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Bressingham Parish Council

                                                                                                                           

      Minutes of the Meeting held on 3rd November 2008

 

 

The meeting opened at 7.30 p.m.

 

Present

Councillors - Chairman , Mr R Aves, Mr D Hodges, Mrs S Craggs, Dr A Kinnear-King, Mr D England,

And District Councillor, Mr K Weeks

Also present was Mrs J Harvey, Mr R Church and the clerk, Mike Mortimer.

 

1      Apologies for Absence

        Parish Councillors, Mr N Morley, Mr R W Bartrum, Mrs E Gerrard, Mr D Craggs and County Councillor

        Mr B Spratt

 

2      To agree the Minutes of the meeting held on the 1st September 2008

        The Minutes were agreed

 

3      Matters arising from the Minutes

In the absence of Mr Morley the clerk brought up the matter of the Parish charities’ accounts and the need to send in returns.

The Chairman reported that he had attempted to establish the situation regarding weed seeds spread from neighbouring fields but that after arduous efforts had failed. He was able to give the website address of DEFRA as www.defra.gov.org

 

4      Declaration of Interests            

        There were none

 

The meeting then heard  from Mr R Church, the new proprietor of the shop, who had been invited to give a report.

Mr Church described the changes he had made to the shop and the increased number of lines now available, including wine and alcohol at prices competitive with the supermarkets. Customers were buying more as a result of the improvements, he said.

Mr Hodges, Mr Aves and Mr England all commented on the scale of improvement and were impressed by the extent and quality of the choice. Mr Hodges said it was now possible to buy almost everything you needed there.

Mr Church said that despite the money he had put in he had not been able to take a penny back yet.

Mr Aves urged Councillors to “spread the Gospel” and to get villagers to support the shop in practice to the same extent as they had expressed their concern at the time of the meeting  to discuss the future of the shop.

 

5      County Councillor Spratt's Report

        Mr Spratt sent his apologies.

 

6      District Councillor Weeks' Report

        Mr Weeks spoke of SNDC’s attempts to keep down its costs in difficult financial times.

He also referred to considerations by the government to alter arrangements for surgeries to dispense prescriptions. Local surgeries, he explained, had details of how to comment on, or object to, the proposals.

Mr England asked about the restrictions on using waste tips and expressed concern that the nearest tip at Eye was turning away non Suffolk residents. Mr Weeks said that agreement had been reached between the authorities that meant that the tip at Eye was available to the people of South Norfolk.

Mrs Craggs wanted to know whose responsibility it was to cut the grass at the corner of School Road and Fersfield Road. Mr Weeks was unable to be sure but agreed to look into the matter.

         

 

 

 

 

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7      Parish Plan

Mrs Craggs announced that a committee had been formed and that its next meeting would be in early December.  An Open day has been planned for 24th January at the Village Hall. It’s hoped that at this event it will be possible to show how Bressingham was in the past and get ideas for what might be done in the future.

It will also be an opportunity to stress the importance of everybody responding to the questionnaire which will be an essential part of establishing the plan.

 

 

8      Highways

Mr Aves agreed to speak to landowners concerning flooding in Algar Road and excess mud on Hall Lane in Fersfield.

Mrs Craggs asked the clerk if he had received a letter from Mr Overland from the Highways department as he had led her to believe he would be writing in response to a number of matters she had raised regarding posts and kerbing at the Bressingham end of Fersfield Road. The clerk said he had received no such letter as yet.

Concern about the junction at school Road and the 1066 was raised again. The clerk agreed to consult Mr Morley before writing to the Highways department.               

       

9      Correspondence

The clerk reported that there were three letters asking for donations. It was agreed that £100 be donated to both the CAB and Macmillan Cancer Support. The third request was from the Fersfield Church Meadow Committee regarding the cost of the new fencing. Parish Councillors felt unable to make an additional donation to the one of £400 already made but felt that it might be possible for one of the Parish charities to help. Those concerned with the charities agreed to look into the possibility though views were expressed that the terms of the trusts might not allow such a donation.

 

10    Planning

        A schedule of planning applications and decisions was provided.

       

 

11    Finance

        A financial report was made available.

        The Parish Council then considered the budget for 2009/10

An increase in the precept of approximately 3% was agreed to include £1000 for possible provision of payment towards play equipment and support for the Parish Plan.               

 

12    Consideration of setting up sub-committees.

The clerk was asked to keep the matter on future agendas to be discussed when more members were able to attend.

 

13    Any Other Business

The clerk reported that the glass in the Fersfield notice board was broken. Dr Kinnear-King agreed to look at it and take the necessary action.

 

14    Date of the next meeting

        The date of the next meeting was agreed as 5th January 2009

 

The meeting closed at 9.55pm