Minutes of the meeting held at Great Gidding Village Hall on Tuesday 19th April 2022
Present: Cllrs Hodson, Pudney and Maciag, County Councillor Gardener, and the Clerk.
2 members of the public were present
001.22 Cllr Hodson, as Chairman, welcomed those present to the meeting
002.22 Apologies for absence were received:
Cllr Bolton – holiday
District Councillor Alban – ill health
003.22 There were no Member’s declarations of Disclosable Interests.
004.22 No members of the Press were present. Members of the Public were in attendance to observe the meeting.
005.22 Minutes of the meeting held on 15th March 2022 were confirmed as a true and correct record by Councillors Pudney and Maciag
005.22 There were no matters arising from those Minutes.
006.22 To receive reports from Councillors and Clerk:
County Councillor Gardener
The County Council are considering implementing 20MPH zones throughout the county – details regarding funding and how to apply are not yet available.
A reduced £1 rate has been introduced for under 19s using the TING bus.
A Ukraine Response Group has been formed by the County Council, which includes welcome, welfare and education support for refugees. 25 households in the Hunts DC area have offered accommodation to refugees.
Cllr Gardener left this meeting to attend another.
Clerk – update on plans for Jubilee Weekend events in the Parish, which will include a boules tournament with “bring along” picnic in the Community Orchard, in addition there will be a display in the Village Hall of events/groups/clubs over the last 70 years – details will be distributed during May to parishioners.
Clerk – update on Milking Slade Lane, LHI signage etc. Highways Dept have responded to residents concerns and will take action to alleviate the issues.
Cllr Pudney – asked if the Parish Council had been made aware of the intended closure of Main Street by Anglian Water, as this had caused concerns on local social media. Clerk advised that the Parish Council have not received correspondence from any organisation regarding road closure in the Parish but, several weeks ago, she had reported the sinking of the road surface between Church Farm and the Village Hall to CambsCC Highways Dept and Anglian Water, and assumes this closure was to enable this to be repaired.
Cllr Pudney requested that use of social media be added to the agenda of the next meeting.
Cllr Pudney advised that a 40MPH sign has been damaged along Winwick Road, Clerk has already reported this (and the sign indicating a right turn into Hemington Lodge Road) to CambsCC Highways Department who, in turn, have responded that this will be addressed within the next 12 weeks.
007.22 An Application has been received from Fabio D’Altilia to join as a Parish Councillor
Cllr Hodson proposed acceptance of the application and seconded by Cllrs Pudney and Maciag
008.22 FINANCIAL MATTERS:
a) Barclays Bank statements for Parish Council account was shared prior to the meeting.
b) The following payments were approved:
| Who | What for | TOTAL | VAT | Authorised | Authorised | |
| SLCC | Annual subscription | 36.00 | ~ | JRT | ||
| Canalbs (paid outside of meeting) | Internal audit 2020/21 | 136.50 | ~ | JRT | PH | |
| Cambridgeshire County Council | MVAS sign ( incl. £628.92 from CIL tax) LHI contribution for B660 scheme | 2247.92 1000.00 TOTAL £3247.92 | ~ | JRT | ||
| Huntingdonshire District Council | Annual Rates for Rec. Field | 11.26 | ~ | Direct debit | ||
| McAfee NOT PAID – free package from AVG subscribed to | Renewal of anti virus for 1 year | 44.99 | ~ | NOT PAID | ||
| Microsoft 365 – payment made by J R Trolove | Renewal of device package | 59.99 | ~ | JRT | ||
| J R Trolove | Wages for February (29 hours) | Xxx | ~ | JRT | ||
| Bradgate Ground Maintenance | Grass cutting of Rec Field (573) | 83.05 | 16.61 | JRT | ||
| VH | Tally Ho Cleaning | Village Hall cleaning | 32.50 | ~ | JRT |
d) Clerk’s hours worked between 1st and 31st March (29 hours) – approved by Cllr Pudney
e) Proposal to purchase an additional solar unit for the second MVAS post was made by Cllr Hodson, a price of £469.12 was quoted by ELAN City quote, this was seconded by Cllr Pudney
f) Proposal to accept pay increase for Clerk’s hours in line with NALC guidelines (an increase of 21p per hour) was made by Cllr Hodson and seconded by Cllr Pudney.
009.22 Planning Applications and Planning matters:
A) Great Gidding C of E School – retention of existing canopy and covered play area until 31 August 2027 (Ref: CCC/22/024/VCR3)
b) Great Gidding C of E School – retention of the 1 x 8 bay and 1 x 2 bay mobile classrooms until 31 August 2027 (Ref: CCC/22/026/VCR3)
No observations, either for or against, were made on both applications.
010.22 Huntingdonshire District Council’s revised Code of Conduct
Proposal to adopt this Code of Conduct – Clerk will send out the Huntingdonshire District Council Code and the Parish Council’s current Code of Conduct to enable a decision to be made at the next meeting.
Completion of revised Disclosable Pecuniary Interests form by Parish Councillors – these will be brought back at the next meeting.
011.22 Asset Register – to view the current register – this matter held over until the May meeting.
012.22 Request (verbal) from St Michaels Parochial Church Council to support them with funding works to trees within then Churchyard. Discussion followed and the request to fund works to trees within the Churchyard was declined. Clerk will advise the PCC.
