MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF SPIXWORTH
PARISH COUNCIL HELD AT
7.30pm on TUESDAY 6 OCTOBER 2009 at SPIXWORTH VILLAGE HALL
PRESENT
COUNCILLORS:
Mr Fitt (Chairman)
Mr Barrell
Ms Cullum
Mr Manning
Mr Mills
Mr Potter
Mr Sadler
Mr Thompson
District Councillor B. Kular (later)
District Councillor C. Thompson (also Parish Councillor)
County Councillor A. Williams (later)
PC Aldous and PC Swift
Four members of the public
CLERK: Mrs R. Rose
THE CHAIRMAN welcomed everyone to the meeting.
No matters were raised in the Public Speaking session.
1. APOLOGIES were accepted from Mrs Doy, Mrs Holdroyd, Mr Ward and Mr Watson.
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.
Councillor Cullum: a prejudicial interest in the payment for expenses (Item 6.2)
3. POLICE MATTERS
3.1 Crime Statistics
The figures for September had been received and circulated; 22 calls had been
taken by the Control Room from/regarding the parish, and 8 crimes had been
logged.
PCs Aldous and Swift expanded on the locations of some of the incidents and crimes logged. It was noted that the incidence of rowdy/nuisance behaviour in the village was declining. Burglaries in the district as a whole were on the increase.
It was reported that a further meeting on the constitution and operation of the SNAP meetings would be held before the next public meeting, and also that the Homewatch system was under review.
The penalty imposed on a local youth for a Public Order offence was reported; names were not made public.
Councillor Barrell asked that the
traffic be controlled outside St Faiths church on Remembrance Sunday; the
Clerk would email the Team with this request.
PCs Aldous and Swift were thanked for attending and they left the meeting.
4. THE MINUTES of the previous meeting held on 1 September 2009, which had
been circulated, were agreed, and signed by the Chairman as a true record.
5. MATTERS ARISING
5.1 Litter outside shops
The Clerk was arranging for a larger bin to be installed near the shops, and
would then write to all food outlets on Crostwick Lane asking that they request
their customers to use it.
(District Councillor Kular entered the meeting at this point)
6. FINANCE
6.1 Pay Award
The meeting AGREED the Clerk’s pay award in accordance with the National Joint
Council agreement, backdated to 1 April 2009.
6.2 Balances were noted.
Cheques and Payments detailed on the attached schedule and totalling £7,917.03
were authorised for payment.
6.3 Applications for Financial
Assistance
The meeting AGREED:
A donation to North Walsham CAB for £75
A donation to Norfolk Lowland Search & Rescue for £25.
6.4 Any Other Finance Matters
The Clerk would arrange a convenient date for a Finance & General Purposes
Committee meeting
7. PLANNING MATTERS
7.1 Planning Committee
Councillor Mills, as Chair of the Planning Committee, gave a verbal report
of the Committee meeting held immediately prior to the Council meeting; the
Council AGREED the recommendations on applications made. Decisions on two
applications were deferred to a subsequent Planning Committee meeting.
7.2 Permissions and Enforcement
Matters
There were no matters 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.
(County Councillor Williams entered
the meeting during this item)
8.2 Consultations / Invitations
8.2.1 Broadland District Council AGM with Parishes: Councillors Sadler and
Thompson and the Clerk would attend.
8.2.2 Environment Day for collection of unwanted electrical items: the Council
expressed an interest in this initiative.
8.2.3 Councillor Barrell would lay a wreath on behalf of the Council at the
Remembrance Sunday service at St Faiths.
8.2.4 Councillor Sadler and the Clerk would attend the Larger & Quality
Councils meeting at Cringleford on 29 October.
8.2.5 Charity Workshop: the Clerk would circulate the details of this training
opportunity to the members of the Trustees Committee. The meeting AUTHORISED
the expenditure of the fees for the Clerk and those Councillors who wished
to attend.
8.3 Norfolk ALC AGM
Councillor Sadler reported that this had been a successful meeting.
8.4 Participatory Budgeting Funding
The Clerk gave the details of three funding streams available for community
projects. She would promulgate these to local voluntary and community groups.
With the meeting’s agreement, the Chairman brought forward and combined Items 13 and 14.
13. SPIXWORTH POST OFFICE
14. REPORTS FROM DISTRICT/COUNTY COUNCILLORS
Since the last Parish Council meeting, Spixworth Post Office had been unexpectedly closed. The Chairman explained that two years previously, during the review of Post Office branches when many faced closure, Spixworth had survived because of the high level of use and its location. The current closure was unforeseen, and as such the Post Office had not had enough notice to install contingency measures. He emphasised that it was only a temporary closure, and Post Office personnel were working closely with local businesses to ensure that the branch was re-opened as soon as possible. However, secure premises with the necessary telephone connection and trained staff were essential.
District Councillors Kular and Thompson and County Councillor Williams reported on representations they had made to ensure a speedy resolution to the problem. District Councillor Thompson was of the opinion that Post Office services should be restored before the end of the month.
Meanwhile, the concern was ensuring
that all parishioners could access Post Office services. Councillor Potter
proposed that Section 137 monies could be used to arrange journeys at a fixed
time and day with a local taxi firm or that a voluntary car service be created
(with one vehicle already on offer). Councillor Barrell and District Councillor
Kular had also offered lifts to nearby Post Office branches. The Clerk was
asked to explore possible costs and if necessary call an Extraordinary Parish
Council meeting to discuss this.
