Beckham East and West Parish Council

Page 1/2019

Minutes of the East and West Beckham Annual Parish Meeting 9th  May 2019.

Mr. R. McNeil Wilson (Chairman) opened the meeting at 5.45pm

Present:-  Five members of the parish council 

1. The minutes of the E&W Beckham Annual Parish Meeting held on 21st May 2018 were read to the meeting and approved by those present. The chairman signed the minutes.

2. Report by the chairman of the Beckham Parish Council.

Once again its been an active year within the Parish both for the Solar Community

Fund Committee and the Parish Councillors with lots to show for their efforts.

The Solar committee have been very active during the year.

A water catchment scheme has been put in place on the allotments and the track is to

be repaired during the coming year.

Many other projects have been put in hand during the year including renewing the

Village sign at West Beckham and the household information sheet.  Particular thanks

for these must go to Kathryn who has been pursuing these projects.

The agreement with The Felbeck Trust to maintain the common and nature areas has been signed.

The Felbeck Trust is a charity and does not charge for the work it carries out but relies on gifts, and donations and grants to fund its work. There has been a lot of work carried out this year and you can really begin to see the impact that this is having in the village.  A donation has been agreed this year as a thank you for the work they have done.

A new Grit bin has been installed at Church Corner and a pic-nic bench placed in the

Nature area.

A new bench is being installed on the Sheringham Road to replace the one damaged

by traffic. Our thanks must go to Geoff Place for volunteering to do the work.

The land at allotment lane has been planted with a nectar flower and wild flower

mixture. It has been cut several times during the summer and winter last year to help

with it’s establishment.

It has been brought to our attention that cars are still sometimes parking on the verge

opposite Sheringham Park contrary to the signage on the road. If this is seen by any

member if the public it would be helpful if photographs could be taken and reported to

John or Norfolk County Council to help put a stop to this danger.

The successful research and implementation of capital projects suggested by the Parishioners has only been possible as a result of the hard work and tenacity by the Parish Council Councillors and particularly the SCFC Committee Members.  A big thank you goes out to all involved particularly the SCFC Chairman, Julia Dovey.

If anyone can spare a few hours a month, please put your name forward to become either a SCFC committee member or a Parish Councillor.  We still have a vacancy for one person on the Parish Council even after the recent elections. 

 

Last but by no means least our thanks must go to John, our excellent Parish Clerk who goes above and beyond his duties to keep the Parish Council running so smoothly.

Thank you, John.

 

3. Questions from the public..    None

There being no further business the chairman closed the meeting at 5.55pm.

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Minutes of East and West Beckham Parish Council
Meeting Held on Thursday 14th March 2019

Present.
Cllrs. R. McNeil Wilson (chairman) G. Place, D. Barrass, J. Dovey, K. Lord,
Dist. Cllr. P. Botikofer. J.Stibbons (clerk)
The chairman opened the meeting at 7.25pm,

1. Apologies Cllr.R. Batt,

2. There were no declarations of interest.

3. The minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 10th January 2019, having been previously circulated, it was noted that the report from Cllr. Knowles was incorrectly reported. It should record that Council tax on properties left empty for more than twelve months would be charged at 200%, not 100% as written. After this correction was approved it was proposed by Cllr. Barrass that the minutes should be confirmed as correct. This was seconded by Cllr. Place and carried.
The chairman then signed the minutes.

4. Matters arising from the Minutes
The insurance claim for the replacement bench for Sheringham Road has been finalised and a new bench purchased.

5 Reports from County, District or Parish Councillors
District Councillor P. Botikofer gave reports for the County and District Councils.
County Council.
The agreed budget approved an increase in council tax on a band D property of almost £70, being made up of £39 for the County Council, £24 for the Police and £4.95 for the District council.
The budget calculates a saving of £30 million in the current year with a three year shortfall of £74 million.
The Coast Hopper service will not be cut. Sanders are campaigning to have bus passes valid in areas where they are issued. A small fee could be charged for other pass holders from outside the area.
District Council
The budget allowed for £32,000 for community transport.
£130,000 for a Business Development Fund to assist start-up business.
£30,000 to allow all Toilets to be open during the day for the whole year.
£20,000 for number plate recognition cameras. The Police to provide the cameras at cost.
£2,000,000 to be set aside to form a Development Company. This will enable properties to be purchased from Flagship. These houses can then be let or sold on a right to buy basis.

