Councillors' discussions

November’s Parish Council meeting
The following notes have been prepared from the draft minutes and so may contain information that is amended at the next meeting.
Peter Whear, headteacher of Old Buckenham High School, and Darryl Smith, Principal Housing Officer at Breckland Council, attended as well as two members of the public. There were no apologies for non-attendance.
Minutes of the October Parish Council meeting. A amendment was made in the Parish Councillors’ reports to change Attleborough Council to read Breckland Council. With this amendment they were signed as a true and accurate record of the meeting.
Minutes of the Precept meeting in October. These were signed as a true and accurate record of the meeting.
Old Buckenham High School. Peter Whear, headteacher, gave an update of the school in which he said they had received an excellent OFSTED report and have achieved sporting academy status. Improvements to the school accommodation have taken place and are continuing to do so. Achievements at the school continue to rise including sporting and musical activities. Carol Marshall asked what sporting activities they have planned so the recreation area does not duplicate. Peter Whear responded with information that funding had been greatly reduced and this required a complete reassessment of what they could do. Lots of indoor sports are carried out in the school working with the local community. Akis Chrisovelides asked how many students were at the school. He was informed there were 598 and that the school has a school council ensuring representation of the students. Akis Chrisovelides said that it was hoped that the Parish Council would be involving young people in what happens in the village and he hoped the Parish Council and the school could work together on this. Peter Whear agreed to meet to discuss this matter. Sarah Dye asked how the school could be at the heart of the community and Peter Whear gave a response. Carol Marshall raised the question of the tennis courts being used by the village and Peter Whear said he hoped they could reach an agreement on this. Adrian Joel raised the problem of parking and Peter Whear said he had no problem with the school parking facilities being used, subject to an agreement. Derek Smalley raised the matter of the Attleborough Development Plan and how the school would fit into this and would a sixth form be created at the school. Peter Whear said he was currently talking to headteachers of other schools in the area on this matter but he felt there was no real clarification in the plan on the matter. Tom Johnson raised concerns on the expansion and that Old Buckenham may have to take up some of the overflow of pupils. Tim Ing thanked Peter Whear for attending the meeting.
New development in Old Buckenham. Mrs Darryl Smith of Breckland Council said she had responsibility for housing development within the Breckland Area. Breckland Council had been approached by developers with ideas for development in Old Buckenham. She said that planning concepts were changing and there was a move by Government to encourage developments. She asked for the Parish Council’s views on future development in the village. She said that the Localism Bill and the National Planning Framework would bring forward changes which will give greater opportunities for local councils to be more involved in the decision process. Various councillors asked questions and concerns to which Darryl Smith responded. Tim Ing said that the Parish Council would have to think on the matter and discuss it in more detail at a future meeting and he thanked Darryl Smith for attending.
Recreation area. Jonathan Kemp raised the question of the Norfolk Village Games and had spoken to Breckland Council on the matter. He hoped the Recreation Area working party would be preparing a list of events which would then be advertised and that Breckland would assist in this. Jonathan Kemp would look into how many sporting groups there actually were in the village. Carol Marshall said that a grant application had been submitted for two litter bins for the recreation area.
Policy procedures. Three documents had been drawn up by the parish clerk covering Grievance Procedure Policy, Disciplinary Procedure Policy and Equal Opportunity Policy. It was agreed that these documents should be adopted and this was agreed unanimously.
Grit bins. The Parish Clerk informed the meeting that he had sufficient funds to purchase two grit bins from this year’s budget and he had ordered them. They will be located at St Andrews Close and at Hargham Road near the Almshouses. The Parish Clerk will inform Norfolk County Council Highways of their location.
Planning applications. 32 Hargham Road, installation of source heat pump. It was agreed to object to this on grounds of being too near the neighbouring property and suggest movement of the unit further from property boundary.
Planning decisions received from Breckland. Repair to Old Buckenham Mill, permission granted.
