MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 12TH FEBRUARY 2007 (copy attached).

MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES (matters not listed on the agenda below).

MINUTES OF STANDING COMMITTEES
b) Planning - 28th February 2007 (copy attached)

STANDING ORDERS - To consider the attached report.

Mr D L Giles
Clerk of the Council
5th March 2007

Councillors Mr C Palmer (Vice-Chairman), Mr PG Beer, Mr HJ Davies, Mr GR Ginn, Mr CK Hempstead & Mr PS Lane and Mesdames Mrs RR Aitchison, Mrs M Count, Mrs ME Dwyer, Mrs PL Gibbon & Mrs PA Tuite.

County Councillor Mr J Powley
District Councillors Mr C Fordham, Mr J Humphreys & Mr J Palmer

PUBLIC COMMENT TIME
Mr P Wells a member of 2nd Soham Scout Group addressed the Town Council regarding Agenda Item No. 12 - Scout & Guide Huts.

CHAIRMAN'S ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Chairman announced that Mrs Julie Buck, Community Safety Co-ordinator, East Cambridgeshire District Council was arranging a site walkabout of the area around The Weatheralls County Primary School and Health Centre, following concerns raised about crime and anti-social behaviour at the recent meeting of The Neighbourhood Panel. This had been arranged to take place on Thursday 22nd February 2007 at 2.30pm.
RESOLVED that Councillor Mrs RR Aitchison would attend as the Town Council's representative along with Councillor Mrs PL Gibbon.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Councillors Mr C Palmer and Mr PG Beer declared non-prejudicial interests in Agenda Item No. 8 - St. Andrew's Church Hall, Soham, in accordance with Paragraph 9.2 of the Code of Conduct.

MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES.

Requests for Financial Assistance (10/07)
NOTED that the Clerk had received a reply from Ely & District Citizens Advice Bureau, thanking the Town Council for its donation of £750 towards its work in the Soham Area and also updating Councillors on the areas of its work that particularly effect this community.

MINUTES OF MEETINGS OF STANDARD COMMITTEES
RESOLVED that the minutes of the following committees which are printed and attached to these minutes be confirmed
and approved and the recommendations contained therein be adopted:
Finance & Policy - 15th January 2007
Planning             - 31st January 2007

PAYMENTS AND SCHEDULE OF ACCOUNTS - JANUARY 2007
RESOLVED that the schedule of payments and statement of balances, and Summary of Income and Expenditure as at 31st January 2007 attached to these minutes as appendices, be confirmed and approved, and are in accordance with Council's financial regulations.

ST. ANDREWS CHURCH HALL, SOHAM
The Clerk updated the Council on the present position regarding the sale of St Andrews Church Hall.
At a meeting of the Parochial Church Council it was felt highly unlikely that funds for the purchase of the site could be found from any other source and as East Cambridgeshire District Council were unable to give assurances of adequate financial backing it reluctantly came to the decision that the only way forward, to be able to preserve and improve the Church itself was to proceed with the sale of the Church Hall Site.

GRAZING 2007
RESOLVED to approve the usual tender process for the letting of Qua Fen, East Fen and Angle Commons for the 2007 Season.
NOTED that only 'mixed' grazing i.e. cattle and horses should be permitted on Back East Fen Common and Qua Fen Common.

ANDREZIEUX-BOUTHEON - SUMMER FETE
NOTED that the Chairman was unable to accept an invitation which had been received from Andrézieux-Bouthéon to its
Summer Fete being held on Saturday 30th June 2007.
RESOLVED to refer to the March 2007 meeting when a replacement representative would be nominated.
RESOLVED also that Council should fund the cost of the Councillor's travel expenses.

SCOUT & GUIDE HUTS
RESOLVED that the Council support the Scout and Guide Groups proposal for the rebuilding of the present facilities and that the Clerk arrange a meeting with the fund raising committee to discuss further its proposals.
NOTED that the Town Council had already requested allocation of Section 106 funds to the amount of £150,000 towards new Scout and Guide facilities in the Town.

REQUESTS FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE - 2007/2008
Consideration was given to a request for financial assistance from Cambridgeshire Police Shrievalty Trust for its Bobby Scheme in Soham. NOTED that the Clerk had written to the Shrievalty Trust requesting more information on the type of work they undertook in the Town but had so far not received a reply.
RESOLVED to refer to the March 2007 Meeting of the Council.

REVISED MODEL CODE OF CONDUCT FOR LOCAL AUTHORITY MEMBERS
NOTED a consultation paper seeking views on a draft of a proposed new model code of conduct for local authority members was received.
NOTED any comments should be received by Communities and Local Government by Friday 9th March 2007.

EAST CAMBRIDGESHIRE NEIGHBOURHOOD NEWS
The January 2007 issue of the East Cambridgeshire Neighbourhood News, distributed by East Cambridgeshire Neighbourhood Policing Team, Ely Sector was received.
NOTED that the recorded crimes for Soham for January 2007 were also received.

POSTWATCH
NOTED a consultation paper on the future of the post office network was received. Responses should be returned by 8th March 2007.
RESOLVED that the Clerk respond with Town Council's views and support of the retention of Soham Post Office due to the fact of the extended rural area it caters for.

MEDIATION SERVICE FOR ANTI SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
NOTED that East Cambridgeshire Community Safety Partnership can now offer limited access to a free Mediation Service for anti-social behaviour. The mediation process is confidential; less formal than the courts or police procedures;
and may lead to more neighbourly relations.

RECAP WASTE CONSULTATION
NOTED that a series of consultation events are being held on behalf of the RECAP (Recycling in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough) partnership. The East Cambridgeshire event will be held on Tuesday 6th March 2007 at The Maltings, Riverside, Ely.

PAPERS TABLED
Cambridgeshire Scouting           - Cambridgeshire Scout Council Annual Report 2005/2006
Richard Hobbs                          - Highlights of the week 19/01/2007 - 09/02/2007
European Union Regional Policy - Inforegio News, November 2006, No. 151

DATE OF NEXT REGULAR MEETING
NOTED that the next regular meeting of Soham Town Council would be held at 7.15pm on Monday 12th March 2007.