Rocklands Parish Council
(RPC)
Minutes of Parish Council Meeting held in
Rocklands Village Hall
7.00pm on Monday 6th January
2014
Present : David Howie Chair
Nicola Southgate Vice Chair
Cath
Jones
David Witt
Roger Steel
Kim Austin Clerk
Also
present: 3 members of the public.
1. To consider accepting apologies for absence
RESOLVED To accept apologies from
Cllr. Shirley Colenutt who is unwell and from District Cllr. Bill Smith who
wasn’t able to attend.
2. To record declarations of interest from members in any items
on the agenda
There
were no declarations of interest.
3.
To approve the minutes of the
last council meeting on Monday 9th September 2013.
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. David Howie.
4.
To discuss any matters
arising from the minutes, not on the agenda
Defibrillators:
Cyril Ruffles gave an update. There had been a meeting with Matthew Moore from
the Co-op at the Village Hall. It had been agreed that the best place for
siting the equipment would be on the wall where the map is. Mains would run to it from inside the gents’
toilets. Confirmed would be installed at no cost to Rocklands and running costs
would be that of a 40 watt bulb. Co-op
had asked for any asbestos records as they would need to drill the wall. Bit confusing as the wall to be drilled is solid
block and not sure we have any records. CR may have a certificate from 2003 for
the removal of the roof. The council
thanked Cyril for his help.
5.
To
adjourn the meeting for public participation
Meeting adjourned at 7.13pm.
There were no comments from the public.
The meeting re-opened at 7.15pm.
6. To
report on Finance
6.1 Parish
Council Budget and Precept 2014-2015
The Clerk had circulated
the income and expenditure figures for last year and the current year to date
prior to the meeting. Cllr. Howie went through his calculations based on these
figures, looking at where there may be savings, any increases and any new
expenses for the year 2014 - 2015. Cllr. Steel was keen that we ask for enough
and not leave the Parish Council short and get stung by unknowns. He had been
thinking of a 10% increase of £440. After some discussion it was agreed to set
the precept at £4800 which would mean a 1p increase on the rates. Cllr. Jones asked those members of the public
present if they were happy with this and they were. Cllr. Howie signed Form B
of the Precept Application.
RESOLVED to ask for a precept of £4,800 for 2014-2015. An increase of
£400 on last year.
Action The Clerk to send Precept
Forms to the Council.
6.2 Financial
position
The bank account balances as at Monday 6th
Jan 2014
Barclays Community Account £ 1,898.06
Barclays Saver (Reserve) Account £ 701.83
TOTAL as per bank £ 2,599.89
6.3
Money in since last
meeting
2/12 Bank Interest £ 0.09
TOTAL IN £
0.09
6.4
Cheques out (to sign)
CHQ 520 Rocklands Village Hall – Hall hire £ 70.00
PAID
CHQ 521 Kim Austin (Clerk’s Expenses – 4
months) £ 42.32
CHQ 522 Allpark
Ltd. – Grit Bin (Reimburse Kim Austin) £ 108.00
CHQ 523 Pearce & Kemp – Underpayment for
Streetlighting £ 16.44
TOTAL OUT £
236.76
6.5 Standing
Orders
Kim Austin Clerk’s
wages
Pearce and Kemp Street
lighting
e.On Electricity
Notes from the Clerk:
Chapel Green Licence
The Clerk
has sent a letter to Mrs. Robinsons at Chapel Green Cottage requesting payment
of £1 for the annual licence to display their house name plaques at Chapel
Green.
Pearce & Kemp.
Prices go up
in March but they don’t inform us so wrong amount is taken. If it were a Direct
Debit it would change automatically and the correct amount would be taken, so
keeping the accounts tidier. The Clerk
asked if she could change it to a DD in the future ?
RESOLVED the Clerk should change the payment to a DD so
correct amount is collected.
Reimbursements.
The Clerk
had received a cheque for £120 in the post the morning of the meeting from the
Playing Fields. £50 reimbursement for
Vat paid by RPC and £80 contribution towards cost of external audit fee of
£240.
Still
waiting for £80 from the Cricket Club to reimburse RPC for the external audit
fee.
Deed of Dedication
There will
be a charge of £300 plus vat for SE Deed of Dedication being drawn up by Jackie
Raggett at Daykins Solicitors that will be paid by CC/PF.
Website
Ian Scholes’
(new Website Person) has now registered his details at Compila (Hosting
Company) instead of Peter Smith.
