Agenda, decisions and minutes

Councillor SJ Agnew 

Councillor Dr JPR Orme nominated Councillor SJ Agnew as Chairman of the Conservation Advisory Group.  This was seconded by Councillor Dr J Williamson and, there being no further nominations, it was

Councillor SJ Agnew took the Chair and welcomed Councillors Mrs S Doggett and Mrs DSK Spink as new members of the Conservation Advisory Group.  Those present agreed to increase to accommodate all those who had expressed to the Cabinet their interest in serving on the Conservation Advisory Group.

Councillor NN Cathcart 

Councillor Dr JA Heap nominated Councillor NN Cathcart as Vice-Chairman of the Conservation Advisory Group.  This was seconded generally and, there being no further nominations, it was

Members need only declare an interest in circumstances where there is an item on the agenda that may cause a conflict of interests.

Councillors NN Cathcart and Dr J Williamson declared personal interests in Minute no. 7 as Trustees of the Farmland Museum.  The Conservation Advisory Group agreed that they should remain in the room during the course of the debate on that issue.

Councillor Mrs A Elsby declared a personal interest in Minute no. 11 (St Denis Church) as a local Member.

Rob Mungovan, Ecology Officer, declared a personal interest in Minute no. 8 (River Shep Partnership Project) as an Honorary member of the Friends of the River Shep.

Agreed as correct record 

The Conservation Advisory Group authorised the Chairman to sign, as a correct record, the Minutes of the meeting held on 27^th April 2005.  Members noted that the revised wording of Minute no. 6 therein (South Cambs’ Natural Heritage Awards 2004-05) had been circulated subsequent to preparation of the agenda.

In connection with Minute no. 1 (Cambridge Green Belt Project), the Chairman distributed copies of a leaflet promoting the Roman Road.

In connection with Minute no. 6 (South Cambs’ Natural Heritage Awards 2004-05), the Chairman highlighted the list of winners and confirmed that awards would be presented at a formal ceremony on Tuesday 12^th July 2005.

In connection with Minute no. 7 (South Cambs’ Built Heritage Awards 2005-06), the Conservation Manager updated Members about arrangements being made.  The Chairman encouraged local Members to help identify potential entrants from within their wards.

Recommended as report 

The Conservation Advisory Group considered a report on the proposed development  of a  “Green Infrastructure Strategy”  for  the Cambridgeshire sub-region. 

The Conservation Manager highlighted the need to encourage the provision of Green infrastructure as part of proposed development, thus enabling Section 106 contributions to be channelled into providing other types on infrastructure.  He added that ongoing revenue costs would be negligible from the Council’s point of view as management would be undertaken by outside bodies. 

The Conservation Advisory Group RECOMMENDED that the Conservation, Sustainability and Community Planning Portfolio Holder support the development of  the  proposed  “Green Infrastructure Strategy”, and allocate the unexpended  revenue commitment towards a survey of watercourses,  under the budget for Ecological Support Services, and support funding of the project, subject to leverage of other partnership funding and completion during 2005/06.

Recommended as report 

The Conservation Advisory Group considered a report on the countryside access project  being developed under the  emerging Green Infrastructure Strategy for the sub-region.

The Cambridge Preservation Society’s Chief Executive gave a PowerPoint presentation to Members.

Members discussed the following points:

Referring to Coton Country Park, Members expressed an interest in visiting the site in order to see how matters had developed there.

The Conservation Advisory Group RECOMMENDED that the Conservation, Sustainability and Community Planning Portfolio Holder

Recommended as report 

The Conservation Advisory Group considered a progress report on the development scheme initiated by the Community Development Portfolio Holder and the then Conservation Portfolio Holder in 2003-04.

The Curator of the Farmland Museum and Denny Abbey gave a PowerPoint presentation to Members.

There was significant landowner support for this initiative.

In the context of visitor numbers since 1997, Members welcomed proposals to further improve access to the site, especially by bicycle. 

The Conservation Manager undertook to determine the timescale for providing a bridge across the river at Upware.

The Conservation Advisory Group RECOMMENDED that the Conservation, Sustainability and Community Planning Portfolio Holder acting jointly with the Community Development Portfolio Holder

Recommended as report 

The Conservation Advisory Group considered a report on the  habitat improvement  work undertaken on the River Shep. 

