382/09 MATTERS ARISING NOT ON THE AGENDA (1) Wreath for Remembrance Day A poppy wreath was purchased and Councillor Mrs Hall laid it at the memorial in the church. It was very much appreciated. A wreath will now be supplied through the British Legion each year. (2) A1101 Black Spot Meeting Meeting held at Tydd St Giles 23.11.09. Chairman attended. Finance has now been put in place to make some improvements (3) New Streetlight outside Village School Cambs CC have been contacted about this light. A new one was erected but has never been connected to the electricity. Awaiting a connection date from EDF Energy. 383/09 MATTERS ARISING ON THE AGENDA (1) Highway Matters E-mail received from Fred Hardwick. He has ordered a new village sign/speed limit sign for Gote Lane. Has ordered 3 replacement carriageway gullies for High Road. New gully pot and lateral to be installed outside The Rhodham Gote Lane. Has got prices from Atkins for cutting back hedgerows/trees at Highside Parson Drove end, Popple Drove and Mill Lane junctions with Leverington Common and opposite Station Road – work should be completed by Christmas. Will have a look at Cattle Dyke and take action if necessary. Has asked Fenland DC to get the footpaths swept of leaves. (2) Replacement Litter Bin The littler bin in question is not owned by Fenland DC so it must be owned by the Parish Council. Fenland DC will replace it at a cost of £300. Agreed to go ahead and have it replaced. (3) Play Equipment Councillor Carroll and Chairman met with representatives for the Play Pathfinder Funders. They were not happy with the amount of swings being provided in the scheme. Old swings are now to be renovated and a new seat for the rocket is to be provided. Two toddler swings are to be provided separate from those for juniors. Krystal Humphrey is preparing an artists impression of the scheme which is to be submitted by 8th December. Due to the old swings being kept funds are now available to put safety matting around the roundabout. Natural play area to be provided by using concrete blocks for climbing. Garden area also to be provided. Councillor Carroll is also trying to find funding for equipment for toddlers and adults. Tescos have intimated that they may be able to help with a grant. (4) Parish Plan Chairman has received an e-mail from John Timms. He is still contacting people. When this is completed Chairman will organise a meeting. (5) Playing Field Chairman has met with David Ball, solicitor about drawing the document to transfer the ownership of the playing over to the Parish Council. The day to day running of the field will still be in the hands of the management committee. Also had discussions about the Deed of Dedication. (6) Replacement Pavilion Chairman has met with Jason Richardson and is waiting to hear from him with confirmation that the £50,000 promised from Fenland DC is still available. The best option now seems to be to build a building with the finance that is available and add onto to if and when more funds are available. Close the section above

371/09 MATTERS ARISING ON THE AGENDA (1) Highway Matters No response from Fred Hardwick. Jointly Funded Minor Highway Improvements Programme 2010-11 were not successful with scheme for footway improvements. Top 4 schemes will be completed. Gorefield came 8th out of 21. (2) Play Equipment Bid has been put in but has not been approved as the panel wish to see the layout changed and more natural play added. Meeting arranged on the field for Tuesday 10th November. This will only cover equipment for 8 to 13 year olds. Quote for 5 pieces of equipment for toddlers and 9 pieces for adults received. £20,000 should cover the purchase of these. (3) Parish Plan John Timms is still contacting people interested in environmental issues. Will probably end up with 8 to 10. (4) Playing Field Chairman has still to organise a meeting with David Ball (5) Replacement Pavilion Chairman has contacted Jason Richardson Sports Development Officer to get his help with drawing up an action plan for a new building using funding that is already available. (6) Land at Black Lane Tenants have give notice that they will vacate land in October 2010. Other tenants will be asked if they wish to tender early next year. Close the section above