32 Hargham Road, installation of air source heat pump. Permission refused.
Old School House, erection of solar panels. Permission granted.
Ox & Plough, various signage. Permission granted.
Twitchers Cottage, Stacksford, erection of mobile home for use of as an annexe. Permission granted.
Eel Farm, Fen Road. Removal of condition 8 of previous planning application concerning occupation of annexe and new garage block and alterations. Permission refused.
Chairman’s report. Tim Ing said he and Adrian Joel had attended the Town and Parish Council Forum meeting at Breckland Council offices where issues relating to Town and Parish Councils were discussed and that things would be coming down the line. Tim Ing asked if there had been any progress in finding a suitable site for village archives. Paul Boggia replied that nowhere had yet been found.
District Councillor's report. Adrian Joel said the One Stop Bus service had been funded up to September 2011 by the Breckland Partnership. It had brought services and IT training to rural villages but with the end of funding the service would stop from November. The Overview and Scrutiny Commission have been asked to look at alternative and more cost effective way of providing a similar service. He then said Breckland Council is providing a one-off funding to assist groups to stage goodwill events over Christmas period under the banner of The Pride of Breckland 12 Days of Christmas giving scheme. Grants of £100 are available but application forms had to be submitted to Stephan Clifford of Breckland Council by Friday 11 November.
Parish Councillors’ reports. Carol Marshall informed the meeting there was a renewable energy event being held at the Village Hall on Saturday 12 November at 10.30am. Adrian Joel said the allotment renewable agreements had been sent out and only two tenants had not yet replied. He would contact them. One new tenant has taken over a vacant plot. He then raised the matter of the Remembrance Service being held at the war memorial this month, Paul Boggia is to lay a wreath on behalf of the Parish Council. Adrian Joel raised the matter of insurance for the war memorial. The Parish Clerk said that he had spoken to Gerry Norton of the War Memorial Trust and informed him that a grant may be available for insurance. Tim Ing said the water at the allotments would be turned off soon to enable a meter reading to be taken so bills for usage could be sent out to allotment holders. Tom Johnson said that a tree had fallen on the Green recently near the war memorial and asked who would be responsible in this instance if damage had occurred. He was informed that it would have been the responsibility of the Green Right Proprietors. Akis Chrisovelides said there would be a meeting for young people in the Village Hall at 6.30pm on Thursday 1 December and that he would arrange publicity for the meeting. Tom Johnson said he and Adrian Joel had attended a meeting of the Attleborough Task Force and said that things were moving forward and the Parish Council's views are being considered. Paul Boggia said that he attended a meeting in October organised by Breckland Council in relation to celebrating the Diamond Jubilee. He said it was a useful meeting and very informative with lots of suggestions for events. John Frost said that All Saints Church would be holding a service on the day of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations. He then said the church has to have a surveyor’s report every five years and the latest one found the church tower to be in a dangerous condition and the base of the tower will be cordoned off in future. Also on there will be a service at the church on Christmas Eve and it is hoped a screen will be used to allow any overflow to watch the service in the Church Rooms. He asked for a volunteer to read the service on Christmas Eve and Tim Ing said he would do this. Derek Smalley will be attending a meeting of Homewatch in Attleborough in November and he also raised the matter of Jubilee Woods but Adrian Joel said no land had been found in the village to create such a wood.
Parish Clerk’s report. The Parish Clerk explained the procedures that had to be followed after the resignation of a parish councillor. He said there are two people who wished to be considered to be co-opted on to the Parish Council. Councillors would vote on the matter of whom is co opted at the December meeting.
Highways. It was reported that a tree was down in Hargham Road between Leys Lane and Burroughs Farm. The Clerk to speak to Highways on the matter.
The Green. Sarah Dye said that no date had yet been agreed for the next meeting of the Green Right Proprietors.
The next meeting of Old Buckenham Parish Council will be on Thursday 1 December at the Village Hall starting at 7.30pm.