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 04 May 2004
at 7.00pm in Watlington Village Hall.
Present: Cllr Lacey (Chairman), Cllrs Golding, Harris, Leedell, Miller, Pike, Rockcliffe and Toates.
Borough Councillor Ansell attended the meeting.
15 members of the public were present.
Apologies for absence: Cllrs Amor, Featherby and Widdowson.
MAY 04/1 Election of Chairman of The Council and Declaration of Office
It was proposed by Cllr Golding, seconded by Cllr Miller, and agreed by Council that Cllr Lacey be elected as Chairman of the Council. The Chairman signed his Declaration of Office.
MAY 04/2 Election of Vice-Chairman of The Council and Declaration of Office
It was proposed by the Chairman, seconded by Cllr Harris, and agreed by Council that Cllr Golding be elected as Vice-Chairman of the Council. The Vice-Chairman signed her Declaration of Office.
MAY 04/3 Committee Appointments 2004/2005
Council agreed on a proposal from the Chairman to retain the existing committee appointments. The following committee appointments were therefore agreed for 2004/2005:
Planning (4) – Cllrs Harris, Golding, Lacey and Miller.
Community Projects – Cllrs Harris, Pike and Toates.
Environment – Cllrs Featherby, Leedell, Miller and Widdowson.
Finance – Cllrs Golding, Leedell and Rockcliffe.
MAY 04/4 Appointment to Village Hall Management Committee
The following appointment was agreed for 2004/2005: Cllrs Amor.
MAY 04/5 Committee Reports 2002/2003
The following committee reports were made:
Planning
The Chairman reported that the committee had worked hard in opposing the development of 182 houses on the site adjacent to the school and although the application had now been approved the committee, on behalf of the Council, had achieved modifications to the scheme layout.
Community Projects
Cllr Harris, as committee chairman, had no particular annual report other than to point towards the work of the committee in the last year, especially that done to secure grants for the play equipment project.
Environment
No report was made.
Finance
The Chairman reported that the committee had met once during the year to make a charity award from the Edward Shouldham Charity to help to towards the purchase of an item of medical equipment for a patient at the Medical centre.
MAY 04/6 Reports from Representatives to Outside Bodies
Village Hall Management Committee
The following report was received from Cllr Toates, as Chairman of the Village Hall Committee:
WATLINGTON VILLAGE HALL 2003 ANNUAL REPORT TO 30.9.03
Watlington Village Hall, Church Road, Watlington, Norfolk, PE33 OHE. Registered Charity No 298454, constituted by Deed of Trust, the custodian trustees being the Parish Council. The Charity is administered by a Management Committee (managing trustees) formed at the Annual Meeting, at which seven persons may be elected and two representatives of the Parish Council and representatives of the regular community group hirers appointed.
During 2002/2003 the elected members have been Brian Toates (Chairman) Mike Cooke (Vice-Chairman, Licensee and Booking Secretary) John Church (Treasurer) Marcia Napp (Minutes Secretary) Barbara Church (Correspondence Secretary) Trevor Burton (Cleaning Co-coordinator) Jill Stone.
Representative members have been Mick Bush, Sue Miller, Ronald Amor (Parish Council) Kate Carpenter (Players) Ted Featherby (Short Mat Bowls) Joy Stephens (Carpet Bowls) Brenda Newman (Wednesday Club) Joy Toates (Luncheon Club) Enid Campell, Bronwyn Fisher (W I) John Sharpe, Carol Hay, Karen Smith (Playgroup) Richard West, Helen West (Under Fives) Terry Cook (Co-opted member)
The object of the charity is to maintain the Hall for the benefit of Watlington and the surrounding communities. The continuing help of local volunteers and the employment of two part-time cleaners, Sally Dibley and Meg Wagg, achieve this.
The financial situation is fully covered by the statement and report submitted by the Treasurer, who provides a detailed report to each monthly meeting of the Management Committee. In addition to monies derived from hirings, income has also been generated by fund raising in the form of a Quiz night, Social Evening with Racing, Jazz Night, a 50/50 Auction, a weekend of "Past and Present", which included an Art Exhibition and Photographic Exhibition, a Puppet Show and an Evening of Jazz supported by Creative Arts East. The 200 Club Draw once again provided income for Hall funds.
