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LITCHAM | NORFOLK | LAUNDITCH HUNDRED B R E C K L A N D |
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Present: Mike
Oldfield (Chairman)
Les Raven
Mark Sheard
Chris Mitchell
Trevor Carter
John Relph (Clerk)
2 members of the public.
Open forum: A member of the public asked if it was possible
to make the school Tennis Courts available for use by the villagers.
She gave the example of Massingham where there are 'free' court
available to the public at any time. The Council replied that
they were trying to achieve this through the formation of a 'Parish
Tennis Club', although not free this does makes the School court
available to villagers for two hours on a Tuesday evening, however
it would be possible to arrange other times if the Council is
sure of sufficient uptake. The Tennis Courts are owned by the
school and they charge for their use by the general public, for
the Club's ten week trial period the School is charging the Council
£236.00. The matter will be considered further after the
club has run the initial ten week trial. The Council is keen to
hear from anyone else would use the Courts if they were made available.
1) Election
of Officers and Committees:
i) Mr. Mike Oldfield was unanimously re-elected to the post of
Chairman and duly completed and signed Declarations of Acceptance
of Office.
ii) In his absence Mr. Roy Payne was unanimously re-elected to
the post of Vice-Chairman.
Clerk will send a Declarations of Acceptance of Office for completion
by the next meeting.
2) Apologies: Apologies were received from Roy Payne
and Claire Lawrence (Vice Chair).
3) Minutes of the meeting held on the 20th of March
were agreed and signed as a accurate record of that meeting.
4) Declarations of Interest:
i) No declarations by Councillors in any of the agenda items
listed below were received.
ii)Signed Annual Reviews of Declaration of Interests were received
from all Councillors present.
5) To set up and elect Committees.
i) The Planning Committee was confirmed as Mark Sheard,
Roy Payne, Clare Lawrence and Mike Oldfield, (Chairman).
ii) It was resolved to continue the Process Work-group.
This consists of Mark Sheard, Trevor Carter and the Clerk.
iii) It was resolved to continue the Website Work-group.
This consists of Mark Sheard, Roy Payne and the Clerk.
iv) It was agreed that the four cheque signatories would form
the Finance Committee. These being Roy Payne, Mike Oldfield,
Chris Mitchell and Trevor Carter.
6) Representatives of Council to other bodies.
i) Mike Oldfield was appointed as the Council representative
for the Litcham Common Management Committee.
ii) Mark Sheard was appointed as the Council representative for
Play2000
iii) Mike Oldfield was appointed as the Council representative
for the Litcham Relief in Need Charity
7) Inspection of Council Assets:
i) The Asset Register was inspected by the Council and it
was agreed that the document be approved by the council once Long
Meadow and the Streetlights had been valued by qualified persons.
Clerk will arrange valuations.
ii) The deeds to Long Meadow were inspected and it was agreed
that the land be valued at an estimated cost of £50+VAT.
It was further agreed, as recommended by the NCAPTC, that the
land should be registered.
8) Inspection of Insurance Policies. The Insurance
Schedule was inspected by the Council and it was noted that it
included £10,000 of Fidelity Insurance and £5,000,000
of Public Liability Insurance. The Council deemed this to be adequate
to cover the Council present activities. Insurance of the streetlights
was considered and deemed unnecessary considering the cost and
that none of the Council could remember an incident that could
have led to a claim.
9) Financial Risks: the Financial Risks Assessment
proposed by the Process Work-group was duly considered and accepted
by the Council and signed by the Chairman and Clerk.
10) Reports:
i) Parish Appraisal - The Appraisal has gone to Everretts
of Dereham for printing and should be ready soon. A grant of £393
has been received from NRCC and Breckland will provide a further
£402.75 funds on receipt of an invoice. Cost to council
will be just £43.25p.
ii) The Parish Tennis Club will start on 16th May. The
club will run for 10 weeks, from 6 pm until 8 pm every Tuesday
night except for Whitsun half-term week (May 30th), finishing
on the 18th of July. A fee of £2 per adult and £1
per child will be charged to help offset the hire costs.
iii)Heritage Maps: Breckland no longer do these but
will provide us with what information they can for the preparation
of new ones, (listed building etc.). Unfortunately they do not
have the originals as they were lost/destroyed during the move
to Elizabeth House.
iv) Graveyard Gate: Breckland have confirmed that they
have no problem with pedestrian access to the Graveyard extension
from Druids Lane and have given us permission to install a gate
in the current fence with some minor conditions. James Henderson
has quoted £330 for the job. The item is on the June agenda
of the PCC and will hopefully receive sympathetic consideration.
