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October parish council meeting
These notes of the parish council meetings are prepared by the editor of the blog from the draft minutes and so may contain information that is amended later at the next month's meeting.
At the parish council meeting on Thursday 7 October there were three members of the public and also representatives of Cowan Consultancy. Apologies for non-attendance were received from Gerald Norton.
The minutes of the Parish Council meeting in September were signed as a true and accurate record of the meeting.
Matters arising from the minutes. Tom Johnson asked if it was known who owned the other 38 shares of the Green Right Proprietors. Tim Ing said no register was kept of the owners but he would raise the matter at the next Green Rights Proprietors’ meeting.
Shrublands and associated barns. Cowan Consulting, who had been retained to oversee the proposed development, gave a presentation on the matter. They were seeking the views of the Parish Council before submitting a planning application to Breckland Council. A site analysis was given plus they also considered the local employment opportunities the whole scheme would provide. The whole development will consist of four affordable houses, nine barn conversions and eight other housing units. A lagoon will be constructed to assist with rain water flowage and help sustain the wildlife in the area. An ecology report had been carried out to look at the existing wildlife and make provision for them on completion of the development. Councillors asked various questions on the whole proposal and Norman Cawston thanked Cowan Consulting for their presentation.
Planning applications. Cherry Tree House, Stacksford. Change of materials. No objections.
Green Working Party. The meeting was told that nothing could go forward until the present appeal being considered by the Green Rights Proprietors had been heard against the recent judgement made in the small claims court. Tim Ing said he had voted against the appeal going ahead and advised the Green right Proprietors that Parish Council would not contribute towards the appeal’s costs (but this could change depending on the legal position in regard to the Parish Council’s 1/39th share). It was proposed by Adrian Joel and seconded by Tom Johnson that a letter be sent confirming the Parish Council would not contribute towards the cost of the legal appeal currently being sanctioned by the Proprietors, this was agreed unanimously.
Allotments. Adrian Joel informed meeting that the official opening was on schedule for Monday 25 October. The Parish Clerk had sent out tenancy agreements and quite a few had been signed and returned. The Working Party would mark out the allotments during the week commencing Saturday 16 October. An Old Buckenham Allotments Society had been set up with Adrian Joel to chair the group. He asked for official recognition by the Parish Council, this was granted. A liaison group would also be set up to allow tenants of the allotments to raise any issues with the Parish Council and make recommendations to the Parish Council. This would be made up with three representatives of the Old Buckenham Allotments Society and three members of the Parish Council. Grants for the fencing and installation of a water supply were being sought at the present time. Fence costs would be approximately £900 to £1,200 and water supply costs have been quoted as £651.
Public meeting for Attleborough Development Plan. The meeting organised in September was well attended with 79 people attending. Adrian Joel said the presentation was well given and he also said that some Attleborough residents are currently organising a petition against the housing development.
District Councillor’s report. Breckland Officers will present the Attleborough and Snetterton Health Action Plan in Old Buckenham during November and will invite other villages to attend. Breckland have arranged a Golden Age Fair in East Harling on Wednesday 27 October to enable older members of the community to discover what opportunities there are to enable them to lead a more comfortable life. The Breckland Council “one stop bus” would be in the village on Friday 8 October and BBC Radio Norfolk were intending to do a live broadcast from the bus that morning.
Parish Councillors’ reports. Tim Ing said Old Buckenham was entered into the Pride of Norfolk Awards for 2010 and the village had won the class for villages between 1000 and 2500 people. A brass plaque had been presented which it is hoped would be put on the plinth of the village sign. He then raised the matter of the Special Council Meeting being held on Saturday 9 October and hoped as many parish councillors as possible would attend. Mike Craven Romain read out a letter offering two apple trees for the play area at no cost to the Parish Council and asked for councillors’ views. Various councillors raised concerns over the matter, especially over health and safety issues and thought it would be best to not have the trees. Mike Craven Romain will write and thank the person for the offer but decline. Adrian Joel said thecirculation folder is taking too long to go around as some invitations had expired before the folder had been completely circulated. He suggested laying out correspondence at Parish Council meetings. He then raised the questions of putting a CCTV camera at Church Rooms, this item will be put on November agenda. Tom Johnson thanked theParish Council for sending him on the Councillor’s Training course run by Norfolk Association of Local Councils which he found very good. He then asked if Councillors addresses and telephone number could be put on the circulation folder list, the Parish Clerk to arrange. Stephen Thorley said that due to work responsibilities he would have to resign from the Recreation Area working party Johnathan Kemp would replace him on the working party. Norman Cawston thanked Mike Craven Romain for getting the benches painted, Parish Clerk to write to the RHCC thanking them for their help in the matter. A letter had been received from Breckland regarding the dog bin outside Mayfield in Fen Street saying that it was difficult to empty and could the Parish Council resite the bin. Tim Ing said that refuse bins are collected by Breckland at this address with no problems and could not see why the dog bin caused problems. He would look into the matter. Derek Smalley raised the matter of refuse bins when emptied being left near the kerb in Cake Street which has resulted in some empty bins ending up in the road. The Parish Clerk will write to Serco on the matter. Norman Cawston said the lay-by at the shop needs to be repaired and asked for council’s permission to go ahead and do the work. Norman Cawston also asked all councillors for a £2 per head contribution for a wreath to go on the village war memorial on Remembrance Sunday.
Parish Clerk’s report. He had received a letter from the Village Hall thanking the Parish Council for their donation in respect of the village fete. There had also been a letter from the Breckland Chief Executive congratulating Old Buckenham on its 1st place prize in the Pride of Norfolk Community Award Scheme. A letter from Gerald Norton concerned the Parish Council funding the upkeep of war memorial in village. The Parish Council is to try to establish who owns the memorial. Adrian Joel raised the matter of holding a Parish Council Meeting on same day as local elections in 2011and the Parish Clerk will change the date to Thursday 12 May.
The Green. Nothing has happened on moving the brush from the Green and the Parish Clerk will contact Mike Read on the matter.

The next meeting of Old Buckenham Parish Council will be on Thursday 4 November in the Village Hall starting at 7.30pm.