MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF SPIXWORTH PARISH COUNCIL HELD AT
7.30pm on TUESDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2010 at SPIXWORTH VILLAGE HALL

PRESENT
COUNCILLORS:
Mrs Doy (Vice-Chairman)
Mr Barrell
Ms Cullum
Mrs Holdroyd
Mr Manning
Mr Potter
Mr Sadler
Mr Thompson
Mr Ward
Mr Watson
District Councillor C. Thompson (also Parish Councillor)
County Councillor A. Williams (later)
PC Julie Swift
5 members of the public
CLERK: Mrs R. Rose

THE VICE-CHAIRMAN took the Chair and welcomed everyone to the meeting.

No items were raised in the Public Speaking session. The members of the public in attendance were invited to contribute to the relevant agenda item (7.3)

1. APOLOGIES were accepted from Mr Fitt (Chairman), Mr Mills and District Councillor B. Kular

2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Councillor Sadler: as a member of Broadland Standards Committee and Vice-Chairman 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 Holdroyd: a personal interest in Item 6.1 (payment to Stephen Blanch)

3. POLICE MATTERS

3.1 Crime Statistics
The figures for January had been received and circulated; 28 calls had been taken by the Control Room from/regarding the parish, and 0 crimes had been logged.
There was discussion on the reasons for the extremely low figures, and it was assumed that the freezing weather had been a large factor.

3.2 SNAP Meeting held 20 January 2010
Councillor Ward (as SNAP Chairman) thanked those Spixworth Parish Councillors who had attended and the Clerk for taking notes. The very low attendance from members of the public he felt was indicative of the low crime rate in the SNT area.

The three priorities set for the following period included monitoring of HGVs and the 7.5 tonne weight limit in and around Spixworth. The Clerk had spoken to the Traffic Sergeant based at Acle, who (at the time of speaking) could only provide officers for monitoring when their normal duties allowed.
A meeting would be held at Sprowston Police Station in the following week to discuss attracting new members to the Panel and to formalise the administration of the meetings.

Councillor Sadler reported on his attendance at the Norfolk Police Authority meeting at which he had raised the matter of funding for the SNAPs. The Assistant Chief Constable Simon Bailey had confirmed that these should be funded by the District Councils and overseen by Superintendent Dave Marshall. Councillor Sadler had ascertained that the local area was now combined with North Norfolk under the Superintendent’s authority. PC Swift confirmed that Supt Marshall had no specific base, but operated from across the area.

3.3 Future of Home Watch
Norfolk Constabulary had been reviewing the way Home Watch was to be administered in the future, and the Norwich and Norfolk Home Watch Associations were fully involved in this implementation plan. The intention was that the new Home Watch model would be finalised at the end of March 2010, and a new messaging system implemented that would be web-based and enable greater flexibility when sending and receiving messages. It was the intention of the Constabulary that the local Safer Neighbourhood Teams would become more involved in the setting up and co-ordinating of the schemes.

Councillor Ward confirmed that some Homewatch coordinators were members of the local SNAP and it was hoped to encourage more. PC Swift confirmed that she was keeping lists of expressions of interest in Home Watch.

3.4 Matters for Action by SNT
Councillor Watson asked if any drivers had been caught in the area using their mobile phones while driving. PC Swift confirmed that she had apprehended one driver for this offence. Now that the monitoring of HGVs in the village was a priority arising from the SNAP meeting more patrols would take place and the situation scrutinised more closely.

PC Swift was thanked for attending and she left the meeting.

County Councillor Williams entered the meeting at this point.

With the meeting’s agreement, the Vice-Chairman adjourned the meeting to allow members of the public to contribute to the following item, which was brought forward on the agenda.

7.3 Planning Application for engine testing facility at Norwich Airport
The Vice-Chairman outlined the current arrangements and location for engine testing, which was unauthorised.
Councillor Sadler confirmed that the Civil Aviation Authority had given the Airport until June to establish a legal testing area.
Councillor Ward confirmed that the proposed site on the old fire training ground had been mooted as the engine testing area for several years, and when originally proposed the plans included a willow wall to be planted on the bunding to provide further noise attenuation. This was not proposed on the current plans.

