At a meeting of the Parish Council held on Monday 9th November 2009, there were present, Mr. J. Nichols (Chairman), Mr. K. Wood, Mr. S. Rees, Mrs. G. Soanes, Mr. J. Blowers, Mrs. J. Browne, Mr. S. Lewis, Mrs. T. Townend. W.D.C. Mr. P. Ahsdown, PCSO Kershaw, would arrive a little late after attending another meeting, Mr. S. Perks had sent word that he would also arrive during the meeting. 11 Parishioners also attended.
Apologies were received from SCC Mr. M. Barnard, SCC. Mr. C. Law, Mr. R. Leech, and Mr. G. Wade.
The Minutes of the previous meeting held on Monday 12th October were approved and signed.
Declaration of interest. No interests were declared
15 minutes for Parishioner input. Mr Ffitch asked if he could discuss the situation at the Barkis Meadow pond but it was decided that parishioner input would be allowed when the matter appeared later on the agenda. Mr. Edwards reported that a 30mph sign had been knocked down in Lound Road and bollard has been knocked over on the pavement in Market Lane, the Clerk would inform the Highways Dept.
Other Parish Business, (Parish Councillors). Mr Blowers thanked everyone who contributed to the Poppy Appeal the final total of the collection will be announced shortly. Mrs. Soanes thanked everyone who supported the Village Quiz. Mr. Perks sent in a written report to say that 3 weeks ago on a Sunday morning he witnessed a gentleman being knocked off his bicycle near to the telephone box on the B1074, an ambulance was called and he assisted the casualty until it arrived. Mrs Browne raised the matter of the heavy traffic each day at school starting and leaving times again. A scheme is being discussed at the School to bring in the walking bus once more. Mr Lewis suggested that the parents are asked to enter Church Road from Peto’s Corner and put a voluntary one way system in place. Mr. Rees suggested that Mrs. Schonut be invited to attend a Parish Council meeting to discuss the matter, the councillors were told that the Head-teacher was in favour of the voluntary one way system. Thought was given to using the wide grass verge opposite to the Church and making a lay-by for parking out of it. Mr. Ashdown would raise the matter with the Highways Department. 
District Councillor Report. Mr. Ashdown reported that LGR is still being discussed, but it is being assumed that it will not take place, so elections will take place next year. He has been in communication with the relevant authorities regarding the problems with the pond.
County Councillor Report Mr. Law had sent a message in answer to Mr. Perks Query at last months meeting - at the present there are no plans for the land where Lothingland School now stands.
Skate park update Mrs. Dawson is well ahead with the 3rd stage of the Skate Park extra equipment, the required funding is available and an order has been placed with the contractor who will install it in early December.
Update on Playground resurfacing, Mr. Perks will deliver some sand and volunteers will level it around the old equipment. Mr. Rees will ensure that the work is carried out
Millennium Green update. Suffolk wildlife is going to get the expert on wildflowers to come and give some more advice on the meadow. Some coppicing of the trees needs to be carried out, shrubs around the pond need removing and general tidying up carried out to this end the Chairman will organise a working party to turn out on 12th December.
Police Report  There were 5 recorded crimes in Blundeston in October, 2 relate to HMP, 1 was a theft of a cycle from Lound Road, 1 a theft of a copper tank from a property on Lowestoft Road, the other was a burglary in Lowestoft Road, this is still an ongoing investigation and a 15 year old male has been arrested. PCSO Kershaw had also reported a small amount of fly-tipping on Lound Road, thought to be asbestos.  The Community Speed Watch has now got 6 Volunteers from Blundeston and Flixton, and the Clerk was congratulated on the Posters asking for volunteers. The Villages of Lound and Somerleyton have provided 4 more volunteers, so there are now enough for the scheme to go ahead. Corton and Oulton have declined to join with the other Northern Parishes in the scheme. The funding for the cameras will now be requested and the volunteers will begin their training. PCSO Kershaw will be going to the Village School during the week under the " Be Safe Be Seen" scheme and added her message that the number Vehicles parking at the school has increased and with the closure of the middle schools will increase further. She urged parents to walk to school as much as possible and take extra care at all times. 
