Banter 81: Climate and Biodiversity Planning, Kirstin Rayner
Kirstin demonstrates what is possible in a small parish with a positive attitude and superb planning and organisation. Gamlingay volunteers crowd in to keep all sorts of community efforts alive.
She breaks planning down into High Level, Low Level, policies and action plans, and shows how they translate into vigorously supported action, events and project work, and how success breeds success, with cooperation and support from the parish council. Kirstin highlights the importance of developing good relationships with higher-tier government, and the crucial part that a Neighbourhood Plan, and Village Design Guide play, along with a Biodiversity audit. Gamlingay keeps driving down their carbon footprint - which has even gone negative - and uses parish-owned properties to generate solar PV energy, supporting the wind turbine. The money flowing from these community projects funds more. Kirstiin's presentation is brilliant at demonstrating how projects were achieved,and the need for monitoring and updates. Initiatives include allotments, a kitchen garden at the primary school, repair cafe, Bioblitz, butterfly count, wildlife gardens, community orchard, food bank, hedgelaying, scything and haymaking, and brook restoration.
Please note that Gamlingay has very kindly supplied some of their documents to be used as guides/templates/help/good examples, as you wish. These are listed between the 'Presentation' and the 'Meeting Summary' section, for your convenience. If you want to skip over them for now, please just scroll down to 'Meeting Summary' to continue the thread of the session
Video Timeline (min:sec)
00:00 - 51:00 Presentation
51:00 - 75:11 (end) Q & A
Presentation:
You are welcome to download a copy of the presentation. A markdown copy is presented at the bottom of this page to enable the search engine to capture the text
Carbon-Calculation spreadsheet - demonstrating how to measure your carbon footprint:
Whilst you are very welcome to download this spreadsheet for your own uses, please note that:
You will need to adapt it to your own assets
You will need to amend the carbon conversion factors which are taken from the central government website and are updated annually…the ones here are from 2023-24
You will need to recalculate the spreadsheet after making your changes
Gamlingay Neighbourhood Plan:
Sample News Annoucement, to demonstrate keeping the community informed, and volunteers motivated:
Meeting Summary:
Aug 06, 2025 11:49 AM London ID: 834 5460 8536
Quick recap
Kirstin, a parish clerk with extensive experience, presented on Gamlingay's approach to climate planning and biodiversity initiatives, covering their community projects, energy efficiency improvements, and collaboration with local stakeholders. The presentation concluded with discussions about volunteer management, community spaces, and various environmental initiatives, followed by questions about neighborhood planning and orchard management practices.
Next steps
Kirstin to consult with Gamlingay parishioners on the draft biodiversity audit in autumn
Kirstin to review and provide comments on the Cambridgeshire nature recovery strategy
Kirstin to continue monitoring the implementation of the adopted neighbourhood plan and its policies
Kirstin to consult with parish councillors on potential changes to the annual action plan
Kirstin to review and update the parish council's carbon footprint calculations for 2025/26
Kirstin to proceed with the energy efficiency improvements at the old Methodist Chapel, including roof insulation and solar panels
Kirstin to explore funding options for replacing the single-glazed sash windows at the old Methodist Chapel
Gamlingay Climate Action Group to launch the Gamlingay Wildlife Gardens project in earnest next spring
Gamlingay Climate Action Group to continue supporting the Brook restoration plans with the IDB
Gamlingay Climate Action Group to organize the 6-monthly repair cafe at the Eco Hub
Gamlingay Climate Action Group to continue with the Bio Blitz and butterfly monitoring sessions
Gamlingay Climate Action Group to develop the bulk buying service in Gamlingay to reduce plastic waste
Kirstin to share the carbon footprint template/checklist with other parish and town councils
Kirstin to conduct verge review next spring with retired ecologist
Kirstin to share documents and information with Gillian regarding verges and biodiversity
Gillian to monitor county contractor performance for another 6 months before considering taking over the contract
David Newman to follow up with Kirstin regarding neighborhood plan management policies and communication systems
Graham to publish meeting results and Kirstin's documents for future reference
Participants interested in specific topics to notify Graham in chat for potential follow-up session
Summary
The meeting began with Kirstin presenting on the topic of council net zero initiatives, which she planned to cover in a concise manner, with the possibility of delving deeper into specific areas if participants showed interest.
Gamlingay's Climate and Biodiversity Planning
Kirstin, a parish clerk with 21 years of experience at Gamlingay, presented a summary of their approach to climate planning and biodiversity within the rural community of Gamlingay, located in South Cambridgeshire. She outlined the structure of her talk, covering high-level planning, parish council policies, and ongoing projects and events. Kirstin provided an overview of Gamlingay's demographics, responsibilities, and staff, emphasizing their role in managing land, open spaces, and community buildings. She briefly touched on high-level planning, noting that the clerk acts on behalf of the Parish Council to fulfill their responsibilities.
Parish Councils and Authority Coordination
Kirstin discussed the importance of parish councils engaging with higher-tier authorities on biodiversity and climate change issues, highlighting key projects like the East-West Rail and water infrastructure developments in Cambridgeshire. She emphasized the need for parish clerks to act as liaisons and manage consultations, including the recently adopted Neighbourhood Plan and the ongoing Cambridgeshire Nature Recovery Strategy. Kirstin also noted frustrations with certain county council actions, such as the neglect of a redundant school site, and expressed the need for better coordination and understanding between local and higher-tier authorities.
Gamlingay's Biodiversity and Conservation Efforts
Kirstin discussed the importance of preserving the characteristic features of Gamlingay, including the protection of the SSI Gamlingay Wood and the Looping Field, which was threatened with development but now has additional policy protection. She highlighted the village's successful biodiversity initiatives, including community orchards, a tiny forest, stream site renewal plans, and a hedgelaying group that has made significant progress. The parish council is currently consulting on a new biodiversity audit and is working on a nature recovery strategy, with plans to review and potentially update the parish plan in 2028.
Parish Carbon Reduction Initiatives
Kirstin presented calculations on energy savings from upgrading building glazing and discussed the council's carbon footprint measurement methods, which include energy use, water consumption, business travel, and large purchases. She reported that the parish was carbon negative by 10 tons in 2024 due to tree planting efforts and outlined plans to make the Methodist chapel more energy efficient using Section 106 resources and grants. Kirstin also described the council's annual review process for policies and action plans, as well as the activities of the Gamlingay Climate Action Group, which has been involved in various environmental initiatives including wildlife gardening, food banking, and community orchards.
Eco-Upgrades at Methodist Chapel
Kirstin discussed the energy efficiency improvements at the old Methodist chapel, including the installation of 12 solar panels funded by a community turbine project, LED lighting, and a heat pump. She highlighted future plans to replace single-glazed sash windows with double-glazed ones, despite the high cost due to conservation area restrictions. Kirstin also described the Gamlingay Eco Hub, a newly refurbished building that incorporates various sustainable features such as solar panels, a ground-source heat pump, and rainwater harvesting, and noted that it is now leased to a community center limited.
Gamlingay Community Initiatives Overview
Kirstin presented an overview of various community initiatives in Gamlingay, including a wind turbine project, a food bank, long loan allotments, a new cemetery, and environmental projects. She highlighted the collaboration with local churches, volunteers, and neighboring parishes to maintain these facilities and promote biodiversity. The efforts have resulted in securing land for new developments, supporting eco-events, and improving the environment, all while being supported by the Parish Council.
Volunteer Management and Community Spaces
Kirstin discussed the challenges and strategies involved in managing volunteers and maintaining community spaces, highlighting the importance of flexible volunteer engagement and Parish Council support. She addressed questions about volunteer recruitment, gas supply in the village, and biodiversity efforts, including the review of protected road verges. Gillian expressed interest in learning from Kirstin's practices and discussed the challenges of implementing a neighbourhood plan without government funding.
Community Orchard Management Discussion
Kirstin shared her experience managing community orchards in Gamlingay, where apples are distributed through a food bank and sometimes used for cider-making. Judith suggested a German approach where residents bid for fruit trees, which are then used to make cider and other products. David Newman inquired about Kirstin's neighborhood planning process, particularly regarding policy management and communication between volunteers and the parish council. The conversation ended with Graham praising Kirstin's presentation and announcing that the next topic would be a surprise – as he had no idea yet what the subject would be.
Chat:
00:33:29 John Payne: I am interested in this the Village Design grant, how does one apply?
00:36:15 Andrew Maliphant Great Collaboration: Do we know why the community infrastructure levy (CIL) doesn't operate in Cambridgeshire?
00:36:16 Amanda Davis: Finding consultants and quotes for the Village Design Guide would help me. We are reviewing and updated our Conservation Area Statement too
00:36:21 Sue Moller, Hereford: Thanks for including me but I think this talk is 'above my pay grade', so I'm dropping out. Bon continuation!
00:37:17 Alison Widgery Standish Gloucestershire PC: think the government funding for NDPs is stopping very soon.
00:38:58 David newman (Blackbird Leys): Replying to "think the government..."
It has stopped the day after the government spending review
00:39:31 David newman (Blackbird Leys): Interested in how the parish council recruits and manages volunteers.
00:45:01 Peter Bates - East Cambridgeshire Climate Action Network: There is a webinar on the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Local Nature Recovery Survey Consultation taking place on Thursday Aug 20, 2025 at 19:00 hrs. I’ve arranged for it to happened focused on East Cambs - but any one in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is welcome to attend. Register in advance for this meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZDHh4WoSGmYHsJAhJqBpg
00:56:35 Amanda Davis: Where is this MAGICAL Gamlingay?? Are you sure it is a village / parish council? Congratulations!
00:59:05 Peter Bates - East Cambridgeshire Climate Action Network: Location of Gamlingay on Google maps https://www.google.com/maps/place/Gamlingay,+Sandy/@52.154517,-0.2724788,12z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x4877cfd701ea72dd:0x3eb674d694bc45ae!8m2!3d52.155551!4d-0.19286!16zL20vMDF0c2c4!5m1!1e2?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDgwMy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D
00:59:37 Jacky Lawrence, Napton, Warwickshire: think I missed what the old chapel is going to be used for?
01:01:26 Andrew Maliphant Great Collaboration: Go Gamlingay!! What an example
01:06:32 Andrew Clegg, Martock, Somerset: How did you create your volunteer network?
01:07:28 Kirsten Newble Cambridge: Inspiring, thank you so much Kirstin!
01:09:02 David Bourn, Shepton Beauchamp Parish Council,, Somerset.: Very Interesting. Many thanks.
01:09:31 Maureen Holliday: Yes, how did you create your volunteer network??
01:13:23 Maureen Holliday: Insurance can be a problem…
01:17:27 Alison Widgery Standish Gloucestershire PC: thanks -a useful session
01:26:21 Cllr. Stuart Withington, Great Dunmow, Essex: Great session, sorry have to leave.
01:26:53 Andrew Maliphant Great Collaboration: Great stuff Kirstin, speak again soon
01:28:54 Gillian Heath Duxford PC: When was the lupin field planted and by whom?
01:29:33 Judith Robinson: Suggestions please on how to encourage our Parish Council to take on activities such as yours.
