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

Minutes of the meeting of WATLINGTON PARISH COUNCIL held on 7 September 2004 at 7.00pm in Watlington Village Hall.

Present: Cllr Lacey (Chairman); Cllrs Amor, Golding, Harris, Leedell, Pike, Miller, Toates and Widdowson. Cllr Garton from Agenda Item 5 (in a non-voting capacity for this meeting only).

5 members of the public also attended the meeting.

Apologies for absence: Cllr Rockcliffe and Borough Councillor Ansell.

There were no declarations of interests for this meeting.

The Minutes of the Council meeting on 27 July 2004 were agreed and signed as a correct record.

The clerk reported that the Council’s funds currently stand at £23,759 and that from figures presented to the Council there is approximately £5,100 uncommitted funds available for the rest of the financial year.

EDF Energy has confirmed that the long term electricity supply fault has now been rectified.

The clerk has written to the Rowan Close developers setting out the Council’s position regarding the boundary line between the site and the Warren Close Play Area and the need to preserve the ancient hedge. As yet there has been no response to the letter.

The Chairman introduced Mr Neil Garton as a candidate for co-option to the fill the Council vacancy. After Mr Garton spoke to the meeting a secret ballot was held and Mr Garton was duly co-opted on a unanimous vote as a member of the Council. The Chairman then invited Mr Garton to sign his Declaration of Co-option and to join the body of the Council. For this meeting only Cllr Garton would be non-voting.

Council approved the letting of the Edward Shouldham Charity Land for the period 11 October 2004 to 10 October 2005 to Mr W Zipfell, the only bidder, for the sum of £80.

On a proposal from Cllr Golding, seconded by Cllr Leedell, it was agreed by Council that the clerk’s hourly pay rate be increased to Scale Point 18, £7.913 per hour, backdated to 1 April 2004 and that his pay rate be increased to Scale Point 19, £8.451 per hour from 1 April 2005, these scale rates being in accordance with the recommendations from NALC for parish clerk’s hourly rates.

On a proposal from Cllr Widdowson, seconded by Cllr Leedell, Council approved the rise in pay rates for the Litter Pickers from £4.50 to £4.85 an hour from 1 October 2004, to comply with the new Minimum Wage Rates.

It was proposed by Cllr Widdowson, seconded by Cllr Leedell and agreed by Council that the following payments be made:

On a proposal from Cllr Golding, seconded by Cllr Toates, Council agreed the following awards:

The Chairman explained that due to a delay in receiving contract renewal information from the current contractor, an alternative quotation was awaited for the footway lighting maintenance contract. Given that the current contractors were seeking a significant charge increase and needed a reply by 24 September, on a proposal from Cllr Toates, seconded by Cllr Leedell, it was agreed by Council that the Finance Committee be delegated powers to authorise the best contract terms available by 24 September.

The clerk reported that no information had been forthcoming from the Borough Council for the part funding bid for an additional footway light in Britton Close. It was agreed that the clerk would raise the issue with Borough Councillor Ansell.

A letter and copy letters to Gillian Shephard MP were received by Council from a parishioner complaining about the footpath light adjacent to her property in Chestnut Close. It was agreed that it would be appropriate for Council to wait until a response has been received from Mrs Shephard before considering the matter further.

On a proposal from the Chairman, Council agreed that funds set aside for the gateway signs in Station Road and Church Road be allocated to Thieves Bridge Road and St Peter’s Road rather than deferring until the 2005/2006 budget, now that NCC have indicated that they will fund the gateway signs on Station Road and Church Road, as well as giving consideration to Thieves Bridge Road.

Council noted that an accident liability claim had been made against the Council. The clerk reported that he had forwarded the claim to the Council’s insurers, along with information subsequently requested by the insurers, after consultation with Cllr Pike and Cllr Toates.

After discussion on the offer from Batramps to replace the remaining item on the Skateboard Park at a cost of £960 no supporting resolution was put forward. Council agreed to abide by the decision taken at the last meeting to have the Driveway Unit removed. Mr Samways, in the public seating, agreed to undertake the removal of this item. The Chairman on behalf of the Council accepted this offer and thanked Mr Samways.

SEP 04/15 Community Projects Committee

Cllr Pike spoke on behalf of the Community Projects Committee, setting out the following:

On a proposal from Cllr Golding, seconded by Cllr Harris, it was agreed by Council that given the urgent need to install warning signs and to carry out the roundabout repairs, that the Community Projects Committee seek costings for this work and that responsibility is delegated to the Finance Committee to approve expenditure on these items before the next Council meeting.

Cllr Pike advised that S Warren (local blacksmith) would be looking at the roundabout and also providing a costing for replacing the chains on the flat seat swings. He also advised that a cycle mound had been built at the Warren Close Play Area. He agreed to see about removal.

It was also agreed that the handyperson matter would be an item on the next agenda.

On a proposal from Cllr Widdowson, seconded by Cllr Pike, Council accepted a quote of £50 from Country Grounds Maintenance to carry out the cutting a 4 foot strip either side of the existing footpath on the narrow section of the Glebe Land, this work to be carried out at the end of the blackberry picking season. Funding to come from the Glebe Land Budget.

A letter from the Sports & Social Club on the progress of preparing the Glebe football pitch was discussed.

On a proposal from the Chairman it was agreed that up to £250 would be made available from the Glebe Land Budget to help with the cost of fertilizers and seed for the area.

Cllr Toates agreed to speak to the Sports & Social Club about their offer put forward in the letter to carry out the fencing work on the Glebe boundary with Downham Road and to also consider the quotation available from JA Brothers.

It was agreed that the Glebe Committee should meet to draw up plans for the rest of the Glebe Land.

Cllr Toates updated the Council on the Welcome Guide (a draft copy was circulated at the meeting), which was now to be called ‘Watlington 2004’ as it was also to be aimed at current residents, who will be able to purchase copies for £1, with a free copy being provided to newcomer households. The guide would be updated annually in the autumn and each year’s issue would have a different coloured cover. It was estimated by Father James Nolan that 40-50 new households arrived in the village each year. Production would be done in-house at the Information Centre, with a cost of £1 put on each copy, with each copy being numbered to provide an audit trail.

Council commended the Information Centre for the publication and on a proposal from Cllr Pike, seconded by Cllr Golding, Council agreed to fund the free copies of the Guide this financial year, estimated to be less than £50 in the current year. The clerk advised that funding could be found in the Administration Budget.

The clerk reported that the old dead trees along the school end of Fairfield Lane have now been removed by NCC.

Cllr Toates advised Council that he had received information regarding a fallen branch from the large tree opposite the school. It was agreed that the tree needed to be assessed, but there were problems over ownership of the site. It was agreed that the clerk would pursue the matter through the Land Registry for ownership and through BCKLWN/NCC for an assessment of the tree’s soundworthiness.

The clerk advised that Kew Grasscare had agreed to carry out the Leylandii hedge cutting work at the Recreation Ground at their quoted price, with the work probably being carried out in the late winter with payment to be made at the start of the next financial year.

Cllr Pike reported that it was hoped to arrange a meeting of the Trustees to consider future plans and expenditure for the site. Some concerns were expressed at the delay in cutting of the area.

None arising.

The chairman then opened the meeting to the public but there were no floor speakers.

There being no other business the Council rose at 8.37pm.

The next meeting of the Council is on Tuesday 19 October 2004 in the Village Hall.

SIGNED

Chairman Clerk 19 October 2004