Northwold Parish Council April Meeting

Northwold and Whittington Parish Council – Ordinary Meeting Tuesday 2nd April 2019, 7.30pm Northwold Village Hall *DRAFT MINUTES SUBJECT TO CORRECTION AND APPROVAL AT THE NEXT MEETING*

PRESENT Cllr R Crisp, Cllr M Peake, Cllr I Quinn, Cllr H Hogan, Cllr R Silvester, Cllr G Gillet, Cllr N Nickles, Cllr C Pointeer, Mrs N Cooper (Clerk) ALSO Cllr M Storey (NCC) 2 members of the public

1. PUBLIC FORUM (15 MINUTES) A representative from the Northwold Women’s Institute attended to explain plans to refurbish the village sign, the two benches and the area of grass immediately around it. The Council extended their thanks and approved the plans which should be completed late April / early May.

Cllr Storey was asked to provide his NCC update at this point. Cllr Storey advised that he will be providing financial support to facilitate the creation of a permanent bus stop for school children alighting from the school bus along the B1112. This has been agreed in conjunction with NCC Highways who will be in touch with the Clerk with the details of the project. The Council thanked Cllr Storey for approving the funding. Cllr Storey also noted that the NCC budget meeting for 2019/20, despite being delayed by protestors, went ahead but that he had abstained from the vote as he was in opposition to some of the budget cuts.

2. ACCEPTANCE OF APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies for absence were received before the meeting from Cllr Anderson, Cllr Sharp and Cllr Smith. These were accepted. The Clerk advised that Cllr Smith had formally advised that she would be stepping down from her position as Parish Councillor due to other commitments. The Clerk was asked to email their thanks for her time as Councillor. It was noted that as this is the last full meeting before the election date that there would be no need to notify the Borough Council.

3. MEMBERS’ DECLARATION OF INTERESTS and DISPENSATION REQUESTS (for items on the Agenda) Nothing was declared.

4. TO APPROVE AND SIGN THE MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING held on 4th March 2019 The minutes from the meeting held on 4th March 2019 were agreed by all Councillors present. The minutes were signed by the Chair as a true record of the meeting. The final version will be made available on the website.

5. REPORTS AND MATTERS ARISING FROM MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS (for information only) The Clerk was asked to email the Village Life with the list of meeting dates for 2019.

6. LOCAL AUTHORITY REPORTS No further reports.

7. CORRESPONDENCE i. Newsletters: Norfolk Constabulary and Norfolk Association of Local Councils ii. Email from Northwold resident with reference to use of bird scarer canons at night. This was noted and it was agreed that Cllr Crisp would speak to local farmers. Clerk asked to respond to advise of this and request that if it happens again to report it to the BCKLWN. iii. Letter from Lily service with leaflets. Clerk asked to pass to the Village Life editor.

8. FINANCES: i. The Councillors agreed the appointment of Max Bergin as Internal Auditor for 2018/19 year end. ii. The Councillors noted the receipt of the External Audit request for 2018/19 year end. iii. The filing cabinet in the village hall has been sorted through by the Clerk. It was agreed that the Council would reimburse mileage for the Clerk to take the documents which need to be retained to the Norfolk Records Office in Norwich. The remainder of the paperwork can be disposed of and Councillors agreed to assist with recycling of the paper. iv. The accounts to April 2nd 2019 were accepted, cheques agreed for signing and payments approved in accordance with the list on the following page, as prepared by Responsible Finance Officer. Prop CP, 2nd RC, All agreed. v. The Council insurance is due for renewal from 1st June and the long-term agreement with the current provider is coming to an end this year. It was agreed that the Clerk should seek three quotes, before the May meeting. The asset register was reviewed and updated but some more work is needed. CASHBOOK BANK RECONCILIATION 2nd April 2019

Receipts for approval Paying In slip From Amount

£0.00 Payments/cheques for approval Direct Debit Payee Description Amount 08.03.19 Anglian Water Business Mar19 Water 4.00 Cleared statement 21 01.03.19 EON Streetlight Electricity Feb 19 109.23 Cleared statement 22 08.03.19 Westcotec Streetlight Maint Mar 19 Inv 9779 19.10 15.03.19 EON Streetlight Electricity Final Balance Mar19 50.72 Subtotal Direct Debits 183.05 Cheque Payee Description Amount 49 N Cooper Clerk Salary Mar 19 326.00 Clerk Mileage Mar 19 9.90 Clerk Annual Fee use of home office 120.00 50 Suffolk ALC 6 months payroll service 54.00 2226 C Pointeer Reimburse Domain renewal (2 Years) 23.98 Subtotal Cheques 533.88 £716.93 Cash sheet Balance and Bank Reconciliation 31st March 2018 YE Balance Brought Forward £31,226.18 Add Total Receipts to date £25,003.97 £56,230.15 Less Total Payments to date £40,182.45 CASHBOOK BALANCE £16,047.70

Bank Balance @20.03.19 Statement no.22 £16,890.15 Add uncleared receipts (as above) £0.00 £16,890.15 Minus uncleared approved payments as approved Mar 19 £238.75 Minus direct debits not yet cleared bank statement (as above) £69.82 Minus new payments for approval (cheques as above) £533.88 £842.45 Reconciled Balance £16,047.70

9. PLANNING i. New Applications for Comment i. 19/00425/F Construction of a conservatory to the rear of the property 23 High Street Northwold Deadline for comments 3rd April. No objections raised. Clerk to respond. ii. 19/00416/F Proposed replacement dwelling, Oak Lodge, Thetford Road, Northwold. Deadline for comments 15th April. No objections raised. Clerk to respond. ii. Decisions noted i. 19/00019/F 1 St Andrews Close Northwold Demolition of existing single storey side extension and replacement with a two storey side extension. Application Permitted

