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 5 May 2009 at 7.35pm in Watlington Village Hall.

 

Present: Cllr Lacey (Chairman); Cllrs Dagnall, Drake, Golding, Leedell, Mack, Miller, Paget, Pike, Rockcliffe and Stevenson.

 

2 members of the public attended the meeting.

 

Apologies for absence: None

 

MAY 09/8 Declarations of Interest

Councillor	Agenda Item	Personal or Prejudicial	Matter Under Discussion
Cllr Golding	6(iv)	Personal	Grant to Millennium Green Trust
Cllr Miller	6(iv)	Personal	Grant to Parochial Church Council
Cllr Paget	6(iv)	Personal	Grant to Millennium Green Trust
Cllr Pike	6(iv)	Personal	Grant to Millennium Green Trust
Cllr Rockcliffe	6(iv)	Personal	Grant to Millennium Green Trust
Cllr Stevenson	7 (i)	Personal	Planning Applications

 

MAY 09/9 Open Forum

No matters were raised during the Open Forum

 

MAY 09/10 Minutes of the Council Meetings held on 17 March and 15 April 2009

The minutes of the Council meeting on 17 March and 15 April 2009 were agreed and signed as a correct record.

 

MAY 09/11 Clerk’s Report and Matters Arising from the Council Meetings on 17 March / 15 April 2009

The clerk reported that the current balance of funds is £46,131.23 with the 2009/10 precept having been received and banked. Over £14,000 expenditure is due to be agreed at this meeting and the £18,500 grant for the play equipment is awaited for the Phase 2 Play Equipment Project.

 

MAY 09/12 Payments

On a proposal from Cllr Golding, seconded by Cllr Pike, Council approved the following payments:

Payee	Amount	Authority	Reason
Watlington Village Hall	£66.00	Admin	Hall hire 04 April / 15 April / 05 May 09
Watlington Info Centre	£12.10	Admin	Photocopying March 2009
NALC	£311.56	DEC 08/8	Annual Subscription 2009/2010
BCKLWN	£638.60*	MAR 09/15	Annual Trade Waste bin costs
Clerk	£26.98*	Admin	Inkjet Cartridges (1 b/w + 1 colour)
BCKLWN	£159.97*	DEC 02/14	Dog Waste Q4 2008/09
Cllr Dagnall	£35.10	Admin	Forum Refreshments costs
Grounds & Co	£122.40	MAR 09/15	Additional 2009 rental
NSALG Ltd (Allotments)	£63.35*	APR 09/2	Subscription Fee
Mrs A Bullock	£229.20	SEP 08/6	Litter Picking 09/03/09 – 03/05/09
Mr J Harrington	£87.05	SEP 08/6	Handyperson duties April + materials
Allianz Insurance plc	£400.85	Admin	Insurance cover on new play equipment
Clerk	£21.10	Admin	Phone Calls 26/01/09 – 25/04/09
Miracle Design & Play Ltd	£32,717.03*	DEC 05/5 and SEP 04/6	New play equipment (£18,500 to be recovered from Big Lottery Fund grant)

 *Includes recoverable VAT

 

MAY 09/13 Accounts 2008/2009 and Annual Audit Return

On a proposal from the Chairman, Council approved the 2008/2009 accounts for internal and external audit.

 

On a proposal from the Chairman, Council approved the Audit Plan for 2008/2009.

 

On a proposal from the Chairman, Council completed the Annual Return for the external audit.

 

On a proposal from the Chairman, Council approved the appointment of Mrs M Doubleday as Internal Auditor for the 2008/2009 accounts.

 

On a proposal from the Chairman, Council approved the Edward Shouldham Charity Accounts for 2008/2009.

 

Council noted a £75 payment award from HMRC for the on-line filing of the 2008/2009 PAYE returns.

 

MAY 08/14 Budget 2009/2010

On a proposal from the Chairman, Council approved the revised 2009/2010 budget.

 

MAY 08/15 Grants to Millennium Green Trust and Parochial Church Council

On a proposal from the Chairman, Council approved the annual grant of £1000 to the Millennium Green Trust (MIN FEB 05/6). The Trust Accounts were made available to the meeting. S.137 payment.

 

On a proposal from the Chairman, Council approved the annual grant, £450 for this year, to the Parochial Church Council (MIN JUN 05/11). S.137 payment.

