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. And you can attend our meetings via Zoom - see below - and join in the Open Forum section of the meeting.
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 The agenda for a PC meeting is published at least 3 clear days in advance. For the regular monthly meetings, the clerk's report is also available to download before the meeting, with a link on the agenda page. 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 about parish council meetings will be moved to the meetings page; other 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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NDP steering group meeting, Jan 2021
The NDP steering group are holding an online meeting on Wednesday January 13 at 7pm. Anyone can attend via Zoom, the joining details are: 1. Apologies 2. Declarations of Interest in items on the agenda of the meeting 3. Minutes of previous meeting of 09 December for approval 4. Open forum - 15 minutes for members of the public to ask questions. 5. Update on actions from previous minutes
6. NDP document
7. COVID timetable delays 8. Next Meeting 9. AOB |
PC meeting, January 2021
Agenda for the Parish Council meeting on January 4, 2021click here to get a copy of the agenda in PDF form, and the Clerk's notes are available via this link. The minutes follow the agenda, or you can click here to download a copy in PDF form. From Catherine Fox, Parish Clerk: The
Next Meeting of the Parish Council will be held at 7:30 on Monday 4th January 2021 via remote conferencing on Zoom (Meeting ID 313 378
5045, Password 941083 or via this link) with Andrew Pett in the chair. 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 Councils General Privacy Notice, full details of which can be found on the website. All members of the Council are
hereby summoned to attend for the purposes of considering and resolving
the business to be transacted at the meeting as set out below. 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. Minutes. Consideration of the minutes of the meeting on 7th December 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. Neighbourhood Plan – report and update from Councillor Pett. 2. Entrance to the Park from Little Lane - Update. 3. Update on Windows and Doors – 18 Fox Street. 7. Cambridgeshire Acre. Renewal of membership. 8. Replacement LED Lantern – Crow Tree Street. 9. Risk Register Updates – Councillor J Catmur. 10. Multi-Use Games Area. To consider the cost/appointment of maintenance contractor. 11. Sportsfield Grass Cutting. To consider the Parish Council’s financial contribution. 12. Clerk’s Financial Statement. For December 2020 and Budget Review. 13. Cheques/Payments for Approval. 14. Highways. Any repairs or maintenance needed. 15. Correspondence. 1. Roadworks & events bulletin 1st - 15th January 2021. 16. Planning. 1. PARISH COUNCIL CONSULTATION – APPLICATION REF. 20/02383/HHFUL: Proposed Greenhouse, hardstanding and re-siting of fence. 3C Fox Street, Great Gransden, Sandy, SG19 3AA. 17. Next Meeting. Monday, 1st February 2021 at 7:30 pm. (these are to be considered draft until formally approved at a PC meeting - see home page) Those present were:
1. The meeting was opened at 7:30 pm with a silent prayer. 2. Apologies. Apologies were received from County Councillor Julie Wisson 3. Declarations of Interest. There were no declarations of interest. 4. Minutes of the previous monthly meeting held on 7th December 2020 which had been circulated, were approved and will be signed accordingly by the Chairman. 5. OPEN FORUM. The meeting was closed for 4 minutes. Councillor West informed the meeting that after the widespread flooding of the local area over the Christmas period, the Managing Director Joanne Lancaster had begun to set up local conferences for the purpose of bringing together key local representatives. The proposed attendees will be Chairmen and Clerks of Parishes that were affected, along with County and District Councillors and representatives of emergency planning agencies. These meetings will be held virtually and locations to be looked at will be those adversely affected by the flooding. Councillor West commented that possible challenges for 2021 continue to include the Sand Road Development, the East West Rail Project and the A428. Consultations around the London Luton Airport Arrival Routes remain ongoing. Councillor West confirmed that, on a positive note, HDC have been awarded future High Street funds for St Neots. This will mean that the town will attract new amenities that can then be utilised by village residents. 6. Matters Arising 6.1 Neighbourhood Development Plan Councillor Pett reported that the NDP Steering Group had last met on the 9th December 2020. This meeting was a working meeting, looking at the development boundary proposal. Using the HDC criteria, the document had been reviewed again. The next meeting is scheduled for the 13th January and will also be a working meeting. It is hoped that following this, the draft will be finalised and will be then sent to Rachel Hogger and then ultimately submitted to HDC. Councillors queried the timescales around this and asked when the draft would be viewable by the Parish Council. Councillor Pett informed the meeting that once the draft had been returned from Rachel Hogger, it would first go to the Steering Group for review before being presented to the Parish Council prior to its submission to HDC. Timescales for this should be February/March. 