Leicestershire Parish Councils

(Unconfirmed) Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting held in East Norton Church at 7-30pm on Wednesday 28th May 2008

Present: Mr & Mrs Winnington, Mr & Mrs Horsefield, Mr & Mrs Wandless, Mr & Mrs Tagg, Mrs Wade, Mrs Johnson, Mr Hanson, Mr Czernik, Mr Dixon Smith, Mr Beddows, Rev. Morgan, Dist.Cllr Rook.

Chairman welcomed everyone especially the visitors Rev. Nicky Morgan and Cllr Mike Rook

Apologies were received from Mr & Mrs Dodsworth and Mrs Dixon Smith

Minutes of the meeting held on 17/05/07 were read out and agreed a true record and signed by the Chairman.

Matters Arising
Chairman had not been able to find a bank account with a higher rate of interest. He would look at the possibility of changing to an on-line account.
The report and accounts from the Cow Pastures Charity for the year ending December 31st 2006 had been received.
Mrs Wade reported that traffic was still speeding on the A47 especially Motor Bikes. The chairman said this would be discussed later on the agenda.

Chairman’s report
The chairman gave an overview of the year. The Parish Meeting web pages were well visited.
There had been 13 planning applications in the parish of which none were refused.
The revised conservation area boundary had been published with changes made according to our request.
In response to a request from the County Council Chairman, Doddy Dodsworth had been nominated and accepted as a role model achiever over 65, to celebrate the International Day of Older People at a reception at County Hall.
Other meetings attended by the chairman included a seminar by East Midlands Planning Aid at the Space Centre, the HDC Have your Say Meeting at the Coplow Centre in Billesdon and a training session at County Hall in the use of the Leicestershire Research On-line web facility, the Annual Parish Council Liaison Meeting at the Council Chamber in Market Harborough. He had also sat in on ENNW committee meetings when possible and hopefully assisted by obtaining data on traffic matters.

Financial Report
The accounts for the year ending 31st March 2007 had been approved by the internal and external auditors.

The balance in the bank on April 1st 2007 was £1742.82. Receipts for the year were £23.95 consisting of £9.55 Bank Interest, £2.40 Consolidated Stock Dividend and £12.00 Allotment Rents. There were no Payments made resulting in a balance of £1766.77 on March 31st 2008. The Annual Governance Statement was read out and approved by the Meeting.

Appointment of Internal Auditor. The chairman reported that Kevin Jones who had been our internal auditor for some years had been seriously ill and could not be asked again this year. Rev. Nicky Morgan informed the meeting that unfortunately Kevin had died within the last few days. The chairman had previously ascertained that Roger Fewkes would be willing to take on the position and the meeting agreed to appoint him.

East Norton Neighbourhood Watch
Mrs Horsefield said that the group continued to work on behalf of the village. A more substantive report would be given at the ENNW AGM on the 9th June.

Mr Beddows asked about the replacement trees near to the Bungalow, which had again died. It was reported that the ground there is unsuitable. NW would probably remove the dead specimens.

Cow Pastures Charity
The Parish Chairman had received the Charity’s Accounts and Report for the year ending December 31st 2007.
Mr Beddows, Chairman of the Charity, said that John Czernik had replaced Fred Keel as a trustee. He then reported that the hedge between the church and Fiddler’s Green had been laid. He had contacted the District Council to check responsibility for the large tree at the East end of the hedge with a view to some remedial work being carried out.
The hedge that had been laid in the old road section east of the village had won a prize in the Cottesmore Hunt Awards.

The rent for the BT mast had been revised and was now in excess of £5,000. John Grindley retained the grazing.

It was intended to plant trees in areas of the old road which still has highway rights over it but the Highways Department were aware of the intention.

Peter Dixon Smith congratulated the Trustees on the professional way that the charity was now administered.

ASCENT. (All Saints Church East Norton Taskforce) Mr Horsefield reported that ASCENT had over ten years achieved its goal of raising sufficient funds to complete the restoration of the church fabric.

Election of Chairman
John Dyson was re-elected unopposed.

Election of Secretary
Jean Dyson was re-elected unopposed.

District Councillor Mike Rook then addressed the meeting. He explained his role on the executive as portfolio holder for Waste Management and Street Scene. He spoke of how the future should involve partnerships with neighbouring councils to minimise costs. He emphasised that landfill is no longer a real option and alternatives were under consideration.

He explained his position on the provision of Eco Towns. He is not opposed in principal but does not agree with the size and position of Pennbury at Stoughton, and encouraged us to attend the forthcoming consultation meetings, details of which have been circulated to every household in the area.

