Minutes of a Meeting of the Parish Council held in the Village Hall, Great Gidding on Tuesday 17th June 2014 at 7.30pm

Present: Cllrs Alexander (Chair), James (Vice-Chair), Hayden, Hodson, Giddens, Trolove, County Cllr Bywater, District Cllr Tuplin and Clerk

343.14 Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Howden. These were accepted.

344.14 Chair 2014/15 signed Declaration of Acceptance of Office, as per item, 326.14.

345.14 Cllrs provided with Declaration of Pecuniary Interests forms, as per item, 351.14. To be returned to Clerk.

346.14 Minutes of 20th May 2014 were approved and signed.

347.14 Matters arising (information only) – Cllr Hodson requested his name be struck from item 326.14, because he was not in attendance at the meeting.

348.14 Introduction of new Clerk.

349.14 Annual update from the Police and Community Support Officer (PCSO). Approximately 30 members of the public attended. Aaron Murphy (PCSO – Cambridgeshire) and Paul Richardson (PCSO – Northamptonshire) addressed the public. Two useful addresses were provided, as below.

www.neighbourhoodalert.co.uk (public awareness of crime in the area)
ctu@northamptonshire.gov.uk (Countrywide Traveller Unit to report crime and nuisance) – leaflets in Parish Council offices (village hall).

Public were reminded to also call 101 if non-emergency and 999 if emergency. PCSO advice was to report all crime, no matter how minor, as it is numbers that make the difference.

350.14 District and County Councillors updated the Parish Council and public.

351.14 The Parish Council adopted the amended Code of Conduct.

352.14 Anglian Water discussion regarding water pressure issues. Parish Council requested that Clerk investigate how data for leaks is recorded and report back. Parish Council raised concern for the future of the village given plans for increase in population.

353.14 Planning – none. Parish Council requested Clerk to investigate if Gains Lane will be resurfaced once works are complete. Clerk to report back.

354.14 Internal Audit to be circulated to all Cllrs, to be discussed at the next meet. Parish Council agreed to pay Internal Auditor, £184.50, as per invoice.

355.14 Reconciliation of Accounts and payment of cheques were agreed and signed by two Cllrs. One Cllr raised that there may be a discrepancy with the Recreation Ground fund. Clerk to investigate and report back.
Cambridgeshire Neighbourhood Watch – £72.00
CGM Grass Cutting – £205.77
Salaries – £116.60
Salaries – £159.00

356.14 Adoption of Parish Cllr responsibilities, as below.
Cllr Giddens – Rights of Way
Cllr Trolove – Tree Warden
Cllr James – Highways/Police/Public Transport
Cllr Alexander – Community Liaison

357.14 Adoption of Great Gidding Charity Trustees responsibilities, as below.
Cllr Howden – Allotments
Cllr Trolove – Jubilee Wood
Cllr Hayden – Farm Business Tenancy/Grazing Land

358.14 Village Hall & Recreation Ground Charity. New members and responsibilities announced.
Steve Smith – Finance
Lesley Alexander – Social Secretary
Richard Downer – Maintenance
Clerk to add information to the Parish Website.
Boundary of village hall discussed. Clerk to write letter advising the owner of the bungalow that access must be gained via their land. Parish Council to mark out boundary with fencing. Options to be costed and discussed at the next meet.

359.14 Members of the public were asked to leave and staffing of the new Clerk was discussed. A contract between the Parish Council and the Clerk was signed and it was agreed that the Clerk will draft a letter of confirmation to include the start date of 9th June 2014, to be signed by the Chair at the next meet. It was agreed that the Clerk should investigate pension scheme options and report back. The Parish Council also agreed for the Clerk to enrol on the ILCA training course at a cost of £99.00 plus VAT. Clerk to investigate a bursary option and report back.
Meeting closed at 9pm

Date of next meeting 15th July 2014, 7.30pm

NB.

Agenda item 347.14 – Cllr Howden should replace Cllr Hodson’s name.

Agenda item 349.14 – Aaron Murphy is a Police Sergeant at Cambridgeshire and Paul Richardson is a Police Constable at Northamptonshire.

Agenda item 359.14 – “Clerk to write letter advising the owner of the bungalow…”, should read, “A discussion was had suggesting the Clerk write a letter advising the owner of the bungalow… It was unanimously agreed not to go ahead with this, at present. To be reviewed.”

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of Great & Little Gidding Parish Council on Tuesday 20th May 2014 at 7.30pm in the Village Hall

Present: Cllrs James (vice chair), Hayden, Howden, Giddens, Trolove, District Cllr Tuplin, Tysoe, clerk and one member of the public

325.14 Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs Alexander, Hodson and County Cllr Byawater

326.14 Election of Chairman 2014/15 It was proposed by Cllr Hodson and seconded by Cllr Hayden that Cllr Alexander be re-elected – all agreed

327.14 Election of Vice Chairman 2014/15 It was proposed by cllr Trolove and seconded by cllr Giddens that Cllr James be re-elected – all agreed

328.14 Member’s declaration of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests – notice had been received from the District Council of an amendment to the Code of Conduct and updated Register of Members’ Interest forms. These will be brought to the next meeting.

329.14 Minutes of 22nd April 2014 were agreed and signed

330.14 Matters arising from minutes (information only)

331.14 Review of Standing Orders – it was agreed to ask the new clerk to review these as it would be a good way to see how the council works.

332.14 Review of Financial Regulations – it was agreed to ask Cllr Hodson if there were any changes to be recommended

333.14 Audit Commission Annual return to complete Section 2 – Chairman and Clerk to sign section 1 and 2. Cllr James read out the annual governance statement, completed the form. Cllr James and clerk signed section 1 and 2.

334.14 It was agreed to continue to pay the councils Direct Debit Payments to BT and Anglian Water

335.14 Review Risk Management – this had been reviewed in October 2013

336.14 Procedure for handling £1,000 grant from Milton Estates on behalf of History Society. Notification had been received that the History Society are opening a bank account. It was therefore agreed that the grant given by The Earl Fitzwilliam Charitable Trust could be accepted and transferred to the History Society to administer for recording the history of Great Gidding

337.14 Village Hall and Recreation Ground AGM 12thMay 2014 – With a new management committee elected it was agreed that Parish Councillors would take it in turns to attend meetings. Once dates of meetings are known, parish councillors can then indicate which meetings they can attend – making sure that PC is always represented.

338.14 Neighbourhood Watch street signs – request for funding at £12 each. It was agreed to fund the purchase of 6 signs to be placed at the entrances to the village. Clerk to contact Kim Wells, Neighbourhood Watch to organise.

339.14 Reconciliation of accounts and payment of cheques were agreed with the addition of the annual rental of the room in the village hall for the Parish Council office of £550

S Dalley (clerk) – £298.68
CGM( grass cutting) – £205.77
Aon UK Limited (insurance renewal) – £492.58
Village Hall and Recreation Ground – £550.00

340.14 Planning –
It was noted that HDC had written to the Fox and Hounds with reference to the yellow sign that had been attached to the gable end of the building.
The vegetation at 48 Main Street had been cleared from the front of the property and a large tree taken down. Access to the property would need to be monitored as this is on the boundary of the village hall land.

341.14 Correspondence received – notification of Bromswold Bike Fest 14th June

342.14 Staffing matters – the applicant who had been offered and accepted the post has since declined. The position has been advertised again on the noticeboards for 2 weeks – closing date 22nd May with interview 29th or 30th May.

NB. Agenda item 326.14. Cllr Hodson was not in attendance at the meeting. This should read Cllr Howden.