HOCKWOLD-CUM-WILTON PARISH COUNCIL

 

MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD IN THE METHODIST SCHOOLROOM ON TUESDAY 9 MARCH 2004 AT 7.00 pm

 

Present:                                  Mr Dave Owens              )  Chairman

                                                Mrs Pat Raburn                 )  Vice Chairman

 

                                                Mrs I Adams                                    )  Hockwold Parish Council

                                                Mrs Linda Arbour              )

                                                Mr Tony Gossage                    )

                                                Mr R Allsop                         )

                                                Mr M Denney                       )

                                                Mrs T Sismey                       )

                                                Mr Martin Storey             )  District Councillor      

                                                Mr A Spanswick                 )  Feltwell Parish Councillor

                                                Two Members of the Public

 

Apologies for absence had been received from Mrs K Stratford.

 

1.                  MINUTES

 

Resolved:  That the Minutes of the meeting held on the 10th February 2004 previously circulated be approved and signed by the Chairman, this was proposed by Mr Denney and seconded by Mrs Raburn.

 

2.                  MATTERS ARISING AND CORRESPONDENCE

 

Standards Board – Mr A Spanswick:    Mr A Spanswick a member of Feltwell Parish Council has put his name forward for nomination to serve as a ‘Parish Member’ on the Borough Standards Board.  To achieve this he has to be nominated by two Parish Council, Feltwell, of course, has done so and he is asking if Hockwold would also nominate him.   After some discussion between Mr Spanswick and the Councillors it was proposed by Mr Denney and seconded by Mrs Raburn that Hockwold should be the second nominee, all the councillors agreed to this, several of them having known Mr Spanswick for some time.

 

Overhanging Hedges and Shrubs:  This matter has been placed in the village magazine for the last three months, asking parishioners to cut back their hedges and shrubs that effect footpaths etc but to little response.  Mr Denney and Mr Owens drove around the village and found that there were still some very had examples.  The chairman suggested that a list should be drawn up of the offenders, it was then proposed by Mr Denney and seconded by Mrs Arbour that we should contact the Borough Council and ask for their advice on this matter.  A further notice will be placed in the Parish Magazine informing parishioners what the council proposes to do.

 

Norfolk R.C.C.:   Notification has been received that our yearly subscription of £12.50 is now due.  It was proposed by Mrs Raburn and seconded by Mrs Arbour that this amount is paid.

 

East Anglian Air Ambulance:   A letter has been received from this organisation asking if the Parish Council would consider giving them a donation.  We had done so last year.  It was proposed by Mrs Sismey and seconded by Mrs Adams that a donation of £50.00 is sent off.

 

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N.C.A.P.T.C.:  Notification has been received that the council’s yearly subscription for the year 2004/2005 is now due and will be £149.52.  It was proposed by Mrs Arbour and seconded by Mrs Raburn that this amount is sent off.

 

Cross Hill Grass:  An invoice has been received from Mr John Long for £40.00 for the eight cuts of the Cross Hill Grass.  He has requested that this money be sent direct to the Feltwell Play Group.  It was proposed by Mr Denney and seconded by Mr Allsop that this amount be paid as requested.

 

Wilton Bridge:  A letter has been received from Suffolk County Council regarding the bed state of repair of the B1112.  They are at present drafting next year’s programme (after April 2004), and this work will hopefully be included in this programme.  It was reported that SCC have now  marked the road either side of the bridge, so hopefully work will be done soon.

 

Church Lane:  A letter has been received from Highways regarding the problem of drainage in Church Lane.  This is being investigated by the highway supervisor, who should be getting back in touch with the council regarding his findings.

 

Village Club:   It was brought to the attention of the council that there is still a problem of water laying outside the bungalow next to the village club.  This matter has been looked at on many occasions, but no solution seems to have been found.  The clerk will write to highways regarding this matter.

 

Street Lighting improvements to RAF Feltwell:   A letter has been received from NCC Highways informing Hockwold PC that they would be willing to accept responsibility for the running costs of extra lighting to improve accesses to RAF Feltwell, providing that Hockwold Parish Council as the local lighting authority required it.  (The two areas mentioned are in Long Lane & Burdock Lane and marked on an enclosed map).    The councillors are sure that these areas come under Feltwell Parish Council not Hockwold.  The clerk will telephone NCC and ask them to look into which Parish Council these areas come under.

 

Refuse & Recycling Arrangements:   A letter has been received from the Borough Council regarding this matter.  Every household has now received their refuse schedule for the coming year.

 

Norfolk Recorders – Allotments:   Norfolk Recorders have written to the Council asking for a small questionnaire to be completed regarding the Allotments within the village.  The clerk will fill in the form and return it.

 

Norfolk Wildlife Trust:   This organisation has written to the Council asking for a small form to be completed regarding Parish Magazines and Village Halls.  The clerk will complete this form and return it.