Grass cutting is a subject about which he gets many requests for information and a new contract was in place. He would make a telephone number available should there be any complaints.

Cllr Rook then invited questions. The following answers were given:

Recycling of plastic bottles is not cost effective by kerbside collection. He could arrange for a container to be sited in the village but there would be the problem of a suitable location.

Battery recycling was only possible by taking them to depots such as Kibworth or Market Harborough.

Recycling is crucial to prevent further landfill and this message is an education initiative

Rev Nicky Morgan was invited to speak. She thanked everyone for a warm welcome to the parishes and hoped to meet more people in the coming months.

AOB

Mrs Wade asked if the local bus operator could be requested to stop at the old station site. Cllr Rook would investigate the availability of Community Transport.

Mrs Horsefield reminded the meeting about the East Norton Church in Bloom meeting on the 9th June to be followed by the ENNW AGM

Mr Beddows queried if the village street would be closed during the forthcoming roadworks. The chairman said that the only imminent road works he was aware of would be patching on the A47 during June.

Mr Dixon Smith reported that Loddington Lane had been closed on the previous Monday due to a fallen tree. He had been helped by other local people to clear the way and had contacted the landowner. He also took the opportunity to invite comment on the recent trimming of the yews in the churchyard.

Mrs Winnington asked Cllr Rook if the flooding problem in the Commons Car Park in Market Harborough would be sorted out soon. He assured her that much money was currently being spent on refurbishment to resolve this problem.

Mrs Horsefield raised the problem of speeding traffic on the A47 and had noted that the safety camera team were not making many visits. Mr Hanson however reported that he regularly travels the A47 and often sees police vehicles monitoring traffic on the bypass as well as other sites. Cllr Rook would try to establish the frequency of visits by the safety camera team to East Norton

There were further comments about poor driving and poor road design.

There being no other business the meeting closed at 9-00pm

Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting
held on Thursday 17th May 2007 at 7-30pm in the church.

Attendance: Mr Horsefield, Mr Dixon Smith, Mrs Johnson, Mrs Wade, Mr Matthews, Mr Tagg, Mrs Dyson (Sec), Mr Dyson (Chair).

The chairman thanked those present for their attendance.

Apologies: Mr Beddows, Mr & Mrs Dodsworth, Mrs Horsefield, Mrs Tagg, Mr & Mrs Hanson, Mrs Matthews, Mrs Dixon Smith, PC Cooper, Cllrs Galton and Rook,

Minutes of the previous meeting on May 31st 2006 were read out, approved and signed.

Matters Arising: The chairman responded to a question concerning the problems of flooding on the A47, Loddington Lane and Church Lane. All three matters had been dealt with by County Council Highways and there had not been further problems.

Chairman’s Report: The chairman listed the 3 Parish Meetings that had been held during the year as well as other meetings he had attended on behalf of the Parish. These included the Annual Parish Liaison Meeting with HDC when he was accompanied by Mr Horsefield.

He then explained how he filtered the correspondence received on an almost daily basis into matters worthy of publicising on the village Notice Board and website. There was a trend to increasing web usage and there had been 1,194 page views of the East Norton Parish Meeting website during the year, and 347 already from April 1st this year.

There had been 10 planning applications submitted to HDC during the year of which only 2 were refused. One of these was granted on resubmission.

The Refused Applications were:
First submission of alterations to the Old Post Office
Extension to Jasmine Cottage

The Granted Applications were:
Detached garage at Hall Farm
Extension to Almondbury
Works to Trees at Wingfield
Demolition of Railway Cottages/replacement 2 detached dwellings
Revised Scheme of alterations to the Old Post Office
Works to Trees at Brookfield
New Vehicular Access to Keythorpe Grange
Extensions to Knoll House

An appeal to the Planning Inspectorate against a refusal by HDC to build a dwelling in the garden of April Lodge in the previous year was dismissed.

Financial Business: The chairman reported that total receipts for the year ending 31/3/07 were £25.02 (Bank Interest £10.62, Allotment Rents £12, Consolidated Stock Dividend £2.40) and that no payments had been made. The balance at the bank on 31/3/07 was £1742.82. The accounts were approved by the meeting and the Annual Governance Statement read and approved.

There was a question raised about the amount of interest earned and a suggestion that a higher return could be sought. The chairman had in the past tried to find a better account but explained that generally banks did not offer good returns for such accounts. This was confirmed by another member of the meeting. It was pointed out that the Cow Pastures Charity had found a solution, but for a higher investment sum than the Parish Meeting had available. The chairman will contact Patrick Beddows for details.

