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

Present :

Peter Smith Chair
Nicola Southgate Vice Chair
Shirley Colenutt
David Howie
David Witt
Cath Jones
Roger Steel

Kim Rushforth Clerk

Also present: 5 members of the public and the District Councillor W. Smith

1. To elect Chairperson 2012-2013

Peter Smith agreed to stand again as Chair. Cllr. Colenutt proposed and Cllr. Jones seconded the proposal. Peter Smith was duly elected as chair for another year. Declaration of Acceptance of Office was signed by Cllr. Smith and witnessed and signed by the Clerk.

2. To elect Vice Chairperson 2012-2013

Nicola Southgate agreed to stand again as Vice Chair. Cllr. Jones proposed and Cllr. Howie seconded the proposal. Nicola Southgate was duly elected as chair for another year. Declaration of Acceptance of Office was signed by Cllr. Southgate and witnessed and signed by the Clerk.

3. To consider accepting apologies for absence

No apologies were received.

4. To record declarations of interest from members in any items on the agenda

Cllr. Smith, Cllr. Jones and Cllr. Colenutt declared an interest in point 9.3.1 on the agenda being planning application 3PL/2012/0378/F for the building of 3 houses/garages on land at the White Hart. Cllrs. Colenutt, Smith and Jones signed Declaration of Interest at Meetings forms.
RESOLVED Cllrs. Smith, Jones and Colenutt should leave the room whilst point 9.3.1 on the agenda was discussed later on at this meeting.

5. To approve the minutes of the last council meeting on Monday 2nd April 2012

RESOLVED to approve the minutes that had been circulated prior to the meeting, as a true and accurate record of the meeting. The minutes were duly signed by the Chair, Cllr. Smith.

6. To discuss any matters arising from the minutes, not on the agenda

6.1 Cricket Club. Happy with the disclaimer 'they' wrote regarding the Sport England grant.
6.2 Mount Pleasant phone box. Contract sent out. Waiting for BT signature. Has a value of ~£1500. Looking for ideas for use.
ACTION RS to contact those people that have had ideas in the past. Plant or veg swap etc.
6.3 'Library' phone box. New librarian needed as current librarian Mary is going. Confirmed that books remain dry.
ACTION RS to call for new librarian.
ACTION CJ to locate book stamper.
6.4 Thieves Lane. Cllr. Colenutt confirmed construction and tall hoist still apparent. Enforcement have apparently written to the occupiers and issue should be dealt with in due course.

7. To adjourn the meeting for public participation

Meeting adjourned at 7.21pm. No comments from the public. Meeting re-opened at 7.22pm.

8. Finance

8.1 Adoption of accounts 2011 – 2012 & Financial Regulations
Cllr. Steel summarised the end of year accounts that had been prepared by the Clerk. (Annual Accounts attached to these minutes). He commented that training was higher this year, due to new clerk training and website training for one of the councillors. The Clerk confirmed that RPC had overpaid 3 months street lighting to Pearce & Kemp, the reason being that a Standing Order was in place but this was not reflected on the invoices. RPC to be reimbursed for £133.05. The Clerk had placed the overpayment in Miscellaneous so as to maintain the correct total for street lighting for the year. An added expense for this year was paying £20 per month for payroll services. The new clerk will be doing the payroll herself using HMRC Basic PAYE tools, saving the RPC £240 per annum.

8.2 Annual Return
The Clerk confirmed the annual return was complete except for the asset register figure. She queried whether a dog bin and grit bin needed to be added. The clerk would find a suitable internal auditor for the accounts. Annual return is to be submitted to Mazars, the external auditors before 4th July 2012.

8.3 Financial position
The bank account balances as at Monday 14th May:
Barclays Community Account £ 2154.93
Barclays Saver (Reserve) Account £ 1400.77 TOTAL £ 3555.70

8.4 Cheques in
Pearce & Kemp. Reimbursement of overpayment. £133.05

8.5 Cheques out (to sign)
There were no cheques to sign.

8.6 External audit fees
The Clerk had received a scale of charges for future external audit of PC accounts. RPC's income/expenditure figures are normally < £10,000 so the audit would be FOC. However, with the Sport England grant being paid into the RPC bank account, the charge would increase to £300 as income/ex band would be £50,000 - £100,000. RPC acting as a temporary depository only, so would charge stand ?
ACTION: Clerk to check with Audit Commission

