WATLINGTON PARISH COUNCIL
Clerk: Colin Vince, 17 Bure Close, Watlington, KING'S LYNN, Norfolk PE33 0TN
DRAFT MINUTES
Minutes of the Annual meeting of WATLINGTON PARISH COUNCIL held on 6 May 2008
at 7.00pm in Watlington Village Hall.
Present: Cllr Lacey (Chairman); Cllrs Dagnall, Golding, Leedell, Miller, Murphy, Paget, Pike and Rockcliffe.
14 members of the public and 2 PCSOs were also present.
Apologies for absence: Cllr Stevenson
MAY 08/1 Election of Chairman of The Council and Declaration of Office
It was proposed by Cllr Golding, seconded by Cllr Mack, and agreed by Council that Cllr Lacey be elected as Chairman of the Council. The Chairman signed his Declaration of Office. Cllr Rockcliffe on behalf of the Council thanked Cllr Lacey for his continuing service as Chairman.
MAY 08/2 Election of Vice-Chairman of The Council and Declaration of Office
It was proposed by the Chairman, seconded by Cllr Leedell, and agreed by Council that Cllr Golding be elected as Vice-Chairman of the Council. The Vice-Chairman signed her Declaration of Office.
MAY 08/3 Committee Appointments 2008/2009
It was proposed by the Chairman and agreed by Council that the Glebe Committee be disbanded and that members of that committee become part of the Environment Committee.
The following committee appointments were agreed for 2008/2009:
Planning – Cllrs Dagnall, Golding, Lacey and Miller.
Community Projects – Cllrs Dagnall, Murphy, Paget and Pike.
Environment – Cllrs Dagnall, Golding, Lacey, Leedell, Miller and Murphy.
Finance – Cllrs Lacey, Leedell, Golding and Rockcliffe.
MAY 08/4 Appointment to Village Hall Management Committee (2)
The following appointments were agreed for 2008/2009: Cllrs Paget and Pike.
MAY 08/5 Committee Reports 2007/2008
The following committee reports were received:
Planning
34 applications were considered during the year and these resulted in planning permission being given for 23 new dwellings, including 20 on land to the west of Glebe Avenue, and 22 extensions to dwellings. 5 applications were refused and 5 are awaiting decisions, including an application for 33 dwellings at Rowan Close; the Council having vigorously objected to the scale of this development.
On the Martingales / Coppice site, over 80 properties are now occupied. Concerns remain over drainage problems, particularly the wish of Persimmon not to have to culvert drains into Fairfield Lane - this being the subject of a planning application strongly opposed by the Council.
The Borough Council is currently reconsidering the process for the new Local Development Framework and as a result the draft local spatial distribution plan is still awaited.
The Council achieved some success in having new road markings and signs in place to encourage lower traffic speeds, but a scheme for widespread 20mph zones was turned down by the County Council. It is hoped that the long awaited footway link from the village hall car park to Mill Road will begin this financial year.
NCC is currently consulting on an extension plan for the rail station car park and it is hoped that works may commence in early 2009. In the meantime, the unofficial extension to the car park provided by Mr Venni has been re-instated following agreement between interested parties and this has helped reduce overflow parking in nearby roads.
Community Projects
The committee has met many times during the last year and has completed the plans for the second stage of the project to bring new play equipment to the village, to install fitness style play equipment plus some standard play equipment for the 5-12 age group. The committee is now awaiting information from the Borough Council regarding the timescale for the release of the £18,500 awarded by the Big Lottery Fund earlier this year.
The committee organised a Youth Forum in July last year, giving for the first time the village youth an opportunity to have their say on what matters to them in Watlington. After the forum the committee drew up a ‘results list’, which will feed into a 3 to 5 year plan for facilities within the village for young and old alike.
One of the most common requests at the youth forum was for the provision of a youth shelter in the village. The committee was asked by Council to take on this project and report back. Many hours of research, meetings with companies, the local crime prevention officer, other professionals and visits by committee members to many sites in Norfolk as far away as Wymondham and Sheringham, fed into another Youth Forum where more detailed plans for a youth shelter were displayed. This followed on from a four page insert in the Gossip where views were sought from all members of the community. Thanks to the Gossip for their help. The committee also contacted the local high school and the youth football club for feedback from the youngsters. At the second Youth Forum a Youth Development Officer and the Anti-social Behaviour Officer from the Borough Council were in attendance. The officers were very impressed with the parish council’s determination to involve youngsters in helping to plan for the future of their village. The committee reported to Parish Council in March, when a decision was made to go ahead with the project. The committee is currently seeking quotes for a youth shelter and for associated groundworks.
The committee has carried out other work on behalf of the Council, including liasing with the Youth Football Club regarding the provision of a training area for sport and for provision of the football wall at the west end of the village hall.
Managing the play equipment has seen much needed improvements to, or removal of, existing facilities. As a result, at the annual inspection of the play equipment in March, only a few minor repairs were reported for action. The committee has now drawn up a play equipment action plan for 2008 to ensure that current standards are maintained.