Reports from other village groups:

Neighbourhood Watch: The chairman had been asked to give a brief report about ENNW in the absence of their officers. He outlined the aims, objectives and achievements of the group, and invited ideas for ways of raising/spending funds to benefit the village to be passed to any committee member. He announced that their AGM will take place on Monday next at 7pm in the church.

Cow Pastures Charity: John Grindley retained the grazing. Mr Horsefield gave a resume of the ongoing work regarding the stewardship scheme. It was hoped to carry out more hedge-laying between the church and the Fiddler’s Green cottages.
He expressed thanks to the villagers who turned out to help with the restoration of the pond etc.
The old A47 boundary dispute is ongoing, but with more input by the County Council.
Qualifying recipients benefited from the charity last Christmas. He reported that the Charity was in a sound financial position. As the Parish Chair had not received copies of the annual accounts, he would follow this up.
The Parish Chairman said that Trustees of the Cow Pastures Charity were to be congratulated on their achievements especially the field improvement work which had enhanced the village.

Ascent: Mr Horsefield reminded the meeting that Mr Dodsworth had indicated that this would be the final year of his organising the Jazz Concert. Mr Matthews said that tickets were selling as steadily as expected at this stage.

Appointment of internal Auditor: Mr Kevin Jones had agreed to continue and was reconfirmed as internal auditor for the next year.

Election of Chairman: Mr Dyson was willing to continue in office and there were no other nominations.

Minute Secretary: Mrs Dyson was willing to continue in office and there were no other nominations.

AOB:
The chairman received a vote of thanks from the floor for his work during the year.

Mrs Wade commented that the view from her house had improved since the demolition of Station Cottages. There was no sign yet of the building of the two replacement houses

There was no other business so the chairman asked if the minutes of the meeting on 26th March 2007 regarding the Conservation Area Review could be taken for approval. These were subsequently read and approved.

Matters Arising from these minutes: The ENNW matters which were intended to be brought to the 2007 APM would now be discussed at a future meeting.

There had been no feedback from HDC to representations made regarding the Conservation Area Review.

There was a comment that planning guidelines from Central Government are open to interpretation by individual planning departments. This may account for apparent anomalies in development control.

Mr Dixon Smith was of the opinion that rural communities cannot survive without development and quoted Tugby as one of the few villages that has expanded and still has a village shop and pub.

Mrs Wade commented that the speed of traffic on the A47 was still excessive despite the recently erected speed camera signs. Mr Horsefield reported that there was a growing intolerance by the police towards speeding and associated noise, and that trials with covert cameras are in operation in selected areas.

The chairman reported that he had written to County Hall very recently requesting the latest information on traffic monitoring in East Norton and to date had received no reply.

Meeting closed at 8-32pm

Minutes of the Meeting held on Monday 26th March 2007 at 7-30pm in the church.

Present: Mr & Mrs Dodsworth, Mr & Mrs Horsefield, Mr & Mrs Wandless, Mr Dixon Smith, Mrs Johnson, Mr Czernik, Mrs Dyson (Sec), Mr Dyson (Chair) and Councillor Fewkes (Visitor).

The chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting and explained that the meeting had been called to discuss the Conservation Area Review currently at the public consultation stage by Harborough District Council.

Apologies: Patrick Beddows

Minutes of the previous meeting on Monday 18th September 2006 with the neighbourhood beat officer, PC Andy Cooper, already published on the village notice board and the internet, were read out, approved and signed.

Matters arising from those minutes will be brought to the next annual meeting by the Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator.

Main Business: The chairman gave a brief history of the origin of the Conservation Area up to the present review. HDC had sought informal suggestions of how the Conservation area boundary might need to be changed, for example where plot boundaries had been altered. The chairman had suggested that the revised boundary forming the garden to April Lodge could be included. The Conservation Officer had disagreed with this view, but suggested that the hedgerow to the East of Hallaton Lane be included. The meeting accepted that the inclusion or otherwise of this hedgerow was not an issue.
The exclusion of the April Lodge boundary however lead to considerable discussion during which it was pointed out that there were some apparent errors made by the Conservation Officer.
1. She had the wrong assumption about the ownership of the land in question.
2. She was of the opinion that the plot was not a garden. The owner has evidence to the contrary.
The chairman pointed out that the Conservation Officer was reported as saying that to have a plot bisected by a Conservation Area boundary would be ridiculous.
After much discussion the meeting supported the chairman’s opinion that the plot should be included in the Conservation Area. He was requested to write re-affirming this view. Cllr Fewkes however expressed the opinion that the request was unlikely to be successful as there was no justification in planning terms for the plot to be included. Despite this he would support the Parish Meeting in its attempt to have the plot included. He requested the chairman to copy him with the relevant correspondence.

