Great Gransden is a parish in Cambridgeshire, in the Huntingdonshire District. This web site includes information about the Parish Council, the village facilities it manages, the date and agenda for the next meetings, the minutes of previous meetings and the policies under which it operates - please see the links below, in the menu bar above, and in the sidebar on the left. (Note: the sidebar might be hidden if you are viewing this device on a mobile device.)
Great Gransden has 9 Parish Councillors
- Andrew Pett, Giles Scott, Jeff Gorton, Nick Ginn, Michael Capps,
Nigel Day and Peter King, who were returned following an uncontested
election in 2018; James Catmur, who was co-opted later that year; and Lisbeth Ricciardi, who was co-opted in 2019.
Your Parish Council always welcomes your questions, comments and suggestions. See our contact page for info on how to get in touch.
The Parish Council takes care to safeguard the privacy of personal data supplied to us, in whatever form. A copy of our current privacy notice can be viewed on our privacy page. Apart from formatting changes (to improve accessibility) and a change to the contact details in December 2019, the current version was last edited in May 2018, to ensure conformance with the newly-introduced GDPR legislation.
In order to improve accessibility, the site appearance was changed in December 2019, and several pages revamped. A new Accessibility Policy is being developed, and will be announced here when it has been adopted by the Parish Council.
Parish Council meetings
Meetings are normally held in the Reading Rooms. However, to comply with the rules on social distancing - and to allow those who are self-isolating to participate - we are now holding our meetings online. (Previously, meeting had to be held in person, but new Government regulations now permit online meetings.) We are using Zoom (https://zoom.us/), which allows the Councillors and the Parish Clerk to be online together, and also allows interested parties to watch and listen in. During open forum sessions, members of the public will be able to participate: signal your intention to speak, and you will be asked for your input. Apart from the Open Forum, please keep yourself on mute. If you are unable to join us via Zoom but want to contribute to the open forum, please email your comments to the Parish Clerk in advance of the
meeting. (We recommend you sign up with Zoom and experiment before attending your first Parish Council meeting online. You can join a test meeting by visiting https://zoom.us/test.) Join us on Zoom using the meeting ID 313 378 5045 and passcode 941083. Alternatively, depending on your browser and its settings, you may be able to use this link to join the extra October meeting. The agenda for a PC meeting is published at least 3 clear days in advance; here is the one for the extra October 2020 meeting. For the regular monthly meetings, the clerk's report is also available to view before the meeting. Meetings are normally the 1st Monday of each month (unless that is a bank holiday, in which case the meeting is on the 2nd Monday); extra meetings are sometimes held to allow the parish Council to discuss an urgent matter, such as a planning application where we have to give our input before our next scheduled meeting.
Gransden 2020 VisionGreat Gransden is in the process of establishing a Neighbourhood Development Plan, which is an opportunity for the community to have more say in the way the village develops over the next year. The Parish Council has delegated authority to a Steering Group to oversee this work, and there is a separate website giving information about progress, and details of steering group and other meetings - see 2020vision.gransdens.org/
What follows is a number of posts containing information that might be of interests to parishioners, along with announcements by the Parish Council. If there are a lot of posts, they may continue onto other pages, with a link to them at the bottom of this page. Old posts will be moved to the old posts archive before being eventually deleted - though if they are very temporary notices, for example about road closures, they may be just deleted once they are no longer of relevance.
(Some posts may contain links to other sites, but the Parish Council has no control over the contents of the referenced sites, nor their privacy and accessibility policies; please exercise reasonable caution when visiting them. Indeed, the owners of those sites may make changes that invalidate the links we have supplied, so please let us know of any problems! Likewise, any attachments to or images or quoted texts (indicated by colour and indentation) within the posts are as supplied to us and are provided here for your convenience, but the Parish Council cannot speak for the accuracy and accessibility of this information.)
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October 2020 - extra PC meeting
An extra PC meeting has been called this month, primarily to discuss the appointment of a new caretaker for the Reading Room; it will be held online via Zoom, on Friday the 16th at 7:30pm. Due to the nature of the business, that item of the agenda will be closed to the public. The full agenda follows, but is also available in PDF format. 1. Silent Prayer. 2. Apologies for absence. 3. Declarations of Interest. (a) Councillors to declare any disclosable pecuniary interest in any items on the agenda; (b) Councillors to declare any other interest in any items on the agenda. 4. Open Forum for 15 minutes to enable members of the public to bring any matter to the attention of the Parish Council. 5. Approval of a solid entrance from playing field to the School Gates. ‘Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 (2) A body may, by resolution, exclude the public from a meeting (whether during the whole or part of the proceedings) whenever publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest by reason of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted or for other special reasons stated in resolution and arising from the nature of that business or of the proceedings; and where such a resolution is passed, this Act shall not require the meeting to be open to the public during proceedings to which the resolution applies.’
