LANGHAM PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council held on Monday 14th November, 2022 in the Village Hall at 7.00 p.m.
                                     
Present:  
Paul Godfrey (Chair)
Patrick Allen
Alison Newton
Tim Schofield
Alan Smith
Kevin Walker	
The Clerk
Michael Dalby (County Councillor)
Three parishioners

1.	Apologies for Absence
Richard Kershaw (District Councillor)
2.	Declarations of Interest
(i)	Mr. Allen – item 11 as owner of the land.
(ii)	Mr. Schofield – item 13 ii) – owner of the property.

3.   Minutes of last meeting held on 26th September, 2022   –   were approved by all members. 
					
4.         Updated information and matters arising from the previous meeting:
a)        This week is road safety week with the theme being safer roads for all. Community Speed Watch 
            is being operated on four days of the current week. The fourteenth session since the end of July
            was held today. Almost one third of vehicles are recording a reportable speed. A top speed of 
            48 mph has been seen on North Street (20 mph limit). A group of eight volunteers has been 
            formed to monitor in Langham and Blakeney, but the required sites in Blakeney haven’t yet been
            approved. It is believed that there have been regular occurrences of a speeding motor bike    
            travelling through the village, usually at 7.30 in the morning and 11.00 at night.
            The SAM records show speeds in the 70’s. Monitoring is to be put in place with the intention  
            Being to pass appropriate information to the police. 	
b)        Doors community locks are now fixed on the new notice board and wooden title blocks are to be 	 
            added. Mr. Schofield is continuing to take the necessary action.
c)         A  meeting with the District Council to discuss the hotel deliveries has been arranged for 21st 
            November.

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d)        The County Council asked for indemnity cover to be provided in respect of any street furniture in 
            the village situated on the highway. The Parish Council’s insurers confirm that this cover is already
            in place and is a fundamental part of the policy.
e)        Mr. White (Highways Engineer) had looked at two issues – firstly, he advised that it would not be 
            possible to move the speed limit sign near the electric gate at Grove Farm, primarily due to the 
            very high cost this would involve. In addition, signs for Hollow Lane stating “children playing” and 
            “slow down” would be recommended. A 20 mph limit would not be supported.
f)         The Head of the local school has agreed to speak with parents to ask for more care to be 
            exercised when dropping off and picking up pupils. A follow-up liaison meeting is to be arranged 
            after a period of monitoring. At the present time, the general lack of considerate parking is a 
            concern.

5.      Finance
Income
30/9/22      North Norfolk District Council (Precept – 6 months)		     £5,207.50 
6/10/22      Norfolk County Council (delegated grass cutting for 2022)	        £300.26				     			
Expenditure
27/9/22     Drax (streetlights electricity – August)			          £63.24
19/10/22   Drax (streetlights electricity – September)			          £61.23
14/11/22   K & M Lighting Services (street lighting maintenance – October)       £21.36
14/11/22   K & M Lighting Services (street lighting maintenance – November)   £21.36
14/11/22   SCS Accounting Solutions (quarterly payroll)			           £12.00
14/11/22   CGM Group (grounds maintenance)  **			           NIL**
14/11/22   K. Webb (expenses from 1/4/22 to 14/11/22)		   	           £75.95
14/11/22   K. Webb (pay for July, August and September)	                       £961.14
14/11/22   HMRC (tax on Clerk’s pay)					        £240.20
14/11/22   Grove Farm Partnership (annual Playing Field rent)		          £10.00
14/11/22   Community Action Norfolk (annual subscription)		          £20.00

**   Outstanding invoices and all invoices not yet raised have been cancelled by CGM.  
Acceptance of expenditure approved by all members.

Balances of Bank accounts:- Current - £15,345.96 credit, Business Saver- £45.79 credit
(as at 12th November, 2022)
The Clerk presented a draft budget which had been circulated to members prior to the meeting. This showed predicted income of £10,922 and expenditure of £16,720, i.e. a deficit of £5,798. The tax base has increased from 214.34 to 216.72 and, if the Band D contribution remains at the same figure of £48.60, the Precept for 2023/2024 will be £10,532. It was mentioned that items of expenditure for the 
forthcoming year are likely to include a new defibrillator, costs for a visibility splay on North Street and
a new traffic speed sign. Mr. Allen proposed that the budget and precept be accepted and this was seconded by Mr. Walker. All in favour. This is to be reviewed, however, at the next Parish Council meeting in January when hopefully Mr. Allen will have a cost for the refurbishment of the telephone box.
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The possibility of installing some planters along North Street was also discussed. This project has the support of Mr. White, Norfolk County Council, Highways Engineer. There are certain requirements that will need to be met (e.g. planters marked with approved discs and precise positioning) and the proposition will be discussed further at the next meeting. Mr. Smith is to contact Mrs. Godfrey with a view to placing the proposals on the Langham Facebook page. Agreement, in principle, was given to the placing of planters on North Street. Proposed by Mr. Schofield and seconded by Mr. Smith. All in favour.

6.	Update and review of Asset Register
The Chairman has updated the asset register and all members are to peruse this document with a view to appropriate financial values being given to each item.
				
7.	Grounds maintenance contract and arrangements - update
CGM has offered, as a gesture of goodwill and in acknowledgement of their unsatisfactory service, to write off all unpaid invoices. This amounts to £711.75 (three months). This proposal has been accepted and they are to be asked to cut the hedge for a second time this year in accordance with the contract. 

