Litter pick For several years we have held a litter pick in March over three days and I need to know if the parish want me to organise one again for this year. Surprisingly the only time in March that the equipment is available to borrow is the 9th-11th so could you please let me know by 19th February if you wish to take part in a litter pick this year on one of those dates. Full details are available on the parish website www.hoeandworthing.co.uk
Billingford Lakes As notified previously, Breckland Council revoked the planning consent to develop 140 acres at this site near the Billingford/Worthing border, following a legal measure taken by a local group opposed to the development. Those acting for the group have now submitted some new documents which tend to support the case for opposition but the whole application has otherwise been re-submitted without any amendment. It is therefore in exactly the form which was fully examined and debated at two parish meetings specifically called for the purpose, where the view of those present was that the application should be rigorously opposed.
As the existing, unequivocal, decision of Hoe and Worthing residents is to object to the application and the only new documents in this re-submission lend support to the objections we have made, neither I nor our planning committee can see any need to call a further meeting. As with any issue however there is legal provision for six or more parishioners to call a meeting, provided that seven days open notice is given, the meeting is open to all parishioners, minuted and chaired by the elected chairman.
The whole re-submitted application can be viewed at www.breckland.gov.uk/planning search, by entering the planning reference 3PL/2016/0533/H and then ‘view documents’. The case officer has sent me the only two new documents to consider and these, together with the two previous parish responses can be found on our parish website. If I do not receive any other representation from our parishioners by 16th February I will prepare a written response on behalf of the whole parish which indicates that the only new documents add weight to our previous objections.
It is likely that this matter will once more be decided by Breckland’s planning committee at their meeting in March and on that occasion the parish will again (probably) be provided with a three minute slot to speak. A transcript of what I said last time is included on our website.
Flooding issues The public consultation for the proposed change in responsibility for maintenance of the waterway running along our parish boundary has now been postponed to later in the year. This is the second deferment and the reason for this one is to allow time to monitor the part of this pilot scheme which is currently taking place in Suffolk. As I said in the last parish update I have requested that copies of all correspondence relating to this issue is at least sent to those living near the river with post codes NR20 5HR, 5HS, 4BQ and 4BH. If this includes your address and you have not received notification of this latest postponement then please let me know.
Highways issues As usual there are several highways issues in the process of being addressed as the repair programme and funding allows. This has again just been hugely reduced so what effect that will have remains to be seen but it might already be discernible. As I write now the last potholes are being repaired and regular clearing of the roadside drainage arrangements (grips and gullies) is taking place but the back drains, which take the bulk of surplus surface water at the worse points, will not be included.
The parish is in ongoing negotiation over the flooding in Hoe Road North which has its origins in a wholly inadequate culvert. A photograph of a recent flood victim is included on the parish archive website www.hoeandworthingarchive.org.uk (interesting stuff-hoe).
With regard to the ongoing attempts to have a buffer speed limit introduced on Holt Road/Quebec Road at the Hoe parish boundary: I am afraid this has almost certainly failed, despite the solid body of support that emerged both inside and outside of our parish. A paper outlining the facts of the parish case and the practical application of the county’s policy for dealing with more than one accident each day resulting in people dying or receiving life-changing injuries can be read on our website. I will, of course, return to this theme at our next meeting when I will also cover all other highways and parish issues.
Parish events Building on the huge success of the quiz night held last October our events committee will be holding another one on the23rd of this month at our meeting room. Teams are of four people, food is supplied but bring your own drinks to the best evening out for £5 anywhere in the county. You can get further information about everything apart from the answers from Sally at sallydearing50@gmail.com or call Carl on 421864.
Here are two other dates for your diary just announced by the events committee. On 25th March there will be a parish ramble which will end with refreshments and a mardle, then on 8th July the parish will be holding a summer fete; details will be circulated later and available on both the parish website and Facebook Hoe and Worthing Parish. I look forward to meeting up at the events and at our next parish meeting on 16th May.
Trevor Wood (parish chairman, tel. 860326 or email woodumail@btinternet.com)