Minutes of the Caldecote Parish Council Meeting on 5 April 2001

at 7.30pm in the village hall

The meeting recorded its sadness at the recent death of Mr Sid Thomas, parishioner, former Caldecote Parish Council Chairman, Sitwell’s and Townlands Charity Trustee and strong supporter of the school and village.

Present: Parish Councillors; B. Drayton, T. Footman, O. Kember (Chairman), J. Lang, P. Phillips, ,F. Wolton County Councillor R Martlew, District Councillor J Stewart and Mrs LG Stoehr (Clerk).

1. Apologies: from Councillor Dr C Stopp (ill) were approved.

2. Minutes of the last meeting on 1 March 2001
The proposal by the Chairman, seconded Councillor Footman, that ‘the minutes of the meeting be accepted as a true record’ was carried unanimously.

3. Matters arising from the meeting

3.0.1 (3.0.2) Tesco bus service. The new manager had agreed to discuss the matter with the bus company. Councillor Jim Stewart offered his support.

3.0.2 (3.0.2) Low kerbs and new gulley on eastern side of Highfields Road. Carry forward.

3.0.3 (3.0.3) Wilcon’s letter. Still outstanding.

3.0.4 (3.08) GTC’s contractor will be visiting the village to look at reinstating the pavement, verges and roads following their recent works.

3.0.5 Code of Conduct. It was considered that the code relating to pecuniary interests was a legal minefield. The Clerk was instructed to write to CALC and DETR with the Council’s concerns.

3.1 Village sign, location and base
Two out of four quotations for the signs base had been received. Approval had been given from both the district and county councils for the sign’s location. It was agreed to carry this matter forward to the next meeting so that the designs could be considered and the location finalised. It was agreed that if necessary an extraordinary meeting would be arranged so as not to delay the sign’s erection.

4. Correspondence/communication
Minor correspondence for information was circulated.

4.1 Concessionary bus passes. Notification had been received that all pensioners’ bus passes would be free of charge. The proposal by Councillor Kember, seconded by Councillor Wolton that ‘a letter of appreciation be sent to Mrs Moore and an article put in the Journal acknowledging all her work in administering the concessionary bus pass scheme in the village over the last ten plus years’ was carried unanimously.

As Mr Mike Sugden had not as yet arrived the proposal by the Chairman to vary the order of business to delay item 5 until he arrived was carried unanimously.

6. Planning received since the last meeting

S/0492/01/F, Mr and Mrs Taylor – agricultural dwelling and outbuildings. The proposal by Councillor Kember, seconded by Councillor Wolton that ‘the Parish Council make no recommendation’ was carried unanimously.

S/0326/01/F, Mr and Mrs Legge, 59 Highfields Road – amendment. The proposal by Councillor Drayton, seconded by Councillor Footman that ‘the Parish Council approve the amendment’ was carried unanimously.

S/0482/01/F, Target Construction, land R/O 65 Highfields Road (fronting Bosserts Way) – 3 dwellings. The proposal by Councillor Wolton, seconded by Councillor Phillips that ‘the Parish Council refuse the application and reiterate the comments as on the previous application (October 2000) omitting comment no.4’ was carried unanimously.

S/1838/00/ J Lang, Mitchell Wood House – amended for info only.

S/0253/01/F Mr & Mrs Tranham, 11 Main Street – amended for info only.

S/00/65/RM, K Whitmore, 91 Highfields Road - amended for info only.

S/0494/01/O, Wilcon Homes Anglia, land west of Highfields Road – shop and flat. The proposal by Councillor Kember, seconded by Councillor Drayton that ‘the Parish Council approve the application with the following comments. Wilcon should be urged to build this shop/flat speedily and the Parish Council would prefer a single storey building on this site’ was carried unanimously.

5. Affordable housing
The Chairman welcomed Mr Mike Sugden, Housing Development Officer, South Cambridgeshire District Council to the meeting. Mr Sugden explained the Low Cost/Affordable Housing Policy, how the houses are to be allocated and their availability.
At 8.31pm the Chairman proposed that ‘the meeting be adjourned to allow questions from the floor’ this was carried unanimously. The meeting was reopened at 8.46pm.
In order to assist the District Council in deciding if future allocations of affordable houses should be to rent or part rent part buy it was agreed that interested parties were asked to let the clerk know of their preference. It was thought that people on the housing list would be contacted about their application within a couple of months of the properties being started.
A copy of the last housing needs survey on Caldecote in 1998 approx. is to be obtained from Mrs Ali.
Mr Sugden was thanked for attending the meeting.

