WIVETON PARISH COUNCIL

Chairman:  Mr Godfrey Sayers

 

                                                                                                                                    ClerkÕs Address:                                                                                                                                 Morning Flight

                                                                                                                        42 High Street

Blakeney

                                                                                                                        NR25 7AL

                                                                                                                        Tel:  01263 741576

E-mail: wiveton@glavenvalleycouncils.co.uk

10th May 2007

 

The Annual Report to Parishioners will be held on TUESDAY 15th MAY 2007 at 7.30pm in WIVETON PARISH ROOM All parishioners are welcome to attend.  

 

This will be followed by the Annual General Meeting of the Parish Council.

 

 

 

A G E N D A  - ANNUAL REPORT TO PARISHIONERS

 

 

1       Apologies

 

 

2       Presentation of the Annual Report of the Council

 

 

3       Accounts for the year ended 31st March 2007

 

 

4       Reports for information

 

 

 

 

 

Tricia Temple-Crowe

Clerk to Wiveton Parish Council

1st May 2007

 

 

 

WIVETON PARISH COUNCIL

Chairman:  Mr Godfrey Sayers

 

                                                                                                                                    ClerkÕs Address:                                                                                                                                 Morning Flight

                                                                                                                        42 High Street

Blakeney

                                                                                                                        NR25 7AL

                                                                                                                        Tel:  01263 741576

E-mail: wiveton@glavenvalleycouncils.co.uk

10th May 2007

 

The next Parish Council Meeting will be held on Tuesday 15th May 2007 in the Parish Room following the Annual Report to Parishioners.

 

A G E N D A

1          Reports for information:

            Councillor Brettle (if present)

Councillor Derek Baxter (if present)

 

            PC Ken Durrant (if present)

2          Declarations of interest relating to items on the agenda

3          Results of Parish Elections 3rd May 2007 – Welcome to the new Council

 

4          Elections of Officers:

            Chairman

            Vice Chairman

            Allotted Land Committee

5          Minutes of the last Meeting

 

6          Matters arising for information

7          Correspondence

 

8          Finance

 

9          Planning

 

10        Parish Land

 

11        A O B

 

12        Parishioners Question Time

 

13        The next meeting will be held on TUESDAY 19th JUNE 2007 AT 7.30PM 

 

                                                          Tricia Temple-Crowe         

Clerk to the Parish Council

Minutes of Wiveton Parish Council Meeting held on Tuesday 17th April 2007 at 7.30pm

 

Present:                      G Sayers, J Ratcliff, M Wakelin, P Adcock and S Beal

In attendance:           Councillor Derek Baxter, Councillor Bernard Crowe OBE, the Clerk and 2 parishioners

Apologies:                  G Mears and John Ramm

 

Declarations of Interest   The Chairman and Steve Beal declared an interest in item 8 Allotted Land.

 

1            Minutes  

 

The Minutes of the last meeting held on the 20th March 2007 having been distributed in advance were approved and signed as a true record by the Chairman Godfrey Sayers. 


2          Matters Arising

 

2:1       Wiveton Stone Bridge 

The Chairman had no further progress report regarding the work on the bridge which is to be re-done.

 

2:3       Joint Annual Meeting   between the three principle village organisations i.e. the Parish Council the Parochial Church Council and the Raulf Greenaway Trust to examine ways in which these groups can work together will be taking place on the 24th April.

 

2:4       Village Party  -  An invitation to make a donation towards the Village Street Party will be distributed to everyone in the village.

.

2:6       ChairmanÕs Planning Meeting – The Minutes of the meeting will be distributed when they are made available held on 28th February at the Council Office in Blakeney.

 

2:7       Affordable Housing  Mary Wakelin informed the Councillors that she was still waiting for a formal response from the Planning Department of the NNDC but felt that until the Local Development Plan is approved they were not likely to be very forthcoming.

 

2:8       Village Green  The Chairman informed the Councillors that he had been to see the new owners of The Bell and they appear to be amenable to the suggestion regarding a donation towards the cost of the upkeep of the village green which is used extensively by the customers that frequent The Bell.  They have asked that further discussions take place after the Easter Break.  The Chairman felt this issue should be perused by the new Parish Council which is due to be elected next week at the Parish Elections.

 

2:9       Code of Conduct  The Chairman informed the Council that under the old Code of Conduct anyone declaring a pecuniary interest was required to leave the room before the item was discussed, however under the new Code of Conduct this is no longer the case.  A Councillor may remain in the meeting and take part in the debate but would not be allowed to vote.

 

3          Correspondence

 

N C A P T C  -  Newsletter by the East of England Association of Parish and Town Councils.

 

Norfolk Police – Update on the rational to the future of the Norfolk Mobile Police Station.

 

Norwich City Council – Regarding their bid for unliterary authority.

 

Department of Constitutional Affairs – Regarding memorial safety.

Countryside Voice publication.

 

N A P & T C – May Election brochure

 

4          Planning  

 

The following planning application had been received:

 

5          Allotted Land

 

This items was deferred until the next meeting as the Chairman of the Allotted Land Committee, John Ramm was unable to attend this meeting.

