Present:
Mr. Brown (Chairman), Mrs Aylott, Mrs Hathaway, Mrs Watkin, Mr Watson and Mrs Williams. County Councillors Sir Peter Brown and Elaine Kadic. District Councillor Keith Baker. Mrs Lancey (Clerk). 8 members of the public.

Public Forum
Complaint received concerning the amount of lorries parked on the forecourt of the disused garage at the top of Rusts Lane. Clerk to make enquiries.

Complaint received concerning the obtrusive nature of containers permanently stored on the airfield. Clerk to make enquiries. Further request from residents of Bramble End for provision of some sort of fencing alongside their property to stop ball games being played against their wall. Clerk to make further enquiries.

Complaints received concerning the poor state of both the paths in School Lane and the surface of Spinney Lane. Clerk to contact Highways. Further request received for a seat to be installed in the bus shelter outside the Memorial Hall. Clerk to contact HDC.

1. Apologies for Absence
Apologies received from Mrs Adams, Mrs Dyer, Mrs Elphick and Mr Senior.

2. Councillors’ Declaration of Interest for items on the Agenda
Mr Watson and Mrs Williams both registered a prejudicial interest in Item 11 The Small Scale Scheme for development of Maypole Square - being residents in close proximity.

3. To sign and approve minutes of previous meetings held on 27th February 2007
Proposed by Mrs Aylott and seconded by Mr Watson. Minutes duly approved and signed.

4. Matters Arising from Previous Minutes (for information only)
Speed Restrictions – Great North Road.
Scheme approved on 12th March 2007. Anticipate work completed by mid April.

A14 Re-alignment
Working party formed of Mr Brown, Mrs Aylott and Mr Watson. First meeting to be arranged with Peter Brown for early May. Clerk reported that Secretary of State has supported the preferred option between Fen Drayton and Fen Ditton, and that an announcement about the Ellington to Fen Drayton stretch was expected in Summer 2007.

Bi-monthly Newsletter
Completed and given to Councillors for distribution.

The Bus Shelter
Existing shelter to be demolished this week. Hard stand to be prepared for new shelter. Shelter to be installed approximately 3 weeks later.

5. Housing Land Availability Assessment
Written report received from Mrs Dyer on recently attended meeting - summarised by Mr Brown.
Alconbury is a Rural Exception Site with no major building within the village boundary – but boundaries are reviewed about every 15 years and can be changed.
Any building would be for affordable housing using a “traffic light” system for poor (red), possible (amber) and good (green). Alconbury has one green site – behind the old police houses stretching back behind Globe Garage. Two amber sites are behind the Memorial Hall in School Lane and Mr Oldfield’s site in Sharps Lane.
Councillors noted that Alconbury’s Parish Plan clearly stated that residents did not want any large new developments within the village. If such a development were to take place it was felt that further affordable housing in the same area of the village as the existing estate would not provide a good balance of mixed dwellings. Clerk to respond to HDC.

6. The Flood Alleviation Scheme
Letter received from Jonathan Djanogly MP expressing his concern about the further delay of the Flood Alleviation Scheme. He had discussed two possible ways of advancing the Alconbury scheme with HDC – challenging the priority score, and/or lobbying for an increase in Defra’s grant. He did not, however, feel he could act further without receiving a pointer from the Parish Council as to how it wished to proceed. The Parish Council wished Mr Djanogly to proceed to make a strong case for a scheme for the village and did not wish to see Alconbury sidelined or given a lower priority than other areas. Clerk to respond accordingly.
Concern was also expressed that during the recent flooding, roads had not been properly closed, causing confusion. Clerk to investigate.

7. RAF Alconbury Liaison Meeting.
A new entrance to the airbase was being planned in Stukeley. The proposed community initiative with US personnel as a joint effort to clear the brook was being encouraged. Clerk to set date. There would be an Emergency Response Exercise on 30th September and throughout June work would be carried out at the main gate which could cause congestion. It was agreed that both these items should be publicised in the Parish Council Newsletter.

8. The Woodland Trust
Peter Rowlings, Tree Warden had made several suggestions of where the Scouts might plant trees made available by the Woodland Trust; these included the corner of Rusts Lane/Manor Lane, Bramble End playground and Red Lion Close. Councillors also suggested Field Close and the possibility of a hedge around the Bramble End Playground. Clerk to ask Mr Rowlings to liaise directly with the Scouts on this project.

