Minutes October 2009
Present: G Ashby (Chairman), D Burgis (Vice-Chair), M Hoad, A Long, R Townsin, B Wyvill,
and: A Green (District Councillor), and 3 members of the public
Meeting of the Parish Council on Monday 5 October 2009,
at 7.30 p.m. in the Village Hall
MINUTES
Welcome
1. No apologies.
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. None.
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. Clerk to contact CPRE for help with tackling light pollution
ii. RT to arrange meeting with CPRE about Landscape Assessment project
iii. Victory Housing Trust gave permission for the tenants to remove the wall and change the front garden to stony hard-standing.
iv. Highways will not pursue the matter of the hedge at the Old Rectory.
5. Casual Vacancy (co-option). Councillors to encourage interested people to write in.
6. The meeting was temporarily closed for Parishioners to express any concerns they may have and for County and District Councillors to report.
A Green reported that
• Draft policy for the Re-use of Rural Buildings is open for public consultation, those in reasonable condition within 1 km of nearest village, and listed buildings any where are more likely to get permission for conversion to dwellings.
• Work on travellers' site at Fakenham has just started. (Site at Cromer is finished)
Members of the public noted that
• Green Lane pit is being used as a dump.
Action: to work with landowner to clear it. (RT to contact Waste Disposal in order to negotiate how to get rid of the waste.)
• Dog fouling remains a problem on The Street and on Holbrigg Lane.
Action: Clerk to get cost for purchase of bins and for collection of waste
RT to write an article for the newsletter
7. Planning to consider planning applications and any other planning matters:
i. Re-Use for Rural Buildings consultation to be circulated
8. Highways and footpaths:
i. Verges cutting: consider options for next year.
W Bloomfield has already been cutting the verge for the previous years on his own initiative. It was agreed to thank him and to ask him to continue (include the verges by the pond) with four cuts a year @£35 each. Clerk to get dates of NCC cuts to avoid duplication.
ii. Clerk to invite Highways representative to a meeting to issues relating to Highways e.g. speed reduction at on A1067 at Pensthorpe.
9. Parish Plan Actions
i. Village Pond Clearance Day: Sat 10 Oct 10am-4pm with lunch provided at Manor Farm. Steve Dalliston from Wensum Valley Trust is organizing the clearance with volunteers from Fakenham College and parishioners.
Write up for press release (and website) with before and after photos
• Terry Brown has offered to donate an oak bench in memory of Ted Newstead. The Parish Council gratefully accepted this offer. The Clerk will write and suggest that the money is donated to the Parish Council to purchase the bench that Terry Brown selects so that the VAT can be refunded.
10. Training (BW)
i. Policy and statement circulated for comments ready for adoption at next meeting.
11. Quality Status.
i. Equality & Diversity statement circulated for comments ready for adoption at next meeting.
ii. Council activities are publicised in the local press. Clerk to draft press releases (e.g. Pond Clearance, Village Plan - one year on) and send summary of minutes to community pages in Fakenham and Wells Times. (To be seen by BW and AL before release.)
12. To consider the possibilities of requesting a team from YOT to assist in the village.
Yes: clean up Holbrigg Lane. Remove rubbish from the pit on Green Lane (RT to follow up)
To ask if there is a possibility of providing garden work for individuals.
13. Financial business to consider payment of invoices and other financial business
i. It was agreed to purchase the new edition of Charles Arnold-Barker's Local Council Administration (the Clerk's 'Bible'). Current price £63 (special offer £53.60). The cost would be shared with the Clerk's other Councils, so the cost to this Council would be £10.72.
ii. To consider purchase of litter pickers etc. Items from various catalogues were circulated. It was agreed to speed no more than £100 on pickers, waste bag hoops and Hi Vis Vests. Trevor Hoad will get some more prices. RT to get a selection of Hi Vis Vests from the market.
iii. It was agreed to make the following payments
Clerk salary SO Aug and Sept 229.60
Clerk expenses (as on invoice) 7.38
Mazars (External audit) 57.50
total £ 294.48
Balance as at 28 August 09:
in current account £ 888.81, in savings account £1867.76, no 2 account £24.42
(2nd instalment of precept due in September in to current account £1250)
iv. Transfer £1000 to saving s account once the precept has been received.
14. To discuss and set the Budget for 2010-11.
A draft budget had already been circulated.
• Review the figures (attached). It was explained that:
o the higher salary figure for 2008-09 included payments from the previous financial year. This should not occur again as the salary is now paid monthly by standing order.
o The lower figure for insurance was due to the insurer reducing the premium due to competition.
• Determine whether or not there are any other likely calls on planned expenditure
o The Council would be contributing to the Clerk's pension and a salary increase was due so the figure was increased from £1400 to £1800
o Parish Plan expenses of £100 were added
o Some election expenses were already ring fenced so it was agreed to add another £150 through the Precept this year.
o Councillor expense (e.g. for travel) should be claimed but no extra was needed in the budget at present.
15. The Budget was agreed with the amendments as above and the Precept for 2010-11 was set at £2500 as last year. The form for NNDC was completed and signed.
proposed RT seconded BW vote all
16. Reports
i. AL had raised various matters with N Lamb MP on his constituency tour in September.
ii. BT has notified users that the telephony equipment in the kiosk will be removed. It was agreed neither to purchase the kiosk nor to sponsor the telephony service. The Parish Council did not want the responsibility. The kiosk is a listed building and cannot be removed. It was noted that the kiosk needs to be cleaned. Clerk to inform BT.
17. To note correspondence from:
i. NWT: County Wildlife Sites. Clerk to inform that that they are not owned by the Parish Council but if better maps could be provided the Parish Council might be able to identify the owners.
ii. Annual Parish and Town Council on 11 Nov
18. Any other business for placing on the agenda for the next Meeting
i. Training
ii. To consider contributing to a pension for the Clerk.
19. To confirm date & time of next meeting as 7.30pm for 7.45pm on Monday 16 November 2009
Meeting closed at 9.45pm