Parish Council Minutes

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF SPIXWORTH PARISH COUNCIL HELD AT
7.30pm on TUESDAY 2 JUNE 2009 at SPIXWORTH VILLAGE HALL

PRESENT
COUNCILLORS:
Mr Fitt (Chairman)
Mrs Doy (Vice-Chairman)
Mr Barrell
Mrs Holdroyd
Mr Manning
Mr Mills
Mr Potter
Mr Sadler
Mr Thompson
Mr Watson
District Council B. Kular (later)
District Councillor C. Thompson (also Parish Councillor)
County Councillor A. Williams
PCSO Bunting
Two 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 Ms Cullum and Mr Ward.

2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Councillor Sadler: as a member of Broadland Standards Committee and Broadland Community Partnership (public bodies); Vice-President of Norfolk ALC; Vice-Chairman
of 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 May had been received and circulated; 31 calls had been taken by the Control Room from/regarding the parish, and 12 crimes had been logged.

PCSO Bunting enlarged on these. The largest number of calls taken concerned rowdy/nuisance behaviour at Spixworth Village Hall. Councillor Watson asked what more stringent action would be taken. PCSO Bunting confirmed that a prosecution could be likely for the theft of the CCTV camera. The Clerk reported that Sergeant Scott had tasked an officer to specifically deal with the Village Hall problem, and she and the Clerk to Old Catton Parish Council were due to meet the Inspector on the following day about policing in the sector.

PCSO Bunting reported that the Police were publicising methods of prevention of theft from garages, as numbers of these burglaries were rising.

He was thanked for attending and he left the meeting.

With the Council’s agreement, the Chairman brought forward Item 13 on the agenda.

13. REPORTS FROM DISTRICT / COUNTY COUNCILLORS

13.1 County Councillor Williams reported that he had looked into the flooding issue on Godfrey Road. If funding allowed, it would be addressed in the 2009/10 financial year, or failing this, in the following year.

He reported that the Northern Distributor Road scheme had been delayed due to a late Government funding commitment, but it was still on target to be finished by early 2015. There had been some changes on access; traffic coming from Horsford would have a dedicated roundabout onto the Northern Distributor Road rather than use the existing Holt Road roundabout, and there would be no access to the Spixworth Road at St Faiths.

Traffic surveys and modelling now indicated that traffic using the Church Lane / Buxton Road / Crostwick Lane route would be reduced by between 35 – 65%, as it was acknowledged that this route had, until now, been used as an unofficial northern distributor road This would allow ‘greener’ traffic management in the north Norwich area.

Councillor Sadler asked if there would be any signing to restrict HGVs; County Williams responded that the 7.5 tonne weight restriction would still apply, and he surmised that such traffic would prefer to use the Northern Distributor Road rather than country lanes unless it had need to.
Responding to Councillor Sadler’s question, he confirmed that Trading Standards officers were still prepared to look into the question of HGVs operating illegally within the 7.5 tonne limit zone, based on evidence from residents.

13.2 Councillor Thompson reported that he had been involved with Broadland District Council planning department regarding signage for the HFG Farm Shop on the B1150. He had also assisted in the grant for Woodland View Junior School for solar panels; these had now been fitted.

County Councillor Williams left the meeting at this point.

4. THE MINUTES of the previous meeting held on 5 May 2009, which had been circulated, were agreed, and signed by the Chairman as a true record.

5. MATTERS ARISING

5.1 Parking at the Church
The Rector had responded that he had little control over the use of the grass triangle outside the church, and he had been prevented from increasing the signage outside the church to indicate the car park. He had raised the matter of a previous application to improve the access via the gates to create a small lay-by which had been refused. Councillor Mills recalled that the church’s application for a faculty had been turned down by the Diocesan Board.

5.2 Asset Transfer
The Clerk had met with the Conservation Manager at Broadland District Council regarding the transfer of the areas of amenity land should unitary status be imposed in Norfolk. A valuation of the land would be sought and permission to transfer sought from either the Portfolio Holder or Cabinet, depending on the value. The land would be transferred with a commuted sum for maintenance for 20 years.

