Rocklands, Norfolk The Villages of Rockland All Saints and Rockland St Peter

ROCKLANDS PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the meeting of the Rocklands Parish Council held on Monday 12 July 2004 in the Village Hall

PRESENT

P. Leigh (Vice Chairman)
P. Smith
J. Abel
Mrs N. Southgate

J. Rogers (County Councillor)

3 Parishioners

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Councillors P. Cotes, R. Steel, Mrs M. Gibbon

2. MINUTES

The minutes of the Council meeting of 10 May were signed as a correct record

3. MATTERS ARISING

The Clerks new contract of employment is still being drafted. Other matters dealt with under agenda items

4. FINANCE

Bank Balances and Reconciliation

Receipts	£5506.43
Payments	£1056.64
Total	£4479.79
Community A/c	£820.70
Business Premium A/c	£3629.09
Total	£4449.79

The Clerk reported that he had received the VAT rebate of £64.03 which was included in the above figures. He had also received letters thanking the Council for the various donations made to the churches, playing field and village hall

Invoices for payment

Mrs J. I. Parker Internal Auditor £ 10.50
D. L. Davis Clerk Expenses £ 21.06
Wages £258.25 £279.31

Both invoices passed for payment

AUDIT

The Clerk reported that he had received the audit papers back from the Internal Auditor who had signed the audit off and had stated her satisfaction with the way the papers had been presented. The Audit now had to be made available to the Parishioners latter next month prior to them being sent to the Audit Commission in September

VILLAGE HALL COST
The Clerk stated that he had received a letter from the Village Hall Committee informing the Council that as from 1 June 2004 the rent for using the hall would be increased to £4.00 per hour from £3.00 this increase was the first since 2002

5. PLANNING

Planning permission has been received for
Mr A. Johnson - Rocklands - The Post Office, The Street, 3PL/2004/0457/F -Single storey extension to shop
Mrs S. Thorogood - Rocklands - Rocklands Farm, Mount Pleasant - 3PL/2004/0242/F - Continued use of buildings for animal feed and supplies
Mr D. Batch - Rocklands - Holly Cottage, Chapel Street - 3PL/2004/0068/F - Erection of new carport and wood store

Planning applications have been received for
Ridgeons Properties Ltd - Rocklands, Ridgeons Ltd., Attleborough Road - 3PL/2004/0603/F- Extension to existing external paving including new security fence and surface water drainage The Council has objected. Objections are attached to the application
Angela Firman - Rocklands- Kellsboro Lodge, The Street - 3PL/2004/0619/F - Erection of wall to front of dwelling The Council have objected on grounds of height and safety
The Clerk drew the attention of Councillors to a new information booklet “Planning Matters for Town and Parish Councillors” which he would circulate with the correspondence

6. FLOODING

Councillor Leigh stated that although many e-mails had been sent to Breckland asking for clarification on the help which might be expected as of this moment he had received no satisfactory reply. He continued that he intended to keep chasing for an answer but beyond that no progress had been made. Several householders in the Street had expressed their willingness to put in manholes, which would enable rodding to be accomplished, and he felt that it would be a waste to put the camera through the drain until this work had been done

7. HIGHWAYS

A questionnaire had been received requesting the Councils view on gritting of the highways and with the Councils approval Councillor Leigh agreed to complete and return the same

8. VILLAGE WEB SITE

Councillor Smith reported that he and Councillor Gibbon had put an article in the Rocklander asking for items or information to be included on the web site but had been “under whelmed” by the response. They were now contemplating a more direct and personal approach. The possibility of linking with the Attleborough site now seemed not available due to a change in the management of the site. The new liaison seemed to think that our Council did not really need a web site and suggested various alternatives which would not cover the Councils statutory duty as laid down in the act regarding freedom of information. After discussion Councillor Leigh proposes and Councillor Able seconded that the Council should put up a sum of £100.00 as “seed money” to get a web site into existence even in a very limited way. Councillor Smith agreed to continue with the project helped he hope by Councillor Gibbon

9. CORRESPONDENCE

A letter had been received from Mr Annison and Mr Rourke regarding fouling of the bridle path running alongside their land. The matter was discussed and it was decide to put an article in the Rocklander calling dog owners attention to the problem there and fouling in general, to put notice on the village notice board and to obtain and erect notices on the bridle way.

Correspondence of immediate concern was brougth to the attention of Councillors and the rest of the correspondence circulated

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

The cutting of Chapel Green was again mentioned and it was agreed to seek the help of Mr Lister in this matter the problem of clearing some of the rushes from the pond was also discussed

The problem of numbering of Chapel Street was again raised and the Chairman indicated he would look further into the matter

There being no further business the meeting closed at 8.30 p.m.

The next Council meeting will be on Monday 13 September 2004 at 7.00 p.m. in the Village Hall