Minutes of Barrington Annual Parish Meeting 2021 – Tuesday 27th April at 7.30pm
Present: Cllrs Rhodes-Kemp (Chairman), Bedford, Bird, Day, Hopewell, Kemp, McBride, and Walker.
In attendance: The Clerk, SCDCllr Van de Weyer, CCCllr Kindersley and 53 members of the public.
Cllr Rhodes – Kemp welcomed everyone to the meeting.
- Apologies– there were no apologies for absence.
2. To receive the Minutes of the last Meeting held on 7th May 2019. It was proposed by Cllr Day, seconded by Cllr Bird with all in favour that these were a true record of the meeting.
3. Anthony Browne MP – grew up in Fowlmere and still has family living locally
Local issues facing Barrington
Thakeham – at the moment is just a proposal which would swamp 9 villages in the area (50-60,000 people). He has made his opposition known, people have the right to live in a village. There are not the correct transport links. The proposals are not supported by National Government.
South Cambs has 3x national average for building houses.
There are concerns about local water supply
A question-and-answer session followed including:
Foxton Travel Hub.
AB is sceptical about the travel hub. It has come off the GCP (Greater Cambridge Partnership) priority list as it will increase traffic flow on the A10. This has been raised with relevant Ministers and GCP.
We don’t know what changes to commuter patterns Covid has brought about.
Foxton Fields Village (1500-1800 new homes)
If this goes ahead it add pressure to fill the gaps between Foxtons, Shepreth and Barrington.
If the travel hub goes ahead, it will increase the chances of Foxton Fields ging ahead.
Foxton Level Crossing and the A10 generally. What do you think should be done about the management of traffic to and from Cambridge along the A10 with its damaging spill-over into all the local villages? Where is the joined up thinking here?
Local Plan
The call for sites is a legal requirement and it gives an idea of general developments areas. The are 3 new towns suggested for Cambridge all in the northern area of the district.
East West Rail
Generally decisions cannot be made if options are not considered properly abd is in favour of proper consultation on the Northern Route.
A massive budget and although a consultation document has been put through all doors it doesn’t really make EWR position clear and perhaps EWR are not interested in local people’s opinions.
The proposed alignment through Harston/Hauxton will probably mean that two of the level crossings over the existing main line will be closed permanently – namely the one past the Pemberton Arms to Newton, and the one between Hauxton and Little Shelford. Cross traffic E-W therefore will be channelled along the Old London Road (The Old English Gentleman aka Vujon on the corner). The consultation document is vague when considering the impact between Hauxton and Little Shelford and AB is committed to keeping that road open and may look at other options other than a level crossing. The Harston to Newton Road will be severed, and this will be a problem for schools and shops.
Generally, decisions cannot be made if options are not considered properly abd is in favour of proper consultation on the Northern Route.
Potholes – AB can influence but the responsibility lies with CCC.
The Parish Council highlighted the need for joined up thinking. There is a lack of strategic planning with the mayor head od=f strategic planning but with no budget and the GCP who do have the budget but who often disagree.
The MP was asked to investigate local flood plans.
In response to a question about whether the Cambridge Mayor is a waste of taxpayers’ money AB responded that the mayor does have visibility that others don’t have. There are too many layers of government in Cambridgeshire, and this needs streaming. This was going to be reviewed as Covid took hold.
The area also has an elected Police Commissioner. In large cities the mayor has some responsibility for the police. There needs to be some democratic accountability for policing abd there needs to be visible policing. The jury is out on cost of effective nature of police commissioners.
Finally, Anthony Browne thanked everyone for their warm support, reminded everyone of elections on 6th May.
4. Presentation from the Chairman of the Parish Council, Cllr Rosamund Rhodes-Kemp.
Thanks was given to Anthony Browne, the volunteers in the village – the shoppers, litter pickers, prescription deliverers, pond clearers, speed watchers, newsletter contributors and organisers, those that look after the defibrillator, the phone box library and all the others not mentioned specifically. At some point a thank you event will be held.