361/09 MATTERS ARISING ON THE AGENDA (1) Resignation of Councillor Davall The Chairman received a letter of resignation from Councillor Davall on 7th September. He has resigned due to ill health. Letter of thanks to be sent by the clerk. Councillors all wish him well. The vacancy was advertised on 24th September and electors have until 14th October to request an election. The Chairman has put a piece in the Village Voices asking for any volunteers. To date one person has responded. Decision to be made at the next meeting. (2) Highway Matters E-mail received from Councillor Tierney he has persuaded Highways to cut back the hedges in Mill Lane, hopefully should be done shortly. (3) Play Equipment Councillor Carroll has found a suitable gate to be installed at the pedestrian entrance to the field. A one metre high one will cost approximately £1,500, which the Playfield Association have offered to fund if not covered by grant. The pieces of equipment chosen by the children will cost approximately £41,200 with an additional £20,000 needed for toddler and adult equipment. Councillor Carroll has prepared a plan showing how all the equipment will be arranged and this will be submitted along with details of the equipment required on 14th October. As the grant is for £40,000 it was agreed that the Parish Council would help cover the short fall. Councillor Holt proposed and Councillor Mrs Huns seconded the proposition that the Parish Council would pay up to £2,000 if required. This was unanimously agreed. (4) Parish Plan A letter has been received from the head teacher at the school. She has asked parents to be considerate regarding parking outside residents’ homes. The school has no power to stop parents for parking where they like outside the school. She suggested the police are contacted. PC Coales has been advised. John Timms has been making contact with the people who registered their interest in environment issues. Will probably have 4 to 6 people willing to be involved. (5) Playing Field Chairman has arranged a meeting with David Ball to sort out the legal obligations for the Parish Council to take over as custodial trustees. Councillor Carroll will need information about this for his grant application (6) Replacement Pavilion Still waiting for the outcome of the funding bid. Councillor Carroll has still to receive the final valuation for the Sports & Amenity Centre accounts before the money can be passed over to the Parish Council. Close the section above

350/09 MATTERS ARISING NOT ON THE AGENDA North Level District IDB visit Councillors Carroll and Mrs Hall will attend the open day to be held on Monday 12th October. 351/09 MATTERS ARISING ON THE AGENDA (1) Highway Matters Dropped gullies along Gorefield Road and large pothole opposite Leverington Church. To be reported to Cambs Highways. Interactive sign needs recalibrating – comes on too soon. Still no progress with getting trees cut back along Mill Lane. Councillor Tierney is trying to make some progress with the problem through Highways. (2) Play Equipment Councillor Carroll has received the results from two consultations. Designs and costings are now being prepared. This will then have to be presented for a final consultation possibly with the children at the school. All this has to be completed by 23rd September 2009. A design also required for a new entrance gate. The project should be completed by end of March 2010, when a launch event will have to be held. Signs will have to be erected giving information about the funders. £1,028 which is to come from Fenland DC is to be used for seats. Councillor had a brochure showing wooden ones, which go around a tree trunk. It was unanimously agreed that 3 of these should be purchased and erected at the same time as the new play equipment. (3) Parish Plan Parking outside the school still remains a problem. No response received to the letter sent to the school at the end of last term. (4) Playing Field The Chairman has been in contact with David Ball from Frasers and will be setting up a meeting to discuss the Parish Council taking over as custodial trustees and also the Deed of Dedication, which ensures that the playing field is never able to be sold for development etc. (5) Replacement Pavilion Still waiting for the outcome of the funding bid. Councillor Carroll has still to receive the final valuation for the Sports & Amenity Centre accounts before the money can be passed over to the Parish Council. Close the section above

