Soham Town Council - Minutes of Meeting

A meeting of the Soham Town Council will be held at the Pavilion, Soham, commencing at 7.30pm on Monday, 16th December 2002, to transact the following business:

Minutes of a meeting of the Soham Town Council held at the Pavilion, Soham, on Monday 11th November 2002.

Present:	Councillors Mrs PA Tuite (Chairman), Mrs RR Aitchison (Vice Chairman), D Bradley, HJ Davies, CK Hempstead, C Palmer, GR Ginn, B Houghton, RS Lane and Mesdames M Count, PL Gibbon and J Hobbs.
In Attendance:	Linda Homan, Senior Youth & Community Worker, SVC Celia Dickinson, Community Development Officer, ECDC
Apologies:	Councillors G Fisher and Mrs FE Ross County Councillor J Powley.
158/02	MINUTES OF MEETING HELD 14th October 2002 RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting be approved and signed as a true record.
159/02	MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES. Policing Strategies (140/02) NOTED that Kate Kent, Community Contact Officer at Ely Police Station had furnished the Clerk with details of crime figures for October 2002. Discussions had also taken place with regards to the establishing of a ‘Shop Watch’ Scheme in Soham, to run in conjunction with CCTV and she would be contacting SACT for their consideration of such a scheme. NOTED also that Ms Kent is hoping to increase the number of Neighbourhood Watch Schemes in the Town and over the next few weeks will be publicising Neighbourhood Watch in areas where a scheme does not already exist. A request was also made for permission to hold a monthly meeting at the Pavilion and as a non-profit making scheme that this be considered free of charge. RESOLVED to support the idea of Shop Watch in the town and also that the Council Chamber be made available, free of charge, for one meeting of Neighbourhood Watch per month. Resignation of a Councillor (140/02) NOTED that as no applications had been received for the position of Town Councillor then it was not necessary to fill the vacancy by co-option due to there being only five months prior to the next local elections. Annual Audit of Accounts 2001/2002 (144/02) NOTED that the internal audit of annual accounts for 2001/2002 had been completed and were now ready to be sent to External Auditors, Moore Stephens. Standing Orders and Financial Regulations (145/02) NOTED that a new copy of Standing Orders and Financial Regulations incorporating all amendments had been issued. Highways - Bus Shelters (147/02) NOTED that several suggestions had been made for the siting of new bus shelters in the Town. RESOLVED that the appropriate committee make site visits to ascertain the priority locations. Financial Assistance (149/02) Noted a letter of thanks had been received from The Winged Fellowship Trust.
160/02	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 - 14th October 2002 Planning - 14th October 2002
161/02	PAYMENTS AND SCHEDULE OF ACCOUNTS - OCTOBER 2002 RESOLVED that the schedule of payments and statement of balances, as 31st October 2002, which are printed and attached to these minutes appendices, be confirmed and approved.
162/02	PROPOSED COMMUNITY PROJECT Linda Homan, Senior Youth and Community Worker, Soham Village College explained that the initial idea behind Community Education facilitating a Community Information Shop in the Town came from feedback from similar successful initiatives already being operated in the county. The Information Shop would be a place where information could be accessible to the community and where Community Education could set up base which was off school premises and which would enable all community groups and individuals to be able to access help, information, guidance and advice relating to all aspects of life. Community Education. Viva Youth Theatre, Soham Families (in connection with the Ormiston Trust), CCVYS (Peterborough and Cambridge Council for Voluntary Youth Agencies) are all joining together to seek to jointly purchase or rent a building to facilitate office space and the community project. Celia Dickinson, Community Development Officer, ECDC outlined the proposal to combine with the Information Shop project and include Learning Access Computer Suite, this would operate within and be supported by, East Cambridgeshire On Line, a project that has been established with European Social Fund and New Opportunities Fund monies and grants from other sources. This is an adult learning project aimed at those who had been ‘by-passed’ the computer ‘revolution’. Free training would be provided at weekly tutorial session, using laptop computers pre-loaded with learning software. Most Access Points within the scheme consist of 2 computer suites (i.e. PC, scanner, printer, desk, chair, connection to phone line/power). These would be provided at no cost. Additional funds would need to be raised to employ an Access Point Organiser to help set up and maintain the Access Point in a group of villages and including Soham. These funds would be subject of a grant application to the Countryside Agency under its Vital Villages programme. RESOLVED to wholeheartedly support the proposed combined project.
