HICKLING PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON
Monday, 12th January 2009, at 7.30pm in the Community Hall

PRESENT: CHAIRMAN: V TALLOWIN, VICE CHAIRMAN: H PURNELL
COUNCILLORS: M BUTCHER, G SMITH, M ELLIOTT, D PUGH,
R COOK, A RICH, I WATTON
DISTRICT COUNCILLOR: S PARTRIDGE

Clerk: Mrs S Sainsbury

7.15PM Public Participation - Vice Chairman H Purnell started the meeting as the Chairman sent her apologies as she would be late arriving.
The following point(s) were raised:

HEARA - Eric explained that the TV interview with a German company was cancelled due to the bad weather. He also keeps 'everyone' in the email loop so that 'powers to be' are aware that we have not let this issue lapse and we are still fighting for our right to be protected or compensated.
Eric hopes to get more publicity for our case and felt this was something NENPCG was lacking.
Ken said how much the letter supporting HEARA was appreciated and is very important for Hickling when 'flying its own flag'. No-one seems to have or want ultimate responsibility for the SMP although all have some responsibility. This 2009 will be a very important year due to the reports pending so we must keep this issue to the forefront. It was felt that NENCPG are doing a good job but maybe getting too large with problems different from Hickling, so although we will work with them we must not be swallowed up by them. Norman Lamb is arranging a national meeting in Westminster to which HEARA will be invited.

PCSO Jeanette Hawes and colleague arrived unexpectedly and it was decided to let them speak as they had a limited amount of time. She explained about the Stalham Safer Neighbourhood Team having a Crime Prevention Initiative from January 2009 with a base at Lathams from 24th Jan - 4th Feb.
The speeding issue was discussed and stated that Sgt K Wiseman has visited Heath Road on 2/3 occasions and will be visiting other areas of Hickling when he has the time. Jeanette will try for the SAM group to re visit Hickling at more appropriate times than the last visit.
She also would like us to 'team' up with other nearby villages for the Speed Watch scheme; it was decided to try again in the news sheet with different wording.
The chairman arrived at 7.40pm and resumed the chair.
.

8.05PM The Parish Council meeting commenced with no public participation -
The Chairman welcomed one parishioner.

1. APOLOGIES were received from Councillors K Moody, M Scott & County Councillor C Howe.

2. MINUTES OF LAST MEETING -
These were approved as circulated.

3. MATTERS ARISING - none

4. DECLARATION OF COUNCILLOR'S INTERESTS FOR THIS MEETING - none

5. CORRESPONDENCE -
a) Stalham & Happing - Festival 2009, to be advertised in February news sheet by Clerk.

b) Broads Authority - Minutes from the Upper Thurne Working Group 21 October notes include item on Hickling Wetland Restoration Project. The area known as Chapmans Broad near the NWT will be allowed to gradually flood over.

c) NNDC - Planning Matters in Relation to Town & Parish Councils, a trial period for 3 months on their internal staffing procedures will mean the weekly surgeries at Fakenham & N Walsham will be withdrawn for this period.

d) NNDC - Grass Verge cutting (see item 12)

e) NNDC - Full Agenda, nothing to report.

f) Norman Lamb MP - Copy of letter from him to Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP with regards to the Coastal Flooding issue.

g) Norfolk Police Authority - NPA Budget meeting 29th January at Wymondham. No one was available to attend.

h) Norfolk Police Authority - Information on Independent Custody Visiting Scheme whereby people visit detainees to ensure their basic rights are upheld. Clerk to include details in next news sheet and notice boards.

i) North Norfolk Community Partnership - Stakeholders Annual conference 26th February at Sheringham. No one is available to attend.

j) Norfolk Association of Local Councils - Copy of Business Plan booklet for 2008-2011, plus information on an Executive Vacancy. No one wished to apply.

k) NENPCG - Notes from meetings 13 Nov, 28 Nov & 10 Dec. Clerk to file.

l) NNDC - LDF North Norfolk Design Guide. Clerk to file for future reference.

m) Environment Agency - Coastlines News Letter Winter 2008.

n) NNDC - Norfolk Rural Demonstration Project - Green Derestriction signs to be erected on minor rural lanes. Implementation of signs scheduled for Feb/Mar 2009.
Clerk to enquire if we have any input into where these signs go.

o) NNDC - Annual Parish & Town Council Conference notes from 13 November.

p) NNDC - Coastal planning Workshop Minutes from 18 Nov. Clerk to file.

q) Norfolk County Council - Review of East of England Plan to 2031 update.

r) NRCC - Signpost News Letter. Information of cutting carbon footprints and various courses for councillors at Dereham. All agreed for Chairman & Clerk to attend training session on Writing Successful Funding Applications. Clerk to arrange.

s) Broadland Environmental Services (BESL) Ltd - Public Exhibition to be held at Acle on 7th April. Further information will be forwarded nearer the time.

t) Charles Birch - Allotments (see item 10)

u) R Donaldson - Copy of letter written to Highways regarding pot holes in Hickling.

v) NNDC - Confirmation of completed Section 106 Agreement. Clerk to keep on file.

w) NRCC - The Economic & Social Effects of the Credit Crunch on Rural Norfolk meeting to be held at Yaxham 29 Jan. No one is able to attend.

x) NENPCG - Update from Mr R Starling. Clerk to file.

6. TREASURER'S REPORT
a)

b) Budget to Date - Clerk apologised as she could not get this done in time but will be distributed before next meeting.

c) Budget 2009 - 2010 has been completed and distributed but the question was asked whether it should reflect any costs involved in the new building project.
Due to the full agenda this was deferred until next month.

d) Bank Accounts -
1. Clerk confirmed that the new Nat West account was all completed.

