Latest Parish Council minutes
These notes were written by the blog editor from the draft minutes and so may contain information that is changed at a later date.
Old Buckenham Parish Council met on Thursday 2 April 2026 at Old Buckenham Village Hall. Those present were Councillors Naomi Bailey (Chair), Stan Burton, Steve Gowers, David Taylor, Pete Twissell and Darren Butler. Also attending were Megan Elvin (Clerk) and Steve Askew (District Councillor) along with nine members of the public. Doug Irons and Lesley Evison had sent their apologies as they were unable to attend due to work commitments. The minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 5 March were approved (4 in favour 2 abstained due to absence).
Financial matters. Julia Aitken had finished as RFO a
month early due to work commitments. Thanks were given to her for stepping in
the interim.
The Barclays Community Account now stood at £9,169.17
and there was £6,711.55 in the Lloyds Community Account . Payments for approval were £1,596.71. which included`£1271,39
to Megan Elvin, £138.16 to Julia Aitken and £138.82 to the community car drivers. These payments
were approved (6 in favour).
Councillors’ and District Councillor’s reports. Steve Askew reported that Government’s decision was to proceed with a three-unitary model for Norfolk in April 2028. These were East Norfolk, West Norfolk and Greater Norwich. These Councils will now cover everything that both Breckland and Norfolk County Council covered. Old Buckenham will be under West Norfolk. Elections to go ahead on Thursday 7 May for councillors for Norfolk County Council. This term will only be held for 1 year and another election will be held in 2027 and 2028. Norfolk County Council has piloted a Norfolk Community Fund, having ideas to bring people together in communities. The local member can contribute to the event and the community organisation has to set up a “crowd funding” towards it as well. Food waste bins will be rolled out in the Autumn 2026. A 7 litre blue caddy for your kitchen and a 23 litre blue food waste bin for outside. Should be emptied every week.
Stan Burton said that comments on social media were pointing out how bad the war memorial on the Green looks. He will put the funds up for cleaning the war memorial and he was thanked for funding this. Steve Gowers announced that Speed Watch now starting sessions on Saturday morning. One out of 25 cars were speeding. Another was carried out when schools are off and more cars were speeding. Emails were sent to the safety team at Norfolk County Council regarding the speeding. Always looking for more volunteers.
The Clerk said that there were letters generated and
to be posted regarding the “give way” sign on Harlingwood Lane’s junction to
Cake Street. Although the hedge covering the sign has been cut directly in
front of it, you still cannot see the sign from a distance. It is not until you
are directly in front that you see it and the entire hedgerow needs cutting
back. The sign on Cake Street has been cleared.
Quotes had been obtained to either replace or add an additional bin outside the shops. Replace the current bin – but keep the old one in storage. Should the bigger bin not be enough, put the old bin back and pay the extra charge. Proposal to approve this was agreed (6 in favour).
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 - Parish councillors
have been asked by the chairman to view the new applications in advance of the
meeting.
New planning applications. Old Buckenham Country Park,
Doe Lane. Demolition of existing shower block. Installation of bases for the
siting of static caravans and decking with associated access, landscaping, car
parking, drainage and infrastructure works (PL/2026/0318/FMAJ). A proposal to
support was agreed (6 in favour)
Wash Farm New Buckenham Road, NR17 1PW. Variation to
condition 2 on PP PL/2025/1022/HOU Amendments include retention and partial
rebuild of a small adjoining outbuilding to form a plant room with canopy,
removal of a secondary chimney stack, replacement windows to the existing
farmhouse, connection to the mains sewer, and minor realignment of the proposed
single- and two-storey extensions (PL/2026/0377/VAR). No issues and a proposal
to support was agreed (6 in favour).
Oak House, 57 Hargham Road. Infill and convert the
existing northern half of the garage structure (open car port) to create a home
office (PL/2026/0383/HOU). No issues and a proposal to support was agreed (6 in
favour).
Amended applications. Land to the East of Crown Road,
Crown Road. Construction of five dwellings. Breckland Planning made a decision
on this planning application on 30th March 2026. The planning application has
been granted with conditions (PL/2025/1453/FMIN). The Clerk to email Breckland
Planning about Section 106.
Use of Green Application. Use of Green application received for “Bikes on The Green”. Parking issues discussed. New landlady and landlord of the pub have spoken with the Chair of the Village Hall Committee for use of the car park. Donation will be made to the village hall for this use. Stewards also having full training in regards to monitoring cars and should hopefully reduce the cars around the Green. Proposal to support was agreed (4 in favour).
Ottomer Pond (ongoing). Following email received from the Flood Authority regarding this. The Flood Authority suggests a CCTV and documentation provided on completion by the drainage contractor would be very useful ie location map with traces/photos of pipework and outfall structure/CCTV footage and condition rating of the pipework. The report previously given was not sufficient and the CCTV is required before any further progress can be made. Permission from West View Farm will be required for this. The Clerk to draft an email to landowner and to S Halls from Flood Authority. Have already paid for part of the survey on his land which showed the blockage 70 metres down. The Parish Council cannot fund the additional £923.84 plus disposal cost (£63.75 plus VAT per tonne). Something else to explore is to create a soakaway somewhere on the Green off the pond. However, a lot run-off water from the Green goes into Ottomer pond in the first place.