6. Solar Community Fund Committee.
The Felbeck Trust have completed the installation of nest boxes on West Beckham Green and East
Beckham Common. They will help with the West Beckham allotment field if required.
Although a small section at the top of East Beckham common is owned by Gresham Farms
permission has been given for the Felbeck Trust to include this in their maintenance schedule.
The parish council approved a proposal by Cllr. Dovey that a donation of £100 should be made to
Felbeck Trust.

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The Horticultural Show will be held on 26th July. It was proposed by Cllr. Lord that £100 should be
donated to the Horticultural Committee to cover some of the administration costs. This was
seconded by Cllr. Place and approved.
The Council members thanked Cllr. Lord for her work in producing the neighbourhood sheet which
is to be distributed to all households.

7. Allotment Track Repairs
A quotation has been received to surface the track with Tarmac. Estimates from two other
contractors will be available at the May meeting.

8. Playing Field.
The monthly inspection report shows everything is in a satisfactory condition.
Playdale confirm that the timber used in the equipment has a 20 year guarantee and does not need treating. A new Playdale check list is to be incorporated in the check list already in use.

9. Mud at the Post Box and Noticeboard on Sheringham Road.
The “Pull-in” needs building up with rubble or tarmac. Highways are to be contacted to ask if permission is required to carry out the work.

10. District and Parish Elections.
Nomination papers were completed by all the members present.

11. Ostead and Vattenfall
The proposal for an Off Shore Ring main as sent to all local M.Ps and the planning inspectorate
was fully supported by the parish council. This proposal would allow all future offshore wind
farms to connect to this ring main and avoid the disruption which would be caused by the present
proposals.

12. Financial matters.
Bank Balances at 14/3/2019 Current a/c £12407.65 Savings a/c £7072.98
To approve the following payments and sign cheques,
Zurich Insurance Cover 2019-2020 £467.27
Chevertons Printing (inv.45478 & 45557) £169.20
Teak Bench Company Replacement bench (insurance claimed) £249.00

13. Correspondence
Carers Matter Norfolk. A request for this organisation, which gives assistance and support to local carers to be more fully publicised. The information will be included in the next news letter.
First Aid Course. A quotation was received from the Norfolk Accident Rescue Service (NARS) to provide First Aid training. The course would be in two parts of two hours each. Cost would be £150 per session. It was agreed to ask a representative of NARS to address the parish council at a future meeting.

There being no further business the chairman closed the meeting at 8.43pm.

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Minutes of East and West Beckham Parish Council
Meeting Held on Thursday 10th January 2019

Present.
Cllrs. R. McNeil Wilson (chairman) G. Place, D. Barrass, R. Batt, J. Dovey, K. Lord,
Dist. Cllr. M Knowles J.Stibbons (clerk)
The chairman opened the meeting at 7.00pm,

Apologies none

There were no declarations of interest.

The minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 8th November 2018, having been previously circulated, it was proposed by Cllr. Place that they should be confirmed as correct. This was seconded by Cllr. Dovey and carried. The chairman then signed the minutes.

Matters arising from the Minutes It was noted that the West Beckham allotments have been cut.

Report from District Councillor (Cllr. M. Knowles) Councillor Sarah Butikoferhas been elected as the new Leader of the Council. Thre is to be a cross-party cabinet.
There has been a bid submitted for money to provide a round-about on the A148 at the top of Holaway Road.
Properties left empty for more that twenty four months are to be charged 100% council tax.
There are proposals for community fridges to be made available. One is installed at Fakenham.
An Armed Forces chaplin has been apointed to help ex-servicemen.
There will be a consultation on the Local Plan in February.
The Beckham parish councillors agreed that for the May elections the PollingStation for East and West Beckham will be the Bodham and Beckham village hall.

Solar Community Fund Committee.
There had been no committee meeting due to the Christmas break.
The new Household Information Sheet has been completed.
The new grit bin and pic-nic table have been installed.
The colour proof of the village sign is now needed – cost £150- but the final black and white design
is first to be circulated to members for their approval.
The next SCFC committee meeting will be in February.

Allotment Track Repairs Quotations were not available at this meeting.

Playing Field (safety report) The pic-nic table is in a stable condition but the benches need sanding down.
Timber on the new equipment should have been pre-treated but it may need re-coating at some stage.
The hinge on the metal gate needs repairing. This work is to be put in hand.

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Financial matters.
Bank Balances at 10/1//2019 Current a/c £12543.60 Savings a/c £6464.75
The following payments were approved and cheques signed,
J. McNeil Wilson Ltd. Cutting allotment £86.40
J. Stibbons Salary/expenses £590.98
HMRC PAYE £122.80
R. Hudson Maintenance £200
S. Thurtle Grass/hedge cutting £300

11. Correspondence None

12. Matters for information only or for the next agenda.

The signpost on the A148 at Bodham does not have a finger board pointing to Beckham, there is now a
space as the “Hart” sign has been removed. Highway to be contacted.

