News

04 – April

WILBURTON PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Virtual Full Council Meeting, 12th April 2021 held online via ZOOM at 8.00pm
Present: Cllr A Dodson, Cllr J Aniskowicz, Cllr S Morgan, Cllr H Upton
Also Present: Clerk (Mr R Zvauya) and members of the public connected via ZOOM
21-016: Apologies, Acceptance of apologies and declarations of interests
Apologies were received and accepted from Cllr R Garnham. Cllr S Morgan declared an interest on agenda item 21-020: 1(c)
21-017: To approve of the minutes of previous Full Council Meeting on 1st March 2021
It was resolved that the minutes of the meeting held on 1st March 2021 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair of the meeting. Proposed by Cllr H Upton and seconded by Cllr S Morgan
21-018: Public Participation (15 mins) – to accept questions and comments from members of the public and councillors with a prejudicial interest. (max 3 mins per person)
There was public participation and the meeting was open for public participation at 20:05hrs and went back into session at 20:13hrs. Cllr Schumann also introduced himself during this session
21-019: Reports from County and District Councillors
Cllr Hunt presented both the County and District Council reports, See Annex 1. Cllr Dodson on behalf of the Parish Council thanked Cllr Hunt for his hard work and support especially on the reduction of the speed limit from 40mph to 30mph on Stretham Road.
21-020: Business Matters
1. a) Discuss storage of burial records
The Parish is still considering how the records will be stored and the Assistant Clerk has been enrolled on a course to help determine the legal requirements.
It was resolved that the decision on storage of burial records be delayed until the course has been
completed

