Minutes of the Meeting held virtually on 19th February 2026 at 7.15pm
Present: Cllr Mrs Bobbie Coe (Chairperson)
Cllr Will Bevan
Cllr Barbara Cooper
Cllr Ben Holland
Cllr Peter White
Sharon Brown (Clerk)
Also present: District Councillor Tumi Hawkins.
96 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
County Councillor Lucy Nethsingha and Chris Morton, Skylark editor.
97 OPEN FORUM
No matters were raised.
98 MEMBERS’ DECLARATION OF INTEREST FOR ITEMS ON THE AGENDA
None received.
99 TO SIGN AND APPROVE MINUTES OF LAST MEETING
The Minutes of the last Parish Council Meeting were by proposed by Cllr White, seconded by Cllr Holland and approved.
100 REPORTS FROM COUNTY AND DISTICT COUNCILLORS
District Council Cllr Tumi Hawkins report received. She highlighted:
a) Local Elections May 7th – the government decision is that these will go ahead despite further elections in 2027 due to Local Government Reorganisation.
b) Proposed Development Corporation for Cambridge / Greater Cambridge. This is likely to be agreed by the government. The government would make appointments to the key positions in the corporation; this would not be an elected body. Planning powers would be transferred from Greater Cambridge Planning to the Corporation.
c) SCDC new council housing in 2025-26 is 113 homes. This is one of the top councils in the country for this work.
d) The M11 is closing overnight for 4 weeks for urgent works.
101 MATTERS ARISING/TO REPORT FROM PREVIOUS MINUTES (FOR INFORMATION ONLY) TO REPORT THE FOLLOWING
None.
102 FINANCE
a) Accounts update mid Jan – mid-Feb 2025: Noted.
b) Contribution to Sportsfield insurance from Village Hall & Sportsfield Committee
£tbc: Payment not yet received.
c) Clerk’s Pay and Expenses mid Jan – mid-Feb 2025 £301.13 and HMRC £43.80: Agreed.
d) Street lighting contract – renewal by 30/9/2026: The quote received via Utility Aid has
used incorrect figures. Renewed quotes have been requested.
103 TO CONSIDER PLANNING APPLICATIONS RECEIVED
None received.
104 TO CONSIDER OTHER MATTERS
a) Nominations – Elections May 2026: Current councillors are all proposing to stand again.
Agreed, to collect the nomination papers together at the March Parish Council meeting.
b) IT Policy – draft – new requirement.
c) Publications Policy – draft.
d) Annual Review of LPC policies and Risk Assessments:
With reference to items 104 b), c) and d), agreed, to the offer from Cllr Cooper to run the policies through an AI assessment and to be brought to the March meeting.
e) Councillor email addresses/ website – update on options research: Cllr Coe gave a
resume of the latest responses received from host services – She will bring a final
proposal to the March PC meeting.
f) LHI 2025-26 update: There has been a lack of communication from the LHI team. Cllr
Hawkins agreed to chase the matter.
g) Community Chest Fund to 31/3/2026 – any projects for Longstowe:
Noted, no suitable projects.
h) Defibrilator training date: Agreed, 14th April, 7.30 pm at the Village Hall.
i) Village Hall update: The new outside light has been installed. The possibility of ‘Warm Hub’
funding is being investigated. There is the monthly Village Tea next week and Peter’s Quiz
coming up.
105 CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED
A list of correspondence received is printed in the Agenda; details are available from the Clerk.
106 SKYLARK – TO CONSIDER ANY EDITORIAL ISSUES
Noted, that the final draft needs to be agreed before printing. Chair agreed to liaise more closely with the editor.
Comments on the trial A5 size for Skylark:
Cllr Cooper requested that Skylark go back to A4 size as she had been bitten by a dog whilst trying to post the A5 size through a letter box.
There is a suggestion that regular events should have their own logos, so as to be easily recognised.
The events posters are too small when 2 columns used in A5. The posters need to be full page width.
A4 size is generally preferred although a couple of residents prefer A5.
Agreed to revert to A4 size.
Skylark Delivery: Cllr Cooper agreed to take on the delivery for Fox Road and the north section of the Old North Road (as well as continuing with the School Lane, High Street and Bellam’s Lane).
Agreed, the clerk to write to Kate Whyatt thanking her for undertaking the delivery in Fox Road and the north section of the Old North Road for so many years.
107 DATE OF NEXT MEETING PARISH COUNCIL MEETING: THURSDAY 19TH MARCH, AT 7.15PM, AT LONGSTOWE VILLAGE HALL
Signed by: Date: March 2026
Chairperson