GREAT MASSINGHAM PARISH COUNCIL
7.30pm – 8.55 pm, Monday 18th April 2016
Village Hall Great Massingham
Minutes
Present:
Victor Cross
Sue Nash
Andrew Bickerton
Olaf Brun
Liz Foster
Gillian Goold
Malcolm Hipkin
Jill Whitmore
Mike Tilbury (Borough Councillor)
Kevin Webb (Clerk and minutes)
One parishioner
1 Declarations of Interest - None
2 Apologies for Absence – K. Wadham and J. Dobson (County Councillor)
3 Confirmation of any part of the minutes that is exempt under the
Freedom of Information Act
4 Minutes of the meeting held on 21st March 2016:
All agreed that the minutes be signed as a true copy with an amendment that the meeting finished at 8.44 p.m., not 9.34 p.m.
(Proposed by Mr. Bickerton and seconded by Mr. Hipkin)
5 Matters arising from minutes
a) The Chairman had received a response from Sir Henry Bellingham regarding Housing
Association tenants’ right to buy. This requires clarification and the Chairman will draft
a reply.
b) Mrs. Nash and the Chairman had attended a meeting with Karen Creed and four of her helpers. It had been useful to clarify the Parish Council’s views, e.g. that occasional fund-raising events should be held. A tuck shop was being considered and it was felt that encouragement should be given to the young people to participate in village activities.
c) Rubbish behind the Summerwood Estate has not been moved. The Clerk will chase Savills.
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d) With regard to the removal of roots from the pond on Weasenham Road, Mr. Brun is to obtain quotations.
e) Cambridge Building Society can only offer an account with a gross interest rate of 0.5%. Skipton Building Society can provide a fixed bond for one year with a rate of 1.4%. A request will be made to Cambridge Building Society to return the matured funds to the Parish Council’s Bank account. An investment will then be made with Skipton Building Society. The amount will be confirmed at the next meeting.
f) Concern grows over the vehicle repair business being run from 35 Sunnyside Road, The Clerk has sent letters to the owner of the business, the owners of the house and the Borough Council. The position will continue to be closely monitored.
g) It was agreed that the Allotments Association could have a stall on 19th June when the Open Gardens event will be held.
h) A reply has finally been received from the PCSO regarding the reduced service. A letter
is to be sent to all Parish Councils by the police to address some of the issues.
(i) Mrs. Nash is to arrange for a number of the Queen’s 90th birthday commemorative
medals to be purchased.
(j) The potholes previously identified have been repaired.
6 Petty Cash facility and the purchase of stamps
The Clerk currently spends about £100 per year from own resources to purchase stamps
and items of stationery (e.g. ink cartridges, envelope and paper) on behalf of the Parish
Council. These funds are subsequently repaid after the submission of a claim form to the
Parish Council meeting. The Clerk asked if members would be prepared to sanction a
small Petty Cash facility to enable Parish Council items to be purchased without him
having to utilise his own monies. Mrs. Nash was opposed to this suggestion and, after
some discussion, the Clerk withdrew the request. The purchase of stamps (and other
items) will, therefore, remain unchanged with the Clerk initially utilising his own funds
for purchases.
7 Ducks
The Chairman and Mr. Bickerton said that CGM are prepared to assist with controlling
ducks by way of a relocation strategy. Further details and a quotation are to be obtained.
The Clerk is to write a letter to CGM after it has been drafted by the Chairman.
8 Planning
(i) Mr. and Mrs. G. Fanneran – new garage extension – La Casa Di Limone. 2 Mill Lane, Great Massingham (16/00276/F) – permission granted
(ii) West Heath Farm, Great Massingham – extensions and alterations and construction of new
garage and carports (16/00184/F) – permission granted
(iii) Great Massingham Village Hall, Great Massingham – construction of pavilion and small
store for bowls club (16/00092/F) – permission granted
9 Report from Borough Councillor
The new bus service has commenced. The availability of broadband has been taken up by
Mr. Dobson at the County Council and a working party has been set up in an attempt to
improve the situation. Devolution involving Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire is on the
agenda with the position of Mayor apparently being compulsory.
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10 Correspondence
1) CPRE Field Work magazine – Spring 2016
2) CPRE Countryside Voice magazine – Spring 2016
3) UK Power Networks – inventory of unmetered supplies (Clerk to obtain copy)
4) Borough Council’s proposed main modifications to the site allocations and development management policies document (SADMP) – consultation
5) Norfolk CC – grass cutting agreement (continuation)
6) Came and Company – Spring Council Matters 2016
7) E-mail from K. Edgley regarding land on Walcup’s Lane allocated for residential development
8) Turbine update from Mr. and Mrs. Swallow (Chairman stressed that Mr. Brun did not attend the recent meeting on behalf of the Parish Council. Clerk to confirm this point)
11 Allotments
Mrs. Goold said that most of the money had been received. Any documents and remaining
funds will be collected before the next meeting.
12 Greens, fishing and streetlights
Mrs. Foster is to hand the bin liners to Mr. Bickerton.
13 General Maintenance
The problem with the drain near Cobwebs has been resolved. Mr. Brun said that the bank
of Malthouse Pond needs building up.
14 Village Incidents
Mrs. Goold said that someone is visiting the allotments in the early hours of the morning.
Anyone seeing this person will be advised to ring the police.
15 Items for the Mallard
None
16 Highway Matters
Mrs. Nash is to report, via the hotline, a pothole on Castle Acre Road.
17 Financial Matters
Expenditure
18/4/16 B & S Chains (Midlands) Ltd – chains and seats for swings £313.92
18/4/16 Norfolk ALC (annual subscription) £186.35
18/4/16 SSE (electricity for March street lighting) £21.15
18/4/16 K. & M. Lighting Services (maintenance – April) £69.36
18/4/16 Thinking Rural (payroll – Jan, Feb and March 2016) £12.00
18/4/16 Great Massingham Village Hall (meetings 0415 to 0316) £165.00
18/4/16 K. Creed (Youth Club – 22/3, 29/3 and 12/4) £140.00
(All in favour of above expenditure. Proposed by Mr. Hipkin and seconded by Mrs. Nash)
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Income
22/3/16 Fishing monies £111.90
12/4/16 Borough Council of KL and WN (precept) £12,500.00
12/4/16 Borough Council of KL and WN (central grant) £640.00
Balance (18/4/16):- £25,499.41 credit
18 Items for next Agenda
Play Park
19 Date of next meeting
Monday, 16th May 2016 (AGM at 7.00 p.m. and Parish Council meeting at 7.30 pm)
The meeting closed at 8.55 p.m.
Acceptance of minutes of the meeting held on 18th April 2016:
Signed as a definitive record of the meeting
……………………………… (Chair of the meeting) …………………… (Date
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