339/09 MATTERS ARISING NOT ON THE AGENDA Allotments Phillip Williams has contacted the Chairman, he will be having his allotment sprayed Crime Buster Bus Visited the village today. Unfortunately not able to park at the Village Hall, this caused quite a few problems because it had to park on the side of the road. North Level District IDB At the next meeting clerk will need confirmation from Councillors Carroll and Mrs Hall that they will be able to attend the open day to be held on Monday 12th October. 340/09 MATTERS ARISING ON THE AGENDA (1) Highway Matters Still nothing has been done about the overhanging hedges in Mill Lane. Councillor Tierney will try to resolve the problem. Clerk to e-mail him with the information. (2) Play Equipment The application made for a grant has now progressed passed the first stage and £40,000 has now been allocated to the project. This is for play equipment for 8 to 13 years olds. On 11th August results from the survey taken from Gorefield Show will be known. A design will be prepared from this and then this will be shown to the children. The entrance gate on the filed will need to be changed plus pathways put in. Proposals have to be submitted by 28th September 2009 and the project completed by March 2010. Monthly inspection will have to be made by ourselves and then every 6 months an independent one will have to be done. A larger area is required for the project than is at the present allocated for play equipment. This will need to be shown on the documents presented for the Deed of Dedication. (3) Parish Plan No response has been received from the school reference the parking of cars outside the school. John Timms is in the process of contacting those people who showed an interest in wild life through the Parish Plan survey. (4) Playing Field It has been agreed by the Playing Field Committee that the Parish Council should take over as custodial trustees. The chairman has spoken to the Charity Commissioners. This change will not affect the status with the Charity Commission. The trustees will continue to be the management committee of the Playing Field. A solicitor will have to prepare a document to change over the ownership from the Playing Field trustees to the Parish Council. The Chairman was given the go ahead to proceed with this. David Ball from Frasers will be asked to prepare the transfer document. He is also in process of preparing the documents for the Deed of Dedication for the Playing Field Committee. The area needed for the play equipment will need to be shown on this. (5) Replacement Pavilion The meeting was held to disband the Sports and Amenity Centre Committee. It was unanimously agreed that all their funds approximately £65,000 should be passed over to the Parish Council to be used to replace the pavilion on the playing field. All other fund raising events will be made through the Playing Field Committee. The date for hearing about the Sports For All grant application has been extended 6 weeks due to that amount of applications received. Close the section above

327/09 MATTERS ARISING NOT ON THE AGENDA Pocket Park Stephen Brown to be asked if he has sprayed the Pocket Park. 328/09 MATTERS ARISING ON THE AGENDA (1) Highway Matters Nothing to report (2) Play Equipment Councillor Carroll gave an update on progress. Five surveys have now been carried out. He will be attending meetings next week and the following week and then he should be in a position to make the application. The small grant that we are to receive from Fenland DC is to be used to fund a new seat. He has been asked for the council’s preference for a wooden or steel one. It was agreed that a wooden one should be provided and stored until the new play equipment is installed. (3) Parish Plan As the clerk had very few responses to the letter sent out to those registering an interest in Wild Life through the Parish Plan no action will taken at the moment. This information will be passed onto John Timms by the Chairman. (4) Playing Field The Chairman and Councillor Carroll, who are now members of the Playing Field Committee, attended their last meeting. They wish the Parish Council to take over as custodial trustees. This means that the Council will take over the title deeds to the field, but the Playing Field committee will still run it. More research is required as to how this is to be achieved through the Charity Commission. A Deed of Dedication is also to be made by the Playing Field Committee with the National Playing Field Association. This is one of the criteria for funders. (5) Replacement Pavilion An application has been made to Sport England for a grant of £80,000 with the help of the sports development officer at Fenland DC. This is the first stage in the process and had to be in by the end of June. If this is successful then plans will need to be finalised and a planning application made. An Extraordinary Meeting of the Sport and Amenity Management Committee has been arranged for 28th July when the committee will decide to whom their funds should go and then it will be disolved. Close the section above

316/09 MATTERS ARISING NOT ON THE AGENDA Pocket Park Dog warden has visited the site and erected ‘dog fouling’ signs. Has also arranged for the site to be cleared of any fouling. Steven Brown has agreed to spray the Pocket Park for weeds 317/09 MATTERS ARISING ON THE AGENDA (1) Highway Matters Carriageway surface dressing at Allens Drove and Popple Drove will commence on 2nd July 2009 (2) Play Equipment Councillor Carroll not able to attend this meeting so no information available (3) Parish Plan Councillor Holt has been looking at the Parish Plan and has found that safety outside the school was an issue, which has not yet been addressed. Has spoken to a policeman about the problem of the cars parking along the High Road but there is nothing the police can do about it. Children are being allowed to alight from the offside of the vehicles, which could prove very dangerous. Once the Oxfield Drive road has been adopted then PC Coales will be able to have more road markings added outside the Pre School, which might help people trying to get passed the long line of parked vehicles. Clerk wrote to the people from the Parish Plan questionnaire that registered an interest in the environment/wild life. Only had 4 responses 3 positive and 1 negative. Chairman was looking into arranging a meeting with an officer from Fenland DC. Before this is done possibly another questionnaire could be sent out. (4) Streetlight Cambs CC have requested approval to repair the damaged FPC9 street light which outside the school. The estimated cost of the repair is £900. Agreed to go ahead. Clerk has made enquiries from Cambs CC about the use of solar bollards, but they do not use them. Their opinion is that they can only be used in the right location as they do not give out vast amounts of light. They suggested that they could cost around £3000 per unit plus installation. (5) Playing Field No further formation available for this meeting Close the section above

