Wednesday 16 October 2019

Apologies Clive Griffiths, Andy Cogan and Louisa Haine

Minutes of last meeting were agreed and signed by the Chair. 

Treasurers Report 

Balance in the bank account as of 10^th September £480.11 This includes payments for tables for the Christmas Fayre.

Fundraising 

Next Fundraiser Halloween Quiz Night at The Five on Tuesday October 29^th. £2 per person max 6 in a team. First team prize and also a raffle. Raffle donations kindly appreciated on the night.

Christmas Fayre Sunday 8^th December

It has been decided not to use the function room this year, but hopefully have two marquees outside plus the use of the pool room. There will be live music and mulled wine and chestnuts for sale. The URA will be running a Tombola, Grand Raffle and a 2^nd hand book stall. Donations for these will be appreciated. Residents will be informed on either a collection date or address for items to be donated before the event. If any resident would like to volunteer on the day of the event please let the committee know. Our thanks to Matt Yorke who has kindly offered to collect and return the marquees.

Community Land Update from Liz Tory

As you may be aware the long grass and weeds have been cut down on the land. The WPC have agreed to rotavate the land and remove all the brambles on the boundary with the houses on Old School Lane.Then it would have weed kill on it, at least twice. Peter Fuller has offered to do this free of charge and the WPC would only have to pay for the weed killer. Then to get it to football pitch standard and re seed it, the WPC will get quotes from Truelink for the cost and then inform the URA of the proposal.

This will obviously take approx 12 months before the seed takes hold. They will also pick up the costs of the front fence and a large gate for vehicular access for mowing etc and a disabled gateway. Once all this has been actioned then the URA can discuss about planting trees and hedges. There was a concern at the meeting about the open fence that is to the left of the community land, obviously the WPC can’t do anything about this fence as the plot of land is not owned by them. Once the community land is to the plant stage and we decide to have an opening ceremony it was decided that we should invite our local MP to cut the ribbon. Obviously we are a little way off organising this. 

Wicken Parish Council Update 

The Cambridgeshire Police are looking for volunteers in local villages to become Village Rangers this is a role that gives the local residents a point of contact. If any residents would like to volunteer please go on line to apply. The Council are now turning over the street lamps electricity payments to the Parish Councils. The new Waterbeach recycling site has been refused planning permission but it is going to appeal on 5^th November. If you want an email address to ask for info let Liz Tory know and she will let you have it.

Anglia Water will be at the next WPC meeting on Tuesday 12^th November to discuss all the pressure problems we had in the summer. If you want some answers please attend the meeting it starts at 7.30pm in the Wicken Village Hall. 

Speedwatch 

It was decided to not do any more speedwatch sessions until spring of next year. It was commented that perhaps when we apply for highways initiative next year that we could ask about speed bumps down Old School Lane to slow the traffic that goes back and forth from The 5 Miles.

Broadband 

No Update as yet. Liz Tory will ask the Connecting Cambridgeshire representative Sarah Marsh to attend the meeting in January to update the residents. Apparently they have had a meeting with the marina residents but the URA do not have any information from that meeting.

Duck Signs

Many thanks to all residents that have tried to keep our feathered friends safe. However, they are no longer coming up to the village as autumn sets in, and the signs are now looking a little sad. Would it be possible for the residents that installed them to take them down and store them in a safe place to be re-erected in the spring.

Any other business

The URA welcome John and Janet Carrod who have moved into Anchor Lodge, it was great seeing them at the meeting.

The URA committee would like to wish all Upware residents a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.