Minutes of the meeting held at Great Gidding Village Hall on Tuesday 18th October 2022
Present: Cllrs Hodson, Bolton, D’Altilia, Moody, and Maciag, County Councillor Gardener and the Clerk. 2 members of the public representing St Michael’s Parochial Church Council (SS and MR) and 1 other (PAH).
115.22 Cllr Hodson welcomed those present to the meeting.
116.22 Apologies were received from:
District Councillor Tim Alban – attending another meeting
Councillor Hargrave – family commitment
117.22 There were no declarations of Disclosable Interest.
118.22 Public & Press participation session with respect to items on the Agenda:
See item 127.22 and 123.22
119.22 Minutes of the meeting held on 20th September 2022 were confirmed as a correct record – proposed by Councillor Bolton and seconded by Cllr Macaig
120.22 Matters arising from those Minutes that will not be discussed as an agenda item.
Clerk– Remembrance Day wreath is available to be presented at the Church service, the date of which is not yet known.
The autumn issue of Gidding News is now at the printers and will require distribution before the end of October.
The defibrillator has had a software upgrade, been serviced and a new battery installed.
121.22 To receive reports from Councillors and Clerk:
County Councillor Gardener:
- He had met with the Highways Officer, Sharon Middleton, and surveyed footpaths in the Parish. It was felt that the footpath coming up the hill on Main Street required repair, white lining renewed on Main Street also at the Little Gidding junction – these works are likely to take place in 2023/24. Residents in Milking Slade Lane had concerns about signage that had recently been installed as part of the Local Highways Improvement bid, particularly the large 60MPH signs – Cllr Gardener will request these signs be removed.
- (Clerk asked for an update on Footpath No 6 – this had not been part of the walk round with the Highways Officer – Cllr Gardener asked that an email be sent to Highways Department).
County Council matters that he advised us of:
- Local Highways Improvement bids can be made for the next round of assessment and funding, currently this should not include any 20MPH limits or zones as that will be a separate application later in the year.
- Changes to bus services were under consideration, Cllr Gardener has requested that buses travel further to the west of the county, also proposed that TING buses to be increased.
- A congestion charge was proposed for Cambridge (including Addenbrookes), to be in force between 7AM and 7PM – £5 per day. Cllr Moody commented that, since the A14 improvements, access to the St Ives Park and Ride/guided bus facility was more difficult from our locality, therefore residents from our part of the county are less likely to use this facility, but travel by car to Cambridge.
- There is potentially another Park and Ride to be sited near the M11/A10 junction.
- Cllr Gardener left the meeting at 19.48
Cllr Hodson – School governors and clerk to the governors have resigned, followed by the resignation of the head. Another part time head has been appointed. Cllr Hodson has offered to become a governor, Cllr Moody has been asked to become an interim governor.
Cllr D’Altilia – the text messaging service is now available for use (an article on the Autumn issue of Gidding News gives details of this service and how to sign up).
122.22 FINANCIAL MATTERS:
a) Barclays Bank statement for Parish Council account had been shared prior to the meeting
b) PAYMENTS – the following online payments were approved:
| Who | What for | TOTAL | Invoice includes this VAT amount | Authorised | Authorised | |
| J R Trolove | Wages for August (25.5 hours) | Xxx | ~ | JRT | ||
| Bradgate Ground Maintenance (897) | Grass cutting of Rec Field | 199.32 | 33.22 | JRT | ||
| Bradgate Ground Maintenance (733) | Payment missed/failed in August | 199.32 | 33.22 | JRT | ||
| Paid outside of meeting to Chris Knott Insurance | Insurance for allotments | 80.00 | ~ | JRT | ||
| Cambridgeshire County Council | LHI bid contribution | 953.96 | ~ | JRT | ||
| The following are Village Hall/Defibrillator account payments | ||||||
| A Clark | VH cleaning | 32.50 | ~ | JRT | ||
| Replacement battery | Defibrillator | 160.00 | ~ | JRT | ||
- Clerk’s working hours for September – total of 29 – Approved
- Budget for 2023/24 – figures were discussed, see attached spreadsheet.
e) Proposal was made to increase the precept for 2023/24 by 5% –
2 vote for, 3 against – the precept will remain at £11,052.
After discussing and setting the budget for 2023/24, it was evident that there would be a need to use Parish Council reserves in the next financial year. A future issue of Gidding News will inform Parishioners that the Parish Precept has not increased this year, but it is likely (at the meeting held on 15th November 2022, it was agreed that this should be altered to “possible that we will have to increase …”) that we will have to increase it next year 2024/25.
123.22 Neighbourhood Plan – Cllr Macaig and PAH (member of the public) advised that the meeting held on 11th October was attended by 2 representatives from Winwick (Parish Meeting) and 1 from Hamerton (Parish Meeting). An outline of the potential and requirements were presented on slides, discussion followed, and the representatives will go back to their respective parishes and discuss and consult with their parishioners. The next meeting will be held on 23rd November when Winwick and/or Hamerton will advise if they will join this Parish, thereafter a revised application will be made to Huntingdon District Council.
