These notes have been written by the blog editor from
the draft minutes so may contain information that is changed at a later date.
Old Buckenham Parish Council met on Wednesday 6 May at
Old Buckenham Village Hall. Those present were Councillors Naomi Bailey (Chair),
Stan Burton, Lesley Evison, Steve Gowers , Pete Twissell and Darren Butler. Apologies
for non-attendance had been received from Doug Irons (Vice Chair) and David
Taylor. Also attending were Megan Elvin (Clerk) and District Councillor Steve
Askew as well as four members of the public. The minutes of the meeting held on
Thursday 2 April were approved (4 in favour).
Annual re-election of Chair. Councillor Naomi Bailey to
remain as chair (4 in favour).
Annual re-election of Vice-Chair. Councillor Doug Irons
to remain as vice chair (4 in favour).
(Steve Gowers arrived).
Public participation not relating to agenda. Area by
Norfolk House reported as getting muddy when it rains and can woodchips be
placed down there? Stan Burton to lay woodchip down after next Green Working volunteer
day.
(Darren Butler arrived)
Financial matters. The total bank balance at the end of March was £15,880.72 consisting of £9,169.17 in the Barclays Community account and £6,711.55 in Lloyds. Receipts totalling £17,044.96 included £250 from A Large and D Oakley: for use of Green, £15,889.96 from Breckland Council as first half of Precept, £845 from Breckland Council for Community Car Payment and £60 as CBL Wayleave. Payments made included £1264 98 to Megan Elvin, £118.82 to te community car drivers, £37.35 to HMRC, £359.99 to The Workplace Depo and bank charges of £4.25. Total balance after receipts and payments was £30,961.39 less a general reserve of £15.880 making an available balance of £15,081.39.
Payments for approval included all the earlier precept grants to the Fawns, the Family Association, Old BBuckenham Cricket Club, New Buckenham Junior Football Club, Old Buckenham Women’s Institute, Old Buckenham Players and Old Buckenham Village Hall. Other payments included £583.41to Megan Elvin (Clerk), £200 to L Cracknell for internal audit, £ 138.82 to the community car drivers, £889.31 Clear Councils insurance and £290 to Stuart Barker. Total payment of £7,322.34 was approved (6 in favour).
Councillors’ and District Councillor’s reports. Steve Askew aid that the food waste bins roll out should be in the autumn. There would be weekly collections, one for inside bin and one larger one for outside. Also the Government has gone with the three unitary system for Devolution. They would be West, East and Greater Norwich with seventy councillors in each area. This will be going live in 2028. This is his last day as a Norfolk County Councillor but he will still be the Councillor for Breckland. Applications will open again next month for Norfolk County Council Community Fund. New County Councillor will have a pot that they can dip into to help. Any Community Group can get involved. Thanks were given to Steve Askew for his work as Norfolk County Councillor.
Naomi Bailey said Lorraine Varney of Breckland Council is the point of contact for funding. Will be meeting with Steve Gowers to discuss options. She had received a phone call regarding the bin on the Recreation area being full. The Village Hall used to empty it and Pete Twissell will check with Village Hall to see about emptying it again. Also the hedge planted there is needing some care and he will look at it when he gets time. Steve Gowers said the Playground climbing frame should be closed off short term while new mulching purchased.
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. Scandia, Crown Road. Erection of rear extension – certificate of lawfulness- proposed use (PL/2026/0501/CLOPUD). No issues.
Sportsmans Cottage, Fen Street. Stationing of ancillary
residential caravan – certificate of lawfulness- proposed use (PL/2026/0556/CLOPUD).
No issues.
Land at The Manor, The Green, NR17 1RR. Application for
Permission in Principle for a proposed Self-Build dwelling (PL/2026/0569/PIP). Owner
of the Manor came to the meeting. Lived in the Manor for many years now and it
is getting too big. Looking at making a self- build at the back of the Manor to
live in and sell the main Manor on. PIP is the first stage; should it get
accepted a second application which would be the full application where
licencings take place. The Council proposed to support (6 in favour).
Wash Farm, New Buckenham Road, NR17 1PW. Variation to
condition 2 on PP PL/2025/1022/HOU – Rear door size unchanged due to structural
constraints; entrance relocated to former WC window at base of new stair, WC
moved to hall. Outbuilding canopy omitted; extended to garden wall end. Septic
tank replaced with on-site package treatment plant (drainage layout amended) (PL/2026/0610/VAR).
No issues.
Land at The Old Yard. Demolition of existing buildings
on site and erection of five dwelling with associated parking and gardens –
permission in Principle. (PL/2026/0570/PIP). As a Council were not keen on the eight
dwellings at The Stables on this road, this would have the same issues. Access
on that road is not good, plumbing infrastructure is not there. A proposal to object
was agreed (6 in favour).
Amended applications. The Cottage, Church Lane, NR17 1RP.
Proposed Outbuilding (PL/2026/0624/CLOPUD). Application for a Lawful
Development Certificate for a Proposed Use or Development Town and Country
Planning Act 1990 (as amended)
Planning decisions by Breckland Council. Attleborough
Road planning application was approved by Breckland.
Green Working Committee. The committee met on Monday 13 April.
