MINUTES Of The On-LINE only Parish Council Meeting of Catworth was held on Wednesday 11 November 2020 (via Zoom Conference Call) at 7.30pm

Present P Carr (Chair), A Moore, C Ellson, J Hurley, J McAuley, Parish Councillors HDC Cllr J Gray CC Cllr I Gardener 1 member of the public. R Mimiene, Clerk.

Due to the Coronavirus the Government has issued the regulations that gives local authorities greater flexibility in the conduct of meetings, including allowing members to attend remotely, and for public and press access to those meetings. The Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) ( and Wales) Regulations 2020 came into force on 4 April. They apply to local authority meetings that are required to be held, or held, before 7 May 2021. The Regulations were made by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 78 of the Coronavirus Act 2020(1) and paragraph 36(1)(b) of Schedule 6 to the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011(2).

OPEN Each person wishing to address the council will be allowed to speak for a maximum of 3 minutes MEETING subject to the Chair’s discretion. This part cannot be longer than 15 minutes.

HDC Cllr JG presented a verbal report. CC Cllr IG presented a verbal report. Report attached.

A member of the public queried the figures on the Payments list for Nov meeting, as wages seemed to be higher this month than usual. It was noted that the Clerk is being paid in line with the NALC scales. Note since meeting: More detailed info was added to the Minutes outlining the additional amounts that have been allowed to the Clerk.

2020/21 11/114 To Receive Apologies and Reasons for Non Attendance 11/114.1 Cllrs C Wilson and S Rupp sent apologies for absence.

11/115 Declarations of Interests for Members (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) 11/115.1 None.

11/116 To Receive and Approve the Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting 14 October 2020 Proposal: Proposed by Councillor AM, seconded by Councillor JH, all in favour and it was RESOLVED Carried that the minutes be accepted and signed as a true record of the meeting. Chair will sign the Minute at the next face to face meeting available.

11/117 Corona virus update: Meetings to be held online till further notice CC Cllr I Gardener forwarded to PC the COVID 19 Lockdown Communications Toolkit and contact details for local support, for PC reference and use, which is very useful.

11/118 Planning Proposed Airspace changes - which will move the Luton Airport stacking area to above Catworth. Details are to be found here; https://consultations.airspacechange.co.uk/-luton- airport/ad6_luton_arrivals/?fbclid=IwAR2Bx-nZlFsom-vJPSOJeSqwHiR9PJEo5D- fIrSoovOOyLrz0Svnx5DsUlA Consultation is till Feb 2020. PC felt disappointed that as PC they were not officially consulted. It was agreed to inform the residents and encourage individuals to make responses to HDC Cllr J Gray [email protected] and CC Cllr I Gardener Ian.Gardener@.gov.uk including comments to local MP. PC agreed to leaflet the village and point out to the consultation website documents. PC objects to the Luton Airport proposal. Cllr PC will contact Kimbolton PC for advice on what they have already done. PC Standing orders were suspended to allow the member of the public to make a comment.

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Proposal: Proposed by Councillor JH, seconded by Councillor PC, all in favour and it was RESOLVED Carried that PC objects to the Luton Airport proposals.

11/119 Clerk’s Report 1) Community Governance looks at the way in which people and organisations work together and independently, making decisions for the benefit of a local community. The advanced qualification is awarded by De Montfort University, a university ranked Gold under the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), and offers a Certificate of Higher Education (Level 4), Foundation Degree (Level 5) and Honours Degree (Level6). The qualification begins in February 2021 and is a distance learning programme. I find it to be very useful in the current circumstances and in the nearest future especially knowing that it is more to come to parish council level from HDC and CCC. Registration is by mid Dec and the Clerk would like to register this year. The course starts in Feb 2021. It is distant learning course. Buckden being the largest council would probably arrange it all. The Chairman of Personnel Anne Howell-Jones would like to speak to the Chair of PC and/or Chair of Personnel. Proposal: Would Catworth please consider contributing 9.68% of the total amount of £6,300 the split of which is calculated according to the hours contracted. The total amount for Catworth contribution for 2 years would be £610.11. Would Parish Council consider this, please. Personnel Group to meet and agree training. Cllr PC to speak to Buckden PC Chairman to the PC Staffing Advisory Group. 2) Internal Auditor’s checklist received: The Clerk will review and feedback to PC.

3) Email 9 Nov 2020: The External audit for 2019.20 is now completed. The confirmation received from Littlejohn, the External Auditor’s on 9 Nov 20. The Notice of Conclusion now issued as instructed and is on PC website as well as External Auditor’s report. No matters that need PC attention.

11/120 To Consider and Discuss NP for Catworth, update on training available, verbal report by Cllr P Carr No further update.

11/121 Finance - Budget Reports 11/121.1 Budget and Precept for 2021/22, Finance Working Group to meet before Nov PC meeting and agree the proposals The working group met and drafted the budget. Which will be presented to Dec PC. Clerk to Clerk incorporate CIL funds so that they are not part of the Budget. 11/121.2 To note a Bank Reconciliation, Cashbook and I&E to 31 Oct 20. Noted. Bank Balance and Cashbook balance was £52,964.73. Noted.

