Minutes of a Meeting of Loddon Parish Council
held in The Library Annexe on Thursday 12 November 2009 at 7.00pm

Present: Councillors Jane Hale, Sarah Morris, Roy Cooper, Judith Gray, Michael Roe, Rod Williams, Bruce Corke, Margaret Wallace and Linda Wilson.
Also present were Karen Read (RFO), County Councillor Adrian Gunson and District Councillor Colin Gould.
Two members of the public also attended.

114. Apologies were received from Cllr Dorothy Jones (family commitments) and Cllr Angela Gibson (family commitments).

115. Declarations of Interest - Cllr Linda Wilson declared a financial interest in agenda item 17 (Old Town Hall) and Cllr Jane Hale declared a personal interest in the same item.

116. Previous Minutes - the minutes of meetings held on Thursday 8 October 2009 and Wednesday 28th October 2009 were circulated, APPROVED and signed by the chairman

117. Planning Decisions - the following decisions were noted;
a) 2009/ 1224/F - Boots the Chemist, 4 High Street, Loddon - retention of air conditioning unit and associated condenser - APPROVED with conditions, delegated.

118. Planning Applications - The council considered the following applications: [In order to minimize light pollution the parish council will recommend that any outdoor lights associated with any of the applications below should be: i) fully shielded ii) directed downwards iii) switched on only when needed iv) white light low energy lamps and not orange or pink sodium sources]
a) SP/Y/7/2009/7041 - Hobart High School, Kittens Lane, Loddon - installation of input and extract ventilation system to school kitchen and associated works - APPROVE
b) 2009/1674 - Mr & Mrs Erwin, Red House, 1 Low Bungay Road, Loddon - conversion of stable building, new link unit to form 1 residential unit. Demolition of existing lean-to and formation of new double garage and store - REFUSE on grounds of loss of privacy to at least three neighbouring properties, loss of amenity to a neighbouring property where the proposed double garage would affect light and enjoyment in their garden, increased vehicular movement on to a difficult section of Low Bungay Road.

119. Planning Correspondence
a) South Norfolk Council - Agenda for planning committee meetings held on 14 and 26 October 2009.
b) Norfolk County Council - notification of road closure for footway improvements in George Lane, Loddon from, or as reasonably possible after, 9 November 2009.
c) South Norfolk Council - confirmation of a breach of planning control at 9 & 11 Bridge Street, Loddon.
d) Norfolk County Council - Norfolk minerals and waste local development framework: site allocations development plan documents: consultation on further issues and options.
e) South Norfolk Council - confirmation of breach of planning control on land to the rear of the Fire Station, 7 High Street, Loddon.
f) South Norfolk Council - confirmation of breach of planning control on land at Pyes Mill.
g) Greater Norwich Development Partnership - Joint Core Strategy for Broadland, Norwich and South Norfolk - this item would be added to the December agenda.

120. Traffic and Parking - report on current parking and traffic issues was received and the matter was discussed at length. Councillor Gould said that plans for additional car parking in Loddon to be provided by South Norfolk Council were unlikely to go ahead.
The meeting was adjourned at 7.30pm for public discussion on the matter and reconvened at 7.45pm.
The council decided that although there were issues with traffic in the centre of Loddon and that problems with on street parking had increased since the introduction of parking charges no action should be taken at present. It was felt that if the planned relocation of the surgery goes ahead this would have a dramatic effect on both parking and traffic issues in Loddon and it was therefore AGREED to discuss the matter again at the November 2010 meeting.

121. Chairman's Report - The Chairman passed on her thanks to all the volunteers involved with the Community Cinema and felt this was a welcome addition to community facilities.
The chairman invited all councillors to attend Christmas drinks after the meeting on December 10th and asked the clerk to invite Chedgrave parish council as well

122. Councillors' Reports -
a) Cllr Margaret Wallace reported that she had attended a meeting of CVCD and confirmed that after the final allocation of its funds to local projects the company would be wound up.
b) Cllr Rod Williams reported that he had attended a meeting of the Loddon & Chedgrave Playing Field Committee. The resurfacing of the tennis courts had been well received and the committee was planning to replace the floodlights during December.
c) Cllr Linda Wilson reported that the scouts had agreed to take over the planting and watering of the flower towers and tubs and that Loddon Garden & Seed Centre had provided the winter plants at a discount
d) Cllr Bruce Corke confirmed that the lottery grant for improvements to the church footpath had been received and that the donation of £100 from the parish council was no longer required.

123. Police Report - nil report.
A councillor had heard that a new Sergeant for Loddon had been appointed but this had not been officially confirmed.
Concern was expressed that there had been a lack of visibility of the police and PCSOs in Loddon in recent weeks.

124. Finance Report - The finance report (previously circulated) was APPROVED by the council and signed by the Chairman and the RFO.

125. Grant Request- A grant from Loddon On Call was considered.
It was AGREED to donate £100 and request an update on statistics relating to the number of visits that had been made.

126. Street Lighting Licence - County Councillor Gunson is awaiting a response from Norfolk County Council to his request that they should adopt the two streetlights near Hobart High School.
It was AGREED that no further action should be taken until this response is received.

Councillor Morris left the meeting at 8.15pm

127. District & County Councillors Reports - County Councillor Adrian Gunson's report was circulated and noted. He added that the street light columns in the conservation area would be painted black in the summer.
District Councillor Gould's report was received and noted.

128. Youth Matters - Nil report

129. Old Town Hall - A drainage report had been received but LBPT had not provided any quotes yet for the works.
This matter will be carried forward to the December agenda.

130. Correspondence - A list of significant correspondence, which had been previously circulated, was NOTED.
It was AGREED that a quote would be obtained to cut back the dead elm trees on the playing field boundary, that Councillor Gould would follow up the matter of the overgrown conifers on the Cedar Drive/Alfric Close footpath with Saffron Housing Trust and that Councillor Wilson would follow up the issue of refuse being dumped on land adjacent to the footpath from the church to Beccles Road.

131. Date of Next Meeting - meeting confirmed as Thursday 10 December 2009 at 7pm in the Library Annexe.

The formal meeting ended at 8.45pm