Stoke Ferry Parish Council Minutes

Minutes of the January meeting of the Stoke Ferry Parish Council

DRAFT

Minutes of Stoke Ferry Parish Council Meeting held in the Community Centre

At 7.30pm on Wednesday 10 January 2007

Those Attending: Mr M Ferrie (Chairman), Mrs T Mann (Vice-Chair), Mr M Precey, Mrs M Leamon, Mr D Summers, Mr M Mycock , Mrs C Hardy (Clerk), 11 members of the public.

Apologies: Were received from County Councillor T White, Mrs R Mendoza and PC Jackson

1. Minutes of the last Meeting: Mr M Precey proposed the Minutes be adopted seconded by Mrs M Leamon

2, Matters Arising:

a) New "No Motorised Vehicles Sign" has now been fitted to the post on the Common

b) The Culvert Bridge Road - Work to start on this in the next few days to take the dip out of the road on the culvert

d) The Common - collection of rubbish - Despite letters and many e-mails being sent to the Waste Recycling Manager and copied to Councillor Manley, no response had been received to any of these. The matter therefore is still awaiting a satisfactory conclusion. The Chairman asked for copies of the correspondence and he would take the matter up with Borough Councillor Manley.

f) The Hill ownership - the Chairman had been in contact with the Norfolk County Association of Parish & Town Councils who would try to help.

g) Oak Road leading to Border Road sign - sign is on order and will be put in place when received.

h) Seat Lynn Road/Bradfield Place has been ordered and will be in place this week.

i) Dog Fouling - still a major problem. The Assistant Enforcement Officer had visited the village, he said there is a new Law coming in shortly which may help to improve matters. The new signs had been put up round the village.

j) Petrol Tanks at Village Hall - No response had been received from Wells Homes a further letter to be sent asking for assurance that these tanks would be removed once development starts on this site.

k) Drains Wretton Road - these are on the 07/08 scheme of works. Boughton Road there still & & appears to be a problem with laying water following heavy rain, particularly on the corner of o) Boughton Road and Little Lane - the Clerk to chase up.

l) CCTV Camera at the Hill - the planning department did not approve of the position selected for this camera , once a new position is agreed this will be put in place.

m) High Street Barriers - these are currently being fabricated and should be installed within 6 weeks.

n) Car on the Common overnight - This now appears to have gone.

p) Kerbs/Footpaths Buckenham Drive - this work to be carried out in the 07/08 schedule of works.

q) Articulated Lorries in Boughton Road - situation being monitored.

r) Dogs in Playing Fields - More "no dogs allowed" signs to be erected

s) Metal Post in Wretton Road - Highways have replaced the 30mph disk.

t) The Cemetery - the Clerk to contact CGM to ask when they will be doing the "one-off" tidy up.

u) Collapsed Drain Buckenham Drive - no response had been received from Borough, work still not done - the Clerk to chase this up

v) Fairfield Road Parking - Freebridge Housing had written to all tenants asking them not to park on the grassed areas

w) Bus Stops - the request for additional bus stops was passed on to the Infrastructure Officer but no response had been received. The Clerk to chase up.

x) Post Boxes - a request for additional post boxes had been made to Royal Mail but again no response received - Clerk to chase up

y) Parking at Village Hall - Although representations were made to the Planning Department regarding provision of a suitable parking area in future development on this dangerous stretch of road, no response had been received. It was agreed to ask County Councillor White to make representations on behalf of the Parish. Also contact Wells Homes again regarding consideration of parking in their development.

3. Budget

The Clerk presented a draft budget for consideration for the financial year 2007/2008, considerable discussion took place particularly in respect of donations to charitable organisations. The Clerk was asked to investigate how the parish stood legally regarding giving donations. Having discussed the figures it was unanimously agreed that a Precept of £6044 should be requested, this being an increase of 5% on last year.

4. Co-option of Councillor:

One request to be considered as a Councillor had been received from Mrs Sue Lansdell-Williams. It was unanimously agreed that she be co-opted with effect from the next meeting.

5. Planning:

A requesting for an extension to Hope Cottage Oxborough Road had been received but subsequently withdrawn

Construction of detached garage/store at 2 Lime Kiln Lane - approved by Parish Council

Notification from the Planning Inspectorate that the Appeal for the Site at Horsemans Rest Littlemans Way had been dismissed

Grant of Conservation Area Consent - Demolition of existing buildings land at Lynn Road

Grant of Planning Permission - Construction of 8 mixed development properties land at Lynn Road

7. Payments for Approval:

James Bradfield School - £11.90 - Hire of Hall July

MHB Services Ltd - £65.78 - Lighting Maintenance December/January

IRS Ltd - £54.85 - New Motorised Vehicles Sign

CGM Ltd - £197.40 - Final account for maintenance works

CGM Ltd - £458.13 - Grass cutting/maintenance in Cemetery

Thomas Bonnett - £27.50 - Fixing sign to post on Common

Mr Precey proposed approval for payment seconded by Mrs Leamon

8. Correspondence:

BCKL&WN Building Control Service - Name of house to rear of the Birches Boughton Road to be "Highfields".

BCKL&WN Development Services - The Mayor's Award for Design in the Environment requesting nominations

NCAP&TC - Promotional Leaflet for Forthcoming Parish Council Elections in May 2007

NCAP&TC - Norfolk Community Foundation Grants Programme

NCA&PTC - Invitation for Clerk and or Councillors to Lunch and Seminar on Quality Status

Norfolk Police Authority - 2007/08 Budget Consultation Evening 18 January 2007

9 Councillors Other Business:

a. Mr Mycock referred to an article in a recent edition of Clerks and Councils Direct in respect of Rights of Way. The Clerk was requested to contact their legal adviser for advice, particularly with regard to the gate and a loose dog.

b. Mrs Leamon reported a raised drain cover in the footpath near the Fish Shop - the Clerk to report this to Highways

c. The dirt track footpath between Stoke Ferry and Wretton near the footpath sign is full of deep potholes/full of water making it difficult to walk along this stretch - the Clerk to write to Wretton Parish Council.

d. Mr Summers reported that Freebridge van drivers are constantly on their mobile phones whilst driving through the village - representation to be made to Freebridge Housing.

e. The Chairman reported following a Village Liaison Meeting at Grampians that children dropped off from the school bus are kicking a ball against the wall of the Old Dukes Head. When members of staff speak to them they just receive verbal abuse. The Clerk to write to Methwold School.

f. The Chairman asked how long the Murals on the Dukes Head would stay there, Mr Summers informed the meeting there would be new ones in September with a different theme, but the current ones would be monitored to ensure they do not become untidy.

10. Public Other Business:

a. There is a small area of tarmac which needs attention outside 1 Tucks Cottage Wretton Road - The Clerk to inform Highways

b. Furlong Road there is a large pothole just prior to the junction with the A134.

c. Members of the public who made representations to the Planning Department in respect of Wells Homes application for Lynn Road received letters stating that this had been refused, whereas in fact it had been approved.

d. The Cemetery Gate needs painting also the 3 seats need repairing and resiting and maybe fixed to prevent removal. Perhaps a group could be set up "Friends of the Cemetery" to do these small painting jobs/strimming round areas where the contractors equipment is too large. The Clerk to obtain a quotation and ascertain the repairs required to the seats.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 8.55pm

Next Meeting:

The next meeting will be on Wednesday 21 February 2007 commencing at 7.30pm.

Parish Clerk