Agenda Meeting 15 December 2009

1. Apologies

2. Minutes of previous meeting, 18th November 2009

3. Presentation by Miss Linda Brown SCDC Community Liaison Assistant

4. Matters Arising
     Village plan
     Footpaths, footpath map, costs

5. Cambridge University Development Madingley / Huntingdon Road.

6. Co-option to fill vacancy

7. Finance
     P Rounds grass cutting 258.75
     R.Scammell footpath posts 22.60

8. A14

9. Correspondence
     CCC1 Cambridgeshire Advisory Freight map
     Cambridgeshire Community Services – Keeping In Touch

9. Next Meeting 19 January 2010

Vacancy on the Parish Council

There is a vacancy on the Parish Council. Nominations should be sent to the Clerk to the Council, Mrs Volans, 1 Cottons Field, Dry Drayton, before 4 December, after which date the vacancy will be filled by co-option at the next Parish Council Meeting on 15 December 2009

Report on the November Meeting

 This Parish Council meeting followed the published agenda and the following topics were discussed or reviewed.

• Telephone. The Parish Council has asked BT to provide a public telephone facility in the Village and has emphasised the urgency attendant on this request. Action from BT is awaited.
• Village Plan. A copy of the Plan has now been circulated to every householder and a sub-committee, reporting to the Parish Council and incorporating members of all interested parties, including the Churches, is now formed. As noted in an earlier report, the Parish Council will be responsible for recording the activities of the sub-committee and reporting its activities to the Annual Parish Meeting. Representatives of this sub-committee will make a presentation to the Local Strategic Partnership on November 19th.
• Housing Needs Survey. Documents related to this survey, implemented by the Rural Housing Enabler, are now in circulation. All householders are requested to return the survey documents in due time.
• Footpaths. Clearances continue. This work, organised by the Countryside Access Group, will include various re-surfacing and repair work. Long Lane now has a traffic barrier. The footpath bridges and drainage systems have been surveyed and necessary remedial work is currently being carried out. A new footpath map is being prepared and copies will be displayed on the village notice boards.
• Green Group. The Parish Council has received a letter of thanks for the £100.00 grant.
• Vacancy. A public declaration of the Parish Council vacancy will be made within the next four weeks.
• A14, improvement schemes. The Parish Council monitors the works proposed and is concerned about the possible increase in traffic through the Village. A letter expressing this disquiet has been sent to the authorities/contractors.
• Cambridge University. Possible development between Madingley and Huntingdon Road. This is to be studied by the Parish Council and its comments will be forwarded to the S.C.D.C Planning Office
• Sustainable Parish Energy Partnership. The Parish Council received minutes of the last meeting. Copies can be obtained from Mr. Fane.
• Finance. Disbursements included £258.75 for grass cutting, £149.50 to Moore Stephens (auditor), £574.60 Clerk’s salary, £22.60 for for Footposts and £40.90 for Village Plan literature.

The Community is reminded that Parish Council agenda items should be sent to the Parish Clerk, in writing, at least 14 days prior to the Parish Council meeting and that village organisations are invited to forward short reports on their activities to Council meetings.

The following organisation may be of interest to some members of our community.

VILLAGE BENEFITS ADVICE SERVICE Every year large amounts of social security benefits are unclaimed because many people do not know what they are entitled to, or how to claim, and older people and those with disabilities face particular difficulties. The Village Benefits Advice Service helps people to claim their share of these benefits, by offering advice and assistance. Telephone number 01353 666990 VILLAGE BENEFITS ADVICE SERVICE PO BOX 257 ELY, CAMBRIDGESHIRE, CB7 9EA

 MICROSOFT Microsoft donations to charities. Working with the Charity Technology Trust through their Charity Technology Exchange Service, Microsoft is amongst a number of technology companies that makes software such as Microsoft Office available to the voluntary sector with supporting training. In this area the Papworth Trust and the Varrier –Jones Foundation have received software donations. If you would like to recommend or have more information about this programme, contact:- Paul Morris 0203 139 6279 e’mail paulmor@microsoft.com www.ctxchange.org/about ctx/partners/microsoft

Broadband Speeds in Dry Drayton

Andrew Lansley, our local Member of Parliament, has been informed that South Cambridgeshire does not benefit from fast Broadband which puts many businesses and other internet users at a significant disadvantage as many users have connection speeds which are below the Government’s recommended speed of 2MB. Andrew Lansley wishes to know the extent to which slow Broadband speeds affect people in this Parish.

Those affected should write to:-

Andrew Lansley, 153, St Neots Road, Hardwick, Cambridge, CB23 7QJ, Telephone 01954 212707 E’mail lansleya@parliament.uk

[Note from Webmaster. If you wish to test your broadband speed there is a free test here: http://www.speedtest.net/ Click on the button marked 'Begin Test'. This is a site which also has products for sale, but the speed test is instant and free - post your speeds here as comments to this post]

Agenda for meeting Tuesday 17 Nov 8pm

1. Apologies

2. Minutes of the last meeting

3. Matters Arising

• Housing Needs Survey
• Village Plan
• Repairs to tel kiosk Church Green
• Clearance of footpaths

4. Councillors’ training sessions

5. Grass cutting

6. Finance

• Rounds – grass cutting 258.75
• Moore Stephens accountants audit 149.50
• Clerk’s salary and expenses 574.60
• Dr N Irish cost of village plan letter 40.90

7. Planning – Mr Bienias, Pettitts Lane, conservatory

8. Correspondence

• Andrew Lansley MP issue of broadband speed
• Thank you letter from green group for donation
• BT invite to adopt your red telephone kiosk

9. Next Meeting 15/12 at 8pm

Dry Drayton Parish Council – Report on the October meeting

 The Community is reminded that Parish Council agenda items should be sent to the Parish Clerk, in writing, at least 14 days prior to the Parish Council meeting and that village organisations are invited to forward short reports on their activities to Council meetings.

