Parish Council report

November Parish Council
These notes of the parish council meetings are prepared by the editor of the village newsletter from the draft minutes and so may contain information that is amended later at the next month's meeting.
If you wish to read the full, unedited minutes, then they are posted on the notice board outside the village shop prior to the next parish council meeting.
Councillors present were Norman Cawston (Chairman), Tim Ing (Vice-chairman), Mike Craven-Romain, Trevor Crook, Adrian Joel, Carol Marshall, Gerald Norton, Kerry Talbot, Liz Taylor and James Watling (Parish Clerk).
Apologies were received from Stephen Thorley and there were six members of the public also present.
Matters arising from the October minutes. Adrian Joel asked if final details had been received from Trell & Co regarding the footpath costs. The Parish Clerk said he had a final invoice from Trell and this had been paid in full and according to Trell & Co the Parish Council had no further liabilities. Adrian Joel then raised the matter of the drainage works along Crown Road. Councillors expressed their views and raised points on the matter. It was finally agreed that the whole matter needed further discussion and it was agreed to discuss the matter in the public recess section of the meeting.
Adrian Joel said that the figure given as the church donation of £600 was incorrect, the actual donation amount from the Church was £840.14. The Parish Clerk will write to the Church and thank them for the donation.
Minutes of the Precept meeting in October. These were signed as a true and accurate record of the meeting.
Matters arising from Precept minutes. Adrian Joel said he had been asked by Stephen Thorley to raise the matter of Council Fund Balance at year end. According to the September Bank Reconciliation it was stated that £14,000 would be Fund Balance yet the Parish Clerk said at Precept Meeting it would be £11,000. The Parish Clerk said the Parish Council may wish to allocate further Specific Reserves before the end of the year to reduce Fund Balance.
The Green. Tim Ing had attended the Green Rights Meeting and the Probation Service is going to arrange manpower for the tidying up of the Green. Tim Ing stated that the Green is in the best condition it has been for years. The ditches at the Gamekeeper have been drained and the water runs freely now. There are possible problems further down the line and it was suggested that the residents concerned with the problem sort the matter out between themselves. It was also pointed out that the Ox and Plough had not paid for their benches to be sited on the Green for the past two years. The AGM of the Green Rights Committee is on Tuesday 23 February. Tim Ing also reported that the Old Buckenham 2000 Trust had awarded the Parish Council a grant of £380 for two benches for the Green. He had put forward possible sites for the benches at the meeting and no objections to his suggestions were raised.
Planning. There were no applications to discuss and no planning decisions notified.
District Councillor’s report. Adrian Joel informed the meeting that Attleborough Town Council had asked Breckland to look at car parking charging in the town. A meeting has been arranged and presentations had been made by interested parties and the public had spoken on the matter. The UEA are to do a survey on car park usage and a further meeting was to be held in mid-November at Attleborough Town Hall. Cotman Housing Association’s bid for funding had not been successful but another bid could be submitted in the next couple of weeks. The Association is hoping to be successful and to be able to start the new units in the New Year. Breckland have launched a web site where people on the housing list are now able to see what houses are available and can express their interest in the property. An application has been made by Old Buckenham Cricket Club to Breckland for a match funding grant of £3,000 towards new double nets. Also a welcome home parade will take place on Friday 4 December for the Light Dragoons in Dereham where 200 soldiers of the Regiment will take part accompanied by the Parachute Regiment Band. The parade starts at 11am.
Parish Councillors’ reports. Adrian Joel had received a letter from BT offering the Parish Council the opportunity to adopt the red telephone kiosk in the village once the telephone is removed. The item is to be put on the December meeting agenda. Gerald Norton informed the meeting that the Village Hall Committee had met and intended to start the kitchen refurbishment in February. The question of the car park of the village hall was raised as it is getting the worse for wear. The Parish Clerk to write to Norfolk County Council and see if they are prepared to pay towards the repair as parents using the school use the car park to drop off their children. Carol Marshall said the Old Buckenham 2000 Trust had given a grant of £1,000 to the recreation area for six picnic tables and towards fencing. Kerry Talbot informed the meeting that the Just Play project was still awaiting decision from Community Spaces. They had also had a meeting with Playdale who will put into place the final drawings for the project. The area itself had been levelled and large boulders removed and she thanked all the volunteers who had helped in the clearing of the area despite having to work in torrential rain. She also expressed thanks to Miah Tonkin, John Frost, Norman Cawston and Stephen Askew who all gave up time to make the area ready for seeding.
Clerk’s report. The Parish Clerk said he would produce a Health & Safety policy document for the Parish Council and hoped it would be ready for adoption at the January meeting.
Highways. Kerry Talbot said the speed limit signs on Crown Road were round the wrong way. Also that on the flashing speed signs on the approaches from both Attleborough and New Buckenham, the 30 flashing speed sign does not work. The Parish Clerk to contact Highways on the matter.
The next meeting of Old Buckenham Parish Council will be on Thursday 3 December in the Village Hall starting at 7.30pm.