Various Gamlingay documents as examples of Best Practice:
Summarised here for your convenience, with links where appropriate, or followed by the full documents below:
Gamlingay Neighbourhood Plan
Speech-to-text audio transcript for the search engine:
191 00:15:27.610 --> 00:15:37.620 Kirstin Rayner: I say, afternoon. Good afternoon. Everybody. Talking to you today about biodiversity in climate planning.
192 00:15:38.843 --> 00:15:41.856 Kirstin Rayner: In South Cambridgeshire, so,
193 00:15:43.340 --> 00:15:54.680 Kirstin Rayner: no further ado. I am parish clerk to Gamblinggate, which is a rural community to the far west of Cambridgeshire.
194 00:15:55.240 --> 00:16:00.169 Kirstin Rayner: and been working as a clerk for 21 years at gambling gay.
195 00:16:00.630 --> 00:16:19.569 Kirstin Rayner: and I thought it would be good to do a summary about how we approach climate planning, and biodiversity within our parish, and it may be of use to other other parish councils. So just to let you know I'm not an ecologist.
196 00:16:19.750 --> 00:16:22.869 Kirstin Rayner: I have a background in in town planning.
197 00:16:23.010 --> 00:16:26.109 Kirstin Rayner: and I'm a silica, qualified clerk.
198 00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:29.590 Kirstin Rayner: and I'm 1 of 2 clerks that work at gamingay.
199 00:16:30.130 --> 00:16:31.710 Jane Hall: Parish. Okay?
200 00:16:31.940 --> 00:16:34.630 Kirstin Rayner: So what I'm going to cover today.
201 00:16:35.625 --> 00:16:37.770 Kirstin Rayner: In summary form.
202 00:16:38.060 --> 00:16:54.050 Kirstin Rayner: I'll just do a quick introduction to parish planning and how we do it, and I've divided it into 3 sections. 1st section is rather dry and boring. It's the high level planning stuff
203 00:16:54.150 --> 00:17:10.769 Kirstin Rayner: that I'm going to cover first, st and I'm going to scoot over that fairly quickly, moving on to low, level, planning sort of gambling, gay Parish Council policies, and how we how we create our policies into actions annually.
204 00:17:11.460 --> 00:17:26.759 Kirstin Rayner: and the last section that most people are interested in, and indeed, which drives and motivates the most of the of of residents and volunteers in gambling. Gay are the actions, events, and project work that continue in the parish.
205 00:17:27.180 --> 00:17:29.899 Kirstin Rayner: So that's the structure of the talk.
206 00:17:30.551 --> 00:17:33.070 Kirstin Rayner: No further ado. I'll move on to the boring bit
207 00:17:33.764 --> 00:17:39.530 Kirstin Rayner: 1st of all, a bit about gambling gay. So that's where we are. Top left
208 00:17:40.329 --> 00:18:05.490 Kirstin Rayner: in between Bedford and Cambridge, and we are the outlier, if you like. We're surrounded to the south and west by Central Bedfordshire, to the north, Huntingdonshire and Essex, not Essex. Hertfordshire, comes fairly close by, reasonably close by to the south.
209 00:18:05.910 --> 00:18:09.529 Kirstin Rayner: But yes, we are part of South Cambridgeshire.
210 00:18:09.880 --> 00:18:12.860 Kirstin Rayner: and that's the shape of our parish.
211 00:18:14.125 --> 00:18:25.039 Kirstin Rayner: So it's mainly rural. We have one urban center, main village, and we have some outlying hamlets that surround
212 00:18:25.240 --> 00:18:27.910 Kirstin Rayner: the central main urban area.
213 00:18:28.410 --> 00:18:31.970 Kirstin Rayner: So we've got about 4,000 residents.
214 00:18:32.890 --> 00:18:42.290 Kirstin Rayner: Like. I say, we're mainly rural. We have 15 councillors on our Parish council.
215 00:18:42.905 --> 00:18:51.409 Kirstin Rayner: Size of precept. We've got 238,000 this year we have 5 part time members of staff.
216 00:18:51.800 --> 00:19:15.069 Kirstin Rayner: In general terms. We're responsible for land, 2 open cemeteries, some closed cemeteries, community buildings, a library, open spaces, we have a common sinks common as part of our area. We have Millbridge Brook meadows, which is like a parkland area.
217 00:19:15.821 --> 00:19:23.770 Kirstin Rayner: And to close cemeteries. So that's basically what our functions and responsibilities are.
218 00:19:24.070 --> 00:19:27.420 Kirstin Rayner: We're obviously the burial authority for the area.
219 00:19:28.380 --> 00:19:31.180 Kirstin Rayner: Okay? Quick.
220 00:19:31.480 --> 00:19:55.919 Kirstin Rayner: zoom through the staff. There's 4 of the 5. Here, me parish, Clark, part-time Leanne, who does all the lovely financy bits and is responsible financial officer for gamingay parish. We are basically Job Share, and we both work 23 HA week. We employ a library manager to run the Cambridgeshire lab
221 00:19:56.596 --> 00:20:00.729 Kirstin Rayner: in Gamingay and Kate Kate Long. She manages
222 00:20:01.240 --> 00:20:13.089 Kirstin Rayner: the library on the Parish Council's behalf, and she's also has a separate job. She's the Ecohub centre manager part-time, too. So and then we have a handyman
223 00:20:13.310 --> 00:20:14.929 Kirstin Rayner: crownsman, Keith.
224 00:20:15.240 --> 00:20:23.019 Kirstin Rayner: He's been working for for us for a long time. He undertakes grounds, maintenance jobs.
225 00:20:23.627 --> 00:20:33.640 Kirstin Rayner: on land owned by the Parish Council. So in essence, that's what we are. I think it's just good to set the scene of
226 00:20:33.830 --> 00:20:36.969 Kirstin Rayner: the size of the parish, and and where we are based.
227 00:20:37.874 --> 00:20:43.585 Kirstin Rayner: Right slightly boring section on high level planning. So
228 00:20:45.210 --> 00:20:54.520 Kirstin Rayner: Obviously, the clerk acts on behalf of the Parish Council, and the responsibilities are to respond
229 00:20:54.640 --> 00:21:02.210 Kirstin Rayner: to consultations on biodiversity and climate change from higher tier authorities.
230 00:21:02.929 --> 00:21:11.889 Kirstin Rayner: So do that by consulting with our councillors and village groups when these consultations come out.
231 00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:39.360 Kirstin Rayner: so this is obviously refers to other planning, like local plans and physical land use planning policies. But also you can. Same process for biodiversity and climate change. So we'll look at these high level plans first, st and then we'll move on to sort of more local plans that we have been involved with, and we continue to be involved with, which is the Neighbourhood Plan.
232 00:21:39.590 --> 00:21:49.439 Kirstin Rayner: produced in 2022. We also produced a village design guide. Well, we didn't, but the District Council did, and consultation with the Parish Council.
233 00:21:49.560 --> 00:21:54.990 Kirstin Rayner: and we've just recently produced a draft biodiversity audit for the parish.
234 00:21:55.702 --> 00:22:14.129 Kirstin Rayner: So 1st of all, the higher tier planning relationships, it's really important for parish clerks to be the liaison between the Council themselves and these larger bodies that are responsible for biodiversity and climate
235 00:22:14.640 --> 00:22:40.839 Kirstin Rayner: policies. The things that are affecting us in Cambridge. Here, in particular importance, are national infrastructure projects at the moment. So we've got running quite close to our borders. East-west Rail Project. There's also in Cambridgeshire water scarcity problem. So government has taken over responsibility for planning 2 new reservoirs. They're also
236 00:22:41.070 --> 00:22:49.170 Kirstin Rayner: arranging for water treatment works in Cambridge to be relocated. And they're obviously building Cambridge South Station.
237 00:22:49.430 --> 00:22:54.430 Kirstin Rayner: In addition to stuff happening actually within Cambridge itself.
238 00:22:54.540 --> 00:23:21.010 Kirstin Rayner: East West Rail potentially are planning on numerous new stations to deliver East West Rail, across Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire, and the station which has been targeted closest to Gamblingy, which may involve housing development up to 50,000 houses, is at Thamesford, which is located about 3 or 4 miles away from gambling.
239 00:23:22.162 --> 00:23:41.587 Kirstin Rayner: So not only would there be a station at Thamesford, north, on the main northern line up to Edinburgh down to Euston. Sorry, Saint Pancras. But there's also no, not St. Pancras. Houston Kings Cross goes to King's Cross.
240 00:23:42.050 --> 00:24:02.939 Kirstin Rayner: There'll also be an East West from Oxford to Cambridge, and this will also pass through Thamesford. So a new station is going to be built potentially, and the understanding is that that will bring with it large scale housing development. So quite a large amounts of change within Cambridgeshire.
241 00:24:03.020 --> 00:24:14.319 Kirstin Rayner: So it's quite important as a parish council be on top of this, understand what the principles are of development, and basically, looking at how we can try and improve
242 00:24:14.490 --> 00:24:21.149 Kirstin Rayner: of biodiversity and what the impact is on climate change with those developments in mind.
243 00:24:21.300 --> 00:24:26.889 Kirstin Rayner: And we have a combined authority in Peter and Cambridgeshire that we're part of. So we've got mayor.
244 00:24:27.290 --> 00:24:36.709 Kirstin Rayner: They have identified climate change policies and also responsible for large-scale public transport infrastructure projects.
245 00:24:37.170 --> 00:24:50.120 Kirstin Rayner: So they've produced a climate action plan, and that was informed by work from an independent commission on Climate in 2021. That work seems to be
246 00:24:50.230 --> 00:25:00.400 Kirstin Rayner: coming to the end of its time now, and I'm not quite sure where the combined authority is going after that, but certainly we were. We did provide some comments
247 00:25:01.400 --> 00:25:17.360 Kirstin Rayner: on the climate action plan, and we're aware of its contents. They are offering sometimes grants available to town and parish council. So it's good to be in contact with the combined authority, understanding what their priorities are.
248 00:25:18.160 --> 00:25:23.190 Kirstin Rayner: Then we're moving to Cambridgeshire County Council, obviously wide, wide remit.
249 00:25:23.320 --> 00:25:50.039 Kirstin Rayner: They came up with their net, 0, Cambridgeshire 2045 document. So we did provide some comments on their processes, mainly frustrated with Cambridgeshire County Council, because they're landowners in gambling with a redundant school which has been redundant for over 7 years, and it's just been left.
250 00:25:50.380 --> 00:26:05.250 Kirstin Rayner: So so quite a lot of frustrations. Locally, I love the cat's tail. That's great. So yeah, we get very frustrated with Cambridge County Council.
251 00:26:05.250 --> 00:26:21.709 Kirstin Rayner: We did want to plant some trees on this school site, but tried for the last 5 years, and with no joy. Unfortunately, so certain levels of frustration with that level of tier of government.
252 00:26:22.840 --> 00:26:37.890 Kirstin Rayner: Then we move to the greater Cambridge partnership. Obviously, these mainly concentrate around this Cambridge city and the the environment immediately surrounding. And they've come up with a Greenways character framework
253 00:26:37.960 --> 00:27:00.789 Kirstin Rayner: policy to try and include active travel, to make people cycle and more into Cambridge City again, a little bit more frustrating. We're right on the out as an outlier. So quite a lot of the funds for active travel have been going central to Cambridge Centre, and it's quite frustrating that those
254 00:27:00.960 --> 00:27:04.190 Kirstin Rayner: the the principles aren't applied to the whole of Cambridgeshire
255 00:27:04.480 --> 00:27:22.159 Kirstin Rayner: and then South Cambridge District Council. We have a lot to do with very good supportive team. They've also producing an emerging local plan which has a biodiversity and green spaces section within it.
