MINUTES OF MEETING HELD IN THE WANSFORD COMMUNITY HALL ON
MONDAY 9TH JULY 2012 AT 7.30 P.M.
Present: Cllr J Burrows
Cllr S Forward
Cllr T Pearson
Cllr J Stannage – Chairman
Cllr G Stevens
Cllr T Sortwell
There were no members of the public present
1. Apologies for Absence: Cllr R Clarke
City Cllr J Holdich
Parish Clerk W Gray
In the absence of the Parish Clerk, the minutes were taken by Cllr T Pearson.
Special Item:
Aimee Hunter, our Police Community Support Officer, kindly gave us half an hour of her time. She was appointed in April, is based in Bretton and covers nine villages. Emergency 999 calls go to Thorpe Wood Police Station, non-emergency calls, e.g. reporting suspicious circumstances, should be 101. Her email address is aimee.hunter@cambs.pnn.police.uk.
She told us that there had been no crimes reported in Wansford last month but asked that we should contact her if we sighted a suspicious red van with white writing on it touting for scrap metal. We discussed problems with the old bridge and she agreed to pursue those responsible for signage on the south side with a view for improvements and a reduction of heavy vehicle traffic over the bridge and we would liaise with Sibson-cum-Stibbington Parish Council to try to resolve the matter. She was aware of the need for policing of the bridge when there is a blockage of the A1 northbound north of Wansford. We also made her aware of our concerns about vehicles speeding through the village. A play area for toddlers in the village was also discussed.
The Chairman thanked Aimee for her efforts and for coming to the meeting.
2. Declarations of Interest: There were none.
3. Planning:
12/01009/CTR – Consultation on Conservation Area Trees Notification at 13 Robins Field, Wansford – One dead Scots Pine tree to be removed
Two Poplars to be reduced by approx. 50% to old prune points
Two Silver Birches to be reduced by 25% and deadwood removed
Two small conifers to remove to ground
The Parish Council approved the proposal provided that it satisfied requirements of the Peterborough City Council Tree Officer
Action: W. Gray
4. The Minutes of the meeting held on the 10th June:
These were approved and signed.
5. Matters Arising from the Minutes:
30mph wheelie bin stickers:Apparently there are noneleft (out of 200 !) but few have appeared on Old Leicester Road and Old North Road. It was agreed that more should be requested with the words “Slow Down Please” and that councillors should visit residents on a Monday evening, to hand them out and ask them to put them on their bins.
Tree Warden visit:So that we have time to advertise this in August’s Living Villages (article deadline 20/7) we should try to fix a date for John Wilkinson to come during the week commencing 3rd September.
Action: W. Gray, T. Pearson (for August’s Living Villages article)
Roundabout:We should request that Atkins clean it up and install gravel and rocks whilst retaining the current trees.
Action: G Stevens
Verge maintenance: We need to seek improvement including via our City Councillors
Action: G Stevens
Village Map/Information Board: A1 size, vertical, GRC facia (plastic-like wood) with map, photographs and verbiage (a competition for submissions from the village ?). To be sited on the north side of the green near the bench. Cost ~£1,000
Action: T Sortwell
Community Hall: there is to be a meeting this Thursday to which all interested parties and users have been invited.
Underpass and lighting: There has been no progress yet with the underpass. All street lights are now working – a letter of thanks to be sent to PCC.
Action: W. Gray
A Visit from PCC to assess the state of the bridge:We need to pursue this.
Action: W. Gray
Japanese Knotweed: We should ensure that Sibson-cum-Stibbington Parish Council deal with this since it threatens the bridge (which is in Wansford Parish).
Action: W. Gray
6. Finance:
Invoices: Parish Clerk – We were unsure about the tax and VAT being paid to P.
Taylor and need clarification from the clerk.
Action: J Stannage
Invoice: Thornhaugh and Wansford Parish Burial Ground Management Committee –
It was agreed to pay the £2,000.
Invoice: Paul Taylor, Internal Auditor – It was agreed to pay the £130 but queried the
increase from £80 last year.
Annual Accounts – 31/3/2011 £14,687.95 balance
31/3/2012 £20,246.72 balance (~1.5 x precept as it should be)
All were in favour of sending the accounts off. We should ensure that this is done on time next year. It would be helpful to have a spreadsheet giving dates invoices are expected and account must be paid.
Action: W. Gray
7. Correspondence: There was none
8. Projects – Toddlers Play Area:
Cllr Forward had established contact with the person responsible at PCC and held a meeting with her, Cllr Stannage, Cllr Burrows, PCSO Hunter, City Cllr Lamb and two representatives from the Nene Valley Tots group. It was agreed that Nene Close was a sensible place for a Toddlers Play Area. Cllr Forward proposed thata further meeting should be held with representatives of the Nene Valley Tots groupwho have expressed interest and support for a toddler area and perhaps they could draw up aplan to be submitted to us and others for support and finance. (A total cost of some £30,000 has been estimated). Peterborough City Council would be expected to maintain and insure the Play Area once it had been established. Cllr Forward would consult with City Cllr Lamb for advice about ownership of establishing the Play Area.
Action: Cllr Forward
The leasing of land in Nene Close should be on the next agenda.
Action: W. Gray
9. Matters for Consideration:
Living Villages article responsibility: for August – Cllr Pearson
for September – Cllr Stannage
for October -Cllr Sortwell
10. Reports from Councillors: There were none.
11. Dates of next meetings in the Community Hall: Monday 13th August 2012
Monday 10th September 2012