Minutes of the Meeting of Kessingland Parish Council held on Wednesday 11^th July 2007 at the Methodist Church Hall at 7.30pm.

Members present; Cllr Martin (Chairman), Cllr B Brown, Cllr R Brown, Cllr Burden, Cllr Crossland, Cllr Morgan, Cllr  Purkis, Cllr Woodhead.

Others Present; Mrs L Beevor (Clerk), 2 members of public, PCSO Winn (arrived 7.45pm), Cllr J Goldsmith (arrived 8.45pm).    

Agenda

1a) Apologies for absence

Cllr Baisden, Cllr Lawson, Cllr Sinfield, Cllr Provan, Cllr Starling

b) Declarations of Interest

There were no declarations of interest.

2) To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 13^th June 2007.

It was resolved that the Chairman could sign the minutes of 13^th June. 

Meeting adjourned for public participation.

3a) Report from Waveney District Council

Cllr Starling had provided a written report which is attached to the main copy of the minutes.

Cllr Provan advised that he had received a request from a resident for a bottle bank in the Church Road car park. After discussion Council felt that this was not appropriate as there are already bottle banks at the Sailors Home and at the Kings Head.

Cllr Provan also advised that he would be asking Malcolm Dixon for an update regarding the Ashley nursery site. 

3b) Report from SCC (see also 5b below)

A public meeting re flooding issues to be held at the Primary School on 12^th July at 7.30pm.

3c) Members of public 

i) A resident voiced concerns over the lack of a suitable bus service from Kessingland to parts of Lowestoft.  Routes had been changed within the past 3 months that had worsened the situation. Concerns were also raised about the access onto the buses and the lack of cleanliness of the buses. Council had also received a letter prior to the meeting from another resident with similar complaints.  Councillors advised that the timetables on the bus stops were very out of date.

After discussion it was resolved that the clerk should contact First Bus and invite them to the September meeting to respond to the issues being raised. 

ii) A resident voiced concerns over the bus shelter at the picnic area on Church Road. The resident advised that anti-social behaviour was occurring at the bus shelter and asked for its removal, as no buses stopped there now. The resident advised that the police had been contacted about the behaviour of young people congregating at the shelter at night.

Councillors confirmed that the bus shelter is looked after by the Parish Council, on land that is owned by WDC. A discussion took place regarding the advantages/disadvantages of having the shelter. The Chairman advised that the matter would be considered further.

3d) Report from police representative (see also 5a below)

The police representative apologised for the lack of a report.

PCSO Winn advised that the police were aware of the problems that had been reported above over the congregation of people at the bus shelter.

Meeting closed to public participation

4) Chairman's Report

a) Flagship Housing public viewing of plans for the ‘very sheltered' housing complex - This is to take place on Tuesday 17^th July 2007 from 3 - 7pm at the Church Hall. Representatives from the multi- agencies involved in the project will be present. The school will be attending and flyers notifying residents of the event have been sent out with the Kessingland Times.  

b) T Mobile - The Chairman had considered the information supplied with the application for a telecommunications mast dated 13.06.07 with the information supplied in May and informed Council that the information has not altered.

Following the Council meeting on 27^th June 2007, the clerk had advised WDC and T Mobile of the decision of the Parish Council. In response T Mobile had asked whether this decision was final or whether Council would consider an alternate site within the field. The Chairman had subsequently spoken with T Mobile to advise them that the Parish Council were representing the views of the residents by refusing the application.    

After full discussion, it was resolved by all that following the residents views at the last meeting, a letter would be sent to T Mobile advising that ‘ the Parish Council will be supporting the community and withdrawing support for the venture.'

c) Bus shelter Church Road - Discussion took place regarding the shelter and whether it was still required. After full discussion it was proposed that the bus shelter should be removed - 6 votes in favour, 2 against.

An alternative proposal was for the shelter to be partially removed - 2 in favour, 6 against.

It was resolved that the clerk should contact First Bus and WDC/SCC to obtain their permission for the shelter to be removed.  

5) Vice Chairman's Report   

i) Residents living in High Path (north to south) had contacted the Vice chairman. The Vice chairman briefed the meeting on the status of the public footpath at the bottom of High Path and the previous situation that had occurred with the refuse collections.

 Residents had contacted Cllr Purkis to advise that recently a property had been sold and that the garden had been sold off separately. Residents reported that the purchaser of the garden has had planning permission refused for a building but that the garden had now been split into car parking spaces.

The matter has been refereed to the Rights of Way officer at SCC regarding the vehicular access to the proposed spaces. WDC confirm that this would be deemed as ‘Change of Use' of the land and that planning permission should have been sought.

SCC request that the Parish Council contacts the Land Registry to ascertain whether there is any mention in the deeds about the right of vehicular access to the property/grounds. Once the information is available SCC will deal with the matter accordingly. It was resolved by all that the clerk could contact the Land Registry to ascertain the information for SCC.  

Meeting opened to public contribution

5a) Police report

The police representative was now able to provide the report for the month of June - in which there had been 23 crimes reported. Of these 10 were for criminal damage.