256 00:27:22.680 --> 00:27:36.629 Kirstin Rayner: As 1st proposals, and I know they're going out to consultation shortly. But they produced a doubling nature strategy in 2021 as a main outline principle for development. So it's quite good
257 00:27:36.800 --> 00:27:54.039 Kirstin Rayner: for us to have that as a reference document for us to try and apply when there's any housing, development or development proposed in the region to try and consider what impacts that could make on doubling nature.
258 00:27:54.930 --> 00:28:22.070 Kirstin Rayner: Last, but not least, definitely is Cambridgeshire nature recovery, strategy. Every area in the country understands our producing local nature recovery strategies. And there's the link there for you to look at what's happening in your area in Cambridgeshire. It's currently out for consultation. So what I do as a clerk is, I've sent the information out to councillors, and I also do a draft response
259 00:28:22.480 --> 00:28:32.519 Kirstin Rayner: again, dealing with larger authorities. They don't often understand how councils work. So the frustration comes when
260 00:28:32.700 --> 00:28:58.739 Kirstin Rayner: there are online surveys that just require writing in and getting to the next question. But that doesn't work with a council, because obviously, Council has to approve its responses to larger scale consultations collectively, and the job of the clerk is to try and make that happen. So the Council's views are recorded and responded to. So
261 00:28:58.990 --> 00:29:24.890 Kirstin Rayner: it's about these level authorities understanding how parish councils work, and also allowing a larger timescale for responses to consultations which they sometimes do not allow for. So yeah, big things happening with Cambridge nature recovery, strategy. Cambridgeshire is the most depleted county in the country with regards
262 00:29:25.757 --> 00:29:31.779 Kirstin Rayner: nature. So it's a big issue for Cambridgeshire. How to
263 00:29:31.910 --> 00:29:41.810 Kirstin Rayner: get our environment to recover. So yeah, at the moment we're preparing some comments to go back to that on that consultation.
264 00:29:42.310 --> 00:30:00.359 Kirstin Rayner: Okay, so that's the higher tier planning whistle. Stop. We'll move on next to sort of lower tier planning on land use planning in particular. So we're in lucky position where we have an adopted neighbourhood plan.
265 00:30:00.780 --> 00:30:17.709 Kirstin Rayner: This was adopted in November 2022, and it took over 7 years to produce this plan mainly by volunteers from the parish, and numerous different volunteers over that period of time.
266 00:30:17.840 --> 00:30:19.509 Kirstin Rayner: and we're involved.
267 00:30:19.620 --> 00:30:42.810 Kirstin Rayner: I was very lucky to have on the team a trained planner who decided that she wanted to take on the actual writing of the plan, which was really helpful, numerous consultations, we ran equivalent of a 2 regulation, 14 consultations to get through. To make sure we had the right policies in place.
268 00:30:42.960 --> 00:31:01.400 Kirstin Rayner: and in the end we've got 10 policies which identify landscape and urban characteristics of the parish. It identifies views that are important in the parish, how we would like to get about how we currently get about and how we'd like to get about in the future.
269 00:31:01.610 --> 00:31:09.430 Kirstin Rayner: how we can support businesses in the community, and also how to protect and improve links to the open countryside.
270 00:31:09.880 --> 00:31:28.780 Kirstin Rayner: So we also got a policy adopted within the plan which allows for all new house new, all new development, not just housing to provide contributions to provide new footpaths and cycleway links within the parish itself.
271 00:31:29.040 --> 00:31:56.969 Kirstin Rayner: to make make it easier for people to get around on foot and by bike. And that's Game 8 policy, which is an unusual policy. We don't have seal contributions in South Cambridgeshire. So this was actually allowed by the inspector to go through. So we are now receiving income from Section 106 unilateral undertakings from developers to support those new footpaths and cycleways
272 00:31:57.730 --> 00:32:20.899 Kirstin Rayner: due to the nature of gambling its radial nature. I did cover us slightly earlier, this main village core, with some satellites around it. We think it's very important characteristic of gambling. We want that to be retained in future. There was a risk that that wasn't going to happen, and those remaining fields were going to get developed.
273 00:32:21.140 --> 00:32:44.560 Kirstin Rayner: So we have identified that as a particular characteristic, and that was in Gam 3 that was supported by the inspector. So that's now in our plan, and you'll see the picture on the front of the presentation, which is a picture of the looping field which is quite a locally recognised site, which is one of those fields between the hamlet and the urban centre of gambling.
274 00:32:44.610 --> 00:32:57.209 Kirstin Rayner: That particular field has been threatened with development a couple of times now, but with this scam 3 in place, there is some additional policy
275 00:32:57.360 --> 00:33:18.499 Kirstin Rayner: protection of these small network of patches of fields that protect that particular characteristic of gambling gay in the future. The other thing we did in the neighbor plan was we wanted to support and protect the SSI Gammongay wood from
276 00:33:19.908 --> 00:33:24.050 Kirstin Rayner: encroachment and enhance its setting.
277 00:33:24.130 --> 00:33:46.399 Kirstin Rayner: The inspector did withdraw. We were going to propose a 200 metre cordon around the on the wood, but that was taken out, but he allowed us to keep our maps and plans to show what impact that might have. So we now support woodland activities, forestry
278 00:33:46.962 --> 00:33:59.509 Kirstin Rayner: enterprises in the plan. But obviously we're a bit more minded to make sure that that would continues to be protected in in perpetuity.
279 00:33:59.780 --> 00:34:01.415 Kirstin Rayner: So we now
280 00:34:02.690 --> 00:34:20.139 Kirstin Rayner: monitoring this plan and its policies every year. And what we tend to do is look at how these planning policies have impacted planning decisions by the District Council and at appeal.
281 00:34:20.639 --> 00:34:25.839 Kirstin Rayner: And then we consider whether or not these policies are still relevant and up to date.
282 00:34:26.000 --> 00:34:32.700 Kirstin Rayner: And then we're going to potentially review this plan in 2028, 7, 8.
283 00:34:33.000 --> 00:35:00.370 Kirstin Rayner: Okay, so that's the village design guide. Something a bit more interesting as well managed to get central Government funding in 2021 which was really useful. So external consultants were engaged by the District Council. They produced a list of features or design characteristics, things that are important to gambling, gay in a draft plan which was consulted with the village.
284 00:35:01.050 --> 00:35:18.600 Kirstin Rayner: and that document is an excellent document in which to structure, the Neighbourhood plan policies on. And we did lean on that design guide to strengthen our potential stance on certain aspects of the neighbourhood plan.
285 00:35:20.960 --> 00:35:28.830 Kirstin Rayner: So other plans that we've done so. I'm very lucky in gambling, Gay, to have a retired ecologist
286 00:35:29.000 --> 00:35:35.979 Kirstin Rayner: and some very active members of the community who feel very strongly about biodiversity.
287 00:35:36.230 --> 00:35:47.680 Kirstin Rayner: So this gentleman has produced a new draft biodiversity audit for this year, which we are going to consult on a little bit more in the autumn
288 00:35:48.590 --> 00:35:54.000 Kirstin Rayner: he. He is also actively involved in undertaking maintenance tasks.
289 00:35:54.300 --> 00:36:01.590 Kirstin Rayner: and he's involved with delivering actions to improve open spaces within the parish and works on parish land.
290 00:36:02.020 --> 00:36:11.429 Kirstin Rayner: He also is interested in improving Millbridge Brook streamside environment, which is part of the St. Ival tributary that runs through to Biggleswade
291 00:36:12.836 --> 00:36:15.110 Kirstin Rayner: And also.
292 00:36:17.210 --> 00:36:32.140 Kirstin Rayner: this, this draft plan has come forward. So it's it's a really really important document. And it's really helped us shape our potential response to the nature recovery strategy. It's our consultation at the moment.
293 00:36:32.150 --> 00:36:47.790 Kirstin Rayner: but we hope to take it a bit further by talking to major landowners in the area to see how they can possibly would like to support, that this biodiversity audit and the actions that are resulting in it in the sort of recommendation section of it.
294 00:36:48.250 --> 00:36:58.899 Kirstin Rayner: So these volunteers have been doing wonderful things in gambling. I will talk a bit more about the projects a little later. But
295 00:36:59.200 --> 00:37:15.859 Kirstin Rayner: what has happened? We have 2 or 3 community orchards actually within gambling. Another of the volunteers has actually planted a tiny forest to fund trees on Irish Council land.
296 00:37:17.265 --> 00:37:28.430 Kirstin Rayner: These volunteers groups have come up with a stream site renewal plan that they're currently discussing with the internal drainage authority. Itb, Bedfordshire.
297 00:37:29.030 --> 00:37:58.160 Kirstin Rayner: A new Hedgelane or Hedgelane group is formed over the last couple of years, and they're going from strength to strength. More volunteers coming forward, having training and then passing on their expertise to new volunteers. This has started a really good healthy process, and numerous hedges within the village basically are dealt with on an annual basis. So there's a basically a rotary in place where
298 00:37:58.490 --> 00:38:27.549 Kirstin Rayner: hedges that need to be laid or assessed, and then put on a rotor for the volunteers to to. It's it's wonderful actually to see the the result. Sorry I've got sensitive, environmentally friendly lights here, and I'm not moving. So Hedge laying group are going from strength to strength, making a big difference within the parish, and then it's lovely to seeing a new hedge come alive after they've had a go at it in the winter.
299 00:38:27.800 --> 00:38:31.972 Kirstin Rayner: We've got a scything group, and they're they're combined with
300 00:38:32.390 --> 00:38:33.040 Jane Hall: Mates.
301 00:38:33.350 --> 00:38:34.680 Kirstin Rayner: The query.
302 00:38:34.680 --> 00:38:35.470 Jane Hall: Yeah.
303 00:38:36.110 --> 00:38:52.389 Kirstin Rayner: Another group within South Cambridgeshire, and that's coming together of different volunteers from different parishes is working really well, and we just had some support from other villages to do some sliding. So it's great.
304 00:38:52.480 --> 00:39:14.119 Kirstin Rayner: We've got some river fly and water quality monitoring residents who go out and look at the water quality that's just started again. We plant occasional wildflowers areas. And we review with residents. We've had mixed responses to wildflowers on verges in the past.
305 00:39:14.230 --> 00:39:24.599 Kirstin Rayner: So we, we monitor wildflower, wildflower verges, and we also consider whether or not we should plant elsewhere.
306 00:39:24.770 --> 00:39:30.559 Kirstin Rayner: And we've also got a wonderful volunteer who does swift monitoring within gambling go.
307 00:39:31.010 --> 00:39:44.610 Kirstin Rayner: So what's next? We're going to be consulting on the biodiversity audit in the autumn, and we are also at the moment looking at a nature recovery strategy
308 00:39:45.300 --> 00:39:48.620 Kirstin Rayner: and making some comments on that
309 00:39:49.293 --> 00:39:51.960 Kirstin Rayner: but I've got some other
310 00:39:52.720 --> 00:39:58.899 Kirstin Rayner: pictures of what that the the new Nature recovery strategy actually does
311 00:39:59.535 --> 00:40:14.140 Kirstin Rayner: for gambling gang, and the suggested projects that are coming out of that which are some of which closely tie in with our biodiversity, audit some? Not less so. But there's definitely work to do there.
