LANGHAM PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council held on Tuesday 5th March, 2024 in the Village Hall at 7.00 p.m.
                                 
Present:  
Patrick Allen (Chair)
Anne-Marie Coe
Louise Goodenough
Sir Richard Gozney
James Priest
Ben Phelps (co-opted at the start of the meeting – see item 3) 	
The Clerk
Michael Dalby (County Councillor)
Six parishioners

1.	Apologies for Absence
None

2.	Declarations of Interest
None
3.	Co-option of new member                    
Ben Phelps was proposed by Anne-Marie Coe and seconded by Louise Goodenough. All in favour. He was welcomed to the Parish Council by the Chairman.
4.   Minutes of last meeting held on 9th January, 2024   –   were approved by all members (proposed by James Priest and seconded by Anne-Marie Coe)

5.         Updated information and matters arising from the previous meeting:
a)         Anna Clarke’s visit (Housing Enabler, North Norfolk District Council) had been discussed and no action is to be taken in the short term. Further contemplation will be given at a later date and Anne-Marie Coe will respond to Anna Clarke on behalf of the Parish Council. The Chairman stated that, as on previous occasions, if affordable homes were to be built in the future, he would reiterate his declared interest as owner of the land next to North Street. Concern was again expressed that a previous scheme did not cater for the people of Langham.       			

b)        Following Alan Smith’s resignation, Richard Gozney has the speed monitoring camera and will retain it for two more months.

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c)        Steve White (Norfolk County Council) did not attend the meeting regarding options for North Street as he was ill. The meeting is to be rearranged. 

d         Louise Goodenough has made contact with a company called Armadillo Lighting which provides solar powered lighting. Sheringham Shoal are giving grants of between £5K and £10K for lighting projects of this type. Louise Goodenough will provide a link to this company for all members.

e)        Contractors have cut the overgrown hedge in Hollow Lane. A bill will be sent to the Parish Council.

f)         The proposed trod (cost £11.2K) had been noted as approved by Norfolk County Council (article in the Eastern Daily Press). No direct communication has been received so the Clerk will confirm with NCC that everything is in order with the project.

g)	The website has been updated. It is possible that some links to village organisations and clubs will be added.

h)	Anne-Marie Coe thanked the LVRG members for all their hard work, a feeling that was shared by the other Parish Council members.

i)	A letter had been received from Kevin Peacock, Planning Enforcement Team Leader, North 
Norfolk District Council regarding the failure to discharge condition 3 of planning permission RV/22/2356. He stated that, although the condition has not been formally discharged, Highways are content that the required work has been carried out and so it not considered expedient to pursue the matter any further. This view caused some surprise but it was generally felt that, in the circumstances,  there was little more that the Parish Council could do.

6.      Finance
Income
10/1/24   LVRG (proceeds from Bingo night)			                	                £1,066.96
22/1/24   Transfer from PFA account						                        £0.11
4/3/24     Interest on Bank account (4/12/23 to 3/3/24)			                                    £44.47

Expenditure
5/3/24     K & M Lighting Services (street lighting maintenance – February)                                £21.36
5/3/24     K & M Lighting Services (street lighting maintenance – March)	                                   £21.36
5/3/24     Norfolk Parish Training & Support (annual subscription)                                              £110.72
5/3/24     Collier Turf Care (football goals and nets)				              £1,151.34        
5/3/24     Collier Turf Care (sports ryegrass and turf)			                                £207.46
5/3/24     Action Play and Leisure (swing seats and fixings)			                 £361.20
5/3/24     S W Horticulture (installation of football goals)			                               £165.00
5/3/24     Information Commissioner (annual Data Protection fee)		                   £40.00
5/3/24     K. Webb (Clerk’s expenses from 1/4/23 to 5/3/24)	                                              £131.80
20/2/24   K. Webb (quarterly computer allowance – standing order)	                                 £20.00
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Acceptance of expenditure approved by all members.

Balances of Bank accounts:- Current - £3,126.80 credit, Business Saver- £11,934.97 credit  (as at 4th March, 2024)

7.         Langham Village Recreation Ground developments
Another fundraising function has been held, a second bingo night which produced net proceeds of £1,096.50, an excellent achievement once again. £100 has been retained to assist with preparations for the next event; the sum of £996.50 is to be banked. 25 children helped with the planting of new trees.
A local contractor, S W Horticulture of Blakeney, has tendered for the annual ground maintenance contract at a figure of £2,110. After due consideration, Anne-Marie Coe proposed that this be accepted, seconded by Richard Gozney and all in favour. Louise Goodenough is to inform Nurture, (the current contractor and previously known as CGM), of this decision. A copy of the new contract will be circulated to all members. A quotation is to be provided for work required to the fence.

