Minutes of the Deopham and Hackford Parish Council Meeting
in the Gralix Hall on Wednesday 9th January 2013
Present :
Councillors : Martin Skidmore (Chair) John Chilvers
Jackie Phoenix (Vice Chair) Jayne Allan Chris Coath
Parish Clerk: Rowena Harkness
Parishioners: Mr and Mrs Crowe, Cllr. Yvonne Bendle, Marie Stoppard
1. Apologies - Mark Howard, Cllr. Steve Dorrington,
2. Declarations of Interest in items on the agenda
2.1 Jackie Phoenix declared an interest in the planning application – 1 Hardingham Road, Hackford.
3. Minutes of Previous Meeting
3.1 The minutes of the meeting held on 12th December 2012 were agreed as a correct record.
Proposed Jackie Phoenix, seconded Jayne Allan
4. Co-option to Parish Council Vacancy
4.1 Marie Stoppard who lives in Deopham Green has expressed an interest in becoming a Parish Councillor to fill the vacancy. She was welcomed as an observer to the meeting and will be co-opted at the February meeting – should she still wish to be!
5. Matters Arising
5.1 The Parish Clerk has had no response to the article in the NET asking if anyone living in the Parish is interested in getting involved in leading the project to consider providing a new village hall on the playing field. However, thanks to Yvonne Bendle, the Neighbourhood Officer from South Norfolk has met the Chairman and Parish Clerk at the Playing Field hut and suggested that the Parish Council submit an application to the Neighbourhood panel for funding for the floor and kitchen area.
6. Correspondence
6.1 Steve Dorrington, in his e.mail sending apologies for the meeting, asked if the Parish has any projects to put forward to Norfolk County Council re Delivering Local Highway Improvements in partnership with Town and Parish Councils. The Parish Clerk will let him know that there are no ideas for projects at present because the main issue that affects Deopham is speeding traffic but projects cannot be related to speed limits. The projects should be small one off projects such as footways, trods and improvements to public rights of way. She will also tell him that the issue of matched funding from its budget/precept or raising it from other grants/pots of money would also prove very difficult as the Parish has so little money. John Chilvers asked about grit bins, particularly for the corner of Church Lane, Hackford. The Parish Clerk will find out if they have to be bought by the Parish Council.
6.2 The Parish Clerk has received an e.mail from Max White a 13 year old boy from Stalland Lane regarding having a small skatepark in Deopham for teenage boys. It was agreed that the Parish Clerk will reply and explain that the cost of building even a small skate park is very high and more moneythan the Parish Council has. Also because Deopham is avery small village - there are probably onlyabout 5 teenagers who woulduse it and becausethere are already skateparks in Hingham and Wymondham nobody will agree to give grants and/ormoney to build one in Deopham.Sothe answer at this timehas to be no to a skatepark in Deopham
6.3 There was no other correspondence for circulation.
7. Finance
7.1 The account balances as at 18/12/2012 were £447.55 in the current and £1496.51 in the
deposit. There are no outstanding cheques or payments made and so these are the reconciled balances.
7.2 The payment of £481.42 to the Parish Clerk for salary and expenses for October 1st 2012 – December 31st 2012 was approved. Proposed John Chilvers, seconded Jackie Phoenix.
7.3 The payment of £31.03 to Anglian Water for the Playing Field water supply for June – Dec 2012 was approved. Proposed John Chilvers, seconded Jackie Phoenix.
7.4 The payment of £150 to High Oak Parochial Church Council for contribution towards the upkeep of the graveyard/churchyard at Deopham & Hackford churches was approved. Proposed Jackie Phoenix, seconded John Chilvers.
7.5 The transfer of £400 from the deposit to the current account was approved. Proposed Martin Skidmore, seconded John Chilvers.
7.6 The financial projections to 31/3/13 and the budget estimates for 2013/14 had been
circulated. They show that the projected spend is approx. £4957 and that income will be approx £4520 so the deficit will be approx £437. This means the balance to carry over into financial year 2013/14 will be approx £1600.
The budget estimates for 2013/14 are prepared using actual figures where known – eg grass cutting contract – and where figures are not known a 10% increase on the previous years budget is allowed. The budget/estimates show that the Parish Council will need approx. £5200 for the year. The projected income from the hire of the field (if the hire charges and usage remain the same as 2012/13) is approx £800 and other income (VAT & bank interest!) is £250 so all income = £ 1050. So the amount of money needed from the precept process is £4150 approx.
The precept is the money collected by South Norfolk Council through the Council Tax and given to the Parish Council. For the past 3 years the Parish Council has set its precept at £3500 and £3000 for the 3 years before that.
However this year it has all changed due to the Government changing the way that Council Tax benefit is paid to claimants – which will have the effect of changing the number of households that are included in the calculation for the share of council tax and parish council precept. The tax base for the Parish has been set by SNC at 190 (23 less than last year). The Government is paying a grant to District Councils to minimise the effect of the changes and South Norfolk Council have agreed to supplement this and so are giving the Parish Council a grant of £378.
The Parish Clerk circulated figures showing the implications of the Parish Council asking for a precept of:
a) £3622 (with the grant this would be £4000) and would mean a band D council tax charge of £19.06 – which will show on the council tax bill as a 16% increase.
b) £3122 (with the grant this would be £3500) and would mean a band D council tax charge of £16.43 – which is the same as last year and will show as a 0% increase
c) £3372 (with the grant this would be £3750) and would mean a band D council tax charge of £17.75 – which will show as a 8.03% increase.
After some discussion the point was made that if the budget estimates show the Parish Council needs an income of £4150, then the precept should be set at £3622. Proposed by Jayne Allan, seconded Chris Coath. It was also noted that this will still mean the budget will be £150 short.
The Parish Clerk was thanked for producing the figures and making it as clear as possible!
8. Planning
8.1 8.1 Hall Lane Farm, Hall Lane, Hackford, NR18 9HH – Installation of a single micro scale wind
turbine (App. No 2012/2236). After discussion it was agreed that the Parish Council have
no views or comments to make on this application.
8.2 Nicks Diner, Church Road, Deopham, Norfolk NR18 9DT – Extensions and alterations to
restaurant to form enlarged entrance and living accommodation (App. No. 2012/1180).
This is the application that had been previously discussed by the Parish Council in July and has now been changed/amended to include marked out car parking spaces and drainage proposals. After discussion it was agreed that the Parish Council had no comments to make on the proposals.
8.3 1 Hardingham Road, Hackford, NR9 4ED – Alterations to dwelling and erection of garage building and new access (App. No 2012/2253).
After discussion it was agreed that the application be recommended for approval.
9. Deopham Playing Field
9.1 John Chilvers has planted 4 more oak trees and cleared around the hedging.
9.2 The water has not yet been turned off but if there is a long period of freezing weather it will be. The Parish Clerk will check it.
10. Any Other Business
10.1 The problem was raised of dog owners still not clearing up after their dogs – even though there are now dog bins now provided. The Parish Clerk will try and get some stickers/signs asking people to clear up their dog mess.
11. Date of Next Meeting Wednesday 13th February 2013 - 7.30pm.
There being no further business the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 9.00pm.
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