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Bungay Town Council - Council Minutes

Minutes of the December meeting of this Council held at the Council Chamber Broad Street on Monday 16th January 2006 at 8pm at 8pm

Present: Clls Caswell(in the chair), Evans, Fisher, Jermy, Jervis, Palin, Warnes, R Went, S Went, D Wolfenden and Woods

Also present were the Press, Cll Rose(SCC), Mrs C Rowley(WDC), 2 members of the public and Sgt Goodfellow.

1. Apologies
Were received from Clls Curtis, Derges, Groom and Revell

2. To confirm minutes of the previous meeting
The minutes of the meeting held on 19th December 2005 were approved and duly signed.

3. Matters Arising
The Broads Authority are to be requested to attend a future meeting to report to the Town Council about their green tourism proposals for the river at Bungay. Cll Evans said that a report had been commissioned from the University of Brighton on this matter. It was agreed that a copy be obtained for consideration by the Environment Committee.
Cll Palin reported that 3 dog bins had been put in place at Riverside, Kents Lane/Hillside Road East and Castle Lane. Further bins were to be provided for the Common, Castle Hills and St Johns Rd.
Information was not available so consideration of the Clerk's salary was postponed for a further month

4. County Councillors Report
Cll Rose's report was received at this point. He explained that he had been absent from recent meetings of the Town Council because of a very busy schedule. He reported that improvements to the Boyscott Lane lighting scheme would cost about £4000 because new lamp standards would be needed. He asked the Council to consider whether they wanted the Locality Budget spent on this.

A traffic survey was to be carried out in Hillside Road West. He thought that flashing speed warning lights may be needed at this point to lower traffic speeds. He noted that residents were using public grit supplies for gritting their own property. The County did not supply grit for this purpose and he had proposed that stickers be put on bins stating that the grit was for highway use only.

He said that the County's proposals to change the day care arrangements for Bungay residents who currently received this care at All Hallows were completely unacceptable. He will be questioning the Portfolio Holder about this. Cll Palin said that the whole matter had been badly handled by the County and urged the Town Council to support the case for retaining this provision at All Hallows for Bungay patients. It was agreed that the Council write to the Portfolio Holder, the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive in the strongest terms urging them to reconsider this misguided and unfair decision. Cll Rose reported that he was against the proposed Suffolk Primary Care Trust.

5. Report from Waveney District Council on funding and other matters relating to the Rural Community project.
Mrs Rowley reported on the history, current work and future plans relating to this project and the need to have second year funding in place. On Cll Jermy's proposal, seconded by Cll Fisher, it was agreed that the Town Council provide second year funding and give support to a funding application from the Bungay Community Fund provided officer time on Bungay projects(as opposed to projects for other partner towns) reflected the fact that direct and indirect Bungay funding may be greater than that provided directly by other partner towns. This was agreed. Mrs Rowley was thanked for her report.

6. Correspondence
The following correspondence was reported:-

Suffolk County Council confirming that the HGV south bound ban order for Bungay would be operational on a permanent basis as of 18th January 2006. The Clerk said that he had subsequently e mailed SCC about signing and other enforcements.
Mr Frank Honeywood inviting members to attend the launch of a new book Memories of a Staithe Road Lad at Emmanuel Church on Saturday 28th January at 2.30pm.
Bungay Arts and Theatre Society newsletter reporting on the progress of renovation work at the Fisher Theatre. Unforeseeable problems, to be expected on projects of this sort, had slowed the work and increased the cost. Some extra funding had been secured and further funding is being sought to meet the extra costs.
WDC giving notice that the next Bungay Area Forum would be held at Bungay Community Centre at 7.30pm on Wednesday 8th March 2006.
The Local Channel offering free community websites for Local Councils. It was noted that the Town Council were provided with website facilities.
Mr-C Reeve reporting minor vandal damage at Dinky's Garden. The Clerk would arrange for the necessary repair work to be carried out.

The following plan was considered: -
W5269/10, Mr & Mrs J Flatt, construction of a rear conservatory, 44 Upper OUand St. Approval recommended

7. Planning
There had been no meeting of the Planning Committee in January. The following decisions were received from WDC
W7843/13, M P & S M Blackham, bay window extension, Chevington Lodge, Flixton Rd. Approved.
Wl 1974/10, Mr D Lewis, change of use to provide an office room accommodating 4 people, 122 Beccles Rd. Approved.
W14350/8, Clive Davies & R Schofield, construction of 2 garages and a store building, 23/25 Earsham St, Bungay. Approved

8. To receive a report from the Finance & General Purposes Committee and dealt with matters arising.
This Committee met on 9th January 2006.

Present were Clls Caswell, Evans, Jermy, R Went and Woods. Apologies were received from Cll Groom.

