From our Reporter at the Parish Council Meeting
WHAT A TO-DO THERE WAS AT THE START OF THE MEETING. The PC was thrown into
disarray because for the first time for many years there were two volunteers
for the parish council vacancy. The last time this happened was when Elaine
Malster was selected against two other volunteers, one of whom was a recently
arrived Mason in the village. Elaine and the Mason had the same number of votes
and Elaine got in with the Chairman's casting vote.
So what was the problem this time? Quite simply it was a matter of procedure. Only one candidate, Geoffrey Woollard, showed up and Eric immediately proposed him because of Geoffrey's years as a parish, district and county councillor. "With that experience Geoffrey will save us from being flooded" said Eric. The meeting was reminded that you don't propose and second, you just have a vote. Having agreed that, there was then a debate whether it should be a secret ballot or a show of hands. By this time about five people had offered their twopennyworth on the correct procedure. Progress was being made until Peter Hart doubted whether "co-opted" was the right word. As he put it, there was a vacancy and these people were volunteers and were not co-opted. Explanations followed but no-one appeared satisfied. It took seven minutes before the procedure was agreed and I wondered what Geoffrey was doing outside the meeting. Was he getting involved with the Slimmers or had he just got fed up and gone home?
The vote went ahead, Geoffrey was elected and called in, he was "honoured and very grateful", and he asked whether he could sit where Henry sat (was this sentiment or ambition?). One thing is for sure, the village now has another very dedicated councillor.
Hazel Williams announced that from October 1st all pensioners with a travel card can travel free on both the service bus and the Park and Ride after 9.30am. The CCC has put more money in from a separate pot because the number of bus passengers has declined over the last few months and the CCC was failing to meet a passenger target and thereby losing money. If passenger numbers increase there will be access to other funding which means that CCC can recoup the extra money it has just paid out. I hope I've got that right.
Everyone was in a twitch about the ree mergence of travellers. Always the CCC drags its feet before bringing proceedings and this constantly frustrates ECDC who are still trying to get a better working relationship with the CCC. Alan Alderson did acknowledge the difficulties faced by the CCC and that the "Human Rights Act" enables the travellers to ask for the protection offered to any minority group. It seems that the travellers at the start of proceedings can always turn up with some old granny or suchlike who may die if moved. And later they use a smart lawyer who often spooks the judge by moving into the details of the Human Rights Act. Both Alan and Hazel stressed that it is essential to have a lot of confirmed anti-social evidence before CCC is entirely happy about going to court. Against this it was acknowledged that people are often frightened to give evidence and it was suggested it should be fed through the PC to conceal names.
The Parochial Charities have written to the PC to confirm that they have "smartened up" the "Waste Paper Lodges" which used to be the sheds for the eighteenth century almshouses which once stood nearby (see next month's Crier for all the pictures.) Steve reported that the Sports and Recreation Club are providing the £2,000 needed for the Burwell Tigers' legal fees, and, cross fingers, it may go ahead but Steve understandably wished to make no promises or firm predictions. Meanwhile the parking problem near the school is being tackled with more yellow lines, the coach position being moved, a ban on mums parking nearer than a certain point, and with the police attending and monitoring how the mothers park. This is going to be an interesting spectacle and I can imagine it attracting a huge crowd in the morning. I wonder whether the police will arrive in coaches, or how long it is before they require riot gear.
The Sports Club may also offer some money for a new surface under the swings - but only if the PC stops using tarmac and uses something more durable. This will be explored. Meanwhile there was great concern about the bird "litter" on the seats of the swings. How to stop this was discussed in the meeting and also in the open question time at the end. Three suggestions were made - put spikes on the top of the swings, put a thin piece of wire along the top, put a wide board over the swings so that the birds can do what they like without anything dropping on the seats. All seem pretty useful but I wonder whether the discussion could be thrown open to the whole village as I am sure there are other ingenious ways of stopping the birds from fouling the seats.
Across the road from our cemetery is about an acre of Parish Council land which is there as a burial site when our cemetery overflows. Meanwhile the land does nothing. Occasionally people try to cultivate it with limited success. There has now been an application from Alex Kirby and Mike Malster and it was agreed to rent the land to them for £50 a year. A member of the PC had been taken in to their confidence and announced that it was all going to be organic, there will be a surrounding border of wild flowers, the main crops will be asparagus, with soft and hard fruit, and there will be no polytunnels. This is something for everyone to look forward to and maybe organized bi-monthly formal guided visits will be offered as work progresses.
It was in Any Other Business (AOB) that Geoffrey came into his own and repaid Eric Day's expression of faith in him at the start of the meeting. Geoffrey wanted the PC to condemn the National Trust's flooding programme and also the proposed Bridge of Reeds. He was very persistent, but Andrew Camps pointed out you cannot vote on any items in AOB and also that not every councilor attended the National Trust Presentation. But it will be on the Agenda for the next meeting.
Also in AOB Andrew said there had been a complaint that the hand lawn mowers in the cemetery could be a hazard for children. Sandra Ginn had recently visited the cemetery, had admired the neatness of it all with the line of watering cans and mowers for the use of people, and wondered that if there is a problem children should not be allowed in without an adult. It did all seem pretty ridiculous. Where is Health and Safety taking us? The PC said there was always a danger of trapping fingers in the gate. Who's children are they anyway. Grrrrh!! Also reported to Andrew was that a larger amount of rubbish was turning up in the cemetery fire cage with the allotments holders being the prime suspects.