Mr Cook (public) agreed that the proposed site would be an improvement on the current arrangements if the facility was constructed to the best possible specification. At present the busiest times for engine testing appeared to be at the weekends and Bank Holidays. As his property was one of the closest to the proposed site he was keen that the best possible solution was found.

Mr Baverstock (public) contributed that he had some experience of planning applications and dealing with airports. He had not been given sufficient time to scrutinise the details of the application, and queried whether enough testing had been done to produce the Noise Assessment Report. For example, the height of the bund wall would be 6 metres, but some aircraft engines were at least half this height off the ground, and sound from their engines would carry over the bund wall. Further, he queried the location of the noise sensor receptors near Quaker Farm, claiming that they had been placed where the ambient noise levels were above normal, so that a false result would be given when recording the difference in noise between this level and that when engines were being tested. He felt that it was an incomplete report, as there was nothing in it to show what noise levels could be expected or how the noise could be controlled, and he felt that more could be done with the noise attenuation measures.

Councillor Barrell confirmed that the current testing area at the end of runway 22 was 117 feet above sea level and one of the highest points on the airport. The height of engines varied with the different aircraft, but they had to be pointed into the wind for testing, and the prevailing direction was from the south west; Spixworth was situated to the north east of the proposed site.

There was discussion on whether the site of the proposed location would impinge on the plans for the Northern Distributor Road; County Councillor Williams would check whether the Highways planners were aware. It was suggested that spoil from construction of the NDR could be used to good effect for the engine testing noise attenuation measures.

Councillors Sadler and Thompson sat on the Norwich Airport Joint Advisory Committee (NAJAC); a meeting would be held in the immediate future with planning officers from Norwich City Council, and the Head of Planning had indicated to Councillor Sadler that no report or recommendation to the Planning Committee would be made until after the NAJAC meeting.

In view of the points raised at the meeting and to allow Councillors and local residents time to fully absorb the data accompanying the application, it was AGREED to hold a further Planning Committee meeting, to which all Councillors and the public in attendance were invited, on a date to be arranged. The Clerk would ascertain the deadline for comments.

The members of the public left the meeting at this point and the adjournment ended.
With the meeting’s agreement, the Chairman brought forward Item 13 on the agenda.

13. REPORT FROM COUNTY COUNCILLOR

County Councillor Williams reported that the decision on the Local Government Review for Norfolk was imminent.

At its meeting to be held on 15 February the full County Council was recommended to approve a 1.9% increase in the Council Tax. There was a commitment to a 0% rise for 2 years thereafter.

County Councillor Williams was thanked for his report and he left the meeting.

4. THE MINUTES of the previous meeting held on 5 January, which had been circulated, were agreed, and signed by the Chairman as a true record with the following addition:
Item 6.4, end of 3rd paragraph: “At the time of recommendation, the Fixed Rate interest rates stood at 2.02%; however, this was updated daily and there was no guarantee that this rate would pertain at the time of applying for a loan.”

5. MATTERS ARISING

5.1 Post Office Re-opening
A provisional of 22 March 2010 was proposed, depending on the outcome of the 6-week statutory consultation period and the necessary installation at the newsagents.

The meeting agreed to respond in support of the proposal. Comment would be made on the outside door to the newsagents which opened outwards; it was felt that this would be difficult for disabled customers to use.

The arrangements for postal deliveries by Royal Mail would continue as at present, as there was no available space to sort rounds at the new premises. Councillor Ward asked that a problem he was experiencing with deliveries be raised with Royal Mail.

5.2 Cost of changing to timed street lights (Item 9.2.2 of previous minutes) The Clerk had ascertained that to change the street lighting stock to accommodate a switch off between midnight and 5am would cost nearly £16,000.

