• Assistance available to event organisers

    Tuesday, October 15, 2019 - 20:23

    Despite the shorter days it will soon be the festive season and we can look forward to enjoying Christmas and the New Year.

    In the run-up to Christmas there is the Reepham Festival of Light on Thursday 5 December in the Market Place, which will be closed to traffic from midday onwards.

    We would also like to congratulate the organisers on the Reepham Classic Car & Bike Festival held in the Market Place on Sunday 29 September, which was enjoyed by all, despite the inclement weather.

    In our efforts to support local businesses and community groups, the town council is always prepared to consider providing assistance to organisers of events in the town, either in the form of cash grants or, for example, arranging for the closure of the Market Place: the town council has provisionally agreed to support the Reepham Objects and Antiques Fest to be held on Sunday 28 June 2020.

    If anybody wishes to organise an event in Reepham, please do not hesitate to contact us at an early stage of the planning process to discuss what assistance we may be able to offer.

    ‘Tommy’ statue

    For the commemoration of the end of the First World War a number of “Tommy” figures were made for use during the various events and services around the country.

    Broadland District Council has generously given one of the “Tommy” figures to Reepham and this has now been erected in the Pound in front of the church in time for the Armistice service on 10 November and Armistice Day on 11 November. People will gather in the Market Place at 10.30 am for the traditional march to the church, with the service starting at 10.45 am.

    Meanwhile, the rebuilding of the Pound wall and renewal of the iron railings around it is well under way, the next step being to reinstate the ground and prune the trees.

    Station Road development

    At long last there have been developments on the former station site on the corner of Station Road and Stony Lane.

    Earthworks are under way and we believe the developers intend to first build the convenience store and a number of bungalows before starting work on the care home complex. We also understand the developers are in discussion with Broadland District Council concerning outstanding planning matters.

    New cemetery

    Some years ago the district council selected a site on Broomhill Lane as suitable for residential development. The proposal included provision for space for an extension to the cemetery on Whitwell Road.

    Although there has not yet been a planning application for the development, town council officers having been looking at the likely financial costs and budgetary implications of funding a new cemetery. To that end we had a meeting with Dereham Town Council to learn from their experience.

    If and when the cemetery comes to fruition it is anticipated that it will provide sufficient space for burials into the next century so it is imperative that not only the cost but the shape and use to which the land is put in the meantime is planned for.

    Future events

    • Wednesday 6 November, Town Hall Management Committee meeting
    • Sunday 10 November, Remembrance Day service, St Mary’s Reepham, 10.30 am
    • Wednesday 13 November, Reepham Town Council meeting, followed by Stimpson’s Piece Trustee meeting
    • Thursday 5 December, Festival of Light, Market Place, Reepham, 4.30-7.30 pm
    • Wednesday 11 December, Reepham Town Council meeting

    All meetings are held in Reepham Town Hall, Church Street, Reepham, starting at 7.30 pm unless otherwise advertised.

    Local residents, businesses, organisations and members of the general public are welcome to attend to raise issues and make their views known to councillors at the beginning of every meeting.

    Contact: Reepham Town Council, Town Hall, Church Street, Reepham, Norfolk NR10 4JW. Tel: 01603 873355. Email

     

  • Town council unconvinced about benefits of a neighbourhood plan

    Wednesday, September 18, 2019 - 08:45

    At its meeting on 11 September, Reepham Town Council debated formulating a neighbourhood plan following a presentation from the senior community planning officer of Broadland District Council.

    A neighbourhood plan would give the community direct power to develop a shared vision for the neighbourhood and shape the development and growth of the local area.

    The community would be able to decide where it wants new homes, shops and offices to be built, have a say on what those new buildings should look like and what infrastructure should be provided.

    However, any neighbourhood plan should support other policies already in place, such as the Local Plan or spatial development strategy formulated by the district council or the government.

    Although the town council remains unconvinced about the benefit of a neighbourhood plan for Reepham, councillors agreed to hold consultations with members of the community.

    The council plans to hold a public meeting early next year to establish the level of interest in producing a neighbourhood plan and, more importantly, the level of commitment from members of the community in producing the necessary evidence required to meet the demands of the process.