2. Barclays new investment account has been set up and interest back dated to 2nd December when the request was first made.
The Clerk requested that a form be signed so she could administer the account for transferring monies between the two Barclay accounts, Cllr M Elliot proposed and Cllr M Butcher seconded and all agreed for this to go ahead, the form was duly signed for the Clerk to action.
e) Audit Commission have not yet signed off the Annual Return as there was still a
query regarding the VAT figure as to where it should be shown on the return
form. The Clerk referred them to our auditor R Clarke for clarification. All agreed
for the corrected figures to be initialled by the Chairman and Clerk.

7. Section 106 Agreement -
This has been returned duly signed and sealed by the North Norfolk District Council with a request for payment of £170 + VAT £25.50 (see item 6a 14)

8. PLANNING
a) NNDC - Decisions - none

b) NNDC - New Applications -
1. Tesco, Stalham - Extension to existing store, Replacement Filling Station, Construction of Roundabout and Revised Access & Parking Arrangements - due to deadline date 7 councillors were consulted by telephone/email, with 6 'no objections' and 1 objection, the result of 'no objections' was submitted.

2. Sunset, Stubb Road - Erection of Single-Storey Front Extensions - all agreed to 'supports the application'. Clerk to respond.

9. PARISH COUNCIL PROPERTY REPORTS
a) Staithe
1. Grass Verge & Posts situation at the staithe were discussed as person(s) have been driving over the grass areas and leaving deep furrows and ruts, so the Clerk contacted the Highways department about putting posts in to stop vehicles going over the grass as at today's date no reply has been received.
The PCSO has also been informed as we feel this is a deliberate act but unless we see the vehicle concerned nothing much can be done.

2. Road Planing, to put on the staithe slipway paths, quotes were £415 + vat, £310 + vat and £305 + vat for 20 ton loads. It was proposed by Vice chairman H Purnell and seconded by Cllr R Cook and all agreed to accept TG Askew's quote of £305 + vat, as this would be smaller than 1" inch in size. Clerk to liaise with H Nudd for delivery instructions who also very kindly agreed to organise the laying of the material.

b) Community Hall
1. Hirers and caretaker have been updated on the current situation of the community hall in that the parish council can only guarantee the use of the hall until the end of July, this may well be extended but it was agreed that a time scale must be implemented for hirers etc to investigate alternative arrangements.
2. Curtains repairs are in hand but new hooks need to be purchased. Clerk to arrange.

c) Recreation Ground
1. Electric Box on the outside of the changing rooms has been made safe, but still
requires a new cover. The Clerk has obtained one quote for a replacement box but
Clerk to contact A Mayhew who was going to obtain two further quotes

d) Chapel Pit - none

10. ALLOTMENTS 31a & 35-39
Allotment 31a may be returned to Brown & Co as the possibility of selling to the adjoining
householders is being investigated, if this happens Brown & Co will adjust our annual rent
accordingly.
Allotment 35-39 hirer requested whether they could paddock their horses on the allotment
area due to the very wet weather. Although Brown & Co left it to the PC discretion it was
felt that it could become a problem in the future. Vice Chairman proposed and seconded
by Cllr D Pugh and all agreed to refuse this request. Clerk to respond.

11. FOOTPATHS
Parishioner E Rothney has verbally offered to survey our footpaths and report back to the
parish council and the district council of any changes required. Also to investigate the possibility of maps being drawn up of the footpaths for our records.
This is in response to an item in the Parish Plan. Clerk to follow up as necessary.

12. GRASS CUTTING
There are various pieces of grass around the village that is cut either by the district or county council. The county council do 5 cuts per year and the district council who do 10 cuts per year wish to make savings on grass cutting, so have proposed that villages have 3 options,1 - take over the grass cutting, 2 -only have 5 cuts per year or 3 -pay £86.42 for the 10 cuts.
It was proposed by Cllr M Butcher and seconded by Cllr R Cook and all agreed to pay the £86.42 for this coming season but to monitor costs on a yearly basis.
Clerk to notify NNDC accordingly.

13. NEW BUILD UPDATE
The visits to Fleggburgh and Worstead have now taken place with encouraging results and
details have been added to the Business Plan which is nearing completion. Three companies have been approached for approximate costs but as there are no detailed drawings incorporating building regulations they are guide prices only.
We will be investigating costs for the drawing up of the detailed plans and contacting/ meeting with various people for funding applications advice and help.

14. HEALTH & SAFETY
Cllr R Cook has completed the Health & Safety Report for the mower/grass cutting which he will explain in the Confidential session

15. HIGHWAYS/SPEEDING
This issue was discussed with our PCSO Jeanette Hawes in Public Participation at the beginning of this meeting.

16. YOUNG PEOPLES OVER 10 YEARS MEETING
Although only 6 young people turned up they gave us some very helpful feedback, which will be investigated. It was agreed that another meeting should take place later in the year

17. FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT
The original Freedom of Information Act expired 31st December 2008 and another updated
version has been introduced which has to available to the public i.e. website or notice boards.
As it now includes a lot more information the Clerk did not have time to complete the exercise before the 1st January, so with advice from the Information Commissioners Office who agreed it can be adopted in principle but must be completed before March. Vice Chairman H Purnell proposed and Cllr M Elliott seconded and all agreed to adopt the new Freedom of Information Scheme as it stands. Clerk to distribute draft copy before February's parish council meeting.

DATE OF NEXT MEETING - Monday, 2nd February 2009 7.15 pm in the Community Hall.

There was no further business and the meeting was closed at 10.20pm