Latest minutes of Old Buckenham parish council meeting

January parish council meeting
These notes have been written by the blog editor  from the draft minutes and so may contain information that is changed at a later date.
Several parish councillors were unable to attend the monthly meeting on Thursday 8 January. Apologies had been received from John Frost, Tim Ing, Derek Smalley, Sarah Dye and Akis Chrisoviledes. Stephen Askew (Norfolk County Council councillor) was at the meeting as well as five members of the public. Paul Boggia declared an interest in one planning application.
The meeting was closed for a short recess to allow members of the public to speak.
Minutes of December Parish Council meeting. These were signed as a true and accurate record of the meeting.
Matters arising from the minutes. Adrian Joel asked if there was any update on Chapel Road School. Steve Milner said there was no update but the school have offered a tour of their premises with five councillors able to attend.
Issues and options document for a local plan. Steve Milner explained that the local plan is being produced by Breckland Council and in the plan there are ninety questions. He then asked for councillors’ views on the document he had drafted answering questions which were relevant to Old Buckenham. After a full discussion and some amendments it was proposed by Tom Johnson that the document be adopted as Parish Council’s response to Breckland Council’s Local Plan Issues and Options Consultation Document, this was seconded by Paul Boggia and agreed with 5 for and 1 abstention.
Neighbourhood Plan. Steve Milner said that at a recent Annual Parish Meeting residents expressed the view that there was no need for a Neighbourhood Plan for Old Buckenham but perhaps now it was time to look at the matter again. He said that three important questions needed to be answered. At a recent meeting he believed there was no great enthusiasm for a Neighbourhood Plan but investigations should be carried out as to the cost of producing one, the time scale it would take to complete, who would have to be involved and the need to look at the cost benefit of such a plan. At the Annual Parish Meeting these facts could be put to residents and their views sought before a final decision is made after the local elections in May. Adrian Joel said Breckland representatives could attend meetings with residents and the Parish Council. He felt that the Parish Council should provide funds for preliminary meetings. Steve Milner proposed setting up a working party with Jonathan Kemp as Chairman to develop a presentation for the Annual Parish Meeting in March to obtain residents' views. This was agreed unanimously. Tom Johnson thanked Mike Bartlett for arranging for the recent meeting.
Flashing speed signs. Steve Milner proposed that the Parish Council obtain two 20mph flashing speed signs at a cost of £3,147.52 and this was agreed unanimously. The Parish Clerk is to arrange. Steve Milner also proposed that the Parish Council submit a bid under the 50/50 Partnership Scheme of 2015/16 for a SAM2 speed sign, this too was agreed unanimously.
Village Hall car park. Steve Milner reported it is an ongoing situation and further options are being investigated for additional parking spaces.
Scotties Little Heroes. It was agreed that £250 be donated to a charity of Mr Hicks choice in lieu of any payment made to him for all his work on maintaining the Play Area.
Planning applications. Waterworks House, Abbey Road. Extensions and associated alterations. There were no objections from the parish council.
Land at corner of Crown Road and Grove Road. Erection of two timber-clad holiday cabins for bed and breakfast. The Parish Clerk is to get an extension of time for comments to be made.
Planning decisions received from Breckland. Barns adjacent to Amberly, The Green. Minor material amendment in respect of amended scheme. Permission granted.
Old Buckenham Airfield. Insertion of new caretaker’s flat into existing vacant office/workshop space. Permission granted.
Whitehands Farm, Stacksford. Conversion of barn for holiday accommodation. Permission granted.
Chairman’s report. Steve Milner said there was a planned meeting with Chapel Road School. The Community Initiative 365 project has started with a team of residents taking one picture a day in the village throughout 2015. Any residents wishing to join the scheme should contact him. He had attended a meeting with the Junior School on road safety. One idea was a poster scheme and the children would have the opportunity to design a poster. A seminar will be held on the Old Buckenham Facebook page to inform residents how best to use Facebook.
District Councillor’s report. Adrian Joel reported on policy changes from November 2014 regarding affordable homes and contributions towards recreation facilities for new properties. Affordable homes are now only applicable on ten or more houses. There has been a change to black bin recycling with gift wrapping paper (excluding sticky tape) and greeting cards now allowed. Breckland have now agreed to move forward with their development growth programme and set up a ‘Local Asset Back Vehicle’. Breckland will partner with a private investor where Breckland will supply their land and the partner will provide cash investment and initially three projects will be delivered – a hotel/cinema complex in Thetford Riverside and two house building projects. The Breckland 2015/16 central government grant funding has been confirmed as being 15.1% lower than 2014/15 with Breckland set to receive £6.38m to support local services, down from £7.52m in 2014/15. Despite this Breckland has reiterated its pledge to protect local services and freeze the council tax.
Parish Councillors’ reports. Carol Marshall said application details for Almshouse tenancies are available in the village shop. Three of the almshouses will be available from May 2015 onwards. Adrian Joel asked if the Parish Clerk could write to resident regarding his hedge which is causing an obstruction. The Village Hall will be having film shows on Friday 6 February and Friday 20th March.
Highways. Tom Johnson said that water gathers at the junction of Grove Road and Mill Road and in cold temperatures it turns to ice. He feels the gulley in Mill Road may be blocked. The Parish Clerk to speak to Highways. A letter has been received from a resident regarding school buses in Old Buckenham, the Parish Clerk to contact the County Council on this matter.
The Green. The Parish Clerk read out an email from the NCC Highways Engineer on items that had been reported but were actually responsibility of the Green Right Proprietors. The Parish Clerk said that he would forward this email to the Green Right Proprietors. Estimates for resurfacing the car parking by the play area outside the Ox and Plough are being obtained. Adrian Joel asked when the AGM of the Green Right Proprietors was being held.

The next meeting of the Old Buckenham Parish Council will be held on Thursday 5 February in the Village Hall starting at 7.30pm.