Further discussion centred on the advantages and/or disadvantages of being in a conservation area. Cllr Fewkes explained that there were no disadvantages because although development is not curtailed in a Conservation Area, the design and materials used are more strictly controlled.
The chairman went on to explain some of the restrictions such as the need to give the council six weeks notice of any works to trees. This gave rise to a question about two larches felled on Loddington Lane by the council. The chairman answered that there were some exceptions to the rules for certain authorities, which may include the council.

There seemed to be some confusion at the meeting concerning the difference between a conservation area boundary and a village boundary. In an attempt to clarify exactly what a conservation area is, the chairman read out the official description.

The conclusion drawn from the discussion was that the chairman should pursue the inclusion of the whole of the April Lodge plot in the Conservation Area. He reminded the meeting that it was important that individuals should also write expressing their views.
AOB:
General discussion followed about the planners’ perception of houses around the crossroads not being within the village envelope. The question was asked if it was right that this should still be valid 16 years after the statement was made by a planning appeal inspector. Cllr Fewkes indicated that the only way that the perception could be overturned would be by another planning inspector at a subsequent appeal. He agreed with the chairman that such a u-turn would not be impossible, but unlikely.

A question was raised about the consultation procedure for the District Local Plan. The chairman and Cllr Fewkes assured the meeting that extensive public consultation had taken place some time ago and the plan was nearing its final stages. There was to be a Council Meeting this coming Thursday to receive an officers report on the Local Plan.

Some members of the meeting felt that the planning authority did not listen to the wishes of local residents. The Chairman pointed out that policies had to be formulated in accordance with guidelines from central government. Cllr Fewkes illustrated this point with the government directive to build 20,000 homes around Corby, which could eventually lead to increased demand for housing within Harborough District. However the Government allocation for housing in the HDC area is comparatively low due to the rural nature of the area.

There was still a mood of rejection by the some of the village of the idea that the crossroads area was not part of the village. Cllr Fewkes explained that if the crossroads area were to become part of the village in planning terms, then it would be difficult to resist rapid infilling.

The question was raised whether a Village Design Statement or Parish Plan would be worthwhile pursuing. Cllr Fewkes advised that a Parish Plan would not be relevant but encouraged a Village Design Statement. The Chairman pointed out that he had said at a previous meeting that anyone could set up a committee to produce a VDS without the involvement of the Parish Meeting. However he reminded the meeting that the statement would have to be prepared in discussion with local planners and in accordance with Local Plan policies.
He also reiterated his earlier point that it is important to understand that the planners are governed by guidelines from regional and central government. Local Plan policies are formulated in accordance with these guidelines.

A question was asked as to whether copies of the Tugby VDS were still obtainable. Cllr Fewkes said he would make one available.

It was suggested that a meeting be called to discuss whether the village needed a VDS but the chairman pointed out that the decision to proceed with the project could be taken by those who were keen enough to embark upon it. However, if one were to be produced, it would need to demonstrate that everyone in the village had been consulted.

There was still a feeling by some that there was no logic applied to planning decisions and that planners should accept that the village consists of all the properties enclosed within the conservation area.

The chairman closed the meeting with a vote of thanks to Cllr Roger Fewkes who is due to retire next month. He had been a considerable help during his 16 years of office.

The meeting closed at 9-20pm

Minutes of Parish Meeting held on Monday September 18th 2006 at 7-30pm in the church

In attendance: Mr Rankin, Mrs Johnson, Mr & Mrs Winnington, Mrs Wade, Mrs Horsefield, Mrs Tagg, Drs Wandless, Mr & Mrs Hanson, Mr Beddows, Mrs Dixon Smith, Mrs Dyson (Secretary), Mr Dyson (Chairman) PC Cooper (guest)

Apologies: Mr & Mrs Matthews, Mr & Mrs Dodsworth.

The Chairman explained the background to the meeting and introduced PC Andy Cooper as our Neighbourhood Beat Policeman.