6.2 Entrance to the Park from Little Lane The entrance to the park from Little Lane remains treacherous. The increase in footfall has meant that grass at the edges of the concrete steps has worn away becoming slippery. The Parish Council agreed to purchase and install plastic grass protector around the affected area. To ensure that delivery is not impacted by the current pandemic, and that work to install it can begin while the school remains closed, it was agreed that this should be sourced via Amazon. Councillor King and Councillor Capps to liaise with Clerk to organise purchase and installation. 6.3 Update on Windows and Doors – 18 Fox Street Councillors noted the recommendation from Kathy Render for discharge of conditions following receipt of revised drawings. Once formal discharge on the planning portal has been granted, new quotations for works required will be obtained. The specifications required have substantially changed since the submission of the initial drawings and it was agreed that previous quotes would now not apply. Councillors wished to pass on their sincere thanks to Jason Dixon for his help in providing the drawings required to secure discharge of conditions. 7. Cambridgeshire Acre Membership Renewal It was unanimously agreed to renew the Parish Councils membership of Cambridgeshire Acre at a cost of £57 for the year. This was proposed by Councillor Pett and seconded by Councillor Capps. 8. Replacement LED Lantern Crow Tree Street Councillors unanimously approved the quotation provided by Balfour Beatty for £462.07 ex VAT. (Proposed by Councillor Pett, seconded Councillor Gorton) All replacements are LED for longer life and better efficiency. In future, as more of the older lamps in the village fail, they will also be upgraded. 9. Risk Register Updates Councillors noted the updates to the Risk Register previously circulated by Councillor Catmur, in particular changes around the internet provision in the village and the financial viability of HDC/CCC. Tilted balance had also been re-added as a relevant risk. It was noted that although the threat of tilted balance had for the moment receded, it remained a serious risk. This risk though lessened by the adoption of the NDP, is not removed entirely. 10. Multi-Use Games Area Councillors considered the quotations provided from Sportsafe UK and ROSPA for the annual inspections of the play equipment. It was agreed that as the MUGA does not have any equipment, it does not need to be included. The quotes were comparable, but it was unanimously agreed that taking into account recommendations from neighbouring parishes, ROSPA should be asked to do the inspections. This was proposed by Councillor King and seconded by Cllr Ginn. Due to ROSPA’s timetable of inspections, this means that the next one will be done in May/June. 11. Sportsfield Grass Cutting The Parish council and the GSRA agreed that the standard of cut at the Sportsfield had been high. As the existing contractor, Buchans Landscapes and Grounds Maintenance were asked to re-tender for the 2021 season on the same specifications as for the 2020 season. Councillors unanimously agreed to accept the quotation of £2392.25 ex VAT. This was proposed by Councillor Ginn and seconded by Councillor Capps. It was noted that in order to properly monitor the cost of the grass cutting and to help manage the budget, Buchans should be asked to notify the Parish Council in advance of any cuts being done that may result in expenditure over budget. Buchans will be informed that payment will only be made for additional cuts if the Parish Council are notified in advance This was unanimously agreed. Clerk to specify this when accepting the quotation. 12. Financial Statement for December 2020. The sheet filed as Appendix No. 1 had been circulated. The statement was unanimously approved and signed by the Chairman. Councillors also noted the budget review as at the end of December 2020. The meeting paused for 11 minutes at 8pm to hear the Prime Ministers National Address around the pandemic. 13. Payments for approval. The following payments were approved: Proposed Councillor Pett, seconded by Councillor Scott. 1 Clerk’s expenses for December 2020 £30.46 2. Phil Reed
Plumbing and Heating £120.00 3. Phil Reed
Plumbing and Heating £185.00 4. ICO Data Protection Renewal Fee £40.00 5. Cambridgeshire ACRE Annual renewal Fee £57.00 6. HMRC - PAYE (period ending 5th Feb) £136.00 7. Mr R McIntosh – Garden of Remembrance (Dec) £7.50 Automated Payments payable January 2021 1. DD BT – Broadband Reading Rooms £29.99 2. SO Clerk’s Salary – December
2020 £574.60 3. SO Caretaker Salary – January