Usage of the hall remains very much in demand, and competition for certain slots continues. Fourteen groups or clubs, a baby clinic and a dancing school meet regularly. The Parish Council and Junior Football have come to the Hall this year. Adult Education Computer Course are continuing and Speech Therapy sessions have begun, and there is still frequent use for private parties of all types, wedding receptions, shows, fund raising activities and meetings in both halls.
The Village Hall continues to support the Information Centre and provides the building, heat and light. The Centre is covering all other costs.
The Hall continues to be a member of the Norfolk Association of Village Halls which provides valuable support and advice.
MAY 04/7 Reports from other Village Organisations
The following reports from other village organisations were received:
Parochial Church Council
Father James Nolan, Chairman of the Parochial Church Council gave a verbal report to the meeting in which he highlighted amongst other things the very welcome community reaction to the breaking of the church windows, the many general fund raising activates that have gone on in the past year, the negotiations with BT over an aerial in the church tower, the issue of women bishops, parishioner input to church activities and he gave notice of a Fair Trade event taking place in the village.
Millennium Green Trustees
Cllr Rockcliffe, as Chairman of the Trustees, reported that steady progress had been made towards the completion of the Millennium Green. Small working parties had been held during the year and at the current time the wild flowers were beginning to show well. There had been an insurance problem that ad been resolved and a meeting of the Trustees was due to be held.
Watlington Information Centre
The Chairman read the following report from Mr M Cooke, Chairman of Watlington Information Centre:
“The second AGM since the Centre opened in 2002 was held on 26th February 2004 and the last year has been another successful one with the Centre becoming established as a useful facility for Watlington and the surrounding area.
The Centre opened on three mornings a week (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays) and continued to provide services ranging from copying and laminating to internet access and information, general advice and guidance of all sorts. The Centre has developed as a contact point for personal visitors as well as those who make contact by phone or e mail. Interest in IT and computers was expressed by a number of visitors and this helped to support Adult Education courses on these subjects which have continued to run in the Village Hall.
The Centre provided a base for the Pensions Service for their monthly advice sessions, although these were abandoned because of the lack of customers thereby failing to justify the attendance of their staff. The West Norfolk Disability Information Service and the Citizens Advice Bureau also expressed an interest in using the Centre but have not as yet run regular sessions.
The web site has been successful and has been visited by a number of visitors who have been most complimentary about it and the Centre. Several of these have been former residents seeking information about the village and as a result the “Old Friends” contact link has been put on the web site.
Around 25 volunteers have staffed the Centre on a regular basis and these have included new recruits who we are always pleased to welcome. Get-togethers for volunteers have taken place during the year at which information, help and ideas have been exchanged. Arising from these has come the idea for a “Welcome Pack” for the village and in particular new residents. This needs developing further and is one of the projects proposed for 2004.
The committee produced a written constitution for the Information Centre, as it was thought necessary in order to provide a formal basis for the Centre’s affairs and this was formally adopted at the AGM.
The Centre hosted meetings of a Community Transport Working Group to look at ways in which grant money available from the Countryside Agency could be used for improvements in the village. However, this group was disbanded because of developments which required action beyond the remit of the group.
The Centre is grateful for the ongoing support received from the Village Hall Management Committee and the Parish Council without which the facilities would not be possible.”
Cllr Rockcliffe spoke in support of the Welcome Pack and sought Council support for the project. Cllr Toates explained that much of the information was readily available, the main problem being the financial cost of producing the packs. After discussion it was agreed that the Information Centre be invited to present a report to the June meeting of the Council.
Sports & Social Club / Payment of Peppercorn Rent
No report was received and the peppercorn rent remains to be paid.
MAY 04/8 Any Other Matters
Cllr Ansell made a brief report, highlighting three matters. Firstly, that the village might well try to take advantage of the borough council’s ‘one stop internet shop’ being launched, possibly through the offices of the Information Centre. Secondly, that it was vital to continue lobbying for improvements at the railway station car park and thirdly, that the 3 week closure of the C54 road would provide a test of the use of the other link roads between Watlington, Tottenhill and Wormegay.
There being no other business the Chairman closed the meeting at 7.28pm.
SIGNED
Chairman: Clerk:
15 June 2004