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

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

2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Councillor Sadler: as a member of Broadland Standards Committee and 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; prejudicial interest in Item 6.1 (payment of expenses).

Councillor Doy: a personal interest in Item 10.1, as a relative of a person involved in youth football in the parish.

Councillor Potter: a personal interest in item 10.1 as the author of the proposals under discussion.

Clerk: a personal interest in Item 10.1, as Clerk to Buxton with Lamas Parish Council which hired out football facilities to Spixworth youth football teams.

3. POLICE MATTERS

3.1 Crime Statistics
The figures for October had been received and circulated; 22 calls had been taken by the Control Room from/regarding the parish, and 2 crimes had been logged. It was acknowledged that, compared to other parishes in the Safer Neighbourhood Team area, these were improving.

PC Lambert reported that the person who had damaged property belonging to Spixworth United FCs had been identified; however, prosecution was unlikely for a first offence.
He would enquire into the details of two domestic burglary incidents for District Councillor Kular. He also denied rumours that a paedophile was staying at Spixworth Motel as he monitored the register in co-operation with the owners.

The Chairman had read through legal advice on trespass with regard to the Village Hall and could not link any possible sanctions with the specific cases of nuisance at Spixworth Village Hall.

3.2 Matters for Action by the Safer Neighbourhood Team
A resident of Cedar Avenue had complained about continual nuisance in that street; a member of the public confirmed that this was becoming a trouble spot. Sgt Scott had contacted the Clerk and explained that, rotas permitting, he hoped to arrange a street meeting in Cedar Avenue and would welcome Parish Councillor presence. PC Lambert would visit the lady concerned. He was thanked for attending and left the meeting.

3.3 Safer Neighbourhood Action Panel
Councillor Ward explained that a meeting of the Panel members had been held in September to discuss amended Terms of Reference, but there had been no further liaison with personnel at Sprowston Police Station about this or the next meeting. One amendment that he had pressed for was that panel members be allowed deputies, and it was AGREED that this be put on the agenda for the next Parish Council meeting.

4. THE MINUTES of the previous meeting held on 6 October 2009, which had been circulated, were agreed, and signed by the Chairman as a true record.

5. MATTERS ARISING

5.1 Spixworth Post Office
This had been discussed in the Public Session. It was confirmed that post for the village was sorted at the main Post Office in Thorpe and delivered in a van to Rosa Close, from where the delivery staff took the items for their rounds.

6. FINANCE

6.1 Balances were noted.
Cheques and Payments detailed on the attached schedule and totalling £71,811.48 were authorised for payment.

6.2 Applications for Financial Assistance
None received.

6.3 Finance & General Purposes Committee
The minutes of the committee meeting held 21 October 2009 were RATIFIED.
The Planning Policy Statement was amended by the deletion of the word ‘supporting’ in the second paragraph.
All other recommendations were APPROVED.

6.4 Internal Audit Report
The report of the interim visit had been circulated. The recommendations were accepted and would be addressed by the next meeting of the Finance & General Purposes Committee.

(A member of the public left the meeting at this point)

7. PLANNING MATTERS

7.1 Planning Committee
7.1.1 The minutes of the committee meetings held 6 & 13 October 2009 were RATIFIED.
It was agreed that the minutes of the meeting held on 13 October should be made available to the Village Hall Management Sub-Committee, as an application commented on at that meeting was relevant to Village Hall land.

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
There were no new or outstanding cases to report.

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 Invitations/Consultations
Consultation documents would be discussed at the relevant committee meetings.

8.3 Larger & Quality Councils meeting held 29 October
Councillor Sadler and the Clerk had attended this meeting and heard presentations on the East of England Plan and Land Registry. The Clerk would ensure that all land in the Parish Council’s ownership was registered.

