MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF SPIXWORTH PARISH COUNCIL HELD AT
7.30pm on TUESDAY 6 NOVEMBER 2007 at SPIXWORTH VILLAGE HALL

PRESENT
COUNCILLORS: Mr Ward (Vice-Chairman)
Mr Barrell Ms Cullum Mrs Doy
Mr Manning Mr Mills Mr Potter
Mr Sadler Mr Thompson
District Councillor C. Thompson (also Parish Councillor)
County Councillor A. Williams
CLERK: Mrs R. Rose
P.C. 112 Keith Lambert
Two members of the public

MR WARD took the chair and welcomed everyone to the meeting, especially
P.C. Lambert.

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 Fitt (Chairman), Mrs Holdroyd,
Mr Watson and District Councillor Kular.

2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Councillor Sadler: as Chair of Broadland Standards Committee and a member 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.
Councillor Potter: a personal interest in Item 10 as a former employee of the Social Club and a member of a user group of the Village Hall.

3. THE MINUTES of the previous meeting held on 2 October 2007, which had been circulated, were agreed, and signed by the Chairman as a true record.

4. MATTERS ARISING

4.1 Post Office Closure Programme
The Clerk reported that Broadland District Councillors were due to discuss the closure programme early in 2008, and that an officer had been identified to ensure that criteria were adhered to and that as few communities as possible would suffer under the closure programme.
County Councillor Williams confirmed that the County Council Economic Development portfolio holder would look at any closure proposals and challenge them.

With the meeting's agreement, the Chairman brought forward items 14, 13 and 11 on the agenda.

14. REPORT FROM COUNTY COUNCILLOR

County Councillor Williams reported that the Modern Social Care programme was due to start on 13 November. Significant cost savings should be made by Social Workers working from home.

13. UNITARY STATUS IN NORFOLK

Following a meeting with the Boundary Committee, County Councillor Williams reported that a clear message was being sent out that a unitary solution was being sought for Norfolk as a whole; the status quo was not an option.

The Committee had agreed that there were no natural lines along which to divide Norfolk into more than one unitary authority (excepting the Norwich unitary option). It was looking for proposals arising from all bodies working together by the end of November.

The County Council had felt that it wished to maintain the identity of Norfolk
and had therefore taken the move to propose one unitary Council for all of Norfolk, including Norwich. It felt that a debate should be held, and was keen that there be more than the current option on the table - that of one unitary authority for Norwich and one or more for the rest of Norfolk. It was looking at how the delivery of services could be maintained locally, e.g. planning & transportation, childrens' services, adult social services, etc. It would compare this with a model of a 'doughnut' solution, i.e. one unitary authority for Norwich and one for the rest of Norfolk. These proposals would go before the County Council on 19 November, and to the Boundary Committee by the end of November.

There followed discussion on this issue. Councillor Thompson (as District Councillor) reiterated Broadland District Council's opposition to the one-county unitary option on cost grounds. Councillor Ward was concerned that services would be devolved away from 'local' delivery, and the tax payer would suffer a reduction in quality of service. County Councillor Williams commented that, whatever model was chosen, there would be fewer Councillors representing the electorate. It was also anticipated that the role of Parish & Town Councils in local government would be enhanced.

Councillor Sadler reported that, as a representative of the NCAPTC, he had met the Director and Assistant of the Boundary Committee on the previous day and had expressed his concerns that Parish & Town Councils would be overlooked in the consultation process. He had received assurances that this was far from the case, and that this tier would be consulted once proposals had been put forward. A series of meetings would be held in all districts to gauge public opinion.

Councillor Sadler further confirmed that the boundary of Norfolk had been set, and there would be no incursion into Suffolk along the Waveney valley. Boundaries of parishes would similarly stay as at present, and the Chairman of the Boundary Committee had also confirmed that that current Norwich boundary would not necessarily be altered. The precedents of Cornwall and Northumberland as whole-county unitary authorities were quoted; the former was being divided into areas for service delivery.

District Councillor Thompson reported that Broadland District Council would be holding an Extraordinary meeting to discuss the issue at the end of November.

County Councillor Williams advised supporting the NCAPTC in its representation of Parish & Town Councils, and to ensure that Spixworth was perceived as a rural, not suburban, parish. He confirmed that changes to local government in Norfolk would probably take place in 2010.

County Councillor Williams left the meeting at this point.

