THE STRETHAM PARISH NEWSLETTER. AUGUST 2020

Parish Council Features School Youth Centre What’s On

Parish Council News

The Council met on Tuesday the 7th July here are some of the highlights…….The following planning application has been approved;19/01323/FUM – 19 Ely Road, Stretham. Erection of a new B8 storage and distribution building, additional parking spaces and associated drainage and landscaping works.

As there has not been a meeting held since March, Councillors discussed if all officers should remain in post until 2021, including Sub – Committees or if an Annual Parish Meeting should take place. It was proposed that all officers should remain in place until 2021, this was seconded, with 6 Councillors voting in favour of this decision and 5 voting for an Annual Parish Meeting. Therefore, Janet Parish will remain as Chair for the Parish Council and Charles Roberts will remain as Vice Chair of the Parish Council until the Annual Parish Meeting in May 2021, with all Sub – Committees remaining the same.

Stretham Parish Council would like to welcome Jenny Markham to the Council. Jenny will be joining the Amenities, Feast and Recreation Ground Sub – Committees.

The Council would also like to inform residents of the resignation of the RFO Sandra Thompson. The Council would like to thank Sandra for all she has brought to the Council over the last year and is currently in the process of interviewing for a new RFO.

The Council would also like to inform residents of the resignation of Pete Penny as Caretaker for the Village. The Council will be recruiting for this vacancy in due course.

The Clerk provided Councillors with a list of all cheques that had been written and signed during the lockdown

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period, Councillors approved all payments that had been made.

As residents may already be aware, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority is planning on releasing information relating to the A10 Dualling and Junctions project. Most Councillors had already been onto the Virtual Public information Exhibition. The project was discussed at length by Councillors, and it was decided that the Highways and Footpaths Sub – Committee along with Councillor Roberts would meet to look through all the proposed options and make a formal comment on behalf of the Council. The Council strongly recommends that all residents do take a look at the online Exhibition and send their comments. Some of the proposed sites for the A10 are detrimental to the Village. To access the virtual room please use the following link - https://a10dj.exhibition.app/

The Internal financial audit has now taken place, the Clerk read out the findings from the internal Auditor to the Council. On the items that were highlighted, the Council took note of the minor findings and will ensure they are rectified in the next financial year. The internal and external audit will be made available to the public, with viewing dates advertised on the Council notice board and the whole audits put on the Website once completed.

The Highways and Footpath Sub – Committee has submitted a Local Highways Initiative bid over the lock down period. The bid included looking at ways in which the approach to the village along Newmarket Road could be improved to make drivers slow down. Please do keep an eye on the Newsletters for further updates on this.

The Council has been made aware that the footpath from Fieldside, over Wakefield Way Bridge to Green

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What’s On

End is becoming very over grown. Cambridgeshire County Council do cut this area, however only a couple of times a year in the growing season. The Council has decided that this area will now be added to the Grass cutting contract for the Village, to ensure it stays clear and accessible for residents.

As it is now Summer and with how the weather is at the moment Councillors would like to remind all residents that hedges and brambles are growing very fast and in places are now encroaching the footpaths. Please could all overgrown hedges and brambles be cut back to ensure Pathways are clear, especially for people using mobility scooters and prams.

The next Parish Council meeting will take place on the 4th August. Residents are welcome to join Council meetings online. To access the link to join the meetings please contact the Clerk.

We would like to include a small section in future newsletters where we can show our appreciation to members of the Parish for their continued support for our community. Should you know of anyone to whom you would like to pass on your gratitude, then please get in touch with the Parish Clerk.

Your Parish Clerk can be contacted on 07507597368 or via clerk@stre-thampc.org.uk

For any queries in relation to Stretham and Wilburton Community Land Trust, please contact Rachel Watts on swclt.clerk@gmail.com or on 07762040800 The Parish Rooms, Pavilion and All Weather Pitch can be booked by calling Maureen Hutter on 649917 or via email strethamparishrooms@googlemail.com

If you have any features or photographs that you would like to submit for the Newsletter then please contact Laura Shearing Tel: 07736840169 email: Laurashearing@rocketmail.com

The next Parish Council Meeting is on Tuesday 4th August at 7pm at the Parish Rooms

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A big thank you to the landowners on both sides of the river from Green End to the Lazy Otter pub. They are again mowing the footpaths all the

way along which makes life so much more pleasant when taking the opportunity of some exercise under lockdown conditions.

Thanks to the Bridge House owner and Kier from Stowbridge Farm for their Kindness. - Jenny

The WI would like to thank David Gotobed for watering the village planter.

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!"++&,,--( /-.0"$.&*&'&,1( 2-+*-3.(Amenities( Jubilee Gardens, Cemetery,

Parish Rooms, Bins, street furniture, bus shelters, Christmas lights, Farmers Markets, Eleanor’s Field, etc(

Janet Parish – Chair Kathryn Clark Richard Nuttall Jacky Saunt Jenny Markham!