6. Recruitment of new Reading Room Caretaker – Panel Recommendation In line with the legislation above, this item will be closed to the public.7. Next Meeting Monday 2nd November 2020
at 7:30pm. |
PC meeting, October 2020
A meeting of the Parish Council was held on Monday 5th October 2020 via remote conferencing on Zoom, with Andrew Pett in the chair. Minutes of the meeting can be downloaded using this link. (Minutes are to be considered draft until approved at a subsequent meeting.) (a) Councillors to declare any disclosable pecuniary interest in
any items on the agenda;Please Note: Due to restrictions currently in place around COVID-19, there will be no physical meeting. Those who wish to comment on any item on the agenda are invited to join the Parish Council via ‘Zoom’. Councillors will not be making decisions about items not on the agenda. Any personal information given will be dealt with in line with the Parish Council's General Privacy Notice, full details of which can be found on the website. A copy of the agenda in PDF format follows, but can also be downloaded using this link, and a PDF version of the clerk's report. is also available. 1. Silent Prayer.
2. Apologies for absence.3. Declarations of Interest.(b) Councillors to declare any other interest in any items on the agenda. 4. Minutes.Consideration of the minutes of the meeting on 7th September 2020. 5. Open Forum for 15 minutes to enable members of the public to bring any matters to the attention of the Parish Council.6. Matters Arising.1.
Reading Room Caretaker – Update. 2. Bluebell-19 Coronavirus Support Group – Update from Councillor Catmur. 3. Reading Room Car Park Update – Update from Councillor Capps. 4. Neighbourhood Plan – report and update from Councillor Pett. 5. GRSA Committee – Update from Councillor Ginn. 6. Middle St – consideration of traffic survey results from Cambs County Council. 7. Approval of Cemetery Tree Works.8. Replacement Windows and Doors – 18 Fox Street. Update.9. Local Highways Improvement Bid 2021/22.10. Clerk’s Financial Statement. For September 2020 and Budget Review.11. Cheques for Approval.12. Highways. Any repairs or maintenance needed.13. Correspondence.1. Skate Park. 2. Sand Road. 3. Suspected Box Blight at Garden of Remembrance. 4. Elm Trees – Church Street. 5. Proposed TTRO – Closure of Meadow Road (B1046) 15th – 17th Dec 2020. 14. Planning.1. PARISH COUNCIL CONSULTATION – APPLICATION REF. 20/01400/HHFU. Single storey rear extension following demolition of existing conservatory. 2 Whittets Close, Great Gransden, Sandy, SG19 3AL. 15. Next Meeting. Monday 2nd November 2020 at 7:30pm. |
Reading Room Caretaker
Great Gransden Parish Council are looking to fill the position of Caretaker for the Great Gransden Reading Room. The post is for 18 hours a week and would suit either a single person or a couple. If required, accommodation can be provided. Please contact the Parish Clerk at gransdenpc@hotmail.co.uk for details. |
2020-08-17 - extra parish council meeting
There's going to be an extra parish Council meeting on Monday, to discuss some planned tree works at 33 Meadow Road, and also temporary traffic regulation 2020C19-009 to close Middle Street and Little Lane, Great Gransden to support social distancing outside Barnabas Oley. The TTR would run for up to 18 months from 7 September 2020 between 8:30 - 9:30 and 14:45 - 15:30, Monday to Friday, term time only. You can get more info from the County Council's web page on TTRs, but for your convenience we have attached a copy of the draft order and the map below. (Both are in PDF format.) You can access the meeting agenda using this link, and attend the Zoom meeting using the details on our home page. edited to add: the minutes of the meeting are available for download; they are to be considered draft until approved by the Parish Council. |
Annual Governance Statement, 2019-20
In preparation for our annual audit, the Parish Council is publishing our Annual Governance and Accounting Statements for 2019-20. You can also download a document describing your rights to inspect and comment on the accounts. |
Playground reopening!
