COMBERTON PARISH COUNCIL
ANNUAL REPORT 2004
Chairman’s Report 2003-2004 (Chris Westgarth)
Firstly I’d like to start by thanking my fellow councillors for the tremendous amount of work they have done for the parish, I am also indebted to parishioners who serve on Parish council working groups, such as the tree group, and without their dedication and hard work….our work-load would be unbearable.
In May of last year we held our elections and with several members of the previous council ‘retiring’, we had the onerous task of co-opting new members. The ‘meet the council’ centre page feature in Contact enabled us to introduce you to the members and explain briefly our roles and responsibilities.
The Parish
Council has had another very active year bringing about numerous improvements to
the amenities and appearance of the village and each of the respective groups
will report on their activities. But I would like to highlight the enormous
progress that has been made over the last year with the youth facilities. The
successful visits from the Connections Youth Bus have been incredibly beneficial
and the skateboard feature is about to materialise in the next month or
so.
In September
2003 the village was again successful at the annual Village of the Year
competition. We were joint winners in the Environment section. The award was for
our work with Watts’ wood, the sensory garden and the pond area. That just
proves we have an environment we can be proud of.
In October 2003,
the Parish Council contracted Neal Gristwood as the village groundsman/Handyman.
His tasks around the village are many and varied. The benefits of having a
regular presence on the recreation ground and around the village have been
clearly evident and we are pleased to say that the contract has been renewed for
a further year.
In December we
hosted our annual Christmas lights event at the crossroads. The few spots of
rain failed to dampen our festive spirit. This year we had the Salvation Army
band from Waterbeach and again they visited Nursery Way afterwards.
Hot festive punch, roasted chestnuts, mince pies and gingerbread were prepared and served by members a cheerful band of volunteers. Additional lights were purchased which made the Cross Roads even more festive than last year. Our thanks to the Playgroup for the use of their premises and power supply and to Clare and Stuart Tunstall, from Comberton Antiques for the electricity supply for the pond lights. Our thanks also go to Neal Gristwood, who had the unenviable task of putting up the lights and negotiating the effects of a fairly full pond after some heavy rainfall.
In June (the 19th to be precise)
we can look forward to our next community event. After a break last year we see
a return of the open air music event on the Meridian playing fields. This year
we have 3 different groups, so hopefully there will be something for
everyone.
Well, I’ve got to the end of my report without mentioning Barton Road traffic calming….I think enough has been said about that in the past. We are all very aware of the problems that were caused by the road closure and the still unresolved situation with the road surface, signs and mud…but I believe the end is in sight….
Focus Group (Andrew Hollick & Chris Westgarth)
The focus group was created in 2004 to look at new initiatives within the village, this includes the organisation of the community events, placement of additional litterbins, new planting areas. One of the current tasks of the group is the replacement of the parish pump in Barton road and further shrub planting on the Harbour Avenue estate.
Footpaths (Chris Westgarth – Parish Path Partnership (P3) Coordinator)
Comberton continues to be a member of The Parish Paths Partnership (P3). This involves the parish working with the County Council to ensure that the footpaths are well maintained and accessible to all. With this in mind, drainage work at The Causeway [Footpath 8] has been improved and this will alleviate this swampy area. In an attempt to improve the quality of the drift [Byway 7] a local tree surgeon provided chippings, work is still happening, including levelling and spreading. A footpath diversion has been implemented on footpath 5 [between Swaynes Lane and Barton Road]. This has improved the quality of this historic path at the southern end and helped to create a more enclosed cottage garden for the land-owners. We have surveyed all the rights of way within the parish and are working with local landowners to improve access to all. This involves replacing difficult styles with 'mobility' kissing gates. We are still looking at the possibility of creating some new footpaths in the village to form circular walks incorporating the existing ones. This is a fairly slow process but we are hopeful of a positive outcome.
Parish Plan Implementation Committee (PPIC) (Mark Bennett)
The full Parish Plan – all 500 or so pages of it – have been published and distributed. There is a public copy in the Library and the full text is also on the village website at www.comberton.org.uk/parishplan. The Plan details over 200 tasks that are to be completed within the next 4 years.
The Parish Council established a ‘Parish Plan Implementation Committee’ which meets at least once a month to drive the work forward and there are two working groups – one on transport and one on sport and recreation – which report to the main committee. Additional members of either of the working groups are always welcome.
Some of the work undertaken so far includes:
1. Sport and Recreation
· The pavilion has been redecorated and is being upgraded to make it attractive to more users. It is also being adapted to conform with the new Disabilities Act. Further outside security lighting is to be provided.
· A series of youth consultations have taken place. The ‘Connections’ youth bus now visits the village regularly on a Tuesday and will do so throughout the summer. Thereafter it is hoped to establish more a permanent youth worker presence.
· The skateboard ramp is due to be installed on the rec. by July, and a youth shelter will be erected elsewhere on the rec. shortly afterwards.
· A groundsman has been employed to work on the recreation ground and do other general work around the village.
· The tennis courts on the rec. are being opened for public use now that the Tennis Club has moved to the new facilities at CVC. Coaching will be available on the hard courts, and the grass courts will be redeveloped for new activities.
· The management of the recreation ground is under consideration and more active participation of its users is being encouraged.
· The extension of the recreation ground is still being actively pursued by the Parish Council. There is now active and formal liaison between the Council and CVC to ensure that best use is made of new facilities.