A 14: We have had the official notification from the Highways Agency of their plans. They intend to block off access to the main road at the end of Oakington Road BUT there are no plans to stop any form of traffic from going along the road through the village from A 428 to A14 and vice versa. Likewise, any traffic going to and from the proposed new settlement at Northstowe will be able to pass through Dry Drayton in increasing numbers. The Parish Council has to reply by January. We plan to object formally along with other Parish Councils and there will almost certainly be a Public Inquiry just like there was for the A428. If anyone would like to help the Parish Council with this please let me know.

Blocked Footpaths and Pavements: We have had a number of complaints of trees and shrubs overhanging foot paths and pavements sometimes forcing pedestrians on to the roads and potentially causing injury. Could landowners please ensure that this does not happen? Any landowner whose property adjoins a footpath or pavement has a legal responsibility not to cause an obstruction and must clear such obstructions when requested. Thank you for your help in keeping our paths passable and safe.

Nick Irish Chairman

Housing Needs Survey The Parish Council has had a further meeting with Catherine Shilton, the Rural Housing Enabler, and the Dry Drayton Housing Needs Survey will be initiated in early November. The survey will commence with the delivery, to every household, of a questionnaire exploring all aspects of housing need and recipients are urged to respond by the due date. This survey is very important and provides an opportunity to inform the authorities of village opinions on local housing.

Agenda for Next Meeting, 8pm 20 October 2009

The next meeting of the Dry Drayton Parish Council will take place in the Village Hall, commencing at 8pm on Tuesday 20th October 2009

The meeting will be preceded at 7.30pm by a meeting of the Village Plan Sub Committee

1. Apologies

2. Minutes of the last meeting 14 September 2009

3. Report of the Sub Committee

4. Matters Arising from the minutes

5. Housing Needs Survey

6. The Village Plan

7. Repair to telephone kiosk, Church Green

8. Clearance of Footpaths

9. Councillors’ training sessions

10. Finance
        P.Rounds grass cutting 258.75
        Moore Stephens external auditors 149.50
        Clerk’s salary and expenses 574.60

11. Correspondence
        Andrew Lansley letter regarding issue of broadband speed
        Thank-you letter from the Green Group for donation
        BT – invitation to adopt your local red telephone kiosk

12. Next meeting Tuesday 17 November 2009

Housing Needs Survey

The Parish Council has had a further meeting with Catherine Shilton, the Rural Housing Enabler, and the Dry Drayton Housing Needs Survey will be initiated in early November. The survey will commence with the delivery, to every household, of a questionnaire exploring all aspects of housing need and recipients are urged to respond by the due date. This survey is very important and provides an opportunity to inform the authorities of village opinions on local housing.

Report on the September 2009 meeting

This Parish Council meeting followed the published agenda and the following topics were discussed or reviewed.

Telephone. The B.T. box on Church Green has been removed. The Parish Council has requested B.T. to install a replacement as a matter of urgency.

Public House. The ‘Black Horse’ re-opened in late August.

Village Plan. The Parish Council Chairman has met with members of the steering group to discuss publication and implementation of the Plan and has consulted all members of the Parish Council. A sub-committee, reporting to the Parish Council, incorporating members of all interested parties, including the Churches, is to be formed and the Parish Council will be responsible for recording the activities of the sub-committee and reporting its activities to the Annual Parish Meeting. Representatives of this ‘Village Plan Implementation Sub-Committee’ will liaise with ACRE and make a Presentation to the Local Strategic Partnership in November. The Village Plan is available on paper and on the Village web site.

Housing Needs Survey. A survey, implemented by the Rural Housing Enabler is to proceed during the Autumn months. Parish Council members will discuss details and local implementation with the Enabler, prior to the actual survey.

Finance. Disbursements included £258.75 for grass cutting, £40.81 Allotment Water Rate and £10.00 for ‘bus shelter glasswork cleaning.

Footpaths. Some clearance has been carried out in Butcher’s Lane. This work, organised by the Countryside Access Group, presages various re-surfacing and repair work envisaged for the current year on other footpaths, including Long Lane. The footpath bridges and drainage systems have been surveyed for damage and remedial work will be carried out.

Green Group. A conditional grant of £100.00 was made.

Vacancy. M. Johnston has retired from the Parish Council. A public declaration of vacancy will be made.

Tree Warden. T. Stephenson agreed to act in this capacity.

Future Agenda Items. The Community is reminded that Parish Council agenda items should be sent to the Parish Clerk, in writing, at least 14 days prior to the Parish Council meeting and that village organisations are invited to forward short reports on their activities to Council meetings.

Agenda for September Meeting

The next Parish Council Meeting will take place in the Village Hall at 8.00pm on Tuesday 15 September

1. Apologies

2. Minutes of last meeting 20 July 2009

3. Matters Arising

• Housing Needs Survey and Village Plan
• Report on Telephone Kiosk Church Green
• Footpaths and clearing of Long Lane

4. Resignation Mrs S Johnston

5. Finance

Bills paid

• Allotment water rate 4.81
• P Rounds grass cutting 258.75
• Over Cleaning Services cleaning bus stop Oakington Road
• Grant to Green Group

6. Correspondence

CCC Emergency Planning Awareness Seminar

SCDC Recycling bin for collection of textiles

• Microsoft software donations for charities
• SCDC CIEH Level 3 Award for health and safety in the workshop
• SCDC Gypsy and Traveller County Strategy
• SCDC Tree Wardens

7. Next Meeting 20 October 2009