MINUTES OF BUXTON WITH LAMAS PARISH COUNCIL MEETING
held in BUXTON VILLAGE HALL on MONDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 2005

PRESENT
COUNCILLORS: Mrs R. Roth (Chairman)
Mr G. Halliwell (Vice-Chairman)
Mr D. Folland Mr G. Forster Mrs P. Goodman
Mr E. Nichols Mrs Y. Powell Mrs B. Rix
Mr C. Tomlinson Mrs M. Wickham
CLERK: Mrs R. Rose
Four members of the public

1. APOLOGIES were accepted from Mr N. Rudrum, District Councillor I. Evans and County Councillor G. Rix.

2. THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING held on 25 July 2005 had been previously circulated; proposed by Mr Nichols, seconded by Mr Forster, these were AGREED, and signed by the Chairman as a true record.

3. MATTERS ARISING

3.1 BT Payphones
An acknowledgement had been received of the Council’s response regarding retention of cashlesss payphone units. Responses were being held pending the outcome of OFCOM’s review on BT’s Universal Service obligation (expected to be around November 2005).

3.2 Any Other Matters Arising
3.2.1 (6.3) Church Clock
Mr Folland reported that the clock had stopped three times recently, and was completely dried out. The contractor would be coming to carry out the initial service on 8 September.

3.2.2 EDP Pride in Your Village Awards
The Chairman reported on the village’s success as runner-up in the 900+population category. Mr Swabey had nominated the village for the efforts being made to provide facilities for the youth, and other attractions such as the Bure Valley Railway. The judges had also been impressed with the achievements of the Primary School.
Representatives of the village had attended the awards ceremony on 1 September, and the village had received a plaque and £30 of garden vouchers.
An article would be placed in The Round, suggesting that parishioners come forward with ideas for how the village might maintain and improve on its appearance, and other ways in which it could meet the criteria of ‘pride in your village’.

4. POLICE MATTERS

4.1 Crime Statistics
The figures for 1 June to 28 July had been received and circulated; 6 crimes were logged.
4.2 The Clerk would report the following matters to P.C. Cook:
Concerns about the damage to church windows, possibly made by an air rifle;
Persistent damage to, or theft of, church floodlighting equipment;
Brook Street/Lion Corner – persistent overnight parking on double yellow lines, making it difficult for early morning buses to negotiate the bend.

The Chairman adjourned the meeting to allow members of the public to speak.
Mrs Blythe raised her concerns about the overhanging foliage in Vicarage Lane, making it difficult for ambulances to negotiate. Refuse vehicles also could not use the lane to access the houses; wheelie bins had to be brought to the top of the lane. She had been in touch with the Diocesan Board, but sought the Parish Council’s help in getting the foliage trimmed back quickly.
The footpath from Vicarage Lane through to Bulwer Close was also overgrown.
The Clerk would pursue action on both these issues.
The adjournment ended.

5. PLANNING MATTERS

5.1 Applications
(The Chairman declared a prejudicial interest in Application no: 20051157, and left the room for the discussion of all applications)
The Vice-Chairman took the chair, and allowed comments from the floor on individual applications.
20050826: Bourn House: New detached garage (amended plan)
(Mrs Rix declared a personal interest as owner of a neighbouring property)
The amendment took the form of a small re-location of the site of the garage, and had been sent out at the beginning of August with a short timescale for reply. The Clerk had anticipated no objections, and permission had been granted.

20051128: Lamas Manor: Replace roofed conservatory section with oak &
copper roof (Listed Building)
DECISION: Supported
The Vice-Chairman explained that the applicant had been in consultation with Broadland District Council’s Conservation Planning Officers, who had opposed the use of copper for the roof. The meeting endorsed the request for District Councillor Evans to call in the application to be heard by the Planning Committee.

20051142: 30 Levishaw Close: New timber fence
DECISION: Supported. It was acknowledged that, although the majority of gardens in Levishaw Close were open plan, there were precedents for front fences.

20051157: River View, Lamas: Erection of garden room to rear
DECISION: Supported

20051255: 16 Mill Reach: Conservatory to rear
DECISION: Objected. The Council felt that the original building line should be maintained, and queried the planning conditions imposed on the original development.
(Mrs Roth in the Chair)

5.2 Permission and Enforcement Matters
5.2.1 The Bure Valley Garage site had been granted Outline permission for 6 detached houses with associated garages.