11/121.3 Inspection of PC accounts: Cllr C Ellson have checked the Q2 (Jul, Aug and Sep 20) accounts v bank statement and confirmed they are verified. Noted by PC

11/121.4 Training options for the Clerk: Community Governance Level 4 Discussed under Clerk’s report. Cllr PC will speak to the Chair of Buckden PC Staffing Group. PC

11/121.5 PC accounting programme now set up, update The accounts programme is now installed onto the PC lap top. Clerk will need to set it all up, add Clerk cost centres, and add all receipts and payments dated back to the start of this financial year - Apr 2020.

11/121.6 To Approve 11 November 2020 Payments

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Proposal: Proposed by Councillor JH, seconded by Councillor CE, all in favour and it was RESOLVED Carried that all items tabled above are to be paid. Councillors JH and CE will authorise the payments JH, CE online.

11/122 Village Maintenance: Hedges and Paths in the Village - trees 11/122.1 Hedges: 10/105.1.1 Feedback re: The offending hedges in the village. Cllr S Rupp, when present at the SR meeting, will report on Station Rd hedges. Cllr JG will be sorting the bush by the bus shelter after the 1st frost. JG

11/122.2 Footpaths: It was noted that Fox road barrier reported to CC last month still not fixed, works outstanding. 10/105.2.1 Footpaths 17 Proposals re the footpath received. Thanks to HDC Cllr JG and CC Cllr IG doe trying to sort out the footpath 17 issue. Footpath officer, CCC wrote to HDC: Public Footpath No. 17, Catworth runs to the south of the proposed development, reaching a dead-end in the field to the south. To view the location of the footpath please view our interactive mapping online which can be found at: http://my.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/myCambridgeshire.aspx. The footpath reaching a dead-end currently means that there is a missing link in the rights of way network in the Catworth area. The linking up of Catworth 17 to the road at Brook End could provide the public with a new off-road link to the countryside to the south of the village and other villages to the south including Covington Paragraph 98 of the National Planning Framework states that ‘Planning policies and decisions should protect and enhance public rights of way and access, including taking opportunities to provide better facilities for users, for example by adding links to existing rights of way networks including National Trails’. Public Footpath No. 17, Catworth has been recorded as a dead-end right of way which is effectively unusable to the public since the creation of the Definitive Map and Statement for (relevant date 9th September 1953). The public footpath is shown on Ordnance Survey Explorer and Landranger maps and it may transpire that walkers will find themselves marooned just to the south of the new development and may be forced to deviate from the line of the public right of way in order to access the village at Covington. As a result of this potential situation and the guidance given in the National Planning Framework CCC would request, in the interests of public amenity and safety, that the following condition should be placed on the development should permission be granted: Prior to the commencement of development, a footpath access scheme shall be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority, in consultation with the Local Highways Authority. Such scheme shall include provision for: 1. The linking up of Public Footpath No. 17, Catworth to the public road at Brook End including any proposal for diversion and alternative route provision 2. The design of the proposed public footpath link including details of its surfacing, width, gradients, landscaping and structures

11/123 Highways issues in the village 11/123.1 LHI scheme application. The junction of Station Road & Church Road, update by Cllr P Carr PC The plan for the scheme for PC inspection received from CCC. The plan is preliminary and as such, subject to PC approval and also available funds as CCC are currently awaiting confirmation of the expected funds. 3

11/124 Streetlighting – Stage 2 Streetlighting project is ongoing, further update by Cllr P Carr Cllrs PC, JH and CE met Balfour Beatty surveyor and walked the route and noted the requirements for each streetlight.

11/125 Parish Council Website http://www.catworthpc.btck.co.uk/: Consider meeting the new guidelines regarding Website Accessibility https://www.gov.uk/guidance/make-your- website-or-app-accessible-and-publish-an-accessibility-statement Proposal: To choose the website quote for the PC website, Cllr J Hurley Cllrs to look at the sites provided in the quotes. PC agreed that the website has to be simple and functional. Replicate of we have at the moment but better and compliant. It was noted that this did not progress any further this month. The Clerk is using Eyelid for another Council which was felt might be the one for PC to consider.

11/126 Councillor training 11/126.1 Clerk is on SLCC Conference/ training this week. The conference was over 5 days and the Clerk Zoomed into various sessions over those days: Networking, Model Code of Conduct, NP, Website accessibility, Qualification workshop where Community Governance was brought up. Recorded info is available on the request. There is the expiry date on the access to the recording.

11/127 Correspondence – Noted. 11/127.1 Funding is possible to apply for from HDC CIL funds.

11/128 Councillors’ questions 11/128.1 Possible cycleway to Kimbolton discussed. Cllr IG is working on the cycle path from Ellington to Brampton Hut and if this is successful, he will advise PC. 11/128.2 Damage to the path surface/ tarmac by the VH reported to Highways by Cllr AM. Also, a AM large metal bollard is broken. Cllr AM received feedback that no works are required. Cllr IG agreed IG to look into that. Cllr AM to send photos of the damages. 11/128.3 It was noted how lovely do the planters around the village look like. PC thanked the Volunteers.

11/129 Date of the next meeting: Wed 9 December 20 at 7.30pm on-line

Meeting finished at 9.05pm.

These minutes are considered draft until ratified at the next Catworth Parish Council meeting

______Date Chair: Philip Carr

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