The handyperson, John Harrington has carried out a variety of minor repair jobs during the year, carried out painting work and has undertaken weekly inspections of the play areas, which include the emptying of site litter bins. Cllr Pike thanked the Parish Clerk for all his hard work and advice throughout the year.
Environment
Littering in the village remains a problem. Once again, the Council employed an additional litter picker for 3 months during the summer. Rebecca Charlton took on the task of main litter picker and was ably assisted during the 2007 summer by Abbigail Charlton. Two new litter bins were installed next to the Skateboard Park and these have helped reduce the volume of litter on this site. Unfortunately, no site could be found for the reintroduction of a glass bottle bank.
Dog fouling is still prevalent, despite an awareness campaign through extra notices around the village and regular mentions in The Gossip. A new dog waste bin was installed on the cycle/footway link to the school. This last year the Council spent over £1950 a year on litter and dog waste removal.
The Council has raised objections to potential mineral extraction sites both in Watlington and Tottenhill as put forward in the Norfolk Minerals and Waste Development Framework on the grounds of environmental and traffic impact.
The Christmas Tree was a great success again this year.
Finance
The Precept for 2008/9 was fixed at £26,450 a 2.1% rate increase, to meet increased costs and the possible provision of new services on the Martingales / Coppice site. The accounts for 2006/2007 were approved by the district auditor without comment.
The Council made grants and donations available totalling over £1700 during the year, including £500 to the Millennium Green Trust, £430 for the upkeep of the churchyard, £250 for the football wall, £200 for the 2008 Festival and £200 to the Handbell Ringers Group.
There was one £100 hardship payment from the Edward Shouldham Charity Fund during the year.
Glebe
The Council agreed the Youth Football Club plans for a sports training area on the main Glebe Field; these plans are now being taken forward by the football club. Bollards have been installed on the footpath entrances to the Glebe Field and a dog bin moved to a more accessible location by the football club storage container.
MAY 08/6 Reports from Village Organisations
The following reports from village organisations were received:
Millennium Green Trust
The following report from the Chairman of the Trust, Kate Carpenter, was read by Cllr Pike:
Manicured Area: This area has been cut under contract as and when needed. The mess left by the Pound contractors has been cleared up, and cosseted by Cyril so the scar now hardly shows. Our thanks go to him, Eileen Haynes for looking after the Petanque pitch and Geoff for trimming the little hedge. As a result the area is looking very nice.
Grass: During the past year, Simon Paget has cut the grass edging, the paths and the maze; Simon and Cyril have strimmed the amphitheatre. The main meadow area was cut and baled in July, but due to appalling weather conditions and the tardiness of the local purchasers, we only just covered ourselves financially. We have, therefore, decided that this year we will contract Tony Stratton to cut, bale and clear and it is thought we should still make a small profit.
General Maintenance: The trustees, led by Geoff, have repaired the fence on Station Road. The boundary and ha-ha hedges have been really trimmed during this autumn. Very nice they look too. We advertised for volunteers and we got our ‘stalwart’ George and Phil Rumball, who has since become a trustee. Luckily, Cyril came with his large hedge cutter so we managed to finish the job in one weekend. My thanks to all those involved including Chip, who chipped all cuttings on his trusty chipper. The drain which was dug in the middle of the amphitheatre seems to have been successful.
Maze: The regular cut by Simon has improved and settled this area. Some of the cowslips survived the construction of the maze and will increase. I have seen quite a few children racing around the puzzle and it does create the ‘feature’ required by the original remit.
Bridge and Bog Area: This area is for wildlife. The frogs and newts are increasing and the plants are doing well; the water is quite high at the moment. We have had a couple of meetings at Richard Rockcliffe’s to discuss the bridge and supports. We decided there is enough wood to fill in the sides, a job within our capabilities, and use it as a viewing platform. As we feel the bog area is established enough; we will be cutting the grass path to it this year.
Waste Bins: The waste bins have not been replaced but have been repaired; the lids now being detachable when unlocked.
Village Festival: A jazz concert and picnic on the green has been suggested – it would be after the hay cut of course. The calendar suggestion has been put on hold as there is one in the pipeline for the village. However, as an alternative, it has been suggested the production of ‘wildflower’ notelets, also a couple of stalls or games.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the trustees and volunteers for their efforts over the last year and hope they continue to give of their time and energy in the future. As to the future, there are plans to erect another bench, which has been donated by family and friends to the memory of Shaun Barnes, and the provision of a history board, at present under review, at a cost of £500/£600. The trustees would therefore ask the Parish Council for a grant of £1000 to help cover the estimated costs of the history board and the cost of cutting the manicured area.
Village Hall Management Committee
Annual Report to 30 Sept 2007; Constituted by Deed of Trust; Custodian Trustees Watlington Parish Council.
The charity is run by the Management Committee formed at the Annual Meeting, at which up to seven persons are elected and representatives of the regular user groups and the Parish Council appointed.