Cllr. Howie
thanked Ian for taking over the management of the RPC Website.
7 To
consider planning applications.
7.1 Planning outcomes since last meeting
3PL/2013/0991F HEATON/77
The Street – Extension/office (40) PERMISSION
7.2 Planning applications pending outcome
3PL/2012/0654/CU
Breckland Storage/Swangey/Retail caravans - (15)
3PL/2013/0721/F Hockney/Nelsons Loke/Single storey
extension (35)
3PL/2013/0906F DUNNETT/Bridge House/Mount Pleasant (38)
3PL/2013/0951EU LAWES/Oakglen/Stow
Bedon/Breach of Occn. (39)
7.3 New planning applications since last meeting
3PL/2013/1057F PTNRSHIP IN CARE/Anchor corner/Garage
to Dwelling (41)
Neighbours
not happy with things thrown over their hedge. Would like secure fencing
between the properties.
RESOLVED NO OBJECTION to this
planning application.
3PL/2013/1074F SOUTHGATE/Rocklands Park Fm/Agri
Worker Dwelling (42)
The
Parish Council discussed the benefits of having farm workers on site where
livestock was concerned. No objection
but assumed there would be an agricultural tie with the dwelling.
RESOLVED NO OBJECTION to this
planning application.
3PL/2013/1061F LEEDER/White Hart/Replacement windows
(43)
There
was some confusion as to the need for palling permission. Cllr. Steel said
commercial businesses do need permission to change windows. Councillors were
not happy that a drawing from a previous application for new houses on the pub
site had found its way into the application for windows. There was some debate as to whether the
application should be withdrawn and resubmitted.
RESOLVED NO OBJECTION to this
planning application for replacement windows. But concerns were raised and
asked that attention be brought to the inaccurate documents supplied with the
application.
7.4 New planning applications since agenda
issued
None since agenda was
issued.
8 To update on White Hart and Rocklands
Village Shop
White Hart. No update on White Hart.
Rumours of games room and food etc on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Village Shop
and Post Office
(Cllr. Steel). Share offer opened on 14th December. 210 share holders representing over 40% of
Rocklands’ residents and local people. Share
capital stands at ~£45,000. Sorting out contract with PO but haven’t had it
back yet.
Interviewing for staff this week.
Have around 30 volunteers and hoping that
volunteers will do 3 hours a week.
1pm on Saturday 22nd Feb 2014 – Post
Office Shop will close.
1pm on Wednesday 12th March 2014 – Post
Office – Soft Opening.
21st March 2014 – POST OFFICE – GRAND
OPENING !
9 To receive update
from Tree warden. (Richard Smedley)
There was no update from the Tree Warden. It was noted that there had been a tree
reported as leaning across the road at Low Lane, opposite No. 3. Al Bainbridge had reported it to the council,
probably Highways as he has a call ref.
ACTION: The Clerk to contact Tree
Warden, Richard Smedley.
10 To update on Playing Fields. (Cllr. Howie)
The ‘nuisance’ floodlights had been redirected.
Car Park has been finished. Bit dark,
maybe needs a few more lights. Recently, a lorry drove up to the goal post area
and sank. A match had to be cancelled due to the mess it made.
11
To receive update on Highways
Trod and Hedge Cllr. Jones said Laura was thrilled with
the Trod. It looks good but has become a bit weathered already with the heavy
downpours. Some of the sand washed away and it looks a little unfinished. People were expecting it to be tarmaced. Lots
of people are using it which is excellent. Cllr. Steel says he uses it all the
time. Fingers crossed there isn’t a
nettle/bramble problem later on. Cllr. Witt asked if the kerb could be painted
as it is a bit high and he himself has clipped it in the dark.
ACTION: Cllr. Howie to speak to Paul
Sellick (Breckland Council)
Streetlights Another streetlight (9009) reported out
this month. The Clerk had reported this to Pearce and Kemp, Streetlighting
Contractors. 9004 still not working. Has been disconnected as casing was
‘live’.
12
To update on flooding
There had been a burst water main in The Street
but it had been fixed very promptly.
13
To discuss any correspondence
Cllr. Jones had had a letter passed to her from
another parishioner from a lady at Cockpit Corner in Stow Bedon. She asked if
the Councillors names could go in the Rocklander.
14 AOB (Agenda items for next meeting)
15
Date of next
Meeting -
Monday 24th February 2014, 7pm, Rocklands Village Hall.
The meeting
closed at 8.27 pm.