MINUTES OF BUXTON WITH LAMAS PARISH COUNCIL MEETING
held in BUXTON VILLAGE HALL on MONDAY 22 MARCH 2010 at 7.30pm
PRESENT
COUNCILLORS:
Mr C. Tomlinson (Chairman)
Mrs B. Rix (Vice-Chairman)
Mrs P. Goodman (later)
Mr E. Nichols
Miss S. Partridge
Mrs C. Pearce
Mrs Y. Powell
Mr C. Shaw
Mrs M. Wickham
District Councillor Rix (also Parish Councillor)
County Councillor D. Harrison
PCSO Brian Levy
CLERK: Mrs R. Rose
Seven members of the public
The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.
1. APOLOGIES were accepted from Mr G. Breeze, Mr G. Forster and
PCSO T. Frost.
2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Councillor Powell and Councillor Wickham: Item 7.1 (payment to Buxton W.I.)
3. THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING held on 15 February 2010 had been previously circulated; proposed by Councillor Nichols, seconded by Councillor Powell, these were AGREED, and signed by the Chairman as a true record.
4. MATTERS ARISING
4.1 Bure Valley Railway
The director of Bure Valley Railway had written outlining the improvements to the Buxton halt.
Councillor Rix reported that Broadland District Council had agreed to grant a right of two easements in perpetuity to the Ministry of Justice to permit a sewerage pipe and a surface water drain to pass under two sections of the Council’s land (Bure Valley Railway) located in Coltishall and Buxton.
(Councillor Goodman entered the meeting during the following item)
5. POLICE MATTERS
5.1 Crime Report
PCSO Frost had made her report available, which was tabled; two crimes had been recorded since the last report. PCSO Levy gave more detail, and emphasised that the SNAP meetings were now held 2-monthly in order to address issues in a more concentrated way.
PCSO Levy was thanked for his report and he left the meeting.
With the Council’s agreement, the Chairman adjourned the meeting to allow members of the public to speak.
The applicant for planning application 20100409 and the owners of the neighbouring property each made representation on the change of use of Home Farm House.
Mr & Mrs Wheeler reported that they voluntarily litter-picked in The Dell but were concerned at the lack of a litter bin. The Clerk would contact Broadland District Council regarding use of the Litter Hit Squad. The meeting also considered other ways to assist Mr & Mrs Wheeler.
The Clerk would report the drinking activities in The Dell to the PCSO.
The adjournment ended.
6. PLANNING MATTERS
6.1 Applications
20100199: Gullane House, Mill Street: Detached garage
DECISION: Supported
20100029: Hall Farm, Lamas: Conversion of existing barn to dwelling
DECISION: Objected. The site was outside a defined settlement limit, and the proposal would increase traffic onto a private road, the junction of which onto the highway was almost obscured from one direction.
20100273: The Old Butchers Shop, Mill Street: Alterations & car port extension
DECISION: Supported
20100409: Home Farm House, Brook Street: Change of use of outbuildings to light industry and retention of office to regularise existing use of by glazing business
DECISION: Supported
Arising from the discussion on the last application, the Clerk would urge Planning Officers at Broadland District Council to be more robust about retrospective applications.
6.2 Permissions and Enforcement Matters
No information to report.
6.3 Any Other Planning Matters
The Clerk would check on the compliance with the planning permission of the location of the foundations for the bungalow on Lion Farm.
7. FINANCE
Proposed by Councillor Nichols, seconded by Councillor Shaw, payment for the following was APPROVED:
Buxton Garden Services: Access roadway, BALAY Park 2,677.22
Norfolk County Council: Parish name sign, Stratton Road 200.95
Centrewire Ltd: Motorbike inhibitor (disabled access) BALAY Park 423.00
R. J. Mortimer: Repairs to Buxton Village Hall 52.00
Norfolk County Council: Solicitor‘s fees, Oct – Dec ’09 489.95
Lamas Village Hall: Hall insurance premium 609.55
Barnwell Print Ltd: February Round 235.00
Buxton Primary School: Photocopying, July’ 09 – March’10 108.43
Tiscali UK Ltd: Telephone charges 7.05
Buxton & District WI: Donation, BALAY Park opening refreshments 20.00
British Gas: Power, BALAY Park 102.52
Norfolk Pension Fund: March return 114.86
R.A. Rose: Expenses refund, and use of home as office 177.94
Cash: BALAY Park keeper’s wages 32.00
Clerk’s March salary by STO: 484.66
less 6.5% pension contribution (31.50) 453.16
7.2 Increase in Insurance Premium
The Clerk had obtained a quotation of £157.50 to increase the Public Liability element of the Council’s insurance policy to £10 million (as advised by the Internal Auditor), and a further quotation of £756.70 per annum to cover damage to the BMX equipment on the BALAY Park.
