Parish Council Meeting of 19th February 2015

Written by Anne Rayner.

The Parish Council meeting on 19th February 2015 was attended by Councillors Brian Frith, Beverley Humphreys, Gilly Barnes, Claire Jordan and Jackie Bowers. Also present were District Councillor Bob McClenning and four members of the public. Terry Henderson had sent a letter resigning from the Council and the Clerk was asked to write to him expressing the Council's appreciation of his work over the past four years.

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

There were no new planning applications to discuss but an update was given on the 'Fourways' development (at the Jolly Farmers crossroads), where an application, by the builder, to remove the 'no fence and hedge on the corner' condition has been successful, i.e. the fence and hedge is now allowed.

Residents may have noticed that the base has appeared for the new bus shelter on Norwich Road. It is hoped that building work will begin towards the end of February, which is great news. The old shelter will then be demolished and the parish council is currently liaising with the county council to arrange for the bus company to stop at the new shelter.

The Parish Council has been asked for its views on naming the housing development at the former CPS / Sale Yard site on Station Road. The site has provisionally been named Abbots Grange (by the developers), but since there is no history of Abbot or Grange we think we can find something more apt.  Any suggestions (in particular those representing historical links to the area) will be considered at the next meeting in March, when a preferred suggestion will be passed on to the developer. If you have a good idea, please submit your suggestion, by 12th March, to the Clerk, Anne Rayner, 01508 570700  or email  

Elections will be taking place on 7 May 2015. These will be Parliamentary, District Council and, if enough people stand, Parish Council elections as well. If you have ever thought about being a parish councillor, now would be a good time to give it some serious consideration. The Parish Council is the most local level of government in England. It aims to represent all residents in the parish and works with the District and County Councils on local issues, as well as commenting on planning applications and long term development issues. Parish Councillors are local residents who have either been elected or co-opted on to the council. They are unpaid. If you are over the age of 18, a resident of the parish and have an interest in local issues, contact the Clerk (details at the end of this article) who will provide you with more information. Why not come along to the Parish Council meeting in March to see what is involved? You do not need any particular knowledge or skills - just a willingness to represent the views of the Community (although there will be opportunities for training to learn more about the role and responsibilities). Nomination forms for the election on 7th May must be handed in to South Norfolk Council Offices by 9th April.

The next meeting of the Parish Council will be on Thursday 19th March 2015 at 7.30pm. 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