The sum allocated in the annual budget for grounds maintenance is £2.5K, so a small amount, after allowing for the new contact figure, is available to assist with any unforeseen costs. There is a plan to improve the Playing Field by providing a new terrace and path. An application for a grant of £20K is to be made in the name of Langham Parish Council (based in Norfolk).   

8.         Purchase of defibrillator - update
The Chairman is to chase Martin Fagan, the representative from the Community Heartbeat Trust. Louise Goodenough is to circulate to members details of the various defibrillators available.

9.  	     Defence Employer Recognition scheme (DERs)
The members expressed a desire to acknowledge the scheme and to support it, in principle and whenever possible.				
										
10.       Planning applications and determinations.
Applications
            None
Determinations
a)	Stable Court Barn, Langham Hall, Holt Road, Langham – PF/23/1694 – change of use of building to holiday accommodation and associated land to garden to serve the holiday accommodation, erection of a shed and means of enclosure with gated access between existing brick piers, associated operational development – approved.

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11.	Correspondence		
1)	Letter of appreciation from Local Lynx paper regarding the Parish Council donation made in November.
2)	Opportunity to obtain a free framed portrait of the King. (Richard Gozney to deal with this matter).
3)	Confirmation of request from Langham PCC for a grant for the financial year commencing 1/4/24.
4)	A plethora of Nil invoices and Nil credit notes from npower Business Solutions. 

 12.       Reports from County Councillor
 The reports, as follows, are to be placed on the website.

REBRUARY REPORT

County Council faces difficult budget decision
Norfolk County Council has proposed a balanced budget but it faces difficult decisions in order to deliver it. This is due to rising demand, rising costs and underfunding.
The highlights are:
•	£116 million of investment to meet demand and cost pressures – including £34.7 million for inflation, £37.6 million for legislative requirements and £39.7 million for demand and demographic issues
•	£52.2 million of new savings, including £12.1 million from transforming how the council operates
•	New savings proposals totalling £1.4 million may require further consultation and will then be brought back to cabinet for decisions
•	A proposed 4.99 per cent increase in the county council’s share of Council Tax, in line with the Government’s capping level (2.99 per cent for general Council Tax and 2 per cent for adult social care). This would increase the council’s share of band D bills to £1,672.11. A 4.99 per cent rise would generate £24.9 million
A small number of the budget proposals have been identified as potentially requiring public consultation, as they may relate to a policy or service change. These include:
•	Charging an admin fee for brokering on behalf of people who self-fund their adult social care
•	Review of the adult social care non-residential charging policy – including the Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG)
•	Recommissioning of social isolation and loneliness contracts
•	Norfolk Record Office – pre-booking of visits and new paid services to increase income generation

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•	Switching off 2% of streetlights
•	Recycling centres: Reduction of opening hours at some recycling centres to deliver a more consistent approach, in line with neighbouring authorities
If, following public consultation, any of the proposals are not implemented, departments will need to make alternative savings.
Once cabinet has considered the proposals, they will be considered by the council’s scrutiny committee, before the full council sets the budget on 20 February.
Cabinet met on Monday 29th January and accepted the report.
Focus on prevention and support independent individuals as the council refreshes strategy for Adult Social Care.
Supporting people to live independently is at the heart of Norfolk County Council’s proposed five-year strategy for Adult Social Care, as the council reshapes its approach based on feedback from residents and service users.
Members of the People and Communities Select Committee met on 19 January and  heard about how the council proposes to respond to the challenges facing adult social care and how it has used people’s views to inform its proposed strategy.
Councillors are asked to endorse the strategy, which focuses on three key areas – prevention and early help, supporting people to live independently, and ensuring there is the right support for people with multiple and complex needs.
Over the summer, the council held focus groups, ran a survey and worked with partners to facilitate a range of conversations about adult social care.
The responses have been grouped into six themes, which have helped to shape the strategy.
People told the council:
•	They would like to understand more about the services we provide
•	The council should ensure information is easy to find
•	The council should be consistent in the way it communicates with people
•	Some carers would like more support in certain areas
•	People with sensory support sometimes feel they would like more support accessing information
•	Co-production and engagement should be a priority
The strategy will need to be considered by the council’s Cabinet and Full Council before it can be fully adopted.
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CLLR Michael Dalby
Michael.dalby.cllr@nordolk.gov.uk
07306886552
								