Cars are again parking on the verge at the top of Lodge Hill and it is possible the “No Parking” signs have
been removed. Highways to be contacted.

There being no further business the chairman closed the meeting at 8.35pm

The next Parish Council meeting will be held on Thursday 14th March 2019

Page 172

Minutes of East and West Beckham Parish Council
Meeting Held on Thursday 8th November 2018

Present.
Cllrs. R. McNeil Wilson (chairman) G. Place, D. Barrass, R. Batt, J. Dovey,
J.Stibbons (clerk)
The chairman opened the meeting at 7.30pm,

Apologies Cllr. K. Lord, County Cllr. S. Butikofer Dist. Cllr. M Knowles

There were no declarations of interest.

The minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 13th September 2018, having been previously circulated, it was proposed by Cllr. Dovey that they should be confirmed as correct. This was seconded by Cllr. Batt and carried. The chairman then signed the minutes.

Matters arising from the Minutes.
It was agreed that a revised letter should be sent to the Felbeck Trust omitting the wording “ Any capital expenditure would need to have the prior agreement with the Parish Council”

Reports from County, District or Parish Councillors.
Dist. Cllr. M. Knowles ( a written report was read to the meeting):-
The Splash project was granted planning consent and a number of other projects are progressing well.
The new local plan is in progress, albeit a little behind schedule, and should be out for general consultations in the new year. It includes a requirement for more than 10,000 new homes by 2036; most of this allocation will go to the larger towns, and as is the trend in our district, it is anticipated that the expected increase in population will be accounted for almost entirely by inward migration.
Procurement of the new waste contract is taking shape with a view to commencement in 2020. Budget setting for next year will be interesting, given the anticipated shortfall in Government assistance going forward.

Cllr. J. Dovey reported that there was a consultation being undertaken to consider widening the designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (A.O.N.B.) At present it finishes at the A148 which only includes about twenty percent of East Beckham. More information should be available for the next meeting.

Solar Community Fund Committee.

The West Beckham allotment site is being overgrown by Docks. It was agreed to have the site cut again.
The water catchment scheme at the E. Beckham allotments is under way. This scheme could be extended if it is successful.
Budgeting for future expenditure is being updated.

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Allotment Track Repairs To be discussed at the January meeting

Playing Field The inspection rota was agreed. Each inspection period to be two months and the “Tick-box” template will be reviewed at each Parish Council meeting. Inspectors were agreed in the following order.
Cllrs. R. Wilson,(already completed),G. Place, D. Barrass, R. Batt, K. Lord, J. Dovey.
The entrance gates of the Playing Field are in poor repair. It was agreed to obtain quotations for their replacement.
A quotation for the replacement of the climbing frame were presented to the meeting.
It was agreed that there was no immediate necessity to replace the frame as it was not considered a safety issue at the last RoSPA inspection. A close watch will be kept on the condition of the apparatus with a view to replacement in the future.
Any new play equipment should be made of either metal or plastic.

Village Sign It was agreed that the final draft design of the village sign should show two Pylons.

Financial Matters.

Bank Balances at 8/11//2018 Current a/c £ 13624.30 Savings a/c £6461.53

The budget for 2019-2020 was discussed and reviewed. The parish council then approved the
budget.

It was proposed by Cllr. Place that the precept for 2019-2020 should be set at £3350. This was
seconded by Cllr.Dovey and approved. The precept application was then completed and signed.

The following invoices were approved and cheques issued,
PKF Littlejohn External auditors £240
NALC Training £54
Bodham Village Hall Meeting room £66
J. Stibbons Salary/expenses £597.90
HMRC PAYE £122.80

Correspondence Scam Mail.
Centenary of WW1 Armistice – commemorative gift of Flanders poppy seeds.

Matters for information
It was agreed that future meetings of E&W Beckham Parish Council would start at 7.00pm

The next meeting is on Thursday 10th January 2019

Minutes of East and West Beckham Parish Council
Meeting Held on Tuesday 13th September 2018

Present.
Cllrs.G. Place, (chairman) D. Barrass, R. Batt, K. Lord, J. Dovey,
County Cllr. S. Butikofer Dist. Cllr. M Knowles J.Stibbons (clerk)

The chairman opened the meeting at 7.34pm,

1. Apologies Cllr. R. McNeil Wilson

2. Declarations of interest. None

3. The minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on Thursday 12th July 2018
It was proposed, seconded and resolved that the minutes be approved. The Chairman then signed
the minutes.

