Apologies were received from Councillors Lang, Wyhatt and Stopp and District Councillor J. Stewart.

It was noted that ‘affordable housing’ or ‘low cost housing’ means housing that is available to those on low income who meet the criteria for the District Council’s housing list and not necessarily affordable or low cost in terms of the amount that they cost to either rent or purchase part equity share.

Between 8.20pm and 8.30pm the Chairman invited members of the public to address the meeting.

The Chairman welcomed Mr Sugden to the meeting and reiterated the Parish Council’s and villagers’ concerns expressed at the meeting held on 2 October 2003 ^{(see minutes from that meeting for full details of points raised)}.

Mr Sugden explained that:

Mr Sugden agreed:

Mr Sugden was thanked for attending and it was agreed to take this matter up again with Councillor Stewart and the Portfolio holder for Housing.

On a proposition by Councillor Kember seconded by Councillor Phillips it was resolved that the minutes be approved as a true record with two amendments firstly to show in Item 6.4 ‘Mr Murrer’ and secondly to indicate that the salary details of all staff are confidential and therefore will be removed from the parish website. The Chairman signed the minutes.

Mrs Karen Champion had visited Path 9 and put up some new signs that indicated where the path ended. No decision was reached in response to her request that the Parish Council find volunteers to clear the 700 metres approximately of path of overgrowth so as to clearly mark it as a path. She had then offered to send in a contractor to do some work at the end.

Mr Massey’s report was read out. It was agreed that the Parish Council fully endorsed the comment within Mr Massey’s report and that a site visit to the factory should be arranged one evening when the main press would be in full operation and that Mr Heffernon, Mr Massey and other residents from the village disturbed by the noise should be invited to attend.

4.3 (10.1) Mr Mike Cooper had replied to the Parish Council ‘s letter that the each gulley in the village would be cleared within the next two months.

5.1.1 Flooding by new bridge in Caldecote

Photos of flooding on the road had been sent to Gareth Guest, County Council’s Bridges Engineer. He had forwarded them to Mr Mike Cooper with a request to clear the gulley.

5.1.2 Complaints from residents regarding the speed bums in Highfields Road were noted.

5.2 Other

5.2.1 BP Licence transfer Childerley Gate Filling Station, St Neots Road,

On a proposition by Councillor Kember, seconded by Councillor Footman it was agreed that a letter be sent to the Court reminding it that on 16 September 2003 the Parish Council had received complaints that the BP Express, Childerley Gate Filling Station, St Neots Road had been selling alcohol to under age youths. Assurance would be sought that this would be taken in to account when the transfer Licence is considered and that the new applicants will be made clearly aware of the law prohibiting sales to minors and assurance gained that they and their staff will abide by these laws

5.2.2 In response to the letter from South Cambridgeshire District Council, Empty Homes Strategy it was agreed to withdraw the property as it did not meet the criteria.

On a proposition by Councillor Kember, seconded by Councillor Lang the following responses were given to the applications:

6.1 S/2334/03/F Rainbow, 84 West Drive – demolition of existing dwelling and outbuilding and erection of 2 dwellings

A letter was noted from Mr Bob Morgan had been received from Mr Morgan, Planning Officer giving details of the notification to an adjacent resident for the consultation in Highfields Road.

6.2.1 Notification had been received from the District Council that S/2017/03/F Ballinger, East Drive had been withdrawn.

Letters from Mr Iain Hayward, Build Manager, Banner Homes was received and considered. On a proposition by Councillor Kember, seconded by Councillor Breeze it was agreed that:

7.2 Wilson Connolly

7.2.1 It was noted that, as agreed at the last meeting, as the District Council did not have anyone who could check on the specification of the proposed recreation ground drainage Atkins had been contracted to undertake this work. It was also noted that a piece of the existing drainage was available for comparision.

7.2.2 Traffic Calming

7.2.2.1 A letter from Mr Philip Sharp at the County Council and Councillor Footman’s report on his discussions with Mr Sharp were received and considered. It was noted that although the humps all vary both in shape and in size Mr Sharp intended to carry out a speed check to see if they were affective. It was agreed to wait until the speed checks had been carried out before the Parish Council would comment on the points raised in Mr Sharp’s letter.

