Draft Minutes of the meeting of Carbrooke Parish Council
held on 9 November 2015 at Blenheim Grange Community Cabin
Present Cllrs D Muller (Chair), E Buscall, D Fishlock, J Nind, P Sampher, M Wormall.
In attendance N Hartley (Parish Clerk). Cllr J Rogers (Breckland Council). Two members of the public.
1. Apologies
Cllr N Webster, who had a prior engagement.
2. To receive declarations of interests
Cllrs Nind, Sampher and Wormall in any matters relating to Blenheim Grange. Cllr Muller in any matters relating to Millennium Green and the village website. Cllr Fishlock in any matters relating to Maid Marian.
3. To agree the minutes of the meeting held on 13 October 2015
It was resolved to approve and sign the minutes as a true and accurate record.
4. Matters arising
None.
5. Public Participation
There were no matters discussed.
6. Finance
a. Current balances
Current Account £16,538.68 Business Tracker Account £63,962.93
b. Payments made and approved in accordance with the budget
Chq 101015 N Hartley, clerk’s salary to October 2015, £415.62
101016 Thinking Rural CIC, payroll services, £24
101017 NALC, briefing course on Transparency Code, £15
101018 CAB, donation towards running costs, £50
Direct Debit Veolia, waste collection, £30.48
Direct Debit Veolia, waste collection, £22.86
Direct Debit Veolia, waste collection, £45.72
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c. Payments Received
HMRC, VAT refunded, £697.24
Breckland Council, grant for play area, £3,380
7. Transfer of Open Spaces at Blenheim Grange
A resolution was passed to sign the two transfers of land at Blenheim Grange. Cllrs Buscall and Sampher signed the documents, witnessed by the clerk.
8. Appointment of Responsible Financial Officer
The clerk was appointed Responsible Financial Officer to the Council.
9. Financial Regulations and Standing Orders
The Financial Regulations and Standing Orders were approved.
10. Risk Assessment report
The Risk Assessment report was approved, with an assessment of the management of the Village Hall to be added.
11. Transparency Code funding
It was agreed to apply for funding to purchase a laptop to the value of £350 in order to help the Council comply with the new Transparency Code regulations.
12. Grass cutting in Carbrooke churchyard
Tenders were received from Gary Lake, Heart of Oak and Aon Services. It was agreed to accept the quote of Gary Lake, as he was the least expensive. The clerk will check that the PCC wants the Parish Council to cut the grass in the churchyard.
It was noted that Mr Lake has a three year contract starting in 2015 to cut Millennium Green. It was also noted that the annual insurance premium for the Green is around £900.
Mr Lake is to maintain the Open Spaces at Blenheim Grange. It was agreed to request a reduced rate if he will cut the grass at Millennium Green, the churchyard, the front of the Village Hall, Beech Tree and the Open Spaces at Blenheim Grange.
Under new Transparency rules, it is preferable that the Parish Council pays the bills, rather than handing sums of money to each individual group.
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13. Parish Council Budget 2016/17 and Precept
The Council requested further information. The Budget will be finalised at the Council’s December meeting and the Precept will be set.
14. Community Centre at Lancaster Avenue
The Council was shown plans for a proposed Community Centre. The developer, Westmere Homes, proposes to build a community centre in lieu of providing social housing. The Council’s preference is for the one storey building, as it is better in terms of childcare facilities and disabled access.
Westmere will shortly be submitting a planning application for one hundred new homes. The clerk was asked to find out the amount of Section 106 money that may be available in terms of the development. The Council discussed whether there would be any money available to redevelop the Village Hall and for other village projects.
15. Carbrooke Village Hall
After being asked by the Village Hall Committee to take over the running of the Village Hall, the Parish Council is now in the process of sorting out its finances and daily management. It was proposed that the Village Hall constitution needed to be amended so that it could be run more effectively in the future and so that there was a closer relationship between the Parish Council, as owner and Custodian Trustee of the Village Hall, and the Management Committee. The Parish Council agreed to look at this and the clerk was asked to obtain a model constitution.
With regard to the Village Hall’s finances, it was agreed to ask Fiona Gilbert, who has been auditing the books, to return all financial papers to the Parish Council and to ask the Council’s Internal Auditor, Mr D Harrow, if he will audit the books.
The Council is currently waiting for Barclays Bank to amend the bank mandate.
It was agreed to consider the cost of a gate at the front of the hall at the next meeting.
The Pre-school had requested use of an additional part of the hall. It was agreed that this part of the hall could be used for other purposes and that if the Council agreed, it would not be available on a regular basis to other users of the hall.
It was noted that all users of the hall need to be billed for the time they are in the hall.
16. Village Reports
Blenheim Grange. It was noted that the Residents Association had asked the Spar shop for more litter bins and that two sites had been agreed. The Spar shop has agreed to change the signs on the front of the shop to Spar Carbrooke. It was noted with regard to topping off the roads that the consortium is still resolving who will pay for the work.
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Millennium Green. A new easy access latch has been fixed to the gate to improve access. A new maze is under construction.
17. Correspondence
None.
18. Planning
a. Applications considered
Mr J Mead, Carbrooke Service Station, Church Street
Residential development of three dwellings
The Council objected on the grounds that the proposed development would worsen traffic congestion and that it would spoil the community space of Millennium Green and the Village Hall. The Council objected to the number of houses on the site.
Mr A Talbot, Brakeshill Lodge Farm, access from Shipdham Road
Two storey extension to form kitchen, dining room on ground floor and ensuite bedroom on first floor.
No objection.
Mr D Watts, Dove Barn, Summer Lane,
Two new dwellings
The Council objected to the proposal. The Council does not believe the site is within the development boundary. The clerk was asked to check. It was noted that the proposed site is an arable field, not infill. It further noted the site is dangerously positioned at a junction/corner and therefore not sustainable. It was also considered that there is no need for more land in the parish to be lost to additional houses owing to significant development elsewhere.
There being no further business, the meeting was closed at 9.30pm.
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