2021 £544.16 14. Highways 14.1 There is a pothole developing next to the Windmill. Clerk to report to Highways. 14.2 The left-hand side of Mill Road (on the approach to the Windmill from Great Gransden) continues to deteriorate with parts now subsiding and falling away. Clerk to report to Highways. 14.3 A pot hole has developed on Middle Street near to Little Lane. Clerk to report to Highways. 14.4 Councillors discussed the responsibility for public footpaths, in particular the one that runs from Sand Road to Bourn which has become almost impassable. Unfortunately, this path is a sunken footpath which is on the lowest part of the land and therefore is liable to flood with water coming from the fields. In this instance, it was agreed that no reasonable action can be taken to mitigate this. 14.5 Cllr Pett confirmed that he had written to Ian Winfield of Highways to thank him for his help in getting the drainage problems within the village resolved. 15. Correspondence 15.1 Councillors noted the Roadworks and Events Bulletin for the 1st – 15th January 2021. 16. Planning 16.1 PARISH COUNCIL CONSULTATION – APPLICATION REF. 20/02383/HHFUL Proposed Greenhouse, hardstanding and re-siting of fence 3C Fox Street Great Gransden Sandy SG19 3AA Councillor Scott raised the point that the original plans for the house had been altered to move the building away from the conservation area, and that therefore any building inside the area now may be viewed as contradictory. A hardstanding as proposed may be better suited to directly in front of the house itself – therefore not impacting the conservation area at all. On balance, it was noted that the revision of the plans was to move the buildings further from the conservation area and did not apply to hard standings. Any works that create additional off-road parking therefore removing congestion on the public roads would have a positive impact for many. After discussion, it was proposed that the Parish Council recommend ‘Approval’ on the grounds that there were no reasonable grounds to object. This was proposed by Councillor Ricciardi and seconded by Councillor Capps with 6 votes in favour and 3 abstentions. 16.2 The
results of the official written report requested from Hayfield by HDC in
relation to FFL (Final Floor Levels) of some of the new houses being built in
Sand Road is still outstanding.
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PC meeting, December 2020
click here to get a copy of the agenda in PDF form, and the Clerk's notes are available via this link. Altered Dec 7 to include link for Zoom session, and to correct provisional dates mentioned in item 14. The minutes follow the agenda, and are also available in PDF form. Note that the minutes are in draft status until approved at a subsequent PC meeting. From Catherine Fox, Parish Clerk: The Next Meeting of the Parish Council will be held at 7:30 on Monday 7th December 2020 via remote conferencing on Zoom (Meeting ID 313 378
5045, Password 941083 or via this link) with Andrew Pett in the chair. 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 Councils General Privacy Notice, full details of which can be found on the website. All members of the Council are hereby summoned to attend for the purposes of considering and resolving the business to be transacted at the meeting as set out below. 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. Minutes. Consideration of the minutes of the meeting on 2nd November 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. Neighbourhood Plan – report and update from Councillor Pett 2. Little Gransden Airfield & Gliding Club – report by Councillor Ginn. 3. Change of date for Clerks Automated Payments. 4. Reading Room Cottage – update from Councillor King. 5. Sand Rd development – Update from Enforcement Officer. 7. Tree Survey – To approve quotation and agree inspection criteria. 8. New Sign for Playground Car Park To display opening/closing times of Car Park gate. 9. Clerk’s Financial Statement. For November 2020 and Budget Review. 10. Payments for Approval. 11. Review of Clerks Core hours. 12. Approval of Budget for 2021/22. 13. Consultations 1. Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Minerals & Waste Local Plan. Proposed main modifications consultation (4th Nov – 15th December 2020). 2. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough combined authority draft budget 2021/22. (closing date 31st December 2020). 14. Dates for Next Year’s Meetings. The following dates are suggested: Jan 4; Feb 1; March 1; April 12; April 22 for Annual Parish Meeting;
May 10; June 7; July 5; Aug 2; Sept 6; Oct 4; Nov 1; Dec 6. (emboldened dates are corrections from the dates originally published in the agenda, to allow for bank holidays). 15. Highways. Any repairs or maintenance needed. 16. Correspondence. 1. CIL Funding Round 2. Highways Events Diary (To note) 3. Census 2021 4. Citizens Advice Rural Cambs – Donation Request 5. Letter from Councillor Mark Goldsack re ‘This Land’ (To note) 6. Greater Cambridgeshire Partnership – Cambourne to Cambridge Notification of Executive Board Meeting 10th Dec. (To note) 17. Planning. At the time of publication of the agenda, there were no planning matters for consideration. 18. Next Meeting Monday 4th January 2021 at 7.30 pm is suggested. Please note, any items for inclusion on Januarys agenda must be received by 27th December 2020. Those present were: Andrew Pett, Chairman; Jeff Gorton, Parish Councillor; Giles Scott, Vice Chairman; James Catmur, Parish Councillor; Catherine Fox, Clerk; Nigel Day, Parish Councillor; Michael Capps, Parish Councillor; Peter King, Parish Councillor; Nick Ginn, Parish Councillor; District Councillor Richard West; and 1 member of the public. 