| Present: |
Councillors Mrs FE Ross (Chairman), Mr C
Palmer (Vice-Chairman), Mr PG Beer, Mr HJ Davies, Mr G Fisher, Mr GR Ginn,
Mr CK Hempstead, Mr AJA Hinsley,
Mr J Kirkham & Mr PS Lane and
Mesdames Mrs RR Aitchison, Mrs M Count, Mrs ME Dwyer, Mrs PL Gibbon & Mrs PA Tuite. |
| In
Attendance: |
District Councillors Mr C
Fordham & Mr J Palmer
Ellie Gillett & Dan Bell, Soham Youth Council, (YOUR SAY) |
| Apologies: |
County Councillors Mr J Powley & Mrs J Broadway
District Councillor Mr J Humphreys |
|
01/07 |
PUBLIC COMMENT TIME
Alison Evans a member of St. Andrew's Church Parochial Church Council,
addressed the Town Council regarding Agenda Item 9 - St Andrews Church
Hall, Soham. |
|
02/07 |
CHAIRMAN'S ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Chairman announced that the next meeting of the Neighbourhood
Panel would be held on Wednesday, 17th January 2007 at the Village
College at 7.00pm, all members of the public were welcome. |
|
03/07 |
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Councillors Mr C Palmer and Mr G Fisher declared prejudicial interests
and Councillor Mrs PL Gibbon declared a personal interest in agenda item
9, St. Andrew's Church Hall, Soham and Councillor Mr AJA Hinsley
declared a non prejudicial interest in agenda item 10a Request for
Financial Support 2007/2008 - MAGPAS, Community First Responder Group in
Soham in accordance with Paragraph 9.2 of the Code of Conduct. |
|
04/07 |
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD 18TH DECEMBER 2006
RESOLVED that the minutes of the meetings be approved and signed as a
true record. |
|
05/07 |
MATTERS ARISING FROM THE
MINUTES.
NOTED that there were no matters arising from the minutes. |
|
06/07 |
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 - 18th December 2006
Planning
- 3rd January 2007 |
|
07/07 |
PAYMENTS AND SCHEDULE OF ACCOUNTS -
DECEMBER 2006
RESOLVED that the schedule of payments and statement of balances, and
Summary of Income and Expenditure as at 31st December 2006 and Quarterly
Budget Statement as at 31st December 2006 as attached to these minutes
as appendices, be confirmed and approved, and are in accordance with
Council's financial regulations. |
|
08/07 |
SOHAM YOUTH COUNCIL
Ellie Gillett and Dan Bell of Soham Youth Council, (Your Say) attended
and gave a presentation to Council on its achievements so far. 'Your
Say' is open to 11- 16 year olds and is supported by Viva and Soham
Action 4 Youth. It has a youth council of 8 members. They were aiming to
arrange different projects in an effort to encourage more members; they
have already embarked on making a film which was shown at the Cambridge
Arts Cinema, another plan being investigated is the provision of a Youth
Cafe, which they hope would be able to operate from the Viva Centre.
It was anticipated that an equal partnership between themselves and the
Town Council could be formulated so that official links can be forged to
tackle some of the issues raised by the Youth of the Town.
RESOLVED that a 'partnership' should be formed and that the Council
should discuss the possibility of sending a representative to some
meetings of the Youth Council when requested. |
|
|
In accordance with Paragraph 9.2 of the Code
of Conduct Councillors Mr C Palmer and Mr G Fisher left the meeting
prior to item 09/07 - St. Andrew's Church Hall being discussed, at
7.43pm |
|
09/07 |
ST. ANDREW'S CHURCH HALL
- SOHAM
The Clerk reported a letter from Mr John Hill, Chief Executive, East
Cambridgeshire District Council informing of the District Councils
resolution approved on 5th December 2006 and stating that the agents for
St Andrews Church Parochial Council had agreed to extend its deadline
for accepting final and best offers to the end of January 2007.
Councillor Mr PG Beer proposed an amended
motion that "This Council, being aware of the resolutions passed by East
Cambridgeshire District Council and Soham Town Forum relating to St.