305/09 MATTERS ARISING NOT ON THE AGENDA Village of the Year Chairman had only one response to the article in the Village Voices 306/09 MATTERS ARISING ON THE AGENDA (1) Highway Matters Letter received from Cambs CC Area maintenance engineer advising of the carriageway surface dressing programme which will cover Allens Drove and Popple Drove. (2) Parish Plan Chairman now has a list of names and addresses of the volunteers collected from the Parish Plan questionnaires. Clerk will write to them all first to make sure they are still interested in helping before Chairman arranges a meeting. Councillor Holt will look at the action plan with a view to updating it. Two problems highlighted in the Parish Plan – parking outside the school and speeding continue to be a problem (3) Play Equipment There were ten things than needed to be done before funding can be applied for. Most of these have now been completed. The grants of £50K are available for 8 to 13 year olds. Under 8‘s will have to be funded elsewhere. Application form will have to be in by August, result by September and money spent by March 2010. Chairman and Councillor Carroll will be attending a meeting on 10th May where they will receive the application form. Survey to be carried out at Gorefield Show, results to be reported by end June/July. (4) Streetlight Clerk has not been able to find out anywhere were solar light bollards have been installed. Will continue to look at other possibilities. (5) Cambs Acre Membership The cost of joining Cambs Acre and the Cambs Playing Field Association is £35.00 per annum. Proposed by Councillor Holt and seconded by Councillor Carroll that the Parish Council join both organisations. Agreed by all. (6) Playing Field Replacement Building Chairman and Councillor Carroll both left the meeting and took no part in this item. All the Councillors had attending the meeting held in the pavilion with the representative from Acre where the role and the responsibilities of Councillors with regard to putting a replacement pavilion on the Playing Field were discussed. Councillor Holt proposed that having agreed to support the project in principal (Minute 296/09 (7) and having now received further information as requested, this Council now agrees to provide full support as allowed under the powers and duties of the Council, subject to any statutory provisions that apply. This proposal was seconded by Councillor Cooke and agreed by all present. Close the section above