11. POLICE MATTERS

11.1 Crime Statistics
The figures for October had been received and circulated; 38 calls had been taken by the Control Room from/regarding the parish, and 9 crimes had been logged.

11.2 Police Authority Annual Budget Meeting
Councillor Sadler confirmed that he would be attending this meeting in January 2008.

11.3 Liaison with Safer Neighbourhood Team
P.C. Lambert attended the meeting to confirm that he would be the permanent regular officer for the Sprowston, Old Catton and Spixworth parishes, and would be assisted in Spixworth by PCSO Simon Bunting, who had already started patrolling and familiarising himself with the parish; he had already made contact with the Clerk and shared information.

P.C. Lambert promised a greater Police presence in the parish. The area was well known to him and he felt that it had not received the attention it was due. The meeting welcomed P.C. Lambert's presence in the parish; he was well known to Councillors and they were very pleased that he was on the team.
The Vice-Chairman confirmed that P.C. Lambert had been praised at the recent SNAP meeting.

Councillor Barrell reported incidences of a young person riding a mini-moto bike on the highway and who had nearly been run over by a vehicle. Councillor Potter reported an incidence of suspected drug dealing in the Village Hall car park at the end of October.

P.C. Lambert was thanked for attending and he left the meeting.

5. FINANCE

5.1 Balances were noted.
Cheques and Payments detailed on the attached schedule and totalling £10,475.06 were authorised for payment.

5.2 Applications for Financial Assistance
5.2.1 East Anglian Air Ambulance: Following a satisfactory response to the Council's query about payments to senior management, a donation of £200 was AGREED.

5.2.2 North Walsham CAB
A donation of £75 was AGREED.

6. PLANNING MATTERS

6.1 Planning Committee
6.1.1 The minutes of the committee meeting held 2 October 2007 were RATIFIED.
Councillor Mills (as Chairman of the Planning Committee) reported that the application for change of use from hotel accommodation to residential use at Spixworth Motel had been refused by Broadland District Council.

6.1.2 Councillor Mills gave a verbal report of the Committee meeting held immediately prior to the Council meeting; the Council AGREED the recommended response to the planning application.

6.2 Permissions and Enforcement Matters
The Clerk reported on ongoing cases:
Extension of garden at 33 Redwing Gardens: an application was awaited.
Untidy land at 10 Sydney Road: the owner would attend and tidy the site.

6.3 Any Other Planning Matters
Councillor Thompson reported that the appeal against refusal of four bungalows on land at 10 Sydney Road had been returned to Broadland District Council.

7. CORRESPONDENCE & REPORT OF MEETINGS ATTENDED

7.1 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.

7.2 Responses to Consultations / Invitations
Councillors Sadler, Mills and the Clerk would attend the NCAPTC Broadland Area meeting in December.

7.3 Meetings Attended
The Vice-Chairman reported on his attendance at the Safer Neighbourhood Action Panel (SNAP) meeting on 9 October 2007. He felt that the meeting had been poorly advertised to the public, and consequently there were only 25 attendees. Councillor Ward had made this point at the SNAP meeting.

As the meeting had been held in Sprowston on this occasion it had focussed mainly on Sprowston problems, and of the three areas of concern to be given attention in the following quarter-year, two of these were located in Sprowston. The last one was linked to Spixworth Village Hall car park.
The next meeting was planned for January 2008. Councillor Thompson (as Councillor Ward's substitute on the SNAP) agreed that the publicity for the meeting was poor.

8. HIGHWAYS MATTERS

8.1 Maintenance Matters Update
It was confirmed that the 'Prohibition of Motor Vehicles - Access Only' signs had now been erected along the entry points for Beeston Lane.

8.2 Matters Raised by the Public at the October Meeting / Crostwick Lane Speed Humps
The Vice-Chairman referred the meeting to the public session before the October meeting, at which Mr Kelly had sought the Council's approval for his approach to Highways, on behalf of the Crostwick Lane Residents Safety Group, for a further hump to be erected between the junctions of St Peters Way and Elvina Road with Crostwick Lane. The Chairman at the October meeting was reluctant to allow debate on the issue until the Council had had the opportunity to look at what papers were held in the Council Office archive regarding the scheme.
The Vice-Chairman referred to the minutes of the Council meetings of 4 June 1991, at which it was reported that the scheme had been approved by Norfolk County Council in May 1991 and "would be implemented fairly soon"; and that of 3 September 1991, at which mention was made of a possible need for a hump "the other side of St Peters Way as there was a distance which enabled drivers to pick up speed there".
The plans showed no hump planned for this location, and the Vice-Chairman recalled that the Parish Council had queried this omission at the time but it was not taken forward.
With the Council's agreement, the Vice-Chairman adjourned the meeting to allow members of the public to speak. After the matter was debated, the adjournment ended.
The Council then AGREED to support Crostwick Lane Residents Safety Group in its approach to Highways for a further traffic calming meausre to be installed in the location as previously stated, and a letter would be sent to the Group to that effect.
(Mr Burrows, member of the Safety Group, left the meeting at his point).

