MINUTES
OF THE MEETING OF SPIXWORTH PARISH COUNCIL HELD AT
7.30pm on TUESDAY 4 MARCH 2008 at SPIXWORTH VILLAGE HALL
PRESENT
COUNCILLORS: Mr Fitt (Chairman)
Mr Barrell
Ms Cullum
Mrs Doy
Mrs Holdroyd
Mr Manning
Mr Mills
Mr Potter
Mr Sadler
Mr Thompson
Mr Watson
District Councillor C. Thompson (also Parish Councillor)
County Councillor A. Williams (later)
CLERK: Mrs R. Rose
PC 1120 Lambert
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 Mr Ward (Vice-Chairman) and District Councillor Kular.
2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Councillor Sadler: as Chair of Broadland Standards Committee and a member of Broadland Community Partnership (public bodies); Junior Vice-Chairman of the Executive Committee of NCAPTC; 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. THE MINUTES of the previous meeting held on 5 February 2008, which had been circulated, were agreed, and signed by the Chairman as a true record.
4. MATTERS ARISING
4.1 Bus shelter, Buxton Road
Councillor Mills had spoken to several parishioners who were keen to retain
and refurbish the bus shelter, and who would be willing to volunteer practical
help. The Clerk reminded the meeting of Health &Safety and insurance implications
of volunteers carrying out work on behalf of the Council. Councillor Mills
would prepare a detailed specification for the next meeting, and the Clerk
would enquire if funding might be available from outside sources.
4.2 New bus shelters
The Clerk confirmed that it would be the Parish Council’s responsibility to
provide new shelters, and would enquire about funding.
4.3 Bollard, Russell Avenue
It was reported that the bollard had been vandalised, such that if it was
left in one position it could not be easily changed. The keyholder had left
it locked in the upright position.
The Council discussed the arguments for and against its retention, and decided
that it should be removed, not least because Anglian Water and EDF personnel
might need close access to their respective sub-stations.
5. POLICE MATTERS
5.1 Crime Statistics
The figures for February had been received and circulated; 27 calls had been
taken by the Control Room from/regarding the parish, and 5 crimes had been
logged.
5.2 Report from the Safer Neighbourhood
Team
PC Lambert reported that some of the logged calls were for tasks such as delivery
of summons. Vandalism to cars had been a feature of the month’s crime figures,
but some forensic evidence of the culprits had been recovered.
He commented on the accidents on Church Lane and the possibility that a contributory
cause may have been driver error. He reported that Sergeant Atherton of the
Traffic Division had attended a site meeting, ostensibly with personnel from
County Council Highways. The Parish Council felt that it should have been
represented, and the Clerk would enquire into this.
5.3 Safer Neighbourhood Team Surgery
/ SNAP meeting
The meeting noted that a surgery would be held in the Village Hall on the
following Saturday morning, 8 March.
The next SNAP meeting would be held in Spixworth on 21 April at the Methodist
Church.
(County Councillor Williams entered the meeting at this point)
Councillor Barrell asked PC Lambert if he knew whether the sale of knives by mail order was actively discouraged. He cited machetes used for hedge lopping, but which could also be used as weapons. PC Lambert had no information no the subject.
PC Lambert was thanked for his report and he left the meeting.
6. FINANCE
6.1 Balances were noted.
Cheques and Payments detailed on the attached schedule and totalling £2,613.11
were authorised for payment. The Clerk was authorised to order a customised
fixing post for the chute-type dog bin for Crostwick Lane.
6.2 Applications for Financial
Assistance
None received.
6.3 Adoption of Pension Policy
This item was postponed pending further advice.
6.4 Any Other Finance Matters
The Clerk reported an increase in the Village Hall hire fees.
7. PLANNING MATTERS
7.1 Planning Committee
7.1.1 The minutes of the committee meeting held 5 February 2008 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 recommended responses to the planning applications.
