Parish Council

Meldreth Parish Council

www.meldreth-pc.org.uk

Meeting of MPC held on Thursday 1st July 2021

This meeting was held in the main room of the Village Hall. The main points are set out below in the usual summary format. The full formal minutes can be viewed in due course on the website noted above and on the Parish Council notice board; these will be presented for approval at the next Council meeting.

Discussions and Decisions

Melbourn Conservation Area

The Council had questioned the proposal being considered by Greater

Cambridge Planning to include various properties in Station Road

Meldreth in the Melbourn Conservation Area. We have been recently informed that, following representations by Meldreth residents who would be affected and by our Council on behalf of the community, the Planning Officer is recommending in his Report that these properties should not be included in the Melbourn Conservation Area.

Proposal for Major Town Development in South Cambridgeshire

It was noted that aerial surveys by helicopter appear to have taken place over a wide area. Apart from that, there continues to be no further specific news about Thakeham but Parish Councillors remain fully engaged with this subject and are maintaining a careful watch.

To date it continues to be the case that no proposals have been put forward by the developers to the Local Planning Authority under the

Call for Sites scheme.

Community Projects Working Group

It was intended to bring forward proposals to this Council meeting for the renaming and relaunching of the former Futures Group with revised objectives and terms of reference. This subject has, however, since been deferred to the next Council meeting and this additional time will enable further discussion to take place.

Melbourn Area Youth Development (MAYD)

It was reported by the Council’s representative on MAYD that due to ongoing uncertainty on restrictions, but more fundamentally through a lack of clear demand, there will not be a summer camp. There is a need for greater clarity of needs and requirements and MAYD has asked the service provider to provide a quote for carrying out an

extensive survey of opinions of children, parents and local schools. In the meantime MAYD does not require further funding.

Recreation Ground

The erection of the children’s tower in the playground is underway and it is hoped that this will be finished by the end of July. The Council is awaiting confirmation of a start date for installation of the adult gym equipment, outside but close to the playground area. In addition, the Council agreed to purchase several items of play equipment designed primarily for the use of disabled children but also able to be used by those without disabilities. These three projects are expected to be beneficial to various sectors of our community and the Council will continue to look for ways to enhance community benefits for our residents. The condition of all the equipment at the recreation ground remains under regular scrutiny to ensure safety and proper maintenance. The Council’s contractor has been instructed to install two further litter bins at the recreation ground. When these have been put in place the Council will consider the purchase of further litter bins to be placed elsewhere in the village.

Highways and Traffic

The traffic survey arranged with Highways Department is booked for early September, when more normal traffic conditions are expected. Preparations for a Local Highways Initiative application continue to be under review along with other safety measures including speed limits. Our County Councillor has been asked to review the area of the Whitecroft Road/Station Road junction and other local roads with Highways department for their opinion on what steps could be taken to improve the safety of this area of our village road network. It was reported that the hedge at the Fenny Lane crossroads has recently been trimmed and that further work will be undertaken once the bird-nesting season has concluded. With regard to other foliage encroaching on village footways and roads, the Council has reviewed its processes for notifying residents of (a) the need to keep their boundary vegetation under proper control and (b) the steps that might need to be taken if there is a lack of voluntary or timely compliance. There have been complaints about vehicles parking next to the Stocks and the Council will be posting ‘no parking’ notices on this area.

Blocked drains in the village continue to be an issue and discussions are taking place with Highways to enable us to identify with greater clarity the precise locations of those drains needing attention so that they can be efficiently reported for remedial action.

Village Infrastructure

The Council is discussing with SCDC and Highways where two further bench seats might be positioned, probable locations being one in Whitecroft Road and the other in the vicinity of the Fenny Lane crossroads. As previously noted, residents are tending to undertake more walking around the village and these benches are considered important additional seating for those doing so.

Future Meetings

It had been intended that the Annual Village Meeting would take place on 15th July 2021. However, Covid compliance measures changed and as foreshadowed in last month’s Meldreth Matters, this provisional date came under increased scrutiny. This led to the conclusion that, with infection rates continuing to increase in our area, the meeting should be cancelled. The Council will publish all the relevant reports to the meeting on its website and will of course follow up any enquiries arising.

Churchyard

Under the closed churchyards provisions, the Council is responsible for maintaining Holy Trinity churchyard. Following concerns about the possible dangers to visitors to the churchyard from the unprotected sharp spikes on top of the main pedestrian and vehicle gates, the Council has taken preventative measures to enclose the spikes. This is a temporary solution pending more permanent arrangements. With regard to the churchyard wall in particular, there has been a meeting between Councillors and the churchwardens to review the present position relating to general maintenance and safety issues and further discussions on this subject will take place during the coming months.

Next Meeting

In accordance with our usual practice there will be no meeting of the Parish Council in August. The next scheduled Parish Council meeting will therefore take place on Thursday 2nd September 2021 at 7.30pm. Meldreth Parish Council

Meldreth Parish Council - Contact Details

http://www.meldreth-pc.org.uk Parish Office, Meldreth Sheltered Scheme, Elin Way, Royston SG8 6LT Office hours: Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 12.30-2.30pm By appointment at other times Parish Clerk: Mrs J Damant (01763) 269928 parishclerk@meldreth-pc.org.uk

Mr R Goddin (Chairman) (01763) 260061 goddin@btinternet.com Mr R A Searles (Vice Ch) (01763) 260435 robert.searles@btinternet.com Mrs C J Fallon (01763) 262822 joan.fallonpc@gmail.com Mr N Garner (01763) 268328 nickphgarner@gmail.com Mrs P Gilmore (01763) 263138 gilmorepat@aol.com Dr R James (01763) 261085 roger+pc@rogerjames.net Mr C A Land (01763) 261004 conradland@btinternet.com Mr Nigel Pellatt (01763) 260909 nppellatt@btconnect.com Mr A Young (01763) 263484 andrewmpc@gmail.com

Village Footway Access

Now is the time of year to cut back those hedges that are encroaching on the village footways. The threat to nesting birds is mostly over, but check first before cutting. Cutting back encroaching hedges is greatly appreciated by footway users, including those more vulnerable user groups in our community and mothers with children in prams, etc., who need unimpaired access. The Parish Council monitors the situation throughout the year, taking appropriate action where needed for the benefit of footway users. *A footway is the council term for a footpath along the highway. It includes pavements and footpaths.

Pat Gilmore Meldreth Parish Council