This meeting will take place on Tuesday 21st May 2024
Starting at 7.00PM
At Great Gidding Village Hall
This is not a formal Parish Council meeting. It is an opportunity for residents of Great and Little Gidding to find out more about the work that the Parish Council are doing, to raise any issues regarding the parish and comment on plans for the coming year.
All residents are welcome to attend.
AGENDA:
Chairman’s welcome
Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting held on 16th May 2023
The Chairman’s Annual Report from the Parish Council
Police Community Support Office Martin will attend the meeting to discuss rural policing matters.
Update on current tasks within the Parish and plans for 2024-25
For members of the public to present, discuss and resolve any other matters related to Great and Little Gidding Parish.
Below are the draft Minutes from the 2023 Annual Parish Meeting:
DRAFT MINUTES of the 2023 Annual Parish Meeting of
Great and Little Gidding Parish Council
Tuesday 16th May 2023, 7.00PM at Great Gidding Village Hall
PRESENT: District Councillor Tim Alban, Parish Councillors Hodson, Maciag, Hargrave, Moody, Bolton and 4 members of the public.
APOLOGIES received from County Councillor Gardener and Parish Councillor D’Altillia
Councillor Hodson, as Chairman, welcomed those present to the meeting and gave an overview of the past year, mentioning the work associated with the closure of the village school, the recent Coronation weekend events and noting that 3 members of the Neighbourhood Plan group were present at the meeting. He expressed thanks to the Neighbourhood Plan Group who, with those representatives from neighbouring villages, have approached the task with enthusiasm and driven it forward with great success.
Paul Hargrave, representing the Neighbourhood Plan group, gave an outline of the project which will represent the character and diversity of the Giddings, Hamerton and Winwick. They had studied the requirements of Huntingdonshire District Council’s Local Plan, which contained 38 directives, and devised two questionnaires, one for households and the other for businesses, to gather thoughts and views. Survey documents have been delivered and responses are being completed and returned, both online and via paper copies.
Using the content of the survey responses, the group will compile a report, any specific aspect relating to an individual parish will be included. The next stage of the project is to compile a first draft, this will be sent to Hunts DC for their perusal and advice, a second draft will then be written, back to Hunts DC and then sent on to an independent examiner. A grant application to cover the costs of the project has been made to the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. It is hoped that the project should be concluded by the end of the year, with residents being involved in future stages, and a copy of the final document available to all.
District Councillor Alban complimented the work that had been undertaken by the group thus far, and this was echoed by Councillor Hodson.
“Being a District Councillor is rarely dull and since my last report, there has been plenty to keep me busy on behalf of local residents and the wider district; these are just some of the issues I have been working on.
FLY TIPPING
Incidents seem to have lessened but I continue to check on local hotspots and make report problems to Huntingdonshire District Council
I attended the meeting in the village hall regarding the application for an anaerobic digester just over the border in Northamptonshire and was interested to listen to the listen to the views expressed. I have commented on the application on the North Northants Council website, including raising my concerns about the possible increase in traffic movements, should this application be passed.
GREAT GIDDING SCHOOL CLOSURE
Although this wasn’t a District Council decision, I was consulted and made my objections to the closure known in writing and along with my County Councillor colleagues, Ian Gardener and Simon Bywater, I spoke at the County Council meeting where the decision to close the school was taken.
Along with my fellow ward District Councillor Marge Beuttell, I attended the meeting in the school; I also attended the subsequent meeting held in the village hall. Thank you to the residents who emailed me or spoke to me in person about the closure, most of whom were against.
GREEN BIN CHARGE
As a member of the District Council Panel, which is scrutinising the plans to introduce a separate charge for collecting garden waste bins, I will continue to monitor the implentation and results of this policy.
For anyone who wants to continue to have their garden bins emptied after 1st April 2024, a charge will be payable – which will be in addition to council tax bills. I didn’t vote to implement this scheme and remain unconvinced it will bring the financial benefits predicted and concerned about possible negative environmental implications.
