WATLINGTON PARISH COUNCIL

Clerk :  Colin Vince, 17 Bure Close, Watlington, KING'S LYNN,  Norfolk PE33 0TN

DRAFT MINUTES

Minutes of the meeting of WATLINGTON PARISH COUNCIL held on 2 May 2006 at 7.45pm in Watlington Village Hall.

Present: Cllr Lacey (Chairman); Cllrs Leedell, Miller, Paget, Pike, Rockcliffe and Toates.

BCllr Ansell and 4 members of the public also attended the meeting.

Apologies for absence:  Cllrs Dagnall and Golding.

MAY 06/9 Declarations of Interest

MAY 06/10 Minutes of the Council Meeting held on 14 March 2006

The Minutes of the Council meeting on 14 March 2006 were agreed and signed as a correct record.

MAY 06/11 Clerk’s Report and Matters Arising (Not on the agenda)

The clerk reported that the Council’s funds currently stand at £30,465.70, with the parish precept having been received and banked. EDF Energy have advised that the series of mini-power cuts and the longer power cut before the last meeting were due to unrelated faults on the high voltage distribution network on overhead lines, which have all been repaired.

MAY 06/12 Parish Council Accounts 2005/2006

On a proposal from the Chairman, Council approved the 2005/2006 unaudited accounts.

MAY 06/13 Appointment of Internal Auditor for the 2005/2006 Accounts

On a proposal from the Chairman, Council approved the re-appointment of Mrs M Doubleday as Internal Auditor for the 2005/2006 Accounts.

MAY 06/14 Payments

On a proposal from the Chairman, Council agreed that the following payments be made:

* Includes VAT

≠ Council approved the purchase of 2 new swing seats for the junior swings at the Warren Close Play Area, which were purchased from the Play Equipment Repairs / Maintenance budget as a matter of urgency.

MAY 06/15 Grants to Village Organisations

On a proposal from the Chairman, Council agreed the release of funds for the following village organisations:

≠ Subject to accounts being available for inspection by the Council.

All the above payments are S137 payments.

MAY 06/16 Martingales

The chairman read a letter from Persimmon explaining the Martingales name, namely that as the village has a pleasant rural feel and so all the house styles were named after breeds of horses, hence Martingales (a strap from the reins to the girth of a horse). The chairman also advised that £200 had been donated to Watlington Information Centre to cover the cost of village guides for each house and that the first 25 guides have now been delivered.

Cllr Rockcliffe advised the meeting that he and BCllr Ansell have had a meeting with the Borough Council Planning Enforcement Officer about the poor state of the dyke adjacent to the school. The Enforcement Officer has now issued a notice to the developers that the dyke needs to be piped and that they must sort out the ownership problems to ensure the work is carried out.

MAY 06/17 Planning Applications

The following planning decisions were agreed:

*Persimmon applications are Construction of Dwellings (revised house types) on the above numbered plots.

≠ Cllr Lacey having declared an interest took no part in this decision.

The following planning decisions from BCKLWN were noted:

MAY 06/18 Planning Applications Guidance Notes

On a proposal from the chairman, Council agreed that the guidance notes on National Planning considerations should be circulated to all Councillors, a paper copy to Planning Committee members and via the village website for other Councillors.

MAY 06/19 Police Liaison Officer Information Exchange

[Note: The Information Exchange took place took place prior to the previous Annual Council meeting but is recorded here for continuity of the Minutes]

PC Bodley reported that that there were 9 recorded crimes in the parish since the March meeting – 4 of criminal damage, 2 thefts, 1 theft from a motor vehicle, 1 offensive weapon and 1 vehicle taken (later recovered). Offences had mostly been carried out between midnight and 7am. Anti-social behaviour problems continue to be reported around the village hall and now damage to a wooden train in the school grounds. PC Bodley advised that there would be an expected increase in anti-social behaviour during the summer months. There has been an Alsatian dog running loose and once ownership has been established a prosecution may follow. The problems to the rear of 22 Station Road were reported as being from residents of the property.

PC Bodley outlined the possible uses of Dispersal Orders, in areas where anti-social behaviour is a problem such as around the village hall. If there have been 3 months of reported occurrences (such matters that cause alarm / distress or harassment for example) in an area then a Dispersal Order can be sought, which would mean that 2 or more persons gathering in an area can be moved on. It was agreed that all users of the village hall and the Sports & Social Club should be advised of the need to report incidents. It was also agreed that PC Bodley would liase with the clerk to issue guidance notes to interested parties to enable accurate reporting of incidents so that a Dispersal Order can be sought if necessary.

MAY 06/20 Rail Station Car Park

The chairman read letters from NCC regarding the station car park. The Council’s request for interim yellow line marking in the Station Road / John Davis Way area had been rejected, but the Council’s view that parking restrictions are needed in the area will be included in the feasibility study being carried out by the County Council. Cllr Rockcliffe confirmed that the study was under way with sufficient funding in place and that he had had discussions with the officers concerned regarding the size and shape of any extension to the existing car park. Cllr Rockcliffe also advised that Mr Venni was keeping the temporary extension to the existing car park open at present and that 150 tons of planings had been put down in the area to make it more attractive to users.

The Chairman also read a report from the responsible portfolio holder at the Borough Council, who are also actively engaged in the provision of an extension to the car park and are pressing for funding from First Capital Connect for the scheme.

MAY 06/21 Highways Matters

The clerk reported that the works had been carried out by NCC to relieve the drainage problem on the Lacey Close footpath and that inspections would be carried out on the Lynn Road (highway damage reported) and the footway on Downham Road near the junction with Rectory Lane (uneven surface).