312 00:40:16.330 --> 00:40:18.446 Kirstin Rayner: What we tend to do.
313 00:40:19.600 --> 00:40:24.559 Kirstin Rayner: we're looking at biodiversity net gain. And how potentially
314 00:40:24.710 --> 00:40:44.740 Kirstin Rayner: the things that are coming out, the biodiversity audit might be able to feed into planning applications, and how how that information is actually tied in with how planning applications are assessed at South Cambridgeshire. I'm not sure how that
315 00:40:44.930 --> 00:40:47.530 Kirstin Rayner: that interlinking is going to happen.
316 00:40:48.153 --> 00:40:54.950 Kirstin Rayner: Currently. But it's definitely working. It's definitely work in progress at the moment.
317 00:40:55.951 --> 00:41:04.470 Kirstin Rayner: How we monitor all this information. What we tend to do is we've got an annual
318 00:41:04.830 --> 00:41:09.089 Kirstin Rayner: action plan that covers everything that the Parish Council does.
319 00:41:09.200 --> 00:41:22.810 Kirstin Rayner: So part of that Annual action plan. We have a section on environment. So all our climate and biodiversity actions or proposals for the next financial year we consult on.
320 00:41:23.100 --> 00:41:39.820 Kirstin Rayner: And that is how we deal with biodiversity and climate change issues and monitoring through our annual General action plan rather than a specific climate change action plan.
321 00:41:41.750 --> 00:42:07.390 Kirstin Rayner: Okay, low level planning. So just some examples of what we've done or what the Council has done or what clerks do within gambling gay, we produce policies and reports relating to biodiversity. So we've done a biodiversity duty report in 2024,
322 00:42:07.500 --> 00:42:22.160 Kirstin Rayner: and we looked at our current policies. How we, what we did with all our land use and our buildings and our current working practices, to see whether or not we needed to change anything.
323 00:42:22.410 --> 00:42:34.819 Kirstin Rayner: and made some recommendations to changing, some working practices to make sure we include. And also we looked at our grass cutting, contraction, contractor policy.
324 00:42:35.398 --> 00:42:43.050 Kirstin Rayner: tender, and our and our how we work with our contractor to see whether or not there's any improvements that we can make there.
325 00:42:44.200 --> 00:42:56.590 Kirstin Rayner: Other things that we do. We calculate on occasions the Parish Council's carbon footprint. So I can talk a bit more about that in a little bit more detail.
326 00:42:56.700 --> 00:43:01.029 Kirstin Rayner: And then I've just talked about the annual action planning and review.
327 00:43:02.070 --> 00:43:08.539 Kirstin Rayner: Okay, so these are the examples of of reports I've written by diversity duty.
328 00:43:08.680 --> 00:43:30.570 Kirstin Rayner: We looked at how we calculate the Council's carbon footprint. So we 1st started that in 2019 20 exercise. And then we've now got a comparison. 23, 4. Hope to do this again next year, because we're making a few extra changes to old Methodist chapel, which I'll talk about in a minute.
329 00:43:31.335 --> 00:43:37.989 Kirstin Rayner: And I'm hoping to see that there'll be some energy usage benefits from that work.
330 00:43:38.180 --> 00:43:42.610 Kirstin Rayner: We also look on occasions at acquiring and disposing land
331 00:43:42.940 --> 00:43:53.701 Kirstin Rayner: the acquisition of land, particularly. You'll see from the 1st page, the loop in the field. We we would like as a parish to obviously
332 00:43:54.230 --> 00:44:03.970 Kirstin Rayner: look, to try and preserve that field in in perpetuity for the parish. But obviously, that that's quite complicated to achieve.
333 00:44:05.470 --> 00:44:11.169 Kirstin Rayner: So yeah, on occasions we look at whether or not we should acquire or dispose land.
334 00:44:11.310 --> 00:44:31.010 Kirstin Rayner: and also I have done some calculations on energy savings so upgrading buildings from single glazing up to double, glazing or triple glazing, and what, what in terms of monetary savings that would make for the town or parish council. So I have done that exercise which is quite useful.
335 00:44:32.210 --> 00:44:36.749 Kirstin Rayner: Okay, so how to calculate your Council's carbon footprint
336 00:44:37.850 --> 00:45:00.150 Kirstin Rayner: whiz through this. If anyone wants any more information on this, happy to oblige, so it's fairly straightforward. So we measure the Council's activities on an annual basis. So we look at the energy use in community buildings of the street lights. And in the office
337 00:45:00.270 --> 00:45:07.920 Kirstin Rayner: we look at the water use in community buildings and open spaces, the water waste treatment in our community buildings.
338 00:45:08.813 --> 00:45:16.966 Kirstin Rayner: We taught up all our business travel and commuting, attending meetings and training and homeworking.
339 00:45:17.830 --> 00:45:34.129 Kirstin Rayner: we add up any large goods and services that we've purchased over the year. So anything over 500 pounds and we use distance from the purchase address. I know that is particularly difficult to work out, because obviously there are other costs.
340 00:45:35.404 --> 00:45:36.774 Kirstin Rayner: Energy costs
341 00:45:37.590 --> 00:45:47.990 Kirstin Rayner: carbon costs associated. But that's that's basically an easy method in which to use to give us an indication of what what the impact is.
342 00:45:48.280 --> 00:46:01.550 Kirstin Rayner: We also look at contract costs. So, for example, our grass cutting contractors where they're based from their transport to from their home address to our premises
343 00:46:02.000 --> 00:46:06.490 Kirstin Rayner: to our locations, and looking at the fuel used by their mowing equipment
344 00:46:06.700 --> 00:46:10.350 Kirstin Rayner: feel feel used in actually getting here and back.
345 00:46:10.530 --> 00:46:23.810 Kirstin Rayner: and we make an estimate on the carbon costs of that. We have an electric maintenance vehicle. So we have the mileage of that vehicle and servicing annually of that vehicle.
346 00:46:24.900 --> 00:46:32.769 Kirstin Rayner: And we also process waste from public bins on public areas. So the
347 00:46:33.140 --> 00:46:42.190 Kirstin Rayner: Parish Council land, the the bins that we're responsible for. So we calculate all that. We've got 3 commercial waste bins
348 00:46:42.330 --> 00:46:46.930 Kirstin Rayner: and dog and litter bins that we're responsible for.
349 00:46:47.060 --> 00:46:55.349 Kirstin Rayner: So those are the things that go into our carbon footprint and work has continued on that
350 00:46:58.336 --> 00:47:03.930 Kirstin Rayner: quite. And like, I say, last one was 2324,
351 00:47:04.360 --> 00:47:09.499 Kirstin Rayner: So in 2019, we created 4.4 tonnes of carbon
352 00:47:09.910 --> 00:47:19.960 Kirstin Rayner: measured in 2024, we were because of our volunteer group producing our wonderful tiny forest
353 00:47:20.070 --> 00:47:26.579 Kirstin Rayner: of trees. We are carbon negative by 10
354 00:47:27.737 --> 00:47:33.209 Kirstin Rayner: tons in the parish for that year, which was amazing.
355 00:47:34.264 --> 00:47:41.720 Kirstin Rayner: Had a look at what we need to do to stay carbon neutral for 2025, 6,
356 00:47:41.930 --> 00:47:51.689 Kirstin Rayner: and the the main aspect of that would be to reduce our energy usage or make or make electricity.
357 00:47:52.390 --> 00:48:01.000 Kirstin Rayner: So we're looking concentrating on the old Methodist chapel, which is one of our other community buildings that we own.
358 00:48:01.760 --> 00:48:07.179 Kirstin Rayner: and we are using some section 106 resources and some grant monies
359 00:48:07.360 --> 00:48:19.050 Kirstin Rayner: to make that building more energy efficient, putting a new roof on it and proper in proper roof insulation and installing solar tiles.
360 00:48:19.250 --> 00:48:25.569 Kirstin Rayner: And we're also putting a battery in it to try and help with the energy usage.
361 00:48:26.386 --> 00:48:31.409 Kirstin Rayner: So there's quite a few things that we can do generate more electricity
362 00:48:31.610 --> 00:48:37.359 Kirstin Rayner: and make community buildings more efficient. So that's what we're concentrating in the next
363 00:48:38.155 --> 00:48:40.380 Kirstin Rayner: next 2 or 3 years.
364 00:48:41.410 --> 00:48:45.979 Kirstin Rayner: Okay, so we're just going to look forward to working practices.
365 00:48:47.400 --> 00:49:12.279 Kirstin Rayner: So we review our council policies annually at a special meeting to try and not bog down full council with discussions on policies. And we have this meeting. It's called a consultation meeting, and all our policies are put into batches and individual councils decide. I'll choose a batch, and they review those policies.
366 00:49:12.630 --> 00:49:26.330 Kirstin Rayner: and and they look at those on an annual basis, and they come back to us, and we just to make sure that we're following these working practices and all amendments for the year have been included in those final policies.
367 00:49:26.460 --> 00:49:30.480 Kirstin Rayner: and we also reviewed the working practices of the Council at that meeting.
368 00:49:31.942 --> 00:49:35.480 Kirstin Rayner: Like, I say, for for our action plan.
369 00:49:35.770 --> 00:50:03.810 Kirstin Rayner: we review our action plan every summer. So what we do is we come up with some draft action plan proposals which we then consult the parish with at our village show, which is in September every year, and then we do a formal review at Parish Council meeting, and then we consider whether or not we align these these new potential actions with
370 00:50:04.494 --> 00:50:08.339 Kirstin Rayner: the budget estimates and projects for the next financial year.
371 00:50:08.730 --> 00:50:15.729 Kirstin Rayner: Do this in the wintertime, and then we publish, incorporate those actions and publish them in the spring.
372 00:50:15.900 --> 00:50:19.440 Kirstin Rayner: So that's our process of reviewing our action plan.
373 00:50:20.640 --> 00:50:24.249 Kirstin Rayner: So this is a bit that's more interesting to most people.
374 00:50:25.030 --> 00:50:42.310 Kirstin Rayner: What we actually get up to on annual basis, and how we involve residents and get involved. We have very lucky. We have a climate action group in gambling, which is is growing apace.
375 00:50:42.430 --> 00:50:57.770 Kirstin Rayner: and we've got some great volunteers that love to take things on. This is a picture of the village show last year which we're asking people to vote on some projects which should be the priorities for
376 00:50:57.790 --> 00:51:13.099 Kirstin Rayner: Gamma Gay Cag for the next year, and these also roll into obviously Environment section Action Plan for the Parish council. So so, Cags, very useful to gather information from residents
377 00:51:13.210 --> 00:51:20.599 Kirstin Rayner: to tell us where we should be spending our time and actions in the following year.
378 00:51:22.590 --> 00:51:32.560 Kirstin Rayner: Okay. So other community initiatives we've done in Gammongay. In the last 10 to 15 years. There's been so many. I'll just zoom through these.
379 00:51:33.505 --> 00:51:36.984 Kirstin Rayner: We've created some new allotments.
