THE parish council met on May 10, 2006 for its annual meeting. Cllr Ken Bowcock was elected chairman and cllr Nick Tindall was elected vice-chairman to serve for a further 12 months. Cllr Pauline Wilson reported that Richard Hobbs had been elected chairm

THE parish council met on May 10, 2006 for its annual meeting.

Cllr Ken Bowcock was elected chairman and cllr Nick Tindall was elected vice-chairman to serve for a further 12 months.

Cllr Pauline Wilson reported that Richard Hobbs had been elected chairman of the district council for the next two years. Cllr Gareth Wilson advised that the Mereham community developers would be appealing against the decision to refuse planning permission and this would probably come up in October/November. He urges all local residents to continue to object to this proposed development and to lobby the planning inspectorate. The address for correspondence can be found on parish council notice boards and in the library.

Notification had been received regarding changes to public payphones in Haddenham and Aldreth. Boxes in Cherry Orchard, Hillrow, Station Road and High Street, Aldreth will be changed to a cashless system, whereby they will need to be operated credit/debit card. Emergency and reverse charge calls will still be available. The council was concerned that not all members of the public hold credit/debit cards. The clerk will write pointing this out and ask if phone cards can also be used in them.

It was agreed that there had been a noticeable difference in the two villages since PC Andy Martin and PCSO Sam Johnson had been patrolling regularly and holding surgeries. They had carried out speed checks in Aldreth and Haddenham with some warnings being issued. They will be asked to carry out checks in West End/Hillrow, Aldreth Road and Station Road. There are still problems with illegal parking on the yellow lines in the High Street and this will continue to be monitored.

The group will investigate the possibility of getting the yellow lines area at the top of the High Street painted as a block zone to discourage drivers from parking there. The traffic calming measures are being installed in Duck Lane and work on the footpath at the end of Station Road will be carried out this summer. The group will now turn its attention to the bid for 2007/08 for the jointly funded minor improvement scheme.