GREAT MASSINGHAM PARISH COUNCIL
7.30pm – 9.28 pm, Monday 19th March, 2018
Village Hall Great Massingham
Minutes
Present:
Victor Cross (Chairman)
Sue Nash (Vice Chairman)
Olaf Brun
Liz Foster
Gillian Goold
Malcolm Hipkin
Mick Wingell
Stuart Dark (County Councillor)
Kevin Webb (Clerk and minutes)
Three parishioners (including P. Ward)
1Declarations of Interest - None
2Apologies for Absence – C. Boyden and T. Tilbrook (Borough Councillor)
3Confirmation of any part of the minutes that is exempt under the
Freedom of Information Act
4Minutes of the meeting held on 19th February, 2018:
All agreed that the minutes be signed as a true copy. (Proposed by Mr. Hipkin and seconded by Mrs. Foster)
5Village Hall Update (Chair of Trustees, Philip Ward)
Following the unsuccessful application to obtain funding of £100K from the National
Lottery, Mr. Ward gave details of an alternative refurbishment plan which would deliver
the key objectives set out in the original project. It is the intention for the revised design to
provide a safer drive, a well equipped kitchen, refurbished toilets with disabled access, an
improved appearance by re-roofing the “lambing yard” and rendering much of the front of
the building and new signs.
Mr. Ward stressed that large grants are now very difficult to obtain. Mrs. Nash suggested
that parishioners should be asked if they would like to assist with the project as she felt that
there were a number of people in the village with appropriate skills who may wish to help.
Mr. Ward agreed to give this full consideration.
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The total cost of the new project is £133.8K and it is planned to raise various sums
amounting to £58.8K from grants, local groups, fund-raising and donations. The Parish
Council are requested to provide the remaining £75K. Mr. Wingell proposed, seconded by Mrs. Goold, that this sum should be pledged. All in favour except Mr. Hipkin and Mrs. Nash who abstained.
6Report from County Councillor
Mr. Dark advised that the County budget had been agreed with Council tax being increased
by 5.99%. The sum of £120m needs to be saved over the next four years. The mobile
library service is currently being reviewed. Plans for the installation of average speed
cameras on the A149 have been stopped.
7 Matters arising from minutes
a) A meeting in respect of the anomaly in the Walcup’s Lane addresses is to be held between
2nd and 19th April. The Chairman and Vice Chairman are to attend.
b) The regular flooding near Cobwebs seems to have abated. No action will be taken at this time but the position will be monitored. CGM will be advised accordingly.
8Church Meter Reading
Mrs. Nash said that a meter reading has not yet been obtained.
9Parking signs on Abbey Road and a village well information board
Mrs. Nash had obtained a quotation for three “no parking” signs from Steward Safety
Supplies of Fakenham at a cost of £75 per post. All in favour of proceeding. It was agreed
that further information was required with regard to the wording for the village well sign.
10Christmas lights on the green and tree trimming
Mr. Wingell said that there was £350 in the Christmas tree and lights Bank account. He is to establish where the equipment is and a piece is to be placed in the Mallard seeking volunteers.
11Parish land at Charles Dewar Close
It is understood that there is no chance of social housing being built on the remaining
parish land. Mr. Wingell stressed that a decision will have to be made at some stage
whether the land is to be sold. In the meantime, it was agreed by all to complete and
submit a Call for Sites form to the Borough Council.
12Mike Tilbury Award 2019
Mr. Bickerton had asked if any current members could oversee the nominations for 2019.
Mrs. Nash and Mr. Wingell volunteered.
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13Request for a Deed of Easement from the owners of Bluebell Cottage
A letter had been received from Ward Gethin Archer, Solicitors of Dereham on behalf of
their clients, Mr. and Mrs. Baker, who are the owners of Bluebell Cottage, 10 Weasenham
Road which they wish to sell. The Register of Title makes reference to a Licence dated
28th May, 1974 which relates to rights of way over the driveway fronting the property. This
document cannot be traced and it is believed to probably have been archived. The buyer’s
solicitors are insisting on a Deed of Easement for access to the property over the particular
land and a draft has been submitted to the Parish Council for consideration. It was agreed
by all that this document needed to be referred to the Parish Council’s solicitors, Kenneth
Bush of King’s Lynn, for advice. Mrs. Nash is to contact them. Ward Gethin Archer have
been advised that any costs incurred will need to be paid by their clients.
14Planning
Applications:
a) Land west of 119 Summerwood Estate (17/02131/F) – application permitted
b) Dining room extension at 124 Station Road (18/00479/F) – no objections
Determinations:
a) Land west of 119 Summerwood Estate (17/02131/F) – see 14 a) above
15Correspondence
1) Clerks and Councils Direct magazine for March, 2018
2) Draft Norfolk Access Improvement Plan – consultation
3) Police crime update – February, 2018
4) Community Speedwatch – February updates
5) SNAP minutes for meeting of 10/1/18
6) Highway rangers – report of work carried out on last visit
7) Mobile fish and chip van and parking on the village green
8) Parish Council Networking Event at King’s Lynn on 10/4/18 (VC & SN to attend)
9) Letter from Mrs. Jane Blackburn re her late mother and a possible memorial
10) Request for donation from Norfolk Accident Rescue Service (decision to be made in January on annual review)
11) East Rudham Post Office mobile van service
12) Norfolk Parish training and Support – training with a focus on finance
13) Skipton Building Society – changes to terms and conditions
14) Parish Partnership application agreed – total value £3,417
15) Letter from A. Bickerton regarding the clearance of the pond on Weasenham Road
16) Notification by Borough Council of new property addresses – 7 to 8 Rectory Row changes to 7 and 8 Rectory Row, Sandy Lane, Great Massingham
16Allotments
The AGM has been held and there are two new members. All monies have been paid
except for three holders.
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17Greens, fishing and streetlights
Fishing has now stopped until 16th June. Moles are proving troublesome on the village
green and the Chairman will contact Houghton Hall with a view to locating a catcher. It
was agreed that the mobile fish and chip van could continue to park on the green whilst
providing food.
18General Maintenance
Nothing to report
19Village Incidents
Nothing to report
20Items for the Mallard and Website
None
21Highway Matters
Mrs. Nash is to report some potholes via the hotline on the County Council website.
22Financial Matters
Expenditure
19/3/18 SSE (street light electricity for February) £46.10
19/3/18 K. & M. Lighting Services (maintenance – March) £76.67
19/3/18 C. Whitmore (19 weeks – Village Hall work) £189.00
19/3/18 K. Creed (Youth Club – 3 weeks) £150.00
19/3/18 KN&WN Borough Council (dog waste collection for year) £576.58
19/3/18 K. Webb (Clerk’s pay for January, February and March) £1,052.44
19/3/18 HMRC (tax on Clerk’s pay) £263.00
19/3/18 Community Action Norfolk (annual subscription) £50.00
19/3/18 K. Webb (expenses from 19/9/17 to 31/3/18) £70.65
Acceptance of expenditure approved by all. (Proposed by Mr. Hipkin and seconded by Mrs. Nash)
Income
None
Balance (9/3/18):-£26,609.71 credit
The Clerk advised that a national increase of 2% has been made to local council employees, (including town and parish clerks), effective from 1st April, 2018. In addition, a further 2% is to
be applied with effect from 1st April, 2019.
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23Items for next Agenda
None
24Date of next meeting
Monday, 16th April, 2018 at 7.30 pm
The meeting closed at 9.15 p.m.
Acceptance of minutes of the meeting held on 19th March, 2018:
Signed as a definitive record of the meeting
……………………………… (Chair of the meeting) …………………… (Date
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