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

PRESENT:

P. Smith (Vice Chairman)
Mrs N. Southgate
Mrs M. Gibbon
Mrs C. Jones

7 Parishioners

1. The newly elected Councillors signed the Statutory Declarations and newly completed Declaration of Interest.

2. TO CO OPT AN ADDITIONAL COUNCILLOR

Councillor Smith proposed and Councillor Southgate seconded that Mr Peter Cotes be co-opted onto the Council and there being no other nominations this was unanimously approved

3. TO ELECT A CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN

Councillor Southgate proposed and Councillor Smith seconded that Councillor Cotes be elected Chairman; this was passed
Councillor Cotes proposed and Councillor Gibbon seconded that Councillor Smith be Vice Chairman; this was passed

4. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

There were apologies from Councillors C. Jordan (County Councillor).

5. MINUTES

The minutes of the Annual Assembly were initialled. The minutes of the Council meeting of the 2 April 2007 and the Planning meeting of 11 April 2007 were signed as a correct record

6. MATTER ARISING

The Chairman having been absent at the Annual Assembly delivered his annual report. Attached at "A"

The Clerk reported that he had received a letter from the Solicitors regarding the land at Wayland Road in the form of a draft transfer document, which after consultation with the Chairman, he had written accepting.

Any other items to be dealt with under agenda items

7. FINANCE

Receipts..........	£6134.22
Payments..........	.£845.91
	£5288.31

Reconciliation

Community Account	£1477.70
Business Premium Account	£3810.61
	£5288.31

AUDIT

The Clerk reported that he had received the first half of the Precept, which accounted for the increase in the monies held in the current account.

The Clerk reported that he had received the end of year statement from the bank and that the statement of the finances he had given at the Annual Assembly was correct in agreement with this statement. The Accounts were then accepted and signed by the Chairman and R.F.O

He reported that he had this day received the Annual Audit return from the Audit Commission, and had completed Section 1 Statement of Accounts, which being approved was signed by the Chairman and R.F.O. Section 2 the Annual Governance Statement was then completed, approved and signed.

CLERKS PAY

It was proposed by Councillor Cotes and seconded by Councillor Southgate that the Clerk's pay should now be on scale 19 of the National scale, that is to say £8.701 per hour for 140 hours which is £1218.16 per year or £304.54 per quarter paid in arrears. These figures being subject to a new 2007 pay scale which is still being negotiated

8. PLANNING

Planning applications had been received from Mr & Mrs Shadreack - Rocklands - Peel Farm - 3PL/2007/0586/F - Resubmission - Demolition of existing buildings and erection of dog boarding kennels
The Council had no objection

Planning permission had been received for

Kirk Hall Farms - Rocklands - Toad Hall - 3PL/2007/0269/F - Renovation and extension

Mr Beckett - Rocklands - Woodland Horses, Sandy Lane - 3PL/2007/0313/F - Standing of mobile home (Renewal)

Ian Wilton - Rocklands - 63, The Street - 3PL/2007/0449/F - Erection of double garage and alterations to the roof

Planning permission had been refused for

D Wright - Rocklands - Corner Cottage, Chapel Street - 3PL/2007/0182/O - Erection of a cottage and new access to property

Miss J Allen - Rocklands - Land adjoining 17 The Street - Erection of new dwelling and garage

Application for planning permission has been withdrawn for

50 The Street - 3PL/2007/0275/F - Erection of Starter homes and additional buildings -This is due to the agent finding difficulty in arranging a flood risk assessment with the Environmental Agency prior to the planning committee meeting of 21 May 2007

Letters had been received from planning regarding

Rocklands St Peters - Chapel Street - Holly Cottage; Business Activities

Rocklands - Bell Road - Windiacre - Unauthorised Conservatory - there is now a retrospective application in existence regarding this item

9. HIGHWAYS

Councillor Gibbon reported that the school Travel Plan is now completed and there are hopes of a "rumble strips" at the school and a zebra crossing on the B1077 at the junction with The Street. This is subject to a use survey and a speed survey has been carried out on the B1077.
There is also a proposed cycle track from Greta Ellingham to Rocklands utilising the soft road which conects the two villages

9a FLOODING

Councillor Smith suggested that a working party be set up to look into the possibility of reducing the amount of flood water that comes into the Street in times of heavy rain thus assisting the existing drainage system to cope. Possibly deep ditches or ponds.
It was agreed that he should contact interested parties to look into the matter

10. TO CONSIDER THE REVISED CODE OF CONDUCT

As this was a lengthy document with attachments,it was agreed that it should go on circulation to allow time for reflection and be raised at the next meeting

11. ATTLEBOROUGH AREA PARTNERSHIP

There was nothing on this item

The Chairman opened the meeting to the floor. The matter of signs for the pond at Wayland Road was raised as children had been playing and attempting to get into the water. Clerk to look at signing

Heavy lorries using Thieves Lane to get to Kerry Foods was again raised and the Council were asked to contact Councillor Jordan again regarding signing

Councillor Southgate proposed a vote of thanks to the Chairman for his work in the last year; this was received with acclaim

12. CORRESPONDENCE

The correspondence was circulated to the Councillors

There being no further business the meeting closed at 8.10 p.m.

The next meeting will be on Monday 23 July 2007 at 7.0 p.m. in the Village Hall

"A"

Chairman's Report 2006/07

May 2007 and a newly elected Council. We said goodbye to John Abel who has served since 1999 I believe, when he was co-opted after the election produced only four candidates. John was the voice of local Rocklands, someone who had lived in Rocklands and our neighbour Caston for all his life. There are very few people who can claim such local affinity nowadays and we will miss his knowledge and wisdom.

We are fortunate to welcome Shirley and Cath. Thank you both for standing and we look forward to having you on the Council.

Some things never change in the village and "flooding" is that proverbial bad penny. After absence from our Agenda it returned earlier this year and raised its head in a different guise when it formed the main plank of our concerns and objections to the planning application next to the Post Office. We always hope that we have heard the last of this problem but it just isn't going to happen that easily! Mary has been working on the County Council to get the drains cleared again and Peter is doing some "blue skies" thinking to see if there are any alternatives other than digging up the whole of The Street and laying larger pipes. My thanks to both - we all wish them every success

. The planning application and public meeting generated a lot of discussion. Mostly it was in one direction and I feel it is important that other views be given expression. The public reaction was that the development was bad and that no development should be allowed in the village centre. Councillors have all received a letter from a parishioner who points out that if all developments are stopped, where are the younger members of the community to live? We have all expressed the need for affordable properties and this view was made clear in the village appraisal some years ago. There is also the point that if there is never any development, the entire village would not exist and has only attained its current state by virtue of continuous development and change.

A new Council gives us the opportunity to reflect on what we do and whether we should continue in the same way. I am particulaly thinking of the modest grants the Parish Council makes to local organisations. Are we right to be so careful with Council Tax money or should we be more generous? We have a very low precept so are in the very fortunate position that we can do this if we so decide.

In the last year we have expanded our property portfolio by agreeing to take over the land and pond at Wayland Road. Maybe I have missed something but it does seem a bizarre way to do these things if we are only alerted to the possibility of transfer of ownership thanks to an outsider putting in a planning application. Anyway we are now the proud owners and the new Council must decide how we make the most of this new asset.

I would like to end by thanking the Councillors who have served during the year, Parish, County and our newly re elected District Councillor. Thanks also to our Clerk who continues to look after us and to keep the Vice-Chairman's teaching skills up to scratch by providing homework to be edited for grammatical irregularities!