PC Cooper gave a resume of his duties explaining that East Norton was one of 35 villages on his beat including Kibworth, which occupied most of his time. He explained that the latest strategy behind policing was to establish good community partnerships encouraging dialogue between the public and the police. This would involve closer working relationships with Parish Councils/Meetings and local Watch Groups. It is intended that the officer remains in the same post for at least three years. To further these aims he would make his mobile phone number and e-mail address available for public use, emphasising that urgent business should still be reported on 999 or 2222222. He was pleased to report that crime figures in East Norton were quite low, but had noticed some fly-tipping in Loddington Lane which he would report to the Harborough District Council.

He invited the meeting to raise any issues which were giving concern. Speeding traffic on the A47 was the main item raised. He reported that 22 visits by the Safety Camera Team had been made this year on the stretch between Billesdon and Tugby, but numbers of penalties issued were not available. The meeting expressed concern that the cameras were never used on the East Norton Bypass mentioning motorcyclists in particular accelerating down the hill from Tugby apparently reaching excessive speeds. Accident statistics showed that 4 serious and one slight accident had occurred this year between Billesdon and Uppingham, with only one in the East Norton parish.

Following this discussion he offered to set up a liaison with Mike Wilson at County Hall regarding training and use of speed recording cameras by volunteers. Information from these cameras can be used by the police where excessive or persistent speeding is recorded. The chairman suggested that perhaps the Neighbourhood Watch Group could take this idea on board. Our NHW co-ordinator was enthusiastic about the idea and PC Cooper agreed to make arrangements directly through her.

The subject of cars driving slowly through the village in the early hours with occupants apparently reconnoitring, was raised. PC Cooper advised that these incidents should be reported to him, preferably with the registered number.

Answering a question about tack thefts, PC Cooper advised that any removable items should be kept secure and out of sight, as such thefts often resulted from prior observations. The meeting was encouraged to report any sightings of vehicles in suspicious circumstances, or people selling/buying door to door.

In answer to a question about credit card fraud, PC Cooper advised that we should be extra vigilant with Internet card transactions, especially on e-bay.

The strategy regarding road closures after serious accidents was questioned. PC Cooper explained that the safety of the emergency crews was paramount. Diversions have to accommodate HGVs, which cannot negotiate narrow country lanes.

PC Cooper was unable to answer a question about the new child seat law as it might apply to vehicles with side facing seating. He will make enquiries and report back.

A query was raised about the new non-emergency telephone number 101. It was pointed out that this service would not be available countywide until next year. It is on trial in Leicester City and Rutland Council areas.

Concern was expressed as to how to deal with callers at the door claiming to have broken down and asking to use the telephone. PC Cooper reported some such callers have been known, when allowed in, to be making premium rate calls as part of a telephone scam operation. We must be wary. We should dial the requested number for them, ensuring that it is genuine. If possible avoiding entry into the house.

The topic of nuisance telephone calls was raised. The advice was to contact the telephone preference service.

The chairman thanked PC Cooper for his attendance and valuable input. He then asked if anyone wished to discuss any other business. There was none and the meeting closed at 8-30pm.

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East Norton Parish Meeting

Minutes of meeting held on 31st May 2006 at 7.30pm in the Church.

Present :
Dr Wandless, Mr & Mrs Winnington, Mr. Beddows, Mr. Goodyer, Mrs Johnson, Mr Hanson, Mr Rankin, Mr Dyson (Chair) and Mrs Dyson (Secretary)

Apologies:
Apologies were received from Mrs. Wade, Mr Felssner, Mr & Mrs Matthews, Mr & Mrs Dodsworth, Mr & Mrs Horsefield, Cllr Galton and Leicestershire Constabulary for non-attendance of a Beat Officer as scheduled.

Minutes of the previous meeting:
Minutes of the meeting held on 11May 2005 were read and agreed a true record.

Matters Arising:
It was suggested, and agreed by the meeting, that future minutes could be typed and posted on the village Notice Board. The chairman said he would additionally publish them on the internet. (www.leicestershireparishcouncils.org.uk). They will, however, continue to be also hand written in the minute book.
The cheque had been received from Neighbourhood Watch in respect of reimbursement for the audit fee incurred on their behalf.

Financial Business:
The chairman gave a resume of the accounts. There had been total Receipts of £79.09 and total Payments of £3.60 leaving a bank balance on 31/3/06 of £1,717.80.
The meeting accepted the statement of accounts and statement of assurance as read by the chairman.
The accounts will now be sent for internal audit before submission to external audit. Details of the audit will be published on the Notice Board and the internet.

