Old Buckenham's future local parking

Future parking in Attleborough

Breckland District Council is proposing to start charging for all the car parks that it owns in the market towns in about twelve months time. The proposals were prepared for them by outside consultants and were approved by the council in July and will soon go out for public comment. The editor of this blog has been reading through the consultants’ report and even watched the proceedings of the Breckland Council’s meeting when these proposals were passed by members. 

The following is his attempt to summarise what he thinks it all means.

The towns involved are Dereham, Swaffham, Thetford, Watton and Attleborough. Breckland Council reckons that it owns thirty car parks and that three of them are in Atteborough. It also says that running all these car parks costs it around £450,000 to maintain them. The proposal is that in future each market town will have one car park offering the first hour's parking for free, with tariffs between 50p and £1 for the first chargeable hour across the district. 

For Attleborough the suggested prices are a charging period 8am and 6pm Monday to Saturday with Sunday parking charged at a fixed rate (suitable to each town). No evening charges (after 6pm). Cost for Attleborough would be one hour 60p, two hours £1, three hours £1.40, four hours £1.80 and all day £3. For all day on Sunday and Bank Holidays there would be a fixed rate of £1. These charges would apply to all Blue Badge holders and also to those charging their electric cars in the car park. The paying method suggested would be contactless at new on-site solar-powered terminals. Local retail outlets with Pay Point systems can also accept cash payments for parking services for those who rely on cash to pay for goods and services. At present Attleborough has a very popular car park in Queen’s Road where people can stay for up to three hours (and no longer) without payment. Exceed three hours and you are fined. This allows time to go round the shops or visit one of the cafes. An hour of free parking is hardly enough to enjoy a good cup of coffee.

At the moment we don’t know various other factors. How much were the consultants paid to produce their report? How expensive will it be to fit the new solar-powered payment machines to the car park? What does Attleborough Town Council think about their present scheme being abandoned? How happy are the local shops with the idea? Will it always be possible to find a parking space in Queens Square or will lots of people pay their £3 and then get a bus off to Norwich or Thetford? Only time will tell.

Old Buckenham event in 2025

 Famous people next year

Unfortunately it has been necessary to cancel this year’s Flower Festival which normally takes place in the Methodist Chapel during the August Bank holiday weekend. Apologies to those who have already put in lots of work into your proposed displays but they will be keeping the same title “Famous British People” for next year. There shouldn’t be the same problems in 2025 so please put that August Bank holiday weekend in your diary.

Latest Old Buckenham minutes

Parish Council deliberations in July

The following notes were written by the blog editor from the draft minutes and so may contain information that is amended at a later date.

Old Buckenham Parish Council met at 7.30pm on Thursday 4 July at Old Buckenham Methodist Chapel. Those present were councillors Naomi Bailey (Chair), Lesley Evison, Pete Twissell, Stan Burton and Ali McWilliam. David Taylor arrived at 9.30pm. Apologies had been received from Doug Irons and Steve Gowers. Also in attendance were Jonn Hicks (Clerk) and four members of the public. The minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 6 June were approved (5 in favour 2 abstain). 

Financial matters. The Community account balance now stands at £21,388.39. Payments of £528.45 were approved (5 in favour) which consisted of Community car drivers £153,30, grass cutting £150 and Parish Clerk salary £225.15.

Councillors’ reports. Naomi Bailey reported that she had numerous complaints from various residents because of the volume of cars parked around the Green during the recent TWT event. David Tranmer of the Ox and Plough was invited to attend this meeting but sent message to say he was unable to attend but also asked for payment for the event to be held off for a couple of weeks due to the recent poor weather. This was rejected by the Parish Council and so the Clerk will speak to him and insist on payment. Clerk reported that he has delivery coming for the cones and barriers and will erect them on the next TWT if the weather is ok for the event to go ahead.

The Clerk also has taken delivery of the new batteries for the SAM sign and will deliver them to Steve Gowers. Pete Twissell told the Parish Council that the damage on the Green caused by TWT has begun but thinks this should be put on hold until this year’s events have ceased. The Parish Council all agreed but insisted that this must be done in November.

Naomi Bailey said that she had a phone call from a resident asking to fell a tree on his land. The Clerk informed her that she must tell the resident to speak to the Breckland Tree officer as this tree will have a Tree Protection Order attached and therefore requires permission from them before any works can be carried out.