    Bearing in mind that the whole process of creating a neighbourhood plan is likely to take at least two years to obtaining approval, there will need to be ongoing discussion both within and outside the town council before anybody will be in a position to start preparing a plan.

    The town council recommends that anybody interested in a neighbourhood plan should consult the government’s guidance on neighbourhood planning HERE.

    It may also be helpful to look at adopted plans from other local councils, such as Aylsham and Acle, whose neighbourhood plans have been published on their respective websites.

    The town council would appreciate expressions of interest from anybody who would like to become involved in helping to produce a neighbourhood plan, especially from those who have experience in local government and planning processes, so that an assessment of the level of interest in the community can be established.

    If you are interested, please do not hesitate to contact the town clerk by email or by letter at Reepham Town Hall, Church Street, Reepham NR10 4JW, or contact any of our councillors.

    Car parking

    Following the recent decision by Broadland District Council and South Norfolk District Council to combine many of their functions, Broadland District Council has prepared a proposal to charge for parking in their off-road car parks.

    The town council had not been made aware of the proposal until a last-minute intervention by District Councillor Stuart Beadle enabled us to make our representations to the district council.

    Off-road parking in Reepham is complicated by the fact that the Station Road car park is owned by Broadland District Council and the Market Place is owned by the town council.

    Until recently the trustees of Stimpson’s Piece had been in discussion with the district council to offer the use of the car park at the town’s recreation ground to provide additional long-stay parking in the town.

    Inevitably, any decision to charge for parking at Station Road car park will directly affect those living in the town centre as well as those working in the town, and will impact on parking in the Market Place and probably result in increased on-road parking in the vicinity.

    We have requested that there should be public consultation before any decision on changes to Broadland’s policy on free parking in town centres is changed. If you believe you will be affected by the imposition of parking charges please contact the town clerk.

    The Pound

    You may have noticed that the railings around the “Pound” at the entrance to the church in the Market Place have disappeared and the low wall supporting them is being restored. Over the years the railings have deteriorated with age and are being refurbished or replaced as necessary.

    Future events

    • Wednesday 9 October: Reepham Town Council meeting, followed by Stimpson’s Piece Trustee meeting
    • Wednesday 6 November: Town Hall Management Committee meeting
    • Wednesday 13 November: Reepham Town Council meeting, followed by Stimpson’s Piece Trustee meeting

    All meetings are held in Reepham Town Hall, Church Street, Reepham, starting at 7.30 pm unless otherwise advertised.

    Local residents, businesses, organisations and members of the general public are welcome to attend to raise issues and make their views known to councillors at the beginning of every meeting.

    Contact: Reepham Town Council, Town Hall, Church Street, Reepham, Norfolk NR10 4JW. Tel: 01603 873355. Email

  • Neighbourhood plan back on the agenda

    Monday, July 29, 2019 - 20:50

    At the last Reepham Town Council meeting on 10 July, the subject of a neighbourhood plan was raised. Neighbourhood plans give a community direct power to develop a shared vision of a town or parish and shape its development and growth.

    We would be able to choose where we want new homes, shops and offices to be built, have a say on what those new buildings should look like and what infrastructure should be provided, and grant planning permission for the new buildings we want to see go ahead.

    In Reepham’s case the development of a neighbourhood plan might be led by the town council, but it could only be carried out with the active support and participation of the community.

    Having consulted with members of the community, a draft plan would be drawn up and put to an independent assessor and, if found acceptable, put back to the community in the form of a referendum.

    The process is complex and is, of necessity, long and drawn out, and would require a great deal of dedicated work by all those involved (for more information, see the guidance on neighbourhood planning on the gov.uk website).

    With the support of local residents, the town council developed a proposal for a neighbourhood plan some years ago, but a request for financial support was rejected.

    Unfortunately, because of the cost of producing a neighbourhood plan and the lack of support, the town council felt it had no option but to stop work on the plan.

    However, we have been asked to look again at the possibility of producing a neighbourhood plan, and it has been agreed that we shall discuss the matter at the next town council meeting on 11 September.

