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

Present.

Nicola Southgate (Vice Chair)
Shirley Colenutt
David Howie
David Witt
Cath Jones
Roger Steel

Kim Rushforth Clerk

Also present: 3 members of the public and the County Councillor

1. To consider accepting apologies for absence

RESOLVED to accept apologies from Peter Smith – out of the country.

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

Cllr. Steel and Cllr. Jones said they were friends with the Ewins who's planning application for 3 wind turbines was an item on the agenda.
RESOLVED neither had any vested interest. Therefore no interests were declared.

3. To approve the minutes of the last council meeting on Monday 27th February 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 acting Chair, Cllr. Southgate.

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

Mount Pleasant phone box. Phone is not working but the phone box 'library' is up and running.
ACTION. Cllr. Steel to check progress with BT

The cricket club's grant from Sport England
ACTION. Cllr. Smith to contact Rocklands Cricket Club to confirm happy with disclaimer.

5. To adjourn the meeting for public participation

There were no comments from the public. The meeting re-opened.

6. Finance

6.1 To receive the financial statement from the clerk of the accounts for the year to date

The bank account balances as at Monday 2nd April:
Barclays Community Account............ £ 454.30
Barclays Saver (Reserve) Account... £ 1400.77

6.2 To acknowledge receipts

There were no receipts.

6.3 To agree payments

RESOLVED to authorise the following payments. Cheques and paperwork duly signed.
GW Accountancy Services Ltd. (PAYE Mar 2012)... Chq 468 ......£20.00
Pearce & Kemp Ltd. (Street lighting maintenance) ...... Chq 469 .....£44.35
Pearce & Kemp Ltd. (Street lighting maintenance) ... ... Chq 470 .....£44.35
NALC (Annual membership renewal)......................... Chq 471 ....£142.01
Rocklands Village Hall Management Committee ....... Chq 472..... £100.00
(Contribution to Diamond Jubilee Celebrations)

7. To consider planning applications.

7.1 Planning outcomes

The Clerk described the planning outcomes received since the last meeting.

3PL/2011/1418/F - Ellis/Chestnut House PERMISSION
3PL/2011/1138/F - Sayer/Rose Cottage/Extensn PERMISSION

7.2 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/F - Breckland Storage/Swangey/Retail area - 03
RESOLVED No objection.
3PL/2012/0171/F - Emblen/Chapel Street/Single Storey Extn - 04
RESOLVED No objection. But hesitation over height of roof.

7.3 New planning applications since last meeting

Cllr. Southgate described the recent planning applications that had been received.

3PL/2012/0217/F - Ewin/Rookery/3 Small scale wind turbines – 05
Comments were invited from the floor. Cllr. Jordan explained large turbines can be noisy but small ones were not noisy and less obtrusive. Many were being erected especially along A47. Confirmed it was not the Ministry of Defence/RAF's policy to object but just depended where they were to be sited. It was commented that wind turbines are often shut down when it's too windy.
RESOLVED No objection.
3PL/2012/0268/F - Bangay/Thieves Lane/Ext & Weatherboarding – 06
RESOLVED No objection.
PP/C/3/2012/3005 - Shropham Quarry/Restore to agriculture land - 07
Cllr. Southgate explained that Shropham Quarry extract gravel and then infill with inert materials (Not landfill) to return to agriculture on a regular basis to renew licences.
RESOLVED No objection.

7.4 Thieves Lane.

Cllr. Colenut outlined a problem in Thieves Lane. 2 big sheds with high roofs and hoists (tall enough to affect light) had been erected. Complaints already received from unhappy neighbours. Cllr. Steel confirmed Environment Agency may be interested if digging ditches and altering watercourses.
Cllr. Jordan confirmed entitled to dig on own land as long as refilled.
RESOLVED to ask Cllr. William Smith to investigate.
ACTION. Cllr. Southgate to ask Cllr. William Smith to report at next meeting

8. Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

Cllr. Witt reported that 4 meetings had been held and preparations were well underway. A poster had been designed, fliers would go to every house and the poster would go to EDP for event listing.
Money had been raised through grant applications, quiz night had raised £518 ! and £100 would be donated by Rocklands Parish Council.
Breckland torch would 'run through' with the children on 24th June.
Rocklands Playing Fields held in trust to be renamed Queen Elizabeth II playing fields. A dedication was suggested and asked if the Queen would officially open ?
RESOLVED RPC to give £100 cheque (for jubilee mugs) to Village Hall Committee at this meeting.
RESOLVED that chairs/tables etc would be borrowed from the village hall (Cyril)

9. Tree wardens

All tree planting had been put off as now wrong time of year. Maybe do something at harvest time and plant new trees in memory of loved ones or new arrivals. Cllr. Jones reported that any dead trees had been removed. It was noted that the Bishop has the say as to what trees are planted.

10. Highways

Road had been closed for 3 days, but nothing happened. Rescheduled for 24-26th April.
Flushing work postponed due to the drought.

10.1 Hedge cutting.
Cllr. Jones had not been able to find out who had cut the hedges. Clippings have now died down so not so much of a problem.
Cllr. Steel reported somebody had done an excellent job cutting back the hedges in the lanes behind Ridgeons, Chapel St/Bell Lane.

11. Flooding

Sewerage leak had been reported and dealt with promptly by Anglian Water.
The hose pipe ban brought on by the drought was discussed. In particular how pensioners were allowed to continue to use hoses to water their gardens.

12. Correspondence

Wind turbine petition from a David Ramsbottom
Spinal Injuries Association – request to display poster/advertise their fish and chip supper on RPC notice board
RESOLVED not to display on RPC notice board but OK on notice board on the green.
Norfolk Rural Community Council (Norfolk RCC) – invite for RPC to consider becoming members at £25/£15 per annum – and March newsletter
RESOLVED not to become members of NRCC
Sewerage leak reported at Low Lane. Dealt with same day by Anglian Water
Came and Company – offering insurance for Parish Councils
ACTION. Clerk to check expiry date of our insurance and keep on file.
NALC offering cafe events (coffee/chat) for clerks and councillors
RESOLVED these events were not useful because they were held during the day.
Safer Neighbourhood Action Panel (SNAP) advertising next meeting to discuss any concerns within your parish
DC William Smith – advertising Live web chat on rural crime

13. AOB

The village pubs. The local people interested in purchasing and keeping the White Hart as a pub have a meeting planned for next week. There have been mixed reports regards the Red Lion now re-opened at Caston and the carvery at the Crown is reported as very good.

The meeting closed at 8.22pm.

14. Date of next meeting

- Annual Parish Council Meeting (AGM) - Monday 14th May 2012 7pm in Rocklands Village Hall