These notes have been 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 on Thursday 1 August in the Village Hall. Those present were councillors Jonn Hicks (Chair), Steve Milner, Adrian Joel, Andy Nicholls and Mike Farrington as well as Rachel Noyes (Clerk), Stephen Askew (County and District councillor) and 13 members of the public.
Apologies for absence had been received from councillors Donna Oakley, Gemma Frost, Terry Cook and Ben Devlin. The minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 4 July were approved (5 in favour).
Matters arising from those minutes. Adrian Joel is to meet with George Freeman MP on Friday 2 August about the proposed weather radar.
Public participation relating to agenda items. An enquiry had been made about the use of metal detectors around the roadworks area that has been dug up (after work is finished for the day). Bus shelter stop has been suspended but no replacement announced. Rachel Noyes will look at information and enquire. County Broadband deadline is by Friday 6 September for those interested in signing up. District councillor Stephen Askew said the local plan has been delayed but hopefully will be signed off by the end of the year. There has been some confusion during the road works on the B1077 including some lorry drivers but it was felt this was generally their own fault as the works had been clearly signed.
Financial matters. The community account balance was £41,073.98. Total payments of £712.90 were approved including £240 to power wash both the play area and the phone box and £106.65 to the community car drivers.
Planning applications. (All planning applications are available for viewing on the Breckland District Council planning portal www.breckland.gov.uk/article/
2933/Search-Planning-Applications and parish councillors have been asked by the chairman to view the new applications in advance of the meeting.)
New planning applications. Slade Lane Farm, Slade Lane. Proposed 6m extension to general purpose agricultural building (3PL/2019/0778/F). This application was supported by the parish council (5 in favour).
Planning decisions by Breckland Council. Southview, Fen Street. Erection of single storey front extension to create sun room, hall and wc (3PL/2019/0661/HOU).
Eastview, Cake Street. Conversion of existing detached bungalow to 2 number 3-bedroom semi-detached houses, incorporating ground floor side and rear extensions with new roof to accommodate new first floors (3PL/2019/0540/F).
Both the two above applications have now been considered by Breckland and have been approved.
The Gamekeeper. Adrian Joel informed about an open meeting held to discuss possibilities around the Gamekeeper pub. Breckland Council have been contacted for a clearer definition of a ‘Community Group’. There was a need to inform Breckland Council by Sunday 4 August about possible interest (and therefore prevent it going on the open market). If there is an interest, the PC or a community group would have until Tuesday 24 December to find funding. While the only current group (under their definitions) is the Parish Council, a community group could still form in that time and make the purchase, according to Breckland Council. By triggering the full moratorium period, there is no commitment to purchase.
A parishioner was keen to investigate the possibility of purchasing it. He explained the disadvantages of triggering the full moratorium period would be delaying outside investment in the pub/village. The advantages would be that it would provide time for those interested to investigate the building/business fully and establish if it was worthwhile purchasing and how best to run it (ie run it themselves, hire someone in, change style, etc). Several parishioners supported trigging the moratorium period. They explained that as the parish council had shown interest in listing as a community asset previously, then they should give the community time to investigate it fully now. Some councillors expressed a clear desire for the parish council not to fund the purchase but to be there to simply help any community groups and to facilitate any possible purchase.
Steve Milner put forward a proposal and Adrian Joel requested a named vote on the topic. The proposal to trigger the full moratorium period was approved (4 councillors in favour with Adrian Joel voting against).
Allotments. An allotment holder has written to the Parish Council enquiring about the possibility of running a gardening programme to help those less fortunate (ie suffering from depression, Alzheimer sufferers, etc). Everyone felt this was a very good idea and could help a lot of people. However Jonn Hicks explained that there may be some slight problem if they are planning on running a business from it (as it said a business plan was to be written) and making money. The parishioner will be invited to the next meeting where clarification and further information can be provided. A parishioner suggested looking at Norfolk Community Foundation for extra support.
Action Log. Councillor Gemma Frost was absent and so this item will be discussed at the next meeting.
Chairman’s report. The Village Green Working Party had received two quotes for installing concrete bench bases for seats by Ottomer pond. Locations have been chosen so that all face towards the pond. Some memorial benches in village have not been well maintained. New guidelines on the placing of benches have been drawn up and these were approved (5 in favour).
Roadworks for the crossing had started. Still waiting to hear from D Jacklin (Highways) to approve sites for the electronic speed sign. Thank you to councillor Stephen Askew for all his hard work to get the crossing on the B1077.
Play Area. This would be closed on Sunday 11 August for maintenance and repairs. Thanks were due to all of those that cleared weeds recently.
Councillors’ reports. Andy Nicholls said the village handyman unable to sand-blast the phone box but was happy to paint it if needed. Jonn Hicks explained that he has a volunteer from the village to paint it. Steve Milner talked about the County Broadband meeting held in the Village Hall recently about providing fibre broadband to properties. Requires 179 people to sign up to get it started. The Parish Council is not endorsing the company but simply explaining what was said. Adrian Joel said thanks were due to Martin Hodgson and Dave Tranmer for a new duck house by Ottomer Pond. Also that the Ox and Plough have donated £50 to the Raise the Roof fund.
Neighbourhood Plan. Presently looking at project plans for other villages. The clerk is to enquire about costs, etc, for a private company to complete a neighbourhood plan for the village.
Items for next agenda. These would include spending money on the play area and the Neighbourhood Plan.
The next Parish Council meeting will be held on Thursday 5 September at 7.30pm at Old Buckenham Village Hall.
