Cherry Fields Minutes May 2025
Minutes of Cherry Willingham Parish Council’s Cherry Fields Committee
held on Monday 20th May at 19.00 in the Millennium Hall
Chair of the Committee: Cllr J. Robinson
Vice-Chair of the Committee: N. Hooper
Present: Cllrs J. Robinson, P. Burke, B. Robinson and J. Trahearn and co-opted members:
N. Hooper, D. Leonard, and H. McCowan. (Initials used in minutes below.)
1. To appoint a minute taker for the meeting.
HM was appointed as minute taker for the meeting.
2. To elect a Chair.
JR was proposed and elected Chair.
3. To receive the nominations of non-councillors for co-option and agree co-option.
NH, AG, DL and HM were nominated and co-opted as members of the committee.
4. To elect a Vice-chair.
NH was nominated and elected as Vice Chair of the committee.
5. To note and record apologies and absences.
Apologies were recorded from Cllr Andy Burge and C. Bochel
6. To receive any declarations of interest in accordance with the Localism Act 2011 and
consider any requests for dispensations in relation to Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or
other interests as outlined in the Council’s Code of Conduct.
None were declared.
7. To receive the draft notes of the Cherry Fields Committee Meeting held on Monday 7th April
2025 and approve as Minutes.
The minutes of the meeting on 7th April were agreed.
8. To appoint a Councillor to represent the Cherry Fields Committee on the Finance and
General Purposes Committee.
JR was nominated and elected to represent Cherry Fields on the Finance and General Purposes
Committee.
9. To appoint a committee member to keep an overview of expenditure.
NH was appointed to keep an overview of expenditure at Cherry Fields.
10. To appoint a minute taker for future meetings.
HM was appointed to take minutes of future meetings.
11. To receive an update on the future of the Oasis area.
Green Synergy have sent a proposal to the Parish Council and enclosed a Draft Heads of Terms.
After taking account of comments from councillors and members of CFC, a revised Draft Heads of
Terms has been written. BR will go through the original lease to make sure nothing has been
missed. The revised version will be sent to Green Synergy for their consideration. Before anything
is signed, the full council is finding out the cost of appointing a legal representative to go through
the contract to ensure it covers everything for the PC.
The YMCA has still not formally stated that they wish to leave the site. Their lease is due to renew
in October.
NH said one item in the DHoT refers to security fencing. It is actually stock fencing and will no
longer be necessary once the hedge has grown. Reference to security fencing will be removed.
Action: BR
CWPC CFC Minutes 20/05/2025 Page 2 of 3
12. To receive a summary of the Committee’s current financial position.
The Project Fund stands at £2000. Full council have resolved that last year’s unspent expenditure
of £357(allocated to the dog exercise area drainage but not able to have been spent) should be
transferred from balances and put back into the CFC project fund for use on said drainage project.
£1336 from grants and donations has been carried forward. There is also £576 in the Orchard
fund.
The Maintenance fund consists of £1664 for contract mowing and £3000 for general maintenance.
The PC discussed the drainage scheme for the dog exercise area and resolved on a total spend of
£2800. Council also resolved that £1700 is to come from CIL monies, with the remaining £1100
from CFC project funds.
The RFO has confirmed that we do not have to gain approval for each individual item, as long as
the total expenditure is no more than £2800.
13. To receive an update on the proposed drainage work on the dog exercise area and agree
any further actions as required.
The work is scheduled for the first few days in July. Three machine drivers will be needed, plus
other volunteer workers.
Discussion followed about where to put the excess soil. It was resolved that the sub-committee of
BR, AB, DL, and NH had authority to make any ongoing decisions as required.
Action: BR, AB, DL, NH
14. To review grass cutting arrangements and resolve on any further expenditure as required.
It was recently resolved by email to approve the further areas of grass cutting by Glendale which
were needed as a result of the usual volunteer not being available.. The committee ratified this
approval. It was resolved to cut the overflow car park and dog exercise area before the Dog Show.