The full report is attached to the main copy of the minutes. 

Councillors advised the police that there e mail reporting system does not seem to work.

5b) SCC Report

Cllr Goldsmith arrived to provide a report.

a) Re Coopers Drive - the bus stop there is not a formal one and it has been confirmed that the edging works can go ahead.  

b) Seawall works - contractors have been informed 

c) High Path sign - John Dawson is dealing with this matter.

d) Flooding public meeting 12^th July - 160 leaflets have been delivered to local houses.

e) It was reported by Cllr Purkis that a drain by Londis had overflowed during recent heavy rainfall. Anglian Water had been contacted but had advised that this was a private drain. 

f) Cllr Goldsmith was asked whether there was any update regarding the proposed entrance to the new facilities on Hall Road. Cllr Goldsmith advised that this would be dealt with at the meeting on 12^th July by Mr Baker-Querelle.    

Meeting closed for public contribution

6) Clerks Report

Clerk provided update on items outstanding;

a) SID machine - SCC E mail from Luke Barber dated 10^th July 2007 advises that a suitable location on Whites Lane will be looked at for the SID machine. A suitable place on Church Road will also be considered.

b) Councillor vacancies - there are presently 2 vacancies on the parish council - one person has expressed an interest.  

7) Reports from meetings attended.

a) Cllr Purkis and Cllr Burden had been to look at the footpath at Holly Grange Road as mentioned in previous minutes. There is a gap on the opposite side of the entrance to allow access to the path. Discussion took place about the lack of signs on the path, and the gap providing access to the path.

Cllr Purkis confirmed that as the path was not on the definitive map it was not a designated footpath and signs are therefore not required.

b) Emergency Committee meeting - Cllr Martin advised that at the last meeting there were 7 members of the community and 3 parish councillors present as well as Mike Topliss. Mike Topliss felt that the progress that the group had made was very good.

Cllr Martin advised that the funding requirements of the emergency committee would be brought to council to be considered at the next meeting.

c) Cllr B Brown advised that he had been advised that an allotment plot was not being cultivated. 

d) A resident had attended the recent council surgery to mention the speeding on Church Road - the clerk reminded the meeting of the details of the SID machine as detailed in 6a) above. Cllr Purkis will advise the resident of the information. The resident had also suggested that white line ‘give way' signs should be considered on Green Lane and Belvedere Drive.

Discussions took place regarding the 20mph limit on Church Road. The Chairman confirmed that discussions had taken place between SCC and the police as to whether the limit was enforceable.  

8) Correspondence for information

a) Letter from WDC giving notice that some polling districts and polling places in WDC area are due to change.

b) Letter from WDC advising that training for the new Model Code of Conduct would take place on 19^th September 2007 at the Methodist Church Hall Kessingland.

c) Letter from SCC advising that bus shelters must comply with no smoking legislation and notices were provided to place in the shelters.  

9) Questions to the Chairman for future agendas.

a) Lorraine Heale from WDC had met with Cllr Purkis, Cllr Morgan and P C Finlayson regarding the High Street play area and the potential areas for teen shelters. She had confirmed that this was WDC owned and that in view of the equipment for younger age groups on the play area they would not allow a teen shelter on the land. However, indication was given that if the whole area was owned and managed by the parish council then the parish council could consider the facilities that it would like on the area. Councillors queried whether WDC owned just the play area or the whole land - clerk to ascertain.

The clerk advised that WDC Lorraine Heale had advised that WDC would not allow the parish council to just take over the High Street play area, and not the other WDC play areas in the village - they would want commitment from the parish council to take over and maintain all play areas, including Rider Haggard, High Street and Hall Road - this to be considered at the next meting.    

b) The Chairman was asked whether it would be possible to have a zebra crossing in the High Street - the Chairman confirmed that this should have been part of the Local Transport Action Plan.

c) High Path - on agenda for September as detailed above.  

d) Review of committees - to be considered at a future meeting.

e) Re potential lagoon at Heritage Green - enquiries to be made as to what is happening with this.

f) Car park lease - clerk to chase.

g) Council were advised that Needham Market had taken a resident to court for causing criminal damage within the parish.   

10) Planning applications and correspondence

Planning Correspondence

a) WDC Planning committee are due to consider the wind turbine application at their August meeting.

11) Finance

a) The clerk advised the new suggested rates for mileage allowances. Salc had advised that if any figure over 40p per mile is claimed, then the reimbursement would need to be declared on tax returns. After full discussion it was resolved by all that 40p per mile would be the reimbursed rate for the year 2007/08.  

b) Cheques for signature - A copy of the account balances and the cheques requiring payment was provided to all councillors and is attached to the main minutes. Cheques as detailed in the Receipts and Payments Book. It was resolved by all that the cheques as detailed could be signed including additional cheques to Barry West for £41.57 and £31.05. Methodist Church hall hire confirmed as £30.00

c) The internal audit has been signed off by Lynne Lodge and has now been forwarded to Lubbock Fine.

12) Date of next meeting

Wednesday 25^th July 2007.