Present: Councillors Mr Stubbs (Chairman), Mrs Cross, Mr Floyd, Mrs Gray, Mrs Hale, Mrs Jones, Mr Morris, Mrs Wallace,
Mr Gunson (County Councillor), Mr Gould (District Councillor), Mrs Read (Clerk).
3 members of the public.
PC Sparkes from 9-9.15pm.
180. The chairman welcomed those present.
181. Apologies were received and accepted from Cllrs Cook, Seaman and Swan.
182. Declarations of Interest - Cllrs Hale and Stubbs declared a personal interest in item 14.
183. Minutes of the previous meetings - The minutes of the meetings held on 9th December were altered under item 176 to read February instead of January and were APPROVED and then signed by the chairman.
184. Planning decisions -
2004/2356LB Loddon Dental Practice, Bridge Street- proposed conversion to create two upstairs surgeries - Approved.
2004/2401 13 Kittens Lane - Proposed two storey extension - Refused
2004/2139CU - 1 Hawthorne Close - Child minding increased to 8 children - Approved
2004/2075F - 2 Church Plain - Disabled Access - Approved
2004/2255 - 7 Longfield Close - Proposed first floor extension over garage - Approved
185. Considered applications -
2004/2832/H - 14 Mill Road - Proposed first storey extension above kitchen and conversion of garage to provide bed and breakfast accommodation - Approve.
186. Correspondence relating to planning matters -
SNC- re planning application 2004/2471 - amended plans. These were considered and approved.
SNC - Public Entertainment licence renewal for Mr Potter at the Lecture Hall George Lane - approve.
SNC - Public Entertainments Licence for Mr Wilson at The Swan - Approve.
Durrants - Provisional plans for a garage and annexe at Badgers End, Bungay Road - the clerk was asked to reply stating that it is not appropriate for the council to comment before a planning
application is submitted.
The meeting was adjourned for public participation at 7.20pm and reconvened at 7.25pm.
187. Chairman's report - None
188. County Councillor report - The report had been previously circulated.
Cllr Gunson added that there may now be a possibility of work starting at Hobart during 2005 if a builder could be found and if planning permission is granted.
Ward boundary changes would be effective from 5th May 2005 and Rockland would be joining Loddon Division.
There would be a meeting with a national director of First where the ongoing problems with the bus service would be raised.
Cllr Gunson strongly supports retaining the public desk at Loddon Police station and explained that its future was in doubt from June of this year. The council consider the police station to be an
important facility servicing both Loddon and the surrounding rural areas and the clerk was asked to write to the Chair of the Police Committee and the Chief Constable urging them to retain this
facility and to carry out public consultation before any decisions are made. District Councillor report - The District Councillor reported that he was spending a lot of his time dealing with
accommodation and homelessness issues.
Licensing will be transferred from the magistrates to South Norfolk Council in February 2005 and there will be a nine month overlap period during which a new licenses must be obtained.
On police matters, there had been three attacks on the disabled toilets in Church Plain in recent weeks and there had been some incidents at Hobart High School which were being investigated.
During 2004 more than 200 crimes (38% of all crimes in the Diss sector) were committed in Loddon.
There has been a recent spate of daytime burglaries where access had been obtained through rear windows in several neighbouring villages.
189. Councillors' reports - It was reported that the hedge adjacent to the cycle path on Beccles Road needed cutting - the clerk was asked to report this to the grounds maintenance
contractor.
An incident had been reported to the police where a dog on a lead had been attacked by a dog running free from its garden. The clerk was asked to include in the next article for Contact that dog
owners were responsible for controlling their pets and any incidents should be reported to the police and the dog warden at South Norfolk council.
A problem with bike riders on Hales Green had been reported and a rickety hand rail on the bridge on Transport Lane (where it meets the bypass) had been reported to NCC.
Whilst many compliments had been received about the Christmas lights this year there had been some problems when the lights were being dismantled. Ladders had been left in dangerous positions and
broken glass had been left on the pavement. The clerk was asked to report these problems to the contractor.
Cllr Jones is planning to attend a BESL conference for stakeholders on 28th January.
Cllr Hale reported that although LBPT had been in further discussion with the youth worker about accommodation for a youth club, nothing as yet had been decided.
190. Finance report - A report had been previously circulated.
A revised report was circulated at the meeting showing an additional bills which had been received since publication.
The revised payments total was £2423.91.
The report was APPROVED and then signed by the Chairman and the RFO.
191. Correspondence - A list had been previously circulated.
Incoming:
18. The clerk was asked to respond to SNC that the parish council would like to have the disabled toilet open for as many hours as possible and to suggest that a metal door could be considered.
192. Grounds maintenance - There had still been no response from the church about the graveyard.
The clerk was asked to request tenders based on 5 cuts per annum and to keep this quote separately itemised.
193. Old Town Hall - Cllr Morris reported that a meeting had been held between the working party and LBPT and heads for the lease agreement had been discussed.
It was AGREED that the Parish Council should pay legal fees to a maximum of £500 and that solicitors should be instructed.
194. Personnel Committee - After discussions with the clerk, the committee proposed that the job should be divided into two parts.
The existing clerk should keep the RFO responsibilities and manage the community projects and fundraising while a new person should be sought to carry out the role of proper officer and carry out the
statutory and other regular duties.
This was AGREED and the clerk was asked to advertise the new post in the Contact magazine and the Beccles ∓ Bungay Journal.
195. Parish Plan - Councillor Floyd reported that the questionnaire was now going to print and would be ready in approximately two weeks.
196. Christmas Lights - It was reported that although there had been some problems with the contractor when the lights were dismantled the contractor had offered good value for money and the lights had been well received by the community.
197. Street Lights - No meeting had yet been held - a report would be given at the next meeting.
198. War Memorial - Deferred until the February meeting.
199. Carnival - It was AGREED that a listing for the event should be made in the Broadcaster and the working party would report back on how arrangements were progressing at the February meeting.
200. Tsunami Appeal - It was reported that there would be a Bring and Buy event on 15th January in support of the appeal and that further events were being planned.
It was noted that whilst councillors fully support community efforts and had offered to be involved on a personal basis, the council had no legal powers to make any formal contribution to this appeal
as it was of no direct benefit to the residents of the parish.
201. Date of next meeting -7.00pm on Thursday 10th February 2005 - library annexe.
The formal meeting ended at 9.40pm