1. The meeting was opened at 7:30 pm with a silent prayer. 2. Apologies. Apologies were received from Councillor Ricciardi, and County Councillor Julie Wisson. 3. Declarations of Interest. There were no declarations of interest. 4. Minutes of the previous monthly meeting held on 2nd November 2020 which had been circulated, were approved and will be signed accordingly by the Chairman. 5. OPEN FORUM. The meeting was closed for 4 minutes. Councillor West wished to place on record his sincere thanks to Councillor Pett for visiting the site on Sand Road to meet with a resident and compile a report with photographs for submission to the enforcement officer. Similarly, Councillor West also wished to thank Councillor Capps and Ian Winfield (Highways) who walked the area of the drainage problems within the village and acted swiftly following the meeting to resolve them. Councillor West reported that during the meetings of the District Council, it had been decided that Councillor Neish will not be writing directly to Parish councils. Instead, it will be for the local member to explain the District Councils response. 6. Matters Arising. 6.1 Neighbourhood Development Plan. Councillor Pett reported that the NDP Steering Group had last met on the 4th November 2020. This meeting had involved the scrutiny of individual sections of the plan. Changes continue to be made with the formal draft almost complete. Revised development boundary maps had also been created – these will be reviewed at the next Steering Group meeting on 9th December 2020. 6.2 Little Gransden Airfield and Gliding Club Councillor Ginn had attended the annual meetings of both the Little Gransden Aerodrome Local Consultative Committee and also the Cambridge Gliding Club Consultative Committee. The aerodrome has scheduled events for August 2021 and are hopeful that these will be able to go ahead as planned. The proposal around Luton Airport holding stacks would affect the activities of the aerodrome, meaning that aircraft will have to fly lower and will prohibit testing at higher altitudes. Little Gransden Gliding Club have reported a difficult year with no decisions being made yet about events in 2021. Six complaints had been received (although four of these were around tug routes over Waresley). The Luton Airpaths would have minimal effect, apart from on very sunny days when the cloud base is high. It was noted that the proposed new holding areas were for northern routes (traffic from Scotland, Belfast, Iceland etc.) whereas most traffic into Luton came from a more Southerly/Eastern direction. Minutes for both meetings are available and have been circulated to Councillors. 6.3 Change of date for Clerks Automated payments. The date of payments was previously agreed for payment on the 28th of each month (see minutes 2nd November 2020 item 6.1). However, on the advice of HMRC, the payment date must be amended to the 6th of the month to align with the existing pay structures and to ensure that NI contributions and tax liabilities are not adversely affected. This change will have no financial impact on the Parish Council. This change of date was unanimously agreed. 6.4 Reading Room Cottage. Councillor King reported that the new caretaker has now moved into the cottage. Minimal maintenance works have been undertaken; mould in the rear extension has been provisionally treated by Councillor King and an issue with a broken valve which was prohibiting the hot water supply has been resolved by a plumber (bill to follow). Further expenditure is expected in spring where it will be necessary to purchase Gardening equipment. No major expenditure is currently planned, although a budget does exist should any matters arise. 6.5 Sand Rd Development. Correspondence had been received from the enforcement officer in relation to FFL (Final Floor Levels) of some of the new houses. Councillor Pett had visited one resident who was particularly concerned and taken photographs which were sent to HDC. Councillors noted that these details should be included in the original elevation plans and await the results of the official written report requested by HDC. The final part of the S278 offsite work, is scheduled for week commencing 7th December 2020. This will include closure of the immediate road space along with streetlight disconnection/reconnection at the bottom of Sand Road. 7. Tree Survey. It is a requirement that trees are now inspected professionally on an annual basis. The last tree survey was undertaken in March 2018 by OMC Associates who at the time had been substantially cheaper than other companies. As OMC Associates already hold the relevant maps and locations, and the maps they created formed the basis of previous safety works that have been undertaken, they have been asked to quote again for completion of the survey. One additional tree has been added (Oak Tree – Little Lane). which is included in the quoted price of £505 ex VAT. Councillors unanimously agreed to accept the quotation. Further quotes will be obtained from other providers for comparison next year to ensure that the Parish Council are still getting the service at a competitive price. This was proposed by Councillor Pett and seconded by Councillor Capps. 