Parish Annual General Meeting
Minutes of the Bartlow Parish Annual General Meeting
held at 8.00pm in The Three Hills, Bartlow
on Monday 28th March 2011
Present: Duncan Ogilvy in the chair, Joe and Gilly Bailey, Linda and Stephen Bugg, Lyn and Colin Faulkner, Philip Gibson, Siobhan Judge, Mollie Haggie, David Hannah, Bob Hill, Denise and Graham Howat, Andy Lamb, Catriona Ogilvy, Christine Ogilvy, Margaret and Ernie Turkington, Belinda Lynch.
The following introduced themselves and were welcomed to the meeting: John Batchelor representing the County and District, Trisha Bear, representing the District and Linda Browne Community Liaison with the District.
1. Apologies for absence
James Haggie
2. The minutes of the Annual General Meeting dated 15th March 2010 were agreed as a true record.
3. Matters arising :
Linton Wind Farm
John Batchelor reported that the appeal had been rejected out of hand. It took 8 months but the key element was air traffic control for Luton and Stansted, their evidence having been given right at the beginning. The anti wind farm group met their own costs. The government has changed planning rules which will make it much easier for things to go through on the nod. Photo voltaic cells are the latest ruse with a proposed 15 hectare site between Balsham and Linton.
4. Election of officers
Duncan Ogilvy and Linda Bugg were unanimously re-elected.
5. Neighbourhood Watch
Mollie Haggie said there was nothing to report, but she praised David Peters for his alert presence in and around the village. Duncan Ogilvy attends the Police meetings. He thanked Mollie for her valued contribution.
6. Speed Watch
An event took place in Dean Road outside the Willows and Linfield House in November. Once again Graham Howat asked for more volunteers who are willing to go for training as we have the minimum number of people required. One or possibly two more people would be a great help.
7. Any other business
Linda Browne addressed the meeting and explained her role; she is the point of contact between the villages and the District and is prepared to speak to the County; she takes notes at the Neighbourhood Panel meetings; she visits as many parishes as possible to attend their individual events and will come to a First Tuesday here where she will distribute explanatory leaflets. She mentioned the community access point in Balsham church hall where there are computers that are free to any resident in South Cambridge. There is also a Street Representatives initiative to tackle anti social behaviour to help the culprits understand the consequences.
Trisha Bear mentioned the blue bins and congratulated the District; only 1.2% of blue bin material delivered to the sorting manufacturer was contaminated; usually it is 10.85%. Graham Howat pointed out that the box inside the blue bin was the wrong shape, and she confirmed that this was being looked at. She advised that the District has a scheme to restore old orchards and create new ones. She will find out exactly how many trees constitute an orchard. Applications for historic building grants are available. South Cambs has adopted a sex establishment and sex entertainment venue licensing policy, and a street trading policy.
John Batchelor reported that the County is making a £160m reduction in its budget which is 35% of its disposable income. It will move away from delivering services and contract out. This will mean the withdrawal of subsidies to bus services and the number 13 will be the only bus not affected. Road maintenance will be cut so there will be a further deterioration in the roads. He confirmed that there is now a reporting system for required maintenance. There will be a 45% cut in the library budget. 13 are under review which includes Linton. It is likely that all professional staff will be withdrawn and volunteers taken on. There is a meeting on the 21st April at the library and Siobhan Judge and Lyn Faulkner agreed to attend on our behalf. It is still in the consultation process. £1m of the £3m has been withdrawn from the Youth Service Budget which will affect the Castle Camps Youth Project. Local parish councils are being asked to pay for the staff. As a community, the meeting felt that we should be ready to help. David Hannah mentioned potholes. John confirmed that there is a statutory obligation for the County to deal with holes of more than 3”. In the following 3 weeks a patch should be put in with a hot box. In the last few weeks they have been in Linton High Street and hopefully they will soon get round to us. There are 6 teams occupied just filling holes. Siobhan asked for a 30 speed limit in Bartlow. John confirmed that the new Localism Bill gives much more power to the Parish Councils. You can change the speed limits but you have to foot the bill. Streetly End are getting their new speed limit for £4,000. We should contact John if we are planning anything. Siobhan also mentioned a mirror at the crossroads which we can put in ourselves. The County is reluctant as they are stolen or damaged.
Duncan Ogilvy thanked the three representatives for their presence and valuable input to the meeting.
8. Date of next meeting
Duncan once again confirmed that an extra meeting can always be convened if there are important issues that the village wish to discuss.
