From our Reporter at the Parish Council Meeting
A more muted meeting, this one, either than the November one I attended, or the
December one I read of in the last Crier. What excitement there was happened
before the meeting began. 'Karen (King) isn't here.'Why? At a
funeral. 'Can we get into the room?'Apparently not. 'Should we have
the meeting in the pub?'( I honestly didn't note who sad that). Somehow
the door was unlocked and off we went. No Parish Clerk; no PC Chair. Undaunted,
Sandra and Andrew were deputised and sworn in. (those last three words do
embellish the truth somewhat). Declarations of interest? None. Matters arising?
Oh dear. Drains On Greenhead Road. The matter was now with the HSE (Health and
Safety Executive) so it was considered 'no further local action could be
taken'. Someone was concerned that some might read this to mean we are
losing interest. Not at all! came a chorus of replies. This was debated. We
were not losing interest. There was no dissent. Agreement was expressed around
the table, until we were completely sure we completely agreed. Minutes were
agreed also. Harmoniousness hovered over all.
ACRE Affordable Housing Enabler Catherine Shilton was introduced, along with Oliver Cook, from ECDC. Geoffrey Woollard opened with the view that 'if we embark on a survey of affordable housing need and possibly subsequent building, we'd be catching up on years of neglect. We are a village of 'rich retired'he said. Would this enable grandchildren who'd moved away to 'come home'? Also, who decides who would be entitled, he asked, somewhat pointedly. Oliver Cook began to say that priorities can be adapted in agreement with local PCs so it's down to you. The reply, although what everyone wanted to hear, was thrust aside even as it left his lips. 'Who are you?'said Geoffrey, suddenly. Are you John and Margaret's...? Yes, said Mr Cook, who is indeed their son. Ah! Said Geoffrey. Haven't seen them in years.
This filial and local link established, the tone of the meeting relaxed somewhat. He Must Be One Of Us Then. Some discussion of statistics ensued. 805 - is that people or households? It's by wards. Ah! So what we are discussing includes Reach. Ms Shilton explained: most allocations are from assessment bands A & B, the neediest, priority for those with appropriate connections to that ward - an A from Ely cannot 'leapfrog'a D band person with identified connections to this area. She mentioned that a lot of people don't apply for social housing thinking they will not get a house, because of others in need in the region; but this may not be the case under these terms. It's 'Homelink'criteria that matter. Homelink was set up so people on the list can bid for an advertised property in the Homelink magazines. Guidelines strictly apply. No nods and winks because someone knows someone on the council!
What kind? Usually small units. People think it's all 3-beds but it's not. Pulpit Corner. (That was a Royal Exception for building permission, apparently. Sounded grand to me). They get built if a local housing survey identifies a need and there is an offer of land to buy; but 'landowners don't get rich from selling land to social housing'Ms Shilton pointed out. £5K-£8K per acre. There's also a mutual exchange system run by Homelink - 'House swaps', if you will. Allen Alderson expressed E Cambs' concern that property rents rising in Cambridge push up private rents in the villages. Oliver Cook agreed. Although rents don't rise as in the social housing sector, it tends to increase pressure/demand on social housing as people find private sector rental too expensive.
Pause for thought. Mr Woollard voiced the question hanging in the air: so what next? He for one was happy for a survey to be done. How many respondents needed for a survey to be worthwhile? We'd be looking for 25%, said Ms Shilton. Is that all? I thought. This village can mobilise hundreds of responses for something they don't like, ie a travellers'site. What could it do for something they might actually want? An army of rampant housebuilders, you would think. I say this assuming nobody would be against housing for those from here but who can't afford to buy here. This was an agreement meeting - I didn't hear anyone put a word in against this issue, or much else. Except the State Of The Drains In Greenhead Road, of course.