380 00:51:38.393 --> 00:51:44.449 Kirstin Rayner: the primary school ran a kitchen garden project, the Parish Council support through grant
381 00:51:45.194 --> 00:51:51.980 Kirstin Rayner: the volunteers of Cag have a 6 monthly repair cafe at the Eco Hub.
382 00:51:52.570 --> 00:52:12.519 Kirstin Rayner: They recently ran a Bio Blitz in June, and today is another day where we're doing the big butterfly count. We've been doing a series of, I think, 3 sessions with the community where we go out and do some citizen science and try and gather some information about butterflies.
383 00:52:13.326 --> 00:52:26.659 Kirstin Rayner: The lead project for Gamingay Cag this year is gamingay wildlife Gardens. We're still trying to gain funding for this project which basically gets people to tick off
384 00:52:26.720 --> 00:52:54.189 Kirstin Rayner: things that they will be doing in their garden to help wildlife and biodiversity. If they achieve them. In each of the 3 sections they'll get a little plaque to say that they are supporting wildlife, gardening, and gambling gay. This is still a project that we're hoping to run next year in earnest, obviously, because we're coming to the end of the growing season, and when people are doing less in their gardens.
385 00:52:54.440 --> 00:52:57.660 Kirstin Rayner: But we hope to launch that in earnest next spring.
386 00:52:58.250 --> 00:53:22.719 Kirstin Rayner: and then obviously, climate Action Gamma Gate, our group of volunteers that come together every couple of months to talk about things they'd like to get involved with. But it's mainly project or event based items which basically give people focus. And it does just try and engage residents
387 00:53:23.157 --> 00:53:27.420 Kirstin Rayner: other things that gaming have been up to. We have a food bank.
388 00:53:28.258 --> 00:53:32.530 Kirstin Rayner: Like. I say, I've talked a bit about the siting and haymaking group.
389 00:53:33.147 --> 00:53:50.949 Kirstin Rayner: The Hedge Lane group. We're creating the bulk buying service in gamblingy. That's happening fairly soon, I think one stopped in Sandy. So I think it's going to be starting off in gamblingy. So that's something that they're looking at to try and reduce plastic waste.
390 00:53:52.800 --> 00:54:14.150 Kirstin Rayner: Brook restoration plans are moving forward. As I said, work with the Idb is where we're at at the moment, and potential permissions that we need to move that forward. We have already received some funding for that project. So we're looking forward to delivering that later this year.
391 00:54:14.150 --> 00:54:25.610 Kirstin Rayner: and we have got community orchards. Picture there community orchard in that's in lower field. And we also have a community orchard in Mogbridge Meadows and at the allotments.
392 00:54:28.310 --> 00:54:33.479 Kirstin Rayner: Okay, moving on to the Methodist chapel. I'm probably waffling on far too long.
393 00:54:33.710 --> 00:54:45.359 Kirstin Rayner: The old Methodist chapel is basically a 1 room hall adjacent to an old 1st school. Built in 18
394 00:54:45.670 --> 00:54:47.479 Kirstin Rayner: 54.
395 00:54:48.218 --> 00:54:58.820 Kirstin Rayner: Bit of a sorry state. We've managed to get some section 106 money together to give it. Make it a little bit more energy efficient.
396 00:54:59.050 --> 00:55:00.880 Kirstin Rayner: It's single glazed.
397 00:55:01.600 --> 00:55:10.800 Kirstin Rayner: You can see sash windows limited insulation.
398 00:55:11.802 --> 00:55:16.140 Kirstin Rayner: The energy improvements like, I say, roof insulation.
399 00:55:16.260 --> 00:55:39.839 Kirstin Rayner: and we were very lucky to secure 7.5,000 pounds from Gamma, gay community turbine limited. So we have a community turbine in gambling gay, that produces electricity, and any profit is put aside for the community to apply for local grants
400 00:55:40.010 --> 00:55:43.919 Kirstin Rayner: and community groups with an environmental theme
401 00:55:44.240 --> 00:55:49.040 Kirstin Rayner: very lucky that so power from wind
402 00:55:49.370 --> 00:56:02.819 Kirstin Rayner: has ended up supporting and providing 12 solar panels on the Methodist chapel roof, and this is being installed as we speak. So by September we should have 12 shiny new
403 00:56:02.890 --> 00:56:21.999 Kirstin Rayner: solar tiles on the top of the old Methodist chapel, making electricity and hoping, making sure that the small is used mainly as a preschool. So that building basically will make sure that it's nice and warm for those preschool children in the winter.
404 00:56:22.400 --> 00:56:39.079 Kirstin Rayner: and it will keep down the electricity costs of running that facility which is a great news to the Parish Council, because it's always been a struggle to make sure that we have money to pay the electricity bill, because it is quite expensive to run.
405 00:56:39.760 --> 00:56:45.260 Kirstin Rayner: So we've also used Parish Council reserves to do this major project with reroofing.
406 00:56:46.830 --> 00:57:01.890 Kirstin Rayner: Okay, so here we are. It's a little bit more of a summary in July. We've replaced the lights inside with led lights. We've replaced a new electric consumer unit. We've rewired it and done a fire alarm system.
407 00:57:02.080 --> 00:57:07.300 Kirstin Rayner: We installed a heat pump, air, source, heat pump in December.
408 00:57:07.470 --> 00:57:15.729 Kirstin Rayner: And like, I say, we're just moving forward now with the repair and replacement of the roof and the installation of the 12 solar panels.
409 00:57:16.342 --> 00:57:31.600 Kirstin Rayner: Targets for the future are to replace or repair those single glazed sash windows with double glazed sash windows. But because it's in a conservation area I've got. It's going to cost me about 30,000 pounds to replace those windows.
410 00:57:32.620 --> 00:57:40.440 Kirstin Rayner: Unfortunately, the local authority won't allow me to put in anything different. So that's what it is.
411 00:57:41.105 --> 00:57:44.559 Kirstin Rayner: So I've got to try and find some money to pay for this.
412 00:57:45.390 --> 00:58:03.160 Kirstin Rayner: We need a new ceiling inside the chapel, and it needs desperately needs redecorating. We're looking to replace some doors and put some wall insulation in, and a new toilet block at some point in the future. So that's the old Methodist chapel.
413 00:58:04.320 --> 00:58:08.049 Kirstin Rayner: You may know that I'm here presenting from
414 00:58:08.060 --> 00:58:37.609 Kirstin Rayner: Gamma Gate Eco Hub, which was a completely new refurbished building from an old community centre in 2,012 Parish Council Joint project with the community. It's now leased on a long lease to Gamma Gate Community Centre Limited. We run the building and the Parish Council lease an office from within this building for Parish Council business, and this is where we hold our meetings.
415 00:58:37.870 --> 00:58:47.679 Kirstin Rayner: It's a wonderful building. Very energy efficient. It collects rainwater and uses it to flush the toilets. It has
416 00:58:48.645 --> 00:58:53.374 Kirstin Rayner: it has solar panels. It has
417 00:58:54.280 --> 00:59:02.549 Kirstin Rayner: solar water heater. It has a ground source. Heat pump underneath the football pitch
418 00:59:03.218 --> 00:59:19.969 Kirstin Rayner: which then keeps heat in an Oscar tank, which then obviously heats the building. It's naturally ventilated, and it's designed so it doesn't need any air conditioning during the summer. Then it's still quite a pleasant place to work in the summer.
419 00:59:21.550 --> 00:59:31.810 Kirstin Rayner: just a a fantastic building in which to be in very highly insulated. Only minor is that you can't get a phone signal, because it's the insulation is so good.
420 00:59:34.760 --> 00:59:37.940 Kirstin Rayner: But other than that, it's a great place to work.
421 00:59:38.400 --> 00:59:39.979 Kirstin Rayner: So that's the eco hub
422 00:59:41.308 --> 00:59:53.030 Kirstin Rayner: as I talked about a little bit more. We've got the gambling, gay community wind turbine in 2014, which was an initiative just by gambling residents
423 00:59:53.800 --> 01:00:03.109 Kirstin Rayner: gathered together enough funding to put together to create a community turbine and and a business community business.
424 01:00:03.951 --> 01:00:15.260 Kirstin Rayner: I say, it provides excess profits to back to the community. So, and as I say, we are benefiting from that
425 01:00:15.480 --> 01:00:23.439 Kirstin Rayner: with numerous environmental projects and support from Gctc. So it goes from strength to strength.
426 01:00:24.850 --> 01:00:33.030 Kirstin Rayner: We have a food bank set up in 2021, and it's run incorporation between the Baptist Church and the Church of England
427 01:00:33.040 --> 01:01:01.059 Kirstin Rayner: Church communities and other volunteers, and it's run out of the Old Arms House Chapel, which used to be our offices before we moved to the Eco Club again, and that basically supports members in the community who haven't got enough money to pay their food bills. And also it just provides reuse of food that's going out of date from local supermarkets, and certainly it's
428 01:01:01.270 --> 01:01:08.199 Kirstin Rayner: and it hands ourselves off to make sure that that food doesn't go to waste. So really good positive
429 01:01:08.848 --> 01:01:11.389 Kirstin Rayner: benefits to gamma, gay residents.
430 01:01:13.250 --> 01:01:38.240 Kirstin Rayner: Long lane allotments. Again new allotments came forward from land gift or long lease from Merton College, Oxford. It's run by gammongay allotment growers Association, and they set up after managing the new facility. After Gammongay Parish Council developed this facility. And just a couple of pictures on that.
431 01:01:38.932 --> 01:01:43.079 Kirstin Rayner: I think there's 56 allotments there.
432 01:01:43.460 --> 01:02:06.206 Kirstin Rayner: So that's a picture of the allotments. Got some beautiful photographs from a professional photographer which are in a book all about how the allotments were constructed. We have a compost composting woo woo toilet because it's slightly out of the center of gambling day, so it is
433 01:02:06.760 --> 01:02:19.530 Kirstin Rayner: too far from for people, so they need to provide some kind of facilities. People have built their own sheds. There's community orchard and wild meadow behind. The whole site was hedged.
434 01:02:20.180 --> 01:02:35.790 Kirstin Rayner: It's a small car park, and they have a water dip tank system in place, so people can use that the water which is piped to different dip drops around the site. So very good way to conserve water
435 01:02:36.760 --> 01:02:39.040 Kirstin Rayner: and use water for the allotments.
436 01:02:40.525 --> 01:02:42.550 Kirstin Rayner: We have a new ish.
437 01:02:42.770 --> 01:02:57.569 Kirstin Rayner: Everything's new to me 2015, 10 years ago, now St. Marysville Cemetery. So our cemetery was running out of space. So we've created a new cemetery on land that was gifted by Merton College.
438 01:02:59.034 --> 01:03:10.890 Kirstin Rayner: So this is basically a field that potentially could have been lost to housing development. But we managed to secure it for for new
439 01:03:11.170 --> 01:03:16.530 Kirstin Rayner: cemetery, and we have now 2 cemeteries that are open and in use.
440 01:03:18.440 --> 01:03:24.489 Kirstin Rayner: So these are things that the volunteers and community have been doing over the next.
441 01:03:25.980 --> 01:03:43.420 Kirstin Rayner: over the last 10 years. I say, last 10 years, but it's probably a bit longer than that. So the residents, church groups climate action. Gaminggate. We're partnering with Hatley, which is a neighbouring parish as well for climate, action.
