Minutes March 2009
Present: G Ashby, C Cole, D Burgis, R Townsin, A Long, M Hoad
and A Green (District Councillor) and one member of the public,
Meeting of the Parish Council on Monday 30 March 2009, 7.45 p.m. in the Village Hall
MINUTES
Welcome by the Chairman
1. Apologies from B Wyvill (away on holiday) were accepted.
2. Declarations of interest by the Councillors in any of the agenda items listed below. The Code of Conduct for Members requires that declarations include the nature of the interest and whether it is a personal or prejudicial interest. In the case of a personal interest, the member may speak and vote. If it is a prejudicial interest, the member should withdraw from the meeting whilst the matter is discussed and may not vote.
i. DBurgis declared a personal interest in item 10 iv as he is an employee of the company.
3. Minutes of the previous Meeting were approved and signed as a true record.
4. Matters arising: Progress on items from previous meetings for information or reminders only. Items not on this agenda requiring decisions will be placed on the agenda for the next meeting.
i. Letter of thanks received from Village Hall.
ii. Fakenham Town Council does not have a light or light pollution policy.
Clerk to write to Fakenham Town Council and copy to CPRE and district and County Councillors for Fakenham. Include reference to NNDC landscape assessment.
iii. North Norfolk District Council has a small team to respond to litter problems on a reactive basis.
5. The meeting will be temporarily closed for Parishioners to express any concerns they may have and for County and District Councillors to report.
Congratulations to Clerk for passing CiLCA
Ann Green:
• Congratulations on the Parish Plan
• New prescriptive planning: allows extensions to be built without planning permission but to comply with certain criteria such as overall size, roof height, materials and building regulations.
Member of the public
• raised the issue of the overgrown hedge at the Old Rectory
The Clerk has been assured by the security firm that the hedge will be cut back this week
6. Parish Plan Actions
i. Coffee Morning.
About 20 people attended. Thank you to all who attended and especially to B Wyvill and M Hoad. The recycling theme triggered discussions and various issues were raised and clarified.
ii. 2009 contact sheet
Updated sheet was circulated for checking and should be ready for distribution following the next meeting.
iii. The Clerk is now able to operate the website.
Next steps:
iv. Litter pick to be on 3 June in the evening
v. Permissive Paths: suggestion to have a 'map competition'.
Clerk will investigate funding and support from P3 (Parish Paths Partnership).
vi. Renewable Energy
7. Quality Council considerations
Concern was expressed that it might be just a bureaucratic exercise. Clerk will invite Sarita Presland (NorfALC) to the meeting in July to discuss the benefits for a small parish.
8. Landscape Character assessment
i. Thank you to R Townsin for responding to NNDC consultation.
ii. R Townsin will produce a project outline for a Parish Landscape assessment which could be combined with a community activity and a design statement for planning.
9. Financial business to consider payment of invoices and other financial business
i. To consider a donation to the village Church
R Townsin outlined the Church's plan for developing a community meeting space in the church. It was agreed that a donation of £200 should be made particularly as in the Parish Plan 50% of respondents said that the Church was important to them.
R Townsin declared a personal interest as his wife is a Church Warden.
Proposed by D Burgis; seconded by C Cole; agreed by all.
ii. To consider a donation to Norfolk Accident Rescue Service
It as agreed to make a donation of £25. Proposed by RT; seconded by MH; agreed by all.
iii. To agree payment of invoices received
Clerk salary standing order for Feb, March (£109.67 x 2) paid 219.34
Clerk: allowance for broadband use (Feb & March), expenses and training as listed on invoice 28.22
Norfolk Assoc. of Local Councils annual subs 82.95
Norfolk Rural Community Council annual subs 15.00
Sub-total £ 345.51
Kettlestone PCC 200.00
Norfolk Accident Rescue Service 25.00
total £570.51
Balance as at 27 Feb 2009: in current account £ 1145.68; in savings account £ 1867.19
iv. Transfer £400 to cover payments
10. Planning to consider planning applications and any other planning matters:
i. FYI: Permission for Development for Village Hall extension NNDC ref: 20081631
ii. FYI: Permission for Development for 77 The Street: erection of timber workshop/car port.
iii. Land at The Street Kettlestone. Following the withdrawal of planning application 20081672, 2 small caravans, a shed, scrap material and a vehicle have been removed from the site. The remaining containers and the mobile home have an agricultural use and do not represent a breach of planning control. New planning application: Ref 20090287: continued use of land for siting cattle sheds, stable, steel containers, caravan and railway carriages
It was agreed that the Clerk should write stating that the Parish Council objects to permanent permission being granted for this application. However there would be no objection to temporary permission being granted provided that the sheds and other structures are maintained in reasonable condition. The Parish Council would like to comment that it appreciates that the field has been tidied and hopes that it will be maintained in reasonable condition.
iv. For consideration: Manor Farm amended proposals: change of use of redundant barns to four residential dwellings NNDC ref: 20080596: amendment to access and boundaries. The Parish Council had no objection.
11. Highways and footpaths:
R Townsin will continue to pursue the issue of the water logged path at Langor Bridge with Sarah Price (NCC) and seek help from Wensum Valley Trust.
12. Reports:
i. River Wensum restoration strategy drop-in session (attended by RT and BW)
ii. Report from 'green' event at Swaffham (attended RT and BW)
iii. Natural Neighbours (ponds and finance) (RT)
Thank you to RT and others for attending meetings and reporting back.
13. To note correspondence from:
i. FAP consultation regarding swimming pool: to be completed individually.
ii. Boundary Committee Review: clerk to re-submit the previous response and highlight that the issue of affordability has not been properly addresses as upheld by the appeal court.
14. Any other business for placing on the agenda for the next Meeting
i. Training
ii. Pond management (Clerk to ask Rob Lewis about newts in pond)
15. Employment
Paragraph 37 of Standing Orders If at a meeting there arises any question relating to the appointment, conduct, promotion, dismissal, salary or conditions of service, of any person employed by the Council, it shall not be considered until the Council or committee (as the case may be) has decided whether or not the press and public shall be excluded. Public left the meeting.
i. National Association of Local Councils and Society of Local Council Clerks have completed the salary negotiations and agreed on the settlement for salaries from 1 April 2008. An interim agreement was made in October and the Parish Council has already implemented that. The Clerk is willing to forego the final increase due for 2008.
ii. Clerk has completed and passed CiLCA (Certificate in Local Council Admin.). The Clerk's contract stipulates that when this is passed there should be a move up the spinal column of one or two points. To decide whether the clerk should move to SCP 17 or SCP18 for 1 April 2009.
It was agreed to increase the Clerk's salary to SCP 18 and to have an Annual Review
Proposed by RT and seconded by DB; agreed by all
16. To confirm date & time of next meetings as
i. Monday 11 May at 7.30pm for Annual Parish Meeting & Annual Meeting of Parish Council and
ii. Tuesday 21 July (to include Emergency Plan update; Quality council discussion with Sarita Presland from NorfALC; schedule of meetings for coming year on Monday evenings).