MINUTES OF THE CHRISTCHURCH PARISH COUNCIL ANNUAL MEETING

MONDAY 12th MAY 2008 – CHRISTCHURCH MEMORIAL HALL AT 7:30pm

Present: Councillors - Will Sutton (Chair), Jill Bliss (Vice-Chair), Wesley Poole,Jacky Wincote, Nigel Russell, Alison Small andPhil Webb (FDC), Stephen Cowell (Clerk), Rosie Cooke (Fenland Links), Marion Bailey (Help the Aged)and 6 members of the public.

  1. Election of Chair and Vice-Chair

The current Chair, Cllr. Sutton, requested Cllr. Bliss to seek nominations for Chair. Cllr. Russell proposed that Cllr. Sutton continue as Chair this was seconded by Cllr. Small. No other nominations were forthcoming. Cllr. Sutton accepted the position and signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.Nominations for Vice-Chair were requested, one was forthcoming, Cllr. Bliss, who was happy to continue as Vice-Chair for another year.

  1. Welcome and Apologies

Cllr. Sutton thanked everyone for attending.Apologies from Councillors Andrew Sweetman, Mac Cotterell (FDC) and Fred Yeulett (CCC) and PC Julie Coales were received and accepted.

  1. Signing of Minutes

The minutes of the Council meeting of the 14thApril 2008 were accepted as true record and signed by the Chair.

  1. Disclosure and Declarations of Interests

Cllr. Bliss declared an interest in payment 8-3.

Cllr. Poole in item 12.

Cllr. Webb in item 13.

  1. Update on action points from previous meeting

Cllr. Sutton reported that John Forkin had apologised for not turning up last month and felt it a credit that he did not seek to give an excuse other than that he forgot about the meeting.

The Clerk summarised the answers John provided to the questions raised these are detailed below:

  • If we pass details of landowners who have yet to be contacted to John he will ensure that he deals with the matter.
  • It is expected that the Planning Application will be submitted during June with construction starting in Dec 08/Jan 09 and finishing in Oct09/Nov09 providing there is timely approval.
  • There is no odour with this type of Treatment Plant.
  • A visit to a similar Plant can be arranged at any time. Cllr. Sutton to liaise with Welney Parish Council.
  • Anglian Water will be liaising with FDC regarding their plans for existing treatment plants and will advice on options for people currently on those systems in due course.
  • The Open Day is likely to be 1 month before the start of construction. Those wishing to connect to the system will need to pay for costs relating to pipe work etc on their land.

A response from Cambridgeshire Highways to concerns raised regarding the 16 Foot Bank Roadduring last month’s Council meeting has been received. They are reviewing options and the research includes looking at what is done in Holland and Florida where there are many roads adjacent to deep water. The cost of a barrier system for all of the roads in question would amount to some £15m, however they only have a Safety Scheme budget of £2m per year which has to be allocated according to where their statistics indicate the highest serious accident rates occur.

Requesting details of the 6 years worth of statistics they hold is free of charge. Not including the latest accident there have been 38 involving slight injury, 6 involving serious injury, 10 were vehicles entered the water in the last 6 years.

He would be interested in any details we have regarding the revoked 50 mph speed limit along the 16 Foot Bank Road. Cllr. Russell is to check his archive of material relating to Christchurch.

All other action points have been followed up with the exception of the concerns regarding the building site at the junction of Crown Avenue and Crown Road as we need the address of the property and planning application details.

Cllr. Russell reported that he has been involved with a sewage problem along Church Road that was reported to Environmental Health a short while ago. He reported that no action has been taken but the problem is still significant and that Malcolm Moss MP has been made aware of the issue. The Clerk was requested to once again contact FDC’s Environmental Health department, Cllr. Webb requested to be copied in with any correspondence.

The Chair closed the Council meeting for a Guest speaker session and the Public Adjournment.

  1. Rosie Cooke – Fenland Links Update

Rosie reported that the first round of grant requests needs to be completed by the end of June and she is keen to assist with the bid for a new Village Sign.

She reported that she has funding should the Council wish to install a Dog Bin along Church Road. Councillors are to consider the best site for the bin.

Rosie also circulated a list of free May School Holiday Activities that have been arranged.

  1. Marion Bailey – Help the Aged (New Forum for Fenland)

Marion introduced herself and explained the difference between Help the Aged and Age Concern. She feels there is a need for a scheme in Fenland to help older people speak up for themselves and have a real say in their communities. She mentioned some of other groups that assist older people and asked if there were any suggestion as to how she might get a group set up to assist with such a scheme. It was suggested that she visits the Good Companions Club in the village and contact details were passed to Marion.