8. New Sign for Playground Car Park. A request has been received from the new caretaker at the Reading Rooms for a sign displaying the times at which the gate will be locked. A quotation has been obtained from Algar Signcraft for a sign similar to the one recently purchased (No balls. No dogs etc) for £128.00 (Ex VAT). Two further quotations were requested but no response had been received. Councillors unanimously agreed to accept the quotation provided. Proposed by Councillor Pett and seconded by Councillor Capps. 9. Financial Statement for November 2020. The sheet filed as Appendix No. 1 had been circulated. The statement was unanimously approved and signed by the Chairman. Councillors also noted the budget review as at the end of November 2020. 10. Payments for approval. The following payments were approved: (Proposed Councillor Pett, seconded by Councillor Scott.) 1 Clerk’s expenses for November 2020. £ 30.68 2. SSE (Street lighting Oct/Nov 2020). £ 215.89 3. Global Tree Solutions Ltd. £ 180.00 4. Balfour Beatty (Yr 2 Q1 – 2019-22). £ 124.20 5. Balfour Beatty (Yr 2 Q2 – 2019-22). £ 124.20 6. Wilkinson and Butler Solicitors £ 210.00 (Advice on Service Occupancy Licence) 7. HMRC - PAYE (period ending 5th Dec) £ 136.00 8. Mr P King – (Reading Room Cottage Maintenance expenses) £ 24.67 9. NALC – ‘Leaders Talk and the Future of play’ £ 38.93 10. All Phase Electrical(Reading Room Emergency Remedial Works) £ 1071.56 11. Mr R McIntosh – Garden of Remembrance November £ 7.50 12. HMRC – PAYE (period ending 5th Jan) £ 136.00 Automated Payments payable December 2020 1. DD BT – Broadband Reading Rooms £ 29.99 2. SO Clerks Salary – November 2020 £ 574.60 3. SO Caretaker Salary – December 2020 £ 544.16 For completeness, Councillors also formally acknowledged the automated payments below made between 2nd November and 7th December 2020 1. DD BT – Broadband Reading Rooms £ 29.99 (see item 11 of minutes dated 2nd Dec 2019; delayed DD start date due to COVID-19) 2. SO Caretaker Salary – November 2020 £ 544.16 (see item 6.1 of minutes dated 2nd Nov 2020) 11. Review of Clerks Core Hours. The Clerk’s Core hours were reviewed. After considering average hours worked over the past 12 months and also the average for similar sized parishes, it was agreed to increase the number of core hours from 12 to 15 per week; effective January 2021 (payable February 2021). The standing order will be amended, signed and filed accordingly. This was proposed by Councillor Pett seconded by Councillor Gorton and unanimously carried. 12. Approval of Budget 2021/22. Following discussions around the precept for 2021/22 at the last meeting. The budget for 2021/22, which had previously been circulated was unanimously approved. Proposed by Councillor Pett and seconded by Councillor Scott. 13. Consultations. Councillors noted the following consultations but will not make comment. 1.Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Minerals & Waste Local Plan. Proposed main modifications consultation (4th Nov – 15th December 2020) 2. Combined Authority Draft Budget 2020/21 (The consultation will close on 31st December 2020 and the Combined Authority Board will be provided with feedback on the consultation process at their meeting on 27th January 2021). 14. Dates for next Year’s Meetings. The following dates were agreed: Jan 4; Feb 1; March 1; April 12; April 22 for Annual Parish Meeting; May 10; June 7; July 5; Aug 2; Sept 6; Oct 4; Nov 1; Dec 6. 15. Highways. 15.1. The entrance to the playing field from Little Lane has become very dangerous. The increased footfall of parents using the rear school entrance has meant that the grass has worn away and the slope to the concrete steps has become a safety issue. Councillors agreed that action should be taken to try and mitigate this and to prevent someone falling and seriously injuring themselves. After discussions, it was agreed that the installation of plastic netting (similar to that recently installed at the rear entrance to the school) would be the best option. Given that the increased usage of that area due to school collection arrangements has substantially contributed to the current situation, it was agreed in the first instance to approach Cambridgeshire County Council to see if they would be prepared to install netting around that area to the same standard as by the school entrance. Clerk to contact the Head of Barnabas Oley and also Cambridgeshire County Council. 15.2. Following a visit from Ian Winfield from Highways, the drains along Church Street have been cleared. One of the drains along East Street has also been cleared. The second one appears to have collapsed and will require additional funding. Mr Winfield will log this so that work can continue. Councillors wished to thank Mr Winfield for his swift response and actions taken. As Chair, Councillor Pett will write a letter of gratitude on behalf of the Parish Council. 15.3. Badgers have started to dig in Little Gransden Lane. This has caused problems before and will continue to be monitored. 16. Correspondence. 