Initial details about the scheme should be included in the bin hanger, which gives details of the Christmas Refuse Collection date changes.
WORKING TOGETHER
A few weeks ago, Councillor Marge Beuttell and I arranged a liaison meeting for the Chairs and Clerks of the various Parish Councils and Parish Meetings in our district council ward.
The meeting took place at the recently re-opened hotel at Norman Cross; it was well attended and included representatives from Great & Little Gidding and other villages in the ward, which stretches right up to this side of the river at Wandsford.
As well as a chance to share best practice and issues the villages have in common, there was an opportunity to discuss the revision of the Huntingdonshire Local Plan and the implementation of Neighbourhood Plans, with the District Council’s Chief Planning Officer. I am particularly pleased that Great & Little Gidding are one of the Parish Councils in my ward which are working towards a Neighbourhood Plan.
COURTS 4 KIDS @ CHRISTMAS
The District Council’s One Leisure Centres are again set to operate “Courts 4 Kids” during the Christmas school holiday. Details of scheme, which offers discounted rates on hire of courts for and 3G pitches for Under 18s are available via https://www.oneleisure.net/
EMERGENCY HELP OVER CHRISTMAS
Huntingdonshire District Council offices will be closed over Christmas but the Out Of Hours team will still be working and can be contacted on 01480 434167.
With best wishes for a Happy Christmas & New Year.
Tim Alban
District Councillor for Stilton, Folksworth & Washingley Ward
Smaller authority name: GREAT AND LITTLE GIDDING PARISH COUNCIL
NOTICE OF PUBLIC RIGHTS AND PUBLICATION OF ANNUAL GOVERNANCE &ACCOUNTABILITY RETURN (EXEMPT AUTHORITY)
ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023
Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 Sections 25, 26 and 27
The Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/234)
NOTICE
NOTES
1. Date of announcement Friday 2nd June (a) 2. Each year the smaller authority prepares anAnnual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR). TheAGAR has been published with this notice. It will not be reviewed by the appointed auditor, since the smaller authority has certified itself as exempt from the appointed auditor’s review.Any person interested has the right to inspect and make copies of the AGAR, theaccounting records for the financial year to which it relates and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers, receipts and other documents relating to those recordsmust be made available for inspection by any person interested.For the year ended 31 March 2023, these documents will be available on reasonable notice by application to: (b) The Parish Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer at the Parish Office at the Village Hall, Main Street, Great Gidding, Huntingdon, PE28 5NU commencing on (c) Monday 5 June 2023 and ending on (d) Friday 14 July 2023 3. Local government electors and their representatives also have: The opportunity to question the appointed auditor about the accounting records; andThe right to make an objection which concerns a matter in respect of which the appointed auditor could either make a public interest report or apply to the court for a declaration that an item of account is unlawful. Written notice of an objection must first be given to the auditor and a copy sent to the smaller authority. The appointed auditor can be contacted at the address in paragraph 4 below for this purpose between the above dates only. 4. The smaller authority’s AGARis only subject to review by the appointed auditor if questions or objections raised under the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014lead to the involvement of the auditor. The appointed auditor is:PKF Littlejohn LLP (Ref: SBA Team)15Westferry CircusCanary WharfLondon E14 4HD (sba@pkf-l.com) 5. This announcement is made by (e) J R Trolove
(a) Insert date of placing of the notice which must be not less than 1 day before the date in (c) below (b) Insert name, position and address/telephone number/ email address, as appropriate, of the Clerk or other person to which any person may apply to inspect the accounts (c) Insert date, which must be at least 1 day after the date of announcement in (a) above and at least 30 working days before the date appointed in (d) below (d) The inspection period between (c) and (d) must be 30 working days inclusive and must include the first 10 working days of July. (e) Insert name and position of person placing the notice – this person must be the responsible financial officer for the smaller authority
LOCAL AUTHORITY ACCOUNTS: A SUMMARY OF YOUR RIGHTS
Please note that this summary applies to all relevant smaller authorities, including local councils, internal drainage boards and ‘other’ smaller authorities.