    Before a decision can be made, councillors will need to be assured that adequate financial, clerical and technical support will be forthcoming, as well as committed support from members of the community.

    If anybody wishes to support the preparation of a neighbourhood plan, please do not hesitate to contact the town clerk or any of our councillors.

    You do not necessarily have to be a resident of Reepham; you may have a business here for example or you may have some particular technical or legal background that could support us.

    As a start, councillors have already sought the support of District Councillor Stuart Beadle and Broadland District Council, who will have an important role in the development of a neighbourhood plan.

    Holiday season

    With no council meetings until September, the town council office will still be operational during the holiday season. However, it may not be staffed every day and callers are advised to ring to make an appointment.

    During this period it may be easier to contact us either by email, by post or even by leaving a letter in the post box on the front wall of the town hall.

    Although the town council will not be having any meetings in August, we are pleased to support the Reepham Music Festival on 10-11 August.

    Future events

    • Wednesday 4 September: Town Hall Management Committee meeting
    • Wednesday 11 September: Reepham Town Council meeting, followed by Stimpson’s Piece Trustee meeting

    All meetings are held in Reepham Town Hall, Church Street, Reepham, starting at 7.30 pm unless otherwise advertised.

    Local residents, businesses and organisations and members of the general public are welcome to attend to raise issues and make their views known to councillors at the beginning of every meeting.

    Contact: Reepham Town Council, Town Hall, Church Street, Reepham, Norfolk NR10 4JW. Tel: 01603 873355. Email

  • Proposed new office development for Original Cottages

    Tuesday, June 18, 2019 - 17:51

    At the last meeting of the Reepham Town Team in early June, Richard and James Ellis of The Original Cottage Company (TOCC) briefed team members on their intention to further develop their organisation in Reepham.

    Basically, the holiday cottage company has outgrown its existing accommodation in the town centre and needs more office space.

    Having sought advice from the town, district and county councils, TOCC now plans to build a new office complex, complete with on-site car parking, on land off Dereham Road, behind the doctors’ surgery.

    The proposed development includes a two-storey office block of traditional construction and a car park with access from Dereham Road, allowing space for future extension to the surgery.

    The proposal was welcomed by members of the Town Team, but it was suggested a consultation exercise with local residents be carried out before final plans are drawn up; we understand this will be carried out over summer.

    Town councillors were briefed on the proposal by Reepham Town Council chairman Les Paterson at its meeting on 12 June. Councillors broadly welcomed the proposal, and look forward to the consultation exercise and discussing the issue in more depth when the planning application is dealt with in due course.

    Climate change and tree planting

    At the town council meeting in May, a member of the public raised the issue of climate change and global warming, and asked the council to consider a tree planting programme in Reepham.

    It had been intended to discuss the matter at the June Town Team meeting, but owing to time constraints, this was not possible, so the suggestion will be raised at the next meeting.

    In the meantime, we would like comments from residents, particularly suggestions for possible public spaces where additional trees might be planted.

    If you have any suggestions, or would like take part in organising a tree planting programme, please contact any of our councillors or the town clerk, Jo Boxall.

    Family Fun Day at Stimpson’s Piece

    Following last year’s summer family event on Stimpson’s Piece, another free family fun day will be held on the field on Saturday 20 July from 12 noon – 6 pm, which will include family entertainment, refreshments and a hog roast.

    Please keep an eye out for posters on local noticeboards around the town and in the local free press for details.

    Reepham Food Festival

    I am sure everybody would like to join us in congratulating the organisers of this year’s food festival for another successful event, despite a period of rain later in the day.

    By all reports a good time was had by all, and members of the public had the opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of food and drink products available to eat or purchase.

    It gave the town council great pleasure to be able to support the event with grant funding and arranging for the Market Place to be closed.

    New town councillor

    Becky Comer was welcomed to our ranks as a town councillor when she was co-opted at the last meeting in June. No doubt it will take Becky a little while to find out what and where everything we are responsible for is, but I am sure she will make an excellent councillor.

