MINUTES OF WEST DEREHAM PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

Minutes of the March meeting of West Dereham PC

MINUTES OF WEST DEREHAM PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

HELD AT THE VILLAGE HALL

THURSDAY March 5th 2009

Present: Mrs Claire Cann - Chairman, Mrs Doreen Berry, Mr Russell Drew, Mrs Ruth Marsters, Mr Paddy Murfitt, Ms Alison Richardson

7 members of the public

Mr Richard Rockcliffe - County Councillor

Papers copied to Councillors: Standing Orders, Financial Regulations, Clerk's Contract, e-mail from Mark Potter, report of BCKLWN meeting re. Unitary Status, letter from CGM re. grass cutting, village hall report.

1. Apologies for Absence accepted from:

Borough Councillor Mr Trevor Manley.

2. No Declarations of Interest made.

3. Approval of Minutes

3.1 The minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on February 5th 2009 were agreed as a true record.

4. Matters Arising

4.1 Glazewing update

The e-mail received from Mark Potter, NCC Planning Enforcement Officer was read out. Skips stored along the north side of the relief channel may be permitted if use of the land is deemed as historic. The number of skips sited here needs to be clarified however as the area used for storage has been extended. The owner of Glazewing may seek to extend the yard with planning permission. At the public meeting held in November 2008 the Chairman did ask the owners of Glazewing if they intended to extend the yard and there was no suggestion given that this was planned.

Discussion followed regarding Glazewings HGV Operators Licence which is due for review on March 31st 2009. Parishioners have been advised to pass any issues relating to the licence to VOSA before the licence is reviewed. In light of this the Parish Council debated whether it should be requested that conditions should be added to the licence relating to operating hours. It was agreed that if possible restrictions should be requested. The suggested restriction being that hours of operation should be an hour each side of the yard operating times.

Glazewing drivers have been asked to adhere to a voluntary 20mph speed limit through the village and a letter will be sent to Glazewing requesting that this be reiterated.

A letter from MP Chris Fraser acknowledging receipt of copies of correspondence relating to Glazewings was read out and it was stated recent relevant communications will continue to be forwarded to him as requested.

4.2 The hedge along Brookes Lane has been cut, free of charge, by Country Grounds Maintenance. The Council expressed thanks for this generous gesture. Country Grounds Maintenance has also forwarded details of the maintenance contract previously held by them relating to grass cutting in the parish. The Parish Council intends to seek tenders for the grounds maintenance within the parish for the 2009/10 season. Councillors will identify grass cutting areas that need to be included in the tender specification. A map will be marked to indicate areas that are to be maintained by the Parish Council. CGM has offered its grounds maintenance services free of charge for the month of March as the tendering process is unlikely to have been completed before April. The company will be sent a letter of thanks for this assistance with keeping the parish tidy.

5. Chairman's Report:

* Local Government Review

Mrs C Cann attended a meeting held by BCKLWN ON 17/02/09 which was held to give an update on the Local Government Review. A copy of notes made of the meeting was distributed to Councillors. Councillors were asked to pass their views relating to Unitary Status to the chairman before the April Parish Council meeting. The Local Government Review will be an agenda item for the next Parish Council meeting when the Council will draft a letter voicing its comments.

Plant pots

Mr P Murfitt has offered to construct three wooden plant containers to be sited along Church Road. Permission will need to be sought from Highways to locate the containers on the verge but it was agreed to go ahead with this suggestion to a cost of up to £100 (£300 has been allocated in the 2009/10 budget for parish improvements).

* Parish walk

Councillors are to assess areas of the parish to be maintained by walking around the village at the weekend. The Heritage Group has a date set in July for walking parts of the village and Councillors were invited to join this.

* Bulk oil buying

Bulk buying of oil has been researched and villagers will be approached regarding whether they may be interested in joining such a scheme. Those interested will be asked to pass their names to the Clerk.

* Local Development Framework

Consultation for The Core Strategy for King's Lynn and West Norfolk LDF ends on April 6th 2009. Comments can be made at the April Parish Council meeting.

Clerk's Report:

* Parish Council website

The parishcouncilinvolve website has been activated and the Clerk is adding information to the site. The site allows information to be published but application is limited and further investigation will be undertaken regarding paying for a website that may be more useful.

* Highways

Pot holes reported at the February meeting are programmed for repair. Others to be reported are between Stocks Bridge and the Old School, by the Old School and along Station Road.

* Fly tipping

BCKLWN Environmental Health has been informed of rubbish dumped along Lime Kiln Road. Mr R Rockcliffe has offered to remove rubbish from the verge and was thanked for this.

Village Hall report:

Councillors were presented with a copy of the verbal report given by Mrs. R Marsters - a copy of which is filed.

6. Accounts were presented and accepted for payment.

6.1 Cheques for approval of payment

Photocopying £10.12

6.2 A copy of the Clerks timesheet was presented to Councillors. At present the number of hours worked by the clerk has averaged 3.5 hours per week.

6.3 Burial fees need to be clarified and this will be an agenda item for the April Parish Council meeting when further research of comparable fees has been undertaken.

7. Correspondence:

1. West Norfolk Inter Village Games

2. Norfolk Link etc.

3. Funding opportunities

4. Town and Parish Council Standards Newsletter

5. Playing Field Newsletter

6. Council meeting agenda

7. Request for donation from Norfolk Accident Rescue

8. Property Address verification - The Old Methodist Chapel, Station Road, West Dereham

9. Letter from BCKLWN re. risk assessment of Open Water

10. E-mail from parishioner re. request for bus service stop at Bath Road junction. Parish Council will write in support of this and pass request to District Councillor.

11. Complaint received regarding youngsters on the Playing Field kicking balls into gardens. It was suggested the position of the goals may influence the direction balls are kicked but as the goal posts are concreted in they cannot be repositioned.

8. Planning:

8.1 A planning meeting was held on 11/02/09 to consider the following application:

Replacement of lean to with garage extension to the Coach House at White Hall, Hilgay Road, West Dereham 09/00164/F.

Permission recommended

8.2 Construction of agricultural building at Bath Road, West Dereham 09/00286/F

Permission recommended

9. Copies of Standing Orders and Financial Regulations were distributed to Councillors. These will be considered at the April Parish Council meeting.

10. Clerk's contract:

Suggested amendments to the Clerk's contract were agreed and a copy will be signed once amendments have been made.

11. The date for the Annual Parish Meeting was set as Thursday April 30th.

12. Other than noting potholes that need repair no further reports were made.

OPEN SESSION

* The Community Speed Watch Scheme has previously been considered. For this scheme to be operated in the parish at least six volunteers are needed.

* Complaints were received that dog faeces is being deposited on the footpath by Fourjays in Hilgay Road.

Date of next Parish Council meeting - Thursday April 2nd 2009

Parish Clerk