SAHAM TONEY PARISH COUNCIL MINUTES OF A MEETING HELD ON THE 6th FEBRUARY 2017

Transcription

1 SAHAM TONEY PARISH COUNCIL MINUTES OF A MEETING HELD ON THE 6th FEBRUARY 2017 A meeting of the Parish Council was held on the at 7.30 p.m. at The Wells-Cole Community Centre. Present Mr. B. Hinkins in the Chair supported by Messrs M. Bohn, T. Bunce, N. Creek, R. Harrold, J. Laws and Ms. M. Baldwin. 1. Apologies for Absence: Apologies received and accepted from Mr. C. Jordan (County Councillor) 2. Mr. Peter Fuller Communities Officer from Breckland Council was to talk about grants available for Outdoor Sport and Children s Play Fund but was unwell and unable to attend. Mr. T. Bunce said the Playingfield were looking to improve the changing rooms and a few other things and he would contact Mr. Fuller direct. 3. Declaration of Interest in Items on the Agenda: No councillor declared an interest in the Agenda items. 4. Minutes: The Minutes of the Meeting held on the 9 th January 2017 were proposed by Mr T. Bunce and seconded by Mr. J. Laws and unanimously agreed and signed. 5. Matters Arising from the Minutes and Action List: Coburg Lane Mr. J. Laws said Mrs. Grieff had spoken to him and there are some more forms to fill in and then landowners have to be contacted. Entrance to WCCC Car Park ongoing Meeting with George Freeman and Watton Town Council. Watton Town Council decided not to include Saham Toney in the meeting with George Freeman as all Councils would have to be invited. Bridge from Warwick Farm to the WCCC on Agenda. Emergency Plan Leaflet had been distributed with the Saham Saga. Clerk has drafted a Plan but a Co-ordinator and Committee is needed to take this further. Clerk to advertise in March Saga for volunteers. Flooding issues Mark Ogden has visited the parish and spoken to those that were flooded. His report should be ready by the end of February. Clerk to contact then to arrange a meeting. Notice Board at the front of the Play Park needs attention ongoing. Community Car The one driver recruited has now found a full time job so can no longer drive for the Car Scheme. Clerk has contacted Ashill PC who will help in the immediate future. Clerk has also asked Watton if we can join with their Scheme but this has to go to a meeting of the Council before a decision is made. Coburg Lane overgrown hedges and blocked ditches ongoing. Highways matters Hedging has been cut on Richmond Road. No further updates from Highways. Swing/seat on Agenda Grass cutting tender on Agenda. 5. Public Participation and District/County Councillor Reports:

2 A parishioner said that the time of 20 minutes allocated for members of the public to speak had been taken up by the County Councillor leaving insufficient time for parishioners to raise their issues. The Clerk will split District/County Councillor Reports and Public Participation into two separate Agenda items. A parishioner said that in the Council s Report in the Saga it was stated that Anglian Water thought the Threxton Road pumping station was responsible for the foul smell in Richmond Road. This had been a problem for many years and asked that the Council write to Anglian Water and Breckland Council re this. It was agreed that the Clerk write to these authorities. Clerk will also inform Mr. C. Jordan. A parishioner said every time they complain to Highways they are told to contact the Parish Council. The complaint was re the speeding traffic on Cley Lane. The Chairman said that during Speedwatch checks a vehicle had been recorded at 71 mph on Ovington Road and a tanker at 56 mph on Richmond Road. Parishioners said it was now impossible to walk down Cley Lane with a dog. The Council had on many occasions asked for a speed limit of 30 mph though to Watton and priority signs on the bridge and Mr. C. Jordan had monitored the road with highways. It was agreed that the Clerk write again. Clayland said they had been unable to put a footpath in front of their development due to the gas main, the verge not being wide enough and Highways not allowing them to fill in the ditch but there is a small section of path inside the development. Clayland did not believe their development had made the traffic situation on Cley Lane any worse as the more vehicles the slower the traffic. Pedestrian safety is always considered in a planning application and the development would not get approval unless they were satisfied that this had been addressed. The bridge that had been constructed from the development was being used as a link to the Pub, Play Park and school cutting off the dangerous Mill Corner crossroads and was popular with parishioners. Councillors raised security issues and responsibility for the bridge in perpetuity. Clayland said the ditch was blind and they would fill it in if necessary. A councillor stated that the Environment Agency will have to be informed before this can happen. 6. Correspondence: Letter from the vicar re maintenance of the churchyard this will be discussed on the Agenda Letter from Hastoe Housing with notification of a 1 bed room property on Parker s Close becoming vacant if any councillor knows of anyone that would suit this accommodation Clerk will let Hastoe know. They must be on the Breckland Housing Register. from Mrs. B. Harrold with details of damage to the under 8 climbing apparatus Mr. R. Harrold said the quote for replacement parts is 149. Agreed to go ahead with the purchase of the replacement parts. Letter from the Pensions Regulator confirming the Parish Council has completed a Declaration of Compliance and fulfilled its enrolment duties. This scheme may be needed in the future. 7. To Approve Accounts for Payment: The following accounts are due for payment:- Necton Parish Council - 40 councillor training (Paid between meetings) Mr. B. Hinkins inks NP grant Mr. N. Creek - 33 printing services NP grant