Apologies, a note from the clerk. In June’s parish council meeting, it was explained that a councillor witnessed a van bearing the company name Culling Scrap Metal Ltd disposing of their waste in to the village waste bins. Since then, discussions with the van driver have said that the van is no longer registered to the company and the waste was general daily rubbish and so was nothing to do with the company.
Public participation relating to agenda items. An enquiry had been made about the use of metal detectors around the roadworks area that has been dug up (after work is finished for the day). Bus shelter stop has been suspended but no replacement announced. Rachel Noyes will look at information and enquire. County Broadband deadline is by Friday 6 September for those interested in signing up. District councillor Stephen Askew said the local plan has been delayed but hopefully will be signed off by the end of the year. There has been some confusion during the road works on the B1077 including some lorry drivers but it was felt this was generally their own fault as the works had been clearly signed.
Financial matters. The community account balance was £41,073.98. Total payments of £712.90 were approved including £240 to power wash both the play area and the phone box and £106.65 to the community car drivers.
Planning applications. (All planning applications are available for viewing on the Breckland District Council planning portal www.breckland.gov.uk/article/
2933/Search-Planning-Applications and parish councillors have been asked by the chairman to view the new applications in advance of the meeting.)
New planning applications. Slade Lane Farm, Slade Lane. Proposed 6m extension to general purpose agricultural building (3PL/2019/0778/F). This application was supported by the parish council (5 in favour).
Planning decisions by Breckland Council. Southview, Fen Street. Erection of single storey front extension to create sun room, hall and wc (3PL/2019/0661/HOU).
Eastview, Cake Street. Conversion of existing detached bungalow to 2 number 3-bedroom semi-detached houses, incorporating ground floor side and rear extensions with new roof to accommodate new first floors (3PL/2019/0540/F).
Both the two above applications have now been considered by Breckland and have been approved.
The Gamekeeper. Adrian Joel informed about an open meeting held to discuss possibilities around the Gamekeeper pub. Breckland Council have been contacted for a clearer definition of a ‘Community Group’. There was a need to inform Breckland Council by Sunday 4 August about possible interest (and therefore prevent it going on the open market). If there is an interest, the PC or a community group would have until Tuesday 24 December to find funding. While the only current group (under their definitions) is the Parish Council, a community group could still form in that time and make the purchase, according to Breckland Council. By triggering the full moratorium period, there is no commitment to purchase.
A parishioner was keen to investigate the possibility of purchasing it. He explained the disadvantages of triggering the full moratorium period would be delaying outside investment in the pub/village. The advantages would be that it would provide time for those interested to investigate the building/business fully and establish if it was worthwhile purchasing and how best to run it (ie run it themselves, hire someone in, change style, etc). Several parishioners supported trigging the moratorium period. They explained that as the parish council had shown interest in listing as a community asset previously, then they should give the community time to investigate it fully now. Some councillors expressed a clear desire for the parish council not to fund the purchase but to be there to simply help any community groups and to facilitate any possible purchase.
Steve Milner put forward a proposal and Adrian Joel requested a named vote on the topic. The proposal to trigger the full moratorium period was approved (4 councillors in favour with Adrian Joel voting against).
Allotments. An allotment holder has written to the Parish Council enquiring about the possibility of running a gardening programme to help those less fortunate (ie suffering from depression, Alzheimer sufferers, etc). Everyone felt this was a very good idea and could help a lot of people. However Jonn Hicks explained that there may be some slight problem if they are planning on running a business from it (as it said a business plan was to be written) and making money. The parishioner will be invited to the next meeting where clarification and further information can be provided. A parishioner suggested looking at Norfolk Community Foundation for extra support.
Action Log. Councillor Gemma Frost was absent and so this item will be discussed at the next meeting.
Chairman’s report. The Village Green Working Party had received two quotes for installing concrete bench bases for seats by Ottomer pond. Locations have been chosen so that all face towards the pond. Some memorial benches in village have not been well maintained. New guidelines on the placing of benches have been drawn up and these were approved (5 in favour).
Roadworks for the crossing had started. Still waiting to hear from D Jacklin (Highways) to approve sites for the electronic speed sign. Thank you to councillor Stephen Askew for all his hard work to get the crossing on the B1077.
Play Area. This would be closed on Sunday 11 August for maintenance and repairs. Thanks were due to all of those that cleared weeds recently.
Councillors’ reports. Andy Nicholls said the village handyman unable to sand-blast the phone box but was happy to paint it if needed. Jonn Hicks explained that he has a volunteer from the village to paint it. Steve Milner talked about the County Broadband meeting held in the Village Hall recently about providing fibre broadband to properties. Requires 179 people to sign up to get it started. The Parish Council is not endorsing the company but simply explaining what was said. Adrian Joel said thanks were due to Martin Hodgson and Dave Tranmer for a new duck house by Ottomer Pond. Also that the Ox and Plough have donated £50 to the Raise the Roof fund.
Neighbourhood Plan. Presently looking at project plans for other villages. The clerk is to enquire about costs, etc, for a private company to complete a neighbourhood plan for the village.
Items for next agenda. These would include spending money on the play area and the Neighbourhood Plan.
The next Parish Council meeting will be held on Thursday 5 September at 7.30pm at Old Buckenham Village Hall.
Apologies, a note from the clerk. In June’s parish council meeting, it was explained that a councillor witnessed a van bearing the company name Culling Scrap Metal Ltd disposing of their waste in to the village waste bins. Since then, discussions with the van driver have said that the van is no longer registered to the company and the waste was general daily rubbish and so was nothing to do with the company.
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