It has been suggested by the PCC that as a consequence of installing
the gate the path through the graveyard extension should be properly
defined and surfaced with gravel.
v) Jubilee Hall Trust: Clerk reported that Jonathan Boston
had informed him that the Trust is currently being scrutinised
by the Charity Commission.
11) Planning : two enforcements were noted:
i) Enforcement re: Litcham Hall 3PL/2001/1240/F and 3PL/2001/1241/LB
ii) Enforcement re: The Mill, Litcham Road, Mileham.
Applications received since the last meeting:
iii) P/C/3/2006/3016 (Norfolk County Council) - Punch Farm
Quarry: Re-cycling Facility.
The Council noted that the application states traffic will not
increase significantly but was concerned that lorries accessing
the site would pass through Litcham. A map sent with the application
shows both a route through Litcham and an alternative route south
round the back of Beeston which avoids populated areas. The Council
therefore recommended that lorries using the site were obliged
to travel along this southerly route to the A47 and not be permitted
to pass through Litcham.
iv) Application 3PL/2006/0610/O - Rose Cottage: Erection
of a Chalet Bungalow style property. This application was deemed
very similar to an application received last year which the Council
raised several objections to at the time. Nothing had changed
significantly and the Council recommended refusal on the same
grounds. It was also noted that an extra vehicular access point
to the site had been formed since the last application.
v) Application 3PL/2006/0610/O - Lawnswood, Rectory Meadow:
Kitchen Extension & Garden Games Room (wooden construction).
The applicant Mr. Paul Skinner attended the meeting but the Council
had no queries concerning this application. No objections or comments
were raised and the Council recommends acceptance.
12) Financial Business:
i) The end of year Financial Reconciliation for 2005-6 (31st March),
was received and duly signed by the Chairman and Clerk.
ii) The Financial Reconciliation for the year to date, (9th May),
was received and duly signed by the Chairman and Clerk.
iii) The receipt £7,500 from Breckland, being the first
installment of the precept was noted. Clerk reported that in order
to maximize interest £3000 had been transfer into the deposit
account.
iv) A review of the five year plan was presented by Mark Sheard.
No amendments were considered necessary.
Payments made:
v) three payments of £51.69 to Eon Electricity for street-lighting
power during February and March and April paid by direct debit
vi) to Clerk of £32.90 for renewal of Web hosting paid by
cheque No472.
vii) of £183.70p to Norfolk County Services for maintenance
of the Graveyard paid by cheque No.473.
viii) of £113.69 to NCAPTC for Subscription 2006/7 paid
by cheque No.474
ix) The sum of £50 was paid to Mr. F. Feeke for cleaning
of the village sign paid by cheque No.475.
13) Correspondence: the following has been received
since the last meeting:-
i) Breckland:
a) Evacuation Centre. It was suggested that the Methodist
Chapel be put forward for consideration by Breckland Council as
a designated Rest/Evacuation Centre.
b) Clean Neighbourhood Act: Street Scene Conference 5.30pm 6th
July Dereham.
c) Bird Flu - Practical Advice (posted on Village notice board).
d) Events & Activities: This booklet will no longer be published
in hard copy. In future it will only be distributed electronically
through the internet. Breckland feel this is more efficient and
will have a wider reach.
e) Standards Committee - Agenda 25th April & Minutes 28th
Feb.
f) Homelessness Strategy Review.
ii) NCC. Highways Organisational Review, the new point
of contact Jason Glasspoole (Watton Depot). The Clerk had already
been in touch and requested any problems from the Council. Several
pot holes and pavement break problems were noted. Clerk will liaise
with Highways to get these problems sorted.
iii) NCAPTC - Planning conference 15th June (£15)
& Newsletter & new handbook
iv) DEFRA - getting to grips with Clean Neighbourhood Act.
v) CPRE - Workshop 5th October "The LDF - Getting
the best for your Community" (£25)
vi) Norfolk Constabulary - Amalgamation, Strategic Forces
and Neighbourhood Policing.
vii) Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: Bylaws, A Discussion
Paper
viii) Mr. & Mrs. N. J. Housden, Blenheim House re: Hedge
14) Items for the Next Agenda.
i) Heritage Maps.
ii) Health and Safety Committee.
iii) New Chairs for Jubilee Hall.
iv) Play area.
v) Revision of Clerk's Salary
15) The date and time of next meeting was confirmed
as Monday 18th JULY in the Jubilee Hall.
Meeting Closed at 9.40 p.m.