3 Citizens Advice Bureau grant Wayland Partnership grant Wayland First Response grant Mrs. J.S. Glenn salary CGM Grounds maintenance at the WCCC and the Churchyard The payment of the above accounts was proposed by Mr. T. Bunce, seconded by Mr. M. Bohn and unanimously agreed. 9. To consider any Planning Matters: Planning Refusal to Plan 3PL/2016/1370/F new single storey dwelling off Ploughboy Lane, 3PL/2016/1017/O proposed residential development site adjacent Parkers Primary School, Pound Hill and Plan 3PL/2016/1446/O outline planning for 5 x 3 or 4 bed dwellings at Land south of Ovington Road. Planning Permission to Plan 3PL/2016/1198/VAR variation to plan for land adjacent Stanway Farm, Chequers Lane. Plan 3PL/2016/1531/VAR variation of condition 7 on Plan 3PL/2016/0415/F at Saham Tythe Barn, Chequers Lane no objection Plan 3PL/2017/0047/VAR revised scheme for Plan 3PL/2016/0337/HOU at Coe Farm, Long Road no objection 10. To Agree Grass Cutting Tender documents: The Clerk read out the letter from the vicar and Mr. R. Harrold responded as follows:- Whilst there is no legal requirement, there is a moral requirement to maintain the churchyard. The Friends of St. George s can only raise money for the buildings as per their Constitution. The church receives no direct financial help from the parish. The Chapel is not a burial ground. The Precept that has to be paid to the Diocese is 13,915 and insurance is 4000 and then there is the cost of heating, lighting and water people attend the church on a regular basis and then there are funerals, weddings and christenings. It is more expensive than the WCCC to cut because of the gravestones. Volunteer working parties are held and are well supported. The Clock and the War Memorial do not belong to the church. The clock is maintained by the Council but the War Memorial is maintained by the church and donations from the public. If the churchyard is closed it will pass to the Council to be maintained. The churchyard is visited by many people other than parishioners such as visitors from home and abroad. Mr. T. Bunce asked where the money from graves go Mr. Harrold replied to the Diocese. It was agreed that the Contract for the grass cutting would be split into two separate contracts with the Council preparing a Tender Document for the WCCC. Clerk will write to the Church informing them that the Council will no longer tender for the churchyard maintenance but will consider any request

