Minutes of the Great Staughton Parish Council Annual General Meeting
held on 25 May 2023 – 7.30pm
Present:
R Jewell (BJ) H Hopperton (HH) G Brittain (GB)
N Yates (NY) W Mumford (WM). H Glanville (HG)
David Moore (DM). J Duberly (JD)
Ian Gardener (IG)
J Russel – Clerk
1. Apologies for absence – L Goody (LG) Stephen Cawley (SC)
2. Election of Chair, Vice Chair and RFO –
Chair – NY nominated BJ and HG seconded
Vice Chair – BJ nominated NY and WM seconded
RFO – JR
3. Declarations of Interest – JD declared an issue in item 19 on the agenda – Call for Sites discussion
4. Resident’s Forum – no one attended
5. Election of Officers – Playing Field - NY, GB, WM, HH, BJ
Village Hall – HH, HG, LG
Highways – DM
Parish Charities – WM, JD, LG
Footpaths – HG
Life Magazine - NY
Speedwatch - DM
6. Reports from District and County Councillors
IG:
Five Acres – the legal team at CCC have reviewed the barrister’s document and their view remains that the use permitted has not changed so the original planning permission stands. In 2001 the original use was for a scrapyard. HH mentioned that during Covid the owners increased the size of a building without permission and installed CCTV and a weighbridge. IG will raise with CCC. HH will forward her emails to IG.
Ting Bus roadshow is on 2 June - outside school in Great Staughton.
LHI bids will be decided mid-June hopefully.
Still no response regarding Footpath 40 and IG will chase the footpath officer once one is appointed. CCC are now altering the remit of the Highways Officer to do this work but they will require training first. So, there is likely to be further delay.
The new scheme to apply for 20mph speed limits is due to be decided in June.
SC: emailed report as unable to attend tonight:
Alternative Land Management – HDC want to keep 25% of its grass verges uncut. The relevant piece of land in GS need to be identified and the clerk will email Emma Stannard. We only have a site number.
7. Minutes of the meeting held on 23 March 2023 – approved.
8. Matters arising:
Blocked footpath (40) near 5 Acres Salvage yard – as above
Replacement of parish streetlights - this is not yet complete. The old poles have not been removed. We have received an invoice for the work but this is not to be paid until all work is complete. Clerk will raise with Balfour Beatty.
Trees The Highway and Green Lane – CCC and HDC have been emailed again asking them to deal with this issue. They will be looked at in due course.
Holiday activates for children - we are arranging some dates with HWPC. Matter ongoing.
9. Attendance at other meetings – nothing to report.
10. Highways
Current LHI bid 23/24 – bid now submitted. Results mid-June.
Blocked drains – DM said that the corner of The Causeway/The Highway opposite the school was causing flooding. We will write to CCC and ask them to ensure that they are looked at on a regular basis so they do not flood.
Blocked highway in Perry – see above re footpath officer
Footpath from Dillington to The Green - BJ has received some costings. An unbound path which is 1 metre wide would cost in the region of £35-40K. A path 1.5m wide would cost £55-60K. We need to know what an unbound path would look like so we will make further enquiries.
20mph speed limit – results in June.
Speed Sign data – the data substantiates the claim that there is a speeding problem in the village. DM will continue to monitor the data. Clerk will ask CCC if they are responsible for average speed cameras as there is some confusion about this. Also raise with the P & CC to see if police are responsible.
Pavements in Manor Close – HG said that these had been repaired badly. NY has already reported this to Anglian Water. If would be very helpful if local residents can also report this and are encouraged to do so via Anglian Water’s website.
11. Planning
Staughton Moor planning enforcement – see above.
21/01016/FUL – Little America, Moor Road – 8 business
Wyboston Garden Village/developments in Beds near A1 – ongoing.
Appeal Against Enforcement Notice 21/00092/ENUCO – 11 Little America Industrial Estate
22/00807/CLED Lawful Development Certificate B2 for Car repair
Appeal Consultation 22/00730/HHFUL and 22/00725/LBC – 1 The Green – single storey flat roof extension to rear
12. AGAR 2022/23 – form approved by GSPC and signed by Chairman and Clerk/RFO
13. Cashbook – approved.
Current account £47,121.40
Business account £21691.93
Expenditure: £
14. Correspondence - none
15. Affordable housing update – property number 7 has had a very substantial water leak. The residents have had to move out as the property is uninhabitable at present and needs to be fully dried out. Regarding the occupation of the properties the locality issue has been fully met. HG expressed on behalf of the Parish Council thanks to BJ for all of his hard work on this scheme.
16. Three Villages Sustainable Heat Scheme update – no further report.
17. Reports from:
Village Hall Committee – HG reported the hall is very booked up and well used. £37k in the bank.
Playing Field Committee – the kitchen is due to be replaced during the summer. The committee has received a quote for the lights to be replaced. The Friendship Club has donated some funds to get the Lunch Club up and running. The pavilion will also be repainted and a quote has been received from Wicksteed for new play equipment.
Speed Watch – no report.
18. Parish Matters - HG – Birch tree outside the pub is in need of a trim. PY will look at this. BJ – the footpath from The Highway is overgrown. Clerk will write to the landowners. Also, we have received an email regarding Gigaclear not including GS in their plans to upgrade the network. Clerk will write to them to ask why. Truck in the village hall car park is still there – Clerk will now inform the police.
19. Neighbourhood Plan – - JD left the meeting at 21.15.
Site Assessment consideration by Great Staughton Parish Council
The 5 potentially suitable sites were considered by the Parish Council.
After a significant discussion and taking into account the results of the poll at the Parish Assembly 2 sites were considered more appropriate than others for the following reasons.
NP1 Brook Farm
This was considered the most suitable site and had the most support by some distance from the Parish Assembly. The Parish Council felt it had the best possibility of delivering a viable site with a new suitable NHS facility, affordable housing, and car parking. It was felt there was a potential gain in terms of removing unsightly warehouse type buildings and improving the conservation area. The site had access at the rear to open farmland which means that it has the opportunity to be developed in sympathetic way to its surroundings, it can accommodate potential requirements and deliver the need for an NHS facility.
It was also felt the site would have potentially good access to the B645 to accommodate the housing and NHS facility. Access from this site to local facilities the school, bus stop, playing field and shops is all easy.
NP4 The Green
This site was considered the most appropriate second site for development. It was not felt it had the capacity to deliver an NHS facility but did have suitable the capacity to deliver affordable housing. Its location lends itself to complimenting the current village area and is included in the NP village envelope. The site has good access to all village facilities but the increased pedestrian traffic should be reflected in improvements to B645 road crossings. Access on to the B661 would need to be well designed, but it was not seen as a major issue.
NP5 Cage Lane
This site although complimenting existing development had more difficult issues with access. Cage Lane is a narrow road with a narrow access on to the B645. It has current parking issues as some houses do not have driveways which limits width even more. There are few options for widening as houses are close to the road at various points. Additional traffic along this road from an additional potential 12 properties would add significant issues.
NP7 North side of The Green
This site has potential reasonable access to the B661. By being on the North side of The Green it was felt less desirable as residents would have to cross the B661 to reach the footpath. It also was felt less desirable to develop on this side of the B661 in terms of continuity of the village envelope.
NP 8 The Green
This site seems too small to make any significant development possible. It also is separated from the rest of the village
Meeting dates for 2023 - 6 July, 14 September, 9 November.
Meeting closed at 21.51
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