While the volunteer is unavailable, the additional grass cutting will continue to be necessary. It was
resolved to approve the expenditure for the additional grass cutting for the foreseeable future. It
was noted that it will only be done when necessary and requested by BR/NH. NH asked that they
reduced the amount of strimming around trees. Action: BR, NH
15. To discuss arrangements for the proposed bulb and meadow flower planting and resolve on
expenditure as required.
NH reported on how successful previous bulbs had been. The narcissus and primroses grew well,
but bluebells were not so successful. Some primroses have been divided and grown on to provide
additional plants.
Pennels quoted 45 to 50p per bulb for native daffodils, but they can be purchased more cheaply
from other suppliers.
It was resolved to spend up to £350 on narcissi bulbs and primrose plug plants for an Autumn
planting event.
It was also suggested that we purchase cowslips and snakes head fritillary plants. Fifty of each
would cost up to £120. This was resolved.
It was noted that the total cost of bulbs and plants would be £470, which is nearly matched by the
amount donated (£420) by the Gardening Club. It was suggested that they would approve of
spending the donation in this way, and it was resolved to purchase all the bulbs and plants up to
£470, using the Gardening Club donation, topped up by Project funds. Action: NH
A community bulb planting event was provisionally agreed for Saturday, 18th October. This will be
advertised in the September and October editions of Cherry News and in the schools.
Action: JR/JT
16. To resolve on the purchase of a replacement straining post and replacement intermediate
fence posts.
The number of fence and straining posts required was discussed. It was resolved to purchase
these up to £100, including delivery. Action: BR/RFO
17. To resolve on the purchase of 10kg of biological weed control.
The previous order has lasted about 3 years. It currently costs £133 including vat. It was resolved
to purchase this weed control up to £140. Action: NH
CWPC CFC Minutes 20/05/2025 Page 3 of 3
18. To note the recent riding of electric bikes around the bike track and the damage caused and
agree any actions required.
Damage was recently caused by electric bikes using the bike track, so the volunteers had to spend
time repairing this damage with sweepings and using a wacker plate. The damage was reported to
the police and BR will write a Facebook post about the criminal damage done and ask any
witnesses to report immediately to the police. Action: BR
19. To note the state of the replacement Cherry Trees in the Community Orchard and resolve
on the offers of replacement trees.
NH reported that the cherry trees were not doing very well. The drought was not helping their
survival.
PB declared an interest in this item as she has offered to donate a tree.
NH suggested the orchard donation should now be set at £40. (This includes the cost of future
maintenance work.) This was resolved with one abstention.
There is a further tree required, and HM offered to donate for this. NH will purchase the trees ready
for planting in November. Action: NH
20. To review arrangements for the CWPC Fun Dog show being held in the Dog Exercise Area
on Saturday 7th June.
JR said that signs will need to be erected around the site prior to this event. Times of judging for
each category have still to be publicised.
21. To receive a brief report on a recent meeting with the EA concerning Cherry Fields and the
Sustainable Recovery Pilot.
NH and BR have recently met with EA officials. The land will continue to be used as agricultural
land for the next few years. NH/BR told them the council would like a behind-the-hedge footpath to
Fenland Hideaway and the allotments. The response seemed positive, but it would have to wait till
the tenant’s lease comes up for renewal. The EA have subsequently requested a map of footpath
requirements from BR. It will depend on which fields they have purchased. It was suggested that
a footpath at the bottom of the fields, by the North Delph, would also be desirable, so that we can
create a circular walk. If access across the drainage ditch, directly from Cherry Fields, is not
possible, access may need to start at the bottom of Waterford Lane.
Action: BR
22. To receive as necessary any update on any other matters arising since the last committee
meeting and agree any actions as required.
AG requested a copy of the April H&S inspection report, as he is doing an inspection this month.
23. General: Any other matters to report for inclusion in the next agenda.
2026 anniversary events need to be discussed.
JR reported that JC has started work on the corgi statues.
24. To confirm the date of the next meeting as Wednesday 16th July 7pm.
This will be held at the Millenium Hall.
Signed ........................................