Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on Tuesday 21st November.
Present: Councillors Hodson, Bolton, D’Altelia, Maciag, Hargrave, Moody, County Councillor Gardener and the Clerk.
115.23 Cllr Hodson, as Chairman, welcomed those present to the meeting.
116.23 Apologies were received from District Councillor Alban, who is attending another meeting
117.23 There were no declarations of Disclosable Interests relating to items on the Agenda
118.23 No member of press or public attended the meeting
119.23 Minutes of the meeting held on 17th October 2023 were confirmed as a correct record by Cllr Hargrave.
120.23 There were no matters arising from those Minutes that will not be discussed as an agenda item. Note – Cllr Bolton has attended his Councillor training
121.23 Reports from Councillors and Clerk:
County Cllr Gardener had offered to liaise with Cambs County Council and North Northants Council in respect of the proposed Anaerobic Digester Unit. His contact at CambsCC had advised they were only the consultee in respect of the proposed pipelines between unit and main gas pipeline that falls with Cambridgeshire (not the whole proposed area). Various departments of CambsCC have submitted responses, but Highways Department have still to respond (these responses do not raise objections). Hemington Luddington and Thurning (HLT) parish council had broadly supported the application but had suggested that improvements were required to Hemington Lodge Road. There was discussion about the transport issues associated with the proposal, Cllr Maciag highlighted that CambsCC would foot the bill for ensuing highways problems.
Clerk suggested a 20MPH limit for Hemington Lodge Road – Cllr Gardener will discuss with Highways Department to see what measures could be introduced.
Clerk will send a copy of our Parish Council response to North Northants Councillor Shacklock and ask for his support, and will continue to liaise with HLT Clerk.
Cambs Fire and Rescue are redistributing their stations, which includes Kimbolton, and may replace with a “roaming” fire engine (12 minutes is the recommended response time).
Karen Southwell is the new Highways Officer. She will meet with Cllr Gardener every 6 weeks.
Dan Wicks is the Public Rights of Way officer.
The weeds policy is to be reviewed.
Street lighting is to be replaced in coming years with low carbon LED lighting.
LHI bids should be submitted by 5PM on Friday 12th January. Clerk will check if the bid for a 20MPH limit for Little Gidding should be resubmitted or will be considered again (and await advice regarding Hemington Lodge Road).
The County Council’s portion of the Council Tax is likely to be increased.
*** County Councillor Gardener left our meeting to attend another.
Cllr Hargrave (and Cllr Hodson – see 127.23) had attended the recent Climate Conference at St Ives, hosted by CambsCC and suggested that parishioners may wish to take up the offer of advice on heating, energy use, etc – this will be mentioned on the next Gidding News.
122.23 FINANCIAL MATTERS:
a) Barclays Bank statements for Parish Council account.
Parish Council (everyday) Account – balance as at 4 /11/2023 £8,717.10 (includes £500 bequest)
Parish Council Deposit Account – balance as at 4/11/2023 £26,104.89 (£10,000 transfer made, 1.85% interest applicable)
Defibrillator account – balance as at 4/11/2023 – £247.05
b) the following online payments were approved:
| Who | What for | TOTAL | Invoice includes this VAT amount | Authorised | Authorised | |
| 23/11 | J R Trolove | Wages for September (41 hours) | Xxx | NIL | ||
| 23/11 | Bradgate Ground Maintenance Invoice no 1609 | Grass cutting | 216.00 | 36.00 | ||
| 23/11 | Transfer of funds to Gidding Charity | Allotment rental | 400 | NIL | ||
| Transfer of funds to Great Gidding Village Hall | Hire of Village Hall | 550 | NIL | |||
| Village Hall payments | ||||||
| 23/11 | Milton Estate (Peterborough) | Village Hall car park rental | £85.00 | NIL | ||
| 23/11 | J Swales | Spreading gravel | 75.00 | NIL | ||
| 23/11 | A Clark | Cleaning | 15.00 | NIL | ||
| PPL/PRS (see note (d) below | Subscription | 64.50 | NIL |
- Clerk’s working hours for October were approved as a total of 44.
2023/24 Pay agreement has been approved by NALC, SLCC and ALCC – 3.88% increase, backdated to 1st April 2023.
- PRS/PPL licence – Clerk has submitted queries about how to calculate the income but without response. Through 2022/23 there were just 4 events where music may have been played, therefore the minimum payment of £64.50 will be paid – this was agreed by Councillors.
