MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL TOWN COUNCIL MEETING HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, TOWN HALL, SHERINGHAM, ON TUESDAY 25TH FEBRUARY, 2014, AT 8.00PM:
PRESENT: The Town Mayor – Cllr D Smith
The Deputy Town Mayor – Cllr P Brooks
Cllrs Ashcroft, Worboys, Cox, Gooch, Hill, McGinn, Stevens, Battrick-Newall and Bush
The Town Clerk and Deputy Town Clerk
Eight Members of the Public
9300. TO RECEIVE AND CONSIDER APOLOGIES: Cllrs Birtwell, A Smith and Burns sent aplogies.
9301. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST RELATING TO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA: All Members have an interest in Item 5.
9302. ITEMS REQUIRING A RESOLUTION UNDER THE PUBLIC BODIES (ADMISSION TO MEETINGS ACT 1960) TO EXCLUDE THE PRESS AND PUBLIC UNDER SECTION 1C OG STANDING ORDERS: Cllr Cox PROPOSED taking Item 6 under Standing Order 1C, to exclude any Press or Public to preserve the anonymity of the potential Tenant for the Town Hall Offices; Cllr Gooch seconded. IT WAS AGREED.
9303. RESOLUTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING FOR UP TO 15 MINUTES FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK ON MATTERS RELATING TO BUSINESS BEING TANSACTED AT THIS MEETING: Cllr Cox PROPOSED adjourning the meeting for up to 15 Minutes for Members of the Public wishing to speak; Cllr McGinn seconded. IT WAS AGREED.
Two Members of the Public spoke on matters relating to the Morley Hill proposal.
Cllr Cox PROPOSED reconvening the Meeting; Cllr McGinn seconded. IT WAS AGREED.
9304. TO DISCUSS LETTER FROM NNDC SEEKING VIEWS AND CONFIRMATION ON TRANSFER OF LAND KNOWN AS MORLEY HILL TO SHERINGHAM TOWN COUNCIL UNDER A SECTION 106 AGREEMENT: All Members had previously been furnished with a copy of a letter received from Mr J Williams, Major Development Team Leader at NNDC, who is seeking STC’s views and confirmation of a commitment to accept a gift of an offer of land known as Morley Hill to be transferred to the ownership of Sheringham Town Council, with the intention that the land will be available for public access in perpetuity. It is proposed that this will be linked to the grant of planning permission for Norfolk Homes Ltd to Erect Eight Dwellings at Land at Snaefell Park, Sheringham – Ref: PF/14/0123, and secured by means of a legal obligation Section 106 Agreement of the Town and Country Planning Act.
A full discussion ensued. Cllr Cox stated he supported the idea of the Public Open Space but recommended investigating the offer of the land further prior to any decision making, as there could be potential problems and probable annual costs, such as animals grazing, STC maintaining the car park, access points, maintenance of the Hill if there is no future grazing, and the archaeology needs to be investigated before it is used as a Public Open Space. Cllr Worboys expressed the worst expense could be the fencing which will need to be maintained and the possibility of installing gates where grazing is concerned as the gorse and bracken will need to be maintain. Cllr McGinn raised the option of grant which may be available ie Natural England, and explained once STC takes on the ownership of the Hill any costings will be precepted for, but the first stage is to accept the gift. Cllr McGinn PROPOSED Sheringham Town Council gratefully accept the gift from Norfolk Homes Ltd of 6.0 hectares of open land (known as Morley Hill) together with five car parking spaces and a footpath from Snaefell Park to Morley Hill to be maintained by Sheringham Town council in perpetuity for Public Use as part of a legal obligation (Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act for Planning Application PF/14/0123; Cllr Ashcroft seconded. IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY AGREED.
Cllr Cox PROPOSED taking Item 6 under Standing Order1C, to preserve the anonymity of the Applicant, Cllr Battrick-Newall seconded. IT WAS AGREED.
Cllr Bush left the meeting.
9305. TO APPROVE RECOMMENDATION FROM GENERAL PURPOSES AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON 18TH FEBRUARY, 2014, REGARDING THE TOWN HALL OFFICES POTENTIAL TENANT: The Mayor adjourned the meeting for Members to read an internal report tabled this evening. After a full and in-depth discussion, Cllr Cox PROPOSED approving the recommendation from the General Purposes and Development Committee meeting held on 18th February, 2014, to inform the applicant only four offices are available on the ground floor, along with storage facilities in the Cellar and shared use of the Kitchen and Toilets, this also applies to any other applications; Cllr Fields seconded. IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY AGREED.
Cllr Cox PROPOSED coming out of Standing Order; Cllr Hill seconded. IT WAS AGREED.
9306. DATE OF NEXT MEETING: 4th March 2014.
The meeting closed at 8.52pm.