    Future events

    • Wednesday 3 July: Town Hall Management Committee meeting
    • Wednesday 10 July: Reepham Town Council meeting, followed by Stimpson’s Piece Trustee meeting

    All meetings are held in the Town Hall, Church Street, Reepham, starting at 7.30 pm unless otherwise advertised.

    Local residents, businesses and organisations and members of the general public are welcome to attend to raise issues and make their views known to councillors at the beginning of every meeting.

    Contact: Reepham Town Council, Town Hall, Church Street, Reepham, Norfolk NR10 4JW. Tel: 01603 873355. Email

  • Town Council opposes planning application on The Moor

    Tuesday, May 21, 2019 - 21:10

    By now we have probably got over all the excitement of the local elections. There were only eight candidates standing for the 12 vacancies for councillors on the Town Council so all candidates were returned unopposed.

    In the district council elections, Stuart Beadle was elected as the new district councillor for the Reepham Ward and we are looking forward to working closely with him on behalf of the community.

    We would like to express our appreciation to the outgoing district councillor, Graham Everett, for all the outstanding work he has done on behalf of our community over the last few years and we wish him well for the future.

    We would also like to commend all those residents who voted in the local elections. A total of more than 900 votes were cast which, for a small community like Reepham, was a high turnout, even by general election standards.

    Annual Town Meeting

    The Annual Town Meeting held on 8 May was an informal forum well attended by local residents, who had the opportunity to meet their newly elected councillors and discuss any matters concerning them and the community. The chairman, Cllr Les Paterson, also took the opportunity to outline the achievements of the Town Council over the past 12 months.

    In particular, he drew attention to the support the Council was able to provide for local community groups by making grants ranging from £180 to £1,500 to groups including the Reepham Archive, the Bircham Centre, Mini-Scrapbox, the Festival of Light and the annual food and music festivals, and by arranging the necessary closures of the Market Place and providing road barriers and signs.

    Attention was also drawn to the work the Council is doing, in conjunction with Broadland District Council and the Reepham Town Team, to alleviate parking problems in the town centre by re-designating the Station Road car park for short-stay parking and promoting the use of Stimpson’s Piece for long-term parking, together with a campaign encouraging people to walk in to the town centre rather than add to the congestion.

    The chairman also expressed his appreciation to town clerk, Jo Boxall, and finance officer, Sally Gill, for their advice and support and to all councillors, both past and present, for their hard work on behalf of the community over the past 12 months.

    The chairman also reminded everybody that there are still vacancies for councillors and that the Town Council welcomes applications from anybody who would like to serve the community on a voluntary basis.

    Being a councillor involves attending about a dozen meetings, normally lasting around an hour, a year and as much time as you feel you are able to devote to Council business.

    Annual Town Council meeting

    The first item on the agenda for the Annual Town Council meeting, also on 8 May, was the election of the chair and Les Paterson was elected unanimously. The Council then resumed its normal routine business.

    Councillors considered five planning applications, one of which generated a significant number of comments from members of the public at the beginning of the meeting. This application is for outline planning permission to build a single-storey dwelling on Monastery Field on The Moor.

    Having considered comments made by members of the public, councillors expressed their concerns about the development within the conservation area outside the settlement limit and the impact it would have on nearby listed buildings. It was agreed that the Council would register its objection to the application.

    Future events

    • Wednesday 12 June: Reepham Town Council meeting, followed by Stimpson’s Piece Trustee meeting
    • Wednesday 3 July: Town Hall Management Committee meeting
    • Wednesday 10 July: Reepham Town Council meeting, followed by Stimpson’s Piece Trustee meeting

    All meetings are held in the Town Hall, Church Street, Reepham, starting at 7.30 pm unless otherwise advertised.

    Local residents, businesses and organisations and other members of the public are welcome to attend to raise issues and make their views known to councillors at the beginning of every meeting.

    Contact: Reepham Town Council, Town Hall, Church Street, Reepham, Norfolk NR10 4JW. Tel: 01603 873355. Email

  • Residents can have their say at annual town meeting

    Monday, April 15, 2019 - 18:46

    Every year Reepham Town Council holds an annual town meeting where local residents and others who have an interest in the well-being of the town and parish of Reepham and of its residents have the opportunity to meet councillors and to discuss matters of common interest in an informal setting.

