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WOOD DITTON PARISH COUNCIL


The full Council at their meeting on 18th October 2007
Standing: Eileen Bullock, Geoff Gardiner, Hollie Armstrong, Bob Burton, Charles Smith, Cliff Pettitt, Robin Sharp, Peter Golding, June Surrage, Nigel Gardiner
Seated: Peter Powney-Jones (Chairman), John Theobald (Clerk)

WOODDITTON PARISH COUNCIL MEETING
June 19th 2008 (draft)

The Council met in the Ditton Lodge School Hall, on Thursday 19 June 2008 at 7.30 pm.
1. Present: Mr Peter Powney-Jones (Chairman), councillors Messrs Cliff Pettitt, June Surrage, Peter Golding, Bob Burton, Geoff Gardiner, Robin Sharp and Mr John Theobald (Clerk)
Apologies and absences Nigel Gardiner, Eileen Bullock and Charles Smith (domestic reasons)
Carl Poole & Peter Cresswell (District Councillors) attended

2. Interests Declared: Personal - Cliff Pettitt in planning application 08/00564/OUT and June Surrage in the Methodist Church appeal (Item 6)

3. Minutes The draft minutes of the previous meetings held on 15th May were given earlier to all councillors were now unanimously approved and signed by the Chairman.

4. Matters arising

Aircraft Stacking: The Chairman presented copies of the letter he and Robin Sharp had sent to the NATS Consultancy and copies of the lengthy replies defending the plans. The Council also has copies of a letter from the Newmarket Horseracing Group. The Council will continue to support the protest groups against the new stacking areas.
Others: The Clerk reported the streetlight column at the crossroads had been removed and he awaited a reply from Anglian Water about the pumping station developments.
5. Co-option of new Councillor Mr Gresham Robertson attended and presented his Qualification Certificate. He spoke briefly to the Council about his background and the Council resolved to co-opt him as a Councillor (proposed Cliff Pettitt, seconded Peter Golding, unanimously). He signed the acceptance of office and Code of Conduct form, which was countersigned by the Clerk to the Council, who gave him a Councillor's Guide booklet and the abbreviated Code of Conduct book. He was welcomed to the Council.

Meeting adjourned for Public Forum 19.55 pm
Nothing arose and meeting reconvened at 19.57 pm

6. Planning Applications 08/00533/FUL DALHAM HALL STUD. DEMOLISH BARN AND REPLACE WITH 10 BOX AMERICAN BARN, ADJUSTS TO FENCES AND ACCESS. NO OBJECTIONS BUT NOTED THAT THE NEW BARN IS HIGHER AND SHOULD BE MADE TO BLEND INTO THE COUNTRYSIDE.
08/00564/OUT 3 DETACHED DWELLINGS ON LAND NE OF CROCKFORDS ROAD.THE COUNCIL HAD MANY CONCERNS – PLANS MISLEADING, TOO GREAT A DENSITY, RAILWAY LINE CLOSER THAN SHOWN, PARKING, REVERSALS ON TO ROAD USED BY HGVS, NEAR JUNCTION AND RAIL BRIDGE REMOVAL OF TREES AND BUSHES, USE OF OPPOSITE BANK AS A BUILDER'S YARD.
THE CLERK AND PETER GOLDING REPORTED ON THE LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK SEMINAR ON 10TH JUNE. EAST CAMBS HAS TO SUPPLY 6000 HOUSES BY 2025 AND ABOUT 20 CARAVAN PITCHES. LOCAL VILLAGES REMAIN INFILL ONLY SITES, DEVELOPMENT ENVELOPES ARE MUCH THE SAME AS IN THE 2000 PLAN. P CRESSWELL AND C POOLE ADDED COMMENTS AND INFORMATION.

7. Amenity Field
Change of Use Application: No official response yet from the Planning Services. Peter Powney-Jones reported on his contacts with the Landscape Officer and the quite stringent demands for screening and landscaping the field. He had met Darleys Grounds Manager and hoped to fix another meeting with him and The Landscape Officer on site to agree the plantings and work needed. There is a problem with the sewer pipe along road side of the field as nothing can be planted over or near it. Robin Sharp and Peter Cresswell made useful suggestions about the best way forward, purchasing trees etc. and professional landscape contractors.

8. Neighbourhood Panel The next meeting is on 1st July - 7pm at Bottisham Village College. The Chairman said parishioners were welcome to attend and asked for subjects to discuss other than speeding and parking. Peter Golding suggested precise definitions of recycling materials and the use of various refuse bags.

9. Highways and Maintenance

Robin Sharp said it seemed the best bus shelter site was still the base of the old shelter. He will request an estimate from a local carpenter for making a suitable wooden structure.
The letter of 2nd June from the Parochial Church Council was read and circulated. The Parish Council are committed to maintaining a high standard at the closed churchyard, and will ask for a key to let contractors and Darley workers access the site. Geoff Gardiner offered to try to strim the nettles very soon.
Bidding Round: Agreed to press for a footway in The Street.
Other Issues: Passing bay in Maypole Lane and break up of Footway surface in Little Ditton. The Clerk will persue.
10. Accounts and Payments The Council approved:
School Hall rent: £15.00 (S134 LGA72)

Newsletter:

The Link £54.00 (s142 LGA 1972)
Rodney Vincent £25.00 ditto
Distribution £47.40 ditto
The appeal from the Saxon Street Methodist Church was considered and the Council resolved to award £500.00 (proposed P Powney-Jones, seconded C Pettitt- carried)
Paid £500.00 (S133 LGA 1972)
11. Post Office Closures Letter of 23rd May from Cambs CC and the briefing seminar 24TH July at The Grange Ely were noted. The Closure decisions will be announced on 8th July.

12. Latest Correspondence and Publications The Clerk drew attention to and distributed publications on:

Neighbourhood Panel Newsletter
East Cambs Chairman's Chat
New Code of Conduct Complaints Procedure
Community Action Magazine
Letter 28th May from East Cambs DC. - congratulations to Peter Cresswell and Anthea Davidson on becoming Chairman and Vice-Chairman
13. Next Meeting and Business: Thursday 17TH July at 7.30 pm at the Methodist Hall Saxon Street.
Business:
Grant appeals.
E-mail distribution of Agendas and Minutes.
Amenity Field Planning and landscaping.
Meeting closed at 9.55 pm.

Organizations and terms Associated with the Parish Council:
C.P.R.E. (Council for the Preservation of Rural England).
Cambridgeshire ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England). An independent charity which supports local groups concerned with social, economic and environmental aspects of life in a rural county.
BENSCH (East of England Associations of Parish and Town Councils)
CALC (Cambridgeshire Association of Local Councils). Helps its member Parish Councils and Parish Meetings to carry out their role by providing legal and procedural advice on a day to day basis.
Precept: Council's spending requirement.

Parish Newsletter No 5 to March 2008
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