September 2021

14 Buckden Roundabout September 2021 The Parish Council—the new Hall The Parish Council - Part 8 I may have slightly misled readers last month. The new Millen- nium Village Hall was actually opened by our MP, John Major, on 10th July 1999. The successful completion demonstrated the value of giving a task to a small working group. A team of four comprising the Council Chairman, Council Chairman of finance, VHT Chairman and a village volunteer who looked after all of the finance, was responsible and reported monthly to the Parish Council and to the VHT committee. The Council chairman acted as Project Manager throughout the actual con- struction. Not only was the project completed on time but also within budget. As part of the Millennium celebrations the Council supported a group of residents who organized a photograph of every busi- ness, club, school and the residents of every road. There was an exhibition in the village hall together with photographs of the village in earlier years. The local History Society holds prints and the 4” disks which contain all the photographs. A village sign was commissioned and purchased. When it was erected on the village green there was a service of blessing on Sunday 3 rd June 2001. History was made when the long - standing chairman resigned after ten years in office and 110 meetings. His successor was the first female chairman in the council ’ s 104 year history. As we shall see this is no longer exceptional; since then there have been four ladies in the chair. At his last meeting he thanked members for their unfailing support and forbearance during his term of office. As I write I am reminded by others and, indeed, myself about events that I missed out in previous parts of this history. The recent floods which have caused so much havoc and unhappi- ness - there are still residents who have to move back into their ruined homes - were not entirely without precedent. In 1994 there was minor flooding in Taylors Lane and in 1998 major flooding caused by the conduit under the High Street being blocked. In 2004 there were more floods in High Street, Church Street and Manor Gardens. During 2000 the Council arranged for more dropped curbs to be constructed around the village to facilitate easier move- ment for those residents who had to use wheelchairs. Thanks to the efforts of a very dedicated village tree warden many trees were planted around the village and the Buckden - Brampton Road was lined with 35 trees planted by Buckden and Brampton residents to commemorate the Millennium. Unfortunately these have been lost in the recent A14 develop- ment. The Government published a new white paper in early 2000 entitled “ Modern Local Government - In Touch with the Peo- ple ”. It laid down rules on how local councils should manage their affairs. As a result of this the Council restructured its Committees and Working Groups in order to discharge its func- tions. The white paper laid down that Committees were execu- tive bodies and their decisions binding on the Council. The Council decided that its only Committee would be the Planning Committee. This decision was made because the time limit for response to planning applications often meant that responses had to be made before the next full Council meeting. All other activities were allocated to Working Groups; these were and still are advisory groups who make recommendations to full Council. Committee meetings were open to the public but WG meetings could be private and were sometimes held in council- lors ’ homes. As early as July 2000 the Church Commissioners made an out- line application to develop the allotments at the A1 end of Sil- ver Street. Initially the Council opposed the proposal because of concerns about the number of houses, road safety and the increased volume of traffic on Silver Street. It was not until 2008 after much discussion and amendments the Beaufort Drive/Wolseley Gardens development was finally completed. In those days before the advent of CIL money the Council ne- gotiated with the Church Commissioners ’ agents. New allot- ments were created on their current site. The area was fenced with rabbit proof fencing, water was laid onto the site and all of the new allotments were marked out and the ground pre- pared so that the existing allotment holders could move into their new plots in time for the planting season. The Council also negotiated with the Commissioners to build and equip a children ’ s play area behind the Village Hall. This was given to the VHT to manage. One room in the new hall was specifically designated for a Youth club and other activities for the young. It had a separate entrance and its own serving area with access to kitchen facili- ties. A ‘ Youth Matters Working Group ’ was set up and money ‘ reserved ’ to explore the best ways to meet the needs of the younger residents. Unfortunately because of the inability to attract volunteer leaders and the apparent lack of enthusiasm and interest among the young the plans were abandoned. The room was made available for other meetings and the ‘ reserved money ’ absorbed into the Council ’ s general account. The fail- (Continued on page 15) The Parish Council 2021