9. To consider planning applications.

9.1 Planning outcomes The Clerk described the planning outcomes received since the last meeting.
3PL/2012/0171/F - Emblen/Chapel Street/Single Storey Extn – 04 PERMISSION
9.2 Planning applications pending outcome
Cllr. Southgate reported on planning applications pending.
3PL/2012/0094/F - Holbrook/Swangey - 01
3PL/2012/0129/F - Shadrack/Whitings Lane - 02
3PL/2012/0148/CU - Breckland Storage/Swangey/Retail area - 03
3PL/2012/0217/F - Ewin/Rookery/3 Small scale wind turbines – 05
3PL/2012/0268/F - Bangay/Thieves Lane/Ext & Weatherboarding – 06
PP/C/3/2012/3005 - Shropham Quarry/Restore to agriculture land - 07
9.3 New planning applications since last meeting
Cllrs. Smith, Colenutt and Jones left the meeting at 7.35pm as they had previously declared an interest in point 9.3.1.
Cllr. Southgate described the recent planning applications that had been received.
9.3.1 3PL/2012/0378/F - Leeder/White Hart/3 houses/garages - 08
Cllr. Southgate confirmed that everybody had already looked at the application.
RESOLVED RPC would strongly object to this application on the grounds of:

Proposed dwellings being outside the settlement boundary.
Substantial infill and loss of green space.
Safety issue on road with possibility of 6 extra cars
Affect on neighbours' privacy as would overlook their property.
Increased risk of flooding. Extra water would run off into The Street.
Inappropriate housing. Need is for smaller affordable housing.
Finally. RPC feels that their view is the view of the village as they have not found any supporters of this application.

Cllrs. Smith, Colenutt and Jones returned to the meeting at 7.40pm.
9.3.2 3PL/2012/0388/F - Leeder/White Hart /Extension - 09
RESOLVED No objection
9.3.3 3PL/2012/0111/F - Leslie/Church Farm Barn/Cart lodge (amend) - 10
RESOLVED No objection
9.3.4 3PL/2012/0396/F - Edmonds/Stapleford Grange/Wind Turbine - 11
RESOLVED No objection
9.3.5 3PL/2012/0459/F - Stone/Cottage Farm/Dwelling and garage - 12
The application to demolish an existing cottage and replace with a 'rather impressive' dwelling was discussed. There had been an objection already from Sandy Lane due to the new build 'breaking the mould' with the existing row of agriculturally tied bungalows.
RESOLVED The work involved tidying up and making it nice. Therefore, no objection.

10. To report on untidy land.

The untidy land next to the shop was discussed. There was a lot of history. The village had been shocked and horrified when the orchard had been grubbed up as a precursor to an application for affordable housing, which had subsequently been turned down. Currently an eye sore and a source of vermin to the shop. Discussed approaching the council to see what they could enforce. Neighbours concerned about repercussions due to personalities involved.
RESOLVED People shouldn't be allowed to flout the law but to take no action at present.

11. To receive update from Tree wardens.

No update received from the tree wardens

12. To receive update on Highways

12.1 Street lighting Street light 9004 had been reported by the Clerk and had been fixed.
12.2 Barnards/Norrold's Farm. Problem with wide farm vehicles travelling at speed, damaging the banks and leaving mud on the lanes (and Barnards being blamed for it) was discussed. Highways had been out to clean the roads.
ACTION Cllr. Southgate to ask the drivers of the vehicles to use smaller wheel base vehicles.
12.3 Andrew and Daniel – Village Safety. Cllr. Steel expressed concern that people being approached by the boys thought they were the police due to their attire. Cllr. Southgate's husband had thought the police had visited him too.
RESOLVED Need to make sure people are aware who/what they are.
ACTION Cllr. Jones to use Rocklander to clarify boys' activities.
12.4 Finger Sign Cllr. Jones confirmed that the 'finger' sign post was back.

13 Flooding

Cllr. Jones reported that Trappers Cottage garage had been breached. Problem caused by drainage work carried out and mesh grids removed and not replaced, causing debris build up in pipe work.
This has brought to light that RPC is not sure of the whereabouts of the electric pump owned by the village for just this sort of problem. Bought by the Mann Trust. Suggestion that is was stored at the White Hart.
ACTION The Clerk to ask Leeders at the White Hart if they have the pump.

14 Correspondence

Fiona Davies offering sign writing/restoring services to Parish Councils.

15 AOB

New standards regime and Code of Conduct. Passed through cabinet last Tuesday.

The meeting closed at 8.17pm.

16 Date of next meeting - Parish Council Meeting - Monday 9th July 2012. 7.00 pm Rocklands Village Hall