The basic position
The Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 (the Act) governs the work of auditors appointed to smaller authorities. This summary explains the provisions contained in Sections 26 and 27 of the Act. The Act and the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 also cover the duties, responsibilities and rights of smaller authorities, other organisations and the public concerning the accounts being audited.
As a local elector, or an interested person, you have certain legal rights in respect of the accounting records of smaller authorities. As an interested person you can inspect accounting records and related documents. If you are a local government elector for the area to which the accounts relate you can also ask questions about the accounts and object to them. You do not have to pay directly for exercising your rights. However, any resulting costs incurred by the smaller authority form part of its running costs. Therefore, indirectly, local residents pay for the cost of you exercising your rights through their council tax.
The right to inspect the accounting records
Any interested person can inspect the accounting records, which includes but is not limited to local electors. You can inspect the accounting records for the financial year to which the audit relates and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers, receipts and other documents relating to those records. You can copy all, or part, of these records or documents. Your inspection must be about the accounts, or relate to an item in the accounts. You cannot, for example, inspect or copy documents unrelated to the accounts, or that include personal information (Section 26 (6) – (10) of the Act explains what is meant by personal information). You cannot inspect information which is protected by commercial confidentiality. This is information which would prejudice commercial confidentiality if it was released to the public and there is not, set against this, a very strong reason in the public interest why it should nevertheless be disclosed.
When smaller authorities have finished preparing accounts for the financial year and approved them, they must publish them (including on a website). There must be a 30 working day period, called the ‘period for the exercise of public rights’, during which you can exercise your statutory right to inspect the accounting records. Smaller authorities must tell the public, including advertising this on their website, that the accounting records and related documents are available to inspect. By arrangement you will then have 30 working days to inspect and make copies of the accounting records. You may have to pay a copying charge. The 30 working day period must include a common period of inspection during which all smaller authorities’ accounting records are available to inspect. This will be 3-14 July 2023 for 2022/23 accounts. The advertisement must set out the dates of the period for the exercise of public rights, how you can communicate to the smaller authority that you wish to inspect the accounting records and related documents, the name and address of the auditor, and the relevant legislation that governs the inspection of accounts and objections.
The right to ask the auditor questions about the accounting records
You should first ask your smaller authority about the accounting records, since they hold all the details. If you are a local elector, your right to ask questions of the external auditor is enshrined in law. However, while the auditor will answer your questions where possible, they are not always obliged to do so. For example, the question might be better answered by another organisation, require investigation beyond the auditor’s remit, or involve disproportionate cost (which is borne by the local taxpayer). Give your smaller authority the opportunity first to explain anything in the accounting records that you are unsure about. If you are not satisfied with their explanation, you can question the external auditor about the accounting records.
The law limits the time available for you formally to ask questions. This must be done in the period for the exercise of public rights, so let the external auditor know your concern as soon as possible. The advertisement or notice that tells you the accounting records are available to inspect will also give the period for the exercise of public rights during which you may ask the auditor questions, which here means formally asking questions under the Act. You can ask someone to represent you when asking the external auditor questions.
Before you ask the external auditor any questions, inspect the accounting records fully, so you know what they contain. Please remember that you cannot formally ask questions, under the Act, after the end of the period for the exercise of public rights. You may ask your smaller authority other questions about their accounts for any year, at any time. But these are not questions under the Act.
You can ask the external auditor questions about an item in the accounting records for the financial year being audited. However, your right to ask the external auditor questions is limited. The external auditor can only answer ‘what’ questions, not ‘why’ questions. The external auditor cannot answer questions about policies, finances, procedures or anything else unless it is directly relevant to an item in the accounting records. Remember that your questions must always be about facts, not opinions. To avoid misunderstanding, we recommend that you always put your questions in writing.