    This year’s town meeting will be held at 7 pm on Wednesday 8 May in the Town Hall, Church Street, Reepham, and will be followed by the annual town council meeting when the new town councillors will take office and the chairman and vice-chairman will be elected.

    Members of the public are encouraged to come to these meetings, to raise any concerns they may have and to find out how the town council conducts the business of supporting our community.

    Local elections on 2 May

    2019 is an election year for district, town and parish councillors and elections are being held on Thursday 2 May.

    In Reepham polling is taking place in the Bircham Centre, Market Place, from 7 am until 10 pm, and we are looking forward to a large representative turnout.

    Because there were only eight candidates standing for election for the 12 vacancies on the Town Council, the nominated candidates have been elected uncontested. However, the election for our Broadland District councillor will continue to take place.

    The town councillors elected uncontested are: Sarah Fisher, Mark Lester, Jools Line, Paul Mitchell, Les Paterson, Matthew Steel Robert Taylor and Anne Woollett, who will take office at the Annual Town Council Meeting to be held on Wednesday 8 May.

    We still need four additional councillors to reach our full complement of 12 and would welcome expressions of interest from anybody who would like to support our community and be a part of the decision-making process.

    Car parking

    The Town Council has been working closely with Broadland District Council and Norfolk County Council to alleviate parking problems in the town centre.

    The Town Council has agreed in principle to re-designate the Station Road car park as a short-stay car park and offer the car park at Stimpson’s Piece for long-stay parking.

    Subject to funding being available, the necessary signage will be installed, hopefully in the near future.

    The use of Stimpson’s Piece for additional parking was demonstrated forcibly during the recent road resurfacing of the Townsend Corner crossroads and Station Road when the car park was closed and local people, particularly those working in the town centre, used the long-term, off-road parking available at Reepham’s recreation ground.

    In support of the use of Stimpson’s Piece car park for long-stay parking we are also proposing a “Park & Stride” scheme to encourage people to park away from the town centre and walk in, emphasising the health benefits of the additional exercise and the reduction of air pollution within the town centre.

    Mobile phone coverage

    Following a recent unfortunate emergency in the town centre, it has become obvious that, in the event of an accident or emergency, the mobile phone coverage in the Market Place and nearby public buildings is not reliable and cannot be relied upon to summon assistance.

    The Town Council is again working with our partners at the District and County Councils and with other interested groups to improve mobile phone signal coverage in the town.

    Town Hall entrance

    The new entrance lobby has now been completed and will be a large improvement on the former entrance. Users are now able to access the Town Hall direct from the lobby rather than through the rather poorly lit and uninviting former entrance. It also means the hall now has a dedicated furniture store.

    Future events

    • Wednesday 1 May: Town Hall Management Committee Annual General Meeting
    • Wednesday 8 May: Annual Town Meeting, 7 pm, followed by Annual Reepham Town Council Meeting and Stimpson’s Piece Charity Trustee Annual General Meeting
    • Wednesday 12 June: Reepham Town Council meeting, followed by Stimpson’s Piece Trustee meeting

    All meetings are held in the Town Hall, Church Street, Reepham, starting at 7.30 pm unless otherwise advertised.

    Local residents, businesses and organisations and other members of the public are welcome to attend to raise issues and make their views known to councillors at the beginning of every meeting.

    Contact: Reepham Town Council, Town Hall, Church Street, Reepham, Norfolk NR10 4JW. Tel: 01603 873355. Email

  • District and town council elections on 2 May

    Friday, March 15, 2019 - 17:19

    With all the political upheaval in the country at the moment it is easy to forget that there will be local council elections on 2 May, when your district and town councillors will be standing down and have the opportunity to stand for re-election.

    We welcome expressions of interest from anybody who is considering standing for election to either, or both, your district or town councils, but time is running short.

    Being part of the election process for national and local government, there are strict criteria for eligibility and a strict timetable for the election process.

    The most important criteria for standing for election to the Town Council are that the candidate must be on the electoral register and they must either be resident in the parish (or very close to it) or have a business in the parish.