Feast Planning, organising and running the Feast celebrations

Janet Parish – Chair Charles Roberts Colin Williams Jacky Saunt Richard Nuttall Kathryn Clark Sarah Wright Jenny Markham

Footpaths and Highways Highways issues and the maintenance and protection of the village footpath network

Colin Williams Mick Murfitt Jacky Saunt - Chair Pete Speed Sarah Wright - Chair

Recreation Ground Recreation ground, Short Road play area, Topsy and Tim play area, Manor Farm play area, Pavilion, all weather pitch

Jo Taylor – Chair Jenny Markham Jacky Saunt

Communications Overseeing and developing the Parish Council website and newsletter

Richard Nuttall – Chair Janet Parish Jo Taylor

Finance and Governance Management of the Councils income, expenditure and policies.

Richard Nuttall – Chair Janet Parish Charles Roberts Peter Speed Jo Taylor Sarah Wright Jacky Saunt

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photograph of Jenny Day and Barbara Benge who, along with Daryl Lumley, are members of Stretham WI and always join in when the group do a litter pick. On 4th July they filled five black bags with rubbish left in the layby at Lazy Otter Meadows. Sadly, another pick will have to be done there because so much rubbish still needs to be cleared. Meanwhile, another group of WI ladies filled four black bags with litter dropped on the pavements in the village. How sad it is that people who either visit, drive through or even live in Stretham abuse our village in this way.

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Stretham Parish Council

There are 11 Councillors on the Parish Council, they are:

Janet Parish - Chair of the council and is also Chair of the Feast and the Amenities committees. Janet is a retired senior local government officer for children, youth and community. As well as serving on the council Janet is the Chair of Stretham Youth Centre and Vice Chair of the Stretham Charity

Charles Roberts – Vice chair of the Parish Council. Charles is a consultant and a Farmer. Charles is also Chair of the Stretham and Wilburton Community Land Trust and a Trustee of Stretham Youth Club Hall

Richard Nuttall - Chair of the finance committee. Richard is a Technical Project Manager. Richard also maintains the Parish Council website.

Anthony (Mick) Murfitt – Mick is retired. As well as serving as a councillor Mick helps to raise funds for the local charities, including the Air Ambulance, by running bingo nights. Mick is also a Trustee of the Stretham Charity.

Jo Taylor – Recreation Ground Subcommittee. Jo is a senior technical support consultant. As well as serving as a councillor Jo is the clerk to the Stretham Charity and is Chair of the Stretham Players.

Colin Williams – Colin is a retired consultant.

Peter Speed – Peter is retired. As well as serving as a councillor Peter is a Stretham Charity trustee.

Jacky Saunt – Joint chair of the Highways and Footpaths subcommittee. Jackie is a retired teacher. As well as serving as a councillor Jackie is on the committee of Stretham Youth Centre.

Kathryn Clark– Kathryn is a veterinary nurse. As well as serving as a councillor Katherine is a Stretham Charity Trustee and is a committee member of Stretham Youth Centre

Sarah Wright – Joint Chair of the Highways and Footpaths Subcommittee Sarah is a BT client relationship manager

Jenny Markham – Is a child minder and a local scout leader.

Clerks:

Kim Bolderson – Clerk to the council. Tel no: 07507597368 Email: clerk@strethampc.org.uk

Alan Melton - Assistant Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer. Email: finance@strethampc.org.uk

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1110

You are being watched

Bag it and bin it or risk being fined!

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is delivered to over 800 households in Stretham.

Adverts cost just £20.00. To place an advert please contact Laura Shearing: laurashearing@me.com no later than 5th day each month (no newsletter in August).

Did you know that The Stretham Charity have funds available for Stretham residents who are struggling with living costs? This could be due to illness, disability, low income etc.

The charity also have funds available for residents who are struggling with education related costs—this could be for further education, university, apprenticeships, uniform, school trip fees etc

If you or anyone you know needs some financial assistance to, improve health or well-being, please get in touch. Application forms available via our website wwwstretham-charity.org.uk or via the char-ity clerk Jo Tayor tel: 07761655511 Email: Strethamcharityclerk@gmail.com

All applications and communication made to the Stretham Charity are completely

confidential.

Regitered charity no 1076863

We Need Your Help Did you know, in 1716, Martha Digby of Stretham left in her will some land, the income from which was to be used for various charitable purposes. The Stretham Charity administers Martha Digby’s land in accordance with her instructions and one of these is that each Easter a small grant is to be given to Widows and Widowers in financial hardship, that are residents in the parish of Stretham. However in this day and age it is difficult for us to identify Widows or Widowers in Stretham… so we are asking for your help… If you are a Widow or Widower on a low income and live in Stretham or you know of anyone that might qualify and benefit from this small gift. Please contact. Write to: Jo Taylor, Stretham Charity, 4 Top Street, Stretham. Email: strethamcharityclerk@gmail.com Telephone: 07761655511

Published by Stretham Parish Council.Front cover photo kindly provided by Miriam Brown