Crown Road parking and repairs. Stan Burton has measured the gaps where cars are parking. There are more gaps between the trees. The Clerk to take these measurements to get quotes for filling in these laybys.
Playground maintenance. An email from a member of the
public asking for the playground to go through some maintenance. The orange
swing is letting off a loud squeak every time it is used.
Solar Farm update. The following ideas have been
provided for when money is available and ideas for the funding.
• New
Cemetery land
• Electric
car charging point in village hall car park
• Replacing
main lighting in village hall to low LED lighting (saving energy)
• Grant
towards renovation of windmill (changing old production of energy)
• Fund benches
and bands for Two Wheel Tuesday
• Grant to
Green Working Committee towards Prince Harry's wood (Creating a path through,
provide bird and bat boxes, general tidy up)
• Help get
properties at the very top of Cake Street and St Andrews Close area fibre
broadband (County Broadband has dismissed further action)
• Create a
safe footpath that leads to Old Buckenham Country Park to make it safer for
residents of Old Buckenham to get there without the need of a car.
• Build a cycle
path to Attleborough
• Upgrade
the park equipment with new items for both young and older children. (multiple
suggestions of this)
• Provide
more areas for kids to play elsewhere in the village, not just the park. (bike
park or football pitch.)
• Upgrade
the football pitch at the back of the Village Hall into a multi-sport pitch.
• Fund a
village Fete like there used to be.
• Have part
of the Green laid to wildflower garden.
• Outdoor
gym equipment.
• Extend
village hall car park into the old recreation area and put double lines down
Abbey Road.
• Extend
existing footpath on Cake Street around the corner to the top of Doe Lane.
• A third
to be given as a Grant to the Windmill - to be used as the Trustees wish.
A third to be given as a Grant to the Village Hall -
to be used as the Village Hall Committee wish.
A third to be retained as a separate amount (in a
separate account?), for use should funds be needed at some stage in the
not-too-distant future for an as yet unidentified need.
Hargham Road Cottages. An email had been received
following the letters sent advising that the residents’ cars are not the sole
cause of flooding. Posts will be going in towards the end of the month at the
area where the new drainage has gone in.
Footpath along the Green. Work commences on Monday 18
May. The footpath will need to be closed while work is going on.
Volunteer Meet and Greet Day. Leaflet will be provided
giving brief description of the Parish Council. Also Budget details and pie
chart to show what the council tax contributions are allocated for.
Hargham Road weight restriction. School buses are also
driving down Hargham Road. The Clerk to email Norfolk Coachways asking them not to drive down this road.
Memorial benches. There has been another request for a
memorial bench to be placed on the Green. They would like to have the bench
somewhere around the pond. Questioned if they would be happy to share a bench
with an already existing one and have a plaque added onto it but the family
would like to have their own bench. There are several round Ottomer Pond
already and there is not really space to put another around it. Suggestion that
they could have a bench over by St Andrew Close, overlooking Manor Pond or by
the War Memorial. The Clerk to go back to the member of the public with these
suggestions.
Bike ramps. Further correspondence with members of the public concerning a young boy in the village who did a presentation to his school on BMX mud ramps for children to use. Polite notice to advise on use of bikes only. East Harling have something along this line. Fundraising would be required to help towards the costs of these as the Parish Council would be unable to fully fund this. Naomi Bailey to arrange for those interested to come to the next meeting to discuss this. At the moment they are using Prince Harry’s Wood and a small area on the Green. The Clerk is to contact East Harling Parish Council to ask for their policies regarding their bike ramps.
Dogs on the Green. An email had been received from member of public regarding lose dogs on the Green not being controlled and running up to walkers scaring them. Is there a way we can regulate uncontrolled dogs on the green. The Parish Council encourage people to keep dogs controlled while using the Green. Please be more aware of your dogs while on your walk. Dog poo has also been largely found on the Green. Also around Stackford a member of public has had filled poo bags dumped in their driveway. Naomi Bailey proposed that a dog bin be provided for this area and the Clerk to get quotes. People should be picking up after their dogs. It is anywhere between £100-£200 penalty for not picking up their dog fouling. A proposal to get a further bin was agreed (6 in favour). The Clerk to also look into quotes for additional signage to go around the Green.
Clerk and RFO hours. Before Julia Aitken leaving the
Parish Council she was originally doing two hours a week. The Parish Council
felt it will be appropriate to start Megan Elvin out on 30 hours a month (original
20 hours a month plus the two extra a week for RFO work). This will then be
reviewed next year.
Public participation on agenda items. 'Chicken' was
removed from the children’s playground as it was unsafe and too close to the
fence.
Concern was raised about the two roles of Clerk and
RFO merging into one again. Reassured that no payments can be issued without two
members of the council authorising those payments. No cheque books are being
used so no payments can be made. New policies are in place to prevent problems
from happening again and all invoices are sent to the councillors for approval
based on what is due to be paid.
Items for next agenda. Item are expected to include Clerk
appraisal, Ottomer Pond (ongoing), playground maintenance, additional bin cost and collection for shop, bike ramps, dogs on the Green, repairs to the Green, Crown
Road repairs, Village Meet and Greet (outcome update), Village Annual Meeting, Solar
Farm update and Green Working Committee update.
The next Parish Council meeting will be on Wednesday 6
May at 7.30pm in Old Buckenham Village Hall.
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