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Parish Council: Meeting minutes

29 August 2006

Last updated: Tuesday, 29 August 2006, 06:32 PM

Members Present

I. Storr (Chairman)
R. Grenfell
G. Chamberlain (Chairman)
G. Atkinson
R. Lewis-Smith
A. Freeman
M. Farmer

Also present

L. Howells (Clerk to the Parish Council)
T. Bhachu

Apologies for absence

Apologies for absence were received from Jim Stewart.

Minutes of previous meeting

Minutes of meeting held 18th July 2006 were agreed as a correct and accurate report with two amendments.

Open session

Meeting officially closes for, and reopens after this session.

Interviews for the vacancy of Parish Councillor are now underway, there are two candidates. A decision is expected around 6th September.

Matters Arising from previous minutes (for information only)

Mike Ford (designer) has indicated that all four of the road designs on Cambridge Road have been turned down by CCC on Safety Grounds. Mr Ford will attend either the September or October meeting to summarise the comments on all the schemes.

A meeting is planned for early September to find out more about researching The Mobile Warden Scheme in Hardwick.

It is not known whether or not the skate park report has been served on SCDC. This is to chased up.

The new bus stop on St Neots Road is designed to have a ramp fitted retrospectively. The legal requirement to provide this is to be investigated with SCDC.

The car park at Egremont Road is to be looked at as a project with a view to line markings, widening and disabled bays.

An order has been placed on Ringway for the lights on the skate park tower.

The light at Cahill’s Corner remains unfixed. The Clerk is to communicate with those concerned.

Cambridgeshire Constabulary has responded to HPC letter of 18th August. The letter has been passed to Inspector Paul Ormerod who will conduct further enquiries into the issues raised. These include problems with Anti Social Behaviour and the desire for training and usage of radar equipment.

The PARC project has had a further meeting at CVC with the help of Anne Jones, two follow up meetings have occurred, a group of young people is being recruited.

Other matters

A) Playground Inspections and repairs
A complaint on the state of the Playground at Grenadier Walk has been made. This area has had all the weeds cut back from the path and the litter collected. There have been several reports of teenagers gathering at Egremont Road no substantial damage has occurred but some slats are missing.
The slats on the Church play bench are secure. It was reported that there may be some glass in the tunnel this will be further investigated. Weeding around the bench and under the swings and cleaning of bird fouling of the seats has taken place.

B) New L E A P (playground) St Neots Road
The Clerk has met with Michael Fox the consultant employed by Taylor Woodrow to look at the preliminary plans of the LEAP being proposed. Serious concerns on this LEAP were expressed by Council.
A quick response is being requested by Taylor Woodrow/M Fox to the build of this LEAP but the 400 square metres LEAP is on a raised area of land below which lies a tank for storm/surface water. This tank has never been previously mentioned to HPC and it is believed it must have been a planning requirement for the development.

This arrangement was disliked as it requires the equipment to be surface mounted rather than raw bolted into concrete/tarmac as all other HPC play equipment and play areas. The S106 play agreement states Wicksteed Equipment and this has not been submitted in the drawings supplied except for the rocker.

If there is a problem with the tank it is unclear as to where the maintenance costs and possible playground equipment removal costs lie. There are therefore concerns over the suitability of this site for use and adoption as a play area.

The Clerk – not empowered to make decisions – is to request an immediate meeting of HPC Councillors with Michael Fox on site. The Clerk is to further investigate with ROSPA the implications of this tank and the proposal for surface equipment mounting.

Concerning the financial obligations of the section 106, Nik Barrett – Regional Finance Director Taylor Woodrow Anglia has advised: The POS should be provided before 50% of dwellings are occupied. The POS commuted sum (£60k indexed) is payable prior to the occupation of the 20th free market dwelling, currently estimated as Feb 2007. An establishment sum of £18k (indexed) is payable upon completion of the POS transfer.

C) Maintenance
Remedial tree work has been carried out at Laxton Avenue and Lambourne Road, this is on trees causing damage or obstruction. Weeding has been carried out on the slabs running between Egremont Rd Recreation Ground Car Park and skate park.
Reports of fence damage on Limes Rd/Laxton cul de sac are to be investigated.

A tree surgeon has been out to inspect the report of the dead silver birch tree on Pippin Walk. Upon inspection it was found to be alive, but had shed its leaves early due to the hot June weather. The resident has been informed and this tree will be inspected annually.

Essential Road markings have been re-requested on Egremont Rd/Cambridge Rd where repair work was recently carried out.

The new bus shelter has been constructed at St Neots Rd in a see through material capable. An insurance claim has been submitted to Allianz Cornhill for this item.

Extra CCTV cameras have been ordered from Secura cam but there is a problem with the electrics that requires further investigation.

D) HSSC
It is noted that Claude Shepherd has died. He will be missed in the village.
The timer for the all weather lights has been replaced to a simpler electronic timer. Approval for this change, albeit retrospectively was passed by the Parish Council proposed Malcolm Farmer seconded Grenville Chamberlain carried unanimously.

