MINUTES OFWEST DEREHAM PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

HELD AT ST. ANDREWS CHURCH

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 3RD 2011

Present: Mrs Claire Cann – Chairman, Mrs Pam Bullas, Mr Tom Foy, Ms Paula Kellingray,

Mrs Ruth Marsters, Mrs Pam Walker.

4 members of the public

Papers presented to Councillors: Clerks timesheet, expenditure spreadsheet, copy of e-mail from Mark Potter (Norfolk County Council Planning Services Monitoring & Control Officer, copy of e-mail from Jeff Jones (Manager for Better Broadband), planning statement etc. relating to Ashcroft Farm, Crimplesham.

1. 1. Apologies for Absence accepted from:

Mr Mark Dawson

2. No Declarations of Interest made.

3. Approval of Minutes

The minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on05/10/11were agreed as a true record of the meeting.

1. 4. Co-option of a new Parish Councillor

Mr Thomas Foy volunteered as a member of the Parish Council and was duly co-opted to join West Dereham Parish Council.

1. 5. Election of Vice-Chairman

It was agreed to postpone the election of a Vice-Chairman until the December meeting when it is hoped all Councillors will be present

1. No matters raised from previous meetings.

7. Reports:

7.1 Chairman’s Report:

Police Surgeries

The Parish Council has written to the Chief Constable of Norfolk to complain that Police surgeries have not taken place in the village as was promised. Inspector Mick Bates has contacted the Clerk and the Police have plans to re-evaluate and re-organise Police surgeries in the New Year. The Parish is to get a new PCSO Liaison Officer after Christmas.

Local Development Framework (LDF)

The Parish Council has informed the Borough Council that it is in support of the decision that all sites put forward in the LDF for possible development have been designated as unsuitable sites.

Boundary Commission

The Parish Council has sent representations opposing the proposal to abolish the South-West Norfolk parliamentary seat, and incorporate theWest Derehampart of the consistency into Cambridgeshire.

Remembrance Day Lunch

A Remembrance Day Lunch cannot take place this year as the Village Hall will not be re-opened in time. It is hoped this event will become a regular event in future years.

Cemetery markers

A meeting is to be arranged with Chris Stocking from Bonnetts to discuss the type of cemetery markers that would be best for use inWestDerehamCemetery. The grounds maintenance contractors will also be consulted for advice regarding grass cutting around markers.

It was noted funeral directors need to be informed that it is their responsibility to ensure soil arising from grave diggings is removed from site.

BT phone box

BT has been contacted regarding the state of the phone box inChurch Road. BT do not replace glass in boxes once it has been broken. A request will be made to BT to remove all the panes of glass from the box and the Parish Council will consider whether it wishes the box to remain. This matter will be an agenda item for the December meeting of the Parish Council.

Disorderly conduct at Parish Council meetings

The Chairman noted that complaints had been received concerning some inappropriate behaviour at the September and October meetings of the Parish Council. Some villagers have informed the Chairman that they are unlikely to attend future Parish Council meetings if such behaviour occurs again. Specifically, complaints were received regarding language and threatening behaviour used by a member of the public.

West Dereham Parish Council Standing Order no. 10 was read out by the Chairman:

• No person shall obstruct the transaction of business at a meeting or behave offensively or improperly.
• If, in the opinion of the Chairman, there has been a breach of standing order 10(a) above, the Chairman shall express that opinion and thereafter any councillor (including the Chairman) may move that the person be silenced or excluded from the meeting, and the motion, if seconded, shall be put forthwith and without discussion.
• If a resolution made in accordance with standing order 10(b) above, is disobeyed, the Chairman may take such steps as may reasonably be necessary to enforce it and he/she may adjourn the meeting.

The Chairman said that as a result of the threats and foul language one of the Parish Councillors has resigned. This was a considerable loss to both the village and the Parish Council. In future a vote will be taken whether to adjourn a meeting should anyone act in an abusive or threatening manner.

7.2 Clerk’s Report

• The Clerk is in the process of sending information to Pear Technology regarding the existing plans held ofWestDerehamCemetery. This will allow a digital map of the Cemetery to be prepared.

7.3 Village Hall Report:

• Work is progressing daily at the Village Hall. Furniture is being installed and the kitchen is expected to be delivered on November 4th. The builder is to be finished by the end of the month. Landscaping of the outside area will then be undertaken.

7.4 Glazewing Report:

• Councillors had previously been presented with a copy of the monthly Glazewing Report which will now reflect the immediately preceding month.
• Glazewing will be asked how complaints are recorded as matters known to be reported to Glazewing regularly do not appear on the monthly report sent to the Parish Council.
• It was felt road sweeping should be undertaken by Glazewing on a daily basis.

The meeting was briefly suspended to allow a member of the public to report incidents involving Glazewing vehicles which he has recently reported to the company. Comment was made about the route used by Glazewing vehicles which may have delivered skips in the village. It appears vehicles travel through the village rather than taking the correct route out of the village and back in along the West Dereham Road to reach Station Road_. (see comments at open session also)_

7.4 Broadband Update:

• An e-mail has been received from Jeff Jones, Technical Q & A Manager for the Better Broadband for Norfolk Project who has taken over management of the Broadband Project for West Derehamfrom Andy Ambridge. The wireless based pilot service for the village is now ready to proceed further and the Parish Council has been asked to support Norfolk County Council’s application for planning permission for the implementation of a 12 metre mast at West Dereham Village Hall. Norfolk County Council will ask residents to sign up for the new service which will include committing to the purchase of a receiver. It is expected that NCCwill not apply a charge for the service but residents will need to purchase the receiver at an estimated cost of