Parish Council Meeting of 21st September 2017

Written by Anne Rayner.

The Parish Council meeting on 21st September 2017 was attended by Councillors Brian Frith, Beverley Humphreys, Andrew Coleman, Gilly Barnes, Sarah Allen, Graham Gale and Dawn Welsby. Also present were the Clerk, County Councillor Bev Spratt, District Councillor Barry Duffin and three members of the public.

Some of the main items discussed at the meeting are mentioned here. Full minutes of the meeting are available here in draft form until agreed by the Council at the next meeting (19th October 2017).

The following planning applications were discussed:

  • 2017 / 2051 – Moorlands Cottage, Bustards Green – Replacement timber windows – Councillors raised no objections to this application.
  • 2017 / 2122 – The Acers, Low Rd – Single storey extension and alterations – Councillors reviewed the plans and raised no objections.

Royal Mail have confirmed that a replacement post box will be in place on Station Road by the end of October.

A grant of £100 has been received from South Norfolk Council, to go towards the refurbishment of the phone box on Low Road. Work can start on the phone box as soon as a completion notice has been received from BT.

Councillors Welsby, Coleman and Barnes recently attended a meeting hosted by Wacton Parish Council to consider the implications of the proposed development of Long Stratton. The plans include an additional 2153 new homes, which is estimated to increase the population from the current level of 4424 to 8600. Concerns were raised at the meeting as to how the infrastructure will cope with that level of increase. It is hoped that Councillors will have an opportunity to attend a meeting at South Norfolk Council, where they will be able to speak to planning officers directly and raise any queries or concerns they have about the plans.

All residents of the village should have received a letter and a survey from Saffron Housing about housing needs in the village. Please do return your forms to Saffron by 13th October 2017. If you have not received a form, or would like an additional form for a family member who has left the village because they could not afford to remain living there, please contact Dan George on 01508 535674 or e-mail him at .

Although this is not an issue within the village, residents and parish councillors have raised some concern about the new road priority and lack of signage when leaving Wymondham via Silfield Road. There is nothing to actually indicate to road users to turn right when heading towards Ashwellthorpe and the new priority of the road gives right of way to residents of the new estate. This appears to have been reported by several people and it is hoped that Highways will give the matter some consideration.

Following a suggestion from some residents, the Parish Council is to buy daffodil bulbs for planting in some roadside locations around the village. If you would be prepared to join the 'Planting Party' please contact Councillor Sarah Allen on 01508 536835.

The next parish council meeting will be on Thursday 19th October 2017, at 7.30 pm.  The agenda will be published about a week before the meeting, but if you have any matters to bring to the attention of the Parish Council in the meantime, please contact the clerk, Anne Rayner, on 01508 570700 or by email  .