The right to make objections at audit
You have inspected the accounting records and asked your questions of the smaller authority. Now you may wish to object to the accounts on the basis that an item in them is in your view unlawful or there are matters of wider concern arising from the smaller authority’s finances. A local government elector can ask the external auditor to apply to the High Court for a declaration that an item of account is unlawful, or to issue a report on matters which are in the public interest. You must tell the external auditor which specific item in the accounts you object to and why you think the item is unlawful, or why you think that a public interest report should be made about it. You must provide the external auditor with the evidence you have to support your objection. Disagreeing with income or spending does not make it unlawful. To object to theaccounts you must write to the external auditor stating you want to make an objection, including the information and evidence below and you must send a copy to the smaller authority. The notice must include:
confirmation that you are an elector in the smaller authority’s area;
why you are objecting to the accounts and the facts on which you rely;
details of any item in the accounts that you think is unlawful; and
details of any matter about whichyou think the external auditor should make a public interest report.
Other than it must be in writing, there is no set format for objecting. You can only ask the external auditor to act within the powers available under the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014.
A final word
You may not use this ‘right to object’ to make a personal complaint or claim against your smaller authority. You should take such complaints to your local Citizens’ Advice Bureau, local Law Centre or to your solicitor. Smaller authorities, and so local taxpayers, meet the costs of dealing with questions and objections. In deciding whether to take your objection forward, one of a series of factors the auditor must take into account is the cost that will be involved, they will only continue with the objection if it is in the public interest to do so. They may also decide not to consider an objection if they think that it is frivolous or vexatious, or if it repeats an objection already considered. If you appeal to the courts against an auditor’s decision not to apply to the courts for a declaration that an item of account is unlawful, you will have to pay for the action yourself.
If you wish to contact your authority’s appointed external auditor please write to the address in paragraph 4 of the Notice of Public Rights and Publication of Unaudited Annual Governance & Accountability Return.
Extraordinary Meeting of Great & Little Gidding Parish Council regarding the possible closure of Great Gidding C of E (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School
At Cambridgeshire County Council’s Children and Young People’s Committee Meeting held on 17th January 2023 a decision was made to commence a 30-day consultation on the proposed closure of the Primary School in Great Gidding.
Meeting to include Education Department representatives
As part of this consultation process, the Local Authority have committed to consult with the Parish Council and we as members of the Parish Council wish to ensure we are representing the views of our community. To facilitate this process and provide opportunity for members of the community to engage, Great & Little Gidding Parish Council will be hosting a meeting on Thursday 9thFebruary in Great Gidding Village Hall at 7.45pm. In attendance will be representatives from Cambridgeshire County Council’s Education Department as well as members of Great and Little Gidding Parish Council. In addition, our local MP, County and District Councillors have been invited to attend, as have representatives of each of the Parish Councils/Parish Meetings in the school’s catchment area.
We are keen to ensure that all interested parties have the opportunity to present their viewpoint.
Date of the meeting: Thursday 9th February 2023
Time: To commence at 7.45pm
Venue: Great Gidding Village Hall
(PLEASE DO NOT ARRIVE EARLIER than 7.30PM as there is a prior booking in the Village Hall).
Questions, comments and observations
Questions, comments and observations should be submitted to the Parish Clerk by 5.00pm on Friday 3rd February, these will be given priority at the meeting (we cannot guarantee that any questions/comments/observations received after that deadline will be heard at the meeting)
AGENDA:
A presentation from representatives of the Education Department of Cambridgeshire County Council
Questions from Great & Little Gidding Parish Council to the Education Department representatives
Questions, comments and observations submitted by members of the community. (Any questions remaining at the end of the meeting will be forwarded to the Local Authority)
Reminder of timeline
9.00pm. Close of meeting.