7.1.3 Broadland District Council:
Local Development Framework –
Site Specific Allocations
The Clerk had attended a workshop run by the Planning Policy team of Broadland
District Council. Parish Council were being given the opportunity to contribute
to the Development Plan Document by suggesting (for example) variations in
the settlement limit, areas for business development, designation of environmentally
sensitive areas, etc. It was AGREED that the Planning Committee meet on 25
March to consider this; all members of the Parish Council would be welcome
to attend.
7.1.4 Broadland District Council:
Landscape Character Assessment
The draft assessment had been received, with a recommendation that it replace
ENV1 and ENV8 in the current Broadland District Council Local Plan. The meeting
supported this recommendation.
7.2 Permissions and Enforcement
Matters
Permission had been granted for the sub-division and erection of a dwelling
at
96 Crostwick Lane, contrary to the Parish Council’s view.
There were no further enforcement matters to report.
8. CORRESPONDENCE
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
8.2.1 The Chairman and either the Vice Chairman or Clerk would attend a meeting
with the Boundary Committee under the auspices of NCAPTC on
13 March at County Hall. Councillor Sadler would attend as Junior Vice-Chairman
of the Executive Committee of NCAPTC.
8.2.2 The meeting felt that a trial for the Mobile Library to visit Spixworth on Saturdays would be beneficial, particularly for schoolchildren who could not access it on weekdays. The Clerk would recommend that the service be advertised in local schools.
9. HIGHWAYS MATTERS
9.1 Update on Church Lane and Buxton
Road/ Church Lane junction
The Clerk had kept Highways personnel appraised of recent accidents at both
sites.
The Principal Engineer, Casualty Reduction, had responded that, in view of the rising incidence of loss of control accidents on Church Lane, he would expedite resurfacing and would include it in the forthcoming financial year’s safety programme.
The Highway Manager had personally monitored the latter site on at least two occasions, but had reiterated that any improvements could not be justified until the impact of the Northern Distributor Route had been assessed. He acknowledged that a contributory factor to some accidents at the junction could have been the road layout which allowed joining the main road to be accomplished at speed, but that also driver carelessness, speed / failure to look were strongly suggested.
The Clerk would enquire about a joint site meeting with Highways personnel and the Police Traffic Division.
9.2 Maintenance Matters
Nothing further to report.
9.3 Any Other Highways Matters
The Clerk would ask First Bus if the drivers could adhere to the usual route
when returning to Norwich after the last bus had dropped off passengers. Buses
had been using the Ivy Road or Crostwick Lane junctions with Buxton Road,
which were not regarded as having good visibility.
With the meeting’s agreement, the Chairman brought Item 13 forward on the agenda.
13. REPORT FROM COUNTY COUNCILLOR
County Councillor Williams outlined the debate on unitary status in Norfolk. There would be a series of initial meetings between members of the Boundary Committee and Local Authorities so that the former could examine options. They had already considered broad concepts put forward by various councils.
They had also been asked to consider Yarmouth/Lowestoft/Waveney as a separate option, making it cross-border with Suffolk. This solution had a precedent in the PCT area.
The Boundary Committee would be consulting with stakeholders such as NCAPTC and would judge the options against the government’s five criteria; however, County Councillor Williams stressed that this would not be a referendum.
Consultation would continue until April, following which the Committee would prepare its draft proposals. Further consultation would take place on these between July and September. After refinement, it was expected that a proposal would be put before the Secretary of State on 19 December. If this was enacted, any new unitary council would come into being in April 2010.
County Councillor Williams reiterated that Norfolk County Council’s point of view was that the county would be best served by a ‘whole county’ solution. However, he recognised that, because of its size, some would not see this as their ‘local’ council. He surmised that service delivery would be from a number of localised centres.
He felt that the only other two options with a realistic chance of implementation would be those of a Greater Norwich and rest of Norfolk ‘doughnut’, and an East/West split, with Norwich being included in the eastern half.
Discussion followed, but it was emphasised that Parish and Town Councils would remain as a tier of local government and might even have enhanced powers. Councillor Sadler emphasised that the NCAPTC would pursue a solution that was best for Norfolk as a whole. Should this be a one county option, he foresaw delivery from service areas; this option had worked in other counties such as Cornwall.