5.2.2 A possible change of use and advert was the subject of an enforcement case at Bure Valley Business Centre.

5.3 Any Other Planning Matters
5.3.1 The start date for the Examination in Public for the East of England Draft Plan had been deferred until 1 November 2005.

5.3.2 Permission had been granted for works to various trees with TPOs in the curtilage of 15 Bulwer Road.

Two members of the public left the meeting at this point.

6. FINANCE

6.1 Payments
Proposed by Mr Folland, seconded by Mrs Goodman, payment for the following was AGREED:
Buxton Primary School: Photocopying 36.08
Norfolk County Services: Grounds maintenance (5 of 7): 312.13
Norvic Fencing: Fencing at playground 99.87
M.E. Wright Construction: Replace seat top, Crown Road 39.00
R.A. Rose: refund, office computer upgrade (as budget) 396.50
Clerk’s salary: September (23.09.05) 275.41
Less 6% pension contribution (16.52) 258.89}
Expenses (5 months) 22.52} 285.04
Stationery 3.63}
Norfolk Pension Fund: August & September returns 114.56

6.2 Norfolk Pension Fund: Abatement of Pension on Re-employment
Consultation had been carried out in August on whether the current policy met the requirements of scheme employers. The consultation period was extremely short, and the Clerk had responded that it would be difficult for the Council to give a view within the timescale.

6.3 Any Other Finance Matters
6.3.1 The Clerk had that day received the estimate for repairs to the playground.
It was AGREED that the personnel agreed at the last meeting should meet as soon as possible to review the estimates, and the Council delegated authority to them to appoint a contractor.

6.3.2 The Clerk would place an item on the agenda for the next meeting regarding delegated authority to the Clerk to authorise repairs up to an agreed financial limit.
6.3.3 The Clerk would place an item on the agenda for the next meeting regarding an Agreement between the Parish Council and Buxton Village Hall Management Committee over management and responsibility for the playground.

7. CORRESPONDENCE
7.1 A list of the correspondence received had been circulated, and is attached to the signed copy of these minutes. All items were available from the Clerk.

7.2 RAF Coltishall Closure Task Group
An information newsletter, as requested by County Councillor Rix, had been sent out to all relevant Parish Councils.

7.3 Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service
Councillors would consider nominations and inform the clerk before the deadline of 30 September.

The remaining two members of the public left the meeting at this point.

7.4 Joint Parish Council Meeting at Rowan House, 20 September
The Council would be represented by the Vice-Chairman and Clerk.

7.5 Broadland Parish Plan Workshops
The Chairman and Mrs Rix would attend the workshop on 27 September at Cawston Village Hall.

8. VILLAGE MAINTENANCE & HIGHWAYS MATTERS

8.1 Lamas Street Closure
The road would be closed from 12 September for 5 days for drainage works.

8.2 Any Other Highways Matters
8.2.1 Mr Forster noted that the wall surrounding the Victorian post box at Bird‘s Place Farm had deteriorated.

8.2.2 County Councillor Rix had asked if the Parish Council had any comments to make on the recently-published proposed route for the Northern Distributor Route. The Council felt that the compromise for the western route was impracticable, and reinforced its support for the orange route. It was felt that a more robust attitude should be taken to the wildlife issue, as other similar schemes had proven that wildlife recovered in a comparatively short space of time. The Clerk would make these views known to the local member before the matter was put before the County Council.

8.2.3 The Clerk would pursue the trimming of part of the hedge bordering Smarts Meadow.

9. NCAPTC AGM

9.1 Resolutions for Debate
None were put forward.

9.2 Nomination of Officers
No nominations were put forward.

10. BROADLAND DISTRICT COUNCIL ANNUAL PARISH & TOWN MEETING

10.1 Attendance
The AGM would be attended by the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Mrs Rix and the Clerk.

10.2 Questions In Advance
The Council would put forward the following questions:

1) Would the Council explain the rationale behind the sale of Norwich Sport Village for such an apparently low price?

2) Does the District Council have any plans to assist in securing a proportion of the dwellings at RAF Coltishall following the closure of the station to enable their availability for purchase or rent at affordable housing rates?

11. REPORTS FROM DISTRICT/COUNTY COUNCILLORS

Neither councillor was present.

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 9.25pm