MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF SPIXWORTH PARISH COUNCIL HELD AT
7.30pm on TUESDAY 4 AUGUST 2009 at SPIXWORTH VILLAGE HALL

PRESENT
COUNCILLORS:
Mr Fitt (Chairman)
Mr Barrell
Ms Cullum
Mrs Holdroyd
Mr Manning
Mr Potter
Mr Sadler
Mr Ward
Mr Watson
County Councillor A. Williams (later)
Sergeant P. Scott
PC Lambert
Three members of the public
CLERK: Mrs R. Rose

THE CHAIRMAN welcomed everyone to the meeting.

A note of the items raised in the Public Speaking session is attached to the signed copy of these minutes.

1. APOLOGIES were accepted from Mrs Doy (Vice-Chairman), Mr Mills, Mr Thompson and District Councillor B. Kular

2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Councillor Sadler: as a member of Broadland Standards Committee and Broadland Community Partnership (public bodies); a Vice-President of Norfolk ALC; Vice-Chairman of the Norwich Airport Joint Consultative Committee; a personal interest in any matter relating to the Code of Conduct or the bodies stated.

3. POLICE MATTERS

3.1 Crime Statistics
The figures for July had been received and circulated; 15 calls had been taken by the Control Room from/regarding the parish, and 3 crimes had been logged. Sgt Scott explained that most of the rowdy/nuisance behaviour calls had been for the Chestnut Avenue and Village Hall areras.

The Chairman asked how the figures compared with those for Old Catton and Sprowston; Spixworth’s were very low in comparison. PC Lambert had also had some success in identifying offenders and taking action.

Sgt Scott was asked why the person who had stolen the Village Hall CCTV camera had only been cautioned, as it was understood that he would be prosecuted. Sgt Scott explained that the final decision rested with the Crime Prosecution Service. A caution was usually followed by intervention from the Youth Offending Team, who would try to find ways to prevent the person from re-offending or to carry out restitution action, such as compensation and a written apology. The Council offered its support for compensation measures to the Village Hall Management Committee.

Councillor Potter asked whether individuals could be banned from Village Hall premises, so that they could be arrested if they ‘trespassed’ onto the land. Sgt Scott responded that this would have to be a civil, rather than a criminal, ban. For the latter, an injunction would be required with a Power of Arrest attached.

Councillor Barrell asked what had been the attitude of the parents when PC Lambert had visited their homes. He had found the parents very supportive, and Sgt Scott commented that the letter scheme should work more successfully in Spixworth than elsewhere.

3.2 Matters to report to the SNT
Nothing specific that was not already known to the team.

3.3 SNAP meeting held on 20 July 2009
Councillor Ward reported that this had been very poorly attended by panel members from Old Catton and Sprowston, and the meeting had been dominated by Sprowston matters. Further discussions were being held about the SNAP process and the constitution of the Panel.

4. THE MINUTES of the previous meeting held on 7 July 2009, which had been circulated, were agreed, and signed by the Chairman as a true record. Spelling amendments were made in the record of the public session.

5. MATTERS ARISING

None, not covered by the agenda

6. FINANCE

6.1 Balances were noted.
Cheques and Payments detailed on the attached schedule and totalling £3,298.45 were authorised for payment.

The meeting AGREED the purchase of the current version of Local Council Administration at a discounted price of £53.60.

6.3 Finance & General Purposes Committee
The minutes of the Committee meeting held 21 July 2009 were RATIFIED.

The General Fund balance at year end had been low, and the Internal Auditor had recommended that the Council should hold balances at year-end equal to 6 months’ average spending. On a question from Councillor Ward, there was discussion about how to maintain this level, including raising the precept.

The Clerk gave a brief update on progress made with Action Points, including a response from the street lighting contractor on questions raised about the integrity of the columns. The owner of the vehicle that had collided with a column on Buxton Road had been identified; the Clerk would pursue reimbursement of the cost of replacement.

7. PLANNING MATTERS

7.1 Planning Committee
The minutes of the Committee meeting held 7 July 2009 were RATIFIED.

Councillor Thompson had spoken to the Planning Officer and agreed that application no 20090760 for 15 Lilian Road would be refused. The decision had not yet been promulgated by Broadland District Council.

7.2 Permissions and Enforcement Matters
No further cases to report.

8. CORRESPONDENCE & REPORTS OF MEETINGS ATTENDED

8.1 Correspondence List
A list of the correspondence received had been circulated, and was updated at the meeting; all items were available from the Clerk. A list is attached to the signed copy of these minutes.

8.2 Responses to Consultations or Invitations Received
Councillor Potter asked that the Council consider the Broadland District Council Gambling Policy review. The Clerk would put the matter on the agenda for the Trustees Committee meeting.

8.3 NALC / SLCC Conference
Councillor Sadler and the Clerk reported on their attendance. Topics covered were the Freedom of Information Act and the Council’s responsibilities; VAT and PAYE issues; writing business plans; and an interactive session on agendas.

8.4 Norfolk Planning Conference
Councillor Sadler had made the presentations available to the Council. Topics covered included Planning Aid, and Planning and Diversity.

9. HIGHWAYS MATTERS

9.1 Highways Committee
The minutes of the Committee meeting held 14 July 2009 were RATIFIED.

The meeting AGREED the proposed street lighting design. This had been promulgated in the Summer newsletter.
Councillor Potter suggested that the Council should have Policy Statements prepared for matters on which it held a consistent view, such as the lighting design. The Council AGREED, and suggested Statements would be put on the agenda for the next Finance & General Purposes Committee meeting.

