Favor Parker Village Liaison Committee

Minutes of the meeting held on 13th September 2002 at the Village Hall

Present:

Mr Dave Robson (Principal Environmental Health Officer, King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council)

Mr Les Bonnett (Parish Councillor)

Mr Brian Harrison (Village Representative)

Mr Chris Hitchens (Managing Director, Favor Parker Ltd)

Mrs Pat Holton (Village Representative)

Mr Alastair Inskip (Assistant Mill Manager, Favor Parker Ltd)

Mr Trevor Manley (Borough Councillor)

Mr Kevin Moore (Environmental Health Officer, King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council)

Mr George Patterson (Parish Councillor)

Mr Ray Thompson (Editor of "The Village Pump")

Mr Ken Vine (Mill Manager, Favor Parker Ltd)

1. Apologies

Apologies for absence were received from Mr Peter Burgess (Transport Manager, Favor Parker Ltd).

2. Minutes of the previous meeting and matters arising

The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed to be an accurate record of the proceedings.

Mr Robson proposed an agenda for Liaison Meetings and this was discussed and adopted for the meeting.

Mr Bonnett reported that the Highways Department had responded to the requests from the Parish Council, but it was the view of Highways that there was no reason to add either yellow lines or waiting restrictions on the junction of Lynn Road and Furlong Road by the Post Office. He further reported that there was resurfacing work scheduled to be carried out in the village and a closure order had been applied for with work due to be carried out on Sunday 13th October.

Mr Bonnett said that he had not heard the silo conveyor lately and this seemed to have been fixed.

Mr Hitchens said that he anticipated that the Dukes Head will have been sold by the time of the next meeting.

Mr Inskip reported that the cladding would be completed this month, the start of the work had been delayed by the heavy rain. Mr Harrison said that other than a short period of wet weather the month had been dry. Mr Hitchens said that when the contractors had been unable to start work on this site they had moved to other jobs which had to be completed before returning here. Mr Robson said that noise monitoring would be continued once the cladding was complete.

3. Complaints received since the last meeting

Mr Robson reported on complaints and comments received by the Environmental Protection department since the last meeting:

Furlong meadow: empty 1,000 litre containers stored on the meadow have been removed. These containers originally held feed materials used in animal feed. Mr Hitchens reported that the state of the meadow had been much improved, the containers had been removed and rubbish cleared.

Water being spread on Furlong meadow: Mr Robson said that the water was wash water from the vehicle wash at the Furlong, and this was no longer being put on the meadow. Mr Vine said that this water was used for washing lorry exteriors, and was recycled through a filtration system but periodically the water had to be removed and replaced with fresh water.

Mr Inskip reported on complaints and comments received by Favor Parker since the last meeting:

Mr Harrison, 18th June: Mr Harrison telephoned on the evening of 18th June and reported a load screeching sound from the mill or yard. Mr Vine received the message later that evening and investigated the report, but was unable to hear the noise reported. Mr Bonnett said that he had heard the noise as well, it could have been a bearing and appeared to be coming from high level above the old side of the mill.

Mrs Holton, 25th June: Mrs Holton reported to Mr Vine that there was a mist of water droplets falling onto the Lynn Road footpath. Mr Vine inspected the area between the Post Office and Wretton Road and at that time it was dry. It is thought that this was caused by one of the production lines having just started up.

Mrs Clements, 2nd July: Mrs Clements telephoned and reported to Mr Vine that there was a terrible smell that had started the previous day and was still present. Mrs Clements lives opposite the school on the Wretton Road. Mr Vine reported that the wind was currently blowing in the opposite direction from the mill, and the smell had been noted by the company engineer the previous day who had tracked it to the sugar beet factory who were removing the sediment from the lagoons.

Mr Thompson, 19th September: Mr Thompson reported to Mr Inskip that a Favor Parker vehicle had turned into the Wretton Road without the driver looking to see if the road was clear of oncoming traffic. In addition, the driver was talking on a mobile phone held in his left hand at the time. Mr Inskip said that the details of the incident and the vehicle registration were passed to Mr Burgess who spoke with the driver concerned. Mr Harrison said that he felt that the standard of driving was getting worse rather than better, and other incidents had been reported to him by residents. Mr Bonnett said that the problems tended to be with the younger drivers.

Mr Harrison, 5th September: Mr Harrison spoke with Mr Inskip and asked if there had been a change in policy regarding the use of the Buckenham Drive entrance. He said that he had noted, and others had noted to him, that there were more vehicles travelling through the village and using the bottom entrance. Mr Inskip said that there had been no change in policy. Mr Hitchens said that during the harvest period there was often congestion at the top gate, but a driver with a load would still find it easier to use the top entrance than to use Buckenham Drive and then have to drive through the mill complex. Mr Inskip suggested that the vehicles were being seen between 2pm and 3pm, at this time of day drivers who started early are completing their day and may well be using the bottom gate to refuel their vehicles before parking up.