    The timetable for the approaching elections is:

    • Candidate nomination papers must be delivered to Broadland District Council between 20 March and no later than 4 pm on 3 April.
    • The deadline for applications to register to vote at these elections is 12 April.
    • The deadline for new postal votes, postal proxy applications and for changes to existing postal votes is no later than 5 pm on 15 April.

    If anybody has any queries or would like advice on the electoral process, please do not hesitate to contact either our town clerk, Jo Boxall (01603 873355 or email) or Election Services at Broadland District Council (01603 430483 or email).

    Particularly at this time of political instability at the national level with the threats (or promises, depending on your point of view) of a general election or even another referendum, it is important that everybody makes sure they are included on the electoral register.

    This is particularly important for young people who have recently turned 18 or are approaching 18. We strongly advise all young people to ensure they are registered to vote.

    Town Hall entrance lobby

    The new entrance lobby to the Town Hall is currently under construction and is due for completion soon. This means the building will now have a proper, dedicated, entrance rather than the former entrance through what was, in effect, a storeroom.

    As a result, we now have a dedicated storeroom providing a safe and secure environment for the furniture available for use within the hall.

    We would like express our appreciation to all members, past and present, of the Town Hall Management Committee who have overseen the project and raised the necessary funding from income raised from hirings.

    The committee comprises representatives of the regular hiring groups and councillors representing the Town Council, the owners of the Town Hall, with the intention of promoting the use of the hall and improving it to meet changing circumstances.

    The committee welcomes local residents who would be prepared to join them in running the hall and perhaps suggesting changes or alterations that might make the building more attractive to local residents or users.

    Metal detectorists on Stimpson’s Piece

    The trustees have received reports of metal detectors being used in Stimpson’s Piece to locate and dig up metal objects.

    This public area is dedicated to the people of Reepham for their leisure and recreation, and is used by various sporting groups and others on a frequent basis.

    The trustees have an obligation to ensure a safe environment for all users and are particularly concerned that digging up the surface of the park could present a danger to members of the public.

    Under the circumstances, the trustees feel that metal detecting of this nature on Stimpson’s Piece is potentially dangerous and should be discouraged.

    Future events

    • Wednesday 10 April: Reepham Town Council meeting, followed by Stimpson’s Piece Charity trustee meeting
    • Wednesday 1 May: Town Hall Management Committee annual general meeting
    • Wednesday 8 May: Annual Town Meeting, 7 pm, followed by Reepham Town Council meeting, followed by Stimpson’s Piece Charity Trustee meeting

    All meetings are held in the Town Hall, Church Street, Reepham, starting at 7.30 pm unless otherwise advertised.

    Local residents, businesses and organisations and other members of the public are welcome to attend to raise issues and make their views known to councillors at the beginning of every meeting.

    Contact: Reepham Town Council, Town Hall, Church Street, Reepham, Norfolk NR10 4JW. Tel: 01603 873355. Email

  • Interested in standing for your local council?

    Wednesday, February 20, 2019 - 17:39

    Elections for town and parish councils will be held on Thursday 2 May. Our present town councillors will be standing down and will have the opportunity to stand for re-election.

    It is also the time when anybody who wishes to stand for election can be nominated. More importantly, local residents will have the opportunity to elect a council of their choice and influence the direction they would like to see Reepham take over the next four years.

    Unfortunately, being part of the election process for national and local government, there are strict criteria for eligibility and a strict timetable for the election process.

    The most important criterion is that they must be registered to vote at elections. We strongly recommend that everybody ensures they are included on the electoral register.

    To assist anybody who may wish to be nominated for election, who is not yet on the electoral register or who may wish to register for a postal or proxy vote, the following is important:

    • The deadline for applications to register to vote at these elections is 12 April.
    • Candidate nomination papers must be delivered to Broadland District Council between 20 March and 4 pm on 3 April.
    • The deadline for new postal votes, postal proxy applications and changes to existing postal votes is 5 pm on 15 April.