Andrew Camps asked whether we publicise this. Ms Shilton said they would provide extra copies of the information she had given us, to be distributed. What about people who have moved away because they can't find somewhere to live here, asked Geoffrey. It says on the survey form that if you know someone who has moved away, we'll send them a form if you tell us, said Ms Shilton, ever ready with answers we wanted to hear. Do they get gardens? Yes. Is the school full? Pretty much, but the rich retirees here haven't produced many children, Geoffrey helpfully pointed out. Some come from Burwell. Indeed. That was it, then. To carry out a local survey was proposed, seconded, and passed. Messrs Shilton & Cook thanked us, were thanked for coming, and left.
An agreeable haze of consensus remained behind. This looks to need doing. Then someone shook themselves out of it and asked how these newly-departed ACRE folk had come to be here in the first place. It was recalled that Ms Shilton had been invited in response to her letter circulated for the November meeting. Once it had been established that this would cost us nothing at all, someone added.
That broke the spell and restored the gleam to some Councillors'eyes. (You probably need to have been at a PC meeting to know that look, but it tells you when they are in meeting mode).
The assembled councillors gathered wits and papers both; onwards to County Councillors' reports. No upward movement in Council tax. No Guided Bus movement in any direction. But actually no, truth to tell Guided Bus trials have taken place. (sounds of sucked teeth here. Really. I'm not making it up). A different contractor will complete the work. Maybe. (general derision). Gritting in the cold had been 'a hot topic'at CCC meetings. It was felt the teams did well. Other items: Integrated offender management. Continued action on climate change... This provoked movement at the upper end of the table. GW: 'I'm not one for going after people who are allegedly overpaid, but do we know what the salaries of the most senior officials are?'
DB said Mark Lloyd's is on the website and he's had no increase for two years, nor likely to in future. Shared management with Northants is also driving down costs. GW (not letting go): Then on the one hand one feels sorry for him; on the other hand if he's earning 180 grand, I feel less sorry for him. I will look it up. When did the guided bus start? He asked. - It hasn't, came the reply (laughter). GW (pointedly): I'm just relieved Councillor Brown's hands are clean... AA added that in 7 years the number of senior officers has decreased, usually replaced with lower grades when they leave. GW wanted to know Oliver Cook's salary.
AA: Working with other councils is essential to driving costs down. It's scary what we've got to deal with in the next two years...less councillors representing larger areas, from 39 down to 30...
AC: Less representation of the people, then? AA: It depends...it's worked out on population.
Revenue Support grant: will be cut 17.8% from £5.6 million to £4.9 million in the first year; similar in the second. (I hope my notes make sense, statistics fans. I'm not a mathematician).
Down to (local) earth in an instant - the handrail at the Beeches IS up, this time. Last time it was reported to be, it wasn't; due to the wrong kind of cold. But AA had gone forth, giving the excusemongers short shrift. No-one can tell him it's too cold to lay concrete. Allen Alderson is a man who knows his mortar. And he put some sand down on the icy path when he inspected, too.
Swaffham Bulbeck store - village stores are greatly valued where they survive. We shop at the big places yes, but village stores have a social value that's irreplaceable. It's not a matter of instead of, but as well as. Shop local too. You know it makes sense.
AA: Small Village Grants: previously only where less than 800 residents, rule change means it's now less than 3000. We're eligible! Do we have anything to attract these grants? We might get it through. Any ideas? Contact a Councillor (I assume). Or write to Karen King.
Correspondence: to close a road for Royal Wedding street parties, Police to be notified by 31 Jan. Too late by the time you read this but I happen to know that since the PC meeting the forces of the SWG (Social Working Group) have been mobilised to notify as required, just in case...
Those Drains Again: (HSE still on the case) Pound Wall (repairs to, discussed) Budget (Precept accepted) GW went to a Neighbourhood Panel at BVC (why? he doesn't like them at all: "Apart from a sparkling performance from someone from SP, A COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME" ).
Grass verge problems (Fairview Grove, Lower End, cars parking on, still an issue).
Allotments: what's the supply and demand? five, an oversupply. All held by two residents - not to create a vegetable empire, more to prevent them going to seed for lack of interest, I understand.
Many things, big and small, in one meeting. All vitally important, each in their own way.