West Dereham PC Minutes for February

Minutes of the February meeting of West Dereham Parish council

MINUTES OF WEST DEREHAM PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

HELD AT THE VILLAGE HALL

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 4TH 2009

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

4 members of the public

1. Apologies for Absence accepted from:

Mr Richard Rockcliffe - District Councillor

2. Declarations of Interest

Mr. Glover declared an interest in item 6.

3. Approval of Minutes

The minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 03/12/09 were agreed as a true record.

4. Matters arising from previous meetings

4.1 Broadband Update

An e-mail from Norfolk County Council had been received regarding the proposed delivery of Corporate Public Internet access to West Dereham. The current situation is based on two areas;

1. Development of a core service to enable public access to Internet services via Norfolk County Council Infrastructure. NCC is working with BT to develop a secure service and the systems necessary for this should be available around April 1st 2010.

2. Arrangements for the installation of local infrastructure into West Dereham. BT is in the process of developing a solution which they will use to apply for planning permission. No dates for this are known.

Leaflets advertising the Fasterfuture campaign, which is a West Norfolk Partnership campaign led by the Borough Council to bring super-fast broadband to King's Lynn and West Norfolk, were distributed and people are being asked to register their interest in this service at www.fasterfuture.co.uk.

5. Reports:

5.1 Chairman's Report:

* The Chairman and Mrs Marsters recently attended a planning training event organised by the Borough Council of King's Lynn and West Norfolk. Some planning changes were introduced in October 2009 and the scheme of delegation has altered with more planning decisions to be made by officers. Contentious decisions will however still receive further consideration.

Improvements have been made to the public access planning website with the ability to save and track applications. A search facility enables notification of planning applications within a half mile radius to be sent to individuals. The Planning Department 5th Annual Monitoring Report has been published. Nothing in this document affects West Dereham but investigation will be undertaken to check whether any land in the parish has been submitted for possible development in the emerging Local Development Plan.

* The Boundary Committee has put forward a recommendation for unitary status for Norfolk. An imminent decision by the Secretary of State regarding this proposal is expected.

* The Parish Council website can be found at www.westderehamparishcouncil.org.uk

At present the site is unlikely to be found through a search engine. Mr. Murfitt offered to add more information to the site including links to other sites.

5.2 Clerk's Report:

* A response to queries raised regarding recycling has been received from Barry Branford, Waste and Recycling Manager, BCKLWN:

Plastic bottles which are put in the recycling bin are separated into three types to maximize value. The plastic is processed into new products in the UK and Belgium. Other authorities may collect other plastics which are often exported to China, India or Brazil where the plastic bottles are recovered. The end use of the other plastic materials is unclear. There is currently no certainty in saying that there is a long term viable and economic market for all plastic. The Borough Council contracts with all the six other district councils in Norfolk to provide a cost effective contract which delivers good value to the tax payer and all districts recycle the same materials.

* Some time ago the Parish Council registered an interest in adopting the telephone box in the village so it would not be removed. The Borough Council is against the removal of telephone boxes in the Borough and therefore boxes are to remain in service for the present time.

5.3 Village Hall Report:

Only one meeting of the Village Hall Management Committee has taken place since the last Parish Council meeting. Money in the bank stands at just over £4000. Flooding has occurred at the Village Hall car park and drainage will be installed but it is not yet decided how this will be financed.

The village hall draw is no longer being run and thanks were expressed to those who organised and supported this fundraising activity.

5.4 Glazewing Report:

The monthly report from Glazewing had previously been distributed to Councillors and points made in both the January and February reports were conveyed to those attending the meeting.

The meeting was briefly opened to members of the public who wished it to be noted that a black pick up truck has been seen to be driven dangerously through the village on a number of occasions. Members of the public were advised to report this matter to the Police immediately on each occasion.

6. Accounts: Financial position update

6.1 The Parish Council current account stood at £3384.21 on the 31st December 2009 with the following payments to be made:

Hire of Village Hall (Oct., Nov., Dec.) £30.00

Grass Cutting £231.15

Clerk's salary (Nov., Dec.) £279.30

Inland Revenue £116.38

Copying £7.76

NALC training £20.00

Anglianwater £10.68

The reserve account stands at £1610.45

6.2 A quote received for clearing the ditch by the notice board at Station Road was considered. It is not known who this ditch belongs to but historically it has been cleared out by the Parish Council. Councillors agreed to look at the ditch to establish what work needs to be undertaken and a new quote will be requested for consideration at the Parish Council meeting in March.

It was also noted that the ditch by the lay-by in Station Road is full of rubbish. This will be reported to BCKLWN.

6.3 Discussion took place regarding possible sponsorship of the Parish Council website. It was agreed adverts for local businesses could be put onto the Parish Council website for a set fee of £25.00.

7. Planning applications:

7.1 Notice of decision:

Construction of replacement agricultural barn at Sunnyside, Brooks Lane, West Dereham. 09/02015/F

Permission granted

7.2 Notice of decision:

Construction of office accommodation for farm, agricultural and ground maintenance at Hill House Farm, Bath Road, West Dereham. 09/1956/F

Permission granted

County Grounds Maintenance has offered to discuss with the Parish Council the building colour and signage relating to the above development at Hill House Farm.

8. Correspondence:

1. Connecting Norfolk - Norfolk County Council are asking residents to complete on online questionnaire relating to the new strategy for transport in Norfolk that will look ahead to 2031. The questionnaire can be found at www.norfolk.gov.uk

2. Norfolk Link

3. Removal of telephone boxes (see Clerk's report)

4. Local Development Framework - Proposed Submission Document

5. Norfolk Police Authority Budget Options

6. Fasterfuture campaign (see item 4.2)

7. Boundary Committee Update (see Chairman's report)

8. Norwich Park & Ride fares

9. BCKLWN Council meeting agenda 28/01/10

9. Further Reports/items for the next agenda:

9.1 Pot holes need to be repaired along Station road.

9.2 Residents who suffered power loss for more than 18 hours recently are advised to contact EDF for possible compensation. To register a claim phone 08000562467.

OPEN SESSION

* Wire still needs to be replaced on the footbridge near West Dereham Abbey.

* Thanks were voiced to Glazewing for offering pallets for firewood to some residents of Station Road during the recent cold weather.

* Comment was made regarding the predicted cost of providing broadband to some of the village and whether money could be better spent especially if only a few residents may benefit.

Parish Clerk