HICKLING PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON
Monday, 3rd November 2008, at 7.30pm in the Community Hall

PRESENT: CHAIRMAN: V TALLOWIN, VICE CHAIRMAN: H PURNELL
COUNCILLORS: M BUTCHER, G SMITH, M ELLIOTT, I WATTON
R COOK, K MOODY, M SCOTT
DISTRICT COUNCILLOR: C STOCKTON
Clerk: Mrs S Sainsbury

7.15PM Public Participation - The following point(s) were raised:
HEARA - Ken gave an update on the various meetings that had taken place and on meetings occurring soon as follows;
Ken gave a brief report on the meeting with Peter Ainsworth who was well briefed on the issue but was quite amazed at some aspects of it. He presented him with two books by M Page with aerial photos of Hickling and the East Anglian coast line that will prove to be illustrative to our case.
The Poppyland Partnership meeting was disappointing in attendance figures but was very good and they learned some interesting facts. Norman Lamb MP was asked for a more united front and he was subsequently reported in the EDP seeking a co-ordinated front for East Anglia.
The Sea Palling beach recharging project had begun.
On the 13th November HEARA and 3 councillors will attend the NENPCG meeting and we hope to have a pre release copy of the Natural England report, as Shaun Thomas has promised beforehand.
HEARA will be attending an all day conference on the 18th November and on the 25th November a delegation will be meeting with Lord Smith and they would like to present him with the same two books as it shows how important the area is with clear photographic pictures.
In reply to the petition that Norman Lamb presented to parliament in July from Hickling, Ken was appalled at the ignorance of some facts in the reply letter, it wholly confused key issues. Ken had drafted a reply to correct these points and requested whether he could send the letter on behalf of the Hickling Parish Council
Ken apologised for such a long report and gave his apologies for the next meeting.
The Chairman thanked him and Eric for their continued commitment and hard work to this cause on behalf of Hickling parishioners.
Councillor Clive Stockton spoke about the problems being fundamentally the same for Hickling as elsewhere and our strength is in a united front. He would like to get other areas around the British Isles into an overall group as there are 10 key places that will have the same problems in 20-30 years. The government know they cannot walk away from this issue but the approach must be managed, i.e. cost benefit analysis reports and the technicalities of saving sea defences investigated. North Norfolk has not signed up to the SMP and have persuaded Great Yarmouth & Waveney to join with NN to make a single plan. Pressure needs to be there all the time, as we are on our 4th minister, but Clive was confident that messages were getting through to the government.
The Chairman thanked Clive for his report and attending our meeting.

7.30PM The Parish Council meeting commenced with no public participation -
The Chairman welcomed one parishioner.

1. APOLOGIES were received from Councillors A Rich, D Pugh and District Councillor
S Partridge and County Councillor C How

2. MINUTES OF LAST MEETING
These were approved as circulated with two corrected spelling mistakes in item 6c

3. MATTERS ARISING - The Clerk thanked everyone for the increase in her remuneration and wedding card and she will now change her name on the various parish council records to
Mrs S Sainsbury.

Cllr M Scott enquired about the painting of the new road signs at the crossroads.
Clerk will follow up with Highways.
The Chairman reported that the pot holes in Staithe Road leading to the staithe require attention. Clerk to inform Highways.

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

5. CORRESPONDENCE -
a) Stalham & Happing - Business Group press release with information about various new
businesses opening up in Stalham.

b) Fun in the Broads - Broadcaster Newspaper is advertising for free any event happening
in 2009 in the broad's area. Clerk to publicise in the news sheet and notice boards etc.

c) NNDC - Coastal Planning Workshop meeting on the 18th November will be attended by
HEARA on behalf of the parish council.

d) NNDC - Part of the agenda relating to the planning applications for Hickling that went to
committee.
We had previously been omitted by mistake from the mailing list for the full agenda in August.

e) NNDC - Full Council Agenda. Passed to Cllr K Moody

f) NNDC - The proposal map and legend that corresponds with the LDF document.

g) St Mary's PCC - A thank you letter for the donations of £200 towards the News sheet
publication and £300 for churchyard grass cutting.

h) Norfolk Assoc of Village Halls -North Norfolk District meeting 4 Dec.
No one available to attend. Clerk to request copy of minutes.

i) NNDC - Street Naming & Numbering was delegated to parish councils in 1992 but some
found this to be onerous particularly if undertaken infrequently, so the District Council
now will take this responsibility back if required. All councillors agreed that Hickling
Parish Council would like to retain this responsibility.
Clerk to complete and return necessary form.