Elected members 2006-07: John Church (Chairman), Colin Vince (Treasurer), Mike Cooke (Booking Secretary), Barbara Church (Secretary), Jill Stone, Joy Stephens, Peter Dagnall.
Representative members 2006-07: Jancy Skinner (Pre-School), John Church (Badminton), Terry Stephens (Carpet Bowls), Brian Toates (Luncheon Club + Vice-Chairman), Sylvia Featherby (Wednesday Club), Kate Carpenter (Players), Sandra Johnson (Players), Bob Scully (Short Mat Bowls), Cyril Pike (Parish Council), Simon Paget (Parish Council), Mary Greeves (WI), Clive Fysh (Youth Football), Linda Fysh (Youth Football).
The charity maintains the Village Hall for the benefit of Watlington and surrounding communities. Our policy of keeping charges for community groups as low as possible has enabled 17 groups to meet regularly through the year. In addition a Baby Clinic and a Dancing School use the facilities regularly. Monthly occupancy rates for the main hall are often over 90% in term-time.
The continuing help of trustees, volunteers and the employment of two part-time cleaners keep the hall in excellent condition.
Watlington Village Hall is in a healthy position financially. This is reported in full by the Treasurer, who prepares management accounts for the bimonthly management committee meetings. Money has been put aside to improve access and safety for Hall users.
While regular use of the facilities by community groups is the main source of income, “Box Office” events organised by the Management Committee have provided a wide range of cultural events as well as additional income. We acknowledge the help given by Creative Arts East (CAE) with two Puppet shows, a Norfolk version of Midsummer Night’s Dream, the Daniel Smith Blues Band and folk singer Isla St Clair.
We ran two very successful Quizzes. ‘Village Screen’ has shown films monthly, providing an opportunity to see the big screen locally. Again the help of CAE is welcomed.
The hall is also in demand for private parties, wedding receptions, shows, fund-raising activities and meetings. The Village Hall continues to support Watlington Information Centre by providing premises for it.
The Village Hall is a member of the Norfolk Association of Village Halls and the National Village Halls Forum.
Parochial Church Council
The following report was read by the Chairman on behalf of Father James Nolan:
The Parochial Church Council met four times during 2007, the following issues being discussed:
1) The parish share of £16,000 to the Diocese, which the parish just met with no money left at the end of the year. 2) We supported a number of charities – Christian Aid, Farm Africa, Uganda, Children’s Society, U.S.P.G., Fair Trade and One World Week. 3) We shared in the Scouts’ World Jamboree. 4) We considered our mission work in the parishes, especially in the school, baptism preparation, the uniformed organisations, our family services, and welcoming new people into the village. 5) We welcomed French visitors to Watlington Church. 6) Deanery re-organisation. 7) Glebe Land. 8) Deanery expenses. 9) Environmental issues. 10) Church security. 11) Health and safety issues. 12) Quinquennial report and the £15,000 repairs needed on the building. 13) Next year’s parish share of £28,000 from the five parishes.
14) Ely Diocese 900 year celebrations in 2009.
On behalf of the churchwardens and Parochial Church Council, Father James thanked the Council for their grant aid support towards the upkeep of the churchyard as it is a tremendous help towards the heavy financial burden to raise the £44,000 it costs to have a priest and house him in the village.
Watlington Information Centre
The following report was given by Colin Vince, Chairman of the Information Centre:
The Information Centre has now been open for 6 years and demand for the useful office services provided for the village has remained at a reasonably steady level. Thanks are extended to all the willing volunteers, currently standing at 23 in number, who have staffed the office during the year, when once again the Centre almost achieved a 100% open as advertised rate.
The Centre’s finances remain healthy. Once again, thanks to the Village Hall Committee for their continued support in meeting the building and utility costs of the centre, including the telephone line. The Centre’s finances are also supported by free internet provision from the Borough Council, under their Community Information Point scheme.
The 2008 village guidebook, with financial support from the Parish Council, has been published with a few minor changes.
The office continues to be used by members of the village hall committee for a large part of their administration work and by the Parish Council as a committee meeting room. The Centre is also used as a box office for village hall productions.
The Centre continues to provide the village website, which has a great deal of information from local history to parish council information to groups and societies information, as well as providing links to other useful sites.
Sports & Social Club / Payment of Peppercorn Rent
No report was received. Cllr Rockcliffe paid the 50 pence peppercorn rent for this and next year.
Gossip
The following report was given by Brenda Leedell from the Gossip editorial team:
The Gossip is now in its 10th year of publication. The number of copies printed has had to be increased to 1,100 this year as the number of new properties in the village increases. We regularly print a 32 page magazine and have on two occasions this year presented an extra four page insert, once for the Youth Shelter questionnaire and again in the next issue for the Festival Weekend programme.
The Chairman closed the meeting at 7.22pm.
SIGNED
Chairman: Clerk:
17 June 2008