4. Matters arising from the Minutes. None

5 Reports from County and District Councillors
Dist Cllr. M. Knowles. Gave a report on the proceedings of the District Council, a copy of which was circulated to the members before the meeting and is attached to these minutes.
County Cllr. S. Butikofer. There has been a huge response to the Police and Crime consultation.
Parts of the mobile library may be saved with some rationalisation.
Social care may be reduced by forty one million.
Some bus routes may be reduced as they are uneconomic. There are too many bus passes in operation.
County Cllr Botikofer left the meeting at 8.14pm.

6. Solar Community Fund Committee.(Report)
Quotations for the repair of the allotment track are to be obtained.
A quoted cost of £200 has been submitted to move the picnic table to the Nature Area, trim the cherry trees
over the play area and install the new grit bin at Church Corner. It was agreed that the cherry trees should not
be trimmed until the owner had been consulted.
A “Good Neighbourhood Scheme” is to be progressed. A meeting has been held with High Kelling council to
find the best type of system. Kelling already has one in operation.
Seven plastic containers have been delivered to the allotments. Materials will be needed to create the water
catchment. It was proposed by Cllr. Dovey that up to £500 could be spent for this purpose. This was
seconded by Cllr. Barras and approved. This expenditure was approved without full costings as it was
necessary to produce a catchment system before the winter.

7. Felbeck Trust. A clarification of the agreement was required. All references to money should be removed. It was agreed that the chairman should contact the Fulbeck Trust on his return and amend the letter accordingly.

8 Playing Field A inspection of equipment on a rota system was agreed. A report is to be given at the
following council meeting. The climbing cube is to be replaced as rot is appearing in the frame.

9. Village Sign. Copies of the latest art work were circulated and discussed. It was felt that the Pylons
should still be included. In the proposed design the Solar Farm was at the bottom of the front and the WI sign
at the rear(olden times). A design including the pylons will be submitted at the next meeting.

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10. To discuss the trees at Chestnut Farm After lengthy discussion it was unanimously agreed that the parish council should not be involved in the management of the trees at Chestnut Farm.

11. Planning. PF/18/1464 The Malthouse Second floor window to each gable.
There was no objection to this application.

12. Financial matters.
Bank Balances at 13/9//2018 Current a/c £1322.89 Savings a/c £6458.31
The following payments were approved and cheques signed.
Chevertons Printing £76
Russell Harrod Digger hire £59.40
J. Stibbons Salary and expenses £603.39
HMRC PAYE £122.81

13. Correspondence. None

14. Matters for information only A draft of the new Information Sheet to be circulated to all
households was presented to the meeting.

There being no further business the chairman closed the meeting at 9.43pm.

Present.
Cllrs. R. McNeil Wilson (chairman) D. Barrass G. Place, K. Lord, J. Dovey,
County Cllr. S. Butikofer J.Stibbons (clerk)

The chairman opened the meeting at 7.34pm,

1. Apologies Cllr. R. Batt, Dist. Cllr. M Knowles

2. Declarations of interest. Cllr. Wilson declared an interest in item 9 on the agenda.

3. The minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on Thursday 21st May 2018
It was proposed, seconded and resolved that the minutes be approved. The Chairman then signed
the minutes.

4. Matters arising from the Minutes.
Item 5. There will be a site meeting with Felbeck Trust on Wednesday 25th July.
Item 8. The insurance claim for the damaged seat at Allotment Lane is still to be resolved.

5 Reports from County, District or Parish Councillors

A Report from Dist Cllr. M. Knowles was read to the meeting. (a copy is attached to these minutes)

Report from County Cllr. S. Butikofer. All PCSO replacement officers have gone into Norwich. The Police and Crime Commissioner is advocating incorporation of the Fire Department with the Police.
Highways are using new equipment on the Old Cromer Road to try and detect drivers using mobile phones.
He SAM2 speed awareness camera on the A148 will be delivered within the next two weeks.
The Number 5 bus from Sheringham is running at irregular times as the overgrown hedges from Upper Sheringham means that only single decker buses can use the route. If it is necessary to schedule a double deck bus this route has to be avoided.
Fly Tipping. NNDC have to pay for clearance of Fly Tipped material which has increased since Norfolk Council Council have brought in charges for certain items delivered to the recycling centre.
Due to financial cuts, Mobile Libraries are under threat.