A report was received on the WDC proposals for public convenience provision in the District and members reported on inspections of the Town facilities carried out subsequently. It was recommended and agreed that both the Priory Lane and the Cross St facilities should be retained. WDC proposed closure of the latter but it was considered that these should be retained because they are much used by those using shops and other businesses in the town centre area (St Marys St/Market Place/Earsham St), by tourists visiting the same area and by those(traders and shoppers) attending the weekly market which is held just yards from this facility. WDC were to be advised that while good disabled access is provided at Priory Lane, signage relating to this is poor. WDC were also to be advised that while the standard of cleaning appears to be good some external maintenance was required. Waveney were also to be told that the Town Council would be happy to consider any proposals that may be put forward in relation to local management of these facilities provided these are accompanied by realistic funding proposals.
Further matters relating to the proposed St Mary's St enhancement works were considered and following recommendations made:-
New cycle racks should be provided.
Provision should be made for a directional finger post at this location.
Provision of a bin store for the Bungay Shopper, and their agreement to use it should be part of the scheme.
Bus shelter design approved but shelter to be constructed of white powder coated steel rather than wood to minimise damage and maintenance. York stone type approved. Existing bus shelter to be relocated in Hillside Rd East at the bus stop opposite the entrance to the new Co¬op.
Replacement trees for Earsham St approved. Funding of £3000 recommended but the Town Council would like to see the bollards in Earsham St(opposite Outney Rd) replaced with bollards of a more suitable design for this location as part of the scheme. These recommendations were agreed.
Other matters:-
it was noted that the cul de sac sign at the entrance to Woodland Drive needs re-instating and that a highway drain was broken outside John Groom's shop in Wingfield St.
The Clerk reported that Mrs Temple of 130 Beccles Rd had requested provision of a grit bin on the approach to her own and neighbouring property. It was noted this was an unadopted road and that it would not therefore be appropriate to provide a publicly funded bin. It was agreed to offer to provide a bin from the Council's normal supplier if the residents agreed to meet the full cost.
The following payment was approved and cheque duly signed:-Mr A Newberry, litter picking and work at the Riverside, £57.33.

9. Report on local policing matters
Sgt P Goodfellow of the Suffolk Constabulary reported 34 crimes over the Christmas and New Year period. Of these 16 had been detected already and he anticipated that a further 5 would be shortly. One house had been broken into. Allegations had been made of illegal hunting by Waveney Harriers. He had e mailed all his officers alerting them to the re-introduction of the one way HGV ban and he had contacted SCC about signing issues relating to the ban. He had been advised that Norfolk County Council were to deal with this.

10. Bungay Community Fund application for Bungay Guides
This was to help with the provision of a new mobile hut. A grant of £10,000 for this purpose was recommended for approved

11. Council Representatives
Cll Evans reported that the Honeypot Trustees had visited a 'model' village hall at Lavenham. He considered that a similar hall would suit Bungay.
Cll Jervis said that the Tourist Committee were planning to reprint the Bigod Way guide. He asked that funding for this be considered by the Council.
Cll Went reported that the sink in the kitchen at the Riverside Centre required attention, a teapot and teaspoons were needed and confirmation that the CCTV was working required.
Cll Fisher reported that a Festival Committee would take place at the Council Chamber on 30 January 2006 at 8pm.
Cll Caswell reported that he had visited the All Hallows Day Centre on Christmas Day and had been very impressed by the level of care being provided and the excellent atmosphere.

12. District Councillors Reports
Cll Woods noted that the Town Council had written to Mr Gallaghar of WDC about car park charging proposals. He had also received copies of letters written by the Chamber of Trade and their members relating to this issue and said that there was still time for third parties to express their view to WDC about this matter.

13. Cheques for payment
The following payments were approved and cheques duly signed:-
Bungay Coffee Shop, catering Civic Service and Japanese visit, £312.50(section 137 payment),
Glasdon UK Ltd, grit bin purchase, £155.11;
P Jackson, tree work, £80.00;
Mr A Newberry, litter pick and work at the Riverside, £56.16;
Bungay Youth Association, donation to cover insurance costs at skateboard park, £715.00(section 137 payment).).

14. Other business of an important nature
Cll Warnes noted the untidy state of the alley by Wightmans. This was private land. Cll Jermy wondered whether the untidy land regulations could be used to deal with this.
Cll Palin reported litter bins were needed at the Riverside and the skate board park. He would be speaking to Ian Gregory about this.
Cll Evans noted that holly hedge at Outney Rd still not cut back, a drain was blocked at junction of Chaucer and Popson St and the old mortuary chapel was continuing to suffer damage through vandalism.

The meeting closed at 9.40pm. .

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