In answer to a question about the purpose of the money the chairman explained that it was a reserve in case of need and also generated a modest interest to cover postal expenses etc. He explained that prior to the compulsory sale of part of the allotment land for the bypass, the balance was very much lower than at present. Currently the audit fee is waived for parishes with modest income/expenditure, but if there is ever a return to compulsory fees, the money could soon be depleted.

Election of Internal Auditor:
Mr Kevin Jones had agreed to continue and was reconfirmed as internal auditor for next year.

Election of Chairman:
The chairman invited nominations for this post. Mr John Dyson was re-elected unopposed.

Election of Minute Secretary:
The chairman invited nominations for this post. Mrs Jean Dyson was re-elected to Minute Secretary unopposed.

Other Reports:
Cow Pastures Charity:
John Dyson noted that the usual end of year accounts had not yet been supplied. Mr Beddows (Chairman of the Trustees) indicated that he would arrange for this to be done.
There had been no change in the Trustees during the year. Nine qualifying recipients had received £85 last Christmas. John Grindley still rented the grazing. The charity has applied to DEFRA for funding under the single payment scheme. Cllr Galton had been assisting in attempting to resolve an ongoing boundary dispute. Ground rent for the proposed telecom mast is still being received and had in fact increased this year. Total bank balance is £13,594.47. Public liability insurance for the trustees has been arranged with the NFU. In response to a question Mr Beddows outlined the constitution of the charity, which may come under review in the future.

ASCENT (All Saints Church East Norton Taskforce):
Mr Hanson (Ascent Treasurer) indicated that ticket sales for the forthcoming Chris Barber Jazz Concert on 22nd July were going well. A large amount of funds already raised had now been spent on restoration of the church over the last 12 months. The North and East elevations of the tower still need attention and certain items need to be addressed to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act.

Neighbourhood Watch:
Mr Rankin had little to report, but encouraged people to be vigilant and report anything suspicious to the police.

Parish Chairman’s Report:
John Dyson said that he still believed the most important aspect of his duties was the dissemination of information which he did mainly through the Notice Board and via the internet using the East Norton page of the leicestershireparishcouncils.org.uk website. At a recent conference of users of this facility, the East Norton site was announced to be the third most visited site per head of population in Leicestershire and Rutland. The chairman had also been appointed Site Editor of the East Norton pages of leicestershirevillages.com website and had been awarded a prize for its being the most visited site per head of population in Leicestershire. He attends meetings in Loughborough of the “Virtual Neighbours Group” in connection with the promotion of the leicestershirevillages.com site.
The Parish Meeting is consulted on a wide variety of topics which this year included expansion plans at Nottingham East Midlands Airport, M1 motorway widening, Library Services, Burial Provision, Bus Services, Planning Applications, Footpaths, Policing, Public Phones, East Midlands Regional Plan (Regional Spatial Strategy) and preparation of the Local Development Framework (LDF) which will eventually replace the District Local Plan. Public consultation is a major aspect of local government. He reported that the Local Community Forums had still not had the attendance which they deserve, and as a result the Harborough District Council were seeking ways to improve their effectiveness.

Any Other Business:
The chairman was asked if he was aware of any item in the Core Strategy Document of the Local Development Framework which would affect East Norton. He replied that as far as he could tell the countryside would still be protected and in line with Central Government Policy, new development would be preferably placed on brown-field sites. He assured the meeting that if he became aware of any aspect that could affect the village, he would publicise it.

In response to a question about the proposed construction of a dwelling on the corner of Church Lane, the chairman reported that the application had been withdrawn.

A query was raised about the amount of development work at Hall Farm. The chairman pointed out that there was a system in place whereby the public can report such matters to the District Council. This could be either via the District Council Website or by post, but not by telephone. A recent planning application to build a garage at Hall Farm had been approved.
There had been no major planning applications during the year but it was noted that the application to build a dwelling in the garden of April Lodge was refused twice by the Council despite overwhelming support from the village.

It was reported that some scrapes carried out by the council in Loddington Lane had caused blockage of the ditch drain resulting in unpleasant smells. The chairman will investigate.

In answer to a question on grass cutting, the chairman explained the frequency schedule recently published by the Harborough Office of Leicestershire Highways.

The chairman queried if the gully on the corner of Church Lane had been attended to. Mrs Johnson thought that it had not. A discussion ensued on the recent flooding of the A47 causing excessive swelling of the watercourse through the garden at Almondbury. The Chairman will contact Anglian Water and the Highways Authority concerning this.

There being no other business, John and Jean Dyson were given a vote of thanks proposed by Dr Wandless.

The meeting closed at 8-45pm