A slightly meatier agenda than the previous month’s half hour affair gave hungry viewers more to tuck into for July’s full Town Council meeting at the beginning of the month. Here are some of the nuggets we came away with in our doggy bag...

Neighbourhood Plan Debate Shelved

A cloud of mystery surrounded the last-minute withdrawal of an agenda item to discuss the town’s revised Neighbourhood Plan.

Withdrawing the item, Mayor Kevin Hurn (Con) said he had “received further correspondence from South Norfolk Council which requires attention before the plan can be presented to Town Council”.

The document, which is intended to put forward a vision for development and growth in the area, had previously been branded “disappointing” by the leader of South Norfolk Council and the vice-chairman of its planning committee, for leaving key questions unanswered.

A little bit of extra time to dot the i’s and cross the t’s before the Town Council members get their first official input on the plan might not be the worst idea then...

Town Coordinator Progress

8 months after the role was initially proposed on a dark December night, recruitment for the long-awaited Town Coordinator has inched a step closer, with the Town Council voting to transfer responsibility for writing a job specification, recruiting and managing the successful applicant to South Norfolk Council.

The position will eventually work with businesses and residents to coordinate things like events, leisure and tourism in the town.

The last word on the recruitment process’s glacial progress fell to Cllr Richard Elliot (Con), who said: “Hopefully this very long running saga of finding a Town Coordinator can be brought to its final stages and we can start to bring benefits to the town”.

Testy Exchanges Over Council Staff Job Descriptions

A seemingly innocuous item over job descriptions for the Town Council’s permanent staff turned frosty when Cllr Penny Hubble (Con) raised the lack of uniformity between the Town Clerk’s job description and all other employees. 

In a terse section you could cut with a knife, a defensive-sounding Clerk snapped “why does it need to be uniform?” and voiced disgruntlement at the topic being on the agenda. The job specification contained no working hours for example, while all others did.

Cllr Kim Carsok (Con) raised the idea that the need to motivate staff and deal with the public in a kind, supportive and courteous manner ought to be included in all Council employees’ roles.

Cllr Richard Elliot asked if the job specs are used as part of appraisals. “What relevance does that have?” huffed the Clerk, before revealing that the job descriptions under review could be different to what are in employees’ contracts, so don’t form part of performance reviews.

So that’s job descriptions that never get amended from the first day you join and an appraisal process your employer can barely influence. Sign this columnist up for a job! 

Ground Staff Recruitment Hits Brick  Wall

If you like the sound of those working conditions, why not consider joining the Town Council’s ground staff?

A question by Cllr Richard Elliot revealed no progress has been made on recruiting for the positions that have been vacant most the year and suggested looking at outsourcing the work to contractors - a suggestion rebuffed as going off topic. Instead, the same approach to recruitment will be tried going forward, with the expectation of a different result...

Chandler’s Hill Garden Works Quote Accepted

Progress ticked over on planned works at Chandler’s Hill to create a new Jubilee Garden, with the Council voting to accept one of two quotes to realise the designs.

Cllr Robert Savage (Con) expressed exasperation at the difference in the initially-imagined cost of the project vs the reality of the quotes provided, saying “I can’t say I’m desperately happy about the cost though I’m happy about the principle”, eventually abstaining.

God save the Queen...

Summing up, the initiative’s proposer Cllr Kathryn Cross (Con) said: “Having not been able to celebrate the Jubilee with our Jubilee Fest, it’s even more important to get something special for the Queen’s Jubilee year and make it a garden for the public really to be able to utilise and enjoy.“

Travellers’ Site

Cllr Julian Halls (Lib Dem) gave an update from district council around the placement of two travellers’ pitches at the former site of the recycling centre in Wymondham at Strayground Lane, once it has become vacant. A consultation period is open now, which the public are able to contribute to themselves. With the Town Council not due to meet in August, it will not be able to register any views on the matter within the deadline.

Toilet Talk

The Town Clerk spoke expertly at length to provide the chamber with an eloquent and detailed description of toilet vandalism in the town that involved a dastardly combination of talcum powder, toilet roll and fake eyelashes. A less-mature columnist might have found the whole thing faintly amusing...