Chair's report to the Annual Parish Meeting

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Chair’s report

Annual Parish Meeting19 May 14

19 May 14

Chair's report to the Annual Parish Meeting

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The Parish Council is at the centre of the community but it is not the centre;

It has a role in making things happen but it doesn’t have to do everything itself; and

It’s most effective when it engages with:• Upper tier councils (county and district);• Other community groups; and• The community at large.This parish council is a council of ambition, change and improvement. I’m proud to be associated with it.

19 May 14

First a little philosophy

Chair's report to the Annual Parish Meeting

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The council staff;Fellow councillors: • Especially Denis, vice chair and ‘senior professional’; and

• Ruth for organising the Sustainability Day;• Marcus for setting up Speedwatch;• Cedric for running the Big Tidy Up;• Neil for the Bypass Farm project; and• Pene for energising the Enviro Volunteers;

District and County Councillors; andThe many volunteers in the community• The Enviro Volunteers, Speedwatch, the Feast Committee, the

Village Society, the Friends of the Rec, HICOP, the WI etc etc.

19 May 14

It’s my first year and there’s been lots of help and support

Chair's report to the Annual Parish Meeting

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• The Mitre planning application for the Bishop’s site;

• South Cambs not passing on the money they’d got from the Government. That cost us £6 on the precept;

• The County Council’s street lighting project: poor communications and perverse outcomes;

• Histon FC, its misfortunes and lack of engagement;

• Our inability to engage better with the community despite increasing activity with social media• Although our new web-site seems to do well;

• Slow progress with the Neighbourhood Plan; and• Grafitti.19 May 14

There have been some disappointments

Chair's report to the Annual Parish Meeting

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• The 30mph speed limit north of the Green;

• An agreed project for the Station Road/High Street junction;

• Funding for improvements at School Hill;

• more litter and dog poo bins;• A much improved A14/B1049

junction; and• A new bus shelter and pavement

improvements at the Coppice.

Several Highwa

ys project

s

19 May 14

But we’ve had lots of successes … some have been

slow burners

Chair's report to the Annual Parish Meeting

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• Several Highways projects;• Better Xmas lights on the Green and a tree at King’s

Meadow;• New gates for Homefield Park;• A new working relationship with IVC;• Continued funding for our PCSOs;• A committee to focus just on the needs of King’s

Meadow;• Engagement with the owners of Histon Station and the

adjacent yard;• South Cambs’ local plan which rejected Buxhall Farm but

supported our plans for the station etc; and• A new visual identity and web-site for the Council

19 May 14

But we’ve had lots of successes … some have been

slow burners

Chair's report to the Annual Parish Meeting

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The opening of the St Andrew’s Centre

Improvements to the

A14 Girton interchange

The Station Road/High

Street scheme

Another sporting

event: the Flaming June half marathon

The Neighbourh

ood Plan

19 May 14

This year looks exciting with some big projects and events

Chair's report to the Annual Parish Meeting

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More events: on the Green, in Homefield Park and Manor Field and at the Rec;

StAC anchoring increasing activity in the High Street;Histon FC engaging more and complementing the developing relationship with IVC; and

… more volunteers

19 May 14

And there’s more for us to hope for

Chair's report to the Annual Parish Meeting

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Heritage: we are where we are because of where we come from and in addition to the buildings

which we see there’s also a history of food production and processing;

Sustainable community: not just cycling and recycling but enabling the community and its clubs and businesses to prosper long term;

Digital Village: close to Cambridge but not a part of it, enabling residents to contribute to and

benefit from digital technologies; and

Diverse and inclusive: not just ethnic diversity but age, social background and occupational skills. All are welcome and we do our best to

ensure that they can enjoy healthy and active lives in Histon & Impington

19 May 14

Finally: cross cutting themes from the Neighbourhood plan

Chair's report to the Annual Parish Meeting

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Thank you!

19 May 14