6. Solar Community Fund Committee.(Report)
Photographs of the East and West Beckham village signs to be hung on the wall in the village hall
are now complete and were viewed by the members.
The wooden Pic-Nic table at the playing field could be a danger from splinters and it was
suggested that this should be replaced by the table which was intended to go on the East
Beckham common.
It is intended to try and create a Village Volunteer Group
The household information sheet is to be updated.
Improvements to the track at the Allotments will be considered when the next round of funds
becomes available from Hall Farm Solar.

7. West Beckham Village Sign
The order has now been placed for the new village sign.

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8. Playing Field
The Playsafety inspection report is being circulated to members.
A spread sheet will be produced to record observations made during the regular inspections.
The present lease of the playing field will run until November 2024 . It will be reviewed in three
years time when a request for an extension of the lease will be discussed.

9. To discuss the ownership of the trees at Chestnut Farm
A report on the condition of the trees will be circulated to members and discussed at the next parish council meeting

10. East Beckham Disused Churchyard
The disused churchyard is on the definitive map as common land but is registered on the Land
Registry as part of Abbey Farm. It was decided not to pursue this issue as the land was of little use
to the village.

11. Financial matters.
Bank Balances at 12/7//2018 Current a/c £1843.29 Savings a/c £6454.66
The following invoices were approved for payments and cheques signed.

John McNeil Wilson Cutting allotments £86.40
Playsafety Inspection report £84
S. Thurtle Grass cutting £255
K. Lord Picture framing £95

12. Correspondence North Norfolk Local Plan Noted
Horsea development consent order Noted

13. Matters for information only or for the next agenda. None

There being no further business the chairman closed the meeting at 9.54pm

Present.  

Cllrs. R. McNeil Wilson (chairman) G. Place,  K. Lord,  R. Batt, D. Barrass

    J.Stibbons (clerk)

The chairman opened the meeting at 7.31pm, 

1. Election of Chairman. It was proposed by Cllr. Lord that Cllr. Wilson should remain chairman for another term. This was seconded by Cllr. Batt and approved. The chairman then signed the acceptance of office.

2. Apologies  Cllr. J. Dovey,  Dist Cllr. M. Knowles.

3. Declarations of interest. Cllr. Batt declared an interest in item 9 (East Beckham disused churchyard).       Cllr. Wilson declared an interest in item 11 (Chestnut Trees)

4.  The minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on Thursday 8^th March 2018 having been previously circulated, it was proposed by Cllr. Place that they be accepted as correct. This was seconded by Cllr. Batt and approved by the members present.

The chairman then signed the minutes.

5.    Matters arising from the Minutes.  Cllr. Dovey will be the point of contact with the Felbeck Trust and keep the council informed of progress.

6   Reports There were no reports from the Police, County or District Councillors

7. Solar Community Fund Committee.(Report)

 The allotment track will need attention in the near future. The old bench has been replaced. 

Allotment uptake is much better. The entire West side is not taken and four plots on the East side  have been allocated for this years crops. There is a problem with Daffodils and trees on the East side and it may require a digger to remove the trees.

A water catchment scheme is being investigated. The chairman offered to provide a 1000 litre tank if the project went ahead.

A “Village Clean-up” had been arranged for 28^th April but due to very bad weather it had to be cancelled.

Another date will be set a little later in the year.

A suggestion box has been placed in the bus shelter and the household information sheet is to be reviewed.

8. West Beckham Village Sign The present sign is not correct and should be revised when a new one is produced. The church should have a round tower. Possibly the solar farm could also be included.

Four quotations for supply have been received. The design favoured by the members was for a double sided sign produced in cast aluminium. The quoted price was £5700+VAT and installation. This quote would be held until 9^th July. It would take approximately one year to complete. It was proposed by Cllr. Place that the aluminium sign should be ordered on the understanding that the final draft of the design be approved by the council. This was seconded by Cllr. Barrass and approved. Cllr. Lord will place the order.

9. East Beckham Churchyard. The churchyard shows up on the definitive map of registered common land but appears to be included in the adjoining land on the Land Registry map. This will be discussed at a further meeting.

10. Risk Assessment. A revised risk assessment was presented to the meeting. It was proposed by the chairman that this should be adopted for the Beckham Parish Council. This was seconded by Cllr. Lord and approved.  An annual re-appraisal will be carried out to ensure all items remain up-to-date.

11. Maintenance of the two Chestnut Trees at Chestnut Farm.  Both trees have a Tree Preservation Order on them. NCC highways suggested that they should be felled. A safety inspection was undertaken. The alternative to felling is to reduce the crown and remove dead wood. NCC highways then concluded that the trees were old boundary trees and  were not the responsibility of County Highways. It was suggested that the trees should become village property. No decisions will be made until the Safety inspection report has been scanned and circulated to all committee members. This item will be discussed further at the next parish council meeting.