163/02	CCTV UPDATE AND LAUNCH NOTED that all the CCTV cameras are now installed and working. The official ‘switch on’ ceremony will take place at a reception being held on the evening of 10th November 2002 at The Grange, Ely. Two ‘Open Days’ are planned for Tuesday 19th November and Wednesday 20th November in Ely and Soham respectively, when members of the public will be able to see detailed plans of camera locations and a sample video footage of cameras working, as well as having the opportunity to speak to CCTV operators. The Vice Chairman thanked members of the Steering Group for all their efforts in bringing this project to fruition.
	It is hereby resolved in accordance with Section 1(2) of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 that as publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest by reason of the confidential or special nature of the business about to be transacted at Agenda Item 6a namely Assistant Clerk of the Council it is advisable in the public interest that the public and press be temporarily excluded from this meeting and they are herewith instructed to withdraw. Meeting was closed to press and public at 8.07pm.
164/02	ASSISTANT CLERK OF THE COUNCIL RESOLVED that an ‘acting-up” supplement be paid when necessary on the terms and conditions recommended by the Finance and Policy Committee.
	The meeting re-opened to the press and public at 8.10pm.
165/02	STREET LIGHTING MAINTENANCE AND ENERGY NOTED the Street Lighting maintenance charges for 60 lamps for period 1st April 2002 to 31st March 2003 are £14.71 per lamp and for the period 1st April 2003 to 31st March 2003 will be £15.16 per lamp.
166/02	MOTORCYCLE CUSTOM SHOW RESOLVED to inform Mr Martin that the Council have no objections to his proposal of holding a Motorcycle Custom Show at the Comrades Club, Market Street on Saturday, 24 May 2003, subject to all necessary permissions being obtained.
167/02	SOHAM ON-LINE COMMUNITY WEBSITE UPDATE NOTED that Mr C Scurrah, Editor of Soham On-Line had updated the Council on the movements etc. of the web-site during and since the tragic events of the Summer.
168/02	LITTLEPORT PARISH COUNCIL A letter had been received from Littleport Parish Council stating its concerns that Community Beat Officers were being taken away from duties in the parish to cover shortages of officers in Ely and requested Town Council’s comments. RESOLVED that Littleport be informed that whilst this Council appreciate their concerns, there has been and still is a significant Police presence within Soham over the past few months and that it is not possible therefore to make categorical statements on the use of community beat officers for this area at the present time. RESOLVED also to continue to monitor the situation.
169/02	CAMBRIDGESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL NOTED diversion orders for Public Footpath 27 Wicken and Public Bridleway 125, 126 Soham and 37, 38 Wicken.
170/02	COMMUNITY AND VOLUNTARY FORUM NOTED the first meeting of the Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Workforce Development Confederation will take place on Tuesday 10th December 2002 at Tattersalls Conference Rooms, Newmarket between 10am and 3.30pm.
171/02	PAPERS TABLED East Cambs. & Fenland Trust - Minutes, Meeting 11.9.02 Shell Interactive - Issue 29, Autumn 2002 Soham Town Forum - Minutes, Meeting 17.10.02 Soham Community History Museum - Minutes, Meeting 10.10.02 Cambridgeshire County Council - County Farms News, October 2002 European Union Regional Policy - Brochure 2002 The Countryside Agency - Vital Villages Update, Autumn 2002 The Countryside Agency - Guide to Parish Transport Grant NALC - Annual Reports & Accounts 2001-2002 Healthy Living East Cambs. - HLEC News
172/02	BUDGET MEETINGS RESOLVED that Budget Meetings are to be arranged for Monday, 25th November 2002. The Clerk will confirm times etc.
173/02	DATE OF NEXT REGULAR MEETING NOTED that the next regular meeting of the Council would be held at 7.30pm, Monday 16th December 2002.