HSSC will bear the cost as this falls within the objects of the club even if technically that piece of equipment is Parish Council responsibility. Children wishing to use the all weather pitch have come and asked the HSSC to put the lights on and HSSC are doing this. For the moment, with the warm summer evenings the lights are set to come on automatically at 9 and go off at 10.

A plethora of invoices from Secura Cam regarding the recent works carried out by Secura cam need to be resolved, the Clerk is to meet with Jacqui Gibbons to deal with this.

SCDC has requested information as to the CRB policy of HSSC staff. Steve Rose has advised that HSSC currently has no policy in respect of CRB checking its employees and has not been doing so in practice.

It was agreed that the Clerk is to contact HSSC to request that they adopt a policy of having staff CRB checked. Proposed Grenville Chamberlain seconded Ron Lewis Smith carried unanimously.

Correspondence

E) Howard Baker – allotments
a letter of confirmation from previous meeting concerning the desire to move forward with this project has been received from Mr Baker. Susannah Harris SCDC has indicated to Jim Stewart that “Awards for All” (Lottery money) do give grants to help establish allotments – promoting healthy living, sustainability and social inclusion (so long as there is a spread of ages interested in the project). It needs to be the group itself that makes the application not HPC. Susannah has agreed to help the group with their application. This information will be passed on to Mr Baker.

F) Moore Stephens
Annual return year end queries are to be dealt with by the Clerk and appear straight forward.

G) SCDC Buddies Scheme
a scheme for people to become buddies to find out what is going on when they move into a new village is being proposed by SCDC. A thorough debate took place after which it was agreed that we go back to SCDC and say that HPC feels that the money could be better spent elsewhere, possibly on the clubs and groups within the village to make the village attractive. It is also to be requested that neither Hardwick Parish Council nor its staff be used to endorse this scheme.

H) Hardwick Evangelical Church
An invitation to the service of induction of Rev. Kathleen Rochester to the post of Minister of Hardwick Evangelical Church on Sat 23rd Sept at 3.30pm is to be attended by Councillors or the Clerk. Anyone interested to attend was asked to contact the Clerk.

I) Community Assoc payment from Hardwick Village Hall & Social Club a/c – a letter signed by all the trustees authorising Malcolm Farmer and the Clerk to source a cheque for £202.10 from the village hall trust fund payable to the Community Association to cover payment for solicitors advice was approved. Proposed Grenville Chamberlain and seconded Alan Freeman. Carried unanimously.

J) A Lansley – re proposed housing devt. Behind 124-158 Main Street, Hardwick – Mr Lansley CBE MP has requested a copy of HPC’s response to SCDC on the S/1415/06/F planning application.

Correspondence Table Review

A) CCC Community Transport Guide 2006/07
B) CALC
C) Land Registry to be carried out on unregistered Hardwick land.
D) CCC Trading Standards
E) NHS CCT changes
F) SLCC – G) News@Com

Planning

A)S/1070/06/F/RMMr & Mrs E Clark adj 18 Ellison Lane house -no recommendation the Clerk is to confirm that the land corner has not been transacted.
B)S/1494/06/FA Prime 167 Limes Rd extension -no recommendation
C)S/1471/06/FMr & Mrs Whitmore 3 Limes Rd extension -no recommendation
D)S/1416/06/F124-158 Main Street Hundred Houses Society – Declaration of interest – Jim Stewart has expressed no view on the proposed scheme of 28 affordable houses -approve
E)S/1546/06/FMrs Rayner 52 Main Street – extension -no recommendation

Account presented for approval for Payment

A)£530.88Clerk’s salary July
B)£96.46A Yeoman’s village cleaner salary
C)£2388.54Garrick Outdoor Limited
D)£89.07Coulson Building Group
E)£46.42Admin expenses, BT, post, travel
F)£163.64LGPS

Income received

A)£96.66NSIB
B)£42.42bank interest
C)£132.00Hardwick Happenings

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

1) St Neots Road man hole cover has crumbled again as has the pot hole as you turn from St Neots Road to Cambridge Road.
2) Graffiti in the bus shelters on St Neots Road was reported.
3) Close to Ellison Lane/Limes Rd (opposite school) the traffic is speeding and cutting the corner. The radar issue was raised and the possibility of line painting and a halt sign is to be investigated.
4) Millers Way bus post sign is to be reported.
5) Fallen hydrants opposite 25 Cambridge Road and to the left hand side of the recreation ground are to be reported.
6) Laxton Avenue street sign is to be chased.
7) The Chairman will cut the willow tree overhanging the path on the recreation ground.
8) The Councillors village walk around is to take place on a Sunday afternoon. Possible dates will be circulated.

Meeting ends

The meeting closed at 21.35. The time and date of the next meeting is to be Tuesday 26th September at 7.45pm in the Community Room, Hardwick Community Primary School, Limes Rd. Hardwick.

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