Andrew's Church Hall, requests that the Church Authority suspends its
proposed sale o f the site for a minimum period of three months so that
the Council may investigate ways in which this site might be developed
for the benefit of the community".
The Council believe this to be a reasonable
request which will enable:
• The local community to be consulted on their views on potential future
uses of the Hall Site.
• Produce proposals to the District Council, Lottery Fund etc. in
respect to raising the necessary funding.
• Discuss the future use of S106 receipts in relation to community
facilities.
To facilitate this work, The Town Council requests that the District
Council's Community Services Committee provide up to £5,000 from
existing S106 receipts in order to activate the above". The motion was
seconded by Councillor Mr PS Lane.
Following a lengthy debate Council resolved to, approve the motion. By a
majority vote
RESOLVED also that the Clerk write to St. Andrew's Church Parochial
Council and East Cambridgeshire District Council informing them of this
Council's resolutions. |
|
|
Councillors Mr C Palmer and Mr G Fisher were
re-admitted to the meeting at 8.30pm. |
|
10/07 |
REQUESTS FOR FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE - 2007/2008
Consideration was given to a request for further financial assistance
from MAGPAS towards its Community First Responder Group in Soham; Ely
and District Citizens Advice Bureau, towards it work in the Town and
Cambridge & Ely Victim Support towards it support for victims of crime
in the area.
RESOLVED that the Council in accordance with its powers under Sections
137 and 139 of the Local Government Act, 1972 should incur the following
expenditure which, in the opinion of the Council is in the interest of
the area or its inhabitants and will benefit them in a manner
commensurate with the expenditure:
MAGPAS
- £750
Ely & District Citizens Advice Bureau - £750
Cambridge & Ely Victim Support
- £300 |
|
11/07 |
EAST CAMBRIDGESHIRE
NEIGHBOURHOOD NEWS
The December 2006 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 December were also
received. |
|
12/07 |
CAMBRIDGESHIRE COUNTY
COUNCIL
Notice of Intention to make a Traffic Regulation Order prohibiting
mechanically-propelled vehicles from the section of Public Byway No. 19
Soham - Road Traffic Act 1984 was received. |
|
13/07 |
ANTI SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
ORDER - KIERAN DUNSMORE
Notification and details of an imposed Anti Social Behaviour Order in
respect of Kieran Dunsmore of Soham were received. |
|
14/07 |
THE CAMBRIDGESHIRE
WILDLIFE TRUST
Information about County Wildlife Sites and a copy of the new Wildlife
Sites Newsletter - Winter 2006 were received.. |
|
15/07 |
SOHAM TOWN FORUM
Minutes of meeting held 2nd November 2006 and Agenda for meeting to be
held on Thursday, 25th January 2007 at 7.30pm at the Pavilion were
received. |
|
16/07 |
GO-EAST
The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has
published for consultation the Proposed Changes for the Draft Revision
to the Regional Spatial Strategy for the East of England - the East of
England Plan - and the Statement of Reasons for the proposed changes.
Copies of relevant documents can be downloaded from the GO-East website
at:
http://www.goeast.gov.uk/goeast/planning/regional_planning/?a=42496. |
|
17/07 |
CAMBRIDGESHIRE & PETERBOROUGH FIRE
AUTHORITY PRECEPT 2007/2008
NOTED that the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Fire Authority were
consulting on its draft budget council tax levels for 2007/2008.
Comments should be forwarded to Councillor Mr LW McGuire, Chairman of
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Fire Authority or E=Mailed to
budget@cambsfire.gov.uk |
|
18/07 |
PAPERS TABLED
Cambridgeshire County Council - Budget 2007/2008
Councillor Richard Hobbs
- Highlights of the week 22/12/2006 and 12/01/2007
NALC
- Local Council Review January 2007
Andrézieux-Bouthéon
- No. 93 January 2007
MAGPAS
- MAGPAL, December 2006
COPE
- Newsletter, No. 29, January 2007
Cambridgeshire County Council - Inside Trader, December 2006 |
|
19/07 |
DATE OF NEXT REGULAR MEETING
NOTED that the next regular meeting of the Council would be held at
7.15pm, Monday 12th February 2007. |
