MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF SPIXWORTH PARISH COUNCIL HELD AT
7.30pm on TUESDAY 3 MARCH 2009 at SPIXWORTH VILLAGE HALL

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

2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Councillor Sadler: as a member of Broadland Standards Committee and Broadland Community Partnership (public bodies); a member 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. POLICE MATTERS

3.1 Crime Statistics
The figures for February had been received and circulated; 42 calls had been taken by the Control Room from/regarding the parish, and 6 crimes had been logged.

Of the 42 calls, 19 had been about rowdy/nuisance behaviour, and most were for disturbances in the area of the Village Hall during the Panto performances. The Chairman had called for assistance during this time; PC Lambert had attended and dealt with the problem and there had been no further disturbance for the rest of the week. The Clerk had passed on the Chairman’s thanks to the Police.

The Chairman asked if there were any stronger measures that could be taken to curb unruly behaviour, such as curfew orders. PCSO Bunting responded that these were very difficult to enforce. A lot of evidence was required about quite serious anti-social behaviour over a long period of time. The meeting felt that some measures should be taken as there was a growing reluctance to hire the hall due to the disturbance outside. PCSO Bunting would take this up with PC Lambert and research other sanctions.
One option was the use of Anti-Social Behaviour Contracts whereby offenders, their parents and any aggrieved persons could meet under the auspices of the Police and establish a framework of behaviour. The contract usually lasted for 6 months, after which time (if the behaviour had improved sufficiently) the contract was destroyed. However, if the contract was breached, there would be regular interviews by the Police.

(Councillor Doy entered the meeting at this point)

3.2 Safer Neighbourhood Team
There were no matters to raise with the team. The next SNAP meeting would be held in Old Catton in April.

PCSO Bunting was thanked for attending and he left the meeting.

4. THE MINUTES of the previous meeting held on 3 February 2009, which had been circulated, were agreed, and signed by the Chairman as a true record with the following amendment: Mr Thompson be deleted from the list of those present.

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 £4,090.65 were authorised for payment.

6.2 Applications for Financial Assistance
Reverend Beane had attended the Parish Council meeting held in November 2007 and had sought financial help with the refurbishment of the path from the church car park to the churchyard extension. The Council had accounted for this in the budget for 2008/09. The path was now completed, and the Council AGREED a donation of £500.

Revd Beane had also sought an increase in the donation for churchyard upkeep from £600 to £800. The Clerk was asked to respond that the Council’s budget had already been set for the year but an increase would be considered in the following financial year.

6.3 Contracts
6.3.1 Litter bin emptying
The Clerk explained why the current contractor for removal of dog waste and litter on Parish Council-owned land would be withdrawing the service as from 31 March 2009. Broadland District Council had offered to take over the contract from 1 April at an increased price, although several local Parish Councils had found it competitive and had joined the scheme. It would also regularise the position regarding disposal of the waste.
The meeting AGREED to accept the offer from Broadland District Council for commercial dog and litter bin emptying service for private land from 1 April 2009 at a cost of £3.15 per bin.

6.3.2 Grounds Maintenance
The notes of the meeting of the Grounds Maintenance Specification Working Party had been circulated. The contract for grounds maintenance for the 2009 season had been awarded to Norfolk County Services Ltd at a cost of £6,102.

7. PLANNING MATTERS

7.1 Planning Committee
7.1.1 The minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held 3 February 2009 were RATIFIED.

7.1.2 In the absence of Councillor Mills, Councillor Thompson had been elected Chairman for the meeting held immediately prior to the Council meeting. He gave a verbal report of that Committee meeting and the Council AGREED the recommended responses to the planning applications

7.2 Permissions and Enforcement Matters
The application made to Norfolk County Council by Parkers Skip Hire for a green waste recycling plant at Rackheath had been granted.

8. CORRESPONDENCE AND 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 form the Clerk. A list is attached to the signed copy of these minutes.

8.2 Responses to invitations / consultations
The Broadland Energy Team was looking to encourage the use of low-energy light bulbs amongst parishioners and sought the Council’s opinion on the idea of loaning a case of bulbs of various designs to households. However, it acknowledged that the administration of the loan scheme might make extra work for Parish Councils, with which the meeting agreed.

The Clerk suggested that this scheme might work if administered through the Information Bus which visited Spixworth every Monday morning. It was agreed that the Clerk should respond with this suggestion.

8.3 Meetings Attended
The Clerk reported on her and Councillor Sadler’s attendance at the Larger and Quality Councils meeting held in Cromer on 10 February. Topics covered had been the dedicated contact methods for Parish Council Clerks, using the County Council website, and VAT as it related to Town and Parish Councils.

9. HIGHWAYS MATTERS

9.1 Maintenance Matters
Councillor Barrell commented on the recent resurfacing and slight widening of part of Church Lane at the site of several accidents. There was criticism of the diversion signage in place before the works had commenced, which had led to confusion for some drivers.

The Clerk noted the sites of several potholes which would be reported to Highways.