124.22 Planning Applications and Planning matters –
a) telecommunications mast and base station – Brights Lodge, Luddington ITB. All correspondence had been forwarded to Parish and District Councillors on 7th October, only 14 days consultation period was permitted. A copy of the letter sent by the Parish of Hemington, Luddington and Thurning had been shared with Councillors. After discussion, it was felt that the proposed site was too far out of this Parish, also in the next County, and therefore a letter indicating that we have no observations either for approval or objections would be sent to the “developer”.
b) Received 20th September 2022
Proposal: Rear, side and front extension. Replacement of existing Garage/Annexe with Proposed Double Garage and Annexe
Site Address: 62 Main Street Great Gidding Huntingdon
Reference: 22/01954/HHFUL
Deadline – 11th October 2022 – case officer, Kevin Simpson has granted an extension of time.
Proposal approved as it meets criteria set out in LP9, LP11, LP14 and LP34.
125.22 Training opportunities for Councillors and Clerk:
Councillor Training (online via ZOOM)
126.22 LHI bid for 2023/2024 – process will open on 31st October 2022 for bids to be made – discussion will be held at the November meeting.
127.22 SS and MR attended the meeting as representatives of St Michael’s Parochial Church Council. They advised of the Deanery Development Plan which tasked them with identifying the future of the Church, both as a building and a village “organisation”. Currently the weekly congregation is 3 or 4, more for special services, and supported by a team of volunteers. They requested to have questions included in the Neighbourhood Plan to assist them with forecasting the ideas and expectations of residents, and Councillors agreed this would be a welcome addition to the Plan. PAH, representing the Neighbourhood Plan group, asked that they submit questions via the Clerk.
Cllr Hodson requested they submit written ideas and options for the Church, for example if it becomes a redundant building. Clerk was requested to make enquiries about who is responsible for the graveyard and its upkeep were the building to become redundant.
SS and MR left the meeting.
128.22 Recreation Ground:
MUGA – Cllrs Moody and Hargrave have prepared a report on funding possibilities – this will be discussed at the November meeting
131.22 Correspondence received since 20th September (BOLD type are those items that may be of interest to this Parish Council) :
a) NALC newsletters – dated 21/9 and 30/9 and 12/10, 23/9 Energy Bill Relief Scheme, 27/9 and 4/10 NALC events, 5/10 and 7/10 newsletter,
| b) Neighbourhood Alert – email dated 20/9 and 3/10 and 11/10 latest news from the Courts, 22/9, 24/9, 26/9 Police recruitment, 26/9 Crime and Community Survey (closes 26th October), 27/9 anti-social behaviour, 30/9 Energy Bill scams, 30/9 community first aid, 2/10 contact details, 3/10 and 11/10 newletter, 5/10 event celebrating diversity on 14th December, 6/10 report, 11/10 Neighbourhood Watch, 13/10 ECOPS update, |
d) CAPALC email dated – 14/10 warm spaces and NALC webinars, monthly newsletter forwarded to Councillors.
e) Cambs CC email dated 26/9 Huntingdonshire Transport strategy, 30/9 Cambridgeshire Matters update, 6/10 Highways event re. traffic management,13/10 street lighting attachments and licensing,
f) Hunts DC email dated 20/9 Climate Change Strategy and 23/9, 27/9 fly tipper proscecution, 28/9 Diabetes Scheme, 28/9 Stukeleys Neighbourhood Plan submission, 30/9 Warm Spaces initiative, 3/10 District Council meetings streamed online, 4/10 Hinchingbroke Park Play equipment, 4/10 Planning Blitz information, 12/10 Pre-application Planning advice,12/10 warm space update (Clerk has registered the Village Hall as a potential Warm Hub with Huntingdonshire District Council), 13/10 Council motion on Cost of Living and Climate Change, 13/10 Town and Parish Forum online event on 17 October 2022 12:00-14:00,
g) Economic Development Huntingdonshire DC invest@huntingdonshire.gov.uk – weekly Business News – email dated 22/9, 29/9, 6/10, 13/10
h) Royal British Legion – Remembrance Sunday – wreath and poppies
i) 29/9 Cambs Acre newsletter, 29/9 Biffa Community Fund and banking for community buildings,
j) 2/9 East Anglian Air Ambulance – clothing bank request for site
k) 2/9 National Grid Gas – pipeline information
l) Combined Authority Cambridgeshire and Peterborough update 21/9 – roadshow dates, 3/10 bus service, 11/10 Local Transport feedback,
m) 7/10 Allied Westminster – insurance requirements for Village Halls used as Warm Hubs
n) Email 11/10 SportsCourtsUK – includes MUGA courts
o) Email dated 13/10 – Fens Reservoir Project information
p) Email dated 13/10 – BHIB Insurance – Fireworks guidance
132.22 Items for next meeting:
Funding of the MUGA – discuss options
Local Highways Improvement bid application – ideas
Planning applications for Church Farm and farm buildings also Dryer Yard, Main Street, following site visits.
133.22 The next meeting will take place on Tuesday 15thNovember 2022
starting at 1930 hours in the Village Hall, Great Gidding.
Meeting closed at 21.48