123.23 PLANNING applications and other planning matters:
- Revised planning application APPLICATION REF. 23/01474/FUL
Conversion of farm outbuildings to form two residential dwellings, demolition of cattle shed and erection of one residential dwelling and erection of double garage to serve No.41 Main Street – Comments by 1st December 2023
Councillors advised it was not apparent what the amendments were in the recent application. Clerk will consult with HuntsDC
- School playground area –Clerk submitted form and map to register site as an Asset of Community Value on 6th October (8 weeks before decision received) – they enquired about buildings on part of site and response is awaited.
- School House and site – discussion of collaboration with Milton Estates and future uses for the site. This will be discussed at the December meeting.
- Anaerobic Digester – Councillor Gardener’s email and offer to liaise with Hunts DC and North Northants Council – See 121.23 above.
- Gigaclear – request for meeting to discuss internet, suggest works to start during 2024 (Clerk has emailed surrounding parishes enquiring if they are involved). Clerk will invite the representatives to attend the December meeting, together with representatives from Winwick and Old Weston.
- Clerk attended online session (30th October) by Development Management Team – and found it useful. There will be further sessions in the future. Parish Council can contact the North Huntingdonshire team leader, Amanda McSherry (covers the Giddings, Winwick and Hamerton) for advice on any planning matters. There is a statutory requirement for householder and minor applications to be determined in 8 weeks, of which the Parish Council are given 21 days to consider – we can ask for additional time, suggest conditions, share local knowledge ie. traffic conditions, preferably stating approval or refusal. Consider what is important to the Parish, the Neighbourhood Plan (they take the wording literally, so care should be taken) and then the Local Plan.
- Neighbourhood Plan – feedback from recent open sessions at Great Gidding and Winwick were mixed. Hamerton takes place this coming Saturday.
124.23 Local Highways Improvement Bid – submissions are sought for 2024-25
Suggested scheme – see 123.23 above.
125.23 Risk Management Policy – Clerk is still working on it.
126.23 Parish Council owned property – a list of works required was shared prior to the meeting . Clerk will now seek contractors and quotes.
127.23 Feedback from Councillor Bolton’s training session – see 120.23 above.
128.23 Recreation Field: Bradgate have had to make 2 x further cuts due to excessive/continued growth
Cllr Hodson had attended the recent Climate Conversation event, hosted by CambsCC, and suggested a section of the Recreation Field be converted to a habitat for wildlife. There is a grant available from HuntsDC for biodiversity projects – Clerk will complete application.
129.23 Correspondence received since 19th October 2023:
a) NALC newsletters –NALC events list, Legal update, Consultation to update the Model Financial Regulations, Legal Update (including fire safety for non-domestic buildings)
b) Cambridgeshire County Council –
- Cambridgeshire Matters monthly newsletter INCLUDING item on
- Traffic Management Centre – reports for incidents in October
- Update on regional and coastal flooding group
- Cambridgeshire Matters – October issue
- Way 2 Go Winter newsletter on road safety
- FREE Christmas Holiday Scheme Places
- FREE NHS health checks at Huntingdon Library on 21st November
- c) Huntingdonshire District Council –
- new Chief executive is Michelle Sacks
- letter dated 15/11/2023 entitled Sustainability of Settlements with responses completed – Councillors approved the Clerk’s amendments to the form.
- press release re. Climate Conversation, a community event at Hinchingbrooke Country Park on 18th November – Cllrs Hargrave and Hodson attended, see above.
- Walking and Cycling Information sessions – January 2024 x 3 – need to sign up, Clerk will share with Councillors
- Press release – Climate Energy and Hunts DC Climate Strategy
- Press release – District Council priorities in conjunction with the Corporate Plan – survey
- Press release – cookery class at Woodwalton on 18th November with Masterchef person
- Grants available for enhancements to community biodiversity – January 2024
- d) CAPALC – various training courses available/Model Financial Regulations are being revised/funding for Community Hubs or Warm Hubs/
e) Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority
f)Greater Peterborough/Greater Cambridge Partnerships
g) Neighbourhood Alert/ECOPS etc –
News from the Courts emails, dispersal orders for car meets including Sawtry/Control Room Week/Safer Business Action Week/Crime and Community Survey/WEBINAR on hidden crimes/
h) Cambridgeshire ACRE – Staying Connected on 14 November – online ‘Demystifying social enterprise and community owned business’/ Staying in touch newsletter
i) Parish Online newsletter
j) Keep Britain Tidy – January 2024 is Buy Nothing New Month
k) UK cycling event – 2nd March 2024 using roads around Gidding and Huntingdonshire – Clerk to share details with Councillors.
l) DEMINIKA – invitation to visit a new Dementia Day Care Centre in Huntingdon
130.23 Items for next meeting:
131.23 The next meeting will take place on
Tuesday 19th December 2023 at Great Gidding Village Hall
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