The Tivetshalls Grapevine JUNE / JULY 2017 ISSUE 134 YOUR GRAPEVINE May is a busy month, with a packed Grapevine. This year, first of all, we have had elections for Norfolk County Council. Tivetshall is in the West Depwade Division, and Bev Spratt, who has represented us for many years, held his seat with an increased majority: congratulations, Bev, we look forward to working with you for the next 4 years. Next, your Parish Council held its Annual Meeting, where, apart from all the normal business, there are all sorts of bureaucratic things to be done. This was followed, a week later, by the Annual Parish Meetings. In a change from previous years, the reports from village organisations and groups, are all summarised in this issue to make them more relevant. Both the council meeting minutes, and the reports, have been edited for space. HELP WANTED Your parish council, your villages, need help. Issues identified in the Tivetshalls, issues that would once have been taken care of by the district or county council, will only now be dealt with if we do it ourselves, and your parish councillors cannot do it alone. In particular, as was reported in the last Grapevine, we are still looking for a tree warden, and more information on this rôle can be found at www.SouthNorfolkTreeWardens.org. Perhaps being a play inspector is more to your liking. Our play equipment must be safe for our children, and kept safe. Regular inspections can help to ensure this and the training will tell you what to look for and how to do it. Can you help with either of these small tasks? Or, indeed, any other task? I have, in the past, used these pages to thank parishioners for their efforts and if you look back at previous issues you can see the sort of help that goes a long way to making the Tivetshalls a better place to live. T. C. GARRETT ROOFING CONTRACTOR Your Local Contractor For All Your Roofing Requirements Flat/Tiled/Slated Including all timberworks & UPVC fascia & guttering works Call us today for a no obligation free quotation and advice On 01508 531765 or Email us at: [email protected] 118 IPSWICH ROAD, LONG STRATTON, NR15 2TJ Karen Oastler Domestic & Office Cleaning Services The Oast House, 9 Moulton Road, Tivetshall St Margaret, Norwich, NR15 2AJ Telephone :- 01379 674793 • Mobile :- 07503 089800 Email :- [email protected] Reliable, Professional Cleaning Services Established Since 2007 and Fully Insured Please Phone, Text or Email to Discuss Your Requirements Today 2 DOG FOULING It is upsetting to have to revisit this issue, but there are some dog owners who seem determined to spoil things for the rest of us. Apart from being unpleasant it is an offence to allow a dog to foul in any public space. I won’t quote the whole law but, essentially, unless you are blind or have a disability that prevents you from doing so, you must immediately clear up after your dog and dispose of everything properly. There are now seven dog litter bins in Tivetshall and there is no excuse for not using them. Dog wardens are patrolling this area and at least one person has already been fined. We are about to have a dog show and will surely show that we are dog-friendly. Let’s show ourselves to be people-friendly, too. FROM THE CHAIR Hello to all, we are already almost into the middle of 2017. Seems impossible how the time whizzes past.......... We have just had the Parish Council annual meetings and I'm very pleased to say I am Chair for the next PC year. We have had a very productive few months and are pleased to say that the Trod Path, which was not as we had hoped - is going to be topped with a hard surface to finally make it 'User Friendly'. A Bus Shelter is to be installed on the Norwich bound side of the A140 at the bus stop between Ram Lane and Rectory Road. The fencing around the playing field will be undergoing extensive maintenance shortly as it is unfortunately in a very bad state of repair. Tivetshall Family and Friends have organised a Dog Show for the bank holiday weekend at the end of May, and I'm expecting it to be a fantastic day for all. On a more negative note, we are having a real problem within the village from a few dog walkers who are flouting the law and not picking up after their pets. It's such a shame that a minority can spoil the countryside. 3 There are numerous dog bins situated around the village. We would all be grateful if you used them. There is a dog warden at SNDC who is patrolling the local villages - so to avoid an inevitable prosecution please use the bins. The very best of wishes to all in The Tivetshalls. Rita (Chair). BROADBAND The project to bring high speed (1000 Mbps, much faster than what the government call “super-fast”) broadband to Tivetshall and, more generally, to South Norfolk and beyond is exciting and fast moving. There is a report later in this issue, as presented to the Annual Parish Meeting, but it may well be out of date before you read it. You will understand the need for confidentiality while discussions are in progress, but it is hoped that we will be in a position to make an announcement in the very near future. When we know how we will be moving forward, we will hold another public meeting in the Village Hall, to let you all know what, and how, we are doing, and to answer any questions you may have. FISH AND CHIPS If you are a regular at Ed’s Fish and Chip van in the Village Hall you may already have been told this. If it is an occasional treat, there is a possibility, in the short term, that you may be disappointed. For personal reasons (I do know what they are but it is not my place to say), Ed may not be able to come here every week over the next few months. He still expects to be here most of the time, so please be patient. MORNINGTHORPE REFUSE CENTRE We have been told that the Morningthorpe recycling centre is going to be closed, for what is termed ‘essential’ maintenance, from 13 June until 4 August, and is scheduled to reopen on Saturday 5 August. There is, unfortunately, no nearby alternative site, the closest being at Bergh Apton. If you have things to recycle, you are advised to take them in the next week or two, or hang on to them for a couple of months. 4 FROM THE LONG STRATTON SURGERY Every issue the Long Stratton surgery send us some brief news, which we are happy to print. It may be about a particular health issue or, as this one, about the surgery itself. A number of residents, particularly from St. Margaret, are registered with this surgery, although we must make clear that there is also a surgery in Pulham Market, and they have sent us a report to the Annual Parish Meeting, which is printed later in this issue. Staff Updates Congratulations to Dr Shara Khaffaf who recently passed the final examination of her GP training, She is now a fully qualified GP. We have Dr Guy Cutler working with us for the next 4 months and we welcome him to the team. We are very sad to say goodbye on 15th June to our lead nurse Caroline Dear who is moving to another part of the UK. Caroline has been a fabulous role model for our new practice nurses and has mentored them brilliantly. She will be much missed and we wish her good luck with the move. Dispensary Team Our dispensary deals with thousands of prescriptions a week and is under a lot of pressure to get patients’ drugs ready in a timely, safe fashion. Please could you try to avoid running out of medication and ensure that you order your repeat medications with a least 3 working days’ notice. Please can we also remind you to check your medication in advance of any bank holiday dates and in plenty of time if you are going away on holiday. This will help reduce the pressure on our dispensary staff. Thank you. Dr Lara Douglass OPEN FARM SUNDAY For the masthead this issue, I have borrowed a picture from the Open Farm Sunday advert. This is an event that happens every year and we are pleased to promote it. This free event takes place on Sunday, 11th June, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Shotford Hall Farm, Harleston, IP20 9QT. The organisers write: Visit our mixed farm to discover where and how your food is produced and used and how farmers look after the environment. Ever wondered what it’s like in the seat of a tractor or what technology is involved? How are animals reared and cared for? Come and find out and get close to the machinery, touch the animals and meet the people actively involved in farming. Enjoy a tractor and trailer tour, take a leisurely riverside walk or get busy in the children’s activity barn. Refreshments available. For more information, contact Tim Lewis on 07767 708106. 5 PARISH MEETING REPORTS Although there were some others that were read out, all the reports for the parish meeting that I have in soft copy are printed below, with apologies for any errors in editing them for space.