These notes have been written by the blog editor from the draft minutes and so may contain information that is amended at a later meeting.
Nine members of the public came along to the Parish Council meeting on Thursday 5 July. Two councillors, Adrian Joel and Akis Chrisovelides, apologised for being unable to attend.
Minutes of June Parish Council. These were signed as a true and accurate record of the meeting. There were no matters arising.
Policy Documents review. Steve Milner had raised the subject of charges per copy of documents requested by members of public under the Freedom of Information Publication Scheme Policy. Tim Ing said no changes were required to Standing Orders or Governance and Accountability Policy. Carol Marshall said no changes were required under The Equal Opportunity Policy. It was agreed unanimously that these reviewed policy documents be adopted by Council. The Village Emergency Plan and Financial Regulations review being carried out by Steve Milner and Akis Chrisovelides to be deferred until the September meeting.
Adoption of New Code of Conduct. It was proposed that the Parish Council adopt the new Breckland Council Code of Conduct for its own code of conduct. This was agreed with 6 for, 1 against and 1 abstention.
Planning applications. Ashwood Farm. Removal of agricultural occupancy restriction. The Parish Council had no objections this (agreed with 8 for, Tim Ing did not vote as he had left the room whilst the application was discussed and voted on).
Roughlands, Grove Road. Extension to existing stable to accommodate 8 new stables. The Parish Council objected on the grounds that it would create extra traffic on the road (agreed with 4 for, 1 against and 4 abstentions).
Buckenham Priory. Replace existing flat roof extension and flat roof dormers on north side elevation with new pitched roofs. No objections, agreed unanimously.
Planning decisions received from Breckland. 35 Hargham Road. Erect double garage, convert existing garage to hobbies room and new vehicular access. Permission granted.
Chairman’s report. Tim Ing said that he had attended a meeting in Thetford during June with Tom Johnson on the Localism Act and new Code of Conduct. They were informed at the meeting that a Local Neighbourhood Plan could cost up to £88,000 to produce and then would have to be passed by Breckland. The regulations covering ‘declaration of interests’ was explained and it now covers both spouses and partners of parish councillors. Tim Ing said the Shrublands development application was due to be heard by Breckland Planning Committee on Monday 9 July and councillors agreed that he should attend the meeting and speak on the application. The allotment shed which was the subject of a dispute over its colour had now been painted and also the High School had started work on its allotment. The question of parking at the school and village hall was raised with Norfolk County Council at a recent meeting and Norfolk County Council had agreed to pay 1/3rd of the cost and would also pay the VAT. Adrian Joel would be asked to take up the matter of Prince Harry’s Wood with Breckland Council to see if local children could make a BMX track in it and use a digger to construct some jumps. The Parish Council wished to support the idea but the Parish Clerk said there may be legal reasons why Breckland might refuse this request. The dog bin in Oaklands was not being used as overgrown grass was preventing its use, John Frost agreed to look at it and attempt to cut the grass. John Frost has also cut the grass around the benches on the Green.
Parish Councillors’ reports. Tom Johnson said he attended a meeting of the Attleborough Task Force with Adrian Joel but there had been no movement forward on the scheme. Paul Boggia had cut the grass on the parking area by the Recreation Area. Sarah Dye thanked John Frost for cutting the areas on the Green. She said that at a recent meeting of the Green Right Proprietors it was suggested that the Jubilee oak tree needed some protection around it and Steve Milner will arrange this. She also said that Japanese knotweed was a problem on the Green near the pond and sought guidance from councillors on the best way to treat it. She then said there had been positive feedback on the new parking arrangements at the play area. Derek Smalley said one welcome pack had been delivered. He will be attending a meeting of ACT in mid-July regarding the Attleborough Expansion Plan. He had attended a meeting of the police SNAT meeting and was informed that police had carried out speeding exercises in the village recently. As a result they had issued four fixed penalty notices, three speeding awareness courses and 49 notices of speeding. The exercises were carried out on both the B1077 and Hargham Road. He will raise speeding at other end of the village at next meeting of SNAT. Jonathan Kemp and Carol Marshall were currently preparing two funding applications for the Recreation Area. Derek Smalley also circulated a letter of thanks and photos of new equipment purchased by Old Buckenham Pre School Group and Nursery which was paid for by a grant from the Parish Council. Steve Milner said there would be a Jubilee review meeting on Saturday 14 July at Village Hall. John Frost said the grass had been cut at All Saints church by the probation service. The recent Garden Party had raised £950 for the church funds. Another evening event was coming up at the church on Saturday 14 July and there were still tickets available. Work will start soon on the interior of the church during August and September.
Parish Clerk’s report. The Clerk read out a letter from the Robert Cocks Almhouse Charity asking if the Parish Council wanted to be able to appoint four Nominative Trustees to the charity or were they prepared to allow the charity to alter their scheme to allow the charity to appoint the Nominative Trustees themselves. The Parish Council agreed that the Charity could alter their scheme to appoint the Nominative Trustees as long as one of those Nominative Trustees was a Parish Councillor or a person nominated by the Parish Council. The Clerk is to send a letter to the Charity confirming this. The Clerk said Ron Brewer raised the question on the village having a community speed watch scheme and could they take the matter up. The meeting was informed that there is currently a waiting list of about 18 months for villages to join the scheme. Derek Smalley will take the matter up at the next SNAT meeting. Steve Milner suggested a working party to look at the issue of speeding and see what awareness programmes could be set up to combat the issue (he will organise this).
Highways. The potholes in Stacksford at Prosperous Row Cottages had not yet been repaired and the Parish Clerk is to take this up with Highways.
The Green. A meeting of the Green Right Proprietors was held in June and the question of cutting grass on footpaths was raised. The Parish Council were informed that they would not be cut outside the general cutting of the Green. The new contract for the cutting of the Green will go out to tender for a yearly contract. Remedial work to be carried out at the overflow play area car park is to be paid for by the Parish Council.
The next meeting of Old Buckenham Parish Council will be on Thursday 6 September in the Village Hall at 7.30pm. Note there is no Parish Council meeting in August.
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