12. General Data Protection Regulations. The terms of reference for the Beckham Data Protection committee was discussed. It was proposed by the chairman that these terms of reference should be adopted by the parish council. This was seconded by Cllr. Place and carried.

13. Financial matters.

Audit The Certificate of Exemption was approved by the members and signed by the chairman and Responsible Financial Officer.

The Annual Governance statement was agreed by the meeting and signed by the chairman.

The accounting statement was reviewed by the committee and approved. The chairman signed the accounting statement.

Bank Balances at 21/5/2018 Current a/c £2338.29  Savings a/c £6613.81

To approve the following payments and sign cheques.

Cheverton Printing £76

Internal Auditor Audit £30

NALC Subscription £132.75

J. Stibbons (clerk) Salary and expenses £578.45

H.M.R.C. P.A.Y.E. £122.80

14. Correspondence  New ward boundaries map was inspected by members

15. Matters for information or the next agenda.

The seat at Allotment Lane has been damaged beyond repair. An insurance claim will be made.

There being no further business the chairman closed the meeting at 9.32pm

Present.  

Cllrs. R. McNeil Wilson (chairman) G. Place,  K. Lord,  J. Dovey, R. Batt, 

    J.Stibbons (clerk)

The chairman opened the meeting at 7.34pm, 

1.   Apologies  Cllr. D. Barrass

2.   There were no declarations of interest. 

3.  The minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on Thursday 11^th January 2018 having been previously circulated, it was proposed by Cllr. Place that they be accepted as correct. This was seconded by Cllr. Dovey and approved by the members present.

The chairman then signed the minutes.

4.    Matters arising from the Minutes.

The pic-nic tables have not yet been placed on the common.

5   Any reports from the Police, County or District Councillors

Dist Cllr M. Knowles.  NNDC have levied the first increase in council tax for eight years. This will add £4.95 to a band D property. The budget for next year will show a small surplus but deficits could reach £2.8 million in 2021/22. Central government funding to Local Authorities will decrease to nil by 2021.

The current contract with KIER is due to expire in 2019. A new contract is being procured jointly with Breckland District Council. An analysis of black bag waste has determined that around 40% of that is food waste. It may be that food waste collections may be undertaken in the future. Waste collection is responsible for around one third of NNDC`s spend on services.

6. Solar Community Fund Committee.(Report)

The Felbeck Trust, which is a conservation group based at Aylmerton, have been working for three years, initally as part of the Concervation Volunteers. They work on an irregular basis when the work needs doing. and have a wide expertise in all branches of conservation. They would expect a donation and payment for any materials used.  A formal ten year agreement (which was presented to the meeting) would need to be signed to cover the volunteers for insurance. 

It was proposed by the chairman that the agreement should be signed but an annual review and control of expenditure would be needed. This proposal was seconded by Cllr.Lord and carried.  The chairman then signed the agreement. 

7. West Beckham Village Sign

One quotation has been received  for a replacement sign in cast Polyeurathane of £6950. Ouher quotes are awaited.

8. Safety Mirrors.

The Parish Council cannot supply safety mirrors because of safety regulations.  Mirrors are available for individuals to purchase and one supplier has quoted £115 for three mirrors.

9. To review and approve the updated Risk Management Scheme. Final revision to be approved at the Annual General  meeting.

10. To review the draft revised Standing Orders. To be approved at the May AGM

11. Financial matters.

Bank Balances at 11/1/2018 Current a/c £833.87  Savings a/c £6853.74

To approve the following payments and sign cheques

TCVClearance work£1080

Zurich MunicipalInsurance£460.95

ChevertonPrinting£85

12. Correspondence  None

13. Matters for information only or for the next agenda.

It was queried wether the disused Church Yard site at East Beckham was actually common land belonging to the parish.

It should be noted that the Annual Parish Meeting will be held on Monday 21st May at 7pm. Not on 3rd May as previously advertised This Annual Parish Meeting will be followed by the Parish Council AGM.

There being no further business the chairman closed the meeting at 9.21pm

Minutes of East and West Beckham Parish Council

Meeting Held on Thursday 11^th January 2018

Present.

Cllrs. R. McNeil Wilson (chairman) G. Place,  K. Lord,  J. Dovey, R. Batt, D. Barrass.

J.Stibbons (clerk)

The chairman opened the meeting at 7.34pm,

1.   Apologies  None

2.   There were no declarations of interest.

3.  The minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on Thursday 9^th November 2017 having been previously circulated, it was proposed by Cllr. Batt that they be accepted as correct. This was seconded by Cllr. Dovey and approved by the members present.