Councillor Sadler had ascertained that the manager of the Spixworth branch
of the East of England Co–op Store was keen to accommodate the Post Office
on the premises, but the Post Office Field Change Advisor had reported that
the Area Office had declined. It was AGREED that the Clerk should write to
the Area Office indicating the Parish Council’s support for the proposal.
(District Councillor Kular left the meeting during the following item)
County Councillor Williams reported that savings of £140 million were being sought in the County Council’s budget. He emphasised that these would not all be achieved by cuts in services, but further efficiencies could be introduced in staffing and working methods. It was anticipated that there would be no Council Tax increases in 2 out of the next 4 years, despite the demands made on services catering for the old and funding for Childrens Services.
The Boundary Committee was awaiting the result of its appeal to the High Court regarding the legality of its proposals regarding unitary status for Suffolk, which would impinge on its recommendations for Norfolk. There was discussion on the amount of money that had been spent in opposing Norwich City Council’s bid for unitary status.
Work was imminent in marking out a ghost island at the junction of Buxton Road and Church Lane as part of the safety measures to reduce accidents at this location.
In response to a question from Councillor Potter regarding funding for the Northern Distributor Road, County Councillor Williams confirmed that the County Council’s contribution to the cost would not come from earmarked funding. The Government had pledged £100 million through the East of England Regional Assembly, but this funding was constantly under review. However, the County Council was continuing with its planning for the road.
9. HIGHWAYS MATTERS
9.1 Highways Committee
The minutes of the Committee meeting held on 17 September 2009 were RATIFIED.
9.2 Maintenance & Street Lighting
Issues
The Council noted an email from Mr Kelly regarding the wattage of the street
light opposite his house; the Clerk confirmed that this had not yet been reduced
from 60 watt to 45 watt.
Questions were raised as to Mr Kelly’s representation of the residents of Crostwick Lane through the Crostwick Lane Residents & Safety Committee, as members of the Council who were residents of Crostwick Lane had never been approached about either their membership of the Committee or their opinions on highways matters.
9.3 Any Other Highways Matters
9.3.1 The Clerk would arrange a convenient date for a Highways Committee meeting
to review the grounds maintenance specifications.
9.3.2 The Clerk would acknowledge receipt of a letter from Mr Bell of Crostwick Lane regarding complaints made to First Bus. The Clerk would write to the company to reinforce the points raised.
9.3.3 The Clerk would ascertain the reason for markings on the kerb (possibly made by Anglian Water) and a deep hole near a bus stop in Lilian Road.
10. AMENITIES MATTERS
10.1 Amenities Committee
The minutes of the Committee meeting held on 23 September 2009 were RATIFIED.
10.2 Youth Shelter
A quotation had been received from the manufacturers/installers for £1,600
to move the shelter.
In view of the impending colder weather and the likelihood that the shelter would not be used in the early hours, it was agreed to consider the expense at the annual budget meeting and the actual moving of the shelter in the spring. The Clerk would write to the complainant informing him of this decision.
10.3 Proposals for further land
for recreational use
On behalf of the Football Club, Councillor Potter presented proposals for
acquiring more land for recreational use in general in Spixworth, and the
need to accommodate more football pitches in particular.
The proposal outlined the historical deficiency in open space in Spixworth, and identified six areas where, through various agencies, land could be acquired. He sought the support of the Parish, District and County Councils and urged early action.
As the proposal paper had been tabled, the meeting agreed that the matter should be placed on the agenda for the next meeting to enable Councillors to fully absorb the information it contained.
10.4 Playground facilities
Councillor Barrell wished to record his thanks on behalf of the village to
Councillors Doy and Cullum for their work since the previous summer in researching
the types of playground equipment available and progressing the project.
The Chairman added this thanks
to Councillors Doy, Cullum, Holdroyd and the Clerk for their work on the playground
opening.
11. SPIXWORTH VILLAGE HALL TRUSTEES
11.1 Trustees Committee
The meeting RATIFIED the minutes of the Committee meeting held on 17 September
2009.
11.2 Village Hall Management Sub-Committee
The meeting noted Councillor Potter’s report of the Extraordinary Meeting
of the former Village Hall Management Committee, effectively the first meeting
of the committee as a Sub-committee of the Parish Council.
The Terms of Reference agreed by the Parish Council had been accepted, and officers elected or appointed.
It was agreed that the most urgent matters were amalgamation of the Village Hall insurance policy with that of the Parish Council, pursuing items raised in the building survey, and adding a Parish Councillor to the authorised cheque signatories for the Parish Council account.
A meeting of the Trustees Committee was arranged for 13 October 2009.
(County Councillor Williams left the meeting at this point)
12. NORWICH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Councillor Sadler reported that the next meeting of the Joint Consultative Committee would be held on 19 October 2009.
He and the Committee Chairman would be meeting with the Airport management and representatives of Norwich City Council and Broadland District Council planning departments to discuss the Operational Structure Plan. This would include control of aircraft (including helicopter) flight paths. Other questions would include the use of the terminal (at present there was no control over small planes as they did not use the terminal), and ‘non-fee- paying’ passengers.
The old agreement had also allowed 24 flights per year to use the airport between 11pm and 6am (12 landings, 12 take-offs). The planning officer had removed that allowance, stipulating that each such flight should be judged on its merits. The airport was manned until 1.30am.
A planning application was expected to allow for all helicopter operations to be transferred to the eastern end of the airport.
A planning application for the
engine testing ground had been returned to the applicant as it was of low
quality and more information was needed.
Councillor Sadler confirmed that the JCC was asking that it be consulted on
all developments at the airport.
It was reported that Easijet had awarded the maintenance contract for its 737 planes to KLM, which would mean more flights in and out of the airport.
There being no further business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 9.40pm.