4 for a grant towards the costs. Clerk to prepare a Tender document for the WCCC based on the existing one. 11. To discuss the bridge from the Clayland Development and take a vote on whether the Council wish the bridge to remain: Mike Brennan, Breckland Council has said the following:- As far as Clayland are aware they own the land up to and including the ditch The footpath up to the bridge and the bridge were provided for the benefit of the Parish as they were aware of concerns relating to the public walking on the highway on Cley Lane. Clayland will take full responsibility for the bridge and incur any liability that the bridge may require. They will put this in writing if we wish. If the bridge is unacceptable to the parish then Clayland will remove it but they consider it to be an asset to the village. Chris Curtis will attend a meeting if we require this. It was suggested that the bridge could be directed to the dog walk in order to avoid people walking across the Community Centre land and creating a right of way both now and in the future. After discussion, it was agreed Mr. T. Bunce would prepare a list of conditions for circulation to councillors and then a meeting with Clayland to agree this. 12. To discuss the swing/seat at the Wells-Cole Community Centre: The Clerk suggested that it could be included in the Council s RoSPA check in June as the WCCC had not replied to the letter asking for them to check it. Mr. N. Creek said there is no public liability insurance included in the WCCC s insurance. The Chairman asked that it be minuted that the Council was not responsible for the insurance of the Swing/Seat and that the WCCC has been asked to provide this. The Council therefore accepted no liability for any accidents on the swing/seat. Mr. N. Creek asked that the Council check on who insures the outside space which Pre-School uses Clerk will contact preschool. 13. Update on the Neighbourhood Plan: The Chairman said the Committee had met on the 1 st February to prepare for the Consultation Day on the 25 th February. Questionnaires will now be sent to businesses and organisations in the parish and hopefully some might be back by the 25 th February. Thanks are due the Mr. Creek and the Clerk for completing the Grant Application form for the NP grant and to Mr. B. Mitchell for his continuing work on the Plan. 14. Update on Growing Together Project: Mr. T. Bunce will put an article in Saga re this. There was a lot of support for the planting day and he felt proud to be part of the village. Thanks are due to Mr. A. Harrold for the woodchip, Mr. J. Laws and Mr. P. Baldwin for the manure, Mr. J. Hagan for the refreshments, Mrs. S. Mitchell and the 15 volunteers and 5 councillors that were involved. Stage two will be to cut down the twigs etc and burn these on the grass and this will encourage different growth. Stage three will be promoting the wild life. Logs will be stacked to encourage insects. 15. To Consider any Applications to fill the Vacancies on the Council No candidates at present. 16. To Consider Reports from Outside Organisations: The Clerk read the Speedwatch report for January as follows:-.

5 Date Location Speeding Vehicles Clicked Vehicles Ovington Road Richmond Road Pages Lane Cancelled - fog Richmond Road Totals Mr. R. Harrold reported on the walk round the village with Mark Ogden and a representative from Highways. All residents in Chequers Lane and Cley Lane have been asked to clean their ditches but they haven t done so. Mr. M. Bohn asked that we write and ask which people were contacted and when Clerk will ask Mark Ogden. A gas pipe was found opposite Lilyvale very near the surface highways are not allowed to work within a meter of a gas pipe. The representatives were very supportive and spoke to residents who they knew had been flooded. Some people had not submitted their names even though they had been affected by the floods. Mr. R. Harrold said that due to the work BT are doing on Richmond Road Box 8 there is continuous interruption to the telephone system. If the property has an alarm this can cause problems if the owners are out at the time and asked that the Council write to BT Open Reach asking that they notify people in the area where they are working when there will be interruptions Clerk to write a letter. Mr. R. Harrold reported on Wayland Partnership. The Happy Project for single people living alone is running to provide some outside interest. The Mens Shed has 25 members and is both social and practical. The Farmers Breakfast was successful. Forthcoming events include the Job Fair on the 28 th March and a Business Showcase later in the year. Mr. T. Bunce had attended a Councillor Training Session arranged by Necton Parish Council and said the Council was abiding by the rules. He said there is a new Award Scheme to replace Quality Council but the Clerk said she is too busy to do this on her own and if the Council wished to try for an Award councillors would have to help. 17. Items for the Next Agenda (not for discussion): The following items to be on the January 2017 Agenda: -. Bridge from the Clayland Development; Grass Cutting Tender and Ditches. 18. To Confirm the Date and Time of the Next Meeting of the Parish Council Monday the 6th March 2017 at 7.30 p.m. in the Small Hall at the Wells-Cole Community Centre. The Meeting closed at 9.30 p.m. Parish Matters: A councillor said there is a lot of dog mess in Hills Road Clerk will mention in Saga.

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