 

King’s Lynn Festival 2004:   Provisional details of this festival have been received covering the period 18 – 31 July 2004.

 

Inter-Village Sports:    Details have been received about this competition for June 2004.  Unfortunately since Mr J Millard retired as team manager, we have not entered the competition. The Chairman will put an article in the village magazine to see if a Parishioner is willing to act as Manager so Hockwold could enter this yearly event.

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Clerks & Councils Direct:   Issue 32 – March 2004 has been received and is available for any councillor to read.

 

Boundary Committee – Electoral Review of NCC:   The draft recommendations of this electoral review can be viewed at NCC and local district council offices, in local libraries and on the Boundary Committee website.  Any views regarding this matter have to be sent to the Committee by 26 April 2004.

 

West Norfolk Road Safety Committee – Southern Area:  Notification has been received that the next meeting of this committee will be held on Thursday 11 March 2004 at Downham Market Council Offices at 7.00 pm.

 

3.                  PLANNING APPLICATIONS/PERMISSIONS/REFUSALS

 

Ref:            2/04/0349/F                                                  Name:             Mrs D Norman

                                                                                                            171 Main Street

Location – 171 Main Street                                                              Hockwold Thetford

Details – Extn to dwelling to create room in                                 Norfolk IP26 4LZ

            Roof space.

The council raised no objection to this application.

 

PERMISSION

 

Mr & Mrs D Webb                                                  Ref:            2/03/2479/F (revised design)

Alpha, Station Road

Hockwold Thetford

Norfolk

Permission Recorded.

 

4.                  BILLS OF ACCOUNTS

 

Payments:            9.03.04            Assess Management – Lights Maintn.                        £  91.71

                                                Feltwell Play Group – J Long Cross Hill                   £  40.00

                                                Mr M Moore – Bus Shelter                                                £  18.00

                                                Mrs G M Taylor – Wages                                                £246.36

                                                Norfolk RCC – Subs. 04/05                           £  12.50

                                                East Anglian Air Ambulance – Donation                    £  50.00

                                                N.C.A.P.T.C. – Subs 04/05                                        £149.52

 

It was proposed by Mrs P Raburn and seconded by Mr Allsop that these accounts be paid.

 

5.                  ANY OTHER BUSINESS

 

Lights:   Since the telephone box has gone at the Station Road end of Main Street, the area is very dark, what is the prospect of getting a new street light erected.  This would be a very costly matter, and would start other areas of the village asking for new lights.

Two Streetlights were reported out – one in Malts Lane and one in Main Street the clerk will report them.

 

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Dog Fouling:  Someone has reported the name and address of someone who lets their dog foul footpaths to a councillor and has asked if the Parish Council could report them to the Dog Warden.   This is not possible the parishioner themselves must ring the Borough Council Dog Warden and report the matter; No names are ever given out.

 

RAF Feltwell Base Entrance:   Yet again there have been reports of long waits to get from Hockwold to Feltwell due to the base Guard Checks.  Mr Denney proposed that the Council should call a site meeting with the District Council, NCC, Police, Base Officials, Gold Course and Peckham Haulage, there was no seconder for this proposal.  Following a lot of discussion regarding this matter, the chairman said he felt there should be a survey done over a seven day period in the mornings.  It was agreed the clerk should write a strong letter to NCC Highways asking for their help and advice over the matter, with copies being sent to the Police and King’s Lynn Highways Department.

 

Street Sign:   The newly erected Main Street/Malts Lane street sign actually says Main Street/

Malts Street.   The clerk will ring the borough Council and ask for it to be changed.

 

Mill Lane Junction:   Cars are backing out of the Children’s Nursery on the corner of Mill Lane

this added to the cars parked outside the hairdressers is making the area very dangerous, and it is felt there could be a bad collision in the very near future.

 

Community Bus:   Mr Owen reported that the community bus being run by the Brandon Partnership will call in at Hockwold via Weeting, stopping in the village, then on to the RSPB Reserve, then Lakenheath, Wangford Road to Brandon Country Park then on to Thetford.  It will be called the Brecks Warrener.

 

Carrot Lorries – South Street:   Mr Owens reported that he has been told that the main culprits of carrot lorries driving through South Street are ‘Vision Aggregates’.   If Mr Murfitts drivers’ are caught taking this ‘short cut’ they will face instant dismissal.

 

6.         DATE OF NEXT MEETING

 

It was agreed that the next meeting of the council will be on Tuesday 13 April 2004 at 7.30pm.

 

As there was no other business the Chairman closed the meeting at 9.05pm.

 

 

DISTRIBUTION:

 

One copy to each member of the Council

One copy to Mr J Norris Norfolk County Councillor

One copy to Mrs C Sharp District Councillor

One copy to Mr M Peake District Councillor

One copy to Mr M Storey District Councillor

One copy to Downham Market Police Station

One copy for the Web-site.

Two Copies for display within the village