West Dereham Parish Council - April

DRAFT MINUTES OF WEST DEREHAM PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

HELD AT WEST DEREHAM VILLAGE HALL at 7.30 pm

THURSDAY 3 APRIL 2014

PRESENT (7 Councillors):- Pam Bullas (PB), Claire Cann (CC) – Chairman, Tom Foy (TF), Lorraine Hunt (LH), Paula Kellingray (PK), Claire Page (CP), Pam Walker (PW)

Clerk: - Sarah Thorpe

Borough Councillor: - Trevor Manley (TM)

6 members of the public were in attendance.

Papers presented to Councillors:  (i) Financial Management Report (spread sheet); (ii) expenditure (for approval);

(iii) Glazewing Report.

The Chairman welcomed everyone present and opened the meeting.

1. Apologies for Absence.  None

1. Declarations of Interest. No declarations were made.

1. Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held 6 March 2014**.** The Chairman confirmed all Councillors had seen the minutes of the last Parish Council (PC) meeting held 6 March 2014. These were agreed as a true record and signed by the Chairman.

4.            Reports.

4.1          Chairman’s Report.

4.1.1      Draft Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulations 2014**.** It was agreed that a letter would be send to Brandon Lewis MP, and copied to Elizabeth Truss MP, in support of the National Association of Local Councils view that a change in the use of social media and filming during PC meetings should not be approved. That this would represent a level of intrusion that is excessive and not present for MP’s in the House of Commons.

4.1.2      Norfolk Healthwatch & WNVCA event on 1 May 2014. Details of this event had been circulated to all. PB agreed to attend this event.

4.2          Clerk’s Report.

4.2.1.     Grange Farm. Letter has been sent to NPS Property Consultants Ltd detailing the position of the PC and the village and the matters for discussion at the meeting. This was copied to County Councillor Brian Long and Elizabeth Truss MP. An initial reply was received which claimed that the PC had misquoted a comment made by NPS and asking for clarification of the number of suggested dates for a meeting. It also stated that they would be gathering information over the next six weeks and then would get back in touch regarding arranging a meeting. A reply was sent in answer to the query regarding suggested dates & expressing concern at the considerable delay. A further email has been sent asking for NPS to suggest four to six dates for the meeting so that arrangements can be put in place. It was agreed that this should be chased up by a telephone call.

4.2.2      Norfolk Association of Local Councils (NALC) Spring Conference. The event took place on Friday 14 March 2014

Issues covered included:

• Climate Change and the weather
• The work being done by the Youth Advisory Board
• Norfolk Fire Service & Local Councils
• Abolition of the Audit Commission from 30 March 2015 and how this could affect local councils
• A talk from Brandon Lewis MP – he spoke about the possible introduction of referendums for PCs regarding increases in Precept of above 2%. This matter is still being considered. Also changes to the two signatory requirement for cheques by PCs.
• Came & Company Insurance Brokers – Managing Risk. Advice for PCs considering making changes to the two signatory requirement, risk assessments & inspections.

4.3          Handyman’s Report. The Handyman was unable to attend the meeting. He has now been given the list of projects requiring his attention, which have been put in order of priority.

4.4          Police report. The Clerk reported that she had spoken to PCSO Jane Edwards (JE) regarding the Police activity in the village on 3/4 March and that this related to the incident that was mentioned in her last report of a vehicle pulling into someone’s drive in Bath Road. The Clerk had therefore suggested that the date of each incident should be provided in future reports. This was agreed but JE said that she may need to be reminded as this was not usual procedure. A report has been received from JE which was read out. The report offered her apologies for missing the meeting as she was on annual leave. She advised that the following had occurred since the last PC meeting:

• Four Calls: two for a Sudden Death and two Road Related Offences – a vehicle had been left unattended on Station Road with no tax, owner has now moved and sorted the vehicle, and the other call was a complaint about a scrap lorry that was travelling along Bath Road fully laden. Bath Road has a 7.5 tonne weight limit. The company have been spoken too and they will speak to the driver concerned.
• No crimes have been reported.