 

6          A O B 

 

Social Housing    Mary Wakelin informed the Councillors that she has now received a communication from the NNDC regarding the provision of Social Housing and will now contact the Rural Community Council to try to progress this initiative further.

 

Future Meeting dates for 2007

Tuesday 19th June

No meeting in July

No meeting in August

Tuesday 18th September

Tuesday 16th October

Tuesday 20th November

No meeting in December

 

7    Reports

 

Report from Councillor Bernard Crowe OBE 

 

Housing

In this edition, I am going to concentrate on housing issues. This is always the top item of concern by those who contact me.

 

Affordable Housing includes social rented and intermediate housing provided to specified eligible households whose needs are not met by the market. Affordable housing should meet the needs of eligible households including availability at a cost low enough for them to afford. This is determined with regard to local incomes and local house prices. The home should remain at an affordable price for future eligible households.

 

Social rented housing is rented housing owned and managed by local authorities and registered social landlords (RSL) for which guideline target rents are determined through the national rent regime.

Intermediate Affordable Housing is housing at prices and rents above those of social rent but below market price or rents, and which meet the criteria set out above. These can include shared equity schemes, other low cost homes for sale, and intermediate rent.

 

Those homes that do not meet these definitions are not considered, for planning purposes, as affordable housing.

 

Government Policy in broad terms is to:

 

-Achieve wide choices of high quality homes, both affordable housing and market housing, to address the requirements of the community.

 

-Widen opportunities for home ownership and ensure high quality housing for those who cannot afford market housing, in particular those who are vulnerable or in need.

 

-Improve affordability across the housing market by increasing the supply of housing.

 

-Create sustainable, inclusive mixed communities in all areas, both urban and rural.

 

Local Development Framework

The proposed changes to the GovernmentÕs East of England plan have been published for consultation. The main points of relevance to North Norfolk include:

 

The RegionÕs allocation of dwellings is increased by 27,500 to 508,000.

 

The allocation of 8000 houses for North Norfolk is confirmed.

 

All housing figures are to be treated as floors and not ceilings. Local Authorities are asked to seek to exceed their targets if more can be delivered through the use of brownfield sites and, where appropriate, by increased densities.

 

An aspirational target of 35% for affordable homes is recommended.

 

Land banking in 5-year blocs by Local Authorities is required to achieve these targets. This is land is suitable for development, is available, and is deliverable. This 5-year supply should be maintained throughout the 15-year period.

 

On-site renewable energy to serve new developments is required. A minimum of 10% is recommended.

 

Provision of sites/pitches to meet the needs of Gypsies and Travellors living within or resorting to North Norfolk is now a government policy. (NNDC has identified two transit sites).

 

A target of 4000 new jobs to be created in the district is recommended.

 

The impact of this revised guidance may affect the Site Specific proposals that have been put out for earlier consultation.  The Working Party has now examined all responses. I have suggested that we should have further consultation on aspects of the site-specific proposals, as the new guidance is a significant change. This is likely to occur. We will await the response from government to our Core Strategy Document first.

 

The East of England Assembly has, I understand, rejected the new housing figure because the infrastructure will not support these numbers.

 

General Comments on Planning Issues

 

Development in the Countryside

Some representations have been made that development should be allowed in many of the smaller villages and in the Countryside. It is claimed this may restrict development in these locations will lead to stagnation, and not address the need for housing in these locations. I suggest that with a slightly more flexible approach to housing numbers the scope for infill development in a wider selection of villages could be reconsidered. However, others argue those infill developments, probably of single and non-affordable dwellings would not meet the CouncilÕs aims.  ReadersÕ views are welcome.

 

Second Homes

There is a widely held view that the numbers of second homes has an adverse impact on the local housing market with equity rich purchasers from outside the district acquiring properties which might otherwise be available for local people.  The purchase of a second home does not require planning permission. Consequently, planning policies are unable to exercise control over this type of use of existing dwellings. The Council is seeking to ensure that the type of housing that is provided on new developments is targeted towards meeting local needs. Second homeowners are required to assist the funding of affordable homes via their Council Tax. If you have views on second homes, please be in touch.

 

Drive to recruit women Councillors

This year marks the centenary of women gaining the right to stand for local elections. Latest figures show that just 28% of the UKÕs councillors are women. This month the government is launching a new commission that will review the barriers and incentives to serving on local councils. I am pleased that the Glaven Valley Ward is moving ahead of the game. Lindsay Brettle, candidate for the Ward, welcomes the opportunity to serve our community as a front line councillor.

 

The Chairman wished to record a vote of thanks to Councillor Bernard Crowe OBE who will be retiring as a District Councillor following the District Elections next week.

 

Report from Councillor Derek Baxter

 

Councillor Baxter informed the Councillors that Norwich has been short listed for consideration as a unitary Authority, they came second form the bottom of the last.  If the Norwich bid is successful it will cost a considerable amount of money leading to an increase in Council Tax.

 

Community Police Liaison Officers have now been appointed and it is hoped that they one will be in attendance at a future Parish Council Meeting.  At the moment Community Police Liaison Officer are unable to issue parking tickets but it is anticipated that legislation will be introduced later in the year to enable all C.P.L.O to have the same powers.