trimmed.
Agreed, a letter be sent to all relevant home owners requesting that they keep their hedges trimmed.
• Audley Close open area: Agreed, that a request be sent to HDC that the open space be kept short mown, both to allow for children to play and also in relation to the relevant clause of the Audley Close
planning permission.
• Hedge at Woodlands Farm: the lack of sight due to the hedge having been planted on the Highways verge was again discussed. Noted, that CCC, Highways declines to remove the hedge and that the Parish Council could do so is so minded.
18.2 Proposed TTRO – 25-818 Caxton Road, Great Gransden 06/06/2025 – 06/08/2025: Noted the prior approval of the TTRO, given by email, in order to meet the consultation deadline. The diversion route were discussed and that via Sand Road considered to be the least worst option.
18.3 Proposed TTRO 25-893 Various Roads, Great Gransden and Little Gransden, Road Closure, 01/06 to 01/09/2025: Noted the prior approval of the TTRO, given by email, in order to meet the consultation deadline.
- Correspondence and Consultations
19.1 Additional Sites Land Availability Assessments, HDC: Agreed to ask the representatives of the Neighbourhood Development Plan Group to meet with Councillor Pett to produce a response to this Phase 2 consultation, for Parish Council consideration, (as with the Phase 1 consultation).
19.2 Town and Parish Forum – HDC – 19 June 2025: Initially, the Forum Agenda to be obtained
- Planning Applications:
20.1 REF. 25/00621/LBC -10 East Street Great Gransden Sandy. Proposal: Removal of existing renders to exterior facades of building. Decayed and defective timber to existing timber frame to be repaired. Installation of new douglas fir laths to take insulated (hemp/perlite) lime render, with finishing coat of non-hydraulic lime render and lime wash.
The proposed works are considered in keeping with the Listed Building status and the renovation needed. Proposed by Councillor Bane, seconded by Councillor Pett and unanimously agreed that the planning application be recommended for approval to HDC. - HR Committee – consideration of the minutes 7th April 2025:
In line with the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 this item was considered in closed session. - Date of Next Parish Council Meeting: Monday 2nd June 2025, to commence at 7:30pm.
The meeting ended at 10 pm.