Ali McWilliam had called an allotment holders meeting but only three turned up so will try again. Also reports that there is a small parking issue at the allotments but holders will strim and cut grass to relieve problem. Lesley Evison said that a couple of branches will be removed from tree by the High School due to them blocking the footpath and a couple of residents having problems using it on mobility scooters. Stan Burton has looked at Ottomer Pond for the overflow pipe again but the water level is still too high to find it

Action Log update. None 

Planning updates. 48 Fen Street. Proposed removal of rear conservatory, rear single storey extension & porch. Conversion of attached garage. Proposed rear extension, and re-building porch (3PL/2024/0525/HOU). There were no objections from the Parish Council (5 in favour),

The Kenyons, The Green. Front Garden Wall (3PL/2024/0499/LU). There was a lack of information on this application and it was not supported (4 in favour, 1 abstain). It now appears to have been withdrawn.

Saturday Surgery. A couple of residents attended and pointed out the footpath on Raggs Lane was very overgrown. Lesley Evison will walk it and inspect and then report to the Clerk. The Clerk will then speak to Breckland to find out when the Rangers are next in village and will ask them to tidy.

Other business. Naomi Bailey said that a few residents had complained on social media that the Annual Parish Meeting was not advertised. The Clerk pointed out that it was in the village newsletter editorial and was also included in the diary dates. Ali McWilliam pointed out that all personnel must be aware of what is posted on social media and to think before posting or commenting on posts. The Clerk said that the post she refers to was on a personal page and that if it is copied and pasted to another page it's often taken out of context. 

The next Parish Council meeting will on Thursday 8 August at 7.30pm in Old Buckenham Village Hall.

Meeting venue now changed to Methodist Chapel

Activity at Old Buckenham church

 All Saints this weekend

The last couple of days have provided plenty of action at All Saints.

John down on his knees to keep the graveyard looking colourful, a quick glance at the comments in the visitors' book and a service for dogs and their owners.

Al fresco in Old Buckenham

 Social Circle eats out

Old Buckenham's Social Circle has for many years spent its July meeting in the garden of John and Barbara Frost. Usually they enjoy all the colours of the garden and have a good chat before partaking of a tasty meal of fish and chips cooked just outside the garden.

This evening's meeting was a little different with everyone sitting around under cover and wearing their warm coats. The talking took place as usual, the hot meal was appreciated and some went home with a raffle prize. Perhaps the sun will come out in July next year.

Americans in Old Buckenham

Friendly Invasion

Coming to Old Buckenham Village Hall  on Wednesday 24 July at 7.30pm

Tickets £12 online www.harlestonplayer.co.uk

Oversexed, overpaid and over here...in July!

Summer, 1942. The US.has entered World War II, and the first American aircrews arrive in the east of England. Along with their heavy bombers, the GIs bring cola and chewing gum, jukeboxes, jazz and the jitterbug. East Anglia will never be the same again.

80 years on, a reunion weekend at one of the airfields brings together a group of visitors, whose memories of a local girl and an American airman recreate their bitter-sweet wartime romance.

Harleston Players are teaming up with Metfield-based singing group, Station 366, plus swing dancers from the Red Feather Club at Horham airbase museum, to create Friendly Invasion -  a show about the arrival of the USAAF to this area and the ways in which the presence of thousands of Americans influenced life in the region.

Bookshop news from Old Buckenham

 

Old School Bookshop break Lucie from the Old School Bookshop wants to give you some advance notice that she will be having a very short break this month. This will allow her some time to rest and recover as well as progressing work on the tea rooms. The bookshop will be closed from Friday 12 to Friday 19 July. It will reopen again on Saturday 20 July. The online shop bookbubble.co.uk continues to operate 24/7 while they are closed. The Book Clubs are unaffected by the break and will still be taking place on Thursday 11 July as normal.

Wild flowers on Old Buckenhan Green

 A different coloured patch

A couple of years ago John Fernihaugh and Richard Lindner tried to plant some wild flower seeds on a small patch of the Green. They were limited in how much preparation to the soil that they could do and their spreading of the seed mix was followed by a very dry spell of weather. The birds, rooks and jackdaws in particular, spent much of their time pecking away to see what they could find. 

The Green is home to many, many wild flowers but one little area is now showing one result of their experiment as many white daisies have appeared. It seems that the birds didn't eat everything.

Old Buckenham newsletter for July

 The cover looks like this

Copies were here just in time for the first of the month and you may have had your copy by now. All sorts of interesting news like the church service where you are invited to take your dog with you, why part of the village isn't it still called Staxford and the number of people who attended the meeting to show an interest in a possible youth club.

Now all you have to do is read it all.