Trying to encourage more volunteers. Tree surgeons contacted to have tree on
Manor Corner looked at. Bicycle ramps in Prince Harry’s Woods were discussed
but deferred to wait for Parish Council meeting. Report of possible Japanese
Knotweed. If found, the solution is to fence off the area and remove it with
industrial ‘Round up’. Quotes are being found to get Rod Alley Pond cleared. Brian
Dunn will be advising on what to do with bat boxes. Worried if cars parking on the
Green for the Airshow will destroy the grass. Definitive answer needed for this
so can go back to the Airfield. Railway sleepers in front of Post Office Terrace
and forming the bank to Rod Alley Pond are starting to need some attention. First
cut of the Green is due soon. Next
meeting of the committee is planned for Monday 29 June.
Community Car Scheme. David Taylor has taken this on from
Alison Hannah. The charge of this is 0.45p per mile which half is charged to
the customer and half is paid by the Parish Council. This rate cannot be changed.
Ottomer Pond. An email has been composed to issue to the
land owner-and the draft forwarded to Councillors for approval.
War Memorial cleaning quotes. Stan Burton is to gift
funds for a quote of £3,100 (excluding VAT) which includes scaffolding and steam
cleaning under low pressure. The Parish Council will pay the contractor.
Potholes outside shop. Megan Elvin’s husband has filled in
the main large pothole by the maintenance drain and the ParishCouncil thanks him
for his work.
Fen Street 30mph limit. Parish Council would need to pay
£5,500 and additional funding would be required as it cannot afford all of
this. Steve Askew had left the meeting but need to question him to see if he is
still willing to fund the other half. And to ask if we can have the survey
results.
Hargham Road weight limit. Information had been received
from a Highways representative regarding this weight limit. The restriction is
set out in the Norfolk County Council (Quidenham, Snetterton, Harling,
Kenninghall, Banham and Old Buckenham) (7.5 Tonne Weight Restriction) Order
2003, which has been in force since July 2003. The Order applies only to the
specific lengths of road listed within it and does not apply universally across
all roads in the area. With respect to Hargham Road, the restriction applies to
the section within Quidenham parish between the A11 London Road and Station
Road. Within Old Buckenham parish, the restriction applies only to defined
sections of roads including Stacksford Lane, Buckenham Road, Green Lane,
Ragmere Lane, Doe Lane and part of Greyhound Lane/Crown Lane. Roads in the
village that are not named in the Order are not subject to the 7.5 tonne
restriction.
The restriction applies to goods vehicles exceeding 7.5
tonnes maximum gross weight and is primarily intended to discourage inappropriate
through HGV traffic on rural roads that are not designed for frequent heavy
vehicle use. Importantly, the Order includes exemptions to ensure that local
activity is not prevented. Vehicles over 7.5 tonnes are permitted to use
restricted roads where they are accessing premises within the restricted area
for the purposes of loading or unloading, travelling to or from a final destination
within the restricted area or operating as emergency service, statutory
undertaker, local authority or public service passenger vehicles.
As a result, the restriction does not prevent local
businesses from operating or from receiving deliveries where larger vehicles
are required. Legitimate access associated with businesses, residents, or land
within the restricted area remains lawful.
Radar Tower update. Construction of the Met
Office/Environment Agency weather radar located on Abbey Road is now complete
and the radar equipment has been installed. This project has been many years in
the making and represents a significant investment, alongside lots of effort
and close collaboration of teams across the Met Office, the Environment Agency,
and Anglian Water. As part of the project, a range of ecological improvements
have also been delivered across the radar site boundary and the wider Anglian
Water grounds. These include new planting, the installation of bird boxes and
improvements to the existing pond, helping to enhance local biodiversity
alongside the new infrastructure.
This major infrastructure project, jointly funded by the Met Office and the Environment Agency, will deliver high-resolution rainfall data for East Anglia, closing a long-standing gap in an area that has historically lacked the level of radar coverage available elsewhere in England. Once completed the new radar will extend detection reach further east – critical for weather systems arriving from the North Sea. It will also enhance detection of rapidly developing convective storms and improve observed rainfall inputs for nowcasting and forecasting. The additional data provided by this new radar will translate into better warnings, which support better preparedness, helping to reduce the impact of flooding on the thousands of homes and businesses across East Anglia. The project team are now carrying out detailed testing and commissioning to ensure the radar is functioning well and delivering high quality rainfall data. This work is expected to continue through to the early autumn, at which point the radar will go live and begin feeding data into Met Office and Environment Agency products and services.
Dogs on the Green. It was thought that purchasing of
signs may be wasting parish money as people do not pay attention to them.
Repairs to the Green. Repairs have been made and invoice
has been issued to David Tranmer for re-payment. Please do not walk or drive on
the area that has been repaired. Now that it has rained the grass will begin to
grow back.
Village 'Meet & Greet'. Large thanks given to Alison Hannah
and Sally Honour for organising the meeting. Felt like a successful event but not as many visitors
as initially hoped. There were some members of the public who claimed they were not aware of the event taking place. However it was
advertised since November 2025. Would be good to hold again either annually or
bi-annually.
Annual Village Meeting. Reminder that this meeting is on
Saturday 13 June from 10.30am to 12.30pm.
Items for next agenda. These should include Footpath
Warden, bike ramps, Clerk appraisal, Ottomer Pond, Crown Road repairs, Fen
Street 30mph speed limit and Solar Farm.
The next Parish Council meeting will be on Thursday 4
June at Old Buckenham Village Hall starting
at 7.30pm.
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