296/09 MATTERS ARISING ON THE AGENDA (1) Highway Matters E-mail received from Fred Hardwick – Wolf Lane pot holes that fall within the emergency criteria have been repaired. The other potholes will be repaired by the small works crew after April 2009. The gullies at Wolf Lane/Back Road corner and Gote Lane/High Road are to be cleaned out and the laterals jetted. Mr Hardwick has declined the invitation to attend a meeting but will meet Councillors in the village any time during the day. He has contacted the builder with reference to the pavement outside No 35 High Road. (2) Streetlight Clerk has been investigating the possibility of installing a solar powered bollard at Chapel Lane. The price for a 6" dia x 33" high one is £575.00 + VAT. Will find out if a similar one has been erected locally so one can be seen working (3) Play Equipment Cambridgeshire Play Pathfinder has 16 x £50,000 grants available. Information compiled by Acre will be used to apply for one of these grants. A further consultation is to be carried out by Jo Fitzpatrick. (4) Parish Plan Strategic Partnership is now making some progress with information gathered from Parish Plans. Chairman will be putting an article in the next edition of Voices to try to make contact with those people who volunteered their services through the Parish Plan survey. (5) Memorial Bench The relatives of Bill Bailey who recently passed away have contacted the Chairman to ask if they can put a bench in the village. The suggestion was made that the seat be put in the Church Yard. The Chairman will let them know who to contact. (6) Village of Year 2009 Does your community relish a challenge? Is your community open to new ideas? Is it thriving? Does your village need a boost? Communities are invited to enter the annual Calor Village of the Year competition. Entry form to be in by 15th June 2009. Chairman will put an article in next addition of Voices to see if anyone is interested in help to put together an entry. (7) Playing Field Chairman and Councillor Carroll declared an interest in the following item due to their positions of Chairman and Vice Chairman on the Management Committee for the Sports and Amenity Centre Project and left the meeting Councillor Holt explained that at a meeting held with Parish Council members, Playing Field committee members and the Sports and Amenity Centre committee members and Phillip Peacock from Cambs Acre it was agreed that as the Lottery bid had not been successful the money raised added to that promised by Fenland DC should be used to replace the pavilion on the Playing Field. Mr Peacock explained that the best way forward to achieve this would be for the finances to be held by the Parish Council and for them to oversee the building project. This making it possible for VAT to be reclaimed and rate relief to be claimed once the building is in use. Unfortunately those Councillors left to discuss this matter were unable to attend the meeting. They invited the Chairman to return to the meeting to answer questions. Who would be responsible for the running of the building? This would be done be a management committee. This could be all set out in a Memorandum of Understanding before any building work is undertaken. Chairman left the meeting Proposed by Councillor Cooke and seconded by Councillor Mrs Hall that the Parish Council would support the project in principal but would wish to establish what responsibilities the Parish Council would have. Wish to invite Phillip Peacock from Cambs Acre to attend the next Parish Council meeting to give more information. Close the section above

Chairman's Report I begin with a brief look back at last years Chairman's report to the Annual Assembly. The growth of the village continues with the Oxfield Drive development by Twigden’s nearing completion. Permission exists for another 14 homes off High Road / West End although this development has some way to go. The Parish Council has acted on some of the point’s raised in the Parish Plan action plan and will continue to monitor progress and delivery. Village ‘Welcome Pack’ has been distributed to each household in the Parish providing contact details and useful information about the village community. The Council still has concerns about vehicle speeds through the village along with the parking problems associated with the Oxfield Drive development Preliminary discussions are ongoing about the Parish Council becoming Custodian Trustees of the playing field. During the year the local pub been closed for some time and had several landlords but hopefully will soon be able to accommodate the Luncheon Club again. The Parish Council provided the Christmas tree and lights at the Church again this year and while a permanent tree has now been planted a larger tree, supplied free of charge, by Baytree Nurseries was used. This year we welcomed Natalie Rowland as our FDC Liason Officer During the year we have seen the replacement of the footbridge at Chapel lane. We have maintained a low Precept We have joined the Village Voices Newsletter bringing news and information to 8 villages and hamlets in our locality. The Parish Council will have the opportunity of a quarterly Newsletter in that publication. As a Council we continue to have concerns about: Speeding Highway matters Play equipment Planning and enforcement As a Council we continue To be consulted on all planning applications and make comments and observations as appropriate. To administer our Parish affairs and finances and were able to keep our Parish precept increase to a minimum. To comment on all matters concerning the Parish at District and County levels Thanks must go to PC Coales for her work in the community and her regular attendance at our meetings. Natalie Rowland our FDC Liason contact whose has followed on from John Dubber and kept the Council informed of FDC issues on a regular basis as well as following up local problems on our behalf. My thanks must go to all the members of the Council for their input and involvement during the year. A special thank you to those of you who have attended any meetings, seminars or presentations for or on behalf of the Council. Finally special thanks to our Clerk, Rosemary, for all her hard work and dedication during the year. Close the section above

