Allotments, Cemetery & Commons Committee Meeting

23rd January 2018

MINUTES OF THE ALLOTMENTS, CEMETERY AND COMMONS COMMITTEE MEETING HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, TOWN HALL, SHERINGHAM, ON TUESDAY 23rdJANUARY, 2018, AT 8PM.

PRESENT:The Chairman – Cllr M Hill

The Vice Chairman – Cllr McGinn B.E.M

Cllrs Bush, Cox, Fields, Gooch,Withington andWorboys

Cllr Poberefsky in Attendance

Honourable Warden

Representative from WRAHA

The Deputy Clerk and Clerical Assistant

1.APOLOGIES: Cllr Smith gave apologieswhich were relayed and accepted.

2.DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST RELATING TO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA:Cllr Worboys and Cllr Bush declared interests – they are both Allotment Tenants.

Members were reminded of the adoption of the updated standing orders as from 9th January 2018, in which item 13 (b) states:

Unless he has been granted a dispensation, a Councillor or non-Councillor with voting rights shall withdraw from a meeting when it is considering a matter in which he has a disclosable pecuniary interest. He may return to the meeting after it has considered the matter in which he had the interest.

The Deputy Clerk notified members of the advice given by The Clerk and the Head of Legal Services at NNDC.

Cllr Cox raised a point of order that STC should not ignore the new standing orders.

Cllr Worboys left the meeting.

IT WAS AGREED to take item 7 – Allotment Matters last in order for Cllr Bush to leave the meeting.

3.ITEMS REQUIRING A RESOLUTION UNDER THE PUBLIC BODIES (ADMISSION TO MEETINGS ACT 1960) TO EXCLUDE THE PRESS AND PUBLIC UNDER SECTION 3 (D) OF STANDING ORDERS: There were no Items requiring a Resolution under Standing Order 3 (d) on this occasion.

4.TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 19TH SEPTEMBER, 2017: The Minutes of the Meeting having been circulated, Cllr CoxPROPOSED acceptance of the Minutes of the Meeting held on 19th September, 2017, seconded by Cllr Gooch. IT WAS AGREED.

5.RESOLUTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING FOR UPTO 15 MINUTES FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK ON MATTERS RELATING TO BUSINESS BEING TRANSACTED AT THIS MEETING:There were no Members of the Public present on this occasion.

6. CEMETERY MATTERS:

(A)TO RECEIVE REPORT FROM CEMETERY INSPECTION: Members had discussed a suggested location for the Civilian War Memorial.

Cllr Gooch requested the former Flagpoles currently stored in the car park need to be moved to a suitable location.

(B) WOODLAND BURIAL FEASIBILITY STUDY:Members were informed that a proposed local Woodland Burial site is intended to go ahead subject to planning permission. IT WAS AGREED to defer this item to the next meeting pending the outcome of the planning application.

7.COMMONS MATTERS:

(A) TO RECEIVE THE HONOURABLE WARDENS REPORT:The Honourable Warden presented his report – a copy of which is annexed hereto. Cllr Gooch PROPOSED recommending to the Full Council to authorise the hire of the Avant machine at the cost of £388.80 inc vat; and fuel at 65p per litre, with funds to come from the Commons budget, seconded by Cllr Cox. IT WAS AGREED.

(B) REQUEST FROM CIRCUS FANTASIA TO HIRE TOP COMMON FOR TWO WEEKS DURING LATE JULY AND EARLY AUGUST 2018:

Cllr Cox PROPOSED informing Circus Fantasia that STC fees will be £200.00 per operating day with a £500 up-front bond to ensure the Common is left in good condition, seconded by Cllr McGinn. IT WAS AGREED.

(C) REQUEST FROM FUNFAIR TO HIRE TOP COMMON FOR 23RD/26TH MAY 2018: Cllr Cox PROPOSED informing Gray’s Funfair that STC accepts the request to use the Top Common from 23rd to 26th May 2018 subject to the same terms as last year, fees will be £200.00 per operating day with a £500 up-front bond, seconded by Cllr McGinn. IT WAS AGREED.

(D) REGISTRATION OF BEESTON BACK COMMON: The Deputy Clerk relayed the contents of a letter from STC’s Solicitor explaining it is still possible to proceed with the registration of part of the Common which was erroneously omitted during the registration process by NCC. She explainedthe Clerkhas responded to STC’s Solicitors and has asked them to progress with the completion of the process of registration.

(E)REPORT ON COMPLETED WINTER WORKS AT SSSI COMMON – CLLR HILL: The Chairman reported a good job has been carried out on the Common to clear the gorse on the central marsh. The Honourable Warden stated that use of the machine should help clear the ruts.

Cllr Bush left the meeting.

8.ALLOTMENT MATTERS:

(A)TO RECEIVE REPORT FROM ALLOTMENT ASSOCIATION REPRESENTATIVE:The WRAHA Representative submitted a report which was relayed to the meeting – copy annexed hereto. Cllr Gooch PROPOSED the office staff forward the Allotment Association Representative a schedule of meetings and states that inspections are usually the Thursday prior to an ACC Committee meeting, seconded by Cllr Withington. IT WAS AGREED.

(B)TO RECEIVE ALLOTMENT INSPECTION REPORT: Members were furnished with the allotment inspection report. Cllr Cox PROPOSED acceptance of the allotment inspection report; Cllr Fields seconded. IT WAS AGREED.

(C)RESPONSE FROM ALLOTMENT TENANT PLOT 7: The Deputy Clerk read a letter from the tenant of plot 7 requesting permission to retain the structure of a fence/gate to the entrance of the allotment. It wasnoted during the inspection that the fence/gate had since been removed. Following discussions Cllr Cox PROPOSED STC sends a letter to the tenant thanking them for the removal and informing them that due to their written request, on this occasion they are permitted to reinstate the gate/fence on the basis that it does not exceed 3 feet in height; seconded by Cllr Withington. IT WAS AGREED.

(D)TO DISCUSS ADDITIONAL DIP TANKS: Cllr Cox PROPOSED deferring this item to the next meeting with any costings handed into the office prior to the meeting, seconded by Cllr Gooch. IT WAS AGREED.

(E) UPDATE ON CARNIVAL STORAGE: The Deputy Clerk relayed to members a suggestion from the Carnival Association. Following a discussion Cllr Gooch PROPOSED STC writes to the Landowner of the former storage unit and enquire if he would be prepared to sell or lease STC the building and for the site to be fenced-off from the former allotment site for use by the Carnival Association, seconded by Cllr Cox. IT WAS AGREED. After further discussion Cllr Withington PROPOSED STC writes to the Carnival Association to inform them of STC’s actions and to ask the CA if they would remove the container from the existing site, seconded by Cllr Cox. IT WAS AGREED.

9.DATE OF NEXT MEETING:10th April 2018.

The meeting closed at 9.07pm.

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