23 January 2007

Last updated: Tuesday, 23 January 2007, 08:50 AM

HARDWICK PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of Hardwick Council Meeting held at 7.45 pm on Tuesday 23rd January 2007 in the Community Room, Hardwick Community Primary School, Hardwick Cambs.

Members Present:
I. Storr (Chairman)J. Stewart
G. Chamberlain (Vice Chairman)G. Atkinson
A Freeman
Also present:
L. Howells(Clerk to the Parish Council)

1Apologies for absence were received from Malcolm Farmer, T. Bhachu, R. Grenfell & R. Lewis-Smith.

2Minutes of Meetings held 19th December 2006 were agreed as a true and accurate record without amendment.

3Open session(meeting officially closes for, and reopens after this session)
a)Carly English CBM and Sue Envill PCSO received an emergency call as the meeting opened and had to leave.

b)Katie Lowe – PARC project
Katie and Dan (a PARC participant) explained how the quiz night had gone and passed over the £32.83 for banking. The purpose of PARC has been to help young people understand and get involved in the community and find out how they can make things happen. This project will finish in September 2007 and finish before that on the ground as a good practice tool kit is to be written explaining what did and did not work well. A lady from the village has helped considerably with this project though there was not a Project Champion from the Parish Council as hoped.
It was explained that the youth are very welcome to come along to Parish meetings. If they did so they would have an opportunity to be heard early in the meeting. The enthusiasm and work achieved by the project was recognised.

4Matters Arising from previous minutes (for information only)
The insurance claim has been completed and sent to Allianz Cornhill. The details of Whippett Buses and their insurers has been provided, together with information on other costs incurred.

The Chairman has spoken with Martin Hay concerning the statutory declaration to be made at St Mary’s. Martin Hay confirms that indeed there are no deeds as previously thought. There is a right of access to the Old School House. This information will be returned to our solicitor.

5Other Matters:
A)Budget 07/08
The Chairman, Vice Chairman and Clerk had met earlier in the week and prepared a draft budget for the meeting. The draft budget for 2007/08 submitted would require a precept of £46,500, which represents an 4.49% increase over the previous year.
It was decided to accept this draft budget proposal. Proposed G Chamberlain and seconded J Stewart, carried unanimously.

B)Playground Inspections
At Egremont Road some vandalism has resulted in a broken slat and damaged fence post this is to be repaired.
At Grenadier Walk the area is generally clean and tidy, save for the slabs that present a trip risk. The area is 50 square metres. It was agreed that Jim Rogers is to remove all the slabs, and some of the base concrete, level and fill with top soil and then turf the area price £540. Proposed G Chamberlain and seconded G Atkinson, carried unanimously.
Worcester Avenue – No problems to report except for an overflowing bin to be checked after Thursday waste collection.
Skate park – there are some rivets moving out of the ramps, these are to be replaced to get the ramps back into top order.
St Mary’s play area has broken Perspex on the front of the sign, this is to be replaced.
A request has been received from the Treasurer of St Mary’s Church that the 50% contribution to the grass cutting service be made as in previous years. This year that would be a sum of £257.60. It was agreed to contribute 50% as requested, proposed J Stewart seconded A Freeman, carried unanimously.

C)Maintenance
The car park extension project and landscaping of the area that previously contained the bottle banks was discussed. Quotes were considered. It was agreed to award the contract to T & S Groundworks as their quote also included the landscaping of the old bottle bank area and placing a tree there. The total cost will be £5431.00. Proposed G Chamberlain and seconded J Stewart, carried unanimously. The Clerk is to check the edging proposed.
In the recent high winds damage was done to some Parish fence panels. Repairs have been made to the fencing adjacent to 18 Egremont Road. A large fence behind 96 Limes Road, bordering car parking and the green behind is to be investigated further.
There is a large conifer outside the boundary of 4 Bramley Way, the roots are causing the drain under No 4’s (which includes foul drainage from No 2) to block. It is the only nearby tree and the obvious culprit. It was agreed to ask a tree surgeon to take a look at this with the possible intention of removal.

Mrs C Thulbourn has requested a dog bin and signage to be placed on St Neots Rd towards Cambridge. Dog fouling has become quite an issue in this area, as this is now a very well used pavement as it links to the cycleway further along and makes a good dog walking route. It was agreed to purchase a dog waste bin for St Neots Road in April and ask SCDC to put up some suitable signage.

D)Saxon Place – LEAP
The houses on this development are now on the electoral role under the road name Meridian Close.

The letter from Mills & Reeve was sent on 18th December 2006 to Taylor Woodrow. A brief response has indicated that Ms Thorndike is now aware of the extent of the problem and understood both the LEAP and Play equipment had been installed. It was decided to go back to our solicitor as follows:

a) Please ensure that Ms Thorndike has been to see the site and understands that their is no LEAP or Play equipment due to the storm cell

b) HPC refers her to the letter which states the situation and how HPC wish it to be resolved.

c) When TW have established the facts for themselves, HPC are prepared to meet them with either Bidwells or Mills & Reeve present to hear how they are to keep to the original section 106 requirements.

