WORKING PARTY - Re. COMMUNITY FACILITIES CONSULTATION.

APPOINTMENT OF REPRESENTATIVES TO OUTSIDE BODIES

SOHAM CONSERVATION AREA -
"This Council requests that East Cambridgeshire District Council monitor the colours used to paint buildings situated in the Conservation Area of the town and that only appropriate colours be allowed".

Mrs G Walker
Assistant Clerk to the Council
4th June 2007

Councillors Mr CM Palmer (Chairman), Mrs PA Tuite (Vice Chairman), Mr T Brown, Mr G Fisher, Mr GR Ginn, Mr AJA Hinsley, Mr GM Hobbs, Mr PS Lane & Mr D Schunmann and Mesdames Mrs RR Aitchison, Mrs PL Gibbon, Mrs J Gipp, Mrs AEY Pallett & Mrs JA Webb.

County Councillor Mr JA Powley
District Councillors Mr M Duckworth, Mr J Palmer & Mr A Parramint.

ELECTION OF VICE-CHAIRMAN FOR THE ENSUING CIVIC YEAR
Councillor Mrs Penelope Annette Tuite was elected Vice-Chairman for the ensuing civic year.

APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEES
RESOLVED that the constituent Standing Committees of the Council be comprised of the following members.

Finance & Policy
The Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Council and the Chairmen of the other Standing Committees.

Planning
Mrs RR Aitchison, Mr AJA Hinsley GR Ginn, Mr D Schunmann, Mr T Brown, Mrs PL Gibbon, Mrs A Pallett, Mr G Hobbs & Mrs J Webb

Cemetery and Allotments
Mrs PL Gibbon, Mrs J Webb, G Fisher, Mr GR Ginn, Mr  PS Lane

Community Amenities
Mr AJA Hinsley, Mrs RR Aitchison, Mr GR Ginn, Mr D Schunmann, Mr T Brown, Mrs PL Gibbon, Mrs J Gipp, Mr PS Lane, Mrs A Pallett, Mr G Hobbs, Mrs J Webb & Mr G Fisher

NOTED that in accordance with the Council's Standing Orders that the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Council are ex-officio members of all the constituent standing committees.

RESOLVED also that the Chairman of the relevant committees for the ensuing year be as follows:
Planning                      - Mrs RR Aitchison
Cemetery & Allotments - Mrs PL Gibbon
Community Amenities   - AJA Hinsley.

MINUTES OF MEETING HELD 16TH APRIL 2007
RESOLVED that the minutes of the meetings be approved and signed as a true record.

MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES.

St. Andrew's Church Hall. Soham (68/07)
The Clerk reported on his meeting with officers of East Cambridgeshire District Council who had advised that the best way in which to approach the exercise for a broader Community Consultation, for which the £5,000 funding had been agreed, was to firstly setup a small steering group to initiate the consultation.
RESOLVED that a working group of Councillors should be agreed at the June 2007 meeting.

The Commons, Higher Level Stewardship Application to DEFRA (76/07)
NOTED that the formal agreement between DEFRA and the Town Council for Higher Level Stewardship funding had been signed.

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 - 16th April 2007
Planning             - 25th April 2007.

PAYMENTS AND SCHEDULE OF ACCOUNTS - APRIL 2007
RESOLVED that the schedule of payments and statement of balances, and Summary of Income and Expenditure as at 30th April 2007, attached to these minutes as appendices, be confirmed and approved, and are in accordance with Council's financial regulations.

ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 2006/2007
NOTED the Financial Position as at 31/03/2007 in the amount of £99,202.08.
NOTED also that these figures are subject to year end financial account adjustments.

LAND AT LION MILLS, MILL CORNER, SOHAM
Consideration was given to a Planning Application for land at Lion Mills, Mill Corner, Soham for development comprising 151 no. residential units and transfer of land to facilitate the extension of Keith Leonard House, together with associated car parking, access, open space and landscaping.
RESOLVED that the application be approved in principle but that the following concerns be forwarded to East Cambs. District Council

1) Details surrounding the proposed open spaces need clarification.
For example, the data given regarding the present amount of open recreational space in the Town is erroneous and this has been used to justify a low provision of play areas and open spaces etc. associated with this development. East Cambridgeshire District Council's 'Open Space Assessment' identifies 63.85 hectares of informal open space in the town. However, this includes c.53 hectares of common land which are not true informal open spaces. They are pastureland over which there is free access. Consequently, Soham has only c.1.1 ha of informal open space (approximately 1.1 ha per 1000 population) which is below East Cambridgeshire District Council's view that 2.5ha per 1000 population is acceptable.

2) Details regarding the proposed maintenance of and public access to the open spaces also need clarification. Who will own and maintain these areas - Soham Town Council are noted as not having responsibility for maintenance - on completion of the development?

3) Problems associated with increased traffic flow in Clay Street need addressing. There is definite for one-way system for most of Clay Street including provision of a contra-flow cycle lane.

4) Proposals regarding Soham Lode and Mill Pond need clarification. Council has concerns that those in planning application may have negative effect on water levels. This would be disadvantageous to wild life and the natural environment

5) Ownership of Mill Pond itself needs clarification. Does developer own all or part of the pond? Also, boundaries between development site and adjoining common land need to be clearly identified.

6) An appropriate Section 106 agreement for the development should be drawn up in consultation with Soham Town Council.

EAST CAMBRIDGESHIRE NEIGHBOURHOOD NEWS
The East Cambridgeshire Neighbourhood News April 2007, distributed by East Cambridgeshire Neighbourhood Policing Team, Ely Sector was received. Councillor Mrs RR Aitchison that the Soham Neighbourhood Panel, which was initially a pilot scheme, had been very successful and it was intended that this should continue and that two representatives from the Town Council needed to be appointed.
RESOLVED that Councillors Mrs RR Aitchison and Mrs PA Tuite be the Town Council's representatives but that the Clerk enquire whether a third representative could be appointed.
District Councillor Mark Duckworth pointed out that anyone could attend the meetings and that as many representatives of the public as possible should be encouraged to do so.
The Clerk reported that CCTV figures for Soham had been received and it was noted that liaison between CCTV Operators and the Police had improved.
NOTED PCSO's Kieran Moran and Emma Melton would be holding a Police Surgery at the Pavilion on Wednesday, 23rd May 2007 between 10.00am and 11.00am.

SECTION 106 AGREEMENTS
NOTED that East Cambridgeshire District Council needs some idea as to a ball part figure for proposed Section 106 projects, to be able to negotiate with developers. Consideration was given to a list of possible projects produced by Councillor Mr AJA Hinsley, however it was felt that the needs of elderly residents were not represented enough.
RESOLVED that Councillors with additional suggestions should send them to the Clerk by Wednesday 23rd May 2007 so that a comprehensive list could be forwarded to East Cambridgeshire District Council Planners.

EAST FEN DROVE
Council considered a letter from Isleham Parish Council requesting support for its request of Cambridgeshire County Council Highways Department to improve and update East Fen Drove, bearing in mind that it is used as the main access for Isleham Parishioners to reach the surgery, schools and Soham Town Centre.
RESOLVED to strongly support Isleham Parish Council's attempt to obtain improvements to East Fen Drove and to write to Cambridgeshire County Council with the Town Council's comments support.

DATE OF NEXT REGULAR MEETING
NOTED that the next regular meeting of the Council would be held at 7.15pm on Monday 11th June 2007.