Parish Council Meeting Minutes

Meeting Date:

Summary
This summary is generated by AI and may contain errors. It does not form part of the official minutes.
Exciting developments include plans for a public consultation on the MUGA once planning results are in. Residents are encouraged to complete the Bus Survey to help secure a new bus service. Plus, there's a boost in local employment with 14,500 new jobs at Gateway 14 Business Park.
Present
Councillors Stephen Russell (Vice Chairman), Will Draper, Nick Harvey, Roy Woodfine, Bill Woodall, Mark Tomkins, Clare Taylor and John Morgan. DC Richard Winch and 3 members of the public attended.

Public Forum

  1. Mr Goswell asked when his list of questions regarding the MUGA, the planning application and sources of money were going to be answered in detail. He was reassured that as soon as the results of the planning application were known following MSDC’s deliberations it was the Parish Council’s intention (as has been mentioned numerous times before) to hold a public consultation to gather all points both positive and negative regarding the MUGA before any further decisions were made.

    Mr Lockwood expressed his concerns regarding an oak tree on Langham Road and its branches. He was advised to use the Report It tool on Suffolk County Council’s website. The Parish Council does not have responsibility for tree management on public land. District Councillor Richard Winch also volunteered to take a look at it in case it has a TPO attached to it.

  2. No new matters to add.
  3. CC Andy Mellen had tabled his report in his absence (attached for the files). Cllr Taylor echoed Andy Mellen’s real concern with the current state of Children’s Social Care in Suffolk which has gone from Outstanding in 2019 to Requires Improvement To Be Good currently.
  4. DC Richard Winch highlighted that Gateway 14 Business Park was recruiting 14,500 new jobs which would be a boost to employment. DC Winch also highlighted that funding was available for designs for walking and cycling routes if there were any we could nominate. DC Winch asked if the Parish Council could write to Anglia Water requesting a meeting to discuss water/flood/sewage issues which they agreed to do. DC Winch indicated that AW would only attend if formally asked by the PC and he would then try and engage with SCC and local landowners to make it a multi-agency meeting to discuss the wider problems.

Apologies

C Cllr Andy Mellen and Cllr Richard Morris (Chairman)

Declarations of Interest and Requests for Dispensation

  1. None
  2. None

Minutes

  1. The minutes of 6 August 2024 having been circulated and unanimously approved by the Parish Councillors were then signed by the Vice Chairman.
  2. Item 8.2 of July’s meeting concerned the modification of the new NALC Financial Model Regulations – Cllr Morgan hoped to be able to report back at October’s meeting.

Clerk’s Report and Correspondence

The Clerk gave a verbal report on various matters:

  • The External Audit for the financial year ending 31.3.24 had been received after a five month wait. BAPC had received the Certificate of Completion and this was posted on our website.
  • Badwell Ash residents have been requested to complete the Bus Survey compiled by Walsham le Willows PC in order that DC Winch can collate data for his negotiations for a new bus service. This is now on our Facebook page and our website (to be completed by end of September). RW was thanked publicly for all his hard work on this topic.
  • The toad money the PC are holding from Mulberry Homes (£3k) will soon be required for spending on toad ladders. The Clerk will work with DC Winch to complete this action.
  • We had received a letter from the Village Hall requesting that the PC pay to have the outfield vegetation cut back. This was performed in March of this year at a cost of £2100 and it was decided that as the current growth was mainly stinging nettles, these would die back naturally over the next couple of months therefore avoiding the cost or a re-cut.
  • The Clerk would be attending a site meeting with Harthog Hutton with DC Winch regarding their site access and construction management plan later this week.
  • The Clerk had received a quote from C&L Construction to patch the village hall drive to avoid any future trip hazards. This quote for immediate rectification which was just over £500 did not require the usual three quotes before implementation. Cllr Woodall requested that we did not use the same contractors for our external jobs but chose different contractors for transparency. This might prove problematic as very few contractors held the licence for working on the highways/verges. Cllr Harvey offered to work with C&L on this repair to ensure satisfaction. Cllr Morgan offered to check our current financial regulations, to confirm the level of a threshold beneath which multiple quotes are not required.
  • The Clerk passed around a sign-up sheet for the Councillors to volunteer to help at the Neighbourhood Plan Open days on 28 and 30 September which was then given to Steve Russell for safe keeping and actioning.
  • The Clerk requested authorisation to make a charity donation of £250 under S137 to Suffolk Mind this year which was unanimously approved. In previous years we have supported SARS and the CAB. The Councillors gave approval for the Clerk to action this.
  1. There followed a long and in-depth discussion about numerous acts of vandalism and hooliganism and damage to the Village Hall, the Church and the children’s playground. Cllr Taylor will work with the Police and Crime Commissioner to arrange a local meeting for all the Parish Councils to address this hugely worrying turn of events. In the meanwhile the Village Hall is going to consider employing a security firm and possibly cctv in the longer term. Cllr Russell is proposing that in the meantime the Parish Councillors patrol the centre of the village in the early evenings when it is known that these individuals usually operate. Volunteers to step forward.
  2. A letter had been received from Prolectric regarding the replacement of the metal columns to the two solar lights in the car park of the village hall. This will be necessary to meet the upgraded BS requirements. The Councillors gave approval for this to go ahead at nil cost.
  3. Confirmation had been received from Councillor Andrew Stringer from Mendlesham that he will attend the PC meeting on 1 October at 6.00pm to give guidance to the Councillors on planning matters.