MARCH REPORT
County Council agrees budget.
Councillors have backed a budget that "delivers for Norfolk", in the face of major challenges facing local government.
The key headlines from the budget agreed today are:
•	£122m of investment to meet demand and cost pressures next year - including £34.6m for inflation, £38m for legislative requirements, £39.7m for demand and demographic issues and £9.6m for policy decisions.
•	£41.5m of new savings, including £9.6m from transforming how the council operates.
•	A proposed 4.99% increase in the County Council's share of Council Tax, in line with the Government's capping level (2.99% for general Council Tax and 2% for adult social care). This would increase the Council's share of band D bills to £1,672.11. A 4.99% rise would generate £24.9m.
•	A small number of the budget proposals have been identified as requiring consultation, as they may relate to a policy or service change. Cabinet will take decisions on these proposals in the summer, after considering the consultation results.
Cabinet to vote on £457m plan for Norfolk’s Highways and Transport.
The proposals, which are due to be discussed at Norfolk County Council’s Cabinet at its meeting on Monday 4 March, cover investment in highways maintenance, cycling and walking schemes, traffic management and public transport infrastructure across Norfolk between now and 2027.
Further allocations from the £10m investment in highway maintenance by Norfolk County Council are proposed, alongside £4.51m from the Network North Road Resurfacing Fund 2024/25. These works include resurfacing roads and footways, bridge maintenance and regular activities such as surface dressing.
The investment, set out over the financial year 2024/25, 2025/26 and 2026/27, includes funding from Norfolk County Council, the Department for Transport, developer contributions such as Section 106 and CIL funds and other sources of funding. The element to be paid by Norfolk County Council in 2024/25 was approved earlier this week as part of Norfolk County Council’s budget, which councillors voted on at the Full Council meeting on Tuesday 20 February.
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The Capital Programme also covers work on major schemes, including the Long Stratton Bypass, Norwich Western Link and West Winch Housing Access Road.
The three year plan follows the Government’s 2023 autumn statement, which proposed funding allocations for 2024/25 through to 2026/27. The plan also includes funding from a number of other streams, including the Transforming Cities Fund and the Bus Service Improvement Funds from which Norfolk County Council has successfully secured funding.
The council’s cabinet is recommended to approve the latest schemes when it meets at 10am on Monday, 4 March. The papers for the meeting are available online. The meeting will be livestreamed and a recording available to view afterwards on the County Council’s Democratic Services YouTube channel.
Have your say on Norfolk saving proposals.
These proposals are part of £41.5m of savings that Norfolk County Council needs to make to balance its budget for 2024/25. The Council faces difficult decisions to deliver on its ambitions for the people of Norfolk against a difficult economic climate and more than a decade of reduced funding.
These proposals fall within the councils’ Community and Environmental Services department, which includes Norfolk Highways, Libraries, Museums, Waste Management and the Norfolk Record Office.
The three proposals being launched today are:
•	Street lighting: To switch off some streetlights across Norfolk in areas where it is considered safe and appropriate to do so.
•	Norfolk Record Office (NRO): To introduce pre-booking of visits and change opening hours.
•	Recycling centres: To reduce opening hours at some recycling centres to deliver a more consistent approach, in line with neighbouring authorities.
Between them these proposals could save approximately £457,000 a year.
The council is consulting the public on these proposals from today, 15 February, to midnight on 22 March 2024. The consultation survey is available on the council’s Citizen Space platform at: www.norfolk.gov.uk/savingsproposals
Proposals on streetlighting involve switching off 2% of streetlights across the county to save money and reduce carbon emissions. Norfolk County Council has identified 34 locations where the council plans to switch off some street lights. This represents 1.35% of the Council’s target of 2%. Further locations will be identified at a later date.
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Approximately 1,000 of the 54,000 street lights that the county council manages across the county would be switched off under these plans. It is expected that this could save up to £200,000 per year and cut carbon emissions annually by 76 tonnes, providing an environmental benefit and significantly contributing towards the council’s Climate Strategy.
The proposal for introducing pre-booking and changing the opening hours of the Norfolk Record Office would extend the current limited Friday service to a Thursday with the same 10am to 4pm opening hours and maintains a full service on Tuesday and Wednesday from 9.30am until 5pm.
Finally, proposals to reduce the opening hours at some recycling centres in Norfolk would see 13 recycling centres close on a Wednesday, in line with the centres in neighbouring Suffolk. The additional six recycling centres in Norfolk operate part time and are already closed on Wednesdays. This proposal could save around £200,000 a year.
CLLR Michael Dalby 
Michael.Dalby.cllr@Norfolk.gov.uk
07306886552

13.	Public Participation
	None

14.	Any other matters (for information)
a)	Anne-Marie Coe said that she would attend the Flood Management Conference at Dereham on 
	22nd May, 2024.
b)	A notification had been received advising that our domain, langhamnorfolk.com, will automatically renew on February 16th for a cost of £14.35.
		
15.        Agenda items for next meeting   
             Specific duties of individual members (carried forward from the last meeting)  
			  
 16.	Date of next meetings :   Tuesday, 14th May 2024 at 7.00 p.m. in the Village Hall 
              (Annual Parish Meeting followed by the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council)

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 8.35 p.m.					

											
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