10. BCKLWN Draft Local Plan i. The Councillors were all in agreement that they would like to sign the statement of the CPRE (Campaign for the Protection of Rural England) Pledge, Prop. RS, 2nd CP, All agreed (with abstention from Cllr Peake). The Pledge states the following and was signed by Cllr Crisp on behalf of the Parish Council: Northwold and Whittington Parish Council supports CPRE Norfolk in its campaign aimed at ensuring that no new sites are allocated for house building in revised local plans to 2029 or 2036 until existing allocations in current core strategies have been developed. We consider that unrealistic and unnecessary new housing targets, currently under consideration, would cause unacceptable damage to the environment and landscape of Norfolk. This council therefore asks that our local authorities prepare cases to demonstrate that the environmental harm caused by slavishly following housing market assessments* is serious enough to outweigh potential benefits and in so doing enable the adoption of local plans to 2029 or 2036 that do not elevate housing targets beyond existing levels. We note that the Annual Monitoring Reports of local councils reveal that housing delivery is considerably below target levels and that large areas of land already allocated for development remain available and therefore there is no need for new allocations to be made. * Furthermore these Strategic Housing Market Assessments, which pre-date Brexit, are now unreliable. ii. It was also agreed that a comment be sent to the BCKLWN to state that the Parish Council feels that the infrastructure does not exist to fully support the level of development outlined in the plan. Clerk to action both.

11. LAND i. Constables Charity: Cllr Pointeer has met with Hayes + Storr, the Land Agent mentioned at the last meeting, concerning the boundary determination, registration and selling of the Constables Charity land. The agent looked at all of the documents provided by the Parish Council and advised that this should be fairly straightforward. A red book valuation of the land will be needed to determine the price at which the land it can be sold. Any offer accepted must be above this. The solicitor can progress the work towards selling the land at a cost of £450+ vat plus estimated disbursements of £38. The cost was discussed. A comparative cost had been received from mcp Law to investigate the land sale at a cost of £200+vat per hour with a min 2 hours (no max). It was agreed by all that the free initial consultation and the fee proposed by Hayes + Storr represents value for money, that no further quotes were required and that in the interests of progressing the land sale in a timely manner Hayes + Storr should be instructed to proceed. Clerk to instruct. Cllr Pointeer advised that he had provided his name and that of Cllr Anderson as specific trustees acting for the Parish Council as a generic organisation could not act for the sale. This was agreed. ii. River Wissey enquiry: site meeting awaited.

12. HIGHWAYS AND STREETLIGHTING i. The SAM2 has been in Whittington for the past month and will now be returned to Northwold. Cllr Nickles has had an email from the Norfolk Road Safety Camera Team who have advised that they do not require a summary of the SAM2 data. Further stats from the Camera Team will need to be requested by the Clerk when required. ii. The formal bus stop on the B1112 will be funded by Cllr Storeys delegated fund as stated in the public forum. iii. Items for Rangers (Clerk to report): - Footpath 6 needs to be cleared of nettles. - Footpath sign for FP6 is needed. - Footpath sign for Water Lane Whittington is needed. - Pot hole Hall Lane, near dog bin at Village Hall and also outside 20 Methwold Road. Clerk to report to NCC. - New grit bin at Whittington has not been filled despite being on the NCC list. Clerk to report.

13. GROUNDS MAINTENANCE i. The 2019 Grounds Maintenance season has now started. A text was sent to Cllr Pointeer the morning that they were on site. Clerk to request that these texts are sent a few days ahead. ii. Cllr Gillet advised that the cut of the School Lane cemetery, Northwold is not up to the same standard as last year. Clerk to follow up.

14. CEMETERIES i. Cllr Gillet advised that he had been asked if old wreaths and flowers can be removed from the cemetery by persons other than that who had left them. The Council advised that this was not something that the Parish Council could undertake. It was agreed that the Clerk put an advert in the Village Life to ask that Parishioners ensure that they remove old flowers and wreaths. No further issues raised. ii. Christchurch wall. No further quotes have been received. Clerk to compile the quotes provided to date and check if they are all still valid so that a decision to progress this can be made at the May meeting. Clerk to action.

15. PARISH FACILITIES i. Play areas – It was resolved to instruct BCKLWN to undertake the Play Area Inspections 2019. Clerk to action. ii. Community Noticeboard cover. Next agenda. Clerk also asked to follow up about the damaged bus stop board. iii. Village Sign / Women’s Institute. See public forum. iv. Dog fouling signs. Additional sign required on the Parish Council allotment land. Clerk to order and contact Cllr Anderson about the new signs required. v. Allotments. It was agreed that the main allotment sites should be allocated before those belonging to the Parish Council would be let. vi. The location of the hedge at Whittington which needs trimming was clarified.

16. CROWN INN The Crown Inn has been sold.

17. ELECTIONS 2019 The deadline for Nomination papers was highlighted as being the following day. The Clerk offered help if required. The Clerk will circulate details as to whether an election is required once notification is received from Democratic Services.

18. ITEMS FOR AGENDA OF NEXT MEETING:

MONDAY 13th MAY 2019 starting at 7pm, Northwold Village Hall ANNUAL PARISH MEETING and ANNUAL PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

• Almshouses Annual report (Cllr Crisp to request) • Sports & Social Club Annual Report (Cllr Gillet to request) • Community noticeboard • SAM2 / Whittington Hill speeding • Constables Charity • River Wissey • Christchurch wall

With nothing more to discuss the meeting closed at 8.50pm

Chairperson: __________________________________ Date: __________________