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Draft Minutes of East and West Beckham Parish Council
Meeting Held on Thursday 18th September 2025
Present. Cllrs. R. McNeil Wilson, (chairman),D. Barrass R. Batt, J. Dovey. G. Place, T. Toyn,
Dist. Cllr. Callum Ringer. J. Stibbons (clerk)
The chairman opened the meeting at 7.03pm.
1. Apologies for absence. County Cllr. E. Vardy
2. There were no applications to fill the vacancy on the Parish Council. Members will make further enquiries to find a suitable candidate.
3. There were no declarations of interest
4. The minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 11th July 2025. having been previously circulated, it was proposed by Cllr. Toyn that they be approved as correct. This was seconded by Cllr. Batt and carried.
5. There were no Matters arising from the Minutes.
6. There were no comment or questions on the agenda from members of the pubic.
7. Reports from County, District and Parish Councillors
Dist. Cllr. C. Ringer Bodham and Beckham Village Hall committee has resigned. A new committee is to be formed. Members form East and West Beckham are also needed to be included on this new committee. A meeting to form a new committee has been called for 29th September and a full meeting of the new committee will be held in February or March 2026.
The full written report from Councillor Ringer, sent to members before the meeting, is attached at the end of these minutes.
8. Horsey 3 Community Fund. Cllr. Barriss (chairman of the grants committee) preposed six pieces of play equipment costing about four thousand pounds each should be included in the total figure of the application. Costings are also being prepared for the Allotment access, the water saving scheme and the provision of Family allotments and a community orchard. Full costings will be available at the next parish council meeting.
This general plan was approved by the meeting and the final proposals will be discussed and confirmed at the November meeting.
9. Planning. There were no Planning applications to be considered at this meeting.
10. Bulletin. The need for new committee members for the Village Hall to be publicised.
It would also be useful to have events at The Wheatsheaf and church services published
11. Playing Field. The Playsafety report was discussed. It was agreed that no action should be taken until the outcome of the grant application was known.
12. Notice Boards. Quotations for replacement notice boards are to be considered at the next meeting.
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13. Financial matters.
Bank Balances at 18/9/25: –
Current a/c £1704.17 Savings a/c £1799.23 Investment a/c £47607.89 + interest £670.55
There were no invoices due for payment at this meeting.
14. Correspondence The following correspondence was received:
A letter of thanks for the donation to the Air Ambulance
There being no further business the chairman closed the meeting at 8.42pm
The next meeting of Beckham Parish Council will be held on Thursday 13th November 2025
District Councillor Report – Cllr Callum Ringer
September 2024
Local Government Reorganisation
On 17 September, I will be voting on the council’s position regarding the Government’s proposals for local government reorganisation. The expectation is that NNDC will continue to object to the
process entirely, as many of us feel it is being imposed without sufficient local input or
consideration. However, we also have to face the reality that reorganisation will go ahead, and the
council is therefore likely to support a three-unitary council approach as the most workable model
for Norfolk should it proceed.
West Beckham Affordable Housing
It was a real pleasure to welcome so many parish councillors to the new affordable housing site in
West Beckham during early August. I hope this visit acts as a catalyst for similar future schemes
Across the district. These are known as “exception” schemes—they can only be delivered on land not normally allocated for housing, and they require a local connection for those applying. This ensures that homes go to people with genuine ties to the parish or surrounding area. I am very pleased to report that in Beckham, families have now been assigned properties and will be moving in shortly—a positive step in addressing local housing need.
Progress on the A148 Road Safety campaign
Since the tragic fatalities of Sheila and Campbell Welsh, I along with other local councillors and Steff
Aquarone have called for a comprehensive review of the A148 from Holt Roundabout through to the
Felbrigg Roundabout. Following a stakeholder meeting in February highways agreed to this. Over
the summer highways have been reviewing traffic data – not just vehicle movements but pedestrian
and cyclists too. £20k has been extracted from the developers of the old Pineheath nursing home
which will specifically contribute towards enhanced pedestrian crossing. Draft proposals should be
known later in the Autumn but the final sign off – we are told – will need to await any
recommendations from the inquest for which no date has been set.
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Graveyards at Risk of Coastal Erosion
Across England, a number of coastal graveyards are at risk of loss to erosion, including three in
Happisburgh, Trimingham and Mundesley. In response, Coastwise, working with the Diocese of
Norwich, has commissioned a study looking at policies, legislation, and practical options for
communities facing this issue.
Graveyards are of deep cultural and emotional significance, yet there are currently no plans in place
to manage them when threatened by erosion. The report sets out potential options—ranging from
doing minimum, defending, ceasing use, relocating, or long-term management—and highlights the
importance of community involvement in decision-making.
Workshops and engagement events will continue in coastal communities to help shape local
transition plans, ensuring respectful and proactive approaches for the future.
Norfolk Churches Trust Sponsored Cycle Ride
On Saturday 13 September, the annual Norfolk Churches Trust Cycle Ride took place, raising vital
Funds to support the upkeep of our churches. I cycled on behalf of Bodham Church, and if you’d still like to sponsor me, I’ve included a link below.
It was a wonderful community event — we cycled 60 miles, taking in 50 churches along the way. We are very grateful to all our sponsors for their support, and I’d also like to congratulate everyone who took part across the county.
https://www.justgiving.com/page/callum-kathryn-bodhamchurch
Email: callum.ringer@north-norfolk.gov.uk
I’m always happy to deal with any issues between meetings—please don’t hesitate