7.2.2.2 In response to the letter from Mr Matthew Lugg, Assistant Director of Transport it was agreed to write to Mrs Sue Reynolds reiterating the Parish Council’s concerns at the traffic calming outside the school which did nothing to slow traffic and its closeness to the proposed access to the Ashwell Development.

7.2.3 Enforcement

7.2.3.1 Correspondence regarding the enforcement of the S106 between Mr Andrew Lansley and Mr Chris Taylor at the District Council was considered. It was noted that Mr Taylor stated that if the landscaping and drainage requirements were not complied with he would take action at the end of December or beginning of January.

7.3 JS Bloor POS matters – to consider the letter from Mills and Reeve

A letter from Mr Daniel Farrand, Mills and Reeve regarding the trigger points for the establishment of the play equipment and the POS and the transfer was received and considered. It was noted that Mr Christ Taylor had indicated something different and agreed to write to Mr Taylor for clarification.

7.4 CALYPSO and kick about area

7.4.1 Councillor Phillips reported on the installation of the multi use games arena and the unanticipated delays and increase in costs in the region of £28,000 due to extra ground works being required. It was noted that alternative opinions were being sought and it was hoped that the facility would open at Easter.

7.4.2 It was noted that seven more trees needed replacing and that three of these were close to the proposed MUGA site. On a proposition by Councillor Wolton, seconded by Councillor Philips the quotation from Herald Contract Services for £240 to replace four of the seven trees was approved.

7.5 Caldecote Sports Association report and constitution

Councillor Wolton reported on the recent meeting and a copy of the constitution is to be circulated.

All bank statements and invoices were available for checking. At the suggestion of the Responsible Financial Officer (RFO) on a proposition by Councillor Kember, seconded by Councillor Phillips it was agreed that the bank statements and invoices would been checked each month by the members signing the cheques and one of the two members would initial them after they had been checked.

It was also resolved that the following payments as listed in the finance report appended ⁽¹⁾ to these minutes, were approved:

The budget report ^{(appended 2 to these minutes)} showing income and expenditure against budget to date and draft figures based on past history and existing contracts was received and considered. It was agreed to carry this item forward to the next meeting to allow the Council to time to consider the implications and any additional items including security items.

Sections of the budget allocated but not as yet spent were briefly considered including that allocated for flooding prevention measures which had not been spent because the jointly funded flood report had not been carried out. Money in the reserves was also considered.

It was agreed to carry this matter forward to the next meeting to allow time for the latest draft model standing orders and papers drafted by the R.F.O to be considered.

8.4 The Chairman read a letter from Mr Keith Barrand, County Secretary of the Cambridgeshire Associations of Local Councils (CALC) about the Clerk’s AQA training course and the inclusion of Council documents as part of the evidence base.

On a proposition by Councillor Wolton, seconded by Councillor Kember it was agreed that the shelter should be larger than the shelter outside the village hall with a pitched roof and possible guttering. Councillor Drayton agreed to draw up some plans and costing for the next meeting after which Mr Barry Clarke at the County Council, the Police and the bus company would have to be consulted.

Information on this, the Connections Bus as agreed at the last meeting had been compiled and would be circulated before the next meeting. It was agreed to carry this item forward to the next meeting

11.1 It was noted that the future ownership and maintenance responsibilities for the ditch in front of the Wilson Connolly development on the western side of Highfields Road had not as yet been resolved and agreed that a letter be sent to the Environment Agency asking it to resolve this.

11.2 Pat Matthews is to be asked to arrange for the ditch to be cleared.

11.3 It was noted that Karen Champion was trying to push Wilson Connolly to undertake the improved drainage on the Bourn Drift bridleway.

11.4 Concern was expressed that a lorry had been seen parking on the pavement of the A428 between the BP garage’s entrance and exit. A complaint is to be sent to the Highway Agency.

11.5 It was noted that nothing had as yet been heard about the bid to the Jointly Funded Minor Improvements Scheme.

There was no further business and the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 10.08pm.

Signed…………………………………Chairman…….…………………Date.