442 01:03:43.570 --> 01:03:52.230 Kirstin Rayner: and villages from both parishes come together and plan eco events, and to improve biodiversity and reduce carbon.
443 01:03:52.420 --> 01:04:02.469 Kirstin Rayner: We have the friends of Millbridge Meadows, which is a loosely formed groups that meet regularly to undertake maintenance roles within parish Council Meadows.
444 01:04:03.390 --> 01:04:28.690 Kirstin Rayner: We also have the scything and hay making group and the hedge laying group. So this is explaining why we've been gifted. The land there was, it was part of housing development benefit and delivered a range of projects to improve the environment also supported funding to redevelop the Eco Hub for the community centre.
445 01:04:29.410 --> 01:04:38.209 Kirstin Rayner: So volunteers now help with all these facilities, and maintaining these facilities with biodiversity in mind, supported by the Parish Council.
446 01:04:38.740 --> 01:04:41.920 Kirstin Rayner: So what's next?
447 01:04:43.316 --> 01:04:54.320 Kirstin Rayner: He says, effectively. We continue to work with all the volunteers to manage and maintain
448 01:04:55.620 --> 01:05:14.950 Kirstin Rayner: the land, and consider reviewing working practices as and when volunteers come forward or say, why are you trimming the dogwoods at a different time? You know. I think we think we can do better. Or can you consider changing your working practices. Those are the sorts of things that we have ongoing liaison with.
449 01:05:15.972 --> 01:05:27.939 Kirstin Rayner: The challenge is creating a meet and term management and maintenance program, which is robust enough to cope with the cyclical change of volunteers as they come and go.
450 01:05:28.050 --> 01:05:40.690 Kirstin Rayner: and the changing local interest. So that's where we do struggle. And that's the role really of the Parish Council to make sure that these areas these facilities are maintained
451 01:05:40.760 --> 01:05:59.000 Kirstin Rayner: to a good standard, but also make sure you can try, and as best as possible make sure you use the volunteer network in your communities to try and make sure people feel involved enough to help you maintain these spaces?
452 01:06:00.046 --> 01:06:23.889 Kirstin Rayner: So that's really our challenge. I think, as parish councils, as clerks to make sure that we, we continue in this role and support residents, views, but trying to create places which are are beautiful and serving those community members.
453 01:06:24.050 --> 01:06:27.130 Kirstin Rayner: So I think I'm nearly there.
454 01:06:27.590 --> 01:06:32.825 Kirstin Rayner: Yes, I am. Are there any questions.
455 01:06:35.163 --> 01:06:41.810 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Kirsten that was mind boggling. If ever there was a
456 01:06:42.290 --> 01:07:00.859 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: what's the word? I'm looking for an example of how the having the same clerk for the last 21 years can get the place organized and functioning and running. This is magnificent, so I'll leave all the questions to others, except I have one request for you, please, which is.
457 01:07:00.960 --> 01:07:15.620 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: could you and I arrange to chat about examples of the policies and strategies that you laid out on Slide 10 or 11, because I think a lot of people would love to see how you've actually gone about calculating these things, and then how you
458 01:07:16.016 --> 01:07:30.339 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: blasted the Parish Council into actually doing something about them. So I think everyone will be very interested. So thank you so much. And there are questions or a couple of questions that you might want to look at in the chat. In the meantime, let's go with Stuart, please.
459 01:07:30.770 --> 01:07:38.079 Cllr. Stuart Withington, Great Dunmow, Essex: Hi, I I'd just like to say thank you very much. I'm sure everyone is very jealous
460 01:07:38.320 --> 01:07:43.690 Cllr. Stuart Withington, Great Dunmow, Essex: of what you've achieved, especially your army of volunteers.
461 01:07:44.250 --> 01:07:44.640 Kirstin Rayner: Yeah.
462 01:07:44.640 --> 01:07:49.500 Cllr. Stuart Withington, Great Dunmow, Essex: It'd be nice to know how you manage to recruit so many talented people.
463 01:07:49.920 --> 01:07:52.371 Cllr. Stuart Withington, Great Dunmow, Essex: But my my main question is
464 01:07:53.200 --> 01:07:55.760 Cllr. Stuart Withington, Great Dunmow, Essex: I notice there's no mention of any gas.
465 01:07:56.490 --> 01:07:56.950 Kirstin Rayner: No.
466 01:07:56.950 --> 01:07:59.940 Kirstin Rayner: Do you have any gas supply to the village?
467 01:08:00.130 --> 01:08:22.710 Kirstin Rayner: We do have gas supplied to the village. In fact, we were having specific issues with our gas through this last winter, where there was a gas leak in a nearby village, and we were getting very low levels of supply, which was causing significant problems, and we had to go to the emergency planning
468 01:08:22.899 --> 01:08:51.489 Kirstin Rayner: centre to make sure that those residents who were vulnerable were making sure that they still had enough heating and had enough gas, or had the ability to cook. So yes, there is gas in the village, but none of our community buildings are gas. So the Eco hub runs entirely from electricity. It's an electricity generator.
469 01:08:51.490 --> 01:08:59.079 Kirstin Rayner: It has now new battery, storage facility. So it's even more
470 01:08:59.180 --> 01:09:26.269 Kirstin Rayner: self sustaining than it was previously. And we're going the same way with the Methodist chapel now, trying to bring that building up to use. So yes, there is gas in the village. Quite a lot of residents still use gas. There's a mixture as well, but yes, majority of residential properties. Some are switching over to S or C. Pumps. Now, like, I say, I've got an S. Or C. Pump on the Methodist chapel.
471 01:09:26.279 --> 01:09:48.879 Kirstin Rayner: But yeah, yes, there is gas, but people are more worried now that the gas supply has been interrupted, and and it did cause. It was during a very cold snap in February. So issues were with regards supply and possibly thinking about other ways of heating your building, and that those issues have been raised.
472 01:09:49.880 --> 01:09:50.890 Cllr. Stuart Withington, Great Dunmow, Essex: Great. Thank you.
473 01:09:50.890 --> 01:09:51.710 Kirstin Rayner: Okay.
474 01:09:52.497 --> 01:09:53.849 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: On to David, please.
475 01:09:58.050 --> 01:09:58.600 David newman (Blackbird Leys): Yes!
476 01:10:00.830 --> 01:10:19.029 David newman (Blackbird Leys): How do you organize volunteers? Because it looks like you've talked about volunteers directly for the Parish Council Volunteers for particular policy volunteers who set up actual community organization. How does it all happen.
477 01:10:19.410 --> 01:10:29.130 Kirstin Rayner: How does it all happen? Well, it doesn't happen through the Parish Council. It happens by individuals sort of wanting to do things
478 01:10:29.992 --> 01:10:42.300 Kirstin Rayner: and trying to work out how they can do it, and coming to the Parish Council, saying, I want to do this thing. How can I do it? And then those discussions start.
479 01:10:42.743 --> 01:11:05.059 Kirstin Rayner: Quite. We have. It hasn't been easy, and working with volunteers is never easy. It sounds like I've got hundreds of volunteers all doing all these wonderful things, and it's been a struggle, and it will constantly be a struggle, and it will continue to be a struggle, because, you know people might want to do one thing, but they then don't want to commit.
480 01:11:05.120 --> 01:11:20.900 Kirstin Rayner: So the the volunteers that I have that have decided to commit are the ones that will make the effort. They will advertise. They're going to do a session at a particular time, and you'll just say to people, Come along once.
481 01:11:20.900 --> 01:11:36.910 Kirstin Rayner: If you don't like it, you don't have to come again. Have some training, some people. If you want to stay on. If you want to be involved again. Let me know. But I'm not going to hassle you, and that sort of arrangement has worked tremendously well. People haven't
482 01:11:37.030 --> 01:11:44.059 Kirstin Rayner: been scared off by saying, I must commit every Thursday for the rest of my life. Doing this particular task
483 01:11:44.300 --> 01:12:00.719 Kirstin Rayner: with the hedge. Laying is a particular example where a group has formed because it was the 1st group of people who got training formal training. So having the money to have a formal trainer to train those people was the starting point.
484 01:12:00.940 --> 01:12:22.050 Kirstin Rayner: You lose about a 3rd of people. But those the 2 thirds perhaps want to come back and demonstrate their skills. They've learned the next year, and then you invite people a lot more. Advertise that, and you invite more people along. And then that means that those other people get trained. They may not come back, but they might do. And if you do that process sort of
485 01:12:22.200 --> 01:12:25.020 Kirstin Rayner: 3, about 2 or 3 times.
486 01:12:25.420 --> 01:12:37.090 Kirstin Rayner: you end up getting a core group together that people really enjoy doing that on an annual basis. And that's what's happened with the hedge layers. I can't hold my hand up and say that I did that because
487 01:12:37.480 --> 01:13:02.779 Kirstin Rayner: I tried to get a hedge Lane group off the ground and I failed. But it involved somebody, an individual from the community doing it themselves, being supported by the Parish council that actually made that happen. And it's tough. But you do. Yeah, you do need resilient members of the community who really really want very passionate about something, and we're willing to give it a go.
488 01:13:03.580 --> 01:13:04.510 David newman (Blackbird Leys): And
489 01:13:04.770 --> 01:13:16.169 David newman (Blackbird Leys): is there any? You say they're supported by the Parish Council? Is there some sort of advice for people setting up groups or volunteers? Or do you do each case as they come.
490 01:13:16.170 --> 01:13:44.810 Kirstin Rayner: Yeah, it's each case they come. Sometimes it's things like, Oh, we need to produce a risk assessment. We don't know what we're doing. Or can you cover us on your insurance for a particular task or a particular event? Or is this we need 500 pounds of funding? Can you fund us to start the process. Can we get some tools together? Can you do this? Can you do that? And those are where that's where the Parish Council can help.
491 01:13:44.810 --> 01:14:07.500 Kirstin Rayner: And it's basically it depends on the group and what their needs are as to what the Parish Council can do for them. And if we can't help, we can try and find out who might be able to help. So if it's specialist training thereafter, then we can help research whether or not. There's any specialist training available. Wildlife Trust, for example, offers fantastic trainers.
492 01:14:07.510 --> 01:14:23.220 Kirstin Rayner: It's just about different organizations being put in touch with other people. To make sure you come up with something that is a sticking point. You're hoping that the the Parish Council can help move that forward.
493 01:14:24.640 --> 01:14:25.540 David newman (Blackbird Leys): Thank you.
494 01:14:26.720 --> 01:14:30.560 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Brilliant, very impressive. Kirsten Newby, please.
495 01:14:32.840 --> 01:14:55.439 Kirsten Newble Cambridge: Hi! There are so many questions I would like to ask you, because there are so many things that you've covered which has been brilliant. But 1st I want to see if I can help with something the local nature, recovery, strategy, form that you are battling with in terms of having different boxes, and that not working as your to facilitate your communication with the councillors.
496 01:14:55.600 --> 01:15:22.069 Kirsten Newble Cambridge: A different hat I wear. I've just joined as a trustee for natural Cambridgeshire, which is involved in the Lnrs. What would help you in terms of a form to to provide that feedback. So I know the consultations ongoing at the moment. If if you had a downloaded version that had all of the questions on it so that you could circulate it and then get those replies, and then pop them in online is that kind of thing useful.
