The minutes of the June 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 3rd June 2024
Those present were:
Councillor Andrew Pett, Vice-chairman (in the chair);
- Parish Councillor James Catmur (online and non-voting);
- Parish Councillor Cathy Davis;
- Parish Councillor Nigel Day;
- Parish Councillor Alan Rowbotham.
Also present: 2 members of the public.
- The meeting was opened with a silent prayer.
- Apologies for absence.
Councillor Stephen Ferguson, CCC, Parish Councillors Chris Bane, Michael Capps, Nick Ginn, and Paul Greenland. - Declarations of Interest:
None. - Minutes of the previous meeting held on 13th May. The Minutes were proposed by Councillor Pett, seconded by Councillor Day and unanimously approved by those members present at the May meeting.
- Open Forum:
- Events at the Playing Field: the manhole cover by the side of the MUGA is not strong enough to take vehicles. Event organisers to be asked to cordon this off.Thanks were expressed by the Bowls & Croquet Club for repair to the car park surface.
- Bench at the end of the MUGA: noted that this is collapsing.
- District Council matters: Councillor Catmur is continuing the practice of reviewing ideas within the District Council, before they are brought to committee. Noted, was the major house building proposal for about 3000 homes around Barford, on the boundary with the Great Paxton Ward. Also noted, the Highways road edge weed spraying programme starting 10th June.
- Matters Arising.
6.1 Tree management – update: the work on the trees under Parish Council responsibility is likely to begin towards the end of June / early July.
6.2 Churchyard management – mowing: Councillor Capps has met with the Church Warden. The volunteer mowers have had help from the mowing contractor. The bank leading down to the Dole Brook is now very rough. The contractor will now be asked to cut this.
6.3 Reading Room car park: thanks were expressed to Councillor Capps for sourcing material and undertaking the repair work.
6.4 Reasonable bus service for Great Gransden: Confirmed, that a date be arranged with Mayor Nick Johnson to attend a Parish Council meeting to discuss this subject. - RoSPA Play Safety Inspection Reports: a number of minor works have been highlighted. Councillor Davis and Councillor Pett, will make a site visit and bring forward recommendations for volunteer or contract work.
- RFO’s Financial Statements and Budget Review:
The Financial Report May 2024 and Budget Review May 2024 were noted and unanimously approved. - Payments for Approval:
The payments were proposed by Councillor Pett, seconded by Councillor Davis and unanimously approved.
Payments for approval at the Parish Council Meeting on Monday 3 June 2024
Cheques/ Bank Transfers payable June 2024
- Mr R McIntosh (Garden of Remembrance) £7.50 *
- The Mower Shed (cut & strim cemetery) Inv 1860 £156.00
- The Mower Shed (cut & strim churchyard) Inv 1861 £144.00
- OMC Associates (arboricultural survey October 2023) £902.86
- Huntingdonshire DC (cottage council tax for June) £176.00
- Clerk’s Salary – June 2024 £717.80
- RFO’s Salary – June 2024 £345.40
- HMRC Tax & NI (Month 2 ending 5 June 2024) £120.00
- .Clear Councils Insurance (formerly BHIB) Paid 29th May £2041.57
- The Mower Shed (cut & strim cemetery) Inv 1869 £156.00
Automated Payments payable June 2024
- DD BT – Broadband Reading Room £47.86
(13th June 2024) - DD SSE – Street lighting £196.82
(1st June 2024 but taken 31st 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: The insurance with Clear Councils was unanimously approved. The Asset List to be sent to councillors for review with reference to the insurance.
- Review of cemetery charges and contributions towards churchyard maintenance, chapel grounds maintenance and the Roundabout newsletter costs.
- Cemetery Charges: the clerk was asked to keep a timesheet of future time spent on cemetery matters. Proposed by Councillor Pett, seconded by Councillor Davis and unanimously approved, that the Cemetery Charges to remain the same for June 2024 to June 2025.
- Contributions to village activities 2024/25.:
GGPCC. The Parish Council is now paying for the grass cutting directly (from March 2024). The annual mowing costs will exceed the annual contribution donated for the churchyard grass cutting in the past. Proposed by Councillor Day, seconded by Councillor Pett and unanimously agreed, that this contribution be discontinued. Contact to be made with the church concerning this decision. - Old Chapel Graveyard. Proposed by Councillor Pett, seconded by Councillor Day and unanimously approved that the PC Annual Contribution remain at £130.00 for 2024/25.
