BOURN PARISH COUNCIL . A BRIEF REVIEW
The Parish Council as we know it today was introduced by Act of Parliament in 1894 and we know from the County Archivist that Bourn was possibly the very first in this County to be established. Certainly the records show that a special Committee Meeting of the County Council was convened to set up a Parish Council in Bourn. Sadly when Jim Hansford, the Parish Clerk, was researching this in 1996 it was too late to have a centenary party!
Now that is something you cannot spend Council money on and we are grateful to the lottery funds that made the party possible in September to celebrate the Royal Golden Jubilee. Nevertheless there is a budget in the Council's control to provide a wide range of support and this helps the Merrybourn (for the over sixties) and similarly Playbox (for the Mums and toddlers) and for years the bus pass subsidy.

Historically, Parish Councils are a thousand years old (A Thousand Years of the English Parish, published by The Windrush Press e-mail: windrush@windrush press.com makes interesting reading). The word parish, it states, has two meanings: a spiritual care of a group of people and a territory with definitive boundaries.
Bourn has nine seats for Councillors and these come up for election every four years, coincidental with election of a District Councillor to represent the parish. If more than nine candidates properly qualified (e.g., age over 21, citizen of Commonwealth, Republic of Ireland or another member of the European Community and a local government elector of the parish; or occupy land or premises in the parish or within three miles of it for the previous twelve months and avoiding disqualification) are nominated, then there is an election.

Sadly there have been insufficient candidates for this, for more than a decade Thus, last May, six nominated were duly declared elected and when they had signed acceptance of office and elected a Chairman, they could proceed, in accordance with statute, to fill the three vacancies by co-option.

Bourn Parish Council meets six times a year on the third Monday of alternate months beginning with May, when the annual Parish Council meeting must be held.
Meetings are in the Village Hall starting at 7.30 p.m. These meetings are open to the public and generally this implies observing without interrupting.
However once a year and otherwise at the discretion of the Parish Council, Public Meetings are held. At these, members of the public have a chance to question and comment on any matter of concern. This is an opportunity for the Council to report to the Parish and explain policies.

The Parish Council is the first stage in the democratic process, and aims to care for all the affairs of the Parish: ensure that at all times, statutory requirements are met. In order to do this, close liaison is maintained with the rest of the local authorities, South Cambridgeshire District and Cambridgeshire County Council, the Environment Agency, the Cambridgeshire Constabulary, Water and Electricity suppliers and so on.

For the benefit of the Parishioners the Parish Council administers public funds to provide public seats, litter bins and such. It then contracts for some public services like grass cutting the playing field, open spaces (including in the case of Bourn the Church Yard) and cutting the hedge of Kingfisher Close on Caxton End. The roads, pavements, other fences, hedging and tree lopping are the duty of the County or District Council or landowner. This similarly is the case of the waterways. However the Parish Council with a separate fund acts as agent of the County under the Parish Paths Scheme to maintain and improve the thirty public footpaths in the parish.

Although in the past the Parish Council has invested upwards of £50,000 in maintaining the Village Hall, it is a separate charitable institution with its own constitution with a wide range of bodies on its committee, including two Parish Councillors.

The parish has no power over planning in the Village but is asked to comment on Proposals. The Council considers these from the point of view of the general welfare of the village, but individuals should write direct to the Planning Department of the District Council and when possible the Council will make the plans available to residents to view. Masses of planning matters received over the last few years relate to the massive development, which is Cambourne, as far as it is in Bourn. The Council ten years ago lead the consideration of the impact of this development on Bourn and presented its views to the Public Inquiry.

After much work, the District Council provided the Parish with a Playing Field. This is major responsibility to maintain and develop for the benefit of all. A few years back it was little used, as the strong Football Club which had built the pavilion and run a very successful programme had declined. The Parish Council went to it with a will and now it has two tennis courts, fenced and artificially lit, a fully drained and levelled football pitch that is used a great deal by all ages and with teams from a wide area. There is now a basketball half court and, what was most certainly, a pioneering skate board ramp. All this cost a lot, going on towards £100,000. It meant enormous dedication of all the Council and the Clerk, It has not finished yet and over six years ago the Council determined to finish it with a Sports Hall. Hundreds of hours of Council time have gone into getting this, against many hurdles, well on its way and it should be built next year.
Happily, it does not all fall on the Parish Council. There are sometimes hardworking public-spirited residents who put effort into doing it themselves with the co-operation from the Council. One recalls the fathers, who built and maintained an adventure playground. Then mothers raised money for the slide and swings on the Playing Field, which still give great pleasure and outlet for energy of the young. The Parish Council was truly delighted to help Emmeline Lyster and Sarah Jaggers with their team to raise £28,000. To put the splendid new play equipment on the Playing Field and the Parish Council has added fencing and insured it all.

The parish budgets each year for the next and requires a sum of money called the precept. This comes via the District Council from the money it collects as Council Tax. This is administer by the Responsible Finance Officer, Gail Stoehr, and approved by the Parish Council before strict audit by the Public Auditor. Therefore, the Councillors after all their effort and unpaid service, are very sad that vandalism destroys public property, doubling the cost and effort to restore. Remember that it's your money that is at risk. Do not let people say "It is all insured", because this is expensive including the excess charge and claims take a lot of time to settle. Then it increases the future premium. Please be alert and help the Council to prevent this or at least bring the miscreants to book.
This is just an outline of some of the way your Parish Council serves you.

Sue Richmond........ November 2002