6. FINANCE

6.1 Balances were noted.
Cheques and Payments detailed on the attached schedule and totalling £4,255.51 were authorised for payment.
6.2 Applications for Financial Assistance
None received.

6.3 Any Other Financial Matters
The meeting approved a virement of £969 from Code 102 (Grants) to code 701 (Village Hall).

7. PLANNING MATTERS

7.1 Planning Committee
7.1.1The minutes of the meeting of 5 January 2010 were RATIFIED.

7.1.2 The Vice-Chairman 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
Three new cases had been raised in Spixworth at 46 Julian Road, adjacent 14 Sydney Road and at Spixworth Motel.

8. CORRESPONDENCE AND 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.

8.2 Consultations / Invitations
Councillor Sadler and the Clerk would attend the Larger & Quality Councils meeting to be held at Aylsham on 9 March 2010.

9. HIGHWAYS MATTERS

9.1 Grit Bins
Several requests had been received during the recent bad weather for grit bins at various locations around the village. As delivery of any bins would probably be made after any further periods of snow, it was agreed that Councillors would survey the village and bring to the next meeting suggestions for further locations.

9.2 Maintenance Matters
The Clerk was continuing to report any deep potholes for urgent repair, but it was agreed that a survey of the state of the village’s roads should be undertaken after the icy weather had passed.

Councillor Potter emphasised that the Council should be continually reminding Highways of the need for repair of those matters already reported.

10. AMENITIES MATTERS

10.1 Play Project Survey
The Play Project Manager had reported that the Big Lottery had sought more evaluation of the four projects in Broadland that it had funded. Broadland District Council was offering Parish Councils £300 in order to get evaluation forms completed. The Clerk had made enquiries as to parishioners who could carry this out. The Parish Council agreed this action.

10.2 Recycling Measures
10.2.1 Recycle-on-the-Go Bins, Crostwick Lane
The Council agreed a suggestion from the Street Scene Officer to install two bins near the shops on Crostwick Lane for recycling cans and plastic bottles, in an attempt to reduce the litter on the Lane.

10.2.2 Food Waste Collection Scheme
The meeting endorsed an initiative to extend the collections of food waste, trialled in other parishes, to 800 households in Spixworth. A Roadshow was being arranged at Spixworth Village Hall to explain the scheme, which was planned to start at the beginning of March.

10.3 Other Amenities Matters
Councillor Ward asked if Councillors were happy with the maintenance work done to the perimeter of Greg's Meadow; Councillor Manning would inspect this on the following day. Councillor Ward reiterated the need to carry out regular maintenance of the perimeter planting.

11. SPIXWORTH VILLAGE HALL TRUSTEES

11.1 Trustees Committee
The meeting RATIFIED the minutes of the Committee meeting held 13 January 2010, with the following amendment:
Item 5: Amend ;’Chairman’ to read ‘’Trustees Chairman’.

11.2 Village Hall Management Sub-Committee
The meeting noted Councillor Potter’s report of the meeting. The minutes were also tabled.

Councillor Potter asked that thanks and appreciation be recorded for Councillor Ward’s role in the Your Parish, Your Decision funding event. £500 was secured on that evening for the speedway track refurbishment, and Broadland District Council had offered assistance with applying for the balance of £1,000 through the Small Grants Fund. The Sub-committee also had funds available. The Clerk had received an email just before the Council meeting that the Your Parish, Your Decision administration costs were less than budgeted, and accordingly a further £500 was being made available for the speedway project. She would progress a grant application to Broadland District Council for the remaining £500.

12. NORWICH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Councillor Sadler reminded the meeting that the airport could not function without an engine testing facility, and that the employment position should be borne in mind.

There was further discussion on noise attenuation and bunding. A provisional date of 16 February was agreed for a further Planning Committee meeting to be held to discuss the application, to which all Councillors were invited.

13. REPORT FROM DISTRICT COUNCILLOR

Councillor Thompson had nothing further to report.

There being no further business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 9.25pm.