9. RECAP
Mrs Watkin reported on her visit to RECAP which had been a consultation on waste.

10. PCSO Surgeries
Clerk reported that the mobile police van was provisionally booked for Saturday 14th April between 11.00am and 3.00pm in Maypole Square. This surgery would be co-ordinated via Neighbourhood Watch.

11. Small Scale Scheme (Mr Watson and Mrs Williams left the meeting for this agenda item)
Councillors had met with HDC’s Project Engineer to discuss potential development of the pump area, Maypole Square. HDC would come up with three potential schemes for the Parish Council’s consideration.

12. The proposed Ball Park/Scout Store – The Memorial Hall
Further details had been passed to HDC Planning and their decision was awaited. Mrs Aylott had obtained information on The Big Lottery Fund which it was agreed should be passed to Nigel Murphy.

13. The Memorial Hall
Mrs Hathaway reported on the recent AGM. Roger Read and Sally Smith had stepped down from the Committee. Warwick Pike was the new Chairman with Sue Pike continuing as Secretary and Julie Cook as Treasurer.
The hall was very well used, with two more new users.

14. Quality Status/CiLCA Training
Clerk had attended third training session covering financial matters, Risk Management and Best Value. It was recommended that a working party be formed to look at a Policy Statement on Risk Management. Mr Senior had already agreed to join and Mrs Hathaway and Mrs Watkin would also attend. Clerk to organise.

15. Committee Reports
a) Clerk’s infrastructure Report
Churchyard: Nothing to report.
Village Green: Further problems had occurred with the overflowing manhole on the corner of the green and also at the bottom of Frumetty Lane, which had now hopefully been rectified by Anglian Water. It was noted that the piece of grass next to the new footpath was very unkempt. Clerk to speak with Highways. Signs prohibiting horses from using the green had not been organised. Clerk to action.
General: A resident had reported a motorist running over ducks in her haste to collect pupils from school. As this had happened in front of other children it had been most distressing. A competition was being organised for children to paint posters warning motorists of ducks in the road. Mrs. Williams to mention this to the school. Fractured sewer pipe on path to Alconbury Weston had been mended.

b) Planning
No New Applications
Applications determined by HDC Planning:
0604143LBC – Conversion of barn to dwelling and demolition of existing building and brick store, The Maltings – consent given
0700113FUL – Extension to dwelling following demolition of existing store and replacement garage roof – The Vicarage, Church Way - granted.

c) Bramble End Playground
Monthly inspection carried out by Mrs Williams. Soil and turf had been laid around the helicopter to eradicate trip hazard. ROSPA inspection due April.

16. Correspondence
Land for Sale – Rusts Lane
10.2 acres of land were for sale at the top of Rusts Lane for £5.2 million. No details of intended use were as yet available.

Consultation Document – Hinchingbrooke Hospital. Circulated to all Councillors. It was apparent that whichever option was adopted, some cuts in services would result. It was agreed that individual Councillors should complete the questionnaire and that a Parish Council response would be discussed at the next meeting in April.

Internal Drainage Boards
Information circulated to all Councillors.

The Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity
Circulated to all Councillors.

HDC’s Standards Committee Minutes
This included a report on HDC’s response to the proposed amendment to the Model Code of Conduct and had been circulated to all Councillors.

Cambridgeshire ACRE Questionnaire
Passed to Mr Brown.

17. Responsible Finance Officer’s Report
Mrs Aylott had inspected the Clerk’s day to day financial procedures and would also make arrangements to look at those concerned with year end.
Cheques for signature:
Pipex Internet - £14.99
Demon – Web Hosting - £11.75
Smallwork Services – work to trip hazard, Bramble End - £250
PCC – agreed payment for Church lighting - £135.71
Citizens Advice Bureau – donation - £100
Victim Support – donation - £100
Alconbury C of E School – room hire - £34
CALC – revised Charles Arnold Baker volume - £50
CALC – electronic version of Standing Orders - £14.98
Clerk’s Salary –(including extra CiLCA training and expenses) - £459.59
Petty Cash top up - £18.96
Payments were proposed by Mrs Aylott and seconded by Mr Watson

Cleared Balances (prior to receipt of year end bank statements):
Current Account: £6583.46, Deposit Account £13,429.90
Youth Group Account: £3796.88

18. Date of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on 24th April 2007 in the Memorial Hall starting at 7.45pm.

Meeting closed at 9.50pm.

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