Report on pollution in pond. Anglian Water was informed immediately a parishioner noticed that several fish had died and they attended the scene, they discovered that there had been a blockage in the sewerage system and it then leaked into the pond, the Chairman wrote and informed the company that the whole of the sewerage system throughout of the Village is inadequate. The company returned and pumped the pond dry and then they replaced the water with water from Whitlingham Broad. A complete CCTV survey has been carried out along the Street and Lound Road during which some drain rods were discovered in the sewerage system and these were the main cause of the blockage! Anglian Water will continue to monitor the pond, in case another leak occurs and they reported that they have no intentions to upgrade the sewerage systems in Blundeston at the present time. MP Bob Blizzard was contacted and he has requested a meeting at the pond on Friday 13th at 11a.m. the chairman has arranged for some Parishioners who worked on installing the sewers to attend this meeting to give first hand knowledge of the system. Mrs Browne asked if we can be compensated for the loss of fish from the pond, the Chairman would raise the matter at the meeting due to be held on Friday.
Clerks Position. Advertisments have been placed on all the Village Notice-boards as required by law. In the past the duties of the Parish Clerk and Village Hall Clerk have been done by the same person but in the future the posts will be split. Mrs. Soanes has agreed to take over the role of Clerk to the Village Hall. 
End of term of Office for two Charity Trustees, Blundeston Parish Councillors are responsible for appointing the Charity Trustees, Mr. Nichols and Mrs Reid are due to be re-elected in January, this could be done at this meeting or wait until the December Meeting, Mr. Blowers proposed that Mr. Nichols and Mrs. Reid be re elected, Mr. Perks seconded this and it was unanimously carried. Mr. Nichols said that one of the other Charity Trustees will be resigning in January. Applicants for the post will be sought.  The application forms have been distributed throughout the Village for the Christmas Voucher scheme, previously people were given vouchers automatically once they reached a certain age, and this has had to be altered recently in line with the Charity Commission guidelines, and therefore forms have been distributed in subsequent years. Then in recent years book tokens were given to University Students, and this year some supporting information is asked for on the reverse of the form as the scheme is in reality only supposed to be for the poor and needy, again in line with Charity Commission guidelines. 
Accounts the following accounts were approved for payment.
	SALC Annual Membership Subscription					341. 00
	Blundeston Building Supplies new boiler and radiators		         1,581. 00
	K. Jones Grasscutting 							565. 00
Quotation. Mr. Rees had spoken to Mr. Jones who had asked if the Parish Council would be willing to award him the contract for 3 years, instead of the recent 1 year contract. This was agreed unanimously, the clerk will inform Mr. Jones.
Planning
Mrs. K. Pendlebury, Lannymead, Lound Road, Construction of a front Porch. Approved.
Correspondence.
Northern Parishes Liaison Group, next meeting Thursday 14th January, Corton Village Hall.
SALC Invitation to their "Winter Warmers" and AGM 9th of November, this clashes with our meeting tonight.
Broads Authority, Town and Parish Handbook - plus Electronic Consultation and dates to meet the Broads Authority, closest venue to Blundeston is Oulton Community Centre on 25th November 2pm to 7pm
WDC Waveney Local Development Framework, Draft Proposals maps
WDC Consultation regarding proposals to change whole District Councils Elections every 4 years. Mr Ashdown said that elections are at present a third of the Council can be changed every 3 years, 4 yearly elections will mean that all 48 councillors will be due to be elected each 4 years, and it will save money. Parish Council elections will be combined with these elections and will also save Parish councils money. 
WDC Precepts 2010/11Clerk and Chairman will prepare a budget for presentation at the next meeting.
Norfolk CC Norfolk minerals and waste Local Development Framework: There were no issues in this document related directly to either Blundeston or Flixton. However it was noted that the two potential mineral extraction sites in the villages of Fritton and Haddiscoe have been deemed ‘unacceptable’ 
Date of next meeting. the next meeting will be held on Monday 7th December at 7.30, this will be preceeded by a meeting of the Village Hall Management Committee.
There being no further business the meeting closed