497 01:15:22.070 --> 01:15:50.879 Kirstin Rayner: That's it. Yes. So there's no problem with natural. The Cambridge consultation, because what you've done online is you've made it possible to download the form so I can print it out. I can draft, fill in, and I can send it to councillors, and they can tell me whether or not I'm hitting the mark or not. So that works fine. So there's no issues, regards the consultation that's running currently with natural Cambridgeshire.
498 01:15:50.880 --> 01:16:14.750 Kirstin Rayner: But the issue is other higher tier authorities, very often with their consultations, just run an online survey consultation. And it's just not up to the job for parish councils. It's virtually impossible. And they wonder why that our sector doesn't engage. It's because it timescales wise.
499 01:16:14.750 --> 01:16:31.619 Kirstin Rayner: practical question. Wise. It's not accessible for parish councils as a whole town councils to respond to these things. you have to, you know. You have to have a clerk who's willing to spend the hours trying to download. All
500 01:16:31.620 --> 01:16:32.340 Kirstin Rayner: have to work it out.
501 01:16:32.340 --> 01:16:52.879 Kirstin Rayner: for, you know, and they're not. They haven't got the time to do it. If you make it easy, you're more likely to get responses from parish and town councils. But quite often these higher tier authorities do not think about it. They think an online form, is the answer. And obviously, if you're responding as a council, that is no good.
502 01:16:53.530 --> 01:17:14.020 Kirsten Newble Cambridge: Well, I'm very relieved to hear this particular one is okay. I misunderstood you earlier on. So that's good to know. But it's also useful going forward. May I very quickly ask a question? Then one of the list you mentioned about doing the carbon footprint of the Council, do you have a template, or a checklist, or something that you use as a starting point for.
503 01:17:14.020 --> 01:17:38.819 Kirstin Rayner: I do, I do. And that template originally came from Cambridgeshire County Council. So I've been quite, quite cruel, really, in some of my comments. But yes, they did start us on this journey, and it's a template that is produced before from them, and I've adapted it to match our Parish Council, and the things that we actually have within our remit, and what what we, what we.
504 01:17:38.940 --> 01:17:52.729 Kirstin Rayner: what energy we actually use. So yes, I'm happy to share that and talk through with other parish and town councils. If it's abuse you can adapt that model to to match what you you need effectively. Yeah.
505 01:17:53.080 --> 01:17:54.549 Kirsten Newble Cambridge: Brilliant. Thank you very much.
506 01:17:55.740 --> 01:17:58.160 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Good afternoon to Gillian. Please.
507 01:17:58.340 --> 01:18:09.190 Gillian Heath Duxford PC: Hello! Hello! And Kirsten, you're so impressive I can't believe how much gambling Gay has done. You're only about twice the size of Duxford, and
508 01:18:09.490 --> 01:18:24.159 Gillian Heath Duxford PC: I couldn't possibly do a 10.th I'm a parish councillor, but I can't imagine where all this effort comes from. Somebody is doing an awful lot, and it could be you so well done?
509 01:18:25.070 --> 01:18:30.159 Gillian Heath Duxford PC: One question I'd like to ask, do you have any protected road verges in the village?
510 01:18:30.160 --> 01:18:45.119 Kirstin Rayner: Yes, we do. I'm glad you've asked about that, and just Big shout out for you for advertising this session with the climate leaders. I do appreciate that you do doing that. Yes, so we have
511 01:18:45.554 --> 01:19:01.199 Kirstin Rayner: protected verges. We've got 2, I think there's 2 in gambling gate, one of which is being completely wrecked through housing development in the last 10 years, and also suffers quite badly from residents mowing it.
512 01:19:01.650 --> 01:19:25.550 Kirstin Rayner: So there is a question about whether or not, that is retained as a protected virtue going forward. So we're discussing with the Cambridge County Council about that. Currently the other one is quite a long way out of the village, and I'm not aware particularly why it's protected. I think there's a couple of different grasses in there.
513 01:19:25.981 --> 01:19:38.629 Kirstin Rayner: We are. We have been contacted by Cambridge County Council to review our verges because we're responsible for some verges on the outer regions of Gammon and Gay that we cut on the Cambridge County Council's behalf.
514 01:19:38.900 --> 01:20:03.289 Kirstin Rayner: So what we have said is, we're going to do a review next spring of those verges with my retired ecologist. If he's willing to do it and find out whether or not there is anything else that potentially might be of interest, because I'm sure there probably is. We were, had a huge amount of heathland. We were the only part of Cambridgeshire which has acidic grassland.
515 01:20:03.763 --> 01:20:10.409 Kirstin Rayner: environment, and heathland in Cambridgeshire. So the potential is that some of the verges out
516 01:20:10.660 --> 01:20:17.050 Kirstin Rayner: on the heath element may still have some kind of fore and floor, for
517 01:20:17.050 --> 01:20:41.719 Kirstin Rayner: that might be of interest. So I'm hoping that we can get out. And about next spring. But the question came from County Council in the last 3 weeks. So it's too late really to review those verges now. So what we could do as a parish, and what we're hoping to do next spring is to perhaps get out and about a bit more in the springtime. Just go and have a quick look to see if there's anything else that needs.
518 01:20:41.830 --> 01:20:44.709 Kirstin Rayner: Needs, perhaps some protection. And yes.
519 01:20:44.710 --> 01:20:51.620 Gillian Heath Duxford PC: One of our councillors has been. We've got 2. They're both very rural, so we haven't got the problem with neighbors mowing them.
520 01:20:51.620 --> 01:20:52.010 Kirstin Rayner: Right.
521 01:20:52.010 --> 01:21:17.849 Gillian Heath Duxford PC: The contractor that the county employs hasn't mowed them according to the plan it should be. They've been mowed when they shouldn't be. They haven't been mowed when they should be. I haven't been cleared, and we've already lost some grasses. We were going to take over the contract. One of my one of the councillors, Ian Walters, is very big on biodiversity, and he wrote the ducks the biodiversity strategy.
522 01:21:18.324 --> 01:21:33.329 Gillian Heath Duxford PC: And but he was liaising. There's there's a new woman. I can't remember her name a county and she said, give us one more chance. The problem seems to be with county monitoring their own contractors.
523 01:21:33.330 --> 01:21:33.960 Kirstin Rayner: Yes.
524 01:21:33.960 --> 01:21:39.109 Gillian Heath Duxford PC: They give them the right instructors, but the contractors just do what they like, anyway.
525 01:21:39.110 --> 01:21:39.880 Kirstin Rayner: Right.
526 01:21:39.880 --> 01:21:46.880 Gillian Heath Duxford PC: So I think I think we're gonna give them another 6 months and monitor and and then take it over if necessary.
527 01:21:46.880 --> 01:22:01.426 Kirstin Rayner: Yeah, okay, well, let's know how you get on with that. Actually, because, like, I said, we're gonna probably review the verges next spring. And I think potentially there may be some different practices that come out of that review.
528 01:22:01.790 --> 01:22:08.823 Gillian Heath Duxford PC: Be interesting. I'd like to keep in contact. I would very much like copies of, or to be
529 01:22:09.460 --> 01:22:09.970 Kirstin Rayner: So.
530 01:22:09.970 --> 01:22:13.929 Gillian Heath Duxford PC: Access to copies of everything that you you have mentioned.
531 01:22:15.780 --> 01:22:32.610 Gillian Heath Duxford PC: You know, if we can use you as a model. Duxford doesn't have a neighborhood plan. It doesn't have a local plan. We have no plans to write one which I quite extraordinary. But apparently the feeling in Ducksford Parish Council is that there's no point, anyway. So
532 01:22:33.160 --> 01:22:35.680 Gillian Heath Duxford PC: be quite interested on your view of that.
533 01:22:35.680 --> 01:23:02.490 Kirstin Rayner: Yeah, I mean, issue with neighbourhoods. Plans now is unfortunately, the supporting grants that are available from central government have now been removed. So it makes any community who hasn't got a neighbourhood plan, who wants to do one even more difficult than it was before, which is such a shame and very short sighted, unfortunately, but it's about communities and
534 01:23:02.490 --> 01:23:16.329 Kirstin Rayner: parishes taking responsibility for their own environment. And if that involves getting involved with land use policies, which is what a neighbourhood plan does, then it's a method by which you can
535 01:23:16.763 --> 01:23:36.259 Kirstin Rayner: so, and obviously, with the increasing responsibilities on biodiversity, there's an even bigger area where you can possibly make have an impact through a neighborhood plan. So yeah, I would. Yeah, I can't say that it's an easy process. 7 years is a long time.
536 01:23:36.664 --> 01:23:52.429 Kirstin Rayner: So I wouldn't say that I would recommend it at the moment, because there's no funding, but certainly I certainly I think it's the way forward, but the money has to be there to support local communities, to do them.
537 01:23:52.760 --> 01:23:54.980 Gillian Heath Duxford PC: So. Thank you. Thank you very, very much.
538 01:23:54.980 --> 01:23:56.000 Kirstin Rayner: No problem.
539 01:23:58.430 --> 01:24:02.000 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Okay and on, please to Judith.
540 01:24:06.160 --> 01:24:24.099 Judith Robinson: Hello! It's delightful to hear that some councils really do work. So thank you for that. I used to live in Henlo, so it's so so glad to hear about gambling day I have a question about did you say you've got community orchards.
541 01:24:24.450 --> 01:24:25.910 Kirstin Rayner: Yes, yes.
542 01:24:26.420 --> 01:24:30.310 Judith Robinson: And what do you do with the fruit thereof?
543 01:24:30.500 --> 01:24:39.220 Kirstin Rayner: Okay, so you'll be able to watch back my presentation. I won't share my screen again, but on one of the pages is a picture of the Food Bank.
544 01:24:39.820 --> 01:24:40.190 Judith Robinson: Oh!
545 01:24:40.370 --> 01:24:54.739 Kirstin Rayner: And there's a picture of the apples that were pictured in the community orchard at the food bank. So yes, they are distributed via the food bank, or they're left outside the Food Bank, in fact, for people to help themselves.
546 01:24:54.790 --> 01:25:12.359 Kirstin Rayner: We did give some apples when we have a big crop to neighbouring towns. Some of them do make cider, and also they've been gifted to other food banks in the local area.
547 01:25:12.360 --> 01:25:32.060 Kirstin Rayner: We haven't had. Well, we did have a reasonable crop, but the delightful children of gambling have had a bit of an apple fight. Unfortunately, in the last week or so so, we have less than perhaps we should have had this year. But that's all part of having a community orchard, I suppose.
548 01:25:32.830 --> 01:25:51.169 Judith Robinson: I just wanted to share something that comes from Germany, from my German friend, who said that the Council grows every tree, almost every tree in the town actually is some kind of a fruit tree, and in the autumn
549 01:25:51.170 --> 01:26:06.740 Judith Robinson: they come around and you can bid for a tree or €1, or something like that. Helmut always gets 2 or 3, and he makes cider he makes. There's, I think, the community has an fruit dryer.
550 01:26:07.160 --> 01:26:07.570 Kirstin Rayner: See.
551 01:26:07.570 --> 01:26:19.680 Judith Robinson: You can borrow that for driving, so he does several things with schnaps, of course, being one of them. So it's just a suggestion. If you wanted to to do that.
