Minutes of Long Melford Parish Council Meeting held in the Large Room of the United Reformed Church on Thursday 2nd July, 2015 at 7pm

Present: Councillors: Chair: Helen Spear, Vice Chair: Jayne Lines, Richard Michette,

Spud Dudden, Claire Ingram, Liz Malvisi, Carole Michette, Ann
Moreton, Paul Moreton, John Nunn and Sarah Wordley.

14 Members of the public.

1.  Apologies for absence were received from Councillors: Emma Butler Smith and John Watts. The two councillors not present had asked prior to the meeting if they were entitled to a proxy vote. In this instance they were not.

2.  To receive Councillor’s Declarations of Interest or Hospitality in any item on the Agenda: The Chair requested that Councillor Michette registered an interest as he had presented proposal iii. and that he therefore did not have a vote. Councillor Michette objected on the grounds that he did not have any direct financial benefit (a pecuniary interest) in relation to his proposal iii. which was proposed as a parish councillor. Therefore he considered he may take part in the debate and he was allowed a vote. The Chair disagreed.

3.  Chairs report: The Chair, Helen Spear welcomed all present to the meeting. Gave a short introduction explaining that as The Future Management of Long Melford Country Park & Long Melford Railway Walk proposal was an extensive document that all other items had been removed from the Agenda to allow for an informed debate.

The Wayleave document for Broadband on the Green had been signed and all other

documents would be deferred to the next meeting.

4.  The Future Management of the Country Park & Railway Walk: A document containing the following documents (attached) had been distributed to all parish councillors for their consideration prior to the meeting which included:

1.  Original Lease & Plan

2.  Community Interest Company – CIC. What is it?

3.  LMOS Report of Current Management of Sites – May 2015

4.  LMOS Finance - 3 year Income & Expenditure

5.  Suffolk Wildlife Report on the on-going habitat management of the sites

6.  Marketing & commercial potential – report prepared by David Martin

7.  Proposals for the Future Management of the Country Park & Railway Walk:

i.  LMOS: update & proposal for continued management

ii.  The Landscape Group: quotations

iii.  Parish Councillor Richard Michette: proposal of alternative style of

management

The Chair requested the meeting was recorded. Each document was discussed questions

answered and clarified.

Standing Orders were suspended/reconvened for a maximum of 15 minutes in order that

the public may ask questions.

5.  Chairman’s Summary

The Chair gave her recommendations and summary.

The Chair called for a vote to accept one proposal for the Future Management of the Country Park & Railway Walk from the three proposals received:

i. LMOS, ii. The Landscape Group, iii. Parish Councillor Richard Michette

Result of Vote: 1 Against – Carole Michette, 9 For - Proposal i. LMOS.

Councillor Richard Michette left the meeting objecting that he was entitled to a vote.

The Future Management of the Country Park & Railway Walk was awarded to LMOS Proposal i. for a term of 5 years with a 3 year break to both LMOS and LMPC.

It was further agreed that at the next full council meeting that a Management Plan Committee would be formed with members from both the Parish Council and LMOS.

That it was essential as the site is a Local Nature Reserve (LNR) that the Government guidelines/criteria, including surveys, were included in the Management Plan. That an “achievable” 3 year Management Plan and a “visionary” 5 year Management Plan would be presented to the parish council before the start of the contract: 1st October, 2015.

6.  The meeting closed at 8.14pm.