Despite Covid the PC has continued to meet on zoom and worked has continued.
There has been a focus on ditch work, play area inspections, the woodland, Community Orchard, Challis Pond (including funding applications), and the website. Your PC has responded to planning applications and the planning threats from Thakeham, EWR, Foxton Hub and other potential developments put forward in the Local Plan call for sites. Additionally, work has continued with SCDC and Redrow on the S106 agreement and the potential for early years provision in the village.
Cllr Rhodes – Kemp thanked all her fellow councillors for their time abd efforts, the Clerk Beckie Whitehouse and Responsible Financial Officer Rixon Zyauya.
The following reports were published and taken as read.
4.1 Conservation of the Village Green
4.2 Playgrounds – Cllr Day
4.3 Ditches and ponds
Ditches – Cllr Bird
Challis Pond – Cllr Rhodes-Kemp
4.4 Traffic Calming – Cllr Rhodes- Kemp
4.5 Footpaths – Cllr Day
4.6 Parking on the Village Green.
4.7 Woodland/Community Orchard – Cllr McBride
4.8 Planning – Cllr Kemp
4.9 Website – Cllr Hopewell.
5. Clerks Report – Mrs Beckie Whitehouse
6. Parish Council Financial Matters Report was presented as follows:
The Council continues to carefully monitor and control its finances in accordance with the applicable Financial Regulations. At each monthly Council meeting income and expenditure against budget, payments and bank balances are all reviewed in detail.
The Parish’s cash reserves (in Unity Bank and CBS) improved by £12k during the year to April ‘21.
When the budget was prepared in autumn ‘20 to establish the precept for ‘21/’22, the Council expected greater expenditure before the year end which, partly because of Covid, did not materialize. Some future costs which we have not had to bear previously were budgeted for, in particular street lighting costs, playground inspection duties and the cost of new posts to hold the VAS speed monitor/display.
You will be aware of the various development threats in the immediate area (Thakeham, East West Rail, Foxton Car Park, the possibility of large developments at Foxton and Shepreth) and the Council felt that it should be further strengthening the reserves to create a ‘’fighting fund’’ in order to influence how these threats evolve. Clearly if, over time, such a fund is not required then reserves in future can be reduced. Independently of the foregoing, the auditors have been encouraging the Council to increase its reserves. Therefore, the precept is rising by £1.57per household per month.
The Lloyds Bank account holds the first tranche of the S106 monies from Redrow for the Community Facilities. Expenditure this year (£8k) and last year (£14k) has principally been on the costs of legal advice.
The following reports were taken as read.
7. To record attendance of Parish Council Members.
8. Speedwatch – John Granger Acting Chair Barrington Community SpeedWatch
9. Roadways and footways
10. Community
11. Mobile Warden
12. Litter
13. Cambridgeshire County Council – CCCllr Sebastian Kindersley
14. South Cambridgeshire District Council – Report from District Councillor Aidan Van de Weyer
SCDCllr Van der Weyer apologised that he had not sent a written report and highlighted the following:
Covid 19 – every community formed support groups during lockdowns and SCDC have set up a business support team.
Finances currently look healthy.
Local Plan – this is being developed and further consultations will take place. Carbon emissions, sustainability and zero carbon emissions all need to be considered and plans need to underpin this. It will need to demonstrate a 5 year housing land supply. There are issues will water extraction from the chalk aquifer and developments may need to be limited until water can be brought in.
Zero Carbon Grants – Barrington PC made a successful application for the community orchard.
Threats to the local area as already discussed include Thakeham, EWR, and potentially the Oxford Cambridge Arc.
15. Open discussion for residents.
Other reports were received and read
16. Redrow Home Ltd – Mr Matt Parry Planning Director
17. Barrington Church of England Primary School – Mrs Gill Davies Headteacher
The Annual Meeting of the Green Charity followed and all meetings were closed at 9.50pm .