DENNINGTON PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of Parish Council Meeting

21st November

Jubilee Hall 7.30pm

Present: Robert Wardley (Chairman), Robert Rous, Carol Sheward, Katherine Whitbread,

Rebecca Smith, John Calver

Shirley Cunningham (Clerk)

Members of the Public:3

  1. Apologies for Absence:Councillors Mary Mann, Christopher Desbrow, Nick Watts,

County Councillor Hart

  1. Declaration of Interests: Robert Wardley: DCC, Suffolk Constabulary; Robert Rous: DCC, Sports Club, Village Hall Committee, PCC
  1. Minutes for Parish Council Meeting held on 7th September2011 were approved and signed as a true record
  1. Reports:County Councillor Colin Hart’s report was read to the meeting regarding Suffolk County Council’s Budget proposals for 2012/2013.

Carol Sheward:Still continuing to monitor traffic. Very difficult to lodge actual names and licence plates. Will continue to monitor.

  1. Highways and Footpaths: Speeding: The Chairman has been informed that there are to be no further extensions of speed limits to villages and towns. Traffic calming measures have been suggested and negotiations are still ongoing with officers from SCC. The costs may be covered by the County Councillor’s Quality of Life scheme. It has been noted that there have been a number of speed checks on Laxfield Road recently.Councillors agreed that the Chairman should have a site meeting with the officer now in charge of this area.

Snow Clearing: Mr. Danny Keating and Pene Welham have been added to the volunteers list. A list of instructions from SCC for snow volunteers were distributed to Councillors. The instructions will be given to the volunteers.

Spring Lane signs: The Council had received two letters of thanks from parishioners.

Footpath sign at Bell House: this has been reported to SCC

  1. Land Ownership of the Square: The Chairman read a letter from parishioners living near The Square, Dennington. It concerned potholes on land fronting and leading to the properties. The parishioners wanted to know who owned the area. The Chairman presented the meeting with a map from Land Registry indicating ownership of land by SCC and the Queen’s Head Public House. The property register from the Land Registry gave specific details for the land. It was clear that the County Council nor the Parish Council owned the land in question. The Clerk was instructed to write to the signatories informing them of the map number and its details.
  1. Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Celebrations 2nd – 5th June 2012: Councillor Rous reported on the meeting held in October. He reported that it had been a disappointing meeting with a few volunteers but no-one prepared to step forward to lead the process. There had been one definite committee member volunteer, but he hoped that people might rally round. He would try to move it forward in the New Year.
  1. Tree Management: A resident had contacted the Chairman regarding trees at Capons Green. The trees had been planted in 1972 but now one was close to the electric lines and could fall into them. A tree surgeon had been contacted but it was very expensive. Councillor Rous agreed to look into the matter.
  1. Budget:Due to the current financial situation in the country, Councillors agreed that the Precept should not be raised. However, there had been a number of expenses this year and more may occur next year. Therefore, some cost cutting was agreed. The planned expenses for a Parish Plan was removed and the grants for the clubs and societies were reduced for this financial year by £50. At the 2012 budget meeting, a decision on the grant for the clubs would be taken, but the likely sum would be around £250. Following these changes the budget for 2012/2013 was agreed and will be published at the next meeting.
  1. Clerk’s Report:

The approved Annual Return has been received from the external auditors with no comments. The audit for 2010/2011 was approved and accepted.

The Notice of Conclusion of the Audit has been displayed on the notice board.

Precept has been received: £2750

Accounts:

Bank Accounts:HSBC Account No 1: £2750.29 HSBC Account No 2: £3974.60

Deposits since last meeting:

30th September Precept£2750

Cheques signed since last meeting:

100276Bartrams Mowers Ltd£40.22

Machinery parts

100277BDO LLP£144

Internal Audit

100278Robert Wardley£42

Printing costs

Cheques to be agreed and signed at this meeting:

100279Hall Hire£51

100280John Fuller£97

Machinery Maintenance

100281SCDC: Provision of Name Plate£182

As agreed 4th JulyRoad Traffic Act 1984 s 72

100282Shirley Cunningham£272

Salary

100283Dennington Village Hall grant£250

As agreed 15/11/10 (LG(MP)A 1976 s19)

100284Dennington PCC£400

As agreed 15/11/10 (Parish Councils Act 1957 s3)

100285Dennington Sports Club£250

As agreed 15/11/10 (LG(MP)A 1976 s19)

100286East Anglian Air Ambulance£50

As agreed 15/11/10 (Section 137)

100287CAB£50

As agreed 15/11/10 (LGA 1972, s142(2A))

100288Shirley Cunningham£34.31

Stamps and Accounts Book

100289Roberts-Molloy Associates£301.80

Tennis Court Planning App As agreed 16/11/09;15/11/10

100290Peter Reeve£26

There had been no further progress regarding a new Clerk. An advert was to appear in Framfare, local clerks had been notified by Mrs Cunningham and advertisements placed in local Post Offices, along with the SALC website. Councillors were encouraged to try to think of someone who would be suitable.

  1. Correspondence:CAB September 2011: 23 clients came from this area

Review of Parliamentary Constituencies in England will cease on 5th December 2011

The Suffolk Foundation: The High Sheriff Awards

Transport Consulation: SALC

Circulation pack included: Local Suffolk Foods Letter

Suffolk Contingency Plan pending the Dale Farm eviction

Suffolk Preservation Society: Invitation for thatched property owners and their agents

SALC forwarded message re Aldeburgh HospitalAge UK: Pride of Place

Suffolk ACRE: Funding Newsletter and Summer UpdateSuffolk View

Suffolk LINK: Annual ReportPolicing Suffolk

NALC: Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and Data Protection Responsibilites

SALC Consulatation on New ConstitutionSALC: AGM Agenda

  1. Open Public Session:No comments

Date for next Parish Council Meeting: Monday 30thJanuary 2012 at 7.30pm

  1. Closed Session: The public was asked to leave as the Council was to discuss a matter in closed session. Documents were read to the meeting and Councillors supported the Chairman unanimously.

Meeting Closed: 8.50pm

SIGNED:______DATE:______

Dennington Parish Council