Needham Parish Council

The last Parish Council meeting of the year was held on Monday 8 December.  I should like to thank all those residents that in 2014 have attended the Public Forum.  This is held before the Parish Council meeting and is proving to be an important way for residents to raise matters of concern and obtain information.  Also, I should like to thank Jenny and Martin Wilby, our District and County Councillors, for coming to the meetings and so often providing advice.

Following reports we regularly receive from Jenny and Martin, Geoff Doggett, Chairman of the River Waveney Trust, talked about the rights and obligations of land owners with a river bank.  This is particularly relevant as the Environment Agency, which is responsible for maintenance of the river, now has far less resources than in the past to carry out this work.  It is therefore becoming more important for landowners to do this themselves.  For further advice and help the Trust can be contacted through their web site.

I was able to report to the meeting that details submitted for the discharge of conditions on the planning application for the nursery site had been approved.  However, since the actual approval for the development of the site had lapsed it is not be possible for the owner to implement these works without a new planning approval.  The planning officer in charge has confirmed that at present no new application had been made.  Also, to avoid any doubt, the written approval of the conditions contains the note that the discharge of condition does not convey or imply that the planning permission 2011/0695 is capable of being implemented, as the consent has expired.  

PC Jim Squires, our Beat Manager, will be coming to the next meeting, which will provide an opportunity to raise concerns over speeding through the village, as well as any crime prevention matters.  Also, I hope to be able to update the meeting on an initiative by Richard Bacon MP to give Parish Councils the right to request that a speed limit could be reduced by 10mph.  This would allow us to change the 40 limit down to 30.

The next Parish Council meeting will be held on Monday 12 January at 7.30.  Councillors will be required at this meeting to set the precept for 2015.

Andrew Major, Chairman