I attended Melbourn Parish Council last night; this was held at Melbourn Village College in order to accommodate a larger than normal public gallery. About 150 members of the public attended, as did the CEO of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Association of Local Councils and the members of the grievance panel whose report was commissioned by the Parish Council and whose findings were then rejected by it – prompting the resignations of Parish Councillors Jose Hales, Julie Norman and John Regan.

The unpublished report by the grievance panel and the refusal of the council to act in a transparent manner now dominates parish council meetings, to the extent that public business is not being conducted. The seriousness of the complaint that prompted the commissioning of the report and the complete collapse of public confidence in the parish council as its most direct representative body – levying a parish tax and making important decisions on behalf of everyone in the village – have resulted in total paralysis.

For two hours, the meeting was preoccupied with this crisis. At around 9PM the chairman closed the meeting without justification, but within his rights. In my view this meeting should have been filmed.

I prepared this report for last night’s meeting but was unable to deliver it.

Melbourn Parish Council, July 2016, County Councillor Report

1. The County Council has voted through a new Devolution Deal for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough as a combined authority. The new authority will have a paid mayor with considerable powers and this will constitute a new layer of government. I voted against the deal because I believe that the role of mayor is unnecessary, wasteful and takes decision making away from lower tiers of government – parish, district and county. The deal sets out aspirations and financial commitments which don’t actually add up to anything very significant, and which contains no business case. The mayor will be elected in May 2017. Comparisons have been made to the Police and Crime Commissioner role – a nicely paid political post predetermined by the status quo, with a questionable contribution.

2. Melbourn Primary School planning application for time-frame extension for mobile classroom provision: I have indicated my support. Detailed discussions have been ongoing for some months regarding prospective expansion of the school. It is reckoned that with or without 199 houses off New Road, population increase warrants school expansion size to 420 places (currently the school has permanent space for 270, with 60 extra on a temporary basis). The County Council’s Capital Programme now includes a scheme for permanent classroom accommodation to be completed in 2017/18, hence the application to retain mobile provision until that time. FYI, the council is also looking to expand Meldreth School capacity though that scheme is not as far developed. The idea is to reflect growing need in the wider area and to continue the offer of choice of schools.

3. Practical Solutions Group: The PSG met shortly after the last Melbourn PC meeting, as usual at Melbourn Village College. Our collaboration with the college to support intergenerational activities in our wider community is greatly enhanced by MVC’s recent introduction of community liaison prefects. In addition to community liaison the new prefect system covers the following remits: charity, enrichment, houses/pledges, bullying/social, premises, rewards/sanctions. The community liaison prefects wish to continue staging the very successful Celebrating Ages events and to plan ahead with District Councillor Jose Hales.

4. The aspired start date for Dunsbridge Turnpike to Cambridge Road new pedestrian/cycle path, funded by Greater Cambridgeshire City Deal, is September.

5. I wanted to officially note thanks to AstraZeneca who have kindly agreed to provide supplementary grounds maintenance to the Cambridge-Royston A10 pedestrian/cycle path outside of parish boundaries. The extra funding will allow three more verge cuts per year, cutting back of side vegetation, herbicide treatment, etc. This will start immediately and is set out for a two-year period. This type of corporate sponsored maintenance is a new concept in the county which we have initiated.

6. Community Rail Partnership: As I reported last month, the Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton Community Rail Partnership, which is the umbrella organization for our Rail User Group our campaign for better rail service, has been invited to join up with a new Melbourn Community Interest Company currently in the process of being formed, in order to facilitate provision of some paid administrative assistance for the rail campaign which has become so active. The CRP wishes to apply to Meldreth, Melbourn, Shepreth and Foxton Parish Councils for financial support, for a sum of £700 each, which together would provide one day per week for six months. Please can the PC advise on how to apply for funding.

7. Meldreth Station audit: This is not meant to be prescriptive, but is a compilation from observations by people using the station on the day of the audit. Thanks to Railfuture, Govia, County & District Councils & AstraZeneca for their contributions. The audit is posted on the Melbourn village website, rail user group page

8. The Black Horse pub has suffered severe flooding damage on five occasions over the past two years, after heavy rainfall. Thanks to District Cllr Hales for meeting with County Highways in my absence to discuss remedial action on the Highway, which is now taking place.

9. Thanks very much to the Melbourn Futures Committee, local residents, and District Councillors Barrett and Hales for their lengthy attendance at the 199 houses appeal which I was not able to attend as I was away on holiday.

10. Street light switch-off: A resident in the Moor has said that she feels vulnerable with the late night street light switch off. Would the parish council like to consider taking on any street light illumination, perhaps consulting with residents now ahead of short winter days?

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