A meeting of Croydon Parish Council was held
on Wednesday 14 December 2005 in the Reading Room at 8.00pm.
Apologies: Cllr Kindersley - late arrival, Cllr Elsby -
unavailable, Mr Wittey - away.
Present: Mr Martin, Mrs Straw, Mrs Hurst, Mr Sole,
Mr Wheeler, Mr Hancock and the Clerk.
Minutes: of the last meeting, previously circulated, were
agreed and signed. October minutes, previously handwritten, were also
circulated electronically.
Matters
Arising:
Questionnaires: All despatched.
Speed Limit
Signs: Have been repositioned on the poles.
Speed Cables: Cllr Kindersley reported that there is a long
waiting list for cables it could be up to a year or two before Croydon had
them fitted. It is hoped that speed
checks with a radar gun would be a more expedient option. Councillors not convinced it would be best
for Croydon as the worst circumstances never seem to be the ones that are
policed.
Recycling
Credits: SCDCllr Spink reported that due to capping,
cutbacks, rising costs and service review, the payment of recycling credits to
Parish Councils will cease from April 2006.
Savings of £420,000 have had to be made in the Environmental Services
budget.
2006 Meetings: December date may change wait for full
Council for a decision.
Footpaths: Karen Champion, CCC Footpaths Officer, is disputing
the exit point of a footpath in the parish with a parishioner. It was proposed by Mr Hancock and seconded by
Mr Wheeler that we approach the parishioner concerned to see if Council may
assist at all. Three in favour and one
against. Clerk to action. (Cllr
Kindersley made aware and will monitor the situation).
Village
Matters:
Cemetery: Mr Martin and Mr Sole have had a site
meeting with Denis Vacher of CCC Highways regarding piping the ditch and
constructing a vehicular access. It is
possible that the kerbing may be extended as far as Casa Mia, which would
prevent the verge being incorporated into the roadway, but the cost would have
to be borne by Council. A specification
for the works required must be prepared before any quotations are sought.
Correspondence:
CiLCA: Stands for Certificate in Local Council
Administration. This is the
qualification that ultimately all Clerks are supposed to achieve to give a
parish council Quality Status. Unfortunately, Croydon does not meet several
other criteria required for QS, so Clerk declined to take the course at
present.
WRVS: Asking for a donation Clerk to respond with
standard reply.
Draft
Statement of Community Involvement: Circulated.
Electoral
Register: Inspected by Council
Grass Cutting: File.
CRNE: E-bulletin received file.
Refuse: Cllr Kindersley reported on the waste arrangement
over the festive period. He also asked
if the magazine had been delivered to Croydon yet apparently it had not.
E-Cops: Discussed and circulated.
Patient and
Public Involvement in Health: Circulated.
EERA: Planning to be passed to
the Parish Magazine correspondent.
Transport contact database details being updated. Clerk to action. Our contact with them is Deborah Barber.
(Deborah.Barber@eera.gov.uk)
Petersfield
School: Minutes received and circulated.
Community
Action Magazine: Circulated.
Bus Services: Changes announced not relevant to Croydon
file.
PPP: CCC Footpaths - discussed and circulated.
SC Magazine: Clerk had received a copy through the post
and will put the relevant section regarding refuse collections on the notice
board.
CamAir: A campaign to stop the redevelopment by Cemex
of Barrington Cement Plant they feel that toxic waste will be burnt at the
site, although Cemex says that there is no risk. Other problems would be increased traffic
movements to and from the site and construction of a new road to join the A603
at the top of Orwell Hill. See the
CamAir website www.camair.org.uk/ - discover what Cemex is doing elsewhere on
www.rugbyinplume.org/
Fete: Mrs Straw and Mr Wheeler have offered to
mastermind the village fete next year.
Help will be required from others.
Low Farm: Cllr Kindersley reported that it may be a
possible site for a Therapy Centre for Injured Firemen. It could employ about 40 staff - Council
supportive SCDC Planners may feel differently.
Planning:
Crail: The appeal
on the original application at Crail
was dismissed. Cllr Kindersley reported that SCDC Planners cannot refuse an
application unreasonably. As the
neighbours were happy with the amended plans it had to be passed. The Menage site was considered to be in a
unique spot and therefore was refused!
Reading Room: Application for disabled access/toilet
received. After a short discussion the
Chairman proposed that no objections be made.
All in favour.
5 Larkins
Road: Application for extension granted.
Finance:
Bank
Charges: Barclays will be changing
the current account to a Community Account, which does not attract any bank
charges.
NSB Cheque: Paid into the Bank.
SLCC: Clerk asked if Council would again be willing to
fund membership of the Local Council Clerks Society at a cost of £64-00. It was proposed by Mrs Hurst and seconded by
Mrs Straw that a cheque be raised for this amount. All in favour.
Precept: To be set at the January meeting.
Cllr
Kindersley: Reported that SCDC has won
an injunction against the travellers on Smithy Fen, who now have 12 months in
which to move on. Council tax has been
capped at 4.99% and new bills have been issued.
This will require some savage cuts in services, but Council has no other
option. Cemex is holding a public
meeting on Tuesday 3 January 2006 in Barrington Village Hall send a representative.
Items for next
agenda:
Croydon Sign: At Tadlow end of Lower Road has been knocked
down.
Date of next
meeting - Wednesday
18 January 2006 at 8.00pm in the Reading Room.
As there was no further business the meeting closed
at 9.13pm.
Signed
Date