February Parish Council Newsletter for Great and Little Gidding

February Parish Council Newsletter for Great and Little Gidding

The Parish Council has published the February Newsletter which will be displayed on Noticeboards throughout the Parish and submitted via WhatsApp, Facebook and here on the Giddings website. 

If you are aware of anyone in the parish who cannot access the noticeboards or the community social media platforms, please contact the Parish Council so a printed copy can be made available for them. If you would prefer to receive a copy of the monthly newsletter via email, please contact the Parish Council.


Download the February edition of the Parish Council Newsletter

December Parish Council Newsletter for Great and Little Gidding

December Parish Council Newsletter for Great and Little Gidding

The Parish Council has published the December Newsletter which will be displayed on Noticeboards throughout the Parish and submitted via WhatsApp, Facebook and here on the Giddings website. 

If you are aware of anyone in the parish who cannot access the noticeboards or the community social media platforms, please contact the Parish Council so a printed copy can be made available for them. If you would prefer to receive a copy of the monthly newsletter via email, please contact the Parish Council.


Download the December edition of the Parish Council Newsletter

2021-12-21 Minutes of the meeting of Great & Little Gidding Parish Council

2021-12-21 Minutes of the meeting of Great & Little Gidding Parish Council

Minutes of the meeting held at Great Gidding Village Hall on Tuesday 21st December 2021

Present:  Cllrs Hodson, Hill, and Pudney, and the Clerk.   1 Member of the public present

124.21 The Chairman welcomed those present to the meeting

125.21  Apologies were received from:

            County Councillor Gardener and District Councillor Alban – ill health

            Parish Councillor Bolton – health grounds

126.21 Member’s declarations of Disclosable Interests for items on the Agenda:

The Parish Clerk declared a financial interest for 132.21 (see below) and will leave the meeting for this discussion, a Parish Councillor will minute this item.

All Parish Councillors declared an interest in item 132.21 as they know the applicants but as there is no personal financial gain, and no other means of hearing the planning application, they continued.

127.21 There were no members of the Press present.  Andrew Middleditch of Messrs Bletsoes attended for item 132.21

128.21 Minutes of the meeting held on 16th November 2021 were confirmed as a true and       correct record – agreed by Councillor Hill and seconded by Councillor Pudney                    

129.21 There were no matters arising from those Minutes. 

130.21 Reports from Councillors and Clerk:

Councillor Pudney has recently reported the bags of rubbish that have been deposited in Back Lane and advised that the sewage/slurry that was dumped some weeks ago has still not been cleared (the incident was reported to HuntsDC (?) by a member of the public on Saturday 20th November, the day that it occurred), Clerk will follow this report (* this was reported to DEFRA, Clerk completed online HuntsDC report on 22/12/2021)

Councillor Hill – nothing to report

Councillor Hodson advised that the bell has been replaced on the School roof today.

As this was to be Councillor Hill’s last Parish Council meeting, he thanked him for his time, input and support over the last few years.

131.21 FINANCIAL MATTERS:

            a) to note Barclays Bank statements

b) to note the Cashflow spreadsheet and Budget Forecast – Cllr Hodson explained that the entries in respect of the Allotment rental had been assigned to the Contingency Budget, and will be included as a separate Allotment budget in the next financial year.

Cllr Pudney confirmed that he has been approved as a signatory on the bank accounts for the Parish Council, Village Hall & Recreation Ground but also The Gidding Charity – this latter item was an error by Barclays, but it was agreed that he should remain as a signatory on the Charity account.

c) The following online payment was approved:

 WhoWhat forTOTALVATAuthorisedAuthorised
 J R TroloveWages for October (27.5 hours)Xxx~JRTPH

d)  Clerk’s hours worked between 1st and 30th November (24.5 hours) were approved by Cllrs Hill and Pudney

132.21 Planning Applications and Planning matters:

            The Parish Clerk left the meeting at this point …

            Andrew Middleditch of Messrs Bletsoes shared information regarding the application and answered questions from Parish Councillors.

                        Reference: 21/02188/OUT

Proposal: Residential Development of up to 9 dwellings.
Site Address: 91 Main Street Great Gidding Huntingdon

*** Parish Clerk returned to the meeting.

There were no objections heard or received in respect of the proposed development.

Parish Councillors wished to submit approval of the application, with the following comments:

The proposed development retains the character of the village.

The type of housing proposed, and the families that live in those properties, will bring benefit to village amenities, such as the school.

Clerk will submit the response to Huntingdonshire District Council.

