September Parish Council meeting

All the latest news
The following notes of the meeting have been written by the blog editor from the draft minutes and so may contain information that is subsequently changed at the next parish council meeting.

All councillors were present at the September meeting of Old Buckenham Parish Council except for Carol Marshall who had sent her apologies. Five members of the public also attended.
Church report. John Frost said there were a lot of repairs being done and grant applications had been made for the repairs. Local support is required and they will be making a grant application to the Parish Council for £1,000 at the next precept meeting. They are also looking for help with a working party to tidy up around the church before an important visit on Wednesday 19 September. The chairman Tim Ing then spoke about the recent death of Doug Baker who was a regular attender at Parish Council meetings and often made lots of comments in his own unique way. The Parish Council were saddened by his recent death.
Public recess. The meeting was suspended to allow members of the public to ask questions.
Minutes of July meeting. It was agreed that they should be signed as a true and accurate record of the meeting. There were no matters arising.
Review of Village Emergency Plan. Steve Milner said that he needed two volunteers to help carry out the risk assessments for the plan. Derek Smalley and Akis Chrisovelides agreed to assist. Adrian Joel said a representative of Breckland Council could meet with him to assist in the review. The item is to be put on the December agenda.
Review of Financial Regulations. This was deferred to the October meeting.
Donation to charity. It was proposed by Sarah Dye and seconded by Tim Ing that £250 be paid to a forces charity on behalf of John Hicks who does all the play area maintenance at no charge. This was agreed unanimously.
Planning applications. 56 Fen Street. Conversion of a single dwelling to two semi-detached dwellings. It was proposed that this should be objected to on grounds of proper access. This objection was agreed with 9 for and 1 abstention.
Roughlands, Grove Road. Proposed menage and 20 metre horse walker. This was objected to on grounds of lighting, drainage, traffic issues, access, commercial use and visual impact (objection agreed with 7 for and 3 abstentions).
Planning decisions received from Breckland. 56 Fen Street. Conversion of single dwelling to two semi-detached cottages. Permission refused.
53 Fen Street. Change of use of agricultural land to garden with fencing. Permission granted.
East View, Attleborough Road. Decking area. Permission granted.
Buckenham Priory. Proposed alterations and improvements. Permission granted.
Ashwood Farm, Stacksford. Removal of agricultural occupancy condition on original planning application. Permission granted.
Chairman’s report. Tim Ing said that 98 Jubilee mugs had been sold and a total of 122 free mugs had been given out. Thirty-six mugs still remain and are available at a cost of £2.50 each from 2 Hargham Road. Two grit bins are available, one to be placed on the corner of Crown Road and Mill Road and the other in Cake Street on the edge of Prince Harry’s Wood. Tim Ing asked Adrian Joel for an update on the Shrublands project. Adrian Joel said that Breckland had asked for a study of the project and money had been offered in lieu of social housing on the project. The Breckland planning committee will decide on the application in October and Tim Ing will attend the meeting on behalf of the Parish Council. The Jubilee Oak tree still had no guard around it but Steve Milner said he would fit one within the next few weeks. There had been a request from a resident living near the allotments asking for a hedge to be installed to screen the allotments. Steve Milner suggested a mixed hedge and he would arrange for this to be done. Tim Ing reminded the meeting that grant applications needed to be submitted to the Parish Clerk in writing before the end of September to be considered at the precept meeting in October. The goal nets on the recreation area have holes and need to be replaced, Jonathan Kemp is to look into costs involved and report back to Parish Council.
District Councillor’s report. Adrian Joel said that Breckland Council would have to make savings of £3.5 million over the next five years because of a reduction in funding in rate support grants. A series of meetings will be held with residents in the five market towns to discuss the issues and help decide the priorities for Breckland Council. One will be held in Attleborough Town Hall on Monday 24 September starting at 7pm. Details of the consultation will also be on Breckland’s website. The company that operates the CCTV systems in Breckland had gone into liquidation and the cameras will be operated in the immediate future by the police and West Norfolk Borough Council. From May next year small scale planning applications will not have site application notices posted. The Localism local council tax paid by central government is to be reduced by 10% from April 2013 so a new format is being introduced. It is anticipated this will not affect Parish Councils in setting their precepts.
Parish councillors’ reports. Steve Milner said he was trying to raise the profile of the problem of speeding in the village. Ron Brewer had suggested setting up a Community Speedwatch scheme and the Parish Clerk is to get information on this. Steve Milner was also trying to get a group together to look at alternative ways of dealing with the problems of speeding. Paul Boggia asked about the possibility of introducing a byelaw restricting the times that grass cutting in gardens could be carried out on Sundays. The Parish Clerk said that this would not be possible. Akis Chrisovelides said he would be engaging with the young people regarding the proposed Youth Council now that they were back at school. Adrian Joel said the allotment liaison group would be meeting at end of September to look at the lease wording for next year. The landowner will cut the grass surrounding the allotments when he has finished the harvesting of his land. Tim Ing said he was concerned about the High School maintaining their allotment and that the Parish Council should consider withdrawing it. Adrian Joel is to speak to the headmaster on the subject. A resident had written regarding a Local Neighbourhood Plan for Old Buckenham and he had spoken to Cringleford Parish Council on the matter. Adrian Joel said that Breckland was producing a local plan and that the Parish Council should wait until this was completed in approximately two years’ times and then look at the matter of a Neighbourhood Plan. Tom Johnson, who had recently attended a Village Hall meeting, said that the car park surface repairs at the hall were now scheduled for the half term. Concerns were expressed about the twenty parking spaces allocated to the Recreation Area being used during the winter. Tom Johnson also said that the cost of the repairs of the car park was £650 each from the village hall, Norfolk County Council and Old Buckenham Parish Council. He then said the Village Hall would be making a grant application of £1,900 at the precept meeting. Jonathan Kemp said that grant applications had been made to the lottery fund for in excess of £20,000. Derek Smalley said that two welcome packs had been delivered. He had also received an email from Norfolk Police SNAT asking if Old Buckenham was having a bonfire on Monday 5 November. Also the police had recently carried out a speeding check in Hargham Road which resulted in seven endorsable fixed penalties being issued along with twelve speed awareness courses and fifty warning letters being sent out to drivers. He then raised the question of speed awareness stickers being put on wheelie bins in the village, he thought this was a good idea. The oil buying scheme would be disbanded from this winter as not enough saving could be had from the scheme.
Parish Clerk’s report. He raised the matter of the trustee appointed by the Parish Council to the Robert Cocks Almhouse Charity. It was agreed that Carol Marshall would be the Parish Council trustee. The government auditor had carried out the annual audit on the Parish Council’s accounts and they had passed with no comments or amendments.
Highways. Potholes were reported at a row of cottages near Prosperous Road, Stacksford. Also the road surface at Puddle Dock Corner on the B1077 going towards Attleborough is very worn. The Parish Clerk is to contact Highways on these matters.
The Green. A Green Right Proprietors meeting will be held on Tuesday 23 October.
The next meeting of Old Buckenham Parish Council will be on Thursday 4 October in the Village Hall starting at 7.30pm.