Annual Parish Meeting 2003

Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting held in Elsworth C of E School 21st May 2003

Present: I Maddison (IM) (Chairman of the Parish Council), in the chair. Parish Councillors; Mrs A Howell (AH), Messrs. A Farrow (AF) R Grange (RG), D Holland (DH), I McGregor (IMc), A Taylor (AT), M Taylor (MT) and J Witherow (JW). In attendance; Mrs E Sim (ES)(Clerk), District Councillor Mrs B Waters (BW) County Councillor Mrs Shona Johnstone (SJ), 35 Parishioners

Apologies: Rev. Jeremy Pemberton,

INTRODUCTION

Mr Maddison welcomed all members of the parish. He introduced the parish councillors and welcomed the new members. IM proposed a vote of thanks to AF for his ten years of Chairmanship of the Parish Council.

MINUTES OF ANNUAL PARISH MEETING 2002

Minutes of the meeting had been available for the parishioners to view from 7pm. IM summarised them and they were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman. (Prop AT, Sec RG).

MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES.

Traffic Calming. This was an agenda item for this meeting.

PARISH COUNCIL REPORTS

CHAIRMAN'S REPORT

IM outlined the work of the council over the past year with regard to the following particular issues:

Brook /Flood alleviation. IM reported on the comprehensive action taken over the brook by the Parish, District and County Councils and the Environment Agency including the possible installation of a weedscreen and modifications to the sluice, de-silting work, quotations from engineers for survey work. The Parish Council had requested funding assistance from various bodies to help with the substantial costs that would be involved. There was much discussion of the problems facing the village from flooding. A report on what had been done to date was requested in order for parishioners to present some account to their insurance companies.

Traffic Calming. Government money was available to install calming in villages that would suffer from rat running whilst the A 14 was upgraded. Elsworth would benefit from this and the PC was meeting David Brace the County Council's Traffic Engineer and an engineer from Atkins to progress plans. The first plan would be presented to the village in July.

Fardell's Lane. Progress over the land ws being made. A habitat survey was to be undertaken that month and the matter of transfer of ownership to the Parish council taken to District Council members by officers who were assisting the Parish Council in its endeavours. Meetings would be held to establish the context of the transfer and the contract.

The Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations had been very successful and provided an opportunity for villagers to get together.

The Youth Club continued to go from strength to strength and would be divided into two sessions for the younger and older children.

The Village web site had been set up and was proving very popular.

There had been a spate of vandalism in the village but the Community Beat Manager had successfully dealt this with.

The new sports pavilion had had its official opening.

IM reminded parishioners that full details of the PC activities were contained in the minutes of the bi-monthly Parish Council meetings.

ACCOUNTS

The Clerk circulated copies of the unaudited accounts for the year ended 31st March 2003, a copy of which is appended to these minutes. IM and the Clerk responded to individual questions from the floor.

REPORTS FROM REPRESENTATIVES

Elsworth C of E Primary School

Mr Howell Chair of the Governors presented a very encouraging report. He dealt with the school numbers, the accommodation problems for classes and proposals for a new classroom, SATS results, New toilet facilities, the school's effort to achieve the status of a "health promoting school", exchange visits for overseas teachers and the fundraising activities of ESFA, including the summer Indian Ball.

The Samuel Franklin Fund Elsworth

Mr John Sterland presented the report a copy of which is attached to these minutes.

Holy Trinity Church

Mrs Bridgwater reported on the success of events organised by the church for fund raising during the year and the arrangements for services under the team Ministry. A regular newsletter would inform parishioners of the arrangements and report on the bid for restoration funding being prepared for English Heritage. Mrs Bridgwater thanked all those who helped with the services and cleaning and maintaining the church and church grounds. The PCC was enormously grateful to the Rev W Awdrey's children who had made substantial donations to the church and had enabled the PCC to start the preservation programme. The PCC was also extremely grateful to Michael Davison and to the Parish Council for the maintenance of the old and new churchyards.

Cambridgeshire County Council.

Councillor Shona Johnstone reported on issues including the council tax, the area cost adjustment, transport and development in the county, the proposed rapid transport system and the County's proposal for improvement of the A14 due to commence in 2008.

South Cambridgeshire District Council

The issue of SCDC's implementation of the Wheelie bin collection system dominated district Councillor Mrs Bunty Waters report. Cllr Waters explained the District's rationale for the scheme and took questions and comments from the floor. Several parishioners, citing a lack of consultation of parishioners' views, raised objections to the manner of the implementation of the scheme by the District.

Community Beat Officer

PC Kevin Misik had sent a report which the Clerk read to the meeting and which is appended to these minutes.

It was noted with regret that there was no governor available from the village to present a report from Swavesey Village College.

QUESTION TIME

A Parishioner raised the following issue.

The Post boxes. The tags on the boxes, notifying the time of collection, had been changed and no details of exact times of collections were given. Collections were, in some instances, being made earlier than the time stated for last collection.

The Parish Council undertook to take this matter on board.

The meeting closed at 9.25pm and was followed by an informal social chat with refreshments.