b) Update on path
Cllr Morgan updated that the work on the cemetery path is still ongoing according to plan.
c) Discuss quote for maintenance
Cllr Dodson updated that there is a lot of debris and grass at the cemetery and this hasn’t been addressed for a long time. Addressing this will cause patches so will need reseeding. Cllr Dodson proposed to scarify, de-thatch and aerate grass at the cemetery site. Cllr Morgan will look into securing the post by the fence at the cemetery
It was resolved we should get three quotes for this work proposed by Cllr J Aniskowicz and also that work should start in September, all agreed
d) Discuss charges for burial and memorials
It was discussed that our charges are in the same bracket as those of neighbouring Parish Council and the charges for residents should stay the same. The charges for non-residents need to be reviewed.
It was resolved that cemetery expenditure will be collated to see the trends before a decision is made at future meetings
2. a) Hall Cottage flats garden
It was discussed that we need a garden shed for residents at the cottage. It was also updated that a resident whose property backs onto the cottage is concerned that soil in his garden is eroding and falling away into the cottage garden.
It was resolved that we should inform the letting agent of our idea of putting a garden shed so that he can run it past the tenants and we will see what he comes up with. Cllr S Morgan will look into the problems of eroding soil at the cottage garden.
3. Recreation Field
a) Discuss repairs to pavilion
The recent repairs to the pavilion were discussed. The pavilion should be waterproof and fit for purpose for the cricket season.
b) Discuss taps in the Field
The taps along the tree line have been put on posts and removable tap heads put on. A tap head will be held in the pavilion
c) Discuss quote for landscaping under the trees
It was resolved that Truelink, the usual contractor at the Recreation Field will do the landscaping under the trees for £250
d) Consider New Container update – Cllr Garnham
Cllr Dodson updated that Cllr Garnham is waiting for confirmation on the delivery date of the container
e) Consider RIG and Architect update
Cllr Dodson updated how the lease has progressed since last July and reported that the architect had still not completed the drawings of the view from the Berristead as requested by the Pell Estates Trustees. There are still 4 years left before the current lease expires so the Pell Estate Trustees are not concerned at the moment.
f) Discuss User Agreement and Risk Assessments
It was resolved to adopt the user agreements and risk assessment after being reviewed by the councillors.
4. Consider LHI Bids update Cllr Dodson
Cllr Dodson update that she went and presented to the panel on the bid to reduce the speed limit from 40mph to 30mph on Stretham road. The Highways department wanted to pull out that bid because the engineer thought that the road should be a 40mph not a 30mph road. The police officer was indifferent. We have been successful on this bid but has to be ratified at their June meeting and we have committed £2,000.
On the footpath, we have paid for the feasibility study to be done but this has been delayed due to COVID
restrictions.
5. Allotments, Community Orchard, Sandpits – Consider update and report from the Life on the Old West project – Cllr Morgan
Cllr S Morgan updated that all plots at the allotment site have been rented out. The Primary School is using their plot and the shelter for the school is complete and looking good. The orchard is complete and the trees are in with the next lot of trees due in this month. We are due an update and report from the Life on the Old
West project next month.
6. Consider MVAS update – Cllr Upton
Cllr Upton updated that data has been collected through the machines but the problem is getting accurate data. The machine cannot record the number of vehicles but can record average speed so the data is probably best used to see and analyse the trends.
7. Hall
a) Discuss User Agreement and Risk Assessments
It was resolved that the User Agreement and Risk Assessments be adopted after the following amendments
We need to make it clear that the 18–21-year-olds parties are accepted only for residents. The Caretaker needs his details to be used updated. The hirers should provide their first aid boxes. We should have an accident book to be situated near the disabled toilet. On evacuation, the assembly point should be Bakery
close near the telephone box. We should check if the steps should be secured to the stage in the main Hall.
b) Consider Fire Panel update
Cllr Dodson reported that the Electricians were going to come and look at the fire panel to see if it could be
put on a flat surface.
8. Arrange date for discussing the new Website
It was resolved the Clerk and Cllr Upton will discuss and suggest dates after the year-end accounts
21-021: Agenda items for next meeting
Storage of burial records
RiG and architect, container update
Cottage flats garden
Old Life presentation update
Promoting the hall
21-022: Councillors Questions – To receive any comments or questions from the Councillors
None
21-023: Date of next meeting – Tuesday 4 May 2021
Meeting closed at 9.53pm
Annex 1
County Council
➢ This is going to be Cllr Hunt’s last County report
➢ Cllr Hunt stressed the need to keep pushing A1123 to B.( Opposition did not support, administration
put extra £30million into roads over x5 years and total annual CCC budget well over £500,000,000.
➢ Covid numbers going down East Cambs area usually the lowest.
➢ Stressed x2 for x1 Tree Policy, if a tree is lost on highways it will be replaced by 2
➢ x10 Parishes successful in 2021/22 LHI bids, Wilburton 40mph to 30mph was 8th!
➢ Encourage Pubs, Cafes to apply for outdoor licences.
➢ Cllr Hunt will keep fighting for Zipper.
➢ Children who normally get Free School meals received £30 vouchers on 26th March for Easter
Holidays. (1800 cases).
➢ Council tax rose by 2.99% , 2% rise+ 0.99 Social care.
➢ A428 Caxton to Black Cat (A1) still going ahead.
➢ Cllr Hunt introduced Cllr Schumann who is taking over
District Council
➢ Re-cycling rates now 56.5%, target 60% Best in Cambs.27th out of 341 nationally.
➢ Covid: 32 out of 100,000 in East Cambs have Covid lowest in Cambridgeshire 58th in England
➢ We support youth/communities Burwell Hall £180,000, Vivat £495K, Stretham PC £500K.
➢ Have been criticised for closing Mepal. It costs a lot to run a month and its likely we will be pushing
for crematorium
➢ Unhappy with potential Police/Fire merge
➢ £45 million Planning application in for new MIU on RAF site.
➢ £Working on 100k home, another way of getting people on the ladder. Haddenham CLT fist x8 now
in residence.
➢ ECDC Council Tax 0% for 7th year. Cannot last forever.
➢ 13 Laptops and 50 desktops to “Digital Drive” to help young people access education.
➢ Cllr Hunt will remain as Chairman Planning, Asset Champion and member Finance &Assets for
2021/22.
➢ Pushing all Grunty Fen applications to all neighbouring Parish Councils.