MINUTES OF THE MEETING
OF SPIXWORTH PARISH COUNCIL HELD AT
7.30pm on TUESDAY 1 DECEMBER 2009 at SPIXWORTH VILLAGE HALL
PRESENT
COUNCILLORS:
Mr Fitt (Chairman)
Mrs Doy (Vice-Chairman)
Mr Barrell
Ms Cullum
Mrs Holdroyd
Mr Manning
Mr Mills
Mr Potter
Mr Sadler
Mr Thompson
Mr Ward
Mr Watson
District Councillor C. Thompson (also Parish Councillor) (later)
Sgt P. Scott, PC Graves
One member of the public
CLERK: Mrs R. Rose
THE CHAIRMAN welcomed everyone to the meeting.
No items were raised in the Public Speaking session.
1. APOLOGIES were accepted from District Councillor B. Kular and County Councillor A. Williams.
2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Councillor Sadler: as a member of Broadland Standards Committee; Vice-Chairman of Broadland Community Partnership (public bodies); a Vice–President of Norfolk ALC; Vice-Chairman of the Norwich Airport Consultative Committee; a personal interest in any matter relating to the Code of Conduct or the bodies stated.
Councillor Potter: a personal interest in Item 6.2
3. POLICE MATTERS
3.1 Crime Statistics
The figures for November had been received and circulated; 33 calls had been
taken by the Control Room from/regarding the parish, and 6 crimes had been
logged.
Sgt Scott expanded on the burglaries; items stolen were quantities of diesel and scrap metal. It was believed that travellers in the area were involved.
Operation Rogue Trader had been focussing on bogus officials and people cold-calling and offering to do gardening work and tarmacking. Any calls taken under this scheme meant that the Police would attend, along with officials from Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs and Trading Standards. The Police were working with these agencies in order to apprehend criminals engaged in all types of illegal activity.
Sgt Scott gave a brief explanation
of how Selecta DNA worked in providing evidence.
Councillor Watson reported problems with parking in Ivy Road outside the schools.
Sgt Scott explained that PCSOs were not allowed to issue Fixed Penalty Notices,
and he did not have enough personnel to cover all the schools where this was
a problem.
Councillor Potter reported that he had received notification that a person had been reprimanded for the damage to the new football dug outs. He felt that this did not sufficiently recompense the Football Club for the expense and inconvenience caused to the Club. Sgt Scott responded that the Club could pursue a civil claim, and would need to ask for the evidence from the Police Data Protection Agency.
A street meeting had been arranged for residents of Cedar Avenue following complaints of nuisance behaviour at the previous month’s meeting. Councillor Holdroyd had attended, but unfortunately the weather was very bad on that day and no residents had attended. The Chairman thanked PCSO Elvin, through Sgt Scott, for arranging the meeting. Sgt Scott confirmed that PCSO Elvin was the new officer assigned to Spixworth.
Councillor Sadler asked about the future of SNAP meetings in the area. Sgt Scott confirmed that he wished to continue with these, possibly in another form, and hoped for a better cross-section of attendees from the three parishes. Councillor Sadler commented that the organisation of the SNAP meeting was the responsibility of the County Superintendents, and in recent years these had not stayed in post for long enough to provide continuity.
Sgt Scott and PC Graves were thanked for attending and they left the meeting.
3.3 Items for the Safer Neighbourhood
Team
None
3.4 Nomination of SNAP members
and deputies
A meeting on the future of SNAP meetings had been held earlier in the month.
Councillor Ward had not been able to attend, and Councillor Thompson was not
yet present. It was understood that no consensus had been reached on the way
forward.
Councillor Sadler would attend a Police meeting on 9 December and would raise the question of the Terms of Reference for the SNAPs.
4. THE MINUTES of the previous meeting held on 3 November 2009, which had been circulated, were agreed, and signed by the Chairman as a true record.
5. MATTERS ARISING
5.1 Medical cover at Spixworth
Surgery
The meeting noted a response from the Practice Manager to complaints of a
lack of cover during the summer holiday season, and the fact that a ‘flu clinic
was held only at the Coltishall branch.
5.2 Spixworth Post Office
It was confirmed that the local newsagent was due to attend an interview during
the week, and if successful steps would be taken to establish the Post Office
within that shop.
5.3 Footpath, Rackheath Lane to
Crostwick Common
The Clerk reported that a dedicated path had been negotiated with the landowner,
which had a similar legal status to a footpath on the Definitive Map. The
Clerk would ascertain the difference between the two, and also whether a footpath
on the Definitive Map could also be marked as a private road.