Mr Patterson; Mr Patterson spoke with Mr Inskip and reported a vehicle blower operating for approximately 10 minutes at 11:40pm. Mr Inskip spoke to the night shift but was unable to identify which vehicle was responsible.

4. Noise

Mr Bonnett if mineral deliveries could be made via conveyors and elevators rather than by blowing. Mr Robson said that mineral deliveries were discharged by blowing to reduce the dust. The technology available for blowing vehicles had been examined in the past, and at this time he would maintain a watching brief. Mr Hitchens said that it was hoped the improvements in technology may resolve the noise problems in blowing raw materials and finished product.

Mr Bonnett said that the road outside the Furlong is breaking up and this causes the vehicles to rattle over it. Highways have been informed in order to review this area before the resurfacing work commences elsewhere in the village.

Mr Thompson reported that he had received a complaint from a resident in Buckenham Drive opposite the entrance to the site. The resident has complained in the past to Mr Burgess on several occasions. The complaint relates to traffic noise, general noise from the factory and road safety in the vicinity of the exit from the factory and the drive to her property. Mr Robson said that the department had been in contact with this resident who had reported noise from the vehicle workshop. This will be followed up.

Mr Harrison reported that the contractors carrying out the cladding had been making a lot of noise as early as 6.30 in the morning. Mr Robson suggested that the company should arrange for noise to be kept to a minimum until 7.30am.

5. Transport

Mr Bonnett reported that there was grain being spilt on the roads, and Mr Thompson reported that there was a tractor leaking grain from a tear in its sheet by the Post Office as he walked to the meeting. Details of the vehicle were passed to Mr Vine.

Mr Bonnett reported that there had been a Favor Parker 8-wheeler speeding on the Furlong Road but he did not have a record of the registration number.

Mrs Holton asked if there had been an increase in traffic and vehicle size during the year. Mr Hitchens said that that the tonnage had not increased in the last year, but in the last 18 months there had been a change in regulations and the capacity of vehicles had been increased and this should have lead to a reduction in vehicle movements. Mr Bonnett suggested that there were more movements at night and asked how future changes in legislation would affect haulage. Mr Hitchens said that vehicles had always been loaded during the night. The amendments to the drivers hours reflected the ending of the exemption of drivers from the Working Time Directive. The exact details of the changes were still uncertain and depended upon how the regulations were adopted by the UK government.

Mr Thompson said that the top gate was particularly awkward for lorries to use and necessitated them swinging out into the road. Mr Hitchens said that this had been discussed with Highways and their preference was for the entrance to be moved to the corner of the site, however this option was related to Self's Field as discussed in previous liaison meetings.

6. Odour, dust and particulates

Mr Patterson said that there had been an odour from the mill the previous day and night.

Mr Thompson said that following discussion at the previous meeting, efforts had continued to collect samples of the wax deposits for analysis but there was not enough material for an analysis.

Mr Robson said that at his request the company was investigating options for the clean air units to improve dispersal, and some adjustments had already been made on the recommendation of the manufacturer to decrease the water level in the units and reduce carryover of water vapour and droplet.

There was a discussion on the composition of dust/particles from the clean air units. Mr Hitchens said that any dust from the site would largely be organic as 90% of feed constituents are organic.

7. Any other business

Mr Bonnet asked about the run-off water from the yard. Mr Robson said that the water was directed through interceptors and oil separators, the tanks being emptied by a contractor. Mr Harrison asked about the discharge from the scrubbers. Mr Inskip replied that this was passed through two sets of interceptors and the water was then discharged to the Anglia Water drain.

Mrs Holton asked if there was a risk of Legionella from the clean air units in light of recent cases in the media. Mr Inskip said that tests had been carried out on samples taken from within from the clean air units and these had proven negative for Legionella. The report from the engineer that took the sample said that the frequent changes of water and the regular heating of the water to 60 degreesC by the hot air from the dryers both served to reduce the risk of micro-organisms infecting the system.

Mr Moore reported that the specimens of flies collected from the village had been identified by an expert and the detail of his report is reproduced below:

Pete Cook (Technical Advisor), Industrial Pesticides

Mr Thompson said that the readers of the Village Pump were delighted by the openness and frankness of the meetings, and requested illustrations for the minutes.

Mrs Holton said that the buildings fronting the High Street and Lynn Road were much improved after being repainted.

8. Date of next meeting

The date of the next meeting was arranged for 2.30pm on Friday 13th December, Mr Hitchens said that he hoped that it would be possible to hold this meeting in the new meeting room being prepared in The Hall.