WATLINGTON PARISH COUNCIL

 

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

 

 

MINUTES

 

 

Minutes of the meeting of WATLINGTON PARISH COUNCIL held on 28 July 2009 at 7.00pm in Watlington Village Hall.

 

Present: Cllr Golding (Chairman for this meeting); Cllrs Drake, Leedell, Paget, Pike, Rockcliffe and Stevenson.

 

7 members of the public attended the meeting.

 

Apologies for absence: Cllrs Dagnall, Lacey, Mack and Miller.

 

JUL 09/1 Declarations of Interest

There were no declarations of interest for this meeting.

 

JUL 09/2 Open Forum Notes

The Watstock Committee thanked the Council for their support of the Watstock Weekend. Feedback from parishioners was given to the Committee members on litter, toilet facilities, car parking arrangements, monitoring crowd numbers and noise levels, as well as local support for the event. It was reported that the police were happy with the event organisation, including handling a disturbance in the dance tent late on Saturday night, and that no trouble was reported at the Angel Inn or the Post Office Stores.

 

JUL 09/3 Minutes of the Council Meetings held on 16 June 2009

The minutes of the Council Meeting on 16 June 2009 were agreed and signed as a correct record

 

JUL 09/4 Clerk’s Report and Matters Arising from the Council Meetings on 16 June 2009

The clerk reported that the current balance of funds is £27,638.47, with £4267 of VAT from the installation of the new play equipment now recovered.

 

JUL 09/5 Payments

On a proposal from the Chairman, Council approved the following payments:

Payee	Amount	Authority	Reason
Watlington Village Hall	£22.00	Admin	Hall hire 28 July
Watlington Info Centre	£5.30	Admin	Photocopying June 2009
Glasdon UK Ltd	£160.49*	JUN 09/13	Litter Bin Warren Close
Clerk	£12.95	Admin	Inkjet Cartridge
CGM	£769.01*	DEC 07/9	Half year account for grass cutting
Clerk	£20.00	Admin	Petty Cash reimbursement
Mrs M Doubleday	£180.00	MAY 09/13	Internal Audit fee
Watstock	£250.00 £26.99	OCT 08/14 JUN 09/7	Insurance cover grant (S137) Fire Assembly Notices (S137)
Mrs A Bullock	£242.65	SEP 08/6	Litter Picking 19/06/09 – 26/07/09
Mr J Harrington	£97.60	SEP 08/6	Handyperson duties July
CGM	£38.53*	DEC 07/9	Glebe Mound strimming

 *Includes recoverable VAT

 

JUL 09/6 Edward Shouldham Charity

On a proposal from the Chairman, Council approved the advertising of the letting of the charity land for the period 11 October 2009 to 10 October 2010.

 

 

JUL 09/7 Open Forum Time Allowance

After discussion on the need to balance community involvement with effective conduct of the Council’s business, Council agreed a proposal from Cllr Pike, seconded by Cllr Golding, that individual contributions during the Open Forum should be limited to 3 minutes, with a total time allowance of 20 minutes for the whole Open Forum, subject to Council having the discretion to extend this time limit at any particular meeting.

 

JUL 09/8 Requests for Grants and Donations

Applicant	Cause	Amount Awarded
2nd Runcton Holme and Watlington Scout Group	August activity week	£50 Awarded.* S137 agreement

* Proposed by Cllr Paget, seconded by Cllr Pike. It was also agreed that the Watstock Committee and the Gossip Committee be approached to support this project.

 

 

JUL 09/9 Planning Applications

The following planning recommendations were agreed:

Reference No.	Applicants	Address	Application	Council Recommendation
09/00960/F	Mr/s N Langford	8 Warren Close	Rear single storey extension	Support
09/01008/F	Mrs S Waddington	1 Plough Lane	Conversion to two dwellings	Observations only on access
09/00989/F	Canon Developments	38 Mill Road	Conversion of retail unit and stables to 2 dwellings	Support with parking concerns
09/00900/F	Mr S Payne	8 Babingley Close	Conservatory extension
09/01137/F	Mr C Turner	62 Downham Road	Alterations and extensions	Support
09/00500/F	Agent: DP Wadlow	17 School Road	Modernisation and extension of bungalow	Support

Note: Recommendations from the committee are available at the meeting for inspection.

 

The following planning decision has been received from the Borough Council:

Reference No.	Applicants	Address			Application	BCKLWN Decision
08/01871/F	Mr N Watkins		Land to west of 23 Thieves Bridge Road	Completion and retention of two storey dwelling		Approved with 8 conditions
09/00789/F	Mr Wagg		66 John Davis Way	Single storey extension		Approved with 2 conditions
09/00829/F	Mr A Samways		80 Downham Road	Construction of first floor over existing bungalow		Approved with 3 conditions
09/00937/F	Mr G Brothers	75 Downham Road			Construction of 2 storey extension	Approved with 2 conditions
09/00944/F	Pre-School	Watlington CP School			Erection of mobile classroom	Approved with 1 condition

 

JUL 09/10 Martingales and The Coppice Developments

Cllr Pike expressed concern that no progress has been made on the provision of new play equipment for the site, including the Stone Close Play area. It was agreed that the clerk would investigate this matter further and liaise with BCllr Mack. Cllr Rockcliffe advised that there was no progress in seeking a solution to the open drain problems on the site.

