Surlingham Parish Council

Minutes of the meeting held 17 January 2023

Present: Councillors Richard Atkins, John Broom, Phil Reeve, Pat Scowen, Dave Swinborne, Martin White, Pam Wilson, District and County Councillor Vic Thomson, and the Parish Clerk Janet Rogers.

1. Welcome by the Chairman – The Chairman opened the meeting
2. Apologies and approval of absences – Councillor Thomson would be joining the meeting later.
3. Declarations of Interest – None
4. To approve as accurate the minutes of the meeting on 20 December 2022 – Approved
5. Matters arising from those minutes – Item 5 Sapientia had been contacted re help with insulation. To date no response. Councillor White offered to use his contacts to see if he could progress this. Re Kamoot nothing can be done to prevent cyclists hikers etc from logging routes on Apps. Item 14 Pond – Councillor Atkins had cleared much of the surrounding weed. However, it will need to be dredged again at some stage. The cost of a throw line had been notified to the Clerk. However, Councillor Broom said he would try to obtain on from the chandlers at Brundall. ‘Danger Deep Water’ signs are also required. Clerk to order.
6. Progress report for information on items not on the agenda: Councillors/Clerk – The Clerk reported the school had agreed to pay £250 for overnight electricity charges. The energy contract had been renewed for the next 12 months with SSE. Given the potential time it will take to set the new clerk up with Barclays, the clerk intends ordering a supply of paper hand towels and toilet rolls for the hall to avoid running out.
7. Public Question Time – There were no parishioners present.
8. Finance – a) Authorise Payments – wages £528.89 and SSE £1634.95. b) Approve Quarterly statement 31 December 2022 – Approved
9. Staithe – Response from the Church & Poor Charity – In response to the request for support the Trustees had agreed in principle but needed more information i.e. plans/timescale/cost. – Councillors thought the dyke was dredged in 2015. It is their intention is to save up for the work to be completed, £500 had been set aside and ringfenced in the budget for 2023/4. They would be grateful if the Trustees would match that figure. It is anticipated that the water levels will be high enough in the dyke for the next year or two as yet a cost has not been confirmed but likely to be several thousand pounds.
10. Play Park – Maintenance plan – This item to be moved to the March meeting to give councillors time to look at the equipment to see what needed attention.
11. To receive reports from the County and District Councillor – Full reports are on Surlingham.org and Include details of how to make a glitter free snow globe, how to find help by using the Norfolk Community Directory, Help for Households and Help with Living Costs. The following bus operators have signed up to the bus fare cap grant scheme meaning fares are capped at £2.00 for a single journey. BorderBus, First, Konectbus, Our Bus, Sanders, Simonds, Coach Services, Stagecoach, Semmence. The Warm rooms grants have been paid to several premises and a list of those will be available soon. The Ferry House in Surlingham has joined the scheme and the Barn by St Mary’s Church in Rockland St Mary opens every Monday for soup, cakes, hot drinks and of course a warm welcome. Elections – Remember this year you need to produce photo id if you are voting at a polling station. Passports, driving licence bus passes are accepted, more information will be widely available soon.
12. Approve a resolution to exclude the public and press from item 16 because their presence would be prejudicial to the public interest due to the confidential nature (Public Bodies Admission to meetings Act 1960)
13. Consider applicants for position of Parish Clerk. Councillors considered applications from nine candidates and invited four who are already experienced qualified clerks for interview.
14. Date of next meeting 21 February 2023 Items for the agenda, Parish hall, cyclists using footpaths. Consultation – South Norfolk’s Village Clusters Housing Allocation Plan – Formal representation by 6 March 2023. Meeting closed at 20:50p.m.