16.1. Councillors noted the oversubscription of the current CIL Funding Round and agreed to consider an application for the start of the financial year 2021/22. 16.2. Councillors noted the Highways Events Diary for 2021. 16.3. The Census will go ahead in March 2021. The District Council will be in touch in January with further guidance around how to promote community engagement. 16.4. Councillors noted the donation request from Citizens Advice Rural Cambridgeshire but on this occasion will take no further action. 16.5. Councillors noted the letter received from Mark Goldsack around the company ‘This Land’. 16.6. Greater Cambridgeshire Partnership Executive Board Virtual Meeting. This was noted by Councillors accordingly. 17. Planning. 17.1. There were no planning applications on which the Parish Council had been asked to comment. 17.2. Councillors noted that applications for Tree Works were not being referred to the Parish Council for comment. Councillor West confirmed that it is up to the case officer to decide on whether or not Parish Council comment would be useful. Under delegated powers, planning officers do not have to refer applications to the Parish Council unless the trees are subject to Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) or are within a conservation area. 17.3. Further to enquiries around the official street name, Councillors noted that documents within the Hayfield planning development on Sand Road made reference to Dutton Gardens. The Next Meeting has been arranged for Monday 4th January 2021 at 7:30pm This meeting closed at 8:38pm |
Audit of accounts, 2019-2020
In preparation for our annual audit, the Parish Council published 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. Our accounts have now been audited, and accepted without comment. You can download a copy of the external auditor certificate and also the notice of conclusion of audit. |
PC meeting, November 2020
(click here to get a copy of the agenda in PDF form. The Clerk's notes are also available via this link. Minutes of the meeting are appended below, and the PDF version can be download using this link.) From Catherine Fox, Clerk 28/10/2020: The Next Meeting of the Parish Council will be held at 7:30 on Monday 2nd November 2020 via remote conferencing on Zoom (Meeting ID 313 378 5045, Password 941083) with Andrew Pett in the chair. 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 Councils General Privacy Notice, full details of which can be found on the website. All members of the Council are hereby summoned to attend for the purposes of considering and resolving the business to be transacted at the meeting as set out below. MEMBERS: 9, QUORUM: 3. 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. Minutes.Consideration of the minutes of the meeting on 5th October 2020 and also of the extraordinary meeting held on 16th October 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. Update on recruitment of new Reading Room Caretaker. 2. Reading Room Car Park Update – Update from Councillor Capps. 3. Neighbourhood Plan – report and update from Councillor Pett. 4. Water Bailiff. 5. Repair of broken swing. 7. Sportsfield Grass Cutting/Maintenance.To consider the revised documentation. 9. Clerk’s Financial Statement. For October 2020 and Budget Review.10. Cheques for Approval.11. Precept for 2021/22. To consider the Parish Council’s budget.12. Highways. Any repairs or maintenance needed.13. Correspondence. 1. Luton Airport – proposed new hold area. 2. Closure of Waresley and Gransden Woods. 3. Nuisance Noise at the MUGA. 4. Audit of our accounts 2020 – External Auditors Certificate. 14. Planning. PARISH COUNCIL CONSULTATION – APPLICATION REF. 20/02014/LBC: To paint the exterior of No.18 Middle Street in the same colour as No.16 Middle Street. 18 Middle Street Great Gransden Sandy SG19 3AD. 15. Next Meeting: Monday 7th December at 7:30 pm.Minutes of the meeting (also available in PDF format, see above)Those present were:
2. Apologies. Apologies were received from County Councillor Julie Wisson 3. Declarations of Interest. There were no declarations of interest. 4. Minutes of the previous monthly meeting held on 5th October 2020 and also of the extraordinary meeting held on 16th October 2020 which had been circulated, were approved and will be signed accordingly by the Chairman. 5. OPEN FORUM. The meeting was closed for 8 minutes. Councillor West commented on the proposed new holding stack consultation for Luton airport. NATS holdings (formerly National Air Traffic Services) are working with Luton Airport which could lead to more aeroplanes passing over our region when leaving a holding stack north of St Neots and continuing descent to Luton . Consultations remain ongoing around options to simplify the arrival routes for flights. The areas affected are villages stretching from Boxworth to Papworth Everard and over to St Neots. Huntingdon, Alconbury and Brampton will also be affected by a potential increase in sound from 50dBA to 60dBA with aircraft stacking between 8,000 and 13,000 feet. Councillor West also confirmed that the Government proposals for overhauling the planning system had been discussed at scrutiny and cabinet meetings. Following