2. Transport
· The transport working group has been much involved with the difficult liaison on the new traffic calming measures on Barton Road which should finally be completed in July. Other traffic calming measures are being actively pursued and funding sought to tie in with the ‘safer routes to school’ scheme being led by Meridian School.
· Work has been done to try and dissuade so many people from parking on pavements and other areas where pedestrians and cyclists are put in danger.
· Improvements are being proposed to cycle paths out of the village.
· The transport group would like to put a scheme in place to get regular services in place to take people to the park and ride scheme on Maddingly Road, and volunteers to help with this work are sought.
· A new rural-style bus shelter is planned opposite the end of Kentings.
· Plans are underway to introduce a new permissive footpath that will run from the Churchyard down to the Brook and along to the Drift, creating the possibility of a circular walk around the village.
3. General
· The Parish Council has agreed to part-fund one of the new Police Community Support Officers so that we have a more permanent presence of a ‘bobby on the beat’ within the village. Matched external funding is being actively sought to allow recruitment to go ahead.
· A successful anti-litter poster competition was run with pupils from both CVC and Meridian School taking active part. The prize-winning entries were published in ‘Contact’ and the best will be turned into signs to go at strategic locations.
· The Comberton phone exchange was finally upgraded to be able to offer ADSL broadband Internet service from February.
· The Planning committee of the Parish Council is working on a formal ‘Village Design Statement’ for Comberton which will guide future planning and development.
Planning
(Ann
Webb)
The Parish
Council considers all planning applications and makes recommendations to the
District Council, for their approval or refusal. A planning committee composed of 7
members of the Parish Council review most with the full Parish Council
considering larger applications.
All plans are
received from South Cambs District Council and circulated to committee members,
between meetings, to allow ample time for each member to consider and prepare a
response. Notice of which plans have been received and an agenda giving the time
and location of meetings are placed on the Notice Board at the
crossroads.
A list of plans
received can also be found on the village Internet site. http://www.comberton.org.uk/planning/planning.htm
Meetings take
place, if required, on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month, in the old
Village Hall. Members of the public are welcome to attend the planning meetings,
particularly if the have an interest in or a concern about a particular plan and
a short period of time is allocated at the start of the meeting for parishioners
to comment. The plans are also loaned out to residents who are encouraged to
write with their comments to the District Council. The decisions on the applications can be
found on the Internet at http://www.comberton.org.uk/planning/planning.htm
The planning
committee considers a wide range of applications including residential,
commercial, industrial and agricultural developments. From May 2003 the
following plans have been received (figures in brackets are for the previous
year).
·
(16) 22 domestic
extensions
·
(2) 3 garages
·
(3) 1 conservatories
·
(3) 10
listed building changes
·
(1) 1 conversion of Barns/outhouses
·
(1) 2
Telecommunications
·
(2) 5 new
dwelling
·
(1) 1 vehicular
access
·
1
demolition of property
·
4 fences/walls
·
4
change of use
·
3
advertising
·
1
village hall
·
1
traffic calming
The development of 10 dwellings off Milner Road has still not been determined. This application is likely to be fully approved shortly. The Parish Council is also consulted on planning applications in neighbouring parishes, for example all applications at Comberton Village College.
Neighbourhood Watch (David Charge)
Comberton Parish Council remains committed to supporting and wherever possible promoting all home security and anti-crime measures that are made known to it. The primary source of anti-crime activities in the village (other than the Police) is currently via the Neighbourhood Watch scheme. This scheme’s effectiveness is recognised by both the Police and insurance companies and has no doubt been instrumental in maintaining Comberton’s low levels of crime.
To assist in the anti-crime campaign spearheaded by Neighbourhood Watch the Council has encouraged the Police to re-start the publishing of crime figures in Contact and will lobby to ensure this can become a regular feature. In addition to this a more in-depth bulletin and monthly crime spread sheet can be received by email from the Police’s headquarters at Histon. At least one coordinator (St Thomas Close Neighbourhood Watch) ensures that all members receive this bulletin and the Council’s Neighbourhood Watch contact can make sure that anyone else who would like it can either have it emailed to them or receive a paper copy. The Council also has plans to publish this information on the Comberton web site.
In the coming year the Parish Council would like to arrange a closer liaison with Comberton’s Neighbourhood Watch to ensure that as much assistance can be offered as possible by the Council to those doing such valuable work.
The Help Scheme was founded more than 25years ago to co-ordinate volunteers to help villagers at times of difficulty or ill health in a range of ways - by arranging transport, general practical help, babysitting and gardening. The Transport section is by far the busiest now providing more than 400 lifts each year.
Ten years ago the Committee set up a Mobile Warden Scheme, which has been funded by the Parish Council supplemented by a small weekly charge to members. Recently South Cambridgeshire District Council has also made an additional grant. The Saturday morning cover is funded by a grant from Social Services.
The Warden works for 2 hours each weekday to make regular contact with people living in their own homes to give reassurance and help with emergencies. The Deputy Warden is employed for one hour each Saturday to make phone contact with members. They can support 8 full members and up to 6 associate members and are managed by the Village Help Scheme Committee.
The Warden’s duties include making a daily phone call or personal visit to each of the members of the Scheme. She will carry out simple tasks required by members when they are ill such as shopping or collecting pensions, making drinks, collecting prescriptions or arranging medical visits. This help does not replace Social Services support and can only be provided short-term.