9. HIGHWAYS MATTERS

9.1 Highways Committee
The Committee would meet on 12 November to review the grounds maintenance specifications and respond to consultation on the Norwich Area Transportation Strategy.
9.2 Maintenance Matters
The Clerk would report the following matters to the relevant authority:
Buxton Road cycleway: for clearance by the Leaf Hit Squad
Hedge trimming at Arthurton Road amenity area and bordering Trafford Estates land.
Recompense for damage to plants in Park Road by the contractor’s weed killing spray.

10. AMENITIES MATTERS

10.1 Proposals for acquiring land for recreational use
The meeting referred to proposals put forward at the last meeting by Councillor Potter on behalf of users of recreational facilities in Spixworth. He had suggested specific areas of land in various ownerships that might be acquired or leased for the purposes of football pitches and other sporting activities. One main area of concern was that youth teams from Spixworth had to play on land in other parishes as there was insufficient pitch space within the village.

Councillor Ward asserted that Greg's Meadow and the land between Buxton Road and Quaker Lane were both unsuitable due to the nature of the ground, and the fact that Greg's Meadow was acquired as Public Open Space for informal play. He suggested another parcel of land on Buxton Road close to Old Catton that would be suitable and could not be used for development due to its proximity to the flight path to Norwich International Airport. Councillor Potter would pursue this.

Councillor Ward supported in general the need for more land for recreational use in Spixworth, but urged consideration of wider issues, such as its use for allotments.

(County Councillor Williams entered the meeting at this point)

The Chairman reiterated that Greg's Meadow was not an option for formal play, but suggested that Mr Gray’s land adjacent to the Village Hall land might be considered and that he be approached again with a view to leasing the land. Councillor Williams agreed that this was a reasonable proposal and agreed to speak to Mr Gray.

The land opposite the Village Hall on Crostwick Lane had been proposed for development in the recent Site Allocations Development Plan Document, but the Parish Council had objected to this as it wished the land to remain earmarked for Public Open Space as in the current adopted Broadland District Council Local Plan. Compromises might have to be reached if part of this land were to become available for recreational use, but this could take some years to achieve.

10.2 Any Other Amenities Matters
10.2.1 The Clerk would seek prices for restoring the informal 5-a-side goal posts on Greg's Meadow, and for a new noticeboard at the Village Hall.

11. SPIXWORTH VILLAGE HALL TRUSTEES

11.1 Village Hall Management Sub-Committee
The meeting noted the minutes of the meetings held on 29 September and
27 October 2009, and Councillor Potter’s report of the latter meeting.

11.2 Trustees Committee
The meeting RATIFIED the minutes of the meeting held 13 October 2009.
A further meeting date was agreed for 10 November 2009.

12. NORWICH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Councillor Sadler gave a verbal report of the Airport Consultative Committee meeting held on 19 October 2009 as the minutes were not yet available.

New routes were being investigated, including one to London City Airport. New holiday routes for 2010 were being sponsored by 40 seats per flight. There had been approximately 14 redundancies at the airport, but a new Traffic Control Manager had taken up post. A secondary radar system had been installed. The new controlled airspace scheme should be in place by October 2010; there had been delays due to objections from Luton and Stansted airports.

The Operational Framework had been agreed; most parishes had supported this, and there would be six-monthly updates. A complaints procedure was also in place. Another helicopter operator with three aircraft was now flying from the airport.

13. REPORTS FROM DISTRICT/COUNTY COUNCILLORS

District Councillor Kular reaffirmed his support for the Post Office re-opening initiatives.

County Councillor Williams announced the introduction of a new bus ticket which would allow passengers to use it for journeys involving more than one bus company, and which would engender savings.
The County Council was introducing a rationalisation of Day Care Centres to modernise and improve services and prevent duplication. In future the County Council would provide care for those with acute needs, and other services would look after those with regular needs.

He confirmed that the County Council was anticipating the Northern Distributor Road being open by 2015, subject to Government funding.

14. AOB

The Clerk confirmed that no reply had yet been received from the Surgery regarding lack of summer cover and arrangements for the annual ‘flu vaccination programme.

There being no further business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 9.35pm.