Councillor Thompson reported that Broadland District Council would be holding meetings and that it was important to establish facts in any argument for or against a specific proposal.
Councillor Potter asked if the Northern Distributor Route would still be constructed by 2012; County Councillor Williams responded that it would depend on the unitary solution and the development opportunities that that council wished to pursue.
County Councillor Williams was thanked for his report and he left the meeting.
10. AMENITIES MATTERS
10.1 Post Office Closures
The minutes of the Working Party meeting had been circulated. The meeting
scrutinised a draft document prepared by Councillor Potter intended to support
any objection should Spixworth Post Office be earmarked for closure. The final
document would be sent to Broadland District Council and the Spixworth Postmistress
only, unless it was needed for an objection.
Councillor Potter outlined the
facts included in the document, and confirmed that the Postmistress had approved
the information it contained.
The meeting supplied one other fact to support the case regarding adults with
learning difficulties who lived in the parish, and the document was ADOPTED.
Councillor Potter was thanked for the large amount of work involved in compiling
the document.
11. SPIXWORTH VILLAGE HALL
11.1 Spixworth Village Hall Management
Committee
The meeting noted Councillor Potter’s report on the Committee meeting held
on 26 February 2008.
11.2 Matters Arising from the meeting
The meeting had queried when the 4 page leaflet would be issued to the village
regarding the possibility that the Parish Council take over the Trusteeship
of the Village Hall.
Following the Council’s comments regarding the length of the draft leaflet
at the meeting held in January 2008 the Chairman had condensed the information
it contained and proposed that the shorter version be included in the Parish
Council newsletter to be issued in the near future. The newsletter would inform
the electorate that a relevant motion would be put before the Annual Parish
Meeting to be held on 29 April 2008, and if requested, that a Parish Poll
would be held on a date to be arranged with Broadland District Council. The
Chairman would ask the respective Chairmen of the Village Hall Management
Committee and Social Club to attend the Annual Parish Meeting.
The full leaflet would be made available at the Annual Parish Meeting and
in the Parish Council Office, and the text would appear on the Council’s website
and on village noticeboards.
The meeting AGREED this action. The Clerk would ascertain whether a Poll need
be held if the outcome of the Annual Parish Meeting was inconclusive.
12. NORWICH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
12.1 Joint Consultative Committee
The minutes of the meeting held on 18 February 2008 were not yet available;
Councillor Sadler gave a verbal report. The meeting had been somewhat unruly
as the Chairman had complained that the Airport management did not refer matters
to the Joint Consultative Committee. The Managing Director had questioned
the monitoring role that the Committee held.
He confirmed that proceeds from the Airport Development Tax were helping to fund the new fire ground and engine testing areas.
A meeting held at Broadland District Council Cabinet had discussed the information contained in a consultation document regarding the relocation of a control beacon. The matter was being referred to the Civil Aviation Authority.
It was confirmed that the planning permission regarding engine testing locations was still valid and that testing on the runway was carried out without permission. The testing area had been temporarily moved from a location near a hangar because of environmental concerns.
It had been confirmed that the Letter of Agreement containing operating criteria set by the Inspector in 1988 was unenforceable and should be scrapped. A meeting would be held between the Managing Director, the Strategic Director and Chief Planner at Broadland District Council, and the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the JCC to agree Terms of Reference, including permission for night flights, engine testing and emergencies, which would form a mandatory document.
Councillor Sadler would provide a copy of the minutes of the JCC meeting of 18 February 2008 when they became available.
He reported that up to 19 complaints had been received by the airport from the St Faiths area about helicopters and engine testing. The Bristows representative had not been present at the Joint Consultative Committee meeting. The relocation of the beacon would allow for more activity by helicopters, and it was noted that there would be a training school for helicopters at the airport in the near future.
14. AOB
Councillor Manning congratulated the Clerk on the refurbishment of the Council’s website.
There being no further business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 10.10pm