The Ecology Officer gave a PowerPoint presentation to Members, highlighting the scope for future partnership working on this demonstration, countryside access and biodiversity enhancement project.

The following points were raised:

The Conservation Advisory Group RECOMMENDED that the Conservation, Sustainability and Community Planning Portfolio Holder

Recommended as report 

The Conservation Advisory Group considered a report seeking approval to launch the pilot Parish Tree Initiative 2005-06, thus enabling South Cambridgeshire District Council to support Parish Council initiatives to enhance selected sites with tree planting.

The Trees and Landscape Officer gave a PowerPoint presentation to Members.

Officers acknowledged the need for clear criteria for allocating trees to parishes.  The Chairman suggested that one such condition should be that there was strong evidence that the local community would involve itself in the future maintenance of any trees planted by virtue of the scheme.

Provision had been made for those parish councils that did not themselves own any land.

The Conservation Advisory Group RECOMMENDED that the Conservation, Sustainability and Community Planning Portfolio Holder agrees to launch formally the Parish Tree Initiative during 2005-06 on the basis of the criteria set out in paragraph 8 of the Conservation Manager’s report.

Sub-Group appointed to consist of Councillors Cathcart, Mrs Elsby, Dr Orme and Turner, with Councillor Agnew acting as substitute for any of them

The Conservation Advisory Group considered a report suggesting that a small ‘Task and Finish’ Sub-Group be established to meet with officers in order to review emerging drafts for new Conservation Area Appraisals over the coming year.

The Conservation Advisory Group RESOLVED to establish a ‘Task and Finish’ Sub-Group consisting of Councillors NN Cathcart, Mrs A Elsby, Dr JPR Orme and RJ Turner, with Councillor SJ Agnew acting as substitute for any of them, such Sub-Group meeting with officers and the Conservation, Sustainability and Community Planning Portfolio Holder prior to submitting the Appraisals to public consultation and reporting the results therefrom to the Conservation Advisory Group for consideration.

Recommended as report 

The Conservation Advisory Group considered a report on the recent tender process, seeking support for letting a contract. 

The Conservation Manager circulated details of the three Tenders received.  The Council’s Project Architects had recommended that the lowest tender be accepted in the cases of both a corrugated iron roof and clay tile roof.  After taking into account the grant on offer from English Heritage, the Council would need to find £48,848 should repairs proceed on the basis of a corrugated iron roof, or £87,711.49p otherwise. 

Budgetary provision had already been made by the Council.  The Conservation Manager added that the English Heritage grant was extremely generous, and no further funds would be made available.  At its meeting on 9^th June, the Cabinet would have to decide on how to proceed because the grant offer was time limited.  The Conservation, Sustainability and Community Planning Portfolio Holder observed that the only alternative to spending this money was to settle for ongoing revenue costs that could amount to about £7,000 a year.  Members of the Conservation Advisory Group expressed a strong preference for clay tiles, agreeing with the Conservation Manager that this would greatly increase demand should the Council wish to transfer the building in the future.   It was also noted that Hatley Parish Council had offered to contribute to the costs only if clay tiles were used.

The Conservation Manager informed Members that the Council could not demolish the Church, without the consent of English Heritage, because it was Grade II listed.  Furthermore, it would be difficult to argue that point, since English Heritage had, by offering such a grant, indicated its view that the building should be repaired. In relation to the potential demands on the Council’s budget, a Member referred to the possible implications should further buildings need financial support.

The Conservation Advisory Group RECOMMENDED that the Conservation, Sustainability and Community Planning  Portfolio Holder  seek Cabinet authorisation  to let a contract to implement first phase repair works at St. Denis Church, East Hatley, subject to satisfactory tender returns and funded by grant support from English Heritage and funding from the  Historic Buildings Preservation Fund.

Report noted as recommended therein 

The Conservation Advisory Group NOTED a six-monthly monitoring report on historic buildings at risk.

It was agreed that local Members should be advised at the earliest opportunity  when the Council was considering options for protecting such buildings in their wards.

To note that the next meeting of the Conservation Advisory Group will be held at South Cambridgeshire Hall on Wednesday ………., starting at 10.00am.

Wednesday 20^th July 2005  

Members noted that the next meeting of the Conservation Advisory Group would be held on Wednesday 20^th July 2005.