WEST DEREHAM PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF MEETING 8pm WEDNESDAY 19 NOVEMBER 2008

IN THE VILLAGE HALL

Present: Mrs Claire Cann - Chair

Mrs Doreen Berry

Mr Russell Drew

Mr Barry Glover

Mr Paddy Murfitt

Ms Alison Richardson - Vice-Chair

In Attendance: Ms Lindsay Goward - Parish Clerk

12 members of the public

1. Apologies

Mr Malcolm Grief

Mr Grief tended his resignation on the 11th November his letter was read out on the meeting of the 13th November and will be attached to the minutes.

2. Declaration of Interests

CC and DB declared that they were both on the management committee of the village hall which constituted a personal interest in item 9.

3. Signing of the Minutes of 18th September and the Approval and Signing of the Minutes of the 9th October Meeting

The minutes of the 18th September were signed with the corrections agreed on the 9th October. Minutes of the 9th October were agreed as a true record and signed by the chair.

4. Matters Arising

i) Allotments

The rents have been collected on all the allotments and the remaining two plots have now been let. A village flier advertising them was therefore unnecessary.

ii) Directional Signs to Glazewing

John Eastgate (Highways department NCC) has been contacted and we are awaiting a response.

iii) Proposed Rent Increase of the Play Area

AR is still awaiting a response to the PC's rent proposal.

iv) Removal of Phone Box

This is yet to be done as had been allocated to a parish councillor who was unable to action. This matter will be pursued as a matter of urgency. We will need to establish an electricity MPAN number for the electricity supply to the box. AR reported that repairs and spares for the telephone box designed in 1935, are expensive. The box will not have a telephone and if necessary can be sealed. The PC will need to check when the box moves to their ownership whether the indemnity insurance covers it.

Action: Clerk to pursue the PC adopting the Station Road telephone box and include a reminder on insurance issue.

v) Footpaths

AR has copy of the definitive map and is still pursuing a copy for the PC. When we have this the PC will meet to look at the responsibility of paths and where private cutting might need to be increased. Clerk read a letter from a resident asking again about having the two bridges on the footpaths near the Abbey being covered so they are less slippery. AR has requested this and will chase this up.

Action: AR will pursue a definitive map and will chase up getting the footpath bridges covered.

vi) Website

The clerk has been in contact with Sue Lake at NAPTC and has discovered you can register with project involve for a website and develop this with the aid of a distance learning pack. The training course in this area are planned but not until next year.

Action: Clerk to registrar with Project Involve for website template.

vii) Letter to Nick Daubney

The PC are still waiting for a response to the letter from the PC to the BCKLWN regarding them agreeing with a planning application without waiting for the PC comments. Cllr Trevor Manley said that this may have happened as they had a deadline to meet for comments, CC advised that the PC had extended the deadlines. Cllr Manley said he would chase up the response to the PC.

5. Parish Clerk Vacancy

The current parish clerk who took on the job on a trial basis at short noticed has decided with her other work that the hours required for the clerk role is too much and has resigned. The post has been advertised on the Norfolk Parish Council website (NAPTC) and they have already received two applications. The vacancy will also be advertised on the next village flier next week. The interviews will be in the week of the 8th December and it is hoped a new clerk will have had the handover and be in place soon after Christmas. CC circulated the CVs of the first two applicants and asked for parish councillors to let her know if they wanted to be involved.

6. Parish Councillor Vacancy

There is a vacancy on the PC as a result of Malcolm Grief's resignation. The formal notice was advertised today and if ten signatories are received by the 9th December the BC will arrange an election in due course. If the BC do not get a request the formal request for an election the PC will have to co-opt someone on to the council.

7. Glazewing Meeting 13th November

The clerk read a summary of the proceedings of last week's Glazewing meeting, the full minutes will be available with the minutes of this meeting. The main points were:

* The timescale for the new road agreed in May has not been met due to the changes in ownership. But the new owners are committed to developing an access road but no current time scale.

* Route for road not confirmed as land is not yet purchased, were some problems on the original route with land purchase and engineering (soil type and drainage).

* Christopher Fraser offered to assist in negotiations for land purchase if from British Sugar.

* New road will be prescribed route for HGVs but no decision as to

* Glazewing part of a consortium of companies which they hope to expand but no plans as yet to expand site or degree of operation in West Dereham.

* 24/7 operators license up for renewal in April 2009.

* All vehicles have been asked to adhere to voluntary 20mph limit and people asked to report breaches to Glazewing direct (01366 500162) or road traffic breaches to the police.

