At a meeting of the Parish Council held on Monday 12th December 2005, there were present, Mr. J. Nichols (Chairman), Mr. G. Alderton, Mr. P. Offord, Mr. J. Blowers, Mrs, G. Soanes, Mrs. T. Townend , Mrs. E Hilton, Mr. S. Lewis, Mr. S. Perks and Mr. K. Wood. 19 Parishioners also attended.
Apologies were received from Mrs. E. Hume, Pc Boggis, County Councillor M. Cherry, and District Councillor B. Hunter had explained that he would arrive later as he had to attend Oulton P.C meeting first, he also declared an interest in any planning matters to be discussed.
The minutes of the previous meeting held on Monday 14th November were approved and signed.
The Chairman said that he had been very disappointed that only 4 other Parish Councillors had attended the last meeting and only 3 others had actually sent apologies, he said that meetings were arranged two months in advance and agendas were delivered a week before each meeting, giving ample time to arrange other commitments or apologies.  The Chairman then gave a report on the matter of Declarations of Interests he had attended the latest Northern Parishes Liaison meeting and W.D.C.’s Legal Advisor, Peter Cox had given a presentation on this subject, Mr Nichols said that it became very clear to him that the Declaration of Interests was very important, they mainly concerned planning issues, but he also explained that there are two categories of Interests, Personal and Prejudicial and he went on to explain the differences more fully.
Declaration of Interests. Mr. Alderton declared an interest in one of the issues under the Planning section of the agenda.  
Pc Boggis had sent a written Police report - there had been 3 crimes in Blundeston during November, 2 of these were at HMP and the other was the combined criminal damage on 18th Nov. of graffiti being sprayed over the rear of the Village Hall and the Main Notice board in The Street being uprooted and seriously damaged. C.C. Barron was invited to give her report next, she mentioned the importance of the Waveney Locality Meeting and urged Parish Councillors and members of the public to contact her if they have any concerns she may be able to help with. She asked if the Parish Council had received a reply from the Highways Department to the letter sent after last months meeting, as there had been no acknowledgement she agreed to look into the matter. Mr. Wood reported however that one of the matters seemed to have been dealt with as several 30mph repeater signs had been replaced along the B1074 in the last week. The Chairman had visited Queensway and agreed with the parishioner that the Parish Council would have the hedge adjoining their property removed, a contractor had agreed a cost of £120 for this work, the Parishioners had agreed that they would replace the hedge with a fence at their own expense. The Chairman gave a report on the Northern Parishes Liaison meeting held on 15th November at Somerleyton. As previously reported part of the meeting was  concerned with the Declaration of Interests and most of the rest of the meeting was taken up by discussing the problem of traffic speeding through Oulton Street now that the speed bumps had been removed, but the meeting was assured that traffic calming measures and warning signs would be installed soon which will solve the problem, County Councillor Cherry had explained to the Liaison meeting that Suffolk County Council do not fund flashing speed signs. The Clerk reported that Mr. Dawson of Suffolk C. C. Rights of Way Department, had contacted her and was preparing a work plan for the cutting of footpaths in the Parish during the next year. The Village Hall Caretaker had written to the Management Committee with two concerns of his, 1. The floor seems to be suffering from dry rot in one or two places around the sides of the Hall, and 2. The double fire doors will need replacing or work carried out to them soon, the outside of the doors are beginning to show signs of the damage caused through youngsters kicking footballs and serving tennis balls at the door and the side of the Hall, part of the rendering above the door has also been broken off. Several Parish Councillors had looked at the problem areas and it was agreed that the situation should be monitored. Councillors were reminded that the next Local Forum Meeting was on 14th December at Somerleyton.. The Chairman showed those present a copy of the finalised Parish Plan, this is now available on the Village Website and Suffolk ACRE have a copy, the completed document will be distributed to each house in the Parish in the near future. District Councillor Hunter had arrived and was 
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asked to give his report, he said that everyone is probably aware that Waveney District Council are moving into an enabling role and they see this as a way of becoming a better council. They have given an assurance that whatever way a New Civic Centre goes is will be accessible to people in this area. Mr. Hunter also said that there have been wide representations to look at WDC Housing Stock situation or if it should be taken over by a Housing Association, the tenants are to be asked to decide. 
Planning, Mr. & Mrs. Underdown, Micawber, Hall Lane, - construction of single and two storey extensions and double garage. This was approved.
Mr Alderton left the room whilst the Parish Councillors discussed the proposed residential development at Pickwick Drive, this was to be of mostly small, affordable properties. The Chairman suspended the official meeting in order to allow the members of the Public to speak with regard to this proposal, which was, it was stressed only a proposal, not a planning application. One member of the public said that it was difficult to enter Pickwick Drive from Market Lane at present and this would be made worse with more traffic using the entrance. Another said that off road parking should be provided for each of the houses, and he also asked how the development fitted in to the Parish Plan? The Chairman said that the Parish Plan Consultation had pointed to the fact that some people in Blundeston, wanted smaller bungalows in order to downsize their property and he reported that now whenever 3 or more houses are built 30% must be in the affordable housing category, he also said that the proposed development was outside the Village Envelope and it would need special pressures from the Parish Council to enable it to happen. The Parish Council official meeting was then re-started and the Chairman asked Councillors to take on board the Public’s comments, it was mentioned that the drainage problems of this area would have to be addressed, and as it was outside the Structure Plan it could open the door for other parcels of land to re-apply for Planning Permission. The Parish Councillors said that they would want assurance regarding the problems of flooding and sewage experienced in this area of the Village. The Chairman then asked for a vote on approving the proposal in principle, 9 voted against approval and there was 1 abstention.  Mr. Alderton was allowed into the meeting again.
Accounts.
The chairman and clerk had prepared a budget for 2006/7 and had allowed for the possibility of a contested Parish Council Election in May and had decided to ask for an increase of £250 per annum bringing the precept up to £5000. This proposal was approved.
Correspondence
The Broads Authority had sent details of its Recruits for Green Tourism Business Project. S.C.C. had sent information that the height barrier at all the Household Waste Recycling Centres in the County will be raised to  a height of 2.00 metres which will allow People Carriers and 4 X 4 vehicles to access the sites. 
Other Parish Business.
Mrs Soanes said that the repeater signs had not been replaced along Lound Road as yet. Mr. Nichols apologised to Mr. Wood for not welcoming him back earlier in the meeting after his recent serious illness. Mr. Wood reported that the road surface is beginning to break up on the bridge over the culvert in Flixton. Mr. Hunter was asked what impact the 800 new homes due to be built in Oulton would have on the B1074, he said that road traffic infrastructure has not been considered in this regard, but it would seem obvious that traffic going to Norwich would use the B1074, he said that he would take it on board to get the outside development of traffic looked at. 
15 Minutes for Parishioner input. 
The hedge along the footpath from Market Lane to The Street was mentioned and Mr. Ffitch said that he and his neighbour had cut the hedge adjoining their properties down to the recommended height. It was agreed that the other householders should be contacted and asked to trim the tops of the hedge along their property boundaries.
There being no further business the meeting closed.   
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