PARISH COUNCIL at NEWSLETTER May 2019 Editorial Village Diary for May If you want your event published here please contact the Firstly I would like to thank Gina for all Editors. her hard work editing and delivering the Newsletter for the past 2 ½ years. We wish her well in her move to Guilden Thurs 2nd May Birthday Lunch, 1st Tuesday Club (p10) Morden. Sat 4th May Abington Pigotts Spring Plant Fair (p12) Sun 5th May Cambridge Gliding Club Open Day (p6) The wonderful weather we had at Easter Tues 7th May ‘Macbeth’, St Mary’s Church GM (10) th certainly brought out the blossom. Sat 11 May LITTERPICK – Zones 2-6 (p7) It has been interesting watching the th Sat 11 May Bowls Club Quiz (p11 & 14) leaves and blossoms inching their way th out, not quite believing the weather. Fri 14 May General James Doolittle, Illustrated history, Quite a few plants have been caught out SM Village Hall (12) with the early morning frosts but Sat 18th May Bowls Club Bingo (p11) hopefully no great harm done. th Sun 19 May Home start Aquathon (p5) th Steeple Morden are in need of a few Sun 19 May Flanders & Swann Afternoon Tea, SM Village Hall volunteers, another editor for the (p10) Newsletter, a jobbing builder, and speedwatch helpers. None are particularly arduous jobs we just need a Forthcoming Events bit of your time. Sun 2nd June Coach Trip to Capel Manor, & Heavy Horse Show, The May diary looks interesting, with a 1st Thursday Club, (p12) Birthday Lunch, Spring Plant Fair, the Shakespearian play Macbeth, a talk by Thurs 13th June SM Village Hall, AGM (p14) General James Doolittle’s daughter, th Sun 7 July First Ever Steeple Morden Literary Festival (p11) Bowls Club Bingo and Quiz Nights, and afternoon tea with Flanders & Swann. Most of the events are in the Village so easy to get to. Desma Editors:f Desma Goddard: 38 Hay Street, Steeple Morden, Telephone 01763 852287 Email: [email protected] 1 Steeple Morden Parish Council List of Councillors as at May 2018 CLLR J CLAYTON (Chair) 5 Brook End, Steeple Morden 01763 852203 Lead theft from churches and what you can CLLR S WHEATLEY (Vice Chair) do to help prevent it here 95 Hay Street, Steeple Morden 01763 853826 There have been a number of serious lead thefts CLLR G BELSON (Vice Chair) from churches local to us recently. Your help in Ringdale, 2 North Brook Road, keeping a watchful eye for suspicious activity is much Steeple Morden appreciated. Please note vehicle numbers and alert 01763 852475 the police if you see anything suspicious. Thieves CLLR A DREW often remove a small amount of metal at a time, 76 Station Road, Steeple Morden making repeat visits to clear the site. Alerting police 01763 853390 may help them identify and catch criminals. CLLR J COURTNEY Please call the police if you see vans or workmen 106 Station Rd, Odsey around the building outside normal working hours. Please be extra watchful when works are going on, CLLR C UPCHURCH as buildings are attractive to thieves if there are Greenway Farm, Litlington Road, SM workers or scaffolding on site. 01763 852193 Many thanks. Rev’d Shamus Williams. CLLR K AUSTIN Bogs Gap Lane, Steeple Morden 01763 852023 Home security Advice Recent Police reports received have highlighted a slight CLLR W JEFFS increase in outbuilding and shed being broken into in rural 42 Station Rd, Steeple Morden areas around Bassingbourn Village. 07951628008 The Neighbourhood Policing Team would like to take this opportunity to offer some security advice to assist residents in CLLR S TRAVERSE-HEALY keeping their personal items safe and secure were possible; 46 Station Rd, Steeple Morden Garages and shed are often full of expensive tools, which are 01763 853843 ideal for breaking into your homes. Never leave any outbuildings unlocked, especially if it is a DISTRICT CLLR MRS H. WILLIAMS connecting door to the home, whereby a burglar can get in and 07885 774775 not be seen. COUNTY CLLR MR S. KINDERSLEY Fit additional strong locks/ padlocks and make sure doors are 01767 651982 strong enough not to be kicked in. ensure any ladders are locked away and not left lying around or down the side of the main home. Ensure brackets are internal and not exposed bolts or screws that can easily be undone. Consider use of a steel the WI box fitted to the floor of to secure larger tools. Side gates and excess points are locked and secured. inspiring women Boundaries of your property have strong fences or plant some thorny hedges to the front, (but don’t let them grow too high THE MORDENS WI 1-1.5mtr in height) so passers-by can see the front of your home but not inside your property. Alarms are useful and more residents seem to be installing these alongside CCTV cameras, most new ones can be viewed Most Meetings are held on the 3rd on your mobile devices. Thursday in each month at Guilden Some other links to security measures can be found on the Morden Village Hall following; www.Immobilise.com / www.creproducts.co.uk / www.smartwater.com / President: Diana Coleman 852124. www.crimereduction.gov.uk/publicity_catalogue Plus look at your local Neighbourhood watch schemes which you can find through your local parish council or on line at www.neighbourhoodwatch.uk.com 2Stay safe and keep you items secure Regards South Cambs safer Neighbourhood Policing Team NEWS FROM YOUR PARISH COUNCIL The Full PC meets on the second Monday in the in the Cricket Pavilion (Village Hall in winter) at 7.30pm. The meeting is listed every month in the Village Post Office window, on the Notice Board at the Recreation Ground, and in Odsey near the station. A copy of the full minutes from the Council Meetings may be obtained by contacting the Parish Clerk, Sally Walmesley, Redwood Lodge, South Street, Litlington, Royston SG8 0QR. Telephone 01763 852137 or e-mail [email protected]. Minutes can also be viewed on the Steeple Morden Village Website www.steeplemorden.org and the Village Post Office. Discussion on agenda items from Parish Council Meeting on Monday 8th April County Councillor Mr S Kindersley – Reported that potholes in Hay Street and Station Road were in the process of being mended. No progress had been made in providing land for the Odsey Station Car Park. The South Cambs local plan had earmarked two potential building plots at Sundale Farm. Three Family Clinics have been set up in Cambridgeshire, dealing with children’s health and vulnerable families. The County Council were mindful of the patchy mobile performance in rural areas and were looking into ways of combating the problem. Hertfordshire Transport have not approved any alterations to the Odsey junction. District Cllr Heather Williams –Reported that grants are available to communities from the Community Chest. The S. Cambs Planning Department was being restructured as they are inundated with planning applications. The planning application for the Orchard had been much amended and was continuing through the planning department. Finances – The Financial statement was approved. An appointment was made for an Internal Auditor. Wagon & Horses Public House – further information was required to complete the nomination of ACV. Agenda of AGM on May 9th – was confirmed. Recreation Ground and Conservation Area -The Leylandii which is in need of cutting has been delayed until the Autumn. The Parish Council are in need of the services of a ‘Jobbing Builder’ for occasional cement work, fence mending etc. Litter Pick – the 2019 Litter Pick is now underway (p 9 – May Newsletter). Ten bags of rubbish were collected from The Green/Litlington Road/Brook End/Russell Close/and Jubilee Way. Speeding Traffic – The first MVAS unit is in place in Station Road. In three weeks over 11,000 vehicles have passed by. There seems to have been some improvement in slowing down the traffic although on March 29th a vehicle passed at 80mph. Councillor Keith Austin would like to resurrect the Speedwatch Team in addition to the MVAS unit, to be used where there is consistent offending. Any volunteers? The next committee meeting will be May 9th at 7.30pm. Planning Applications Planning Ref S/0719/19OL Land adj. 120 Hay Street - Outline planning permission for proposed erection of 8 residential dwellings (4 affordable), including demolition of outbuilding with all matters reserved except for access. Objection - Outside village envelope – more information needed concerning affordable dwellings. 3 Planning Ref S/0900/19/PA Land south of 76 Station Road – prior approval got a proposed change of use of agricultural building to one dwelling (class 3) and associated operational development. Objection – unclear that it meets required criteria. Planning Ref S/0899/19/PA Land rear of 76/74 Station Road – prior approval for a proposed change of use of agricultural building to one dwelling (Class 3) and associated operational development. Objection – unclear that it meets required criteria. Planning Ref S/0304/19/FL (Amended Plans) 1 Ashwell Road – two storey front, rear and side extension and single storey rear extensions. Raised roof to existing rear single storey utility and bathroom wing. Approved. Jobbing Builder Required The Parish Council are looking for a ‘Jobbing’ Builder to help with small jobs around the Parish. Cementing, Joinery, Painting, putting up Notices etc. Apply to Mrs Sally Walmesley, 01763 852137 [email protected] Speedwatch Our MVAS is up and running in Station Road. The Parish Council would like to reform the Speedwatch Team, to man the Speedwatch Camera, to run in tandem with the MVAS equipment. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact, Mrs Sally Walmesley, 01763 852137 [email protected] 4 Calling all swimmers for the Home-Start and South Cambridgeshire Aquathon This year Home-Start Royston and South Cambridgeshire are trying to make their annual Aquathon the biggest one yet and are calling on local clubs and organisations to help them make an ever bigger splash this year.