Parish Council

Meldreth Parish Council

www.meldreth-pc.org.uk

Meeting held on Thursday 2nd September 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

Greater Cambridge Local Plan

The First Proposals (committee stage version) have been published on line and by the time this summary goes to press, there will have been a public webinar on the committee stage and evidence. These proposals include consideration of the recent ‘call for sites’. There are, however, no development proposals shown for Meldreth.

Proposal for Major Town Development in South Cambridgeshire

The final date for submissions (31st August) has now passed and

Thakeham has not put anything forward. Certain actions do, however, appear to be going on in the background and the Council will keep the subject under close scrutiny. [See pages 42-45.]

Community Projects Working Group

The new Community Projects Working Group terms of reference and other administrative details have been agreed by the Council. This group will consist of Councillors and residents, working together to consider proposals for Community benefit funding in much the same way as our former Futures group. [See page 54.]

The Council has agreed a donation of £1,500 to Meldreth Bowls Club to help with the funding of necessary repairs to the clubhouse roof.

Recreation Ground

The children’s play tower and the adult gym equipment have been installed, inspected by RoSPA and are now fully operational. Both installations have been well received by the community and are actively in use. It is expected that the two pieces of further equipment that can be used by disabled children and others without disabilities, will be installed in the near future. The Council is also investigating acquiring a permanent table tennis table for use at the

recreation ground. The condition of all the equipment at the recreation ground remains under regular scrutiny to ensure safety and proper maintenance. The two litter bins previously mentioned have now been put in place. Following the closure of the Saturday Football Club, the Council has agreed to make the recreation ground/pavilion facilities available, at an agreed fee, to Orwell Football Club for the forthcoming season.

Managing Ditches etc. - Riparian Responsibilities

Property owners whose properties abut a watercourse such as a ditch, do have certain legal responsibilities and obligations known as ‘riparian’. The County Council is keen to spread knowledge about this and has asked the Council to send out to our residents a link to a short survey on the subject: https://forms.office.com/r/5HQbNqGtba.

Highways and Traffic

A Local Highways Initiative application for speed control measures in Whitecroft Road has been lodged. It is important for the Council to be notified by residents of any incidents in the village involving traffic, such as collisions and near misses. In this way we can build up a solid database of evidence to support further measures for traffic management. All residents are therefore strongly urged promptly to report such incidents to the Parish Clerk, preferably by email to: parishclerk@meldreth-pc.org.uk The Council will shortly contact residents whose hedges are overhanging the public highway and footways with the request that these be trimmed. It will be very helpful if residents undertake the required trimming measures without any further reminders being necessary. This is an obvious way for everyone to play a part in improving access, especially for those with pushchairs and wheelchairs.

Village Infrastructure

We are continuing to investigate where further bench seats might be sited in locations that suit those taking walks around the village. As part of this exercise, the Parish Council has agreed to install a bench in the village churchyard, the bench itself already being owned and stored by the church. The Council is replacing two broken notice boards and is considering the provision of other boards in other parts of the village.

Churchyard

The Council has made the churchyard gates safe from the risk of accidental impalement and has agreed with the suggestion of the churchwardens that the wooden guards should be left in place as a possible longer-term measure, subject to tidying and painting. It had been intended as a temporary step but will now be reviewed regularly. Next Meeting: Thursday 7th October 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

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