Minutes of Annual Meeting - May 2003

Minutes of the Annual Soham Town Council Meeting held at the Pavilion, Soham, on Monday 12th May 2003.

The meeting was attended by 13 Town Councillors, 4 District Councillors, one County Councillor, 12 Parishioners, 1 member of the Press and Mr M Beaumont, Facilities & CCTV Manager, Cambridge City Council.

Apologies were received from Councillor FE Ross

1. CHAIRMAN
Councillor Mrs PA Tuite, Chairman of the Town Council for the relevant year, presided.

2. MINUTES
The minutes of the previous meeting held on 13th May 2002 were read.

3. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TOWN COUNCIL
The Chairman made her annual report to the meeting on the activities of the Council during the past year.

4. VICE CHAIRMAN
Councillor Mrs RR Aitchison, Vice Chairman of the Town Council for the relevant year, thanked the Chairman and the Assistant Clerk for their sensitivity and support during the tragic events of last Summer.

5. FINANCE
The Clerk said that a precept of £70,000 had been set for 2002/2003. A summary of income and expenditure for Financial year 2002/2003 and balances at 31st March 2003 were circulated. These accounts were subject to audit.

6. CCTV PRESENTATION - M. BEAUMONT
Mr Martin Beaumont, Facilities & CCTV Manager, Cambridge City Council gave a presentation accompanied by video footage from the CCTV cameras in Soham, and updated the meeting on their progress since becoming operational in November 2002. An open invitation was also extended to any members of the public who wished to attend the control room at Cambridge City Council to observe first hand the cameras in operation.

7. REPORTS OF COUNTY AND DISTRICT COUNCILLORS
Councillor J Powley circulated a report on his work on the County Council and Councillors CK Hempstead and JH Humphreys reported on their work on the District Council, questions from the floor were invited.

8. PAROCHIAL CHARITIES
The statements of accounts for Soham United Charities for year ending 31st December 2002 and Soham Moor, Old Grammar School Fund for year ending 31st March 2003 were tabled.

9. OPEN FORUM
Several questions were raised with regards to footpaths, drainage ditches and pot-holes in roads, which the Clerk informed parishioners were the responsibility of Cambridgeshire County Council, but that all comments would be passed to the relevant departments.
He also stated that the cost of four new bus shelters had been included in the estimates and the matter of dog litter bins was under revision.