552 01:26:19.680 --> 01:26:31.881 Kirstin Rayner: Yeah, yeah, well, it's certainly. But yeah, again. So if I had, I had your your husband in my in my, you know, you know that that's what I'm asking him to do for me?
553 01:26:32.220 --> 01:26:36.579 Kirstin Rayner: That's right. Yes, it's a long way from Germany.
554 01:26:37.310 --> 01:26:41.420 Judith Robinson: Anyway, I just thought I thought it was such a good idea. I do tell people about it.
555 01:26:41.420 --> 01:26:42.710 Kirstin Rayner: Yes, lovely. Thank you.
556 01:26:42.710 --> 01:26:43.610 Judith Robinson: Thank you.
557 01:26:44.110 --> 01:27:07.740 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: One last question for me, Kirsten, before we move on to David, which is trying to catch people before they leave. I promised that I would ask people if they would like a specific topic gone into in more detail by you, because there was so much there, and I thought it was brilliant. But if people wanted to have another session with you, would they please let us know in the chat?
558 01:27:09.440 --> 01:27:13.249 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Yes, the the subject they'd like to discuss, and I think
559 01:27:13.830 --> 01:27:18.189 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: because it's been a magical session. Thank you, and met to David.
560 01:27:22.570 --> 01:27:23.200 David newman (Blackbird Leys): Yes,
561 01:27:24.300 --> 01:27:32.510 David newman (Blackbird Leys): don't need an answer right now. But, like Graham, I'd like to find out more about how you manage policies and so on.
562 01:27:32.650 --> 01:27:37.740 David newman (Blackbird Leys): because we are actually doing a neighborhood plan right now.
563 01:27:37.740 --> 01:27:38.120 Kirstin Rayner: Okay.
564 01:27:38.120 --> 01:27:39.920 David newman (Blackbird Leys): We've put aside
565 01:27:40.640 --> 01:27:52.629 David newman (Blackbird Leys): a maximum of 18,000 of our 63,000 pounds sill money, because we can no longer get that much money from central government as a deprived area.
566 01:27:52.630 --> 01:27:53.460 Kirstin Rayner: No.
567 01:27:53.460 --> 01:27:54.470 David newman (Blackbird Leys): And
568 01:27:56.750 --> 01:28:13.730 David newman (Blackbird Leys): it looks like we don't quite have it organised well, because our clerk is insisting every single step we want has to go to the next Parish Council meeting to be approved, and we probably need a better system. Something like the things you were talking about.
569 01:28:13.880 --> 01:28:19.870 Kirstin Rayner: Okay, yeah. So I had a terms of reference for the Neighborhood Plan group.
570 01:28:20.160 --> 01:28:26.480 Kirstin Rayner: And they basically had representatives from the Parish Council on that group.
571 01:28:26.690 --> 01:28:33.370 Kirstin Rayner: and then obviously, they then had responsibilities passed down to them.
572 01:28:33.914 --> 01:28:38.559 Kirstin Rayner: Me! As Clark was secretary to the Neighbourhood Plan group
573 01:28:38.560 --> 01:29:06.060 Kirstin Rayner: so effectively, I was able to take minutes and notes of the meetings and relay information to the Parish Council as and when it was necessary. So it was a communication role. And also because of my background in town planning, I'm also been able to support the group. So that's how it worked. Obviously I had to be allotted some extra hours
574 01:29:06.060 --> 01:29:17.659 Kirstin Rayner: in my job to do that, and the Parish Council supported me in that. So that's how we we were structured. If you like to run the neighbourhood plan.
575 01:29:17.710 --> 01:29:39.500 Kirstin Rayner: but it's like you say the majority of it does fall onto volunteers, and there's a lot for them to cope with. But communication between the group and the Parish Council is quite key. And I took on that role and responsibility. So that's how that's how it worked for gambling. Gay.
576 01:29:41.500 --> 01:29:42.820 David newman (Blackbird Leys): Okay. Thanks.
577 01:29:43.130 --> 01:29:44.070 Kirstin Rayner: With me.
578 01:29:44.270 --> 01:29:56.370 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Right. Well, Kirsten, you've done a wonderful job of overrunning by a huge amount, but it's been tremendous, a very popular and a very talented presentation. Thank you.
579 01:29:56.750 --> 01:29:58.989 Kirstin Rayner: Thanks very much. Thanks for listening everybody.
580 01:29:58.990 --> 01:30:02.835 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: And the the penalty for this is, you're bound to be asked again. So.
581 01:30:03.549 --> 01:30:03.990 Kirstin Rayner: Okay.
582 01:30:03.990 --> 01:30:10.149 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Congratulations. I would cheerfully announce what we're going to discuss next week if I had the slightest idea. But I don't yet.
583 01:30:10.385 --> 01:30:10.620 Gillian Heath Duxford PC: So.
584 01:30:10.620 --> 01:30:24.880 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: So it'll all be a great surprise, and all the fun is in the anticipation. Isn't it so? Thank you all so much. I hope it was useful, and we'll publish the results and all of Kirsten's documents for the world to see in the future.
585 01:30:25.010 --> 01:30:35.429 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: I think you're going to be our go-to site for everything. So thank you so much, Kirsten brilliantly. Thank you all for showing up. Appreciate your time, and see you next time. Bye, bye.
Markdown of Kirstin's presentation for AI search engine:
# Biodiversity and Planning – Gamlingay
**A parish council approach in South Cambridgeshire**
**Presented by:** Kirstin Rayner, Gamlingay Parish Council
**Date:** 06/08/2025
---
## Contents
1. Introduction – Parish Planning
2. High Level Planning
3. Low Level Planning: Policies and Action Plans
4. Actions, Events, and Project Work
---
## 1. Introduction
**About Gamlingay:**
- **Location:** South Cambridgeshire
- **Population:** Approx. 4,000 residents
- **Character:** Rural large village with hamlets
- **Council Size:** 15 councillors
- **Precept:** £238,000
- **Staff:** 5 part-time staff
- **Assets & Responsibilities:**
- 2 open cemeteries
- 2 community buildings
- Library
- Open spaces including Cinques Common & Millbridge Brook Meadows
- 2 closed cemeteries
**Staff Team:**
- Kirstin Rayner – Parish Clerk (P/T)
- Leanne Bacon – Parish Clerk & RFO (P/T)
- Kate Laugharne – Library Manager & Eco Hub Manager (P/T)
- Keith Woolcott – Groundsman/Handyman (P/T)
---
## 2. High Level Planning
### a. Key Strategies & Plans
- **Neighbourhood Plan (2022)**
- **Village Design Guide (2021)**
- **Draft Biodiversity Audit (2025)**
- **Climate Action Plan (2022–2025)**
### b. External Influences
- **National Projects:**
- East West Rail
- New water infrastructure
- Tempsford Station & new town
- **Combined Authority (Mayor):** Climate and transport policies
- **County Council:** Net Zero Cambridgeshire 2045
- **Greater Cambridge Partnership:** Active travel, greenways
- **District Council:** Planning, BNG, Doubling Nature Strategy (2021)
- **Nature Recovery Strategy:** Out for consultation (closes 10 Sept 2025)
### c. Neighbourhood Plan & Design Guide
- **Community Concerns:**
- Lack of protection in Local Plan
- Cross-boundary issues
- **Response:**
- Volunteer group and Parish Clerk created 10 policies
- Protected rural character, views, connectivity
- GAM8 (footpaths/cycleways), GAM3 (hamlet separation), SSSI buffer
- **Monitoring:**
- Annual policy impact review
- GPC reports & planning for 2027/8 update
### d. Draft Biodiversity Audit (2025)
**Resident Concerns:**
- Open space improvements
- Streamside renewal
- Biodiversity mapping
- Citizen science
**Community Actions:**
- Community orchards
- Tiny Forest (500 trees)
- Hedge laying, scything
- Riverfly monitoring
- Wildflower actions
- Swift boxes
**Next Steps:**
- Landowner/resident consultation
- Connectivity with other parishes
- Contribute to Nature Recovery Strategy and BNG planning
- Feed into GPC Environment Action Plan
---
## 3. Low Level Planning (Annual)
### a. Reports and Policies
- Biodiversity Duty Report (2024)
- Carbon Footprint Calculations (2019–2024)
- Energy savings analysis (e.g. single glazing upgrade)
- Land acquisition and disposal (2025)
### b. Carbon Footprint Measurement
**Areas Measured:**
- Electricity, water, waste treatment in council buildings
- Travel, commuting, homeworking
- Procurement of goods/services over £500
- Equipment use (e.g. mowing)
- Waste volumes
**Outcomes:**
- 2019: 4.4 tonnes CO₂
- 2024: –10 tonnes CO₂
- Tree planting contributes 20g CO₂ saved/tree
**Goals for 2025:**
- Generate more electricity
- Improve energy efficiency of buildings (OMC)
### c. Working Practices
**Annual Reviews:**
- Policy consultation meeting
- Policy allocation to councillors
- Review and integrate amendments
- Chair/vice-chair-led working practice reviews
**Action Planning Cycle:**
1. Summer – Review current plan
2. Autumn – Public consultation (Village Show)
3. Winter – Formal review and budget alignment
4. Spring – Publish updated plan
---
## 4. Actions, Events, and Project Work
### a. Current Projects
- Food Bank
- Scything and haymaking
- Brook restoration
- Hedge laying
- Community orchard
### b. Community Initiatives
- Allotments (Long Lane, managed by GAGA)
- Primary School kitchen garden
- Repair Café
- Bioblitz (June 2025), Butterfly Count (Aug 2025)
- Gamlingay Wildlife Gardens
- Climate Action Gamlingay
### c. Major Community Buildings
#### The Old Methodist Chapel
- **2025 Works:**
- Insulation, solar tiles, battery installation
- **Funding:**
- £7.5k (GCT grant)
- £35k (s.106)
- GPC reserves
- **Future Plans:**
- Double-glazed sash windows (conservation area)
- Refurbishment & energy efficiency upgrades
#### The Eco Hub (2012)
- Multipurpose community facility run by charity GCC Ltd
#### Community Wind Turbine (2014)
- Run by GCT Ltd for local environmental project support
#### The Food Bank (2021)
- Run by Baptist & C of E churches and volunteers
#### Long Lane Allotments (2014)
- Includes: community orchard, wild meadow, sheds, composting toilet, car park, water system
#### St Mary’s Field Cemetery (2015)
- Former Tithe Barn field, developed and maintained by GPC
---
## Volunteer and Community Action
**Groups & Initiatives:**
- Church-led food redistribution
- Climate Action Gamlingay & Hatley – eco events & planning
- Friends of Millbridge Meadows – practical maintenance
- Scything and haymaking group
- Hedge laying group – led by retired ecologist
**Impact:**
- Land and funds from housing development (s.106) enabled environmental projects
- Volunteer-led maintenance ensures sustainability
**Challenges Ahead:**
- Maintain volunteer engagement
- Develop medium-term maintenance plans
---
## Contact
**Email:** [email protected]
**Website:** [www.gamlingay-pc.gov.uk](http://www.gamlingay-pc.gov.uk)
**Facebook:** [Gamlingay Parish Council](https://en-gb.facebook.com/Gamlingayparishcouncil/)
---
> “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”
> — Walt DisneyLast updated