MINUTES of meeting of the Parish Council held on 13th November 2006 at the School, Water Lane, Oakington at 7.30 pm.

 

PRESENT: A Milton (Chairman), Mr J Bailey, Mrs Y Graves, Mr P Harradine, Mr D Reeves, Mrs J Sidaway, Mr R Warboys, Mr R Ward, Coun N Bolitho (SCDC), Coun M Bradney (CCC), the Clerk and 2 members of the public.

 

APOLOGIES:  Coun E Edwards (SCDC), Coun T Wotherspoon (SCDC), Coun D Jenkins (CCC).

 

MINUTES – The Minutes of the meeting of 9th October 2006 were approved and then signed by the Chairman.

 

MATTERS ARISING:

 

Guided Bus – Coun Reeves reported that the next meeting of the local liaison group would be taking place this week.

 

Graffiti, Saxon Way bus shelter – a quote had been received from Clearways Ltd. However, subsequently the Clerk had received an e-mail from Mike Jones, SCDC Planning Dept advising that he had spoken to the developers Bloor Homes who had agreed to send out a maintenance company to repair the damage.

 

Pavilion – the Chairman read out a quote received from Cambs Archaeology Field Unit. This quotation includes: Pavilion Area - £24,684, MUGA - £7,960, Contingency - £5,050 but does not include any additional costs e.g. back-filling.

It is estimated that the work will take approx 5 weeks and should commence in Jan 2007.

It was proposed by Coun Sidaway and seconded by Coun Ward to accept the quote.

All agreed.

Coun Sidaway reported that Elaine Bailey, Community Association is to meet with various groups/clubs on 10th Jan to discuss formation of a pavilion committee to consider issues such as bookings, costing, rotas & staffing.

Coun Sidaway will ask her if any progress has been made re approaching WREN for  funding to cover the archaeological costs. This work is not included in the original budget and therefore an application for additional funding will need to be made by the Parish Council. It was agreed that now we have an approximate figure for this extra work, we can go ahead and actively try and get funding from WREN.

 

Coles Lane Development – nothing new to report.

 

Northstowe – the Chairman reported Coun Alex Riley, Chairman Longstanton PC had sent a lengthy email to Longstanton residents re Northstowe which included criticism that our Parish Council and Oakington Action Group had ‘not made it through the lengthy consultation process’.

The Clerk had responded refuting his claim, stating that we had made numerous representations at every stage of the consultation process.

Coun Riley replied stating that ‘in no way was this meant to be a criticism of Oakington & Westwick PC’. However, he offered no apology.

 

Bus Project – Coun Reeves had attended the AGM on 31st October. They are waiting for one particular source of funding for this year to come through to avoid drawing on reserves. They are happy with the new bus and how the project is running.

 

Interactive Signs, Westwick – the faulty signs had again been reported to David Brace.  However, Coun Bradney reported that the Minor Works budget had been spent for the year and therefore no additional work will be done on interactive signs.

 

Trees, Saxon Way – nothing new to report.

 

Airfield Road – nothing new to report. Coun. Bradney confirmed the proposed closure was still progressing.

 

A14 junction lights – still not working on east side.

 

A14 traffic calming – it was noted that the white line work had been done last week.

 

Days Meadow sign – still not in place, despite both Chairman and Clerk reporting it to Diane Duncan again. The developers are responsible for this. Coun Sidaway reported that she is receiving post intended for 37 Days Meadow.  The Clerk will report yet again.

 

Mill Road – gullies have now been installed.

 

Trees, Westwick – nothing new to report.

 

Parish Charity – the Chairman had put a note in the newsletter but had received no response whatsoever.

 

Cycleway – the Chairman reported that at the meeting with CCC Highways at Histon it was confirmed that work to extend the cycleway up to the railway line will take place during this financial year.

 

Westwick Bridge work – work appears to have been completed, although there are various road signs etc left on site.

