CLERK REPORT TO HEMINGFORD GREY PARISH COUNCIL MEETING 12 September 2016 Where I have info to support an agenda item this is below. 1. Apologies – Cllr Clifton 3. To approve the minutes of the last meeting on 11 July 2016 – attached. 4. Co-option to fill casual vacancies – There are two vacancies. The Parish Council should have this as a standing item until all vacancies are filled. The Council should continue to consider each month how this can be achieved. No written applications received at the time of writing. 5. Matters Arising 5.1 (5.4) Yes Development transfer – to consider reply from HDC solicitor and letter from resident Response from solicitor - The land which was transferred to the District Council by the developer, Linden Homes, is registered under Title Number CB385277. All of that land is what I have been instructed to transfer to the Parish Council. Perhaps you could let me know which land you are referring to as ‘the whole site’ and I will take further instructions from my client officer.” This has been provided and a transfer document for the rest of the site is awaited . A resident has written: “I am so pleased that you are actively including the residents of the "Yes" estate in parish matters. I note from you recent newsletter that the Parish Council will be taking over the maintenance of the small grassed area in front of our houses (2 to 10 Goldcrest Road). Initially Linden Homes maintained this area and it was well groomed, as it should be in a residential area. Over the last 2 years since the District Council took it over it has been a disgrace. Very occasional cutting by a huge industrial mower left a covering of long grass, which was not collected and left to rot. They also missed large areas which used to be tidied up using a strimmer. About a week ago the contractor took about 3 minutes at high speed to cut it and missed large areas. The machine also took a bite out of one of the paving stones alongside the grass. I attach photographs showing the way the area was left recently. I write to you to ask that, when you award the contract for maintaining this area, you specify that, as it is a small feature area, the grass be cut regularly, that the cuttings be collected and that the difficult areas be cut with a strimmer. The central area of shrubs should also be maintained but this may only need to be done once or twice a year. My friend has written to the District Council to complain and they are dealing with the current problem but, as you will be taking over the maintenance, I feel that you should be made aware of our concern.” 6. Finance, procedure and risk assessment 6.1 To receive the financial report and approve the payment of bills – attached. Any late invoices for payment will be brought to the meeting. 6.2 Clerk report on any actions taken using delegated powers or because of health and safety • The handyman has been asked to remove overhanging vegetation by the play area at Mitchell Close following a request from CCC that it be cut back as it was obstructing the highway; by the entrance to the cemetery following a complaint from a resident; and on the allotments boundary to ensure a clear boundary near Sadlers Way. • to contract CME to do the pensions payroll arrangements. Payroll system can make deductions (either before or after tax depending on scheme) and produce a monthly report – at about £50 for setup and an additional £5 per month. • Submission of the boundary review following its consideration by the working group. The response was as follows: “Hemingford Grey Parish Council submission to the Local Government Boundary Commission concerning the re-warding of Huntingdonshire District Council. July 2016 Current Situation Hemingford Grey parish is currently combined with Hemingford Abbots, Houghton & Wyton, and Hilton parishes to form a two member ward for HDC. LGBC proposals LGBC are proposing to include Hemingford Grey in a new, two member ward to include Houghton and Wyton, and Wyton on the Hill. Hilton would be combined, in a single member ward, with Fenstanton which in turn would lose some electors to St Ives South. Hemingford Abbots would be combined in a three member ward with Godmanchester and the Offords. Hemingford Grey comments We understand the difficulty of trying to fit very variable sizes of parish into a ward structure but submit that the proposed arrangement is totally unsuited to the parishes of Hemingford Grey and Hemingford Abbots which are ‘joined at the hip’! We believe that The Hemingfords should have a single member ward for H Grey and H Abbots. The number of electors in the two parishes falls right in the middle of the range of electors for a single councillor required by LGBC for HDC in 2021. The two villages share a shop, a school, a pavilion and playing fields as well as a unique regatta on the River Ouse with races that start in Abbots and finish in Grey. Most of the social life of the parishes is shared in many joint clubs and societies: Gardeners Society; Hemlocs local history society, bowls, tennis, football, cricket, and squash clubs. All road communications are south of the river. Both parishes have the current and future A14 roads running through them. The parishes have similar demographics and neither are designated for any substantial development in the current draft of the HDC local plan. There is only a single bridleway that links The Hemingfords to Houghton and that is often cut off by floods. We therefore conclude that The Hemingfords should form a single member ward that would form a close knit social and geographical unit of just the right number of electors in 2021.” • The issue of the exclusive rights of burial for plots OLD 490a and OLD 490b • Interment of Peter LEARY’s ashes in grave 259b 6.3 To consider any matter that is urgent because of risk or health and safety – none at the time of writing. Is the Council aware of any? 7. To receive reports and items from committees, working groups and members Planning Committee – minutes of the meetings are available on the Parish Council’s website. 7.1 A14 – to note the timetable and report from meeting (RW) Cllr Waters to report. Jade Pettit, Stakeholder Manager for the Integrated Delivery Team has written as follows: “I am contacting you as I will be your contact for the A14 project moving forward. As part of the Stakeholder team at the A14, I will be here to answer any queries, concerns or points of general interest relating to the A14 project works. As a team, we are aiming to pro-active in our approach to giving you information regarding works that might affect your area, so I will undoubtedly be in touch in the near future.” 7.2 Wyton New Town/Local Plan and the implication of district issues (RW) Letter from HDC attached. Cllr Waters to report. He writes: “I am suggesting that the subjects that the parishes need to raise with HDC at the proposed October meeting should include Wyton on the Hill transport link(s); the importance (or otherwise) of Neighbourhood Plans; the likely progress of the HDC Local Plan; and the impact on all of these of the proposed new Mayor of CamPESoPH (Cambridgeshire, the isle of Ely, Soke of Peterborough, and Huntingdonshire).” 7.3 Proposal that the Council numbers the water troughs at the allotments (SH) Cllr Herring to report. 7.4 Proposal that the Council considers the Braggs lane bus shelter which has been boarded up by persons unknown following ASB (SH) Cllr Herring to report. 7.5 Village Grass Cutting by other Local Authorities eg Highway verges, etc (DD) The Chairman to report. 7.6 Proposal that Eastern Tree Services be contracted to cut back overhanging vegetation on gardens backing the allotments at Sadlers Way (JB) Cllr Brasnell to report. 7.7 Proposal that the handyman be asked to clear area between the rear of gardens at Sadlers Way and the line of trees on the allotments, cut back the brambles and weeds between the trees, and to add this to his contract (JB) Cllr Brasnell writes: “Can the Handyman clear the 6” gap between the rear of gardens at Sadlers Way and the line of trees on the allotments, also cut back the brambles and weeds between the trees. Can this be put on his contract?” The Clerk spoke to the Handyman reported on 6/9/16 that this had been done. 7.8 Proposal for a skip to remove green waste from the cemetery and to consider a contract for this (JB) Cllr Brasnell writes: Can we have a skip at the Cemetery at the end of September to take away the green rubbish. This is usually done in February but missed this year. Should we have a contract for this? 7.9 Proposal that the Council considers if it should send a representative to the CCG AGM (RW) The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Team have extended an invitation to their Annual General Meeting (AGM) at 6pm on 13 September 2016 in the Roma/Forli Rooms, The Fleet, Fleet Way, Peterborough PE2 8DL. Does anyone wish to attend? 8. Correspondence 8.1 Cllr Ian Bates – London Road, St Ives 40 mph speed limit A resident of London Road has written to Cllr Bates as follows: I live at the above address, which is opposite the petrol filling station, on the main London Road which runs from the Fenstanton-Hemingfords roundabout towards the A14.