Village Meeting Reports

2023 Fen Drayton Village Meeting_new+websiteL

2022 Fen Drayton Village Meeting_new_website

The village meeting was held in the village hall, with over 60 attendees.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING – display prior to the meeting in the committee room

A display showing the proposed affordable housing development was opened prior to the meeting. Several representatives from bpha were on hand to answer questions from residents.

Any comments on the proposed scheme should be made direct to bpha. If the proposal goes to planning, comments may be made to the planners at that stage.

A map of the proposed development is on the parish council website, or available from the parish clerk (email: fendrayton.clerk@gmail.com or call 07704 023534).

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A14 UPGRADE Julian Lamb, Construction Director for the Integrated Delivery Team

Julian gave a slide presentation of the progress made since the last village meeting, including time-lapse footage of the old bridge at Bar Hill being demolished and the new bridge deck being put in place.

Click here for the A14 slide presentation.
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SPEEDWATCH Sue Gyles

Speedwatch has now been running regular session for several months. More volunteers are needed. If you’re interested, please contact the parish clerk on 07704 023534 or by email: fendrayton.clerk@gmail.com

DISTRICT COUNCILLOR’S REPORT Sue Ellington

Main points included:

• Significant changes at SCDC following last year’s elections which brought the Liberal Democrats into power and reducing the number of Conservative councillors.
• Fen Drayton moved from the Papworth Ward to Swavesey along with Lolworth.
• As a Conservative councillor, Sue lost her portfolio for Health and Wellbeing, which was not adopted by the new administration.
• The new administration has pledged to be green.
• Several senior officers have left SCDC since September 2018 resulting in a loss of knowledge and experience among the staff, which will take a while to rebuild.
• A14 night closures are still a major issue for local villages.
• SCDC Community Chest grants are now available but not for parish councils. Elite Athletes grants have been withdrawn. Eco grants are available for community projects for sustainable ecological energy projects.
• SCDC is initiating projects to try to reduce loneliness

FEN DRAYTON VILLAGE SURVEY Roger Davies

A survey of all Fen Drayton residents is currently taking place to ascertain what they think about various aspects of the village, eg housing expansion, traffic and facilities and also about St Mary’s church.

The responses will help the parish council to set priorities and seek resources from the district and county councils and from grant giving organisations.

PAVILION PROJECT UPDATE Chris Gray

The project is progressing, with part funding from the FA. An initial design has been completed to FA standards. The plan can be viewed online on the parish council website. Or, contact the parish clerk for a hard copy on 07704 023534.
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TENNIS CLUB Martin Eaton

The courts resurfacing is due to be completed in June. The public access system will be available, as well as memberships, which are vital to the club becoming financially self-sufficient.

The tennis club thanked Harry Webster who prepared the business plan that was crucial to obtaining substantial grants as well as showing how the club would be self-sustaining in the future.

PLANS FOR 2019/20 Jackie Isden, PC chair

The parish council’s main objectives are:

• Implementing the affordable housing project
• Applying for grants for village speed calming measures and an HGV weight limit
• Moving forward the pavilion replacement project – an initial design has been completed. FA has agreed to part fund
• Acting on the village survey analysis to establish priorities and resources for future projects
• To carry out a community warden feasibility survey
• To expand the parish council – volunteers needed!

CHAIR’S CLOSING REMARKS Jackie Isden

The chair thanked the speakers, and Phil Christie (pop-up wine bar) and Don Edwards (presentation visuals). The chair also thanked the parish councillors for their hard work and commitment over the past year.

Introduction

​A14 UPGRADE Julian Lamb, Construction Director for the Integrated Delivery Team

Julian gave a slide presentation of current progress and an overview of the new route of the upgraded A14 from the Fen Drayton perspective.

Click here for the A14 presentation

Two parish councillors and Cllr Mandy Smith arrived at the village meeting straight from a meeting with Bob Pettipher, the A14 section 4-5 stakeholder manager, to discuss the volume of HGV traffic through the villages when the A14 is closed at night. Cllr Smith reported that although diversions are clearly marked, HGV drivers often ignore them and follow their satnavs. In the past the police have prevented vehicles going through the villages, but this has ceased due to cost. Bob Pettipher guaranteed that signage would be improved and the situation monitored. For more information click here.

SPEEDWATCH Mike Brookes, coordinator Cambs Police

Fen Drayton is in the process of forming a Speedwatch volunteer group (a minimum of nine people is needed for a full team). Six volunteers had their training in June and July. Training sessions are held every month. It is hoped that, as well as reducing speeding through the village, the data collected will reinforce the case for a speed reducing scheme in the village. Anyone interested in volunteering should contact Sue Gyles at fendraytoncommunitycafe@gmail.com.

DISTRICT COUNCILLOR’S REPORT Cllr Sue Ellington

Following the recent boundary changes, Sue has been our district councillor since the elections in May this year, when we said goodbye to the previous incumbents Nick Wright and Mark Howell, who did much good work for the village. Sue hopes to visit Fen Drayton’s residents – so she may knock on your door to introduce herself and to ask if there are any village issues she can help with.

Click here for Sue’s full report.