133.21 Recreation Field Update:

            a) Anglian Water have acknowledged the instruction to terminate the water supply to the toilet unit and advised that this will be carried out within 90 working days (Customer Ref: 230118301)

            b) annual safety inspection – nothing heard from Wicksteed

134.21 Training opportunities for Councillors and Clerk

            January                 29th Councillor training 9AM to 3.30PM

                February              16th – Councillor Training, split session – 6.30 to 9PM

                                                   23rd – Councillor training, split session – 6.30 to 9PM

135.21 Gidding News – draft copy was made available prior to the meeting.  Clerk requested that any additional items/information be sent to her ASAP to enable this issue to be approved and then printed immediately after the January meeting.  As there are now 3 vacancies for Parish Councillors this will be a focus of the newsletter.

136.21 Correspondence received since 16th November 2021 (other than that discussed in agenda items above).

a) Email dated 17/11/2021 – Highways Dept confirmation of Mill Road/Luddington Road scheme – Cllr Hill will continue his involvement with Local Highways Initiative bids and the speed sign.

b) email dated 17/11/2021 – via CambsACRE, details of Fenland Rural Touring Scheme – live performance, cinema screenings, arts events

c) from HuntsDC – COVID-19: Weekly Bulletin 18/11, 25/11, 2/12 and  9/12/2021

d) email dated 19/11/2021 – NALC legal update (copy available on request), weekly updates, NALC Events, (forwarded to Councillors),

e) email dated 19/11/2021 – Neighbourhood Watch regarding hacking, online shopping scams, lottery scams, New Police and Crime Plan For Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Keep Burglars Away this Christmas , December newsletter (copies available on request) and other emails throughout the month

f) email dated 19/11/2021 – Hunts DC One Leisure active lifestyle PSI classes – information

g) email dated 22/11/2021 – Hunts DC confirmation of receipt of CIL return and notification of publication

h) email dated 22/11/2021 – Hunts DC regarding 2022 elections, Council Tax and more

i) email dated 23/11/2021 – Hunts DC dates for bin collections altered by bank holidays

j) email dated 23/11/2021 – via Cambs ACRE, forwarding details on Charity Commission guidance on safeguarding

k) email dated 23/11/2021 – Huntingdonshire Communities newsletter

l) email dated 26/11/2021 – Greater Peterborough Partnership Making Connections: have your say on greener travel in Greater Cambridge – consultation process ended 20th December

m) email dated 29/11/2021-Hunts DC “Huntingdonshire District Council launch Growth Grant Scheme” – copy available on request

n) email dated 30/11/2021 – East Anglian Childrens Hospice request for donation

o) email dated 30/11/2021 –  Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority update issue 8 – copy available on request

p) email dated 1/12/2021 – CambsCC Highways Dept inn response to report of surface erosion of Milking Slade Lane

q) email dated 1/12/2021 – Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority – “Have YOUR Say on our budget and our new way of working” – deadline 31/12/2021

r) email dated 3/12/2021 – commemorative ware for Queens Jubilee

s) email dated 8/12/2021 – Cambs CC – free places for children at Christmas holiday schemes.

t)email dated 10/12/2021 – CambsCC details of Cambs Local Councils Conference on 14/1/2021 – Parish Clerk will attend (virtually).

u) email dated 10/12/2021 – via CAPALC, detail of Household Support Fund, open until 31st March 2022

v) email dated 29 November from Hunts DC re. Christmas tree collections for this postcode area

w) email dated 15 December from CambsCC – Cambridgeshire Matters newsletter

x) email dated 24 November from Hunts DC re list of Parish Councillors to appear on their website

y) email dated 16/12/2021 – from CambsACRE – updated COVID requirements for Community buildings.

z) email dated 17/12/21 – Police and Crime Commissioners Christmas card.

137.21 Items for decisions at next meeting: 

            Prepare for Co-option of Parish Councillor

Queens Jubilee 2022 – tree planting, village event, other ideas.

Gidding News

138.21 The next meeting will take place on Tuesday 18 January 2022

starting at 1930 hours in the Village Hall, Great Gidding.

Meeting closed at 21.00

2021-11-16 Minutes of the Great & Little Parish Council meeting

2021-11-16 Minutes of the Great & Little Parish Council meeting

Minutes of the meeting held at Great Gidding Village Hall on Tuesday 16th November 2021

Present:  Cllrs Hodson, Maciag, Hill, and Bolton

109.21 Chairman’s Welcome

110.21 To receive apologies and reasons for absence:  

            County Councillor Gardener – at another meeting

            District Councillor Alban – at another meeting

            Councillor Cotton – has resigned due to personal commitments

            Councillor Pudney – excessively delayed by accident traffic

111.21 There were no Member’s declaring a Disclosable Interest for items on the Agenda

112.21  No members of the Public or Press were present

113.21 Minutes of the meeting held on 19th October 2021 were confirmed and accepted by Cllrs Hill and Macaig                        

114.21 Matters arising from those Minutes that will not be discussed as an agenda item:

            Cllr Bolton – following on the from climate change discussion (0103.21) at the October meeting, he had contacted a provider of electric charging points and was advised that, at present, they were installing on major roads and urban areas.