With the meeting’s agreement, the Chairman brought forward Item 11 on the agenda.

11. SPIXWORTH VILLAGE HALL

11.1 The meeting noted Councillor Potter’s report of the Management Committee meeting held on 27 May 2009.

The conversion of Room 89 so that it could be used for football match officials was nearly complete, and security measures for insurance purposes were in place.

Councillors Potter and Watson left the meeting at this point.

6. FINANCE

6.1 Balances were noted.
Cheques and Payments detailed on the attached schedule and totalling £13,749.32 were authorised for payment.
The meeting authorised the virement of £1,100 from Contingency to Street Lighting Replacement.

6.2 Applications for Financial Assistance
None received.

6.3 Annual Accounts 2008/09
Proposed by Councillor Sadler, seconded by Councillor Manning, the meeting approved the Annual Accounts for 2008/09 for External Audit and completed the Annual Governance Statement with ’Yes’ answers.

6.4 Internal Audit
The audit had taken place two working days previously and a full report would be issued in due course. However, no matters were raised verbally during the audit and the auditor had signed off the internal audit section in the Annual Return.

7. PLANNING MATTERS

7.1 Planning Committee
7.1.1 The minutes of the committee meeting held 5 May 2009 were RATIFIED.

7.1.2 Councillor Mills had been re-elected as Committee Chairman and he gave a verbal report of the Committee meeting held immediately prior to the Council meeting; the Council AGREED the recommended responses to the planning applications.
A query was raised as to why planning permission was needed for a wildlife pond; Councillor Thompson responded that it depended on the size of the proposed pond.

7.2 Permissions and Enforcement Matters
No further matters to report.

District Councillor Kular entered the meeting at this point.

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 invitations
The Clerk would ascertain whether Councillor Cullum wished to attend a play area inspection course on her return from holiday.

8.3 Meeting at Horstead to discuss fly-tipping
The meeting noted Councillor Sadler’s report on this meeting. Landowners found it expensive to remove rubbish fly-tipped on their land. Erecting barriers across entrances to fields had improved the situation. The Head of Environmental Services at Broadland District Council was looking into providing a skip in which landowners could dump fly-tipped rubbish which would then be removed free of charge. A follow-up meeting was planned.

9. HIGHWAYS MATTERS

9.1 Maintenance matters
The Clerk received verbal reports from Councillors on maintenance matters.

The Clerk would report that street sweeping could not be carried out in Cedar Avenue at 7.10am on the previous day as there were cars parked on both sides of the road. She would ask that the road be re-scheduled for later in the day.

10. AMENITIES MATTERS

10.1 Commercial cleansing for private land
The meeting agreed to express an interest in this service which Broadland District Council was proposing to offer.

10.2 Greg's Meadow
There was discussion on the recent report in Parish News of Junior School pupils’ impressions of Greg's Meadow.
One member of the public left the meeting at this point.

12. NORWICH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

12.1 Consultation on control of airspace
Councillor Sadler had managed to obtain more information, but as several members of the Council were not present it was decided to postpone discussion until the next meeting. Councillor Sadler had spoken to airport management, operators and pilots, and ascertained that all parties felt that the proposal would benefit all. He was keen to include a commitment that pilots would not fly over built-up areas.

13. REPORT FROM DISTRICT COUNCILLOR

Councillor Kular had no Council matters to report, but thanked the Councillors for their personal support for his fund-raising for a childrens’ charity.

14. AOB

14.1 Councillor Thompson had acquired the figures spent by local authorities in support of, or opposition to, the unitary government proposals. Norfolk County Council had spent £425,000 in direct spending; Broadland District Council £60,000 in direct spending; Norwich City Council had spent £743,000 in direct costs, and £551,000 in indirect costs.

14.2 Councillor Holdroyd reported two properties needing welcome leaflets.

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 8.34pm