 

[Cllrs Golding, Paget, Pike and Rockcliffe declared a personal interest in the grant to Millennium Green Trust and took no part in the vote on this issue. Cllr Miller declared a personal interest in the grant to the Parochial Church Council and took no part in the vote on this issue.]

 

MAY 09/16 Planning Applications

The following planning recommendations were agreed:

Reference No.	Applicants	Address	Application	Planning Committee
09/00403/F	Enterprise Inns	Angel Inn, 41 School Road	Erection of free standing smoking shelter	Support
09/00417/F	Mr H Bhondi	3 Church Road	Conversion and extension to form shop, takeaway and flat	Split majority support with concerns and observations

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

 

Cllr Stevenson declared a personal interest in the above items.

 

The following planning decisions have been received from the Borough Council:

Reference No.	Applicants	Address			Application	BCKLWN Decision
09/00352/F	Mr C Turner	62 Downham Road			Extensions and alterations to create 2 storey dwelling.	Refused
09/00180/F	Mr A Cakebread	27 Plough Lane			Demolition of lean-to / construction of single storey extension	Approved with 2 conditions
09/00260/F	Mr S Withers	34 Fen Road			Single storey extension	Approved with 1 condition
09/00339/F	Mr J Stratford		39 Station Road	Replacement dwelling and garage		Approved with 8 conditions

 

Council noted that the appeal against the decision to refuse 4 terraced cottages at 46 Fen Road was refused by the Planning Inspector.

 

Council agreed not to proceed with the e-planning consultation scheme at this stage due to a lack of projection facilities for the village hall and the desirability for paper copies of plans for local consultation.

 

 

MAY 09/17 Martingales and The Coppice Developments

Cllr Pike advised that since the completion of 5 additional houses, Persimmon have stopped building again.

 

Cllr Mack reported on the 1 April site meeting between the Council and Persimmon, the most positive outcome being that street signs are to be installed and that some relief drainage work at the Station Road end of the site was carried out. However, the plans for the play equipment are still delayed, despite an April deadline, roads will not be surface dressed until site completion, and there is no resolution to the non- culverting of drain by the school. Cllr Mack is urging the Borough Council to now take urgent legal enforcement action on the drainage problem. He agreed to investigate whether the contractors have an insurance bond, to seek that Persimmon clear the school drainage ditch of recently felled wood and to raise the issue of the open north / south drain, where trees are growing. It was also agreed that the clerk would write to the Borough Council Chief Executive regarding the lack of enforcement action on the site.

 

MAY 09/18 Rowan Close Development

The clerk advised that work has started on 15 houses at the site, planning approval for this scheme having been granted in April 2006. Cllr Rockcliffe reported that there are still concerns over the site ground level, concerns shared by the Medical Centre, which could lead to site drainage problems as well as being intrusive on neighbours. It was agreed the clerk would write to the Planning Officer on this matter. Cllr Rockcliffe reported that the Borough Council Environmental Officers approved scheme details, but the situation does need to be monitored given the known pollution on the site.

 

MAY 09/19 Highways Matters

The clerk reported that the footway along Church Road has now been resurfaced. NCC Highways have declined to take any action regarding the bend on Fen Road, given the rural nature of the road.

 

A letter from a young parishioner regarding the surface state of Fairfield Lane was read. Cllr Rockcliffe agreed to level the surface with planings. He also reported that the possible safe route to school scheme for the lane is still in the planning stage. Council agreed that an invite should be made to the young parishioner to attend the council meeting where the Open Forum results will be discussed and that links to the school through the Open Forum scheme should be maintained.

 

Council agreed that the clerk should contact the insurers regarding the issue of salting the footway between John Davis Way and the school. The clerk advised that the Handyperson was not willing to add this task to his duties, as it would clash with his school caretaking role and he was concerned over safety and responsibility issues. It was also agreed that the Council would consider the installation of icy condition warning signs along the footway.

 

MAY 09/20 Railway Station Car Park

Council noted that the car park scheme is due to start in August, but that this was dependent on completion of legal matters relating to land acquisition.

 

MAY 09/21 Community Projects Committee

Cllr Pike reported that the Phase 2 play equipment has now been installed, despite some vandalism during the installation process, on the Recreation Ground and at Warren Close Play Area and that it has been received very enthusiastically. There has been an increase in the litter problem as a result, which needs to be monitored. Thanks were extended to Cllr Rockcliffe for storing the equipment during the installation period, which has saved the council £300.