9.2 Traffic Matters
The Clerk would pursue the full specification for safety improvements at the junction of Buxton Road and Church Lane. It was noted that this site had been acknowledged as an accident blackspot by the County Council in a newspaper article.

County Councillor Williams entered the meeting at this point.

9.3 Any Other Highways Matters
Councillor Manning had scrutinised the grounds maintenance specifications on which the tenders had been based, and suggested amendments. Some items could be negotiated with the contractor once the season had started. The Clerk would ensure that a cutting schedule was provided. Review of the specifications would be placed on the agenda for the October meeting.

With the meeting’s agreement, the Chairman brought forward Item 14 on the agenda.

14. REPORTS FROM DISTRICT/COUNTY COUNCILLORS

County Councillor Williams reported that Trading Standards officers were willing to pilot a scheme to monitor HGVs using routes within a 7.5 tonne weight limit zone, possibly starting in late spring/early summer. This could be done by spot checks by the officers themselves or by reports from local residents. The meeting accepted the offer for the Crostwick Lane situation to be a pilot scheme.
Councillor Williams confirmed that Trading Standards officers did have the power to prosecute, but in this instance the aim would be education, to discourage drivers from flouting the weight restriction. He asked for any information already held, such as the names of any haulage companies that consistently used the route.
Councillor Barrell commented that drivers unused to the area and using satellite navigation devices were likely to use inappropriate routes.

County Councillor Williams referred to the survey currently being carried out on unreliable bus services in the village. He reported that an officer in the County Council Passenger Transport Unit was willing to accept the reports.

District Councillor Thompson reported that the Council Tax rise would be kept to less than 2% for the next financial year.
Broadland District Council was considering creating a fund of £1.5 – 2 million as a bank to support local businesses in the current precarious financial climate.
He further reported that Spixworth Infants School had applied for a Community Renewable Grant to install solar panels to enhance the hot water provision in the school. This would provide significant energy savings in the future.

10. AMENITIES MATTERS

10.1 Dog Fouling
The meeting AGREED the purchase of two replacement dog bins for Greg's Meadow at a cost of £120. The existing bins had been vandalised.

The Clerk would write a letter of thanks to a young resident, Lewis Attwood, who had been featured in a recent edition of the Eastern Evening News for clearing up dog fouling in the area near his home. Officers at Broadland District Council had noticed the article and reminded the Council that it was running an initiative to clear up areas where dog fouling was particularly bad, and would thoroughly clear an area when reported.

10.2 Any Other Amenities Matters
Councillor Doy reported on a meeting held the previous week between members of the Play Strategy Working Group and the Chairman of the Village Hall Management Committee with the Play Project Officer to look at the schemes presented by three contractors.
She outlined the equipment preferred and the possible use of the hard standing on the old tennis courts for the installation of a kicking wall. The Play Project Officer would approach the preferred contractor to amend the scheme and resubmit a quotation.
The Chairman reminded the meeting that under the terms of the funding for this equipment it would be owned and insured by the Parish Council.

11. SPIXWORTH VILLAGE HALL

11.1 Spixworth Village Hall Management Committee
The meeting noted Councillor Potter’s report on the Committee meeting held on 24 February 2009.
All documentation was now available for the Management Committee Chairman to make an application to the Charity Commission for the transfer of trusteeship to the Parish Council.

11.2 Improved football facilities at the Village Hall
Councillor Potter reported on negotiations with the former Norwich Union FC (now called AFC Norwich) to use the facilities at Spixworth Village Hall following the sale of its own grounds. Certain facilities would need to be upgraded to attain the standards required by the Anglian Combination, such as separate changing and showering areas for the referees and assistants. Grant funding was available for these upgrades, and it was envisaged that the old tennis courts could be refurbished to provide a floodlit training area.
Councillor Potter saw the upgrade as being of benefit to the Village Hall, the Social Club (as refreshments would need to be provided for home games), the Parish Council (as fulfilling part of the Parish Plan), and the village as a whole.

Councillor Potter answered questions about the scheme, and there was discussion on the possible shared use of the old tennis courts for both a training area and for the kicking wall outlined in 10.2 above.

The Parish Council gave its support for the scheme in principle.

12. NORWICH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

12.1 Joint Consultative Committee
Councillor Sadler reported that the meeting scheduled for late February had been postponed to 23 March 2009.

13. QUALITY COUNCIL STATUS

13.1 New Residents Welcome Pack
Councillors made corrections and amendments to the welcome leaflet. It was agreed that Councillors would note any new residents in their area and notify the Clerk or Councillor Potter, who would print copies as required. The cost of the professional photography for the leaflet would be placed on the agenda for the next meeting.
The Chairman thanked Councillor Potter for his work in producing the leaflet.

15. AOB

Councillor Sadler reported that the Superintendent based at Wroxham Road Police Station was willing to attend a meeting of the Parish Council. It was agreed to invite him to the Annual Parish Meeting on 28 April 2009.

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