MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 9TH OCTOBER 2006 (copy attached).

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

MINUTES OF STANDING COMMITTEES
a) Finance & Policy          - 9th October 2006 (copy attached)
b) Planning                      - 25th October 2006 (copy attached)
c) Cemetery & Allotments - 23rd October 2006 (copy attached)
d) Community Amenities  - 23rd October 2006 (copy attached)

Mr D L Giles
Clerk of the Council
6th November 2006

District Councillors Mr J Humphreys & Mr C Fordham.
Mrs Laura Razell, Rural Housing Enabler, ACRE

MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES.

Cambridgeshire Association of Local Councils - Revised Constitution (166/06)
NOTED that the Chairman, Mrs FE Ross was now unable to attend the CALC AGM on Saturday 14th October 2006 due to another engagement.
RESOLVED that Councillor Mrs RR Aitchison would endeavour to attend in her place.

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 - 11th September 2006
Planning             - 27th September 2006

PAYMENTS AND SCHEDULE OF ACCOUNTS - SEPTEMBER 2006
RESOLVED that the schedule of payments and statement of balances, and Summary of Income and Expenditure as at 30th September 2006 and Quarterly Budget Statement as attached to these minutes as appendices, be confirmed and approved, and are in accordance with Council's financial regulations.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Laura Razell, Rural Housing Enabler for Cambridgeshire attended for this item and gave a presentation on her work with District Councils and Housing Associations to explore the extension of affordable Housing in rural villages of Cambridgeshire and the projects aims to increase the provision of affordable housing in rural areas.
Priority allocation for the scheme will be to those who already live in the parish or who have a strong local connection. Presently Soham has 174 people waiting for housing with only 58 units coming through. Sometimes a Housing Needs Survey can be carried out by the District Council, this would take the form of a questionnaire sent to every household in the town to uncover the current accommodation circumstances, however this was not felt necessary in Soham at the present time as the 'needs' had already been identified.
By using the 'Exceptions Policy' affordable housing can be provided to meet local need in perpetuity. These are sites that are released as an exception to normal planning policies for general housing provision in rural areas. These may be small sites next to or adjoining the development envelope which may be subject to development restraints.
Exception sites can only be used for affordable housing not Open Market Value and affordable housing on Exception sites will remain affordable in perpetuity and will remain for local needs as priority.
The Town Council can help by encouraging everyone with a housing need to register with the District Council; identifying potential sites for development and also ensure that all planning applications submitted within the parish have an element of affordable housing.
The Chairman thanked Laura for her informative presentation.

PROPOSED TRAFFIC REGULATION - PART CLOSURE OF LONGMERE LANE
Cambridgeshire County Council formally consulted on its proposal to place a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) on part of Byway Open to All Traffic (BOAT) No. 19 Soham known as Longmere Lane.
The County Council is of the view that motorised vehicles (motorcycles, cars etc.) should be prohibited from using the BOAT from the link road all the way up to Townsend for the safety of users. If the TRO is successful it will prohibit motorised vehicles from using the affected section of the BOAT but pedestrian, bicycle, equestrian and pony-trap driving rights will be retained. RESOLVED that Council agree with the proposals and no further comments be made.

MUSCOVY DUCKS IN SOHAM
The Council considered a letter from a resident of Bluebell Walk concerned about the numbers of Muscovy ducks in the area and other parts of Soham in general. It was agreed that there was a possible environmental and public health risk associated with the ever increasing numbers of these and other ducks in the Town.
RESOLVED that an 'education' programme should be embarked upon, with a possible article in the local papers to outline the potential problems these birds are causing and asking residents not to feed them away from their natural habitat, which only serves to encourage them into residential areas, helps to increase their numbers and furthers the risk to public health etc. RESOLVED also that the Clerk seek further information with publicity etc from East Cambridgeshire District Council and advice from RSPB on the most efficient way in which to control their numbers.
Councillor Mrs RR Aitchison offered to get more information from English Nature and the Chairman, Councillor Mrs FE Ross would also speak to the Veterinary School.

REQUEST FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Consideration was given to requests for financial assistance from Vitalise, a registered charity that provides holidays for disabled people and their carers, and SACT towards its Christmas Lights for 2006/2007.

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:

SACT - £1,500

RESOLVED also that the Clerk obtain more information from Vitalise as to how many Soham residents benefit from its work prior to consideration for grant.

COMMUNITY PLANNING EVENT
NOTED that Cambridgeshire ACRE were holding a Community Planning Evening on Tuesday 14th November 2006 at The Meadows Community Centre, Kings Hedges Road, Cambridge, giving Councils the chance to find out about support and funding available to Parishes.
RESOLVED that Councillor Mrs PL Gibbon would attend with Councillor Mr PG Beer if he was available.

SPECIAL CONSTABLES
NOTED that Inspector Adam Gallop extended an invitation to a member of the Council that wish to accompany the Special Constabulary on 13th October 2006 whilst they were taking over the policing of East East Cambridgeshire for a shift from 7.00am to 2.00pm.

EAST CAMBRIDGESHIRE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT AREA JOINT COMMITTEE
NOTED that a meeting of the East Cambridgeshire Traffic Management Area Joint Committee would be held at 2.30pm on Monday 16th October 2006 in the Council Chamber, The Grange, Ely, Cambridgeshire.

CARE NETWORK - MOBILE WARDEN SCHEME
A request was received from the Care Network for Town Council's reaction to its proposed mobile warden scheme for Soham.
RESOLVED that Council is supportive of the proposal to implement such a scheme in the Town and that it has no specific evidence identifying the need for such a scheme, but understands that a 'Good Neighbour' Scheme will be generally welcomed by the Town's older residents.

CAMBRIDGESHIRE WASTE PRIVATE FINANCE INITIATIVE PROJECT
Information of Cambridgeshire County Councils current process of procuring long-term contract to design, build and operate new waste treatment facilities were received.

JOINT PARISH FORUM
The Agenda for the East Cambridgeshire District Council and CALC Joint Parish Forum meeting to be held at 7.00pm on Monday 30th October 2006 at The Grange, Nutholt Lane, Ely, Cambridgeshire was received.

VIVA CENTRE
A letter of thanks was received from the Viva Centre for the Councils donation in the sum of £700 towards its new fire exit doors.

SOHAM TOWN FORUM
Minutes of the Soham Town Forum Meeting held on 21st September 2006 were received.

PAPERS TABLED
CALC                                              - The Bulletin, Sept/Oct. 2006
Councillor Richard Hobbs                  - Highlights of the week 22/9/06 - 6/10/06.
East Anglia's Children Hospice          - Each News
Healthy Living East Cambridgeshire   - HLEC News, Autumn 2006
Andrezieux-Boutheon                        - No. 90 October 2006
Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS - Annual Report 2005/06
Cambs. County Council                     - Countryside Access Team, Annual Report - April 2005/March 2006
European Union Regional Policy         - Inforegio news, August 2006
Powergen                                         - Powergen's Caring Energy September 2006.

DATE OF NEXT REGULAR MEETING
NOTED that the next regular meeting of the Council would be held at 7.15pm, Monday 13th November 2006.