     

    If anybody has any queries, please do not hesitate to contact our town clerk, Jo Boxall, who can provide nomination forms for anyone who wishes to put themselves forward for election to Reepham Town Council, either by email or telephone 01603 430483, or contact Election Services at Broadland District Council.

    A nomination pack and full timetable can also be downloaded from the Town Council website.

    Car parking

    Car parking in Reepham has been a source of complaint for some considerable time and the Town Council, together with Broadland District Council and the Reepham Town Team, has been looking for possible solutions.

    We are currently investigating the possibility of using the car park at Stimpson’s Piece for long-stay parking and designating the Station Road facility as a short-stay car park.

    We have agreed in principle to new signage directing visitors to the two car parks, subject to funding being available.

    Fly tipping in Station Road car park

    We have had several instances recently of fly tipping around the recycling bins in the car park. These bins only cater for a limited range of items, including glass bottles and jars, clothing and paper.

    All other waste material should be disposed of in your normal household collection or at your nearest waste recycling centre, either in East Dereham or at Mayton Wood between Buxton and Horstead.

    If you notice any fly-tipped material, or anybody fly tipping, please contact Broadland District Council, which will deal with the problem.

    Future events

    • 6 March: Town Hall Management Committee meeting
    • 13 March: Reepham Town Council meeting, followed by Stimpson’s Piece Charity Trustee meeting
    • 10 April: Reepham Town Council meeting, followed by Stimpson’s Piece Charity Trustee meeting

     

    All meetings are held in the Town Hall, Church Street, Reepham, starting at 7.30 pm unless otherwise advertised.

    Local residents, businesses and organisations and other members of the public are welcome to attend and to make their views known to councillors at the beginning of every meeting.

    Contact: Reepham Town Council, Town Hall, Church Street, Reepham, Norfolk NR10 4JW. Tel: 01603 873355. Email: clerk@reephamtowncouncil.org.uk

  • Tommy statue to be sited in the ‘Pound’

    Monday, January 21, 2019 - 19:53

    The Town Council has been offered a “Tommy” memorial statue to commemorate the centenary of the end of World War I and it was agreed at its last meeting that the offer would be accepted.

    Possible sites for it to be displayed were considered, including the Whitwell Road cemetery, the “Pound” at the eastern end of the Market Place and the garden at the rear of the Bircham Centre.

    Although both the cemetery, which contains war graves, and the Bircham Centre, which was used as a hospital during the First World War, would be suitable, it was agreed that the Pound should be chosen as a more obviously visible location in front of the church and on the approach to the existing war memorials in the church.

    The Council intends to liaise with local representatives of the British Legion regarding the erection of the statue.

    Retirement complex/convenience store at former station site

    A planning application for the creation of a retirement complex accessed from Stony Lane and a convenience store and office block facing Cawston Road has been approved.

    While the Town Council supports development of the brownfield site, serious reservations concerning the size of the proposed buildings and the loss of trees and hedgerows were expressed.

    In response to these objections the design was amended to reduce the height of the care home buildings and clarify other issues that had been raised.

    However, councillors were still concerned about the access to the care home complex from Stony Lane, the loss of mature trees on the site and the scale of development that was not in keeping with the surroundings, and comments to that effect were made to Broadland District Council.

    The application was called in by Reepham District Councillor Graham Everett for consideration by the full Planning Committee at its meeting on 9 January.

    The concerns of the Town Council were raised in person at the meeting by Cllr Paul Mitchell, supported by Cllr Mark Lester, acting in a personal capacity as a local resident, and others.

    After some discussion, the Planning Committee agreed by a majority decision to approve the application. It is anticipated that work will commence later this year.

    Proposed convenience store in School Road

    Following the closure of the former Reepham Motors workshop on School Road some years ago there have been a number of proposals for the redevelopment of the site.

    The latest proposal was for the demolition of the existing building and the construction of a convenience store. This would have been set back from School Road, allowing for limited customer parking in front, and for the existing footpath to be extended towards the Townsend Corner crossroads.

    Following public meetings to discuss the application the Town Council agreed to object to the proposal, principally on the grounds that it would create a road safety hazard caused by vehicles entering and leaving the store and that there would not be adequate provision for delivery vehicles to load or unload.

