PARISH COUNCIL MEETING
held on Tuesday
16th January 2024
in the Village Hall, High St.
Present: Councillors; G Kirt (Chairman), H. Aylesbury, D. Batty, C Bysshe, S Jackson, D Lane, L. Rossouw, R. Randall, A Staines & the Clerk, Mr J Haste. Six members of the public were also present.
MINUTES OF MEETING
880. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE –Cllr. R. Joshi-Boparai sent apologies because of a family commitment. Cllr Singh absence noted
881. MEMBERS DECLARATION OF INTERESTS – Cllr. Kirt recorded an interest in the planning item for 14 Rectory lane as a near neighbour.
882. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION –
a Residents present were vociferous in their complaints about the care home established at 14 Rectory Lane and urged the parish council to object in the strongest possible terms and also considered that the planning authority should not have permitted the situation to have gone on for so long. Parish council were made aware that Kisimul employ the same tactics elsewhere in the country and use planning loopholes to establish their care homes and have before lost their planning appeals.
b Cllr. Kirt asked parish council to consider possible signage of local landmarks for a possible future agenda item,
883. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS – We unanimously RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 19th December, 2023.
Proposed Cllr. Staines Seconded Cllr. D Lane
884. MATTERS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MINUTES (information only) – None.
885. PLANNING
a Status of current planning applications – The Clerk reported that the only change from the previous report is that the applications for consideration at this meeting had been added to the schedule.
b Planning Applications –
i. 23/01712/FUL – 14 Rectory Lane – Change of Use from (C3) to residential Care Home (C2) retrospective. The Chairman agreed to draft a response, to be circulated and agreed by councillors, based on the parish council previous objections and the views expressed by residents. The Clerk to submit the response to the planning authority.
ii. 24/0008/CTR – 24 Lincoln Road – Pollard Willow tree in side/rear garden – No objections.
c Peterborough Local Plan Review – This matter was delegated to the chairman, Clerk and Neighbourhood Planning group at the previous meeting – The chairman reported the submission, made to the planning authority, on the consultation of sites in the parish.
d Neighbourhood Plan (NP) – The Chairman reported that the NP working group had finalised a revised questionnaire seeking residents’ views. Cllr. Staines developed the appropriate artwork and this had received praised by councillors as a professional finish. The printed version is available and would be distributed to all households, businesses and landowners in the parish for consultation.
886. COMMUNITY MATTERS
a) Events – GlintonFest24 incorporating D-Day 80 Commemoration – Arrangements for the event were proceeding well with various councillors taking responsibility for different aspects of the celebrations.
b) Ashburn Close Play Area – The Clerk reported that he had sent an email to the contact in Taylor Wimpey to seek transfer of title direct to the parish council. We agreed to consider our next steps at the February parish council meeting depending on any response from Taylor Wimpey.
c) Playing Field – Strimmer protection – Cllr. Randall informed the meeting that the required material is still currently out of stock and that he will continue to monitor the supplier’s website.
d) Climate Change – The chairman reported that Sally Jackson of Peakirk had suggested it may be worth coordinating certain aspects of the two groups activities. Judy Staines volunteered to investigate further.
e) Rural Policing – The Clerk reported the difficulties of synchronising Police shifts to availability of the Village Hall but will continue to liaise with the police officers
f) Biodiversity issues – Cllr. Staines reported progress in that the signage is now in production by Anglian Water.
g) Village Hall working party – We considered the report from Peter Smith associates and are of the opinion that we need an indication of the possible extent of potential works and an outline budget figure of the overall costs and energy savings before proceeding. We accept the fee of £500 to produce accurately measured drawings of the current village hall as it exists today
h) Kisimul – Cllr. Kirt reported that the inspector had dismissed the appeal by Kisimul and that they would now have to submit a retrospective planning application for change of use to a care home. Such an application will then come to the parish council as statutory consultees.
i) Community Engagement – Cllr. Jackson reported on the continued growth of both the parish council page and attributed that to the interest in the planning consultations on possible development sites and the retrospective planning application for 14 Rectory Lane.
j) Defibrillator Training – Cllr Randall reported that Community Heartbeat trust would be providing training on Defibrillators on 27th February at 6pm in the Village Hall. Training will last approximately two hours and he hoped that as many councillors as possible would attend as well as widely advertising the event.
887. REPORTS – Standing item –
a The chairman reported on attending the face 2 face briefing on the local plan designed for parish councillors. The officers making the presentation did not have satisfactory answers to many of the questions raised and referred to many issues being down to the decisions to be made by City Councillors when presented with a draft local plan.
b Cllr. Lane referred to the wish of the community association to get an online diary for the Village hall as the current system has not been updated and is inaccurate
888. GOVERNANCE MATTERS
a) Roll of Freedoms of the Parish – The Clerk reported delays caused by the manufacturers moving premises. We deferred further consideration of this matter to our February meeting by which time we should have received the Honours board.
b) Subscription Renewal – We noted that the subscription for Cambridgeshire ACRE was due for renewal at £65 and RESOLVED to renew the subscription for a further year.
Proposed Cllr. G Kirt Seconded Cllr. C Bysshe
889. OFFICIAL NOTICES AND CORRESPONDENCE –
a We received Official notification of the intention to plant a tree in the Ashburn Close Play area and were informed that it had already been planted.
b We received the consultative “Listening Letter” from the Primary School indicating a possibility of joining an Academy. Councillors had mixed views on that possibility and we agreed to consider the matter at our February Meeting.
890. HIGHWAYS & other issues within the village –
a Rebecca Pressland had been invited to attend to discuss parking issues but was not present. Clerk to invite for the February meeting
b Drainage system Capacity – The chairman outlined concerns and we asked the Clerk to write to Anglian Water setting out the issues as set out by Cllr. Kirt.
c Parish councillors’ observations:
• Recreation Ground Waste bin – Concrete base
• High Street Potholes becoming more numerous and deeper. Request an inspection
• Dirty traffic signage
• Request for Beware horses sign in North Fen Road at end of built area
• Bend sign near NISA shop needs repair
• Litter Bin by John Clare Stone bridge in North Fen Road.
891. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS –
a Primary School listening letter
b School Run” Parking issues – Rebecca Presland of Peterborough City Council invited to attend
c Signage – Plaques, information boards and Village Pump.
d Grant funding – recruiting a fund raiser
e New Village Sign – updates (as and when available)
I) Date of Next Meeting – The next scheduled meeting of the parish council is to be held on Tuesday 20th February 2024 at 7.15pm in the Village Hall
Cllr. Lane closed the meeting at 9.25pm,
Clerk/Proper Officer,
22nd January, 2024