The chairman read a letter from a resident in Lacey Close regarding vehicle turning. It was agreed that the clerk would advise the resident that the NCC, as the responsible authority, would not be installing any additional signage.

The clerk advised that the Speed Awareness Message Team would be visiting in the next few weeks and that St Peters Road would be included on their list. At the end of the visit a report would be submitted to the Parish Council. It was agreed that the clerk would try and obtain more publicity material and that copies of the SAM leaflet would be lodged at the Information Centre.

Councillors noted a site visit by the local Highways Officer will take place on 11 May to discuss speeding and any other highways matters.

MAY 06/22 Community Projects Committee

Cllr Pike updated the Council on the play equipment inspection report and read out an action plan that needed to be followed to bring the older play equipment up to standard. This included the removal of the climbing frames at both the Recreation Ground and Warren Close Play Area, the upgrading of the swings at Warren Close Play Area. On a proposal from Cllr Leedell, seconded by Cllr Miller, Council agreed that the quote of £720 from Kew Grasscare to carry out a package of works to meet safety requirements for the play equipment and £330 to carry out the work on the replacement mound for Lacey’s Dyke, including seeding the area with wild flowers.

Cllr Rockcliffe advised that he had had a representation asking that the stored Skateboard Park ramp be re-instated. It was agreed that the committee would consider this issue at their next meeting.

Cllr Pike advised the meeting that the committee would be reviewing the Warren Close Play Area in due course, taking into account a parishioner request to move the seat.

On a proposal from Cllr Leedell, seconded by Cllr Paget, Council agreed that the renovation works on the Village Pound site could proceed, despite the second (higher) quote not being received in writing. The works to be carried out by Kew Grasscare at a cost of £2750 ex-VAT.

MAY 06/23 Environment Committee

The clerk advised the Council that a guidance booklet was available on the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 and that to use any of the powers under the act would require resources and planning. It was therefore agreed that a copy of the guide would be obtained and circulated to members of the Environment Committee who would report back to a subsequent meeting.

BCllr Ansell advised the meeting that there was no update on the sewerage system in Lacey Close and that it was a matter that needed to be resolved between the Borough Council and Anglian Water.

The clerk advised that meeting that the responsibility for the garage area in Britton Close would now pass to the Freebridge Community Housing Association and the footpath link to Stiffkey Close would remain with the Borough Council. On a proposal from the Chairman, given that some works had been carried out to open out the footpath, that responsibility for the garage area had passed to Freebridge and that there had been no further resident reports of anti-social behaviour in the area, Council agreed that it would no longer pursue additional lighting in the area and that the £1000 set aside for this would be returned to the Council’s unallocated funds.

Cllr Miller advised the Council the Mr J Pope wished to apologise for the poor quality of hedge flail work recently carried out on some of his boundaries, this being due to the work having to be carried out at short notice.

On a proposal from the Chairman, Council agreed the purchase of a replacement dog bin for the Glebe Land Downham Road entrance site at a approximate cost of £150 given that the existing bin is no longer serviceable.

Cllr Miller advised that she had been able to arrange that a regular supply of refuse bags from ServiceTeam would be made available for the Parish Council’s use. The clerk to notify the Litter Picker and Handyperson accordingly.

The following additional jobs were agreed for the Handyperson:

Remove information sign from Cllr Miller’s garage for re-installation.

Secure litter bin by village pump to ground.

Stop the access gate on the Downham Road entrance to the Glebe banging in the wind.

Ensure strimming along the paths is carried out regularly.

The chairman reported that the Litter Picker, Mrs Zagorska, has had to resign for health reasons, but will carry on doing the work until a new appointment is made. Council agreed to send a letter of thanks to Mrs Zagorska for all her hard work and for the diligent way she had carried out her duties. On proposal from the Chairman, Council agreed that adverts should be placed on village noticeboards for a new Litter Picker at the current rates of pay and number of hours (5).

The chairman read a card from a parishioner thanking the Council for planting the daffodils by the gateway signs. It was agreed that a reply be sent and the card forwarded to the Gossip for publication.

MAY 06/24 Glebe Committee

As noted in Minute MAY 06/14 above Council agreed that the work to remove Lacey’s Dyke with a sculptured mound should go ahead. This work would need to done in conjunction with the topsoil to be delivered to the football club. It was agreed that the Community Projects Committee should liase with the contractors and the football club in this matter.

A letter from Watlington GAP Football Club was read, asking for the release of the previously promised £250 towards pitch renovation work. On a proposal from the Chairman, Council agreed to release the £250. A second letter from the football club requesting further funding was deferred until the next Council meeting, when requests for grants and donations would be considered. The clerk to advise accordingly and to seek information from the football club as to their organisational structure. It was also agreed that the football club would be asked to repaint the kit container on the Glebe Field.

MAY 06/25 Correspondence for Action

MAY 06/26 Correspondence for information

MAY 06/27 Members Information Exchange

BCllr Ansell advised that close scrutiny needed to be kept on the building works at Martingales to ensure that all the planning agreement conditions would be met.

A parishioner raised issues regarding the Millennium Green and was advised that these needed to be taken up with the Trust.

At the end of his first Parish Council meeting Cllr Paget was formally welcomed on behalf of all the other Council members by the Chairman.

There being no other business the Council rose at 9.25pm

The next meeting of the Council is at 7.00pm on Tuesday 13 June 2006 in the Village Hall.

SIGNED

Chairman                                                          Clerk                                         13 June 2006