 

Cllr Pike reported that funding has been received from WREN for the Youth Shelter and plans for this project to move forward are in hand.

 

The annual play equipment inspection report was mostly positive but there are issues relating to safety surfacing, the swing chains and the Skateboard Park that need attention.

 

Cllr Pike reported that the Open Forum had been a great success and that analysed results would hopefully be bought back to the next meeting.

 

Council agreed that an approach could be made to The Angel Inn and to the PO Stores regarding improvements to the boundary fencing by the noticeboard. Cllr Stevenson for The Angel Inn said he was happy for proposals to be bought forward.

 

 

For the Watstock event Council approved that reasonable staff car parking would be allowed on the Recreation Ground, subject to sensible marshalling and the ground being in a fit state. A request to allow Fire Assembly Point notices on the Glebe Field was agreed, any request for Council financial support to be considered on the receipt of cost information. It was noted that the deadline for objections to the proposed premises licences is 13 May after which Mrs Suiter expects to receive a decision from the Borough Council.

 

On a proposal from Cllr Pike, seconded by Cllr Leedell, Council approved a resolution that any repair costs for vandalism or extra costs incurred for litter clearing as a result of anti-social behaviour are met from the new equipment fund.

 

On a proposal from Cllr Pike, seconded by Cllr Paget, Council approved necessary expenditure of approximately £350 on the Skateboard Park following the Play Equipment Inspectors report; £300 of which to come from the new equipment fund and £50 from the play equipment repairs fund. The clerk to also speak to the contractor Batramps regarding noise reduction on the equipment.

 

MAY 09/22 Environment Committee

The Clerk reported that Mr Pope had not yet reached a decision on whether he would let the land on Mill Road for allotments, but he would respond after further consideration.

 

On a proposal from the Chairman, Council approved an additional 3 hours a week litter picker hours for the 3 months summer period and that these hours be offered to the existing Litter Picker.

 

For the Litter Picking Event Cllr Pike agreed to organise a group to clear Fairfield Lane and Cllr Rockcliffe to clear along Thieves Bridge Road. Also the Village Hall Committee to be approached to see if they would like to organise an event around the village hall area.

 

It was agreed that the defensive mound to the rear of the village hall should be strimmed.

 

Cllr Pike raised the issue of the unauthorised tree felling being done on the ash tree to the rear of the Glebe Field. It was agreed that the clerk would write to the parishioner involved regarding this, to seek reassurance on their liability cover and to state that if the Council agrees to him continuing, the work be done by the end of June. Also, the clerk to investigate insurance issues for the Council over this matter. Cllr Rockcliffe agreed to provide a cost if the work needs to be done professionally.

 

Cllr Mack reported that following his intervention, the Borough Council has agreed to continue emptying the Britton Close litter bin.

 

MAY 09/23 Correspondence for Action

From	Subject	Action
Boundary Committee	Structural Review of Norfolk	Clerk to write to state the Council’s preferred option is ‘status quo’ and that a referendum should be held on this issue.

 

 

MAY 09/24 Correspondence for information

From	Subject	Information Note
Norfolk Accident Rescue Service	Thank you letter for £25 donation
West Norfolk CAB	Thank you letter for £100 donation
CPRE	Countryside Voice Magazine Spring 2009
BCKLWN	How to complain about a councillor	Leaflet for staff / public
Downham LAG	Minutes of 13 March & 17 April meetings
WN CPRE	AGM 23/04/09	Notified by email
BCKLWN	Standards Committee Minutes 24/03/09
BCKLWN	Dog Waste Bin Audit	Completed by clerk
ICO	DVD on Freedom of Information Act	Held by clerk
Norfolk Constabulary	Changing Times Spring Issue
CCLA Investments	COIF Charity Fund Report to 31/12/08
NALC	Norfolk Link March 2009	Held by clerk
Downham & Villages in Transition	Leaflet on the Transition Network	An information event may well be held       in the village.
Equality & Human Rights Commission	Public Sector Equality Duties. Further information from the website	www.equalityhumanrights.com
CCLA Investments	Edward Shouldham Charity	Income £11.61 / Balance £1414.59
NPFA	The Playing Field Magazine
Norfolk Police Authority	Policing Plan 2009/12