6Correspondence:
A)CCC Parish Path Partnership (P3)
This pack contains an application form for the following year for the grant for Parish Path Partnership work. The P3 is a way of improving, maintaining and promoting public rights of way in a Parish. Richard Grenfell looks after this area. It was agreed to submit an application for 07/08 based on the needs for signage for the new footbridge and path marking following the A428 upgrade.

B)SCDC Local Government Finance Act 1992 – Parish Precepts 07/08
It is requested by SCDC that HPC states the amount of money it wishes to precept for by 5th February 2007. It was agreed to request the £46,500 for precept outlined earlier in the budget.

C)Mrs G Teall – Ball Games
There is a problem with the green adjacent to Laxton Avenue/Limes Rd bordering on Apple Tree Close. It has been requested that a No Ball Games Sign by over 10 year olds be put up. It was agreed to place this sign at the Green near the front so it is obvious to anyone coming to use the Green. Mrs G Teall will be notified.

D)Street Naming – Development off the Pastures (HPC asked to suggest a name )
There were some suggestions, amongst them Wood View and Harcamlow Way. However, it was agreed that Grace Crescent be the chosen name for the development. This is in recognition of the work and enthusiasm Grace Atkinson has shown to the community throughout her time in Hardwick. The reason for this choice of name is to be detailed to SCDC as they have requested.

E)A Lansley – letter to Y Cooper re Housing & Planning
Mr Lansley has written to Yvette Cooper, Minister for Housing and Planning regarding the housing situation in South Cambs and the Housing Revenue Account and Housing Capital Receipts. He states that it seems anomalous to him that South Cambs should be losing £10 million from its housing revenue account when it has been designated by the Government as a growth area with severe unmet housing demand. He goes on to ask that instead the money used to fund an additional 100 homes a year for rent on exception sites in South Cambridgeshire Villages. It was decided to send a letter from Hardwick Parish Council stating that HPC fully supports the proposal he makes in his letter together with a request for him to look into the financial options made available to those being offered affordable homes to check the competitiveness of these packages.

7Correspondence Table Review:
A)Winter Gritting & Snow Clearing
B)Cambs & Peterborough Fire Authority
C)CPRE Skills Workshop on Planning Applications
D)Fire Risk Assessment- The Clerk has requested this information be confirmed by HSSC. A response is to be chased.
E)News@com
F)Glasdon
G)CCC County Council Budget for 07/08
8Planning:
A)S/2393/06/FDr RG & Mrs Portlock
65 St Neots Road – solid fuel burner flue
no recommendation

9Account presented for approval for Payment:
A)£530.88Clerk’s salary Dec
B)£96.46J Dyer village cleaner Dec
C)£180.95Coulson Building Group
D)£25.00Hardwick Community Primary School
E)£5000.80J M Rogers
F)£76.38Windmill Buisness Systems
G)£113.00G Bird
H)£45.34Admin expenses, BT, post, travel
I)£163.64LGPS
J)£1435.71Cambs CC
K)£587.50Bidwells
L)£82.25Purse Landscapes Ltd
M)257.60St Marys Church

10Income received:
A)104.90NSIB
B)55.00netball club
C)51.79bank interest
D)1032.96VAT reclaim

11Any Other Business – (Councillors & Clerk comment for future discussion)

1)The Chairman raised the issue of HSSC and recent communication that had taken place. It was though a good idea to have meetings with HSSC on a regular basis. It was discussed that there be HPC members on HSSC committee. At this time it was thought the regular meetings would be the way forward and I Storr, G Chamberlain and J Stewart would attend on behalf of HPC. A date is to be requested for the first meeting.

2)Feedback on the new website would be welcomed and the new website address is to be circulated to all HPC members when available.

3)The amount of rubbish on the St Neots Road and Cycle Path is to be reported to Highways.

4)The light at Cahill’s Corner is still not repaired and the Clerk was asked to inform CCC that the street light cheque will be forwarded when this light is sorted out.

5)The tree on the School Green on the corner of Limes Road is to be looked at in the daylight; this is thought to be the responsibility of the School.

6)The Community Association village tidy up has been organised for Sat 31st March 2007, there will be refreshments available including bacon butties. As usual the skip will be paid for by HPC.

7)Grace Atkinson informed the meeting that the next meeting of HPC will be her last as she will be 90 years old this year.

12The meeting closed at 21.35hrs. Date and time of the next meeting of Hardwick Parish Council is to be Wednesday 21st February 2007 at 7.45pm in the Community Room, Hardwick Community Primary School, Limes Rd, Hardwick

Signature Date