The meeting felt the latter to be unnecessarily high, and questioned the need to insure such robust equipment against damage. Personal injury would be covered under the Public Liability element. The Clerk was instructed to seek further advice and to compare the proposal with those of other Councils with similar equipment.
With the meeting’s agreement the Chairman brought forward Item 11 on the agenda.
11. REPORT FROM COUNTY COUNCILLOR
County Councillor Harrison reported that the increase in Council Tax set by the County Council had increased by 1.9%.
Funds to repair potholes left by the extended winter season were being transferred from funding for repair and maintenance of bridges.
The County Council was proposing to transfer running of its care homes to Norse Commercial Services Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Norfolk County Council. However, he pointed out that scrutiny of standards in those homes was also carried out by the County Council.
He reported some success in achieving a postponement in levy charging for the respite home in Aylsham for all existing patients until the new respite centre had been constructed. Social Services had succeeded in streamlining arrangements for care in the home for those patients who had been ‘bed blocking’ at the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital, and waiting lists for admission were now much reduced.
The House of Lords had that evening voted to support the Bill to make Norwich City Council a unitary authority.
County Councillor Harrison was thanked for his report and he left the meeting.
8. CORRESPONDENCE & REPORTS OF MEETINGS ATTENDED
8.1 Correspondence List
A list of the correspondence received had been circulated, and was updated at the meeting; all items were available from the Clerk. A list is attached to the signed copy of these minutes.
8.2 Invitations/Consultations
Councillor Rix would attend the Parish Forum on Growth Agenda on 19 April 2010.
The Clerk would attend the meeting of the Coltishall Task Group on 26 March 2010.
8.3 Larger / Quality Councils meeting
The Clerk reported on her attendance at this meeting, which heard an address by the Leader of Norfolk County Council on improved working arrangements between the three tiers of local government.
9. VILLAGE MAINTENANCE & HIGHWAY MATTERS
9.1 White Lining, Sewell Road
Councillor Partridge outlined the problems experienced with cars parked opposite gateways. She would speak to her neighbours to see if there would be support for a request to Highways for white lining, as in Church Close.
9.2 Footpath, Manor Close to Brook Street
The Clerk reported that he Order had been made and would be confirmed, subject to no representation or objection, on or after 16 April 2010.
9.3 Community Speed Watch Signs
The Clerk reported that the new signs bearing the parish name (Lamas spelt with one ‘M’) were being installed during March.
As the Council had recently paid for a parish name sign to be erected on Stratton Road it had not been part of this tranche of sign changes. However, the new design would be installed as soon as practicable.
9.4 Any Other Village Maintenance & Highway Matters
The Clerk would report that part of the fencing at the Back Lane entrance to the Dell was broken.
10. BALAY PARK
10.1 Update
The security lighting had been repaired, and the motorbike inhibitor delivered. The Clerk had asked a contractor who had previously worked on the site if he would be prepared to install it.
A BALAY Park committee meeting would be held on Wednesday 14 April at 6.30pm.
10.2 Request to purchase strip of land
Mr Blake of Crown Road had again asked if he could purchase a strip of land at the southern end of the Park to gain access to the rear of his property in order to construct specialist facilities for a disabled family member.
The Clerk had spoken to the Area Planning Manager regarding the likelihood of planning permission being granted for such a development, given that a precedent would be created for the other properties in Crown Road with equally large gardens, and his opinion was not favourable towards the proposal. However, he had advised that Mr Blake ensure that he had exhausted all the help and advice offered by Broadland District Council for the accommodation of the family member. The Clerk was instructed to respond to Mr Blake along these lines.
11. REPORT FROM DISTRICT COUNCILLOR
District Council Rix reported that she had attended the SNAP meeting held on 22 February, at which it was confirmed that officers would stay in their designations for 2 years to ensure continuity. Current priorities centred on speeding and anti-social behaviour issues.
The planning department of Broadland District Council had asked Parish Councils to be vigilant and report any suspected non –compliance with planning conditions, so that officers could investigate at the earliest opportunity.
She commented on the inability of Broadland District Council to send a photographer to events such as the opening of the BALAY Park, but thanked Mr Powell for taking photographs on the day.
She had attended a meeting of the Environmental Excellence Board on 17 March, which heard a presentation on the extension of the food waste recycling scheme in Broadland. She would be attending a training course on energy in the near future.
There being no further business the Chairman closed the meeting at 9.28pm
© Buxton with Lamas Parish Council