    Other objections concerning the size of the building on a relatively small site, the impact it would have on adjacent dwellings and that it would not be in keeping with the local area were also made.

    Broadland District Council supported the Town Council and rejected the application. The developer appealed against the decision, the appeal being held before a government planning inspector who supported Broadland’s decision principally on the road safety and traffic concerns raised, with the result that the appeal was rejected.

    Future events

    Wednesday 13 February: Town Council meeting followed by Stimpson’s Piece Trustee meeting
    Wednesday 6 March: Town Hall Management Committee meeting
    Wednesday 13 March: Town Council meeting followed by Stimpson’s Piece Trustee meeting

    All meetings are held in the Town Hall, Church Street, Reepham, commencing at 7.30 pm, unless otherwise advertised.

    Local residents and members of the public are welcome to attend and to make their views known to councillors at the beginning of every meeting.

    Contact: Reepham Town Council, Town Hall, Church Street, Reepham, Norfolk NR10 4JW. Tel: 01603 873355. Email: clerk@reephamtowncouncil.org.uk

  • Election in May for 12 town councillors

    Friday, December 14, 2018 - 17:15

    2019 is an important year in which electors have the opportunity to choose their representatives in local town and parish council elections. Elections will be held in May when the existing town councillors will either stand down or stand for re-election.

    Anybody who meets the criteria for standing for election – living in or within four miles of the parish or having a business in the parish – is entitled to put their name forward to be placed on the ballot paper.

    Beyond the basic requirement to attend council meetings on a regular basis, there is no commitment to remain a councillor any longer than the incumbent feels able to.

    Reepham Town Council has had vacancies for councillors for some considerable time and welcomes expressions of interest from local residents who may wish to join, especially between now and May.

    Before May, a list of candidates will be published and an election held if there are more candidates than vacancies.

    In the event that there are fewer than 12 candidates (the number of councillors required) then all the candidates will be appointed without a ballot.

    If anybody wishes to serve the community, either by joining now or standing for election in May, please do not hesitate to come along to the meetings to see how business is conducted, or speak to the Town Clerk, Jo Boxall, or any councillor.

    Festival of Light

    The annual Festival of Light was held in the Market Place on 6 December and, as usual, was enjoyed by all who attended. Thanks to all the volunteers who worked hard, both in organising the event and in supporting the festival on the day.

    The Town Council was pleased to arrange the closure of the Market Place and provide other, less obvious support.

    Tommy statue offered

    Following on from the recent commemoration of the centenary of the end of the First World War, Reepham Town Council has been offered a “There But Not There” statue, also better known as the “Tommy statue”, as a memorial to the fallen from the Reepham district.

    The offer will be discussed at the next Town Council meeting in January and we would like comments and suggestions from residents as to where they might like to see the statue displayed if a suitable location can be found.

    Parking strategy

    As an integral part of a strategy to alleviate parking problems in Reepham, the town council and trustees of Stimpson’s Piece have offered the use of the car park at Stimpson’s Piece as a possible long-stay car park, with the existing Station Road car park being designated as short stay.

    However, the issue of the lack of lighting at Stimpson’s Piece has been raised as a potential problem, especially for those working in the town and who would have to leave or collect their vehicles during the hours of darkness.

    Councillors and trustees have provisionally agreed to allow additional lighting to be installed, subject to agreement on funding of the installation and long-term maintenance being made available.

    At this stage, no firm proposals have been made, but councillors would appreciate comments from residents on suggestions to make more use of the Stimpson’s Piece car park.

    Future events

    Wednesday 9 January: Town Council meeting and Stimpson’s Piece trustee meeting

    Wednesday 13 February: Town Council meeting and Stimpson’s Piece trustee meeting

    All meetings are held in the Town Hall, Church Street, Reepham, commencing at 7.30 pm, unless otherwise advertised.

    Members of the public are welcome to attend and to make their views known to councillors at the beginning of every meeting.

    Contact: Reepham Town Council, Town Hall, Church Street, Reepham, Norfolk NR10 4JW. Tel: 01603 873355. Email

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