Old Buckenham Parish Council
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.
Old Buckenham Parish Council met on Thursday 11 April at
Old Buckenham Methodist Chapel. Councillors present were Naomi Bailey(Chair), Leslie
Evison, Pete Twissell, Stan Burton, Steve Gowers, David Taylor, Doug Irons and
Ali McWilliam. Also attending were Jonn Hicks (Clerk) and six members of the public.
The minutes of the meeting held Thursday 7 March were approved
(7 in favour 1 abstain).
Financial matters. The Precept payment from Breckland was
£11,420.50 which brought the Community Account balance to £30,481.66. Payments of
£4093.71 were approved (8 in favour). These included £201.65 to the community
car drivers, £100 for grass cutting and £311.61 for membership of the National
Association of Local Councils.
Also included were the Precept Grants that had been
paid:
Old Buckenham Village Hall £1000
Old Buckenham Primary School Family Association £250
Old Buckenham Primary School Family Association Preloved
£200
Monday Mardle £125
Almshouse Trust £500
Fawns £250
R.O.B.S (?) £250
Windmill Trust £500
Two Wheel Tuesday. David Tranmer has acquired the
materials to make good the areas of the Green which were damaged during last
year’s events.
Councillor reports. Ali McWilliam reported that the
allotments are beginning to come to life and looking very tidy. She said the
drainage ditch inside the perimeter needs clearing and the Clerk is to write to
the land owner to request this is undertaken sooner rather than later.
Pete Twissell has removed a section of the new hedging
on the Recreation Area to allow access for a tractor and has replanted the
removed saplings on the footpath side of the field. He also reported that the Village
Hall committee would like to meet with the Parish Council during May. He had also
spoken to the Village Hall Committee regarding the use of their car park when Two
Wheel Tuesday is taking place. Their committee was not opposed but will need to
check that the hall is not in use on those nights so that is no conflict of use.
The Clerk to suggest to David Tranmer that he makes a donation to the hall at
the end of each season as a goodwill gesture.
Steve Gower reported that he has gained another two
volunteers for the community Speedwatch group. Also that the batteries for the
SAM Sign need replacing and that they available from Westcote at £86 each. The
Clerk to investigate if can get them for a better price through his employer.
David Taylor asked about overgrown footpath from the Country
Park to New Buckenham. The Clerk advised that this was not a Parish Council
issue but it was the responsibility of the land owners who have a duty to
ensure they are accessible to walkers.
Naomi Bailey has had correspondence with the ‘owners’ of
the bench that has been flooded by the waters in Ottomer Pond and the bench
base concerns which will be reviewed when it is safe to do so. Following a
meeting with Highways she now has written correspondence that Highways are not
responsible for the ditch, roadway or pathway leading up to the Primary school.
Should anybody wish to clear a ditch on their property and they have been told
by Highways they are not allowed to, this is wrong. They are in fact allowed to.
Highways do not have the budget to clear every ditch in Norfolk and are
grateful for the help from residents. Also Naomi Bailey reported that she, Leslie Evison and
the Clerk had a meeting with the Highways Engineer at NCC who has ensured
everyone that Old Buckenham is on the list for drainage and ditch clearing as
well as pot hole repairs but also pointed out that due to the severe weather
this winter they are rather busy but he will chase contactors. They also
pointed out that the new steps they fitted at Manor Corner were rather a poor
effort considering the cost of the project. The Clerk informed him that the Parish
Council felt let down with the quality of the steps and the work involved.
The Clerk will attend a meeting at County Hall with the Planning
Inspectorate regarding the flooding situation caused by the infilling of the
ditch at West View Farm.
The Chair and the Clerk received a letter from MP George
Freeman asking to attend a meeting for which he has been formally invited (the
monthly surgery in May).
Action Log updates. Doug Irons and Steve Gowers gave all
members a run through of the electronic version of the action log and also asked
all members to keep this updated so that the Parish Council can report to the village each month what has been done and what is still needed.
Planning applications. Access from the west on to
Buckenham Road. Widening and enhancements to the existing agricultural access
to create a temporary construction access onto Buckenham Road (3PL/2024/0285/F).
Supported by the Parish Council (8 in favour).
Development Plot at Poplar Farm, Fen Road NR17 1NP.
Demolition of existing building (with extant permission to convert to a
dwelling) and the erection of New Single Dwelling and Cartlodge, and Change of
Use of Agricultural Land to Domestic Curtilage (Revised Scheme) 3PL/2020/1009/F.
Supported by the Parish Council (8 in favour).
Other business. Stan Burton and Pete Twissell reported
that only two members of the public attended the Surgery on Saturday 30 March but
this was a bank holiday weekend so perhaps people had other plans.
(Steve Gowers departed the meeting)
Items for next agenda. These will include flooding update,
the burial ground, allotment security and the Local Plan.
The next Parish Council meeting will be on Thursday 2
May starting at 7.30pm at Old Buckenham Methodist Chapel.
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