  1. Public Adjournment

Concerns were expressed as to the cost of obtaining CRB checks for anyone wishing to become involved in any of the groups helping or overseeing young people. It was confirmed that financial assistance would be provided by Fenland Links, the Parish Council or the Youth Club.

The contractors cutting the Recreation Field grass are not cutting the edges and the corners, it was confirmed that they do not cut these areas as rubbish that accumulates there damages their equipment. Cllr. Poole has cut these areas in the past.

A resident has been seen grazing a horse on the Recreation Ground and complaints have been made by people as they are not allowed to walk their dogs there.Cllr. Bliss to arrange for a notice to be placed in The Heron reminding people that horses should not be grazed on the Recreation Ground.

Concerns were expressed over inconsiderate parking in the school area and it was asked if a PCSO could visit during the mornings and late afternoons to remind people not to park illegally. The Clerk to liaise with the Police regarding the issue.

A concern regarding traffic going along Wayside was raised; the Clerk was requested to contact Cambridgeshire Highways for a review to be conducted and to ask about the possibility of making Wayside a Cul-de-sac.

Cllr. Russell proposed that Councillors arrange a walk through the village to consider concerns and make themselves available to discuss issues with residents. It agreed that this should take place on 7th June starting at the Recreation Ground at 10pm. The Clerk was requested to arrange a notice to be placed in The Heron.

The Chair re-opened the Council meeting following the Public Adjournment.

  1. Police Update

PC Coales e-mailed the Clerk ahead of the meeting to report that there have been a couple of incidents in the village this month that the Police are following up.

  1. Correspondence Received

In addition to the correspondence notified to the Parish Councillors via the Council Mailbag the Clerk highlighted the following items of correspondence received since the mailbag was issued:

  • Details of the CPALC EGM on the 31st May
  • COPEs Save our Post Offices Campaign
  • The Energy Saving Trust’s Village Green 2008 scheme

It was agreed that the Clerk should write to the Churchwardens following his recent Memorial Safety training highlighting the issues of unsafe memorials.

  1. Finance

The Clerk reported that the Internal Independent Audit has been successfully completed and gave the Chair the report. A couple of minor changes to the paperwork that is to be sent to the External Auditors are required. Councillors had been given copies of the accounts ahead of the meeting and they are included in the Annual Council Report. Councillors accepted the accounts and authorised the Chair to sign the Audit Commission return that needs to be sent to the External Auditors by the end of May.

The following items were presented for payment;

  1. Clerk’s Salary £185.73
  2. Postage £5.76
  3. The Heron £40.00
  4. Fenland District Council £402.99 (May 07 Election Costs)
  5. IRB Gardening Services £184.30

It was proposed and agreed by all that items 1, 2, 3 & 5 be paid but that item 4 should not be paid until a full breakdown of the costs is provided.

  1. Allotment Rental

Following the impending retirement of the tenant farming Christchurch Field it was agreed that the Clerk should advertise in the July edition of The Heron that the land would be available to rent from November 2008.

  1. Planning

There were no new applications to consider.

The Clerk reported that application F/YR08/0244/O– Erection of a dwelling and garage – Land SE of Toft Cottage, March Road, fronting, Turf Lot Drove, Tipp’s End has been refused as it is outside the Development Area Boundary and that application F/YR08/0277/F – Erection of a 4-bed detached house with integral single garage – Land NE of Hill Farm, fronting Green Lane has been approved.

  1. Parish Plan

It was reported that there was no additional feedback received following the Celebration Day, held at the TownleySchool. The Clerk informed the Council that he has received a quote for installing a combined Basketball and Football goal at the Recreation Ground and that he will be seeking a second quote prior to discussing using section 106 monies to pay for it with FDC.

  1. Village Concerns

The following subjects were discussed:

  • Verge Marker posts have been knocked down in the Corner House Farm area whilst the verge was being cut.Clerk to report to Cambs County Council Highways.
  • Replacement Dog fouling notices are required in parts of the village. The Clerk to follow up with FDC.
  • Concerns regarding lack of progress in repairing the Church Lytch Gate. It was reported that it needs between £4,000 and £6,000 to repair it but there is only some £1,300 in the fund.
  • The Dog Bin located at Fen View is loose.
  • Concerns have been raised regarding the building of a porch when the resident was told originally that they did not need planning permission but now that it has been built they have been told it does. Cllr. Webb offered to look into the matter if he can be provided with copies of the letter received by the resident.
  • Cllr. Russell thanked Cllr. Sutton for all his hard work in obtaining some £8,000 worth of Fenland Links funding for a number of groups in the village during the last 2 years, other councillors also thanked Cllr. Sutton for his work in this area.

The Chair closed the meeting at 9.19pm

1 of 4signed Chairman