 

Hedge, Stocks Green – Coun & Mrs Warboys had kindly cut back the hedge. However, one car user is still driving over the grass on a regular basis. The Chairman had spoken to her twice about this already. It was agreed that if she persists the Chairman will give her one final warning and then he will report her to the police with a view to them issuing a fixed penalty notice.

 

Saturday Markets – still no planning application received. The Clerk had written to the Planning Dept but received no response.

 

Cherry Orchard footpath – the Clerk had reported the overhanging hedge at No. 16 and leylandii further up near Coles Lane to David Gilkes. They had not yet been dealt with. Coun Reeves reported one of the streetlights is not working there.

 

Mill Road, light covers – still not replaced.

Coun Reeves had spoken to CCC, Street Lighting re the general poor state of lights in the village, particularly the dirty light covers. He had been informed that there is no budget for cleaning them. Coun Bradney agreed to take this issue up.

 

Bus Shelter, Cambridge Road – Highways Dept had finally responded that if the Parish Council does not take responsibility for the shelter they will remove it. It was agreed that we really have no option other than had to bow to this blackmail and assume ownership and include the shelter on our insurance policy.

 

Gravestones – the Chairman has spoken to Mr Brasnett who agreed to take action about his mother’s gravestone. The Chairman will write to the other family concerned when he can obtain their new address.

 

Eviction notice – the Chairman reported that the court case had been deferred again.

 

Light, pinch point, Dry Drayton Rd – had been reported to David Gilkes but not yet dealt with.

 

Vandalism – the Chairman reported that this continues to be a problem. The two seats at the tennis courts had been taken and smashed up recently.

 

Cars at Westwick – PC Rogerson had agreed to pay attention to this area. Coun Graves had not observed any cars parked on the highway there recently.

 

Bobby Scheme – had been advertised in the newsletter.

 

Bench, village sign – it was noted that there had been no further damage to date.

 

Dead tree, Recreation Ground – Coun Warboys had kindly dealt with it.

 

Environment Agency, flooding issues – the Chairman had received a response to his letter advising that they had only cleaned out the brook upstream of Oakington, not substantially altered it and any flood alleviation measures would need to come from the developers of Northstowe.

 

Overgrown vegetation, cemetery – the Chairman will ask the Probation Service to deal with it.

 

Gypsy/Traveller Development Plan – the Chairman had circulated draft responses to the consultation document. He read out the additional responses now incorporated. It was agreed that they should be submitted via the Internet to ensure confirmation of receipt is obtained.

 

CORRESPONDENCE:

 

SCDC – Gypsy & Traveller Development Plan  -public consultation – representations to be submitted via Internet.

 

Moore Stephens – Annual return audited with a comment that ‘the Council should take appropriate action on the points raised by the internal auditor. In particular the level of free reserves, that is the reserves that have not been earmarked to specific projects, is very low and does not allow for unanticipated expenditure’.

 

CCC – Countryside Access Vision for Northstowe – agreed to invite Peter Duthie, Rights of Way Project Manager to attend a PC meeting to discuss further.

 

CCC – Street Lighting Maintenance & Energy 2006/07 – Annual street lighting cost of £423.23 (£224.38 maintenance, £199.55 energy) – invoice to be issued soon after 19 Dec.  The Chairman had understood that SCDC had budgeted for maintenance costs for this year.  The Clerk will investigate further and report back.

 

CCC – Highways Services Survey – agreed that the Clerk should complete.

 

Circulation

CCC – Cambs & Peterboro minerals & waste plan consultation

COPE – newsletter October 06

Local Council Review – Nov 06

SCDC Guided Busway – Code of Construction Practice & minutes of local liaison forum 26/9/06

CCC – Highways Services Survey

CCC – monthly reports from David Jenkins & Matt Bradney

CCC – new Code of Conduct Training – responded that we would prefer to wait and see what the changes are first.

CCC – traffic management staffing issues

CCC – Northstowe member briefings – change of date from 12 Dec to 19 Dec at 10 am.