these discussions, the Strategic Planning Cabinet Member (Councillor Jon Neish) will be writing to Parish and Town councils with the local planning authority response. Councillor West fully supports the work of the Neighbourhood Development Plan and confirmed that the intention is that communities will set the agenda for planning within their own areas. Councillor West had responded to a resident in relation to concerns that piling being undertaken by the Sand Road developers may potentially cause damage to his property. Having contacted the enforcement officer at HDC, Councillor West confirmed that this was a civil matter. Unfortunately, since the privatisation of the building regulators, controls and checks were looked after by internal teams and not by the council. The closure of Waresley and Gransden woods been discussed at the Waresley-cum-Tetworth Parish Council meeting after the discussion it was agreed to write to Mark Ricketts of the Wildlife Trust requesting re-opening of the woods. Councillors of Great Gransden acknowledged the response by Waresley-cum-Tetworth and will discuss their response at item 13.2. 6. Matters Arising 6.1 Reading Room Caretaker Update. Councillor King confirmed that Georgia Yarrow had accepted the role of Caretaker at the Reading Room, effective 1st November. The final contracts are sill with the solicitors but have been approved. Once received, they will need to be signed by Cllr Pett and a second representative of the Parish Council. The rent will be paid to the Parish Council on the 1st of each month for the sum of £720.00. Councillor King proposed that salary payments should be made by standing order on the 28th of each month (or the nearest working day) to ensure that funds were received and cleared in a timely way. Similarly, the clerk’s salary (currently paid by cheque) should also be paid via a standing order. This was seconded by Councillor Pett and unanimously agreed. These automated payments will commence on 28th November 2020 and will be reported as payments made to the full council at each ordinary meeting thereafter. 6.2 Playing Field Car Park. Councillor Capps confirmed that there had still been no response to the request for quotations and therefore no further action had been taken. It was decided that the potential costs of resurfacing the car park were likely to be too high and that for now this would not be taken any further. However, lighting at the car park is still required – especially given the increased usage during the current times. Councillor Capps suggested that as trenches were dug to accommodate the lighting, it might be possible to ask the contractor to also fill in the potholes. 6.3 Neighbourhood Plan – Report and Update. Councillor Pett reported that the NDP steering group were next due to meet on 4th November 2020. At that meeting, a report would be finalised for publication on Touchbase. This will cover the same elements that were presented to the Parish Council in September – covering an overview of aims and objectives of the plan. One of the issues raised by the NDP Steering Group was around a Ground Source Heat Project. Unfortunately, the current funding rules have changed and therefore no progress can be made on this at the moment. With the use of oil likely to become disallowed in the future this will need to be looked at again at a later date. 6.4 Water Bailiff. Unfortunately, due to a change in personal circumstances, the recently appointed Water Bailiff will no longer be able to continue to volunteer his expertise. Councillors noted the fantastic job that he had done with the weeds and plants so far. The Clerk has investigated the process for appointing another Water Bailiff. However, without a volunteer who already has the necessary qualifications and experience to voluntarily undertake the role, the process is not straight forward. Therefore, at this point in time, the Parish Council agreed that no further action should be taken. 6.5 Repair of broken swing. The toddler swing in the playground has been broken beyond repair. Quotes for its replacement had been requested from Wicksteed who are the manufacturers of the damaged one so that the swings match and are of equal quality. Councillors agreed to approve the quotation which is listed in item 10, 7. Sports field Grass Cutting/Maintenance. Councillor Ginn confirmed that the current contractor had done a superb job with all users of the Sports field happy with the standard of cut being done. Councillors unanimously agreed to ask the existing contractors to tender again for 2021/22 on the existing specifications. 8. Cemetery Extension Grazing Licence, A revised Grazing Licence had been received from the solicitors following the Parish Councils previous requests for amendment. Councillors felt that the revised version was a suitable agreement and unanimously agreed to accept it. 9. Financial Statement for October 2020. The sheet filed as Appendix No. 1 had been circulated. The statement was unanimously approved and signed by the Chairman. Councillors also noted the budget review as at the end of October 2020. 10. Cheques for approval. The following payments were approved: Proposed Councillor Pett, seconded by Councillor Scott.