            Cllr Macaig – has ordered the wood for the Recreation Ground bench, he presented the invoice, and will advise when delivery received.               

115.21 To receive reports from Councillors and Clerk:

            Cllr Hill – the proposed plan for the 2021-22 Local Highways Improvement Bid has been received (extension to the speed limit areas on Mill Road and Luddington Road and to include Milking Slade Lane and Chapel End).  The second post for the Speed Awareness Device has also been included in this scheme.  Those present unanimously approved the scheme.  Cllr Hill will confirm to Highways Department and request costings for the scheme.  The 2022-23 for Little Gidding will be presented in spring 2022. 

            Cllr Hodson – a parishioner has advised him that the field gate on the Public footpath adjacent to Chapel End Pond has a lock on it (new owner of the field is presently unknown).  Clerk will report the restriction to CambsCC.

            Cllr Hodson encouraged Councillors to identify new Parish Councillors.

116.21 FINANCIAL MATTERS:

            a) Barclays Bank statements noted

b) Cashflow spreadsheet and Budget Forecast were presented by Cllr Hodson, also VAT return had been submitted to HMRC by Clerk

c) PAYMENTS AND ACCOUNTS

 WhoWhat forTOTALVATAuthorisedAuthorised
41Bradgate Fencing (No  340     )Grass Cutting195.1232.52JRT + 
42J R TroloveWages for September (30 hours)Xxx~JRT 

d)  to approve Clerk’s hours worked between 1st and 30th October (27.5 hours)  Payments and Clerk’s hours approved by Cllrs Hill and Maciag

e)  Community Infrastructure Levy Statement for 2020-2021 (deadline for submission 31/12/2021) – approved by Cllrs Hodson and Hill

117.21 Planning Applications and Planning matters:

 21/02299 TREE – 8 Dells Close – crown reduction to ash tree

There were no observations, either for or against.

118.21 Recreation Field Update:

            a) monthly inspection – Cllr Hodson will forward his written report

            b) water supply to toilet – Clerk will complete the paperwork provided by Anglian Water

            c) grass cutting contract – Clerk has reminded the contractors that they had completed the number of cuts as set out in the contract.

119.21 Training opportunities for Councillors and Clerk – there were no requests for training this month.

120.21 Gidding News – it was agreed that the next edition would be sent out in Spring 2022 – suggested items to include a report on the results from the Speed Awareness device, update on the Local Highways Scheme, final call for ideas for events etc for the Queens Platinum Jubilee and/or tree planting, request for residents to join the Neighbourhood Plan group, MUGA fundraising

121.21 Correspondence received since 19th October 2021 (other than that discussed in agenda items above).

a) Email dated 22/10/2021 – email re The Queens Platinum Jubilee

b) Email dated 25/10/2021 – Neighbourhood Watch “say no to ASB”

c) Email dated 25/10/2021 – Balfour Beatty street light survey – Clerk has responded – Cllr Macaig remarked on the brightness of street lights and enquired if they were LED, the survey was regarding repairs and service provision

d) Email dated 27/10/2021 – Cambs ACRE re. Queens Green Canopy – – Cllr Bolton was interested in a tree planting exercise.   Clerk advised that there will be a working group in Jubilee Wood in early December, this will identify spaces for trees.  Clerk will research what species of trees are available.

e) email dated 29/10/2021 – Neighbourhood alert cyber crime survey 2021

f) email dated 1/11/2021 – Cambs & P’boro combined authority update no. 7

g) email dated 3/11/2021 – Mayors office(combined authority) regional transport

h) email dated 5/11/2021 – Chairman of Winwick Parish (Council) re traffic

i) email dated 8/11/2021 – The Library Presents – arts events

j) email dated 8/11/2021 – The Pensions Regulator – re-enrolment – Clerk enquired whether there was a need to re-enrol. This Parish Clerk has declined the offer of a Pension and/or was not eligible, re-enrolment will not be necessary

k) email dated 8/11/2021 – CambsCC – Childrens Christmas Holiday Scheme

l) email dated 11/11/2021 – Neighbourhood alert – webinar on ASB

122.21 Items for decisions at next meeting: 

            Prepare for Co-option of Parish Councillor

Queens Jubilee 2022 – tree planting, village event, other ideas.

123.21 The next meeting will take place on Tuesday 21 December 2021

starting at 1930 hours in the Village Hall, Great Gidding

Meeting closed at 20.12