284/09 MATTERS ARISING NOT ON THE AGENDA Streetlight Chapel Lane Chairman agreed that Chapel Lane is very dark. Clerk to get a quotation for price of low level light bollards plus electricity supply. Streetlight out along High Road clerk to report. Still waiting for replacements lights in Cattle Dyke 286/09 MATTERS ARISING ON THE AGENDA (1) Highway Matters Nothing to report from Highways. Chairman will try to contact Fred Hardwick (2) Play Equipment Two surveys have now been completed by Lisa Peel. Meeting held on the playing field with Phil Peacock from Acre. He will arrange for Jo Fitzpatrick from Acre to undertake further consultations and will then help with applying for grants. (3) Parish Plan Chairman has now got a copy of the volunteer list compiled from the Parish Plan. Those people interested in wild life and the environment to be invited to a meeting to be held in the Spring. Documents received following a Strategic Partnership meeting state that 50% of the actions arising from Parish Plans can be facilitated by Parish Councils. These documents were passed on to Mrs Harvey. Chairman has had a meeting with Brian Payne who is one of the organisers of “Village Voices” which will be distributed around the village on Wednesday by John and Marion Fisher. Volunteers are doing the outlaying areas of the village. The Parish Council has been offered a page in the publication every quarter at a cost of £200. Everyone agreed that this was acceptable. Suggested dates were March, June, September and December. The priority list from the Parish Plan needs updating and a strategy set out to facilitate any actions needed plus a time scale. (4) Playing Field Councillor Carroll attended their recent meeting where it was agreed that the Parish Council would be invited to take over as Custodial Trustees of the field. At the meeting with Phil Peacock from Acre which the Chairman and Councillor Carroll attended this suggestion was discussed and the outcome was that their could a better way of safeguarding the future of the village. Representatives from the Playing Field Committee, the Parish Council and the Sports and Amenity Committee are invited to attend a meeting to be held in the pavilion on Tuesday 17th March at 7.30 pm with Phil Peacock to discuss this. The Sports and Amenity Centre committee have been discussing replacing the pavilion with a new building, which would have changing facilities and a social area. A grant of £50,000 from Fenland DC should still be available and the committee have raised £60,00 towards the project. At the meeting to be held on 17th March discussions will be held as to the best way for this project to be managed either through an amalgamation of the two committees or possibly through the Parish Council. Close the section above

267/09 MATTERS ARISING NOT ON THE AGENDA (1) Highway Matters Councillor Cooke reported that the interactive 30 mph sign as you enter the village is not activating until cars are nearly up to it. (2) Play Equipment Fenland DC officer attended a recent Gorefield Amenity Centre Management Committee meeting and gave out questionnaires, the results of these will be used to apply for a grant (3) Parish Plan Councillors received a copy of information that was compiled by Mrs E Harvey and presented at a meeting held at Guyhirn organised by Cambs Acre to find out what progress has been made since our village Parish Plan was presented to the Parish Council and the Fenland Strategic Partnership. At the present time nothing much has been achieved. A copy of the report was given to Mrs Rowlands so she can pursue the matter at Fenland DC and Councillor Carroll is a representative on the Strategic Partnership and he will be pressing for more action. Mrs Harvey wishes to see a strategy put in place to make sure issues raised in the Parish Plan are implemented. Gorefield is now to be included in the Village Voices magazine, which covers three local parishes and will be distributed to everyone in the village. This will be an opportunity to get information to the village people. (4) Streetlight for Chapel Lane A request has been received from a resident of Back Road for a streetlight in Chapel Lane. This has been looked into before and it was felt that the cost could be prohibitive and also the light could affect residents. We are still waiting for the two new lights to be erected in Cattle Dyke which is take up our allocation for lighting this year. Close the section above

263/09 MATTERS ARISING NOT ON THE AGENDA Christmas Tree A Christmas tree was donated to the village by Bay Tree Nurseries. Letter of thanks to be sent. Extra lights were put on this year which made the tree look very good. The planted tree is beginning to grow but another tree will have to be used again next year. 264/09 MATTERS ARISING ON THE AGENDA (1) Highway Matters E-mail received from Gareth Guest Bridge Section Cambs CC with reference to the newly installed footbridge. He is of the opinion that the new bridge has angled approach barriers, which the old bridge did not so the situation is an improvement. There are many miles of open ditches adjacent to footbridges across the County, which are not a high risk problem. (2) Play Equipment Fenland DC officer has made arrangement to attend the school to liaise with the children with regard to what play equipment they would like to see in a new playground. Information to be used to help with applying for grants. Close the section above