The chairman then signed the minutes.

4.    The Nectar mix has now been planted on the West Beckham allotment. It was suggested that the weeds should be topped when necessary. It was agreed to ask Mr Wilson to carry this out when required.

5 Report :- Dist Cllr M. Knowles Written report was read to the meeting. A copy is attached at the end of these minutes.

6. Solar Community Fund Committee. It was reported that the Daffodil bulbs donated by Mr. Wilson had been planted at the village gates and at the cemetery.

The bench has been put in place at the allotments and the pic-nic table is to be going on the common in the near future. TCV is cutting back on the common.

Another volunteer group is to be approached to consider doing some of the work as they are local, which should reduce costs.

The Christmas bus service was successful.

7. Defibrillators  These should be installed within the next week.

8. Village Sign.  Quotations are to be obtained for a replacement sign keeping the design mainly the same.

9. General Data Protection Regulations. (GDPA) It was decided to discuss this subject further when more information was available.

10. Review of Risk Management and standing orders. These were to be finally updated over the next few months in line with the GDPA.

11. Finances. Bank balances at 11/1/2018  Current a/c £1219.07  Savings a/c £7993.74

The completed cash book, which was made up to 11 November 2018, was examined by the councillors

The following cheques were approved and signed:-

No. 100503 J. Stibbons Clerks salary and expenses £547.98

No. 100504 HMRC PAYE £115.24

12. Correspondence.  Information update on the Horsey project 3

There being no further business the chairman closed the meeting at 8.53pm

Page 163

Report from Dist Cllr. M. Knowles, read to the meeting

Police Budget

A motion was passed at the December meeting of NNDC that the Council considers setting aside a sum of £200,000 to go to bolster the Police budget and that this money is used to provide a number of PCSO’s specifically for the North Norfolk District. No doubt the Police and Crime Commissioner would welcome the contribution – the Government has increased the precept limit, but it may not be enough to give the Police Authority sufficient funds to meet their needs. The consultation goes on and when the Police Crime Panel meet again on 22nd January, the Commissioner will give his thoughts and members of the Panel can discuss.

Coast

During this past Holiday period, the Coastal and Assets teams at NNDC have worked very hard to repair storm damage along the coast and the Duty Officers were busy on call to a variety of matters, including the fire at the Fakenham Connect building.  They must be congratulated for an excellent job.

Splash, Sheringham

On 19th December, NNDC voted in favour of proceeding with the re-provisioning the Splash with a modern state of the art facility. This approval was made subject to external funding being in place. The provisional funding is made up of part land disposal, a Sport England grant; capital receipts/reserves of NNDC, and borrowing. The success of this project will depend upon achieving these different elements. It is very good that we have got so far but getting to completion will require even more very hard work and close cooperation among everyone involved.

The Council will also be working to procure a new leisure leisure contract for the management of Splash and the other facilities covered by this contract.

Council Tax Discounts

NNDC members voted in December to end the discount previously given to second home owners. Councillors remain very conscious of concerns over the high number of second homes in North Norfolk and the change enables a council tax charge for a second home to be aligned to that of a main or sole residence.

At present the County Council returns some of the council tax income it receives from second homes to NNDC and the discount enabled those second homes to be identified.  That second homes tax ‘return’ goes into the Big Society fund, which in turn gives out grants across the District. The use of this ‘second homes money’ (which is, in fact, just another part of the tax take) has been the subject of much discussion and focus, including the Forum asking for a senior level meeting at NCC last year. However, given the current economic issues facing councils, it is felt unlikely that NCC will continue to give NNDC this “refund” for much longer.

Pedestrianisation – Sheringham

There has been a further meeting of the Working Group to finalise the project plan to help progress the trials, scheduled for 5 weekends over April, August and December 2018. Updates and FAQs will be published in the Sheringham Independent between now and the April trial.

Economic Development

(1) There will be a ‘Coffee means Business’ monthly networking event hosted by NNDC’s contractor Genix on 16th January from 9 30 am at Northrepps Cottage. Details at:  www. genix.org.uk

(2) NWES, in conjunction with NNDC, are running a free training event to support local businesses with their customer service training needs. This workshop is aimed at businesses that interact with customers either face to face or via the telephone. There will also be information on how to apply for a range of business grants within the region

The training will be at NNDC offices on 31st January 2.30-5.30. To book a free place, businesses should email:  economic.growth@north-norfolk.gov.uk

Planning 

A flurry of Planning Applications has appeared after the holiday period. Happily, there will be some new planning officers coming along to NNDC after months of advertising, which should ease the lot of the present, overworked, team.