j) Charity Commission - Email outlining their conditions on selling the plots at the
recreation ground and the building of the new hall.

k) Communities & Local Government - The figures for the overall expenditure for Section
137 for 2009/2010 accounts now equates to £6.15p per parishioner.

l) Wherry Charter Charities Trust - Advertising the hire of the wherry 'Hathor' for events happening in the broad's area.

m) Norfolk County Council - Rural Road Safety Demonstration Project was launched to
promote innovative road safety measures with the aim of reducing road casualties.
This involves extensive trimming of the grass verges and protection guards for mature trees.
The work will take place over the winter months by specialist arboricultural contractors
on A listed roads.

n) Broadland Environmental Services Ltd - Leaflet on Protecting Broadland.
Flood
Alleviation Improvements Phase 1, Hickling - Horsey.

o) N Lamb MP - Letter and reply from the House of Commons regarding the petition that was delivered via N Lamb on behalf of Hickling with regards to the 'Options' in Natural England's report.

p) NENPCG - Notes for the meeting on the 13th November. HEARA, Chairman
V Tallowin, Vice Chairman H Purnell & Cllr K Moody will be attending.

q) K Barnes - Letter in reply to the House of Commons memo correcting some facts contained in the memo and requesting whether the letter could be sent from the Parish Council as he felt this would give more weight to our case.

6. TREASURER'S REPORT
a)

b HEARA Funding/Letter -The funding for HEARA has not reached the original budget of £250 but it was suggested to increase the budget for this financial year to £500. This was proposed by the Chairman V Tallowin and seconded by Cllr M Scott and all agreed for this motion to be passed.
All agreed that the letter drafted by K Barnes in reply to the House of Commons memo should be sent with a letter from the Parish Council in support of Ken's comments and confirming our continued faith in HEARA's work; this was proposed by Vice Chairman H Purnell and seconded by Cllr M Scott. Clerk to draft letter and liaise with Ken for forwarding onto N Lamb MP.

c) Budget to Date end of Year - Distributed Quarterly

d) Precept 2009/2010. It was agreed to increase the precept by £365 pounds in lieu of HEARA's funding as this is a benefit to all parishioners in Hickling.
It was proposed by Vice Chairman H Purnell and seconded by Cllr R Cook and all agreed that the form be signed accordingly and returned by the Clerk.

e) In light of recent events regarding the compensation limits in the event of a bank's collapse it was proposed to spread our savings across different banking organisations. It was proposed by Vice Chairman H Purnell and seconded by Chairman V Tallowin and all agreed that a new Nat West account be opened and £47k be deposited from the Barclays current account, via a chaps transfer, and invested for a period of 6 months as soon as possible.
See notes attached to these minutes.

7. PLANNING
a) NNDC - Decisions - none

b) NNDC - New Applications - none

8. PARISH COUNCIL PROPERTY REPORTS
a) Staithe
1.A recorded delivery invoice reminder had been sent to hirer of Berth 53 for overdue rent for this current season 2008-2009. It was agreed for the Clerk to ring the mobile number supplied.

b) Community Hall
1. The curtains in the hall require some attention and after various options being discussed Cllr R Cook and Cllr M Scott agreed to try and solve the problem before any monies are spent on a new curtain track etc.

c) Recreation Ground
1. Clerk was reminded about getting Anglian Water to investigate whether there are
any leaks due to the high cost of the water bills.

d) Chapel Pit
Although the BT phone box had been assessed for a paint job the Clerk has subsequently been informed that it is 'good' for another year and to call again next year in Sept.

d) Allotments - none

9. GRASS CUTTING - none

10. PLANNING UPDATE
A meeting was arranged for the 17th November for a working party to discuss the next stage in the building of the new hall and selling of plots. The business plan has been started but more figures are required.

11. HISTORY GROUP
A meeting on the 24th October with the Hickling History group proved to be very informative. They have kept excellent files on the media reporting of the flooding issue and offered their help to the parish council if required. Notes have been recorded and filed by the Clerk and forwarded to the History Group.

12. CHURCHYARD SEATING
It was bought to the council's attention about a new seat that has been installed in the churchyard and whether letters of thanks will be sent to the person(s) concerned.
Cllr I Watton confirmed that letters will be sent from St Mary's PCC in due course.

The next Parish Council meeting was changed to the 1st December and subsequent meeting
12th January

DATE OF NEXT MEETING - Monday, 1st December 7.15 pm in the Community Hall.

There was no further business and the meeting was closed at 9.50pm