Parish Council Meeting 8th December 2004.
County Councillor Tony Andrews, District Councillors Jamie Starling and Bruce Provan sent their apologies for not attending due to commitments elsewhere.
The Chairman welcomed Rev. Joan Oddy to the Council Meeting; she had been invited along as an observer with a view to taking the remaining Councillor vacancy. Also at the meeting by invitation was Mr. David Peck, a member of the local Scout organisation.
The Meeting having been opened, the Minutes of the last parish Council meeting and the minutes of the Finance Meeting were approved and signed.
The meeting was then adjourned for public participation.
The first report was received from P.c. Finlayson. He reported that for the month of November there had been 13 incidents of which there was I theft, 4 offences of Criminal Damage, I Assault, 1 Driving with Excess Alcohol and 5 Domestic Incidents.
The Chairman asked if there was any progress on the vandalism that had taken place on the Church Road picnic area, the Officer stated no progress had been made to date. There then followed a discussion about what steps could be taken to discourage vandalism in the Beach area, in particular the re-planning of the site. This would include removing the high hedge along the Church Road side and replacing wooden seats with metal seats. A progress report was also given with regards to the re-formation of the Parish Team; Pc Finlayson also stated that there had been progress with the Old Police House in Church Road. An agreement had been reached to retain the house and at the present moment in time discussions were taking place about staffing, one of the proposals is having 6 officers and a Sergeant operating from the premises. Other issues discussed were the possibility of having a police desk in the foyer of the new library complex, on that matter a planning meeting had been set for the 6th January. The other matter discussed that the Chairman asked the Officer to look into was the un-escorted low loaders that are travelling along Church Road from Kessingland Beach Holiday Camp. These vehicles with their loads which take up the full width of the road have taken to travelling in convoys of three or more late at night, surely they must escorted as they cause a danger to pedestrians and other road users. Pc Finlayson stated he would make enquiries.
David Peck from Kessingland Scouts then gave a resume of the requirements needed for the Scouts to have a storage facility, since they have lost their site on Hutsons Field. It was agreed that the appropriate place for this would be on the Community Centre site in Francis Road, Mr Peck was asked by the Council to get their plans together and come back to the Council, who would deal with the matter and possibly assist with any funding issues that may be required.
There was no report from the District Councillors, and Councillor Tony Andrews gave his report via the Parish Clerk.
There was nothing to report from the Youth Council.
The Council Meeting then resumed with a discussion about the Kessingland Community Centre and Playing Field Management Committee. After the discussion and a Resolution passed, Councillor Lawson and Councillor Morgan, who are the Council?s representatives on the Committee, were asked to convey the Councils comments to those on the Management Committee at their next Meeting on the 10th December 2004.
The Chairmans Report covered a number of issues: -
The first was an update on Beaconsfield Road a meeting had been set up with the residents in that area to discuss the Secretary of States decision and a way forward. This meeting will take place on the 9th December.
With regards to the Parish Plan there had been a meeting of the Working Party on the 1st December and the progress is being made on a number of issues. The Village Directory, both private and business is nearly complete and should be available early in the New Year. The subject of First Aid and the First Responder Scheme for Kessingland is making good progress, arrangements are in hand for a meeting to take place between the Working Party Group and all the relevant agencies to plan a way forward. With regards to the Beach, arrangements are in hand to contact various agencies to arrange quarterly clean up operations, such agencies would include the Probation Service and the Volunteer Bureau.
Dealing with Quality Parish Status, the Chairman stated that the time is fast approaching when Kessingland Parish Council will be applying for QPS, and in so doing putting the work of the Parish Council under scrutiny. At the next Parish Council Meeting the Chairman asked those Councillors present to consider the idea of Parish Councillors holding "surgeries" whereby the local community can approach not just the Parish Council, but the District and County Councillors. Councillor McGee and Councillor Mouzer are already attempting to put in place a "surgery" for housing issues. The Councillors were informed that this could happen very early in the New Year when the Clerk has obtained her qualifications as set down in the guidelines for QPS.
There had been a good response to the Parish Councils newsletter; some of the comments were read out to the Council. The next newsletter will be going out around the 3rd or last week in January, the Chairman had spoken to Maureen Long and arranged for it to accompany the Kessingland and Broadland Times. The closing date for anybody who wishes to send in contributions is the 12th January 2005.
There was an update on the Parish Councils website, the Council were informed that the Council?s site was not far of completion, with all the necessary categories in place.
The Chairman then handed out to Councillors a briefing sheet on the Crime and Disorder Act, which outlines the Councils responsibilities. There will be a full discussion on this at the next Parish Council Meeting. Pc Finlayson gave Councillors a summary of what had taken place so far in this area about the Police and the District Council working together under the Waveney Crime and Reduction Partnership. Councillor Ian Real agreed to become the Parish Councils liaison officer and would obtain further information for the next Parish Council meeting.
With regards to the Church Car Park and Play area, a meeting had been taken place with the County Council and District Council representatives and agreement was arrived at with regards the order of works. A separate meeting was to be held with the playground contractors and that would be reported at in the next edition of the newsletter and at the next Council meeting. The Chairman stated that he and the Parish Clerk would be attending the solicitors office within the week to go over the contract of sale in respect of the purchase of the piece of land in Church Road; the Council would be updated at the next Council meeting.
In respect of the Library project at the last meeting of the Library Planning Forum, the County Council stated that they had now reached the stage whereby a planning application had to be made to the District Council. In this regard the Parish Council were asked to arrange a meeting with all the interested parties in Kessingland who will be contributing to the facilities required on the site. This would include the Parish Plan Working Party, the Patients Participation Group, Youth representatives, the Parish Council and the Suffolk Constabulary. A date was set for this meeting to take place on the 6th January 2005.
There was no Vice-Chairmans report.
There was then a discussion about the Beach Road Picnic Area, it was agreed that all the wooden seats damaged after the recent vandalism attack would be replaced by metal seats, and the only wooden seat to survive would be placed at another location in the village, probably outside the school. It was also decided to re-plan the site, to make it more open so as discourage groups of youths hanging about. The village notice boards, one of which was damaged, would be replaced and updated at the same time. The Council also agreed to the proposal that one of the replacement seats should have a plaque dedicated to Councillor Roy Brown MBE, who was approaching his 90th birthday and still an active member of the Parish Council after in excess of 50 years service to the community.
The Parish Clerk then went through the Precept for 2005/06, which had been decided by the Finance Committee, it was agreed by all the Council, on resolution, to accept the figures for 2005/2006.
Other matters dealt with included the Bethel in Church Road, which was in need of funds to make repairs to the front structure of the building, this was one of the older buildings left in Kessingland which the Parish Council stated needed to be retained as part of the villages heritage. Councillor Lawson reminded those present that the first meeting of the gardening Club set up under the Village Parish Plan would take place on the 10th January 2005, 7.30pm at the Methodist Church Hall.
The meeting closed at 10pm the next meeting of the Parish Council is Wednesday 12th January 2005, 7.30pm at the Methodist Church Hall.