The Government ordered the closure of outdoor playgrounds at the start of the pandemic. Effective from Saturday, the 4th of July, this ban is lifted – but you still need to obey the requirements for social distancing. The government has issued the following advice to parents and users:
The Multi-use game area (MUGA) is already open, but currently for use only by members of a single household at a time (or with up to one other person, provided proper social distancing is maintained). DO NOT USE the MUGA or the playground if you are showing coronavirus symptoms, or if you or any of your household are self-isolating. Use of these facilities is at your own risk. |
A guide to NHS Test and Trace in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
As part of its response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Cambridgeshire County Council and Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council have set up a Health Protection Board, made up of Public Health professionals, specialists from Public Health England, local authority and health representatives and other relevant bodies. The Board is responsible for producing the Local Outbreak Control Plan by the end of June 2020, and has published a PDF document entitled "The Guide to Test and Trace in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough". Local councils have been asked to share the document widely. Version 1 is appended below, and the latest version can be downloaded at www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/coronavirus/coronavirus-covid-19-test-and-trace. |
MUGA partly reopening... but not the playground
The Government is easing lockdown restrictions, so with effect
from Wednesday 13th May the Great Gransden MUGA (Multi-use games area) in Fox Street is now open... but with
restrictions. Basically, only one household can use it at a time
- but you can be joined by at most one other person, provided
all the rules about social distancing are followed. Also, you must not use it if you have Covid-19 symptoms, or if anyone in your household is (or should be) shielding or self-isolating. (In practice,
it's best to restrict your MUGA time to , as the 2-meter social distancing guideline is
for when you're all standing still: if you're exercising
together, the safe distance is much further than that!) The children's play equipment remains out of
bounds, as the Covid-19 virus can survive on hard surfaces for
some time. As described in an earlier post, during the first phase of the Covid-19 lockdown the govenment order all outdoor facilities such as our MUGA and the children's playground. As announced in a FAQ on the 11th of MAY (see www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do#public-spaces--outdoor-activities--exercise), the restrictions have been eased with effect from the 13th of May: 1.3 Are you reopening tennis courts / golf courses / basketball courts etcYes. Sports courts can re-open, but you should only partake in such activities alone, with members of your household, or with one other person from outside your household, while practising social distancing. You should take particular care if you need to use any indoor facilities next to these outdoor courts, such as toilets. You should not use these facilities if you are showing coronavirus symptoms, or if you or any of your household are self-isolating. Another document, entitled 'Staying safe outside your home' (also published on the 11th of May) talked about the 2-metre rule: 1. Keep your distance from people outside your householdWhilst recognising this will not always be possible, it is important to be aware that the risk of infection increases the closer you are to another person with the virus, and the amount of time you spend in close contact with them. Therefore, you are unlikely to be infected if you walk past another person in the street. Public Health England recommends trying to keep two metres away from people as a precaution. However, this is not a rule and the science is complex. The key thing is to not be too close to people for more than a short period of time, as much as you can. ... 4. Avoid being face-to-face with people if they are outside your householdYou are at higher risk of being directly exposed to respiratory droplets (released by talking or coughing) when you are within two metres of someone and have face-to-face contact with them. You can lower the risk of infection if you stay side-to-side rather than facing someone.
Please help us all get though the Covid-19 safely, and help avoid further spikes in the pandemic, by following the rules and guidelines! |
The effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on Parish Council meetings
The current COVID-19 pandemic has forced the Parish Council to take a number of precautionary steps: No physical meetingsTo protect Councillors, the Parish Clerk and attendees, there will be no physical meetings of the Parish Council until further notice; instead, meeting will be held online, via the Zoom app. The meeting ID and password will be announced in the agenda, and on our home page. Those who cannot view the meeting online but wish to comment on any item on the agenda of a meeting are welcome to write to, or email the Parish Council via the Parish Clerk. These comments will be passed on to Councillors before decisions are made. (Councillors are forbidden from making decisions about items not on the agenda.) Any personal information given will be dealt with in line with the Parish Council's General Privacy Notice, full details of which can be found on the website. As announced in a separate post, the playground and the MUGA (Multi-Use Games Area) are both closed, in line with government instructions. We apologise for the necessity for these actions, and hope that we are able to go back to normal at an early date. In the meantime, we urge all residents and local businesses to follow Government Guidelines for coping during the pandemic, including those on closures, self-isolation and social separation. The following resources may be of use: Edited to add: the playground and MUGA have subsequently been re-opened, but people are expected to follow precautions both to guard against being infected and also to reduce the risk of infecting others. |
2020-04-24: MUGA and Playground Closed due to Covid-19 pandemic
Amended 1 July to add: as the lockdown restrictions have been eased, first the MUGA and then the playground were allowed to reopen, though with restrictions. The notice below has been left here for reference purposes. Following a government instruction dated 23 March 2020 which says playgrounds, sports courts and pitches, and outdoor gyms or similar must remain closed, Great Gransden Parish Council ask that you: KEEP OUT of the MUGA and KEEP AWAY from the playground until further notice |
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