 

JUL 09/11 Rowan Close Development

The clerk advised that the independent environmental report on the state of the site following groundworks was not yet available and that this matter would be discussed with the BCKLWN Environmental Health Officer on her return from annual leave. The report is due to be published on the planning website.

 

 

JUL 09/12 Glebe Avenue Development

On a proposal from the chairman, Council agreed that street lighting be provided on the Glebe Avenue development and that the County Council be responsible for the lighting scheme. It was also agreed that the County Council be asked to send a copy of the lighting scheme for this site for Council comment.

 

JUL 09/13 Highways and Transport Matters

Cllr Rockcliffe and the clerk reported on the resurfacing works in Fen Road, which suffered delays because of damage to a stopcock and some poor weather. The clerk advised that NCC Highways will be assessing the Church Road / Downham Road junction possible resurfacing.

 

Cllr Rockcliffe advised that it was hoped that work would begin shortly on the Lynn Road – Mill Road footpath.

 

Cllr Rockcliffe advised that is hoped to resolve problems over land valuations at the site of the upgraded station car park and that works would begin shortly.

 

Cllr Rockcliffe advised that the proposed permissive path adjacent to Thieves Bridge Road, as part of the S106 agreement for gravel extraction, may be delayed for a considerable time as its construction is dependent on finishing extraction and site restoration of the Sixty Acre Field, which is not being worked at present.

 

JUL 09/14 Community Projects Committee

Cllr Pike reported that Kew Grasscare would start work on the replacement of part of the Recreation Ground Leylandii hedge with fencing and a gate in early September and that the shelter and extra bench would be ordered for delivery and installation on completion of these groundworks.

 

Cllr Pike advised that he would be circulating issues and suggestions raised at the Open Forum in April to all councillors for comment.

 

On a proposal from the Chairman, Council agreed to minute the points raised in the Open Forum relating to the Watstock Festival 2009, namely “Feedback from parishioners was given to the Committee members on litter, toilet facilities, car parking arrangements, monitoring crowd numbers and noise levels, as well as local support for the event. It was reported that the police were happy with the event organisation, including handling a disturbance in the dance tent late on Saturday night, and that there was no trouble at the Angel Inn or the Post Office Stores.” It was further agreed to seek further feedback through the Gossip and to note that parishioners could approach councillors with their views on the event if they did not which to speak directly to the Watstock Committee.

 

On a proposal from Cllr Pike, seconded by Cllr Leedell, Council agreed in principle to support the idea of a Watstock 2010, but approval to be subject hearing community feedback and the Watstock Committee considering the issues raised at this meeting’s Open Forum.

 

On a proposal from Cllr Paget, seconded by Cllr Pike, Council agreed the expenditure of £90 for additional Skateboard Park repairs, funding to come from play equipment repairs budget.

 

JUL 09/15 Environment Committee

Council noted the letter from Mr Pope rejecting the offer for allotment land and that no response had been received for an offer on land in Fen Road. Given the timing of the Local Development Framework (LDF), Council agreed:

i)         To offer the Britton Close site for allotments to those registered, subject to a satisfactory rental agreement with the Borough Council.

ii)       To place an item in the Gossip seeking land at a rental of £450 for one hectare.

iii)      To place an item in the Gossip seeking any owners of large or unused gardens who may be willing to share their garden facilities with those registered for an allotment. Cllr Golding agreed to receive names.

iv)      To write to the Borough Council seeking that provision for allotments is included in any development approved for the village.

v)        To await the LDF Spatial Plan consultation document before considering the notion of compulsory land hiring.

vi)      That, if possible, cultivated agricultural land would not be sought for allotments.

 

 

It was agreed that a proposal that the Glebe Field be close mown on a permanent basis, should be considered at the next meeting.

 

It was agreed that Councillors would forward details of any hedges overgrowing onto footways to the clerk in the next week so that letters could be sent to householders seeking that the hedges be cut back and that an item be place in the Gossip next spring asking that boundary hedges be kept trimmed. The clerk to report an overgrown hedge adjacent to the road by the level crossing on St Peters Road to NCC Highways.

 

JUL 09/16 Correspondence for information

From	Subject	Information Note
NCC	Telephone numbers	Change to 0344 exchange
EACH	Thank you letter for £50.00 donation
Downham Area LAG	Minutes 12/06/09 & July 09
Charity Commission	Newsletter
NCC	Manage your finances	Booklet
NRCC	Signpost Newsletter June 2009
BCKLWN	Standards Committee Minutes 22/06/09
Clerks & Council	Direct Magazine July 2009
CCLA Investments	Edward Shouldham Charity	£4.53 Interest. Balance £1421.86
NPFA	The Playing Field Magazine Summer 09
BCKLWN	Water Cycle Study Exhibition 2 August
Wash Estuary Strategy	Wash Week 1 – 9 August information
BCKLWN	Funding Opportunities Information
FLUA	The Fenman newsletter 3/2009
NPFA	Annual Report and accounts
CPRE Norfolk	Campaign Bulletin July 2009