Minutes of the Meeting of Milton Parish Council held on Monday 6th September 1999 at 7pm in the Community Centre Present: RLE Waters (chair) RJ Farrington JE Coston R Day M Ellwood DJ Lee IF May PK Oldham JM Palmer GM Richardson HM Smith RT Summerfield CF Taylor LC Twinn and the clerk SJ Daniels 1 Apologies for absence A Lakhani 368/99 2 Minutes The minutes of the meeting of 5 July 1999 were approved and signed as a true record. 3 Clerk's Report (inc matters arising) 369/99 Bus Shelter Landbeach Road (266/99) RJF and the clerk had met with Queensbury representative. There was no easy solution. The clerk: to obtain prices of a new enclosed shelter (possibly to include in next year's budget). 370/99 Pedestrian Crossing Facilities (267/99) Noted that WS Atkins were including an appraisal of the practicality of providing a zebra crossing on a raised area near the Apostolic Church. If practicable it would be included in the scheme. Cost of zebra approx £5000 and a pelican crossing £15000 - £20000. The cycleway scheme was due to be put before the Area Joint Committee on 15 September. 371/99 Landfill Site (301/99) A report on the "clinical waste" incident produced by East Waste was received. J Jones Environment Agency witnessed the incident. In his words the press release was a full statement of what actually happened. East Waste contravened five conditions of the Environmental Protection Act 1991. After negotiation East Waste pleaded guilty on two counts and was fined £4000 for each. Their practices had now improved. The EA had issued a notice to East Waste requiring them to comply with their licence conditions. If they do not comply parts of the licence can be suspended. These licences are on the public register open to public scrutiny. 372/99 Street Naming Crane Industrial Estate (302/99) The recent survey showed a strong preference for the name Cambridge Road. AGREED to propose that a sign Cambridge Road Nos. 133 and above - be erected. 373/99 Allotments' Pump (319/99) ME had installed the pump. Modifications were still needed. ME: to contact Elliott Engineering. 374/99 Disposal of waste bins (334/99) Decision to be made about bins at October meeting. AGREED to site one of bins near seat by railway crossing Fen Road. 375/99 Conservation Area (345/99) The conservation department of SCDC had failed to notify the planning department that the conservation area had been increased. The planning department therefore had been working to out of date information. 376/99 Haling way - Fen Road to Baits Bite Lock The clerk: to write to the agents for Cam Conservators complaining about the state of the haling way from Fen Road to Baits Bite Lock. 4 Planning 377/99 The minutes of the meeting of 26 July 1999 were received. Appeal 378/99 Mr A Webb Camside Farm Chesterton Fen Road - two mobile homes (254/99) for gypsies - refused. Contrary to the Development Plan (Cambs Structure Plan 1995) and national Green Belt policy Decisions Received 379/99 Trinity College 2 storey office building units 334 & 335 Science (348/99) Park - approved. Landscaping scheme and details of materials for external walls and roofs, hard surfaced areas, surface water drainage and foul sewage disposal to be approved. 380/99 BJ Leonard 35 Fen Road - extension - approved. (346/99) Permanent space to be reserved on site for parking. 381/99 C Beaver Plot 15 Newfield Caravan Park Chesterton Fen Road - (318/99) bungalow and garage - refused. Contrary to Green Belt Policies of Development Plan i.e. Cambs Structure Plan (1995), Cambridge Green Belt Plan (1992) and South Cambs Deposit Plan (1999); contrary to advice in Planning Policy Guidance 2 'Green Belts'. Consent to replace the mobile home would undermine the basic argument for caravan sites for gypsies and travellers and would create a serious precedent for the remaining travellers in Fen Road. 382/99 Mr & Mrs Butterfill 21 Butt Lane - single storey side extension (350/99) - approved. 383/99 Mr Tyrell 23 David Bull Way - extension - approved. (351/99) 384/99 Mr & Mrs M Pearson 50 Butt Lane conversion of garage to (352/99) study - approved. The wall dividing garage/study to be constructed so as to provide minimum width of 2.5m between any piers of the garage. 385/99 Mr & Mrs Saunders 6 Knights Way - extension - approved. (353/99) The present garage and driveway to be maintained for the parking of a minimum of 3 cars. 386/99 Mr & Mrs Wakley-Trick 22 Shirley Close - extension - approved. (355/99) New Applications The following applications had been dealt with under delegated powers - Standing Order 73 (c). 387/99 S/0167/99 East Anglia's Children's Hospices - minor amendments (263/99) to elevations and to access to front entrance and external works - for information only. 388/99 S/1190/99 Trinity (CSP) Ltd land between Units 290 and 320 Science Park - erection of day nursery - no recommendation. 389/99 S/1221/99 Mr & Mrs Williamson 78 Butt Lane - conservatory - approved. 390/99 S/1289/99 Mr & Mrs Levitt 311 The Rowans - two storey side extension - concerned at the close proximity to the windows of number 309. Noted that Edmund house, owners of 309, did not share these concerns. IFM declared an interest. 391/99 S/1296/99 Mr F Ospina 8 Lyndhurst Close - single storey extension - approved. 392/99 S/1342/99 Trinity (CSP) Ltd Science Park - proposed north/south link road - queried why this was considered necessary. 393/99 S/1135/99 Thomas-Smith Developments - two bungalows off (356/99) Faulkner Close - Noted that Planning Officers were recommending approval if satisfactory amended drawings received. A set of plans was received but did not satisfy Planning Officers. It was understood that more plans were expected. 394/99 C/11/40/72 Mr M Sparham Jolly Brewers Fen Road - tree surgery - removal of two ash, one laburnum and lower branches of yew - accept tree officer's recommendations. 394/99 5 Minutes The minutes of the Finance meeting of 26 July 1999 were received. 