And finally, Politics….

Your members will be aware of the number of defections from the Conservative Group at NNDC, and we now have a sizeable “Independent” group within the Council’s make-up. Whilst I can only assume there will be further developments on this particular front, I would like to assure your members that in terms of the day-to-day workings of NNDC, all is well – we have a dedicated team of senior officers and NNDC is regarded very highly amongst its peers as an efficient, well-run body.

Mike Knowles District Councillor – Chaucer Ward.

Present.

Cllrs. R. McNeil Wilson (chairman) G. Place,  K. Lord,  J. Dovey, R. Batt, D. Barrass.

J.Stibbons (clerk)

The chairman opened the meeting at 7.34pm,

1.  Apologies  None

2.  There were no declarations of interest.

3.  The minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on Thursday14^th September 2017 having been previously circulated, it was proposed by Cllr.Place that they be accepted as correct. This was seconded by Cllr. Dovey and approved by the members present.

The chairman then signed the minutes.

4.  There were no matters arising from the Minutes.

5.  Report :- Dist Cllr M. Knowles

NNDC Finances. Budget forecasts: 2017/18 There will be a small surplus in 2017/18 and 2018/19, but the pending national pay award could introduce an additional £450k in staff salaries which has not been accounted for.

2019/20 The potential deficit for 2019/20 is £1.2million and £2.3 million in 2020/21

If council tax were to increased by £5 per household, the effect would be to reduce those deficits by c. £600k.

The return of second homes Council Tax is in question and the total removal of central Government Rate Support Grant still seems to be planned.

The position is not as dire as the figures might suggest. The average balance invested during 2017 was £40million with an interest yielded of about £1million.

Police. All 150 PCSO’s under threat of redundancy by March 2018, Plans are to replace them with 96 warranted officers. Cromer Division currently has 40 officers.

Sheringham Splash Complex/Cromer Tennis Club. Initial proposal are to rebuild Splash with a more modern pool,  part funded by a small hotel development on the same site. Ongoing Initial proposal are to construct indoor court complex.

6.   Solar Community Fund Committee.

The proposed costings for the woodland management were circulated to the meeting.

There has been a successful distribution of the bird and bat boxes.

Quotes are being obtained to repair the track on the allotments, present quotations are

between £7500 and £9000. It was pointed out that there is only £7900 left in the account

until the next grant from Hall Solar which was not due until October 2018.

The meeting agreed that a cash reserve should be maintained.

It was noted that the cost of the Mini-bus for Christmas shopping was £90.

7.  Amalgamation of SCFC and Parish Council.

It was proposed by Cllr. Dovey  that the Solar Committee (SCFC) should continue to meet

but on alternate months when there was no parish council meetings. This was seconded

by Cllr. Lord and approved.

Page 161

8.  Defibrillators.  Two semi-automatic Defibrillators in stainless steel cases have been

ordered at a cost of £790 plus the Lottery Grant of £3900  bringing the total to £4690+VAT

This price includes the following:- Cardiac Arrest Response Seminar.  Webnos governance

system,  Post event counselling,  AED signage pack (X4),  and Personal safety kit,

9. Allotment Rents. The allotment rents have been the same for many years and it was proposed by Cllr. Wilson that they should be increased to £20 per plot for residents and £40 for tenants living outside the parish. This was seconded by Cllr. Barrass and approved. The new rents to take effect from October 2018.

10. Village Sign  The West Beckham village sign is in very poor condition and an

estimated cost of repair/replacement is £5000.  This item is to be discussed further at a

later meeting.

11. Playing Field

The gate post has rotted and instructions were given for it to be replaced.

12. Financial matters.

Bank Balances at 9/11/2017 Current a/c £9097.58  Savings a/c £18592.74

To approve the following payments and sign cheques:-

TCV Management plan £360

Community Heartbeat Defibrillators £5628

J. Stibbons Salary/expenses £497.87

HMRC PAYE £102.72

13. Clerks salary review. As the clerks salary had not been reviewed for several years.It

was proposed by the chairman that it should be raised to £10.50 per hour. This was

seconded by Cllr. Dovey and approved.

14.  Budgets 2018-19  After discussion, it was proposed by the Chairman that the

budget for 2018-19, as presented to the meeting, should be adopted. This was seconded

by Cllr. Lord and approved.

This included approval to set the precept at £3300 for the coming year.

15.  Planning Ref. PF/17/1773  At Last, Sheringham Road, West Beckham.

The parish council have no objection to this application.

16.  Correspondence None

17.  There being no further business the chairman closed the meeting at 9.55pm