Clerk – Page 43 – Bradwell Parish Council

The following are the minutes of the 2018 Annual Parish Meeting, which have been formally approved at the 2019 meeting:-

18th April, 2018

PRESENT: Councillors Howlett (Chairman), Baker, Carrier, Comer, Francis, Jones, Macdonald, Shaw, Squires and Watson; Parish Clerk J Caborn; PC M Lay-Flurrie; Mrs M Humpleby and Mrs J Sullivan (Bradwell Community Woodland Project); Mrs J Waters (‘Saturday Superstars’); Ms H George, Mr B Hubbard, Mr K Kemp, and members of the public.

1) APOLOGIES – Councillor Wells; County/Borough Councillor C Smith; Borough Councillors C Annison and S Hacon; Mrs D Macdonald. The chairman explained that Parish Council Chairman C Wells was unavoidably absent following a family bereavement, and condolences were expressed.

2) MINUTES OF MEETING 19th April 2017: The minutes were accepted as a true record and signed by the Chairman.

3) POLICE REPORT: PC M Lay-Flurrie reported some local staffing changes – there are no longer any PCSO’s, his own role is Beat Manager for Bradwell and the ‘Southern Villages’, and the senior officers for the wider area are Operational Partnership Team Inspector P McCarthy, Inspector D Dallas and Sgt J Johnson. There is now only one Safer Neighbourhood Action Panel for the whole of the Gt Yarmouth/Gorleston and parishes area south of the river, whose next meeting will be at the King’s Centre. He also referred briefly to the ‘Operation Shipmate’ operation in response to levels of anti-social behaviour, problems with ‘kids on bicycles’ (some will appear in court following some ‘near misses’), the seeking of offenders with the help of CCTV, and Homewatch schemes.

4) PARISH COUNCIL REPORT: Reference was made to the report circulated via the latest edition of ‘Bradwellian’, and a number of issues were highlighted, including the progress of the Persimmon development in South Bradwell and the recent battle for the reinstatement of the surface of the nearby Clay Lane bridleway following installation of sewer pipes, and the works recently carried out by Anglian Water to improve the local system for dealing with foul and waste water discharges, including provision of a ‘holding tank’ which has yet to be ‘tested’ by particularly heavy rainfall. Norfolk County Council and the Parish Council have ‘joint-funded’ improvements to the footpath between Lords Lane and the churchyard, and a new bus shelter will shortly be installed on Beaufort Way – Persimmon Homes Ltd. were asked to make a grant towards this project more than once, but did not respond. Grants towards building improvements were given to the Mill Lane Centre Trustees Committee and the Bradwell Reading Room Trust.

There was an increase of 1.1% in parish precept for the current year, caused by a reduction in ‘precept support grant’ from the Borough Council, but the percentage increase was still lower than that of the County and Borough Councils, and Norfolk Police.

5) COUNTY COUNCILLORS’ AND BOROUGH COUNCILLORS’ REPORTS: – nil.

6) BRADWELL COMMUNITY LIBRARY/READING ROOM TRUST REPORT: Councillor Carrier reported that, following another flooding episode last year, the library service has been closed to enable essential building repairs and improvements to be carried out, but that the works have now been mostly completed, with support from the Parish Council, and a re-stocked library will reopen shortly. The Trustees would like to extend the library’s opening hours, and are seeking to rent out a separate room at the back of the building, to generate some income.

7) AMIS MEMORIAL TRUST REPORT: Councillor Macdonald described the work of this Trust and its Advisory Committee, which was established in 1987 and has funded various items for Woodlands School over many years.

It was agreed unanimously that Ms S Watson should be elected to serve on the Trust’s Advisory Committee for a three year period, to replace Mrs J Morrow, who has decided to stand down at the end of her three year term of office.

8) PROPOSAL TO REQUEST EXTENSION OF MILL LANE RECREATION GROUND ‘PERIMETER PATHS’: The clerk explained, further to a resolution by the council’s Amenities & Highways Committee to ask the Borough Council to fund this scheme via ‘section 106 monies’ (developers’ contributions), he had been advised by Borough Councillor A Grant to encourage parishioners to make written statements in support of the proposal. A short article was accordingly included in the most recent issue of ‘Bradwellian’, and four parishioners have responded so far. Anybody present who would welcome such an improvement was invited to also ‘write in’, and/or encourage others to do so.

9) OTHER REPORTS:
a) Bradwell Bowling Club – the club has funded some improvements to the Golden Jubilee Pavilion building, which it leases from the Parish Council, and there will shortly be an ‘official opening’, with the Parish Council Chairman and Vice-Chairman in attendance. The club is maintaining its membership levels, and has in fact had an increase in membership, following the closure of the Browston Hall indoor bowling facility. The Parish Council was thanked for its support.

b) ‘Saturday Superstars’ – this club, for children and teenagers with a range of additional needs, meets at Homefield School once a month, and is run by volunteers. The club offers the youngsters a space where they feel comfortable, and would welcome any new members who would like to come along.

c) Bradwell Community Woodland Project – the Project team has had a good year, having been encouraged by the addition of two male members to the committee, and some more volunteers coming forward, reducing the burden on the existing members and volunteers.

d) Mill Lane Centre – the committee currently has a ‘full’ membership, and will hold its AGM next month. An issue with its drainage pump will hopefully be resolved shortly. The committee’s next project is to refurbish the sports hall.

10) ANY FURTHER MATTERS:
An issue was raised regarding the ‘atrocious’ amount of litter dropped in various parts of Bradwell, and a lack of ‘enforcement’ regarding this issue, and a lack of litter bins in certain areas, e.g. Gapton Hall Road. It was explained that the Parish Council has funded the installation of several litter bins within Bradwell in the past, but has now been advised that, in the event that ‘new’ bins are provided and require emptying, the Borough Council will charge £52.00 per year, per bin for 52 empties to the relevant Parish Council. The Parish Council will consider a proposal to fund the provision of one or more litter bins on Beaufort Way, and on Gapton Hall Road.

Councillor Francis proposed a vote of thanks to Councillor Wells for successfully completing his second year as chairman of the council. The meeting closed at 8.35p.m.