395/99 6 New Salary Scales (159/99) The National Joint Council for Local Government Services pay award as from 1 April 1999 had been received. Village Cleaner AGREED to pay £4.48 per hour - Spinal Column Point (SCP) 4 = £1397.76 per annum. Noted that this corrected the error made in 1998 when Council had put the village cleaner on the wrong SCP. Clerk Debated in the clerk's absence. AGREED to pay the clerk 17 hours per week at SCP 21 - £7.48 per hour = £6612.32 per annum. Mobile Warden AGREED to defer to Community Care committee - for recommendation to October meeting. 396/99 7 New (Digital) Photocopier (330/99) Quotations from CBS, ESPO, ASL and Dudley had been received. RLEW, RJF and the clerk recommended that Council purchase the Aficio 250 made by Ricoh from Dudley at a cost of £2695 - maintenance costs 0.6p per copy. (Maintenance would go up in line with inflation each year). AGREED to accept this recommendation - 13 votes in favour and one abstention. The cost of purchase would be taken partly from 'Office equipment' budget and remainder from reserves. Clubs/MCC would be given opportunity to buy the old machine. 397/99 8 Cambs County Council's medium term service priorities and local performance plan AGREED to comment on medium term service priorities that "we are being asked to choose between unacceptable alternatives". 9 votes in favour and 5 abstentions. 398/99 9 Sheltered Housing Update (332/99) Because of a shortage of skilled bricklayers and carpenters the project was two months behind schedule - now set to open in May 2000. The first residents would be all from the village or connected to the village. The Day Centre was now involved in negotiations to move to Barnabas Court. As there had been problems with Anglian & Midland a new contractor would be asked to put up the fence. 399/99 10 MCC Update Working Groups had been set up - building, recreation, finance and staff. The new path had been laid; the annexe redecorated and unsafe play equipment removed. There had been problems with youngsters mainly on Thursday evenings. The basketball court had not yet been laid. Anglian & Midland had informed the clerk that they expected to start work during the present week. 400/99 11 Play Areas Update Generally the play equipment throughout the village was in safe condition. Some minor defects highlighted in the report were still outstanding. The swings at Humphries Way were in place and being well used. The rubberised surface was being monitored. The aerial runway and playhouse had become unsafe and therefore had been removed. Concern was expressed that Wicksteed's inspection had not noticed that this equipment was in unsafe condition. There was concern also about the level of responsibility put on volunteers. The clerk: to contact Wicksteed and also CALC for advice about play inspections. 401/99 12 Bills for Payment and Money Received (schedule attached) AGREED with one abstention to confirm payment of cheques 1583 to 1596 and to authorise payment of cheques 1597 to 1617. Noted that cheque 1589 has been mislaid and that 1617 was a replacement. Cheque 1614 for £160.98 was for urgent repairs to the village map. The clerk: to ask the bank to stop cheque 1589. 402/99 13 Trees i) Report from Tree Warden PKO circulated his report. Various actions to be followed up by the clerk and PKO. A row of trees was suggested along the edge of the bund on the old A10 near the industrial estate. ii) "Millennium" site A site for planting of trees to be discussed at October meeting. 403/99 14 Crime Update Figures were circulated. The total number of reported crimes was less than in 1998. RTS reported from R Mills, Community Safety Offficer SCDC that there had been very few entries in the Safer Villages Initiative and little interest shown in the awards ceremony scheduled for 7 October. As MPC did not spend the money set aside in the budget for initiatives against crime RLEW felt that there was little point in trying to win £500 to be spent in the fight against crime. RTS and JEC: to report back to October meeting about the Anti-Social Behaviour Order. Noted that members of the youth committee had authorised the employment of a detached worker for Thursday evenings during the school summer holidays. No report had yet been received. The next youth committee meeting would look at the possibility of Council employing its own worker. DJL was waiting for confirmation that the bus would return on Monday evenings. 404/99 15 County Councillor's report Information about Cambridge Futures was available. AGREED to invite Leonard Martin to October meeting to discuss possible development of Waterbeach Barracks. JEC was organising a public meeting at Waterbeach to discuss the A10. Noted that the slip road by Tesco would be closed over the weekend of 22 - 24 October. 405/99 16 District Councillor's report A meeting had been arranged for October 11 at the Community Centre to discuss "Sustainability" in South Cambs. Various groups such as scouts, WI would be invited to participate. Waterbeach, Landbeach and Milton Parish Councils were invited. J Hellingsworth had agreed that a diseased oak at Milton Hall (TPO no 5/77/SC) could be felled. A replacement tree would be planted during the forthcoming planting season. As part of the millennium celebrations SCDC were looking for a site for a permanent beacon. 406/99 17 Correspondence Silver Fern Concrete - proposals to establish a charity to benefit disabled people - meeting on Wednesday 15 September at Meadows Community Centre Campaign for Warm Homes Bill Community and Regional Planning Services NHS South Cambs Primary Care Group Cambs County Council - Cambridge Core Traffic Scheme CALC - training day for councillors Saturday 25 September 9.30am to 1.00pm Rowing Trust - minutes of meeting of 23 April SCDC - details of refuse and street cleansing service Dickerson - site visits planned for 21 and 23 September at 7pm to hear about proposals for an Integrated Waste Management Centre north of Waterbeach. The meeting ended at 9.35pm.