- Roundabout newsletter. Proposed by Councillor Rowbotham, seconded by Councillor Day and unanimously approve that the PC Annual Contribution remain the same at £140.00 for 2024/25.
- Banking arrangements – with reference to online payments: Councillor Pett agreed to undertake a review of banks with reference to online banking arrangements.
- Asset Check – Inspection of the Parish Council’s assets: Agreed to undertake an inspection of the condition of Parish Council Assets.
- Review of Risk Plan and Risk Assessments:
List of Documents:
GGPC Risk Plan v2_6 – Feb 2024.
Risk Management List
Mill Weir Risk Assessment
Risk Assessment Ponds & Lakes – proforma.
Councillor Catmur has updated the Risk Plan, which was approved. Streams to be included in the Risk Assessment proforma for Ponds & Lakes. The Risk Management List and Mill Weir Risk Assessment both reapproved.
- Policies / Standing Orders / Code of Conduct / Financial Regulations – annual review: The Financial Regulations will be reviewed in relation to the update received from NALC (National Association of local Councils) Councillor Day agreed to undertake the review and bring recommendations to the Parish Council. All other GGPC policies, procedures, schemes and the Standing Orders as in the following list, reapproved.
List of Documents:
- Code of Conduct
- Financial Regulations
- Risk Management 2023
- Standing Orders
- Archiving Policy
- Complaints Procedure
- Data Protection Policy
- Disciplinary Policy
- Equal Opportunities Policy
- Grievance Policy
- Health & Safety Policy
- Maternity Leave and Pay Policy
- MUGA Commercial Use Policy
- Publications Scheme – Model
- Safeguarding Policy
- Highways & Rights of Way
• Any repairs or maintenance needed:
• Crow Tree Street footpath and Church Street footpath: a reminder to residents to trim hedge and remove excess vegetation from footpaths to be put on Touchbase and in Roundabout.
• Street light PC12 repair and other similar lights: lantern PC12 is now obsolete and cannot be repaired. A quote to be obtained for the upgrade.
• LHI bid – Caxton Road: the Highways meeting to review and approve projects, including that of Caxton Road is now 27th June. Councillor Catmur will attend the meeting for the Parish Council.
• A428 Social Value Fund:
Sportsfield car park surfacing application: Councillor Catmur will submit the Stage 2 application for 100% funding. The quote for the tarmac option is currently £91,526.70 plus VAT.
• Waresley Road flooding – update: Highways has applied for a TTRO in order to undertake the drainage problems. This TTRO has not yet been received by the Parish Council for comment.
• Sand Road junction – CCC drainage survey – update: The Highways jetting and CCTV drainage investigation was completed on 22/4/2024. Information on any recommended works is still awaited.
• Industrial estate sign on roundabout – update: The replacement sign is in the Highways 2024/25 works programme, although the actually timing of replacement has not been specified.
• Harwicke Road – dangerous pothole: Councillor Capps has reported an additional dangerous pothole. - Correspondence
17.1 Bowls Club event and car parking 18th July: Overflow parking was agreed, with cars to be alongside the path by the MUGA and not against the garden hedge. (The hedge is Lawson Cypress so potentially inflammable and also so as to reduce car fumes in the adjacent garden). Noted, that the Club will keep an emergency access to the rest of the Playing Field and that there would be no vehicles moving around once the school day had finished, until the end of the event at about 5pm. Request also made, that the manhole cover in the area to be used, not strong enough for vehicles to pass over it, be roped /coned off so as to be avoided.
17.2 Post-graduate Neighbourhood Planning research enquiry: Councillor Day agreed to discuss the Neighbourhood Plan with the student.
17.3 Huntingdonshire Futures Place Strategy – grants scheme: Noted. Information will be put on Touchbase and in Roundabout.
18. Planning Applications: None.
19. HR Committee Update. In line with the legislation below*, this item will be closed to the public.
The HR meeting had no items raised and was therefore was postponed.
20. Date of Next Meeting: Monday 1st July 2024 which will commence at 7.30pm.
The meeting ended at 21:15.
* ‘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.’