RSPB FEN DRAYTON LAKES Chris Hudson, Senior Sites Manager for Fen Drayton Lakes and Ouse Fen

Chris gave us an overview of the extremes of weather in the UK and further afield in recent months and the impact these have had on our resident and migrating birds. Fen Drayton Lakes has experienced a harsh winter, extensive spring floods and now drought conditions. Key species for Fen Drayton Lakes like bitterns and marsh harriers remain stable but species like turtle dove and nightingale, also present at Fen Drayton Lakes, have suffered 90+% declines since the 1970s.

Nature and these species need concerted conservation support more than ever before and we are committed to finding new and creative approaches to make our reserves bigger, better and more joined up to help wildlife in danger and give them a home.

The current UK climate (in terms of the economy as well as the weather) is getting tougher for organisations in the charitable sector and for UK nature reserves. However Fen Drayton Lakes is for the present still completely free, open at all times and is an amazing resource to have on our doorstep. Self-led community use is encouraged so if you have any ideas please contact the RSPB.

With its variety of species from large winter flocks of ducks to springtime hedgerows full of singing warblers it’s a great place to enjoy nature. Rarer species are regularly seen during the spring and autumn migration too – and if you’re not a bird lover it’s still a wonderful place to walk around.

To support the RSPB, volunteer or become a member go to the website click here.

For information about RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes click here.

The State of the UK’s birds 2017 report click here.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING Roger Davies

The Parish Council is concerned about the lack of affordable housing in the village so commissioned a Housing Needs Survey in July 2017. The survey revealed a need for 18 new affordable homes. Fen Drayton Parish Council alongside Cambridgeshire ACRE and the housing association BPHS are actively looking for a suitable site for a development of about 12 houses. If a site is found it will be subject to the usual planning permission. The Housing Needs Survey report is on the parish council website.

Since 2013 planning applications have been submitted for 40 new houses in the village, equating to an increase of 12%. All of these are large detached houses. We aim to ensure that a mix of housing is available within the village.

Click here to view the Housing Needs Survey Report.

VILLAGE FACILITIES

New play equipment: in January the parish council successfully submitted a grant application to the A14 community fund for the maximum amount of £10,000 to purchase play equipment for older children. The installation of the triple combi access goal unit and outdoor table tennis table was completed on 2 July.

New village notice board with the help of a Community Chest grant the parish council purchased a notice board for the Cootes Lane/Mill Road corner of the village.

FRESH OPTIONS FOR ST MARY’S Geoff Dodgson

Click here for Geoff Dodgson’s presentation

Have your say by contacting phil.christie@ntlworld.com.

PRE-SCHOOL REPORT Emma Cox

The Pre-school has had a good but busy year, starting with low pupil numbers and a changeover of committee members. Many fundraising events were held in the winter and spring terms, with the pancake race and Easter activity workshop raising £433 for the pre-school. A good OFSTED report and a smaller deficit at the end of the school year than expected gave rise to some optimism but the school is still hoping child numbers will increase next year to offset the low numbers this year.

There is always a challenge with finances but thankfully from previous healthier years the pre-school had a cushion this year, but the situation isn’t sustainable. The pre-school needs new committee members. Any members of the community who are willing to support the pre-school and keep this valuable community resource alive should contact Emma: cox5840@gmail.com

Click here for the full pre-school report

PAVILION PROJECT UPDATE Chris Gray

Discussions were held to ascertain whether the pavilion could be repaired or should be rebuilt. Due to repeated flood damage, the wood construction was deemed to be too rotten to affordably repair, so a local architect was asked to supply drawings to submit for a planning application. The aim is to build the new pavilion in a similar style to the existing one. We hope that building work will start next year.

TENNIS CLUB Martin Eaton

The system for public access to the tennis courts is now in operation. Non-members can hire the courts at £5.00 per hour. Details from the website http://www.fendraytontc.co.uk.

We failed to obtain the major grant needed for resurfacing the courts but are applying elsewhere. We have half the funds needed, but require another £14K.

CHAIR’S SUMMARY Jackie Isden

The chair thanked everyone who has volunteered to help with village activities. More volunteers are still needed for the community cafe and for Speedwatch – and also for the parish council!

The community cafe continues to be very popular. It is held on the second Saturday of each month with a variety of activities running alongside the cafe, such as baking workshops and most recently a plant sale.

To volunteer as a cafe helper email: fendraytoncommunitycafe@gmail.com

For more information on becoming a parish councillor email: fendrayton.clerk@ gmail.com.

Three Tuns granted ACV status the Three Tuns was granted asset of community value status by South Cambridgeshire District Council. This means that if the pub is ever up for sale, the local community has six months in which to purchase it.

Village magazine the chair thanked the ‘Fen Drayton Focus’ team for continuing to produce this brilliant magazine. Many thanks go to Gwen Day, Dawn Fairey and Gary Jobson for their hard work and time – it is much appreciated by the village!

George Wilderspin memorial the parish council thanked the Wilderspin family of behalf of the village for generously donating a lovely bench in memory of George.

Harry Webster The chair thanked Harry Webster, who retired from the parish council after 11 years’ service, which included taking on the role of chairman from 2011. Owing to Harry’s painstaking efforts to drive through the construction of the bund, the village will no longer suffer the regular floods of the past. Harry also looked after Fen Drayton’s interests in dealings with Highways England in the early stages of the A14 upgrade. Harry will be greatly missed by all on, or involved with, the parish council and we hope he’s enjoying his extra free time!