11. Precept for 2021/22 A summary of receipts and payments had been circulated together with a proposed budget. Basic annual costs for next year were estimated to be £21,775. Councillors considered future costs of ongoing tree work, a possible contribution towards the LHI bid if the funding application is successful together with any increase in reserves. Councillors agreed to set aside £500 toward the Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) sinking fund, £1000 for street lights, and £500 for annual maintenance costs of the MUGA. A budget was also agreed for future Reading Room cottage works (to include the replacement windows and door) of £3500.00 and £2,000 for provision for the Reading Room village hall. Additionally, a provision was agreed for the Playing Field Car Park behind the Reading Room. In line with the amounts held for the Sports field carpark, this was agreed at £3000.00 The precept amount for 2021/22 was discussed at length. It was noted that in comparison to other similar villages within HDC, the precept amount was very low. The average Band D precept in parishes similar to Great Gransden is £77.28, whereas currently the Band D precept in the village is £56.05. Whilst not an ambition to meet the ‘average’ level, the comparison is helpful in highlighting parity with other villages. The Parish Council has several areas highlighted by residents that require expenditure. For example, the play equipment, provision for older children and traffic reduction/calming measures. Many of the facilities in the village are under increased usage as people spend more time in the immediate locality. An increase in the precept amount would allow the Parish Council to make a step-change by meaningfully enhancing services and amenities where previously it could not afford to do so. Councillors considered the financial implications of an increase to residents, especially during the current pandemic. An increase to put the precept in line with that of other comparable villages would equate to an increase of approximately 50 pence a week for Band D properties (roughly £26 per year). It was felt that this increase could be justified in one go rather than by staggered increments and would mean an increase next year would be unlikely. A larger precept would help the Parish Council be in a position to respond to issues and feedback received in line with the NDP Touchbase publication (see item 6.3) Taking these additional considerations into account alongside reserves and known expenses, Cllr Pett proposed raising the precept to £35,000, an increase of £10,000 on last year. Seconded by Cllr Scott and carried with 8 votes in favour and 1 abstention. The budget for 2021/22 was discussed and will be formally agreed at the next meeting. 12. Highways 12.1 Blocked drains in the village still remain an ongoing problem particularly on East Street/ Church Street. Drainage issues have been reported frequently with evidence of water now coming from underneath properties on Church Street – possible compromising foundations. Drainage issues have become increasingly apparent following the reduction in scheduled routine maintenance – symptomatic of financial restraints. Due to the severity of the drainage problems, all of the drains must be done – doing just one or two is not sufficient and will have little to no effect. In Cllr Wisson’s absence, Cllr West will email Highways to highlight the pressing need for action to be taken. 12.2 The Oak Tree on Little Gransden Lane will be added to the inspection list. Associated issues and concerns can then be monitored and the landowners approached. 12.3 The elm trees near the Old Vicarage need attention. Unfortunately, after much time and financial cost they have become unattractive and are unsustainable. A proposal will be made regarding their future following the tree reports that are currently outstanding. 12.4 The Pothole at the bottom of Crow Tree Street has started to open up again despite being repaired on several occasions. Clerk to report to Highways once again. 12.5 Councillors noted that the hedge at the crossing of West Street at Little Lane had been cut back. This has much improved the visibility for people trying to cross at that point. 13. Correspondence 13.1 Councillors noted the proposed new hold areas for Luton Airport. It was felt that option 2 was preferred as it was slightly more favourable than Option 1 for residents of Great Gransden. There is little to no noise from commercial aircraft currently and therefore Councillors felt that the option offering the least noise would be better. 13.2 Councillors noted all correspondence received from villagers, including notification of the formation of an action group campaigning for the re-opening of the Waresley and Gransden Woods. Councillors felt that clearly a large amount of money had been spent on the erection of steel gates to prohibit access to the woods and questioned why this money was not spent on the drainage and ditches within the woods themselves. Funding had been received from the developers of Sand Road which was to be used to enhance and improve the woods – mitigating against any damage caused by a potential increase in visitors. The closure of woods does not suggest that works to this effect have been undertaken. Councillor Pett suggested that a meeting could be arranged between Chairs of the local Parish Councils (Waresley-cum-Tetworth, Abbotsley, Gamlingay, Great Gransden) and the Wildlife trust so that the issues raised by all Parish Councils could be discussed. Clerk will draft a letter to the Trust summarising the details above and will copy in all other relevant Parish Council Clerks. 13.3 A complaint about nuisance noise had been received from a resident regarding the use of music on the MUGA (Multi-Use Games Area) by a commercial fitness class. Currently, there are no restrictions on the use of music on the MUGA nor on its usage for group fitness activities – noting that no other Parish facility would be available without a small charge. A policy around commercial usage currently does not exist. However, the introduction of a charge may intimate an informal agreement for usage which is in contravention of the no-booking policy of the MUGA. Councillors remain mindful of the benefits of the MUGA as a recreational facility for all and do not wish to curtail people’s enjoyment of it, especially at these difficult times. It was decided that commercial usage should be looked into in more detail at a later date. For now, the Clerk will contact the user in question and request that going forward, there is no music to be played so as not to cause disturbance to residents living in close proximity. 13.4 The report from the external auditors had been received with no findings. 14. Planning PARISH COUNCIL CONSULTATION – APPLICATION REF. 20/02014/LBC To paint the exterior of No.18 Middle Street in the same colour as No.16 Middle Street 18 Middle Street Great Gransden Sandy SG19 3AD Councillors unanimously recommended ‘Approval’ citing no reasons for objection. 15. The Next Meeting has been arranged for Monday 7th December 2020 at 7:30pm This meeting closed at 9:33pm |
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. |
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