Minutes 18.08.20 – Harston Residents Group

Harston Residents Group Meeting 18/8/20

Present: J. Richardson, P Hayde, B Williamson, G Hayde, L Churchman, D Bellamy, H Roadley, B Korb, V Korb, M Greeves, P Griffin

William Harrold from Haslingfield joined the meeting on behalf of Cambridge Approaches

Apologies: C Cock-Starkey, B Mason, T Arnold, M Lloyd

Matters arising: None from July minutes or newsletter.

GH – No change since March. Small payment to Squarespace (webpage designer) of £41.09 to change to business subscription.
HRG credit card needed.
Income: £800 from SCDC for VE Day celebrations
£400 from HPC for bulbs

Funding from HPC going via Parish Church
Flier with postcard for memories being delivered to every house. Contact via email address on flier or at Post Office. Art and craft items requested too.
More volunteers needed on the day and on the evening before.
Covid secure Risk Assessment being done by the school.
Food Hub and History Group will be included.
The exhibition will move online if necessary. Will monitor and decide mid-Sept.
Action: MG will organize working party’s own risk assessment.

Money received for bulbs. Risk assessment is done. Activity is covered by HPC insurance
Date for bulb planting and clearing the ditch – 10/10/20
Event can be publicized at Lockdown exhibition.
Advert to go to Parish magazine by 10/9/20 to encourage community involvement. Who?
Need to mark off planted area to stop BT vans parking on it.
Action. BK will buy bulbs and do plan for planting ready for next meeting
More funding needed later for grass seed. And wild flower seed?

JR contacted HPC re surface. It has to be tarmac. (there are several islands locally, including the one off M11 which are covered in wild flowers.)

PH is revising H&S rules to comply with Covid security. 3 more volunteers needed to reflect the changes.
Long litter picker available to get litter out of the ditches.
Action. BW volunteered to use long litter picker.
NB. Insurance only covers the area within the 30mph speed limit.

Station Road (T & H site) hearing due in August. Rejection possible on technical grounds
High Street. Large shed in front garden. Rejected
Vujon. No news
Co-op. No news
Traveller site. Planning was approved with conditions, eg site not to be used for business, that are not being adhered to. Conditions can be enforced but this is not being done.

Incidents of anti-social behavior in villages.

William Harrold From Cambridge Approaches joined the meeting.

Looking at the options for routes from Cambourne to Cambridge
1. Information gathering. Current phase. FOI request made re environment
2. Alignment options – 5 possibilities. More detailed map of options needed.
3. Assessing options and deciding criteria
Also, keeping PC’s informed. Voting for preferences and informing British Rail.
Group contains archeologists and railway experts. Trying to raise public awareness and keep BR accountable.
Harston working group is looking for members from other villages. Meeting with Anthony Browne pending.
WH is working with David Revell in Haslingfield. EW Rail wants to work with a larger group. Presentation to PC’s on 15/9/20.
WH is project managing. Map to be published and posted on social media to raise awareness. DB represents HPC on the group.
HPC has agreed to contribute to brochure.
It’s a major national rail infrastructure project. Could end at Felixtowe and include fast passenger trains and freight trains. No level crossings. Security fencing. Some minor roads may close.
WH to return in a few months to update.

No support for traffic calming barriers proposed by CCC
Survey of London Road in Dec’17/Jan’18 showed overwhelming support for reduced speed limit. Signatures given to Jane Moran (councillor) to take to Highways.
HPC is going to buy speed camera and install it first on London Road to collect data to send to Highways as evidence.
Transport subcommittee has drafted letter to send to Ian Bates and others making the case for reducing speed limit to 30mph as it meets national guidelines. All agreed the letter should be sent.

Thanks to Hilary and John Roadley for finding out that The Green belongs to Harston Parish Council.

HR asked how The Green could be designated as protected green space. (Church St, next to Beech Farm has protected rural frontage to allow countryside to come into the village.)
Action. DB to ask HPC how to do that.
Purchasing bulbs
Audit trail needed. Money will be transferred to HRG account.
Meeting closed at 21.15

Jan Nanor