Local Council Review Nov 06

Histon Neighbourhood Policing Team newsletter Oct 06

CCC – Slow down on roads alongside rivers campaign

SCDC – Councillors’ report Nov 06

Clerks & Councils Direct Nov 06

Oakington Motorsports Ltd – letter of thanks re motor events on airfield

EEAPTC News

CCC – Parish Paths Partnership 06/07

 

PLANNING:

 

A Turner, land adj 64 Water Lane – house – no objection to the house in principle but being so close to the primary school concerned about the access, especially the visibility splay nearest to the school. Strongly urge that existing driveway should serve both the new and existing houses because another access so close and hidden behind yet more tall hedging is not a good idea road safety wise.

 

A Turner, 64 Water Lane – extension & new vehicular access – no objections to extension in principle but see notes above re access.

 

Home Office, Oakington Barracks – continuation of use of land & buildings as an Immigration Centre for further temporary period to 31 Dec 07 – no objections

 

 

BILLS FOR PAYMENT:

 

Moore Stephens – external audit fee 05/06                                                    411.25

Cambridgeshire ACRE – annual membership 06/07                                        25.00

R Bell – street lights & cleaning 10.10.06 – 13.11.06

              5 weeks @ £46                                                                                 230.00

L Lawrence – clerk’s salary 10.10.06 – 13.11.06

                        37.5 hours @ £9.02

                        + telephone  @ £30.00

                        + travel expenses @ £5.44                                                      373.69

Petty Cash                                                                                                        50.00

                                                                                                                     1089.94

 

It was proposed by Coun Warboys and seconded by Coun Graves that these bills be paid. All agreed.

 

ANY OTHER BUSINESS:

 

The tree at No. 1 Cambridge Road is overhanging the highway and covering the right of way sign. The Clerk will report to David Gilkes.

 

The broken Coles Lane sign had been reported to SCDC.

 

Coun Bailey reported that he had been unable to find the Parish Council website using several search engines. Coun Reeves will investigate further as it should be linked to the main ones.

 

Coun Sidaway reported that she had called out the police 4 times over the past few weeks due to young people causing a nuisance outside Scout Hut during the Thursday evening bowls club sessions.  On instructions, Coun Sidaway had informed the police as soon as trouble started and they had attended the site.

 

It was agreed to re-advertise the councillor vacancy in the newsletter.

 

Coun Graves reported that there are two drains blocked with cement in Days Meadow. The Chairman advised that as the road has not yet been adopted the developer is responsible for dealing with this.

 

The Church View sign is missing the nameplate.  The Clerk will report to Diane Duncan.

 

Coun Graves reported that the area of ‘grass verge’ near the park at Westwick is being used as an unofficial lay-by.  The Clerk will report to David Gilkes.

 

The Chairman reported that once again the concrete bin at the cemetery has been smashed. It was agreed that there is no point in replacing it as they cost over £100 and it is likely to get vandalised again.

 

The Chairman had attended the CCC Highways meeting at the new Impington Rec pavilion and noticed that the MUGA lighting was still on after 10 pm and appeared not be operated by timer.  SCDC planners had insisted that the lighting outside our new pavilion must be turned off by time switch at 10 pm and he expressed concern that they are not being ‘even handed’ in their decision-making. He also noted that some form of auxiliary lighting would be needed outside the pavilion to ensure the area is not in complete darkness when the timed lights go off.

 

Coun Bradney reported that Network Rail had taken it upon themselves (without informing CCC) to start the process of cutting back vegetation and removing the old rail lines and sleepers from the proposed guided bus track even though the planning application had not yet been determined.

 

Coun Bolitho reported that he is to start regular surgeries in Cottenham on the last Saturday of each month at the British Legion Hall. He is also trying to stop the hall from being closed.

 

Coun Bolitho had received confirmation from The Rent Service that Cottenham & Rampton had been moved back into the Cambridge locality. He had not been successful in getting Oakington & Westwick back in to this locality and had not received a response from his letter to Andrew Lansley, MP on this matter. It was agreed that the PC should also write to A Lansley as this has implications for Fair Rents.

 

There were no questions/comments from members of the public.

 

The meeting closed at 8.55 pm.