JE advised that she would ask a colleague to deal with the incidents reported at the February meeting as she was still on light duties. PK reported that the van parked on the pavement had now been sold and therefore removed.

The Clerk advised that she had reminded JE that she had agreed to provide dates of incidents.

4.5          Village Hall Report. PK advised that the end of year accounts are currently being prepared. Bookings are increasing and the Hall is being very well used. Financially this means that the Hall is able to stand on its own.

4.6          Broadband Report. PW gave a report. Karen O’Kane from the ‘Better Broadband for Norfolk’ project had sent an email advising that West Dereham is in phase three of the project and that this is due to be completed by the end of September.  Information collected suggested that more work would be needed than initially expected and that West Dereham was likely to be completed at the end of this timescale CC reported.

4.7          Glazewing Report. Glazewing had issued their April report by email covering the period from 27 February to date. Three incidents have been reported.

• 16th March, villager complained the road sweeper was generating dust when sweeping Station Road.

This was an external company they employed to help maintain the cleanliness of Station Road. Water was being                 used but appears to have been ineffective; Glazewing said they will refrain from sweeping the road in future.

• 18th March a villager asked Glazewing to record that a flatbed van was speeding along Ryston Road with an insecure load.

Although this has been recorded it is not the responsibility of Glazewing to police public highways. This is a                 matter for the local Police and they ask that parishioners contact them direct on 101.

• 20th March a villager complained of noise from vehicles from the operating centre in the early hours.

They issued their apologies for this incident; they have spoken to the driver to ensure this does not happen                 again.

The Clerk advised that she had reported the issue of rubbish on the side of the road from College Road to Station Road to them on 29th March, which the PC believes has come from their vehicles, but they had not responded to that issue in their report. CC to confirm if rubbish remains and Clerk to report to Environment Agency (EA).

5.            Finance.

5.1          Accounts.  Accounts for approval and the monthly financial management report were submitted by the Clerk. She advised that the accounts for the financial year 2013/14 were still being finalised but at the moment showed Actual Income to be £11114.36 against a Budgeted Income of £10530.00 which represented an additional £584.36. Actual Expenditure was £11194.62 against a Budgeted Expenditure of £13803.00 which represented an underspend of £2608.38. This was due to the PC not having a Clerk or Handyman for part of the year and could not be expected to continue into the next financial year as both posts were now filled. The balance to be carried forward in the accounts to the next financial year was likely to be £4901.16 which compared to £4981.42 at the start of the year.

All the above payments were considered and approved. Cheques to be signed at the end of the meeting.

6.            Amendments to the Allotment Garden Contract. This had been copied to all Councillors prior to the meeting. The amendment clarifies the position relating to sheds and greenhouses. The amendments were agreed. Copies to be given to Allotment Liaison Officer for immediate use on any new contracts and for all tenants when contacts renewed in October 2014.

7.            Amendments to the Financial Regulations.  This had been copied to all Councillors prior to the meeting. An additional section has been added at 7.2 to cover the employment of an Accountant to handle the Clerk’s salary. The amendments were agreed.

8. Handling Complaints Policy. CC advised that she believed several amendments would be needed to adapt the policy so that it could be used by a small PC like West Dereham. These amendments were given to PB and the matter would be considered at the next discussion group and a decision made at the PC meeting in May 2014.

9.            Planning Applications.

9.1.         14/00379/BT – Removal of telephone service to two kiosks prior to adoption by Parish Council at BT Payphones Church Road and Station Road, West Dereham. The application was discussed and it was agreed to SUPPORT this application.

9.2.         14/00158/F – Single storey side extension at 2 Abbey Cottage, Station Road. A decision has been made by the BC to permit this application.