Environment

  1. Cllr Tomkins provided a meeting report from the NP Steering Committee on 3 Sept outlining a series of recommendations for the Parish Council to implement if the NP is adopted. (file note attached). Cllr Tomkins asked for the vote on the recommendations to be deferred to enable all Councillors, and the Chairman, to re-read the recommendations before the October meeting. The vote would be required before January. Cllr Russell outlined the need to purchase more display boards for use in the upcoming public consultations. He stated that these would be stored by the Historical Society after first use and would be a ‘general facility’ for the village as the PC had no source of storage itself. He went on to confirm that the two NP public consultation dates were 28 and 30 September, after which the display would move to the church for 6 weeks. The church would require a donation of £250 for this.
  2. In terms of the MUGA/Village Hall public consultation, the Vice Chairman asked for Cllrs Harvey and Woodall to contact the VHC and agree and plan the single day for this. It was expected to be early October (after the Planning Committee have deliberated on the MUGA). Cllrs Harvey and Woodall to circulate an update on this as soon as possible. Cllr Harvey updated the meeting that MSDC had requested a Noise Impact Survey in connection with the MUGA which would prove fairly costly but perhaps could be deferred until the outcome of the planning was known.
  3. Cllr Draper confirmed he had held a liaison meeting with the VHC. They confirmed that they were supportive of the ECP facility, the MUGA and the repairs to the village hall drive. In return they would like to request monies for cladding; cutting the outfield and possible cctv. The Vice Chairman reiterated the Council’s policy on grants and the Clerk would re-issue the documents to Cllr Draper for transparency purposes. The Councillors agreed that a more ‘friendly’ stance needs to be adopted rather than a ‘them’ and ‘us’ scenario.
  4. Cllr Tomkins confirmed he had sourced two Long Thurlow residents who were willing to paint the new village gates for which the PC was very grateful. The Clerk to purchase the paint and liaise with the volunteers.
  5. Following the Clerk’s initial enquiries to local parishes re a PCC meeting which were positive, Cllr Taylor would now liaise with Tim Passmore to find a date when he could come to BA to talk to Parish Councillors about their concerns.
  6. Cllr Harvey had consulted with contractors about the stone damage to the war memorial. The stone is Portland and they would attempt to source ‘weathered Portland stone’ to match the existing before attempting a repair. Mr James Taylor has kindly agreed to attend to the central wooden pole which needs attention.
  7. Cllr Woodhall confirmed that footpaths 9 and 10 were still unclear. The Clerk would write to the Footpath Officer to action. Cllr Woodall confirmed that the entrances to footpaths 1 and 2 were now clear and he would be working on footpath 5 next.
  8. Cllr Tompkins outlined the need for the PC to be compliant in terms of Health and Safety and Risk Assessments. A risk assessment and remedy had already been drawn up and implemented for the sandpit in the playground. However it was a requirement that the Risk Assessor was independent and not a Parish Councillor therefore it would be necessary and desirable to outsource this work to a specialist firm. Cllr Draper would supply the Clerk with a name to contact in this regard for a quote. Cllr Morgan reiterated the need for the PC to be compliant in this regard as the HSE could heavily penalise the PC if they did not take appropriate action. Thanks must be given to Cllr Tompkins and the Clerk for constructing and installing a cover for the sandpit to stop the local cats using it as a toilet. Hopefully this would extend the life of the sandpit for the children’s use.
  9. Following the latest ECP zoom meeting, the Clerk reported that we were waiting for the contractors to offer and undertake a survey of the village hall car park before proceeding any further.
  10. A short survey to be compiled for village residents’ opinions on the Broadsheet and its future. The Clerk would recirculate the proposed questions. A one page survey would be produced and inserted into the next Broadsheet on 16 September. All Councillors to give their opinions on the question before Friday 13th September.
  11. Cllr Taylor confirmed that Leon Dunnett had been contacted regarding an article in the next Broadsheet.

Planning

No planning matters this month. DC Winch and the Clerk are due to have an onsite meeting with Harthog Hutton on 6 September regarding their CMP and discussions re pavements and SIDs.

Finance, Governance and Policies

  1. To consider and agree the issue of BACS for the following payments:
    • £872.45 – Wages
    • £180.00 – Sarah Sharp, Broadsheet 100
    • £129.60 - Stephen Rose, street clean July
    • £1256.50 – C&L Construction – Long Thurlow gates
    • £186.00 – Gipping Press Broadsheet Aug/Sept
    • £110.80 – Clerk’s expenses
    • £5.00 – HSBC bank charges
    • £925.00 – Andrea Long, Neighbourhood Plan
    Resolved: It was resolved that these payments could be made. The Vice Chairman and Cllr Woodfine signed an approval for these to be paid by BACS.

Next Meeting

The remaining dates are Tuesday 1 October, Tuesday 5 November and Tuesday 3 December.

Carole Rose – Parish Clerk
01359 259045
6 September 2024

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