6. FINANCE
6.1 Balances were noted.
Cheques and Payments detailed on the attached schedule and totalling £5,000.28
were authorised for payment.
6.2 Applications for Financial
Assistance
6.2.1 A donation of £50 was AGREED to Norwich Fringe Project
(Open Spaces Act 1906, ss 9 & 10)
With the Council’s agreement, the Chairman adjourned the meeting to allow members of the public to speak.
6.2.2 Councillor Potter and the
Chairman of Spixworth United FC both explained the urgent necessity for improved
floodlighting to the training area. There was discussion on whether grants
were available, and whether the Parish Council would loan the necessary sum
to the Football Club pending successful bids. Two quotations had been obtained,
the slightly larger sum from the Parish Council’s street lighting contractor.
There was discussion on the Parish Council’s role in providing amenities to
the parish and improving the facilities at the Village Hall in its role as
sole managing trustee.
Proposed by Councillor Mills, seconded by Councillor Ward, it was AGREED that
the Parish Council meet the cost of the lighting to a maximum nett sum of
£867.80.
6.3 Finance & General Purposes
Committee
A meeting date was set for 16 December at 7.30pm to set a draft budget and
precept.
7. PLANNING MATTERS
7.1 Planning Committee
7.1.1 The minutes of the committee meeting held 3 November 2009 were RATIFIED.
7.1.2 Councillor Mills gave a verbal
report of the Committee meeting held immediately prior to the Council meeting;
the Council AGREED the recommendations on applications made.
7.2 Permissions and Enforcement Matters
There were no new or outstanding cases to report.
(Councillor Thompson entered the meeting this point)
8. CORRESPONDENCE & REPORTS OF MEETING(S) 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.
8.1.1 Sustainable Communities Act
Amendment Bill
The National Association of Local Councils and Society of Local Council Clerks
were supporting this Bill, intended to ensure that Parish & Town Councils
were included in the process of government action to promote and protect local
sustainability. All local Councils were being asked to lobby the MPs given
the opportunity to introduce a Bill which had a chance of becoming law in
the hopes that they would be persuaded to adopt the SCA Amendment Bill.
The Council AGREED to support this proposal.
9. HIGHWAYS MATTERS
9.1 Highways Committee
The minutes of the committee meeting held 12 November 2009 were RATIFIED.
9.2 Highways Matters Update
The Clerk reported on discussions held with the Police Traffic Sergeant for
Broadland on monitoring HGV traffic movement in and around Spixworth; any
officers in the area would be asked to check on vehicles potentially using
the route as a through route. He had confirmed the ruling on sugar beet lorries
being netted; this was not statutory as long as the load was safe.
9.3 Any Other Highways Matters
Notice under S 100 of the Highways Act 1980 had been served on the Council
notifying it of the installation of a drain on part of Greg's Meadow to alleviate
flooding in Godfrey Road.
10. AMENITIES MATTERS
10.1 Greg's Meadow
Proposed by the Chairman, seconded by the Vice-Chairman, the meeting APPROVED
the quotation for £1,600 for specified clearance work to the perimeter
of Greg's Meadow.
11. SPIXWORTH VILLAGE HALL TRUSTEES
11.1 Trustees Committee
The minutes of the committee meeting held 12 November 2009 were RATIFIED.
11.2 & 3 Village Hall Management
Sub-Committee
The meeting noted the draft minutes of the meeting held on 24 November and
Councillor Potter’s report of that meeting.
Main items raised at the meeting were insurance matters and the necessity
for outside hirers to have their own Pubic Liability insurance. Strong feelings
had been raised about the relationship between the Parish Council and the
Sub-Committee. It was felt that a structure plan should be devised and explained
to the Sub-Committee. The Chairman and Clerk would undertake this.
12. NORWICH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
12.1 Consultative Committee
The minutes of the meeting held on 19 October 2009 had become available and
were tabled. Councillor Sadler had given a verbal report at the previous Parish
Council meeting.
13. REPORT BY DISTRICT COUNCILLOR
Councillor Thompson confirmed that there had been no definite outcome of the Safer Neighbourhood Action Panel meeting held in November, and no Terms of Reference had been agreed. A further meeting would be held on 20 January 2010.
14. AOB
14.1 Councillor Sadler informed the meeting that he had seen a presentation by Broadland District Council officers of an aerial survey of properties and businesses in the district showing the level of heat loss. The Clerk would make enquiries as to whether it would be possible to show this to individual Parish Councils.
14.2 Councillor Watson commented that recent press coverage had indicated that lobbying BT for an improved Broadband coverage might produce results.
There being no further business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 9.35pm.