9.3.         14/00278/F – Retention of domestic timber outbuilding at Avalon, Hilgay Road. A decision has been made by the BC to permit this application.

10. Correspondence.

10.1.      Abbey Memorials request for additional wording on the headstone for Francis McBride. It was agreed that the additional wording could be included. The Clerk advised that she had informed Abbey Memorials of the grave numbers and that these numbers were to be put on the back of the headstones. An amendment to the Cemetery rules to put grave numbers on the back of all future headstones to be added to the agenda for May 2014.

10.2.      CGM Ltd contract for 1March 2014 – 31 October 2014. A new contract has been received from CGM Ltd. It was agreed that this should be a matter for the next discussion group and then a decision would be made at the PC meeting in May 2014. Clerk to try to obtain information from other local PCs on their contracts. A record is to be kept by the Clerk on work carried out by CGM Ltd. The grass was cut in the Cemetery & Churchyard on 28th March 2014.

11.          Other Business – Any Additional Reports and Items for Inclusion on the next Agenda.

11.1.      CP reported that she had heard that another local PC has been using a scheme that could be the Community Payback Scheme to have work completed in the village. It was agreed that the Clerk would contact their Clerk for further information.

11.2        PB advised that she had received information from Norfolk County Council (NCC) and EA on the Local Flood Risk Management Strategy. A further document was available called the Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment Report and it was agreed that the Clerk should ask NCC for a copy of this report. Booklets on flood damage are available from EA and the Clerk is to obtain copies which could be handed out to parishioners. PB to look at the NALC Community Emergency Plan and this matter to be discussed at the next discussion group meeting.

11.3        PB has completed the first draft of the information to be shown on the NALC website. To be discussed at the next discussion group.

11.4        PK reported that she had received a telephone call from Jane Scarrott to thank the PC for their support at the NALC Café Cluster meeting in West Dereham Village Hall on 2April 2014.

11.5        CC expressed the sentiments of the PC by wishing a temporary farewell and good luck to Cllr Tom Foy on his military deployment to Afghanistan.

The official meeting concluded at 8.30pm and was opened to the floor for general comment.

Open Forum.

• Two members of the public attended the meeting who had recently contacted the PC regarding the Precept increase for 2014/15. CC confirmed to them that the PC was unaware that their property was considered to be in West Dereham for the purposes of Council Tax as they were on the electoral register for Crimplesham and this was why they had not received the monthly notices that are delivered to all household in the parish which would have informed them of the discussions that took place from October to December regarding the Precept.

TM agreed to discuss the discrepancy of which parish they resided in after the meeting and to assist them with contacting the BC and resolving this matter.

• Adoption of Telephone Boxes by the PC – a question was asked regarding what the PC intends to do with the telephone boxes once they have been adopted. CC advised that the PC wanted to adopt the boxes as they were not in use due to vandalised and were an eyesore. The PC had not yet decided what to do with them.
• A request was made for details of the date of the next meeting to be shown at the end of the minutes from the meeting – It was agreed that this would occur in future.
• Clarification was requested on which section of the budget had been used to fund the purchase of bulbs as minutes appeared to show double accounting. The ‘virement’ process was explained when funds from a cost centre not being used may be ‘vired’ to another in need of funds.
• TM advised that a task group has been set up at the BC to look into filming of BC meetings. He also stated that all Councillors have their votes recorded individually in the minutes when they are voting on matters relating to finance. He offered his apologies for the Annual Parish Meeting which takes place on Thursday 10th April 2014.

Closure. The Chairman thanked everyone for attending and final closure of the meeting was at 8.55 pm.

Next meeting of the Parish Council is the Annual Parish Council Meeting on Thursday 1st May at 7.30pm with Open Surgery from 7.00pm.

Clerk: Sarah Thorpe

Email: clerk@westderehamparishcouncil.com

Telephone: 01945 430930

Chairman’s signature ……………………………………             Date ……………………………