* NCC will patch Station Road on a Sunday and resurface when new road open.

* John Eastgate checking planning for skip storage beside the river.

* The Miles brothers agreed to write to the PC with their thoughts and intentions regarding the developing of the new road by 1st December.

PM asked what action the PC was taking about the skip depository along the track; are we writing to the planning department? Cllr Manley said that the PC should contact planning about whether there is permission to store skips and trailers. PM said that he has received an e-mail from a member of the public expressing concern about this issue. John Eastgate (NCC Highways) had said he would look into the matter. It was agreed by the PC that they will write to planning to clarify this issue, some members of the PC thought that possibly there was planning permission for this area.

It was stated that it was thought the trailers and skips were stored there to allow their removal in the early hours. The meeting was adjourned to ask the public whether running in the early hours was an issue.

(Adjourn- A member of the public confirmed that the lorries began running at 3am sometimes earlier and then ran from that time getting busier as it approached 7am. The uneven roads and impact noise meant that residents sleep was regularly disturbed.)

This 24/7 relates to the operators license granted by the Eastern Traffic commission, it was questioned whether this license was a public document. It was suggest we should write and ask this.

(Cllr Manley stated that PC will not be consulted when the license is renewed but anyone can write to with concerns to the Traffic Commission. A member of the public pointed out that the licenses were still in the names of the previous owners)

Action: Clerk to write to planning to ask whether there is planning permission for the skips.

The clerk will contact the Traffic Commission to see if copies of the license could be obtained.

8. Finance and Payments

i) Precept

PM presented a piece about the precept which is the amount the PC is funded through Council Tax. West Dereham is the fifth lowest in West Norfolk, households in Band D contribute £12.42 per anum, while Wretton is £26.50, Boughton £13.22, Denver £41. Across West Norfolk the average is £38 and with just village is £18 to £19. PM said he thought that an increase on 50% 13p a week would be possible to allow the PC to increase essential spending. AR said that the PC had the allotment rents which allows us to keep the precept low. BG stated that the allotments were for the benefit of parishioners. AR also said that the village had a lot of relatively poor household who would find any increase difficult. It was felt that we needed to look at the PCs expenditures and accounts and consider where we might need to increase expenditure. Traditionally the PC has increased the precept by a set amount each year usually about 8%. CC said that in the next parish flier villagers could be asked their opinions about where the PC could be spending money with a few words about how the precept works. CC said that although she had no problem either way she felt that this year the PC should have a proper discussion and make an informed decision when setting the precept. Trevor Manley confirmed that. If the PC over budgeted and had a surplus they could hold the money over to the following year and reduce the precept.

(Adjourn: A member of the public advised that clerks pay and hours have increased and this will add to the precept and the PC need to list all proposed and current expenditures. Precept need to be submitted to the BC by the 20th January)

Actions: Last years accounts will be brought to the next meeting. A piece will be put in the parish flier re the precept and proposed expenditures.

ii) Payments

£148 received from Energy company for wayleaf of electricity poles on parish land or Allotment and land rent and £100 received for allotment rents.

Payments were £7.64 for printing and £16.50 for the Parish Council poppy wreath. CC gave the PC a cheque for £16.50 for the British Legion Wreath. These were agreed for payment by RD and AR and cheques duly signed. The erection of village sign has been paid by CC and the invoice included for the PC records.

9. West Dereham Village Hall

i) Error on deeds

The village hall committee has written to the PC to ask for their agreement as the owners of the hall that the deeds need amending. Their solicitors have advised that clause 12 has a typographical error around who has the indemnity for the village hall (letter attatched to minutes) The Village Hall Committee has been advised that indemnity is needed for the proposed works and improvements on the hall. It was unanimously agreed that this should be corrected and as the owners the PC should pay.

Action: Clerk will write to the village hall committee saying PC agrees changes to deeds and will pay costs for this.

ii) Funding of Village hall

CC reported that she has had a paper passed to her by DB produced by ACRE regarding the PCs role in the funding of village halls. This letter was passed by a lady from NCC who had come to talk to the village hall committee about funding. The paper said that village halls were key facilities in the village and village hall committees and PCs should work together to ease the financial burden. The paper suggested that VH committees should have someone from PC on the committee (we have two people), that PC can support maintenance costs, assist with capital costs for repairs and improvements through the precept and that PCs should pay the going rate for hire for meetings.