013.22 Training opportunities for Councillors and Clerk:
Saturday 21st May – 9.00 to 15.30 – Councillor Training (online via ZOOM)
014.22 Recreation Ground:
a) Trespass by motorbike users – a parishioner had reported that small motorbikes had been seen on the Recreation Ground, on one occasion resulting in a family leaving the area. PH suggested a kissing gate at the Winwick Road entrance but this would also make it difficult to gain access with a pram/pushchair/bike etc., ground barriers would also cause access issues. It was felt that signs would not be effective. Advice will be sought from the Police.
b) Cllr Hodson proposed that Wicksteed Leisure be instructed to carry out annual inspection of play equipment – Cllr Pudney seconded.
c) Planning application for MUGA – it has been indicated by Hunts DC planning Department that this will be discussed at their May meeting.
d) Cllr Maciag has the oak for renovation of the bench, a working party to be organised in the near future.
015.22 Correspondence received since 15th March 2022 (other than that discussed in agenda items above).
a) Updated version of Operation London Bridge from SLCC – Clerk gave an outline and from the discussion Cllr Pudney suggested a flagpole be sited at the Village Hall – this will be added to the next agenda of the Village Hall & Recreation Ground committee.
b)NALC newsletters – dated 18/3 Chief Executive’s bulletin, 22/3 events details, 23/3 newsletter, 24/3 newsletter, 25/3 bulletin, ¼ bulletin, 5/4 Events, 5/4 Practitioner’s Guide, 6/4 newsletter, 8/4 Chief executives bulletin, 13/4 newsletter, 14/4 Chief executives bulletin
c) NALC -email dated 14/3/2022 briefing regarding Ukraine
d) Neighbourhood Alert – dated 21/3 re. drink drivers, 21/3 protecting your home, 29/3 robbery at Yaxley shop, 5/4 April newsletter, 6/4 remote access scams
c) Cambridgeshire ACRE – dated 17/3 –
| Support for Ukrainian refugees – The role of village halls Newsletter including use of Bouncy Castles and insurance risk Email dated 24/3 – Charity purposes and rules Email dated 25/3 – Food, farming and Countryside commission online event Email dated 29/3 – funding a project Email dated 8/4 – managing finances for Trustees |
d) CAPALC email dated – available training sessions, 1/4 monthly bulletin and more
e) Cambs CC email dated 15th March with link Flood risk management -Cambridgeshire County Council
email dated 21/3 with Cambridgeshire Matters newsletter
email dated 7/4 – transport strategy plan – Parish Council comment – Await further information.
Email dated 14/4 – Local Highways 2022 Micro Asphalt / Gripfibre Carriageway Surface Treatment Program – no planned work in Great & Little Gidding
f) Hunts DC email dated 26/3/2022 – Press release regarding St Neots Riverside Park
Email dated 18/3 – Funding approved for Hinchingbrooke Hospital improvements
Email dated 18/3 – Huntingdonshire District Council following a successful bid to the Together for Our Planet funding programme
Email dated 18/3 – Hunts DC press release on the approval of new CIL funding bids
Email dated 22/3 – distribution of Business Support grant
Email dated 23/3 – Think Communities newsletter
Email dated 25/3 – Changing Places Fund Announcement
Email dated 28/3 – Development Plan to 2036 with link
Email dated 29/3 – link to Landscape and Townscape Supplementary Planning Document
Email dated 6/4 – Election Nominations Closed – Great & Little Gidding has been notified that it is an uncontested Election for this Parish.
g) Economic Development Huntingdonshire DC invest@huntingdonshire.gov.uk – weekly Business News – 17/3, 24/3, 31/3, 7/4, 14/4
h) Chesterton Parish Meeting chairman – email dated 20/3 regarding warehousing development on A1/A605 junction in Chesterton/Alwalton parish
g) County Councillor Simon Bywater – email dated 21/3 re bridge over footpath in Steeple Gidding Parish – await further updates as it is not in our Parish
i) Grantway email dated 22/3 regarding grant search portal
j) Parish and Town Council survey completed by Clerk – dated 22/3 regarding playing pitch strategy
k) FWAG email dated 23/3 – funding for wildlife ponds – Clerk advised FWAG that our ponds had been assessed, newts present, funding not available for our ponds
l) SLCC email dated 23/3 – early day motion re Standards in Public Life
m) PKF Littlejohn – email dated 24/3 – external auditor requirements and paperwork
n) District Councillor Marge Beuttell – email dated 28/3 – minutes of the Combined Parishes meeting
o) North Northamptonshire planning policy with link dated 28/3
If you wish to see items of correspondence, please contact the Parish Clerk.
016.22 Items for next meeting:
Annual Parish Council Meeting – appointment of Chairman, Vice Chairman and completion of Acceptance of Office forms and Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest forms. Also Election Expenses forms
Adoption of the Huntingdon District Council Code of Conduct
Review of Parish Council Asset Register
Review of the Parish Council budget to 31 March 2022
Completion of the Annual Governance Statement and Certificate for Audit
Approval of proposed Internal Auditor
Parish Council use of social media
Flag pole at the Village Hall (this will be discussed at the Village Hall & Recreation Ground Meeting).
017.22 The next meeting will take place on Tuesday 17th May 2022
starting at 1930 hours in the Village Hall, Great Gidding.
Meeting closed at 9.31PM
New roofing being installed on the north side