Chairman: Paul Hodson
Clerk: Julie Trolove, Great and Little Gidding Parish Council, The Village Hall, Main Street, Great Gidding, Huntingdon, Cambs PE28 5NU
The latest edition of Gidding News, PLUS a description of the designs for the Coats of Arms – which would do you choose (EMAIL ggparishcouncil@outlook.com or post your vote through the Parish Office letterbox
Smaller authority name: Great & Little Gidding Parish Council
NOTICE OF PUBLIC RIGHTS AND PUBLICATION OF ANNUAL GOVERNANCE & ACCOUNTABILITY RETURN (EXEMPT AUTHORITY)
ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022
Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 Sections 25, 26 and 27
The Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/234)
NOTICE
NOTES
1. Date of announcement – 8th June 2022
2. Each year the smaller authority prepares an Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR). The AGAR has been published with this notice. It will not be reviewed by the appointed auditor, since the smaller authority has certified itself as exempt from the appointed auditor’s review.Any person interested has the right to inspect and make copies of the AGAR, the accounting records for the financial year to which it relates and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers, receipts and other documents relating to those records must be made available for inspection by any person interested. For the year ended 31 March 2022, these documents will be available on reasonable notice by application to: The Parish Clerk in the Parish Office, Main Street, Great Gidding, PE28 5NU Email : ggparishcouncil@outlook.com Telephone – 01832 293068 – please leave a message with dates when you would like to inspect the accounts. commencing on Monday 13 June 2022 and ending on Friday 22 July 2022
3. Local government electors and their representatives also have: The opportunity to question the appointed auditor about the accounting records; and The right to make an objection which concerns a matter in respect of which the appointed auditor could either make a public interest report or apply to the court for a declaration that an item of account is unlawful. Written notice of an objection must first be given to the auditor and a copy sent to the smaller authority. The appointed auditor can be contacted at the address in paragraph 4 below for this purpose between the above dates only.
4. The smaller authority’s AGAR is only subject to review by the appointed auditor if questions or objections raised under the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 lead to the involvement of the auditor. The appointed auditor is:PKF Littlejohn LLP (Ref: SBA Team)15 Westferry CircusCanary WharfLondon E14 4HD (sba@pkf-l.com)
5. This announcement is made by Julie Trolove, Parish Clerk
The Parish Council has received notification today of the closure of the B660, between the crossroads junction with the Bullock Road, through the village to just beyond the crossroads (Luddington Road and Chapel End). This is for resurfacing of the road and will take place at some time after 1st August 2022 (no specific dates and time are given). A map of the diversion route can be found on the Village Hall noticeboard.
Advisory signs will be erected by Cambridgeshire County Council nearer the date of the works taking place. If any further information is received by the Parish Council, further updates will be posted on this website.
This meeting will take place on Tuesday 19th April 2022
Starting at 7.30PM
At Great Gidding Village Hall
This is not a formal Parish Council meeting. It is an opportunity for residents of Great and Little Gidding to find out more about the work that the Parish Council are doing, to raise any issues they wish regarding the village and comment on plans for the coming year.
All are welcome to join.
AGENDA:
Chairman’s welcome
Minutes of the meeting, held via Zoom, on 20th April 2021
The Chairman’s Annual Report from the Parish Council
Update on current tasks within the Parish and plans for 2022-23
For members of the public to present, discuss and resolve any other matters related to Great and Little Gidding Parish.
Notification has been received this evening that work will commence on roads around the parish to complete the next stage of the Local Highways Improvement programme. The work starts tomorrow, Wednesday 23rd February, and is anticipated to take place until Friday. This will affect Chapel End, Main Street, Mill Road, Luddington Road and Milking Slade Lane at various times over the next few days.
From Cambridgeshire County Council Highways Department:
To ensure works are carried out safely and efficiently, stop/ go boards will be used as part of the traffic management between 07.30 am and 17.30 pm.
Access will be maintained for properties and businesses, however, there might be some delays depending on the activities being carried out on site. Traffic management operatives will be on site to assist anyone.
Please note that due to the nature of our works, there will be some noise generated when carrying out the works. This is unfortunately unavoidable, however, we will endeavor to complete them in a timely manner in order to minimise disruption to the residents.
We thank you in advance for your co-operation and understanding during this time. If you have any further queries or require additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us.
