Minutes January 2010
Present: G Ashby (Chairman), D Burgis (Vice-Chair), M Hoad, A Long, B Wyvill,
and one member of the public
Meeting of the Parish Council on Monday 18 January 2010, at 7.30 in the Village Hall
MINUTES
Welcome
1. Apologies from R Townsin (away on holiday) and A Green (District Councillor) 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. 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. Holt Road fly tipping. Nothing to report.
ii. W Bloomfield has confirmed that he will cut the verges.
5. To note that the Clerk (in consultation with the Chairman) has sent a letter to County Councillor, Russell Wright and to the County Council Cabinet expressing concern that the County Council proposes to re-allocate funds from the 2nd homes council tax (ring-fenced for affordable housing) to infrastructure development in Norwich, Thetford and Kings Lynn.
i. It was agreed to send a question for NCC Cabinet meeting on Mon 25 Jan:
To ask how much funding will be guaranteed from this proposed new Infrastructure Fund, and the dates for implementation, to develop the infrastructure that has been identified as essential in North Norfolk District Council's Core Strategy?
6. The meeting was temporarily closed for Parishioners to express any concerns they may have and for County and District Councillors to report.
• Sign 'unsuitable for HGVs' needs to be replaced. It appears to have been stolen sometime before Christmas.
ACTION: Clerk to inform Highways.
7. Planning to consider planning applications and any other planning matters. None
8. Highways and footpaths
i. To consider whether to purchase grit bins for NCC to fill with grit for use by residents. Special offer price £99 per yellow bin.
It was agreed that, as there are no pavements in the village, there was no need for grit bins. The gritting provided by NCC on the roads is good.
9. Parish Plan Actions
i. Village Pond five-year management plan has been received from Steve Dalliston.
This will be copied for councillors and discussed in more detail at a later date.
• GA will write an article for the newsletter.
• Vote of thanks to DB and Mr Harrison for digging out the pond.
• Clerk to write a letter of thanks to Mr and Mrs Harrison enclosing a copy of the management plan
ii. Dog bin and collection
• DB will supply a post and erect the bin in consultation with DL on Holbrigg Lane.
• DL will 'monitor' use and collection
• The Clerk will inform NNDC
• The Clerk will write a letter of thanks (including the invoice for the bin) to Summerhill Vets for DB to deliver to Lucy.
10. Quality Status
i. DL and BW produced a Community Engagement Strategy. It is a clear statement of what we do. Vote of thanks to them both for working on this.
It was decided that a summary of the Minutes should be posted on the notice board.
ii. Citizenship Strategy: progress
• citizenship for Fakenham College students who volunteered for pond clearance
• open discussion/training on role of parish council and councillors
Suggestions for future events:
• encourage people to vote in the forthcoming general election
• approach Lt Snoring Primary School
• event for parents and children in the village
iii. Training policy is being redrafted for the next meeting
11. Financial business to consider payment of invoices and other financial business
i. The standing order instructions for salary and pension payments were signed.
ii. To consider payment of invoices received
Clerk salary SO Dec 114.80
Clerk salary SO Jan £115.95 less employee's conts to pension £6.84 109.11
SO Norfolk Pension Scheme (Employer's conts £26.78 per month for Dec & Jan) 53.56
Clerk expenses (as on invoice) and salary increase 13.92
HSBC Invoice Finance (UK) Ltd (Swintex Doggy bin) 69.46
R Townsin (Hi-Vis waistcoats) 8.00
T Hoad (litter picker) 10.24
Anglian Chemicals (litter pickers x3) 30.71
total £ 409.80
Balance as at 29 December 09:
Current account £1587.45: Savings account £1868.08; No 2 account £ 24.42
iii. Transfer £0.00 to cover payments
12. Review of Audit process
i. Audit for 2008/09 has been returned. The required notice has been placed on the board. The recommendations from the Auditors to be reviewed:
a. External Auditor: no comments
b. Internal Auditor: pages of minutes to be numbered when filed
ii. Review of process
The process of audit for the Parish Council is as follows:
• Throughout the year the Parish Council abides by its Financial Regulations including regular reports from the Clerk about the bank balances and the receipts and payments on the account. Cheques are always signed by two signatories. Payments are approved by the Parish Council.
• At the beginning of April the completed accounts are checked by the internal checker (G Ashby)
• The accounts are then circulated prior to signing off with the Annual Governance Statement at the Annual Meeting in May.
• The accounts and relevant documentation are audited by the Internal Auditor (Celia Lee)
• The completed Annual Return is sent to the External Auditors (Mazars)
• The comments from the Internal & External Auditors are noted and acted upon as necessary.
13. Consultations
i. Structural Review of Norfolk:
The Boundary Committee has now published a report containing its advice.
It is now for the Secretary of State to take a decision on whether:
• to implement the original (i.e. Norwich) proposal, with or without modification
• to implement the alternative proposal (whole of Norfolk), with or without modification, or
• to take no action
The information was circulated via email. It was decided that the Clerk should write to the Secretary of State informing him of the view already expressed by the Parish Council: summarised as follows:
• a unitary authority (with or without the city of Norwich) is not appropriate for a county the size of Norfolk.
• once over a certain size, shared services lose coherence and can cost more.
• loss of local democracy
• costs are a waste of resources and would out-weigh the suggested efficiency savings.
• Hope to see a rationalisation of the status quo.
14. Reports
i. NCC is proposing to close and reduce hours at recycling centres e.g. Wells will have reduced hours and Docking will be closed. NNDC are challenging the decision, particularly as there has bee no consultation and the decision appears to be based on figures from 2005.
It was agreed that the Clerk should write to NCC, (copied to NNDC) objecting to the reduced hours at Wells which would probably lead to an increase in fly-tipping and/or extra transport costs and use of energy to reach alternative sites. The decision appears to be another kick in the teeth for rural Norfolk and no consultation has taken place and the figures appear to be based on those of 2005.
ii. It was agreed to write to the new owners of the Old Rectory welcoming them to the village, including a Parish Plan and Contact Sheet, and indicate that Parish Council has been concerned for many months about the hedge and trees encroaching on the road and causing potential danger to pedestrians and other users.
iii. BW had attended a very interesting multi-agency conference in Norwich on Global Warming and other green issues in Norfolk.
15. To note correspondence from
i. Hedge survey booklets have been requested
16. Any other business for placing on the agenda for the next Meeting
17. To confirm date & time of next meeting as 7.30pm for 7.45pm on Mon 15 March 2010
Meeting closed 9pm