PAYMENTS OF ACCOUNTS MADE IN NOVEMBER 2007 AND STATEMENT OF BALANCES AS AT 30TH NOVEMBER 2007 (copy attached).

FINANCIAL REVIEW 2007/2008, BUDGET 2008/2009 AND PRECEPT 2008/2009 (attached)

SOHAM -A VISION OF THE FUTURE.
Presentation by District Councillors Mark Duckworth & James Palmer

Mr D Giles
Clerk to the Council
10th December 2007

County Councillor Mr JA Powley
District Councillors Mr M Duckworth & Mr J Palmer
PCSO Kieran Moran, Cambridgeshire Constabulary
Mr Steve Thornley, Community Strategy Officer, East Cambridgeshire District Council
Mrs Elizabeth Mitchell, Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Mental Health.

CHAIRMAN'S ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Chairman announced that Agenda Items 12a & 12b were withdrawn from this meeting, as Council had already given financial support during 2007/2008 financial year but that the requests for financial support would be considered at a future date.

DECLARATION OF INTERESTS
Councillor Mrs PA Tuite declared a prejudicial interest in agenda item 12c Request for Financial Support - ESDAR Dial-a-ride, in accordance with paragraph 9.2 of the Code of Conduct.

MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES

East Cambridgeshire District Council Neighbourhood News & Soham Area Neighbourhood Panel Newsletter (171/07)
PCSO Kieran Moran reported that the Police were not understaffed in the Soham Area, with a new PCSO Ally Franks being seconded to take the place of PCSO Emma Melton who was on sick leave.
Metal theft was at its highest for two years due to an increase in the price of lead. Damage to vehicles was also an area of crime which was widespread at this time. Reports of nuisance youths had also increased over the last few months.
The Clerk stated that the Council had not received crime figures for Soham for the past two months. These normally formed part of Inspector's report for the Ely Sector of the County.

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          - 8th October 2007
Cemetery & Allotments - 22nd October 2007
Community Amenities   - 22nd October 2007
Planning                      - 31st October 2007

Matters Arising

Small Claims Court Action Against the Council (COM10/07)
NOTED that the Court had adjurned the hearing set for 13th November 2007 and this was to be re-scheduled.

Local Development Framework - Core Strategy Amendment - Preferred Option Paper (PL85/07)
Councillor Mr AJA Hinsley reported on the comments to be submitted to East Cambridgeshire District Council on the Council's behalf.
District Councillors Mr J Palmer and Mr M Duckworth replied to some of the statements made by Councillor Mr AJA Hinsley.
Councillor Mr AJA Hinsley was thanked for his hard work on behalf of the Council.

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

EAST CAMBRIDGESHIRE SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY STRATEGY 2008
Mr Steve Thornley presented East Cambridgeshire District Council's programme for the development of its Sustainable Community Strategy. Councillors were concerned at the short time scale allowed for the consultation exercise and for the apparent 'vagueness' of the published proposals.
RESOLVED: Council make no formal response to the initial proposals but that it considers the more Substantive Strategy when it is published early in 2008.

CAMBRIDGESHIRE & PETERBOROUGH MENTAL HEALTH - FOUNDATION TRUST CONSULTATION 2008
Elizabeth Mitchell from Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Mental Health Trust attended and addressed the Council on its aims to become a Foundation Trust by 2008.
One in four persons will have a brush with mental illness during their lifetime, whether it be personally or someone they know. As a Foundation Trust they would be free from government control, and would be able to develop services to suit the needs of the local community. The aim is to recruit 7,500 members and Elizabeth distributed membership forms to all Councillors, she explained that being a 'Trust' member need not be a huge commitment and the minimum would be to receive three newsletters per year.

CAMBRIDGESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL - REVIEW OF PASSENGER TRANSPORT
A briefing note about the Transport Review being carried out by the County Council was received.
RESOLVED that responses should be directed either by E-Mail at peter.greig-smith@cambridgeshire.gov.uk or by post to: Peter Greig-Smith, Cambridgeshire County Council, Box ET1915, Castle Court, Shire Hall, Cambridge CB3 0AP.

REQUEST FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Requests for financial assistance were received from MAGPAS - Community First Responders; Cambridge & Ely Victim Support and ESDAR - Dial-a-Ride.
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 interests of the area or its inhabitants and will benefit them in a manner with the expenditure:-

ESDAR - £1,000.00

RESOLVED also that the requests from MAGPAS and Cambridge & Ely Victim Support be reviewed again at the January 2008 Council meeting.

NEIGHBOURHOOD PANELS - TO APPOINT REPRESENTATIVES.
RESOLVED that Councillors Mrs PA Tuite, Mrs RR Aitchison & Mr N Driver be appointed Soham representatives on the Soham and East Neighbourhood Panel.
RESOLVED also that East Cambridgeshire District Council be asked why, as the second largest settlement in East Cambridgeshire, Soham should not be considered for its own Neighbourhood Panel, bearing in mind that Littleport has its own panel and so does Ely.

COMMUNITY FACILITIES IN SOHAM WORKING PARTY
Progress Report Councillor Mrs PA Tuite gave a report on the progress of the Community Facilities in Soham Working Party. Six tenders had been received for the Community Facilities Audit. Three were not considered in detail as the tendered sums were in excess of the £5,000 budgeted funds available. The remaining three were considered at lengthand it was agreed that the tender submitted by Mrs Celia Dickinson and Mrs Gill Robertson most met the Council's needs and offered the best value for the Town.
RESOLVED that Council approve the appointment of Mrs Celia Dickinson and Mrs Gill Robertson.

THE STAPLOE MEDICAL CENTRE - COGWHEEL TRUST
A letter of thanks was received from Michael Wilde, Practice Manager at the Staploe Medical Centre for the Council's donation towards the Cogwheel Trust Counselling service.

COMMUNITY CONTACT OFFICER FOR THE EAST CAMBRIDGESHIRE SECTOR
NOTED that Katherine Kent, Community Contact Officer for the East Cambridgeshire Sector had been transferred to Parkside, Cambridge to work as a Community Safety Officer.
NOTED also that all police issues that she would normally have helped with will now be dealt with by the local Police Community Support Officers or other members of the Neighbourhood Policing teams.

CONTRACTED BUS SERVICES
NOTED that as of the beginning of April 2008 Cambridgeshire County Council may be making changes to contracted bus services.
However, none of the proposed changes would appear to directly affect services to and from Soham.

DATE OF NEXT REGULAR MEETING
NOTED that the next regular meeting of the Council would be held at 7.15pm on Monday 17th December 2007.