9. AMENITIES MATTERS

9.1 Greg's Meadow
The meeting noted a complaint received from a resident of a property bordering the Meadow about various incidents of unacceptable behaviour. The Clerk had already spoken to the PCSO about this, and it was decided to see what effect increased Police attention had on the situation.

9.2 Attachment of Church Noticeboard to Parish Council Noticeboard
Revd Beane had already spoken to the meeting during the public session with a request to attach a noticeboard for the use of the three churches in Spixworth to the rear of the board situated near the shops on Crostwick Lane.
With the Council's agreement, the Vice-Chairman adjourned the meeting to allow members of the public to speak. After the matter was debated, the adjournment ended.
The meeting AGREED the proposal in general, subject to advice from the manufacturer about fixing. The Clerk would put Revd Beane in touch with the manufacturer.
(Revd Beane left the meeting at this point).

9.3 Tesco Courtesy Bus
The meeting noted the withdrawal of the late afternoon journey.

9.4 Complaint Regarding Refuse Collection Early Start
Councillor Mills had complained that, on the first morning of the new collection schedule, refuse lorries had begun collecting at 6.45am, 15 minutes before the stipulated start time. Accordingly several bins had been missed, despite them being put out before the requested time of 7am.
The Clerk had passed the complaint to Broadland District Council, who had investigated with the contractor and sent an apology. The meeting acknowledged that the collectors had returned and emptied the missed bins, and that there had been no recurrence after the transition period to the new schedule.

9.5 Missing Dog Bin, William Peck Road
Broadland District Council had agreed the Council's proposed action. The Clerk had reported the theft to the Police, but there had been no response to the letter sent to local households about the missing bin. The meeting AGREED that Broadland District Council should be approached to provide another bin.

9.6 Any Other Amenities Matters
Fly tipping of rubble in Quaker Lane would be reported to Broadland District Council.

10. SPIXWORTH VILLAGE HALL

10.1 Tri-Partite Meeting
The meeting noted the minutes of the tri-partite meeting held 4 October 2007.

10.2 Spixworth Village Hall Management Committee
The meeting noted Councillor Potter's report of the meeting held 30 October 2007. Concern had been expressed that, with the installation of so much new play equipment in the foreseeable future, the CCTV system should be upgraded.

10.3 Further Action
The Vice-Chairman reported on the tri-partite meeting held on 1 November 2007.

Following reports back to their various user groups, the Village Hall Management Committee and Social Club gave their broad agreement to pursue transference of the management of the Hall to the Parish Council. There had still been some concerns expressed, but all had agreed that there was no rush to achieve transference and any problems could be resolved to everyone's satisfaction.

Estimated costs for holding a Parish Poll were still awaited from Broadland District Council, which was due to debate the issue at the December full Council meeting. Councillor Potter had prepared a comprehensive draft information leaflet designed to go to every household to explain the proposal; the meeting endorsed this.

The Vice-Chairman had given the tri-partite meeting examples of the further cost on the precept should major expenditure be required to ensure the Hall was fit for purpose. The Clerk would investigate other parishes where the Parish Council ran the Village Hall and explore the relationship between the Council, Managing Committee and/or user groups.

The date of the next tri-partite meeting had been fixed for 13 December 2007.

12. NORWICH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

12.1 Airport Matters
Councillor Sadler reported that the most recent Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) meeting had received a presentation on the new fire training ground. Its location would be next to the Petans training complex, and would share some of its facilities. A start date of December 2007 was planned, and work would take 9/10 months. Councillor Sadler gave a brief report on how the training would take place, and the resolution of problems associated with the training ground's proximity to the proposed Northern Distributor Road.

He further reported that several complaints had been received about helicopters (excluding Police and Ambulance helicopters) overflying the village. Bristows had been asked to give a presentation on its flight paths at the February JCC meeting.

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 9.31pm.