- Present
- Councillors Clive Hawkins (Chairman), Diane Donat, Stephen Russell, Clive Morris. Carole Rose (Clerk to the Council), County Councillor Jane Storey, County Councillor Andy Mellon, District Councillor Richard Meyer and 7 members of the public. (maximum 15 allowed)
1. Welcome from the Chairman
Councillor Hawkins welcomed everyone to the Annual Parish Meeting and reiterated the Govt restrictions under which this meeting was held post the pandemic.
2. Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting Held on 20 May 2019 (no meeting 2020)
The minutes had previously been circulated. It was agreed these were an accurate record of the meeting and were therefore signed by the Chairman.
Reports
3. Report from Badwell Ash Parish Council
Councillor Hawkins read his report out at the meeting.
4. Report from Richard Meyer, District Councillor
This was read out at the meeting by the Clerk.
5. Report from Jane Storey, Suffolk County Councillor
Jane Storey read out her final report as a County Councillor and introduced the meeting to Councillor Andy Mellon who takes over the role as County Councillor for Thedwastre North.
6. Report from the Reverend Philip Merry on behalf Parochial Church Council
Rev Merry verbally gave his report at the meeting. He commented that on 23 March 2020 the Government closed all churches. On 4 July 2020 Badwell and Walsham churches were allowed to reopen for said services and have remained open since then. All PCC meetings have been held in the churches. Finances were extremely difficult but St Mary’s Badwell had kept its head above water. The plan to build a new cemetery in The Broadway is on hold currently due to lack of finance. It is still hoped to build a kitchen and toilet in St Marys church but this will only be possible with grant funding not through donations or income. A plaque has been installed on the north wall of the church in memory to Roy Le Grice who was a great benefactor to the village. A food bank was started by the Vicar and his wife at the beginning of the pandemic which was in turn taken over by the Walsham Community Centre for the benefit of all residents within the six parishes of the Benefice. Approximately 7 – 10 families per month used this welcome facility.
7. Report from the History Group
The Clerk read out a short report from the History Group to say that they had not met during 2020 due to the pandemic, however their website www.badwellashheritage.co.uk is up to date. A new village booklet on the history of The Mill has been produced by Howard Newman and is on sale in the church for £5.
8. Report from the Village Hall
A report was read out by Clive Hawkins who took over the role of Chairman in early 2020 following the resignation of Chris Evans in 2019.
9. Reports from Badwell Ash Church Charity and Badwell Ash United Charities
This report was read out by Jane Storey who is the Chairman of the Trustees.
10. Report from Mrs Midge Hawkins, President of the WI
This report was read out by the Clerk.
11. Public Forum
No comments were made or received by the attendants at the meeting.
(All reports to be retained with the Minutes on file)
The meeting closed at 7.30pm
Carole Rose
Parish Clerk
20 May 2021