Parish Council 9

Meldreth Parish Council

www.meldreth-pc.org.uk

Meeting held on Thursday 4th November 2021

This meeting was held in the Green 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

Shepreth Spitfires Football

Lucy Smith from Shepreth Spitfires gave an account of their activities, which are primarily based at the Eternit Sports Club. There has been major growth in the Spitfires with membership now in the order of 150, catering primarily for those in the six to thirteen years age bracket; a fair number of whom come from Meldreth. The Council thanked Ms Smith for her work and achievements on this project, which delivers significant benefit to our local community of young people.

Council Meetings

For the time being Council meetings will not be held in the Green

Room of the Village Hall as in the current Covid-19 circumstances, this is too small to safely accommodate Councillors and members of the public wishing to be present. The venues of future meetings will continue to be published at the due time with the agenda and can be viewed on the Council’s notice board opposite the One Stop shop.

County Council Issues

It has been reported that the government has agreed for Cambridge and Peterborough Councils to become Enhanced Response Areas (ERA) from Monday 1st November. This targeted support recognises the higher levels of infection in our region and is expected to run for five weeks. Support will focus on the vaccine roll out programme for the younger age groups and other measures that it is hoped will reduce the spread of infections in our area.

Greater Cambridge Local Plan:

The opportunity is taken to remind the community that First

Proposals (committee stage version) have been published online and are now due to be the subject of public consultation, running from

1st November to 13th December. The Plan does not contain any proposals for developments within the village of Meldreth. Developments in other local areas will however impact indirectly on our village in terms of traffic and facilities.

“Oxford Cambridge Arc” Consultation

The Council has expressed its very significant concerns about the way in which this consultation has been organised and the lack of clarity regarding how the proposal rests alongside other major planning initiatives such as the Local Plan. The Council has already published a summary of its position in Meldreth Matters and elsewhere.

Proposal for Major Town Development in South Cambridgeshire

No further direct actions appear to have taken place recently and the situation continues to be kept under close review.

Covid-19 Update

Our local MCCS arrangements remain in place for those in need of assistance. With a significant increase in Covid cases in our area, all residents are recommended to exercise caution.

District and County Councillors’ Report

The Council acknowledges the importance of our being kept up to date with matters taking place at those council levels and we thank our District and County colleagues for keeping us informed. It should be noted that the report provided by them for Meldreth Matters is prepared separately from the report they provide to the Council and differs in timing and content from it.

Community Projects Working Group

The Council approved a request for a donation of £150 to the Mobile Library to help with the purchase of books.

Remembrance Day

This year the service will be held on Sunday 14th November. The event last fully took place in 2019 when residents kindly laid on coffee and cakes afterwards in the Village Hall for those attending; the Council covered the costs of hiring the Village Hall. This year the Council agreed in principle to do the same and also to provide a donation towards the costs of refreshments for which no charge is made for those attending. The Council is very grateful for the public spirit that clearly lies behind this important community initiative and warmly thanks those who organise and help with it.

Recreation Ground

Our equipment continues to be in good order and the few outstanding issues are being attended to. The Council is investigating other recreational facilities at the recreation ground including table tennis and skateboarding. Public comments have been made to the Council about the directness of notices about dog fouling that have recently been erected at the Recreation Ground. The Council would prefer not to have to put up any further notices at all but there has been a marked increase in the number of instances where dog mess has not been collected by owners and in the Covid-19 crisis there has also been a marked increase in the number of dog ownerships. With previous notices often ignored it is hoped that the latest notices will more clearly express what needs to be done by owners and the Council does hope to see greater compliance in the future. Some other Councils exclude dogs from public recreation areas altogether but your Council hopes that we will not need to do this in Meldreth. All owners are therefore asked kindly to comply without further reminders being required.

Village Infrastructure

The dislocated signs at the Whitecroft Road/Fenny Lane crossroads have been reported to the District Council and we are waiting for these to be reinstalled. The Council has agreed in principle to install a seat at or near the crossroads and the location of this will be investigated; it being important to ensure that road safety issues are taken into account.

Flambards Estate

The Council has opened renewed discussions with the Residents Association about the need to repair a broken concrete surface. A meeting will shortly be arranged to take this subject forward.

Churchyard

The Council will need to conduct discussions with risk assessment specialists with regard to those issues where it is thought that there is some risk to the public. The chairman of the Council has contacted the churchwardens to discuss the position of a bench in the churchyard, to be provided by the church but installed by the Council for public use.

Council Finance

We are approaching the time of year when the Council reviews its financial position in detail and takes decisions about the level of

Council tax (precept) that should prudently be raised to meet our obligations. The Council faces a considerable cost for meeting its legal obligations to maintain the churchyard and it may be necessary to increase the precept this year by £10,000 or possibly more to meet these obligations in a planned way. This is to be reviewed in more detail.

Next Meeting: Thursday 2nd December 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 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 Vacancy