7. The Village Development

7.1 The proposal by Councillor Kember, seconded by Councillor Wolton that ‘the Clerk assume responsibility for the day to day development’s administration and correspondence’ was carried unopposed.

7.2 Letters from English Nature, Wilcon and the District Council regarding the development’s storm cell matrices and the awarded ditch near the SSSI were considered. The proposal by Councillor Wolton, seconded by Councillor Kember that ‘the following letters be sent, to Mr Bibby requesting reinstatement of the awarded ditch, to English Nature explaining the reasons for this and to Anglian Water asking again for the pumping station to be upgraded’ was carried unopposed.

7.3 In response to the letter from Wilcon regarding the storm cell matrices the proposal by Councillor Kember ‘that a letter be sent to Wilcon asking them to demonstrate that the storm cell matrices do work’ was carried unopposed.

7.4 A letter from Friends of War Memorials was noted.

7.5 Correspondence between the Chairman and the County Council regarding the Structure Plan and the use of the name ‘Childerley Gate’ as one of the proposed new developments was noted.

7.6 The construction schedule for the traffic calming had been received from Wilcon and was noted. Installation of streetlights has commenced.

7.7 It was noted that the Trustees had offered use of the village hall car park to the school whilst the road works are taking place.

7.8 The Chairman and Councillor Stewart reported on the proposed formal adoption on 17 May of the District Council’s new Constitution.

7.9 Councillor Lang reported on prices for village maps and the National Archive Service. The proposal by Councillor Kember, seconded by Councillor Lang that ‘a parish map be commissioned and that this be an agenda item for the next meeting’ was carried unanimously.

7.10 SMP play area. A letter had been received from Paul and Brenda Phillips asking the Parish Council to consider the proposal of an SMP playground system to be sited on the kick about area, to the rear of the village hall. The proposal by Councillor Wolton, seconded by Councillor Kember that ‘this matter be referred to the recreation ground working party for further consideration’ was carried.

8. To receive and consider the report from the Rereation Ground Working Party
The group reported that Councillor Phillips had met with Jane Lampshire.

9. Street trading consent
Residents had expressed concern at the fish and chip van’s advertising notices on display in the village. The proposal buy Councillor Drayton, seconded by Councillor Kember that ‘the Clerk be instructed to speak with the traders saying that the Council are pleased that they are calling but could they please remove their signs' was carried unanimously.

10. Payment of bills

The proposal by Councillor Kember, seconded by Councillor Footman, that ‘the following bills be paid:

K Martlew - £32 salary (00107)

Caldecote Church - £500 donation (00108)’ was carried unanimously.

11. Councillors’ items

11.1 It was agreed that the next meeting would be on 3 May now that the elections had been postponed.

11.2 Councillor Footman was thanked for arranging the memorial tree for John Dowding. It was agreed that Councillors Footman and Wolton should arrange for a plaque.

11.3 It was noted that the hedging near the A428 had not been reinstated by Wilcon.

11.4 Councillor Wolton reported that he had spoken with Mr Oakman regarding potholes and the section of traffic calming between West Drive and JS Bloor.

11.5 It was noted that there was a lot of dog fouling taking place in the Wilcon development. The Clerk was instructed to write to Wilcon asking that they supply dog bins.

11.6 Concern was expressed at a car which had been parking inconsiderately in Highfields Road near the bend. The Clerk was instructed to put a ‘polite notice’ under its windscreen wiper.

11.7 It was noted that Krupp Camford proposed to close its Bedford plant and relocate to Bourn Airfield.

11.8 It was agreed that Councillor Drayton should speak with Mr Read regarding the Townlands and Sitwell’s Charity Trustee nomination.

11.9 It was noted that an electrical box recently damaged had been taped by 24Seven.

10. Closure of the meeting and Parish Matters

Councillor Martlew offered to speak with the County Council on behalf of the Parochial Church Council about both the dangerous sloped verges outside the church and also about relocating the streetlight.

The Chairman declared the meeting closed at 10.05pm.

signed…………………………………Chairman…….…………………Date.