DB confirmed that the PC does not pay hire for meeting but historically the PC had paid for the village hall grass cutting. DB said that they have been advised that they should request funds locally from the PC as this looks good on other applications. AR pointed out that the paper said that a PC can support the village hall but did not have to but she supported the PC paying hire for meetings. CC asked whether the PC thought we should support village hall with repairs and rent. CC suggested that the village hall should put their needs in writing and the PC would discuss at the next meeting she would circulate the ACRE report. DB stated that in the past the PC had paid for things for the village hall such as roof repairs and curtain poles. BG said he thought the VH committee fundraised to cover the costs.

(Adjourn: Jim the VH fundraiser was asked to give details of their fundraising activities. Jim said that he thought that PC should fund the village hall and should have been doing so the last 55 years. If the PC supported them this may help with other funding. He said they ran bingo, quizzes, xmas draw and the hundred club but the income for this merely covered the day to day running of the hall not large expenses. If the VH committee did not exist the PC would have complete responsibility to maintain the village hall.)

DB confirmed that the cost of hire for meetings is £10 an evening. AR proposed that the PC should begin paying for hall hire and RD seconded this.

It was agreed that the village had a need for a good building for public use. BG asked whether it was true that the village hall has brought extra land.

(Adjourn: Ruth Marsters from the Millennium project confirmed that the project were in the process of purchasing land behind the village hall for car parking and outside activities. Ruth confirmed that a flier will be circulated with an update of the Millennium Projects (a registered charity) funds held on behalf of the village.)

Action: Village hall put on the next agenda and VH requested to put a submission to the PC regarding funding. The PC will begin paying rent for meetings.

10. Correspondence

i) Village Hall

The village hall committee has requested that the PC provides a team for the village quiz on Saturday 6th December.

ii) Standards Committee Agenda and Minutes

The BC standards committee are still looking for another parish council member. The minutes were passed to CC.

iii) Consultation on New Code of Conduct for Local Authority employees.

PC only has clerks but CC will respond to consultation

iv) Local Government Reorganisation

PC has received copies of the presentation and a reminder of the next meeting on the 9th January CC will attend. There has been a challenge in the High Court about the legality of the process for reorganisation in Norfolk the outcome is not yet known.

v) Mayors Award for Design

This is for new and renovated buildings hope that in future years village hall can apply.

vi) BC Planning department

The planning department is trialling e-consultation with Parish Councils. The PC decided as all members do not have broadband not to take back.

vii) Lovells Charity

The trustees have asked that as his tenure is finishing that the PC reconfirm BG as the PC representative. AR proposed BG remaining as representative and PM seconded this.

Action: Clerk to confirm BG as the BC representative.

viii) Police Mobile Offices

We have the timetable for next years surgeries in Stoke Ferry and Fincham, Details will be included in a future village flier.

11. Planning

Design Statement

We have asked NAPTC to circulate to other PCs requesting that we are given details of other PCs design statements. We have been advised to talk to South Wootton PC. Cllr Manley said that Marham and Wimbotsham have recently completed design statements and the PC will try to get copies.

12. AOB

i) Village Sign

AR thanked CC for repainting the village sign. She said several people had commented to her how much better it looked.

ii) The Row

Concern has been raised about lorries going on the verge and struggling around the tight corner on the Row. It was suggested that we ask Highways to sign the Row as unsuitable for HGVs on the Ryston and Lime Kiln Road.

Action: Clerk to contact Highways

iii) Traffic

BG asked whether the PC has had any reports of increased lorry movements or disruptions around church end of the village between the 3rd week of July and the 2nd week of August. The PC had not had any reports. BG said that they had been lots of gravel movements from pits that week and felt this was similar as to what we could expect if Frimstone begin quarrying that area.

iv) Allotment Land

BG asked that when the allotment farming land lease finishes that it is put out to tender and we ensure we get a competitive rate. Lease up for renewal in 2010, lease agreement was passed by clerk to BG.

v) Potholes

The pothole in the first unofficial parking bay on Lime Kiln Road has increased in size. The PC has been told in the past that this is not Highways responsibility. It is unclear whether PC could arrange to fill. It was agreed that initially we should contact Highways for advice

Action: Clerk to contact Highways.

Pothole on Stocks Bridge and Lime Kiln Road verges have run down. Large Pothole on St Andrew's Walk not filled yet.

12. Date of Next Meeting.

Thursday 11th December at 8pm 7.30 for tea and coffee.

The meeting closed at 21.55pm.

Public Forum

It was pointed out that at this meeting the PC had discussed village hall rents, grass cutting, heating of village hall, allotment gates all of which are expenses, all this supports that the PC really needs to look in detail at the precept for the village

Parish Clerk