Cringleford Parish Council

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PARISH ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Prior to 1929 Local Government at parish level was limited to the election of a Parish Constable and an Overseer whose duties were to collect the rates due. The major expenses for which the village was liable were a contribution towards the use of the fire brigade and the rent of 5 standard gas lamps to light the roads at night.

With the growth of the village the first Parish Council of seven councillors was elected in 1929 , the number subsequently rising to nine at present and to become eleven in May 2003. Elections for Parish Councillors are held every 4 years and all councillors undertake this role voluntarily.

The Parish Council's role has become increasingly complex and formalised over the years particularly in recent times with the introduction of new legislation in such fields as Financial Governance, Health & Safety, Employment Law, Disability Discrimination, Freedom of Information and The Local Government Act 2000. In addition Central Government’s policy of devolved government and particularly it’s emphasis upon consultation, although not increasing the power of Parish Councils, has placed upon them an obligation to make structured and persuasive responses on a wide range of involved issues.

The Council’s duties may be broadly grouped under two headings. Firstly, to act as a focus for village opinions and concerns and through formal consultation, and upon its own initiative by lobbying, promote the best interests of its parishioners. Secondly, to administer Parish functions including control of finances, maintenance of property and equipment and provision of services such as street lighting and grass cutting.

The range of topics upon which the Council is formerly consulted in writing and at meetings include:

• Planning applications made to South Norfolk District Council – These range from domestic scale developments to major schemes like the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital which involved speaking at Planning and Appeal Hearings, formal written responses based upon existing Planning Policies and Precedent and lobbying central government and the County Council.

• Highways – At the macro level the council has spent much time over the past years acting in concert with other interested parties to try and resolve what it sees as the wholly unsatisfactory situation with regard to the provision of a second access to the new N & N hospital and the management of the traffic the hospital generates; including meetings with our Members of Parliament. Allied to this is the construction of a new roundabout on the A11 which the Council has strongly opposed.
On a smaller scale the Council has been successful in bringing forward the implementation of a new road marking scheme by Norfolk County Council at Cringleford bridge to improve road safety.

• Housing – Having unsuccessfully opposed the inordinately high number of new houses to be built at Cringleford, which included a 3 day presentation at the Public Inquiry, the Council is currently in consultation with South Norfolk District Council with regard to the provision of Affordable and Sheltered Housing and the scale and nature of the contribution to be made by the developers towards the provision of new community facilities.

• Environmental Health, Social Services, Leisure, Recreation, Waste Management etc.

Matters of concern to Parishioners which the council has addressed recently include the local bus service, the closing of Colney Lane, “travellers “ in Cantley Lane and Round House Way, registering the Village Green, clarifying The Loke as a Public Right of Way, and vandalism.

In its capacity as controlling parish functions the Council has statutory regulations which define and restrict its powers to provide, for example, allotments, baths and washhouses, burial grounds, village halls, street lighting, open spaces, playing fields, swimming pools, village greens and war memorials.

The money required to support these functions and necessary staff is raised principally through Council Tax levied by South Norfolk District Council a small proportion of which, the “ Precept “, is paid to the Parish. This is supplemented by income from lettings of the pavilion and sports pitches and an annual fee charged to the Tennis Club. Full particulars of this and the Parish’s finances are given elsewhere under Budget

The property owned by the Parish consists principally of the Recreation Ground and associated Pavilion and Nissen Hut, the Village Green and plant used in their upkeep. As part of its financial planning the Council has a contingency fund to cover the replacement of the old timber front section of the pavilion with a brick built structure if appropriate.
See separate page for the Recreation Ground.

The Parish Council has 3 employees. A part-time Parish Clerk, who has overall responsibility to carry out the policy decisions of the Council, and is the head of the Council's administration. She advises the Council on matters of law and procedure and is also the Responsible Financial Officer. She manages a full-time Groundsperson who is employed to maintain the facilities at the Recreation Ground, the Village Green and verges and other tasks around the village as they arise, and a part-time Clerical Assistant who is responsible for the bookings of the Recreation Ground facilities.

Maintenance of the one hundred and thirty one street lights for which the Council is responsible is contracted out. Parishioners wishing to report a problem with a street light, with the exception of the addresses given below, should contact the Parish Clerk on 01603 – 250198.

The following streetlights are the responsibility of Norfolk County council:-
Phone Norfolk County Council on 0845 6018269
ARMITAGE CLOSE(Some), QUEBEC CLOSE, ASPEN WAY, CHURCHFIELDS, GILBERT WAY, HILL FARM CLOSE, MEADWAY, SIDELL CLOSE, ST. PETER'S CLOSE, SUFFIELD CLOSE, THE RIDINGS, WOODGATE AND ALL OF ROUND HOUSE PARK.

Grasscutting of the verges is by an Agency Agreement with Norfolk County Council.

The business of the Parish Council is carried out at Parish Council Meetings, future dates and the next agenda, in addition to the last three sets of approved minutes, being available elsewhere on this website.

Parishioners are always welcome at Parish Council meetings and may ask questions or raise any issue relating to the parish during Parishioners Question Time at the start of the meeting. Parishioners wishing to participate are asked to kindly note that, apart from exceptional circumstances it is only during Parishioners Question Time that they may take part in discussion.
(See Meeting Dates)