8.	Village Hall Defibrillator and Telephone Box - update
	The existing defibrillator needs to be replaced. All agreed that a new one should be purchased
	and Mrs. Newton will locate the most suitable option. The cost of refurbishing the telephone 
	box will be in the region of £1.8K. Mr. Allen is to chase James Cook for a quote regarding the 
              telephone box. Mr. Cook has recently refurbished the box in Binham. 

9.	Affordable Housing
	A communication had been received from Anna Clarke, Community Housing Enabler at North 
	Norfolk District Council, asking whether any further consideration had been given to the 
	possible provision of additional affordable homes in the village. It was agreed by all that no 
	action was required at the present time.

10.	Position regarding an empty Flagship Housing property
	Concern was expressed that a Victory Housing property in Swans Close has apparently been 
	unoccupied for two years. It is believed that this matter has previously been reported to the 
	Housing Association but it seems that no action has been taken. A response is also awaited from
	the District Council

11.	Land off North Street
	The land promoter Glavenhill is currently reviewing approximately four acres of land on the 
	western side of North Street/northern side of Binham Road. It is the intention for an initial
	consultation meeting to be arranged in the early part of 2023. 

12.	Website update
	The Chairman had located a parishioner to take over the running of the website which has been 
	malfunctioning since early October. Further details will be provided in due course.

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13.       Planning applications and determinations.
i)	RV/22/2356 –  removal of condition 5 (no commercial delivery in association with activities connected with the use of the hotel and ancillary development to be taken to or dispatched from vehicles parked along North Street, Langham at any time) of planning permission ref. PF/14/0107 – (revisions to hotel and spa including increasing bedrooms from 28 to 32, provision of service area, entrance canopy and covered walkway) - The Langham, North Street, Langham – objection already submitted.
ii)	PF/22/2616 – construction of double car port, open sided porch and installation of roof light –  Old Haybarn, Holt Road, Langham – no objection.
iii)	 PF/21/2186 & TPO/21/0986 – storage of caravans and boats, siting of 39 storage containers,land at Langham Road, Morston. Awaiting Decision 
iv)	PF/22/1078 – erection of extensions and front porch, conversion of garage and erection of detached boat store with studio – Meadow Cottage, North Street, Langham. Pending consideration still.
v)	LA/22/2092 and PF/22/2091) The Langham Hall 2 North Street Langham Holt Norfolk NR25 7DH Single storey extension and external alterations; plant room; 3 bay garage; installation of ground source heat pumps and formation of open swimming pond; formation of opening in boundary wall with demolition of outbuilding to provide pedestrian and service link; hard and soft landscape works (to facilitate conversion to hotel related use) and conversion of stable building to spa. Pending consideration.

14.	Correspondence		
1)	Clerks and Councils Direct magazine for November, 2022.
2)	Letter of thanks from Local Lynx for donation of £70.
3)	Letter of thanks from Langham P.C.C. for donation of £500.
4)	NNDC reminder of survey re improving the customer experience.
5)	Barclays Bank confirming changes to the Bank account mandate.
6)	Barclays Bank questionnaire regarding money laundering and terrorist financing.
7)	Mobile post office asking for help in raising awareness of the service.
8)	Final consultation for the Boundary Commission proposals.
9)	Letter from Stalham Town Council requesting support for the proposed new Infrastructure Levy – (all agreed to take no action at this stage)

 15.       Reports from County and/or District Councillors
	Mr. Kershaw’s report was as follows:-

To date we have had no news from Government regarding the Levelling Up bids, Strategic Recovery Fund or the Rural Prosperity Fund which were due end of October. We have heard that the proposed Investment Zones brought forward by Kwasi Kwarteng have now been cancelled.
NNDC held a cost of living Summit in the Chamber in Cromer and on line. The summit was very well attended. Details of the summit are available on the NNDC website and there is a four page section on the Cost of Living Crisis in the Autumn edition of Outlook which had been delivered across the district.
Final details of the 2023 Parliamentary boundary review have been published and are available on the NNDC website. 
The Council also hosted a successful Job Fair on 4th November attended by 120 people.					
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16   	Parishioners’ Participation
	Three queries were raised as follows:-
a)	The property 8 Swans Close which has been empty for some time. It is believed that the tenant has not lived there for some two years. North Norfolk District Council has been advised of the situation.
b)	Condition 5 of planning application RV/22/2356 which relates to deliveries to the Harper Hotel not being unloaded on North Street. The Parish Council has objected to the removal of this condition.
c)	It is considered that the Copthorpe Road junction is considered as being potentially dangerous with inadequate signing. The white lines are hardly visible. Highways Department will be advised accordingly.		
			
17.	Any other matters (for information)
	(i)	Mrs. Newton mentioned that new systems have been introduced at the Accident and
		Emergency Department of the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital which seems to 
		have had a positive impact in reducing waiting times.
							
18.        Agenda items for next meeting   
              a)	Annual Budget
	b)	Defibrillator
	c)	Planters

       			  
 19.	Date of next meeting :   Tuesday, 10th January 2023 at 7.00 p.m. in the Village Hall 

The meeting closed at 9.12 p.m.

								
	
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