9.2 Maintenance Matters
Councillor Manning confirmed that he continued to monitor the grounds maintenance and that all was satisfactory to date. There was some discussion about the length of grass in Greg's Meadow.
County Councillor Williams entered the meeting at this point.

The Clerk would pursue the cutting of hedges along Church Lane to expose the road warning signs. County Councillor Williams and the Clerk would ascertain the responsibility (either the landowner or Highways) for ensuring that hedges were trimmed to expose warning signs.

Through the Chairman, Councillor Sadler asked County Councillor Williams what progress had been made with monitoring HGVs that flouted the 7.5 tonne weight limit zone in Spixworth and used it as a through route. Councillor Williams confirmed that it was the plated, not unladen, weight of 7.5 tonnes that applied, and asked that registration numbers of offending vehicles be recorded if possible and sent to Planning & Transportation so that Trading Standards officers could build up a case. It had been difficult in the holiday season for County Council officers to get co-ordinated so that there was a clear timeline for any initiative, but Councillor Williams had asked for it to be progressed. The Clerk would ask the Clerks to Old Catton and Sprowston Parish Councils if these parishes experienced the same problems.

10. AMENITIES MATTERS

10.1 Update on Play Equipment
Councillor Cullum and the Clerk reported on the current situation.

There was concern that the double ripple ramps that had been installed were not what was expected according to illustrations received from the manufacturer (a ‘triple ripple’), although the latter had not been specified on the quotation. An accident had already occurred on the equipment, and the Parish Council had sought its removal and the triple ripple installed, or at least for the space between the double ramps to be extended to make it safer. Quotations for any of the work would be outside the budget. After discussion, the Council felt that it still wished to have the triple ripple installed and that the Council should pursue this, if necessary with legal advice.

10.2 Disclaimer sign for new playground area
The Clerk had prepared wording based on advice from RoSPA. The meeting AGREED that this should be displayed as a temporary measure, and that the upcoming Amenities Committee meeting should consider the wording for a permanent sign.

10.3 Amenities Committee meeting
A meeting would be held on 18 August 2009. Matters on the agenda would be the new playground area, Orchard Road playground and Greg's Meadow.

11. SPIXWORTH VILLAGE HALL

11.1 Village Hall Management Committee
The meeting noted Councillor Potter’s report of the AGM and Management Committee meetings held on 28July 2009.
11.2 Trustees Committee
The Clerk reported that the Parish Council had, in fact, been the Trustee of the Village Hall charity since the resolution passed by the Management Committee on 24 February 2009, although this had only just been confirmed.

There was discussion on the constitution and role of the Parish Council as Trustee. The Clerk had ascertained some information as regards the VAT position, and would research further before the Committee’s first meeting.

Membership of the Committee was agreed as: Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Councillors Cullum, Holdroyd, Manning, Mills, Potter and Sadler. Councillor Thompson would be asked if he wished to be a member.

The date for the first meeting was agreed as 19 August 2009.

12. NORWICH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

12.1 Airport Consultative Committee
Councillor Sadler had made available the minutes of the meeting held on 29 June 2009. A parishioner who had complained about the response to her complaint had received an apology.

Engine Testing Facility: Noise consultants had been engaged who were carrying out noise modelling at sites agreed with Norwich City Council and Broadland District Council. Councillor Sadler would ascertain where these sites were.

Representation: It had been agreed that membership of the Consultative Committee should be from local elected representatives only. This followed a request from residents of Woodland View Mobile Home Park in Stratton Strawless to send a representative to the meetings.

Low-flying: Councillor Barrell reported that, following a complaint from himself to the airport together with a warning a recurrence would be reported direct to the CAA, the situation had greatly improved.

13. NORFOLK ASSOCIATION OF LOCAL COUNCILS

13.1 Resolution for Debate at AGM
The meeting AGREED to second the following proposal from Buxton with Lamas Parish Council:
“The Parish Council asks Norfolk ALC to pursue a change of emphasis in Local Planning Authority decisions away from strict observance of planning law to allow more weight to be given to Parish Councils’ opinions.”

13.2 Nomination of Officers 2009/10
The meeting AGREED to nominate the existing officers in their current posts.

14. ONGOING COMPLIANCE WITH QUALITY COUNCIL STATUS

14.1 Newsletter
The Summer newsletter had been published.

14.2 Power of Well-Being
The Clerk reported that she had attained the necessary qualification, to be appended to her Certificate in Local Council Administration. Should the Council wish to exercise the Power it would need to be separately trained and pass a resolution to adopt the Power.

15. REPORT FROM COUNTY COUNCILLOR

County Councillor Williams reported that the County Council continued to secure new contracts outside the county to help keep Council Tax levels down. Latest contracts included services for Enfield Borough Council which would realise £3.8 million per year; building two new secondary schools in North Lincolnshire; site security for Norwich City College; and cleaning services for Norfolk PCT, realising £2 million per year.

On a question from the Chairman, County Councillor Williams confirmed that the County Council had recouped £2 million of the funds lodged with Icelandic banks and was optimistic about a good recovery of the remainder.

Through the Clerk, District Councillor Kular had wished to report that he had received a letter of thanks from Woodland View Middle School for his donation towards the defibrillator.

The Clerk would seek clarification of the responsibility for straightening the Post Office sign.

There being no further business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 9.45pm.