HERRINGSWELL PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of Meeting held on Tuesday 8 July 2014 at

Herringswell Village Hall 7.00 pm

Present:Liz Marchington (Chairman), Selina Boyce (Vice Chairman)

Garry Brown, Gloria Hicks, Steve Griffiths

In attendance:Members of the Public

  1. Welcome: LM welcomed everyone.
  1. Apologies: Cllrs Dicker & Drummond
  1. Minutes of Previous Meeting: Approved and Signed
  1. Public Participation. Allowed throughout the meeting
  1. Police Report. No crimes to report, however, SG said there were a number of tractors being taken from fields.
  1. District/County Report.

a.GH read out the headings of Cllr Chamber’s report and has circulated it.

b.Cllr Dicker sent an email congratulating the PC on their representations at the Planning Meeting.

  1. Matters Arising:

None

  1. Planning Applications:
  1. Ridgeons. Application for an additional timber clad storage facility. No objections.
  2. Information received regarding Mr Upton’s Woodland Management Plan. It was agreed to reply to Mr Upton thanking him for keeping us informed and that we have no further queries but would appreciate receiving the response to Forestry Commission’s queries. Also GH to write to Forestry Commission asking what they are doing to monitor the felling and also ask whether it is additional to the previous Plan or has the previous one expired.
  3. LM reported that, following the Planning Meeting last Wednesday, 2 July, the application for an additional 374 dwellings had been deferred. The following issues have been raised:

Matt Hancock MP: He is intervening in the Hatchfield Farm, Newmarket application by actively lobbying the Secretary of State to call it in, following the approval to build 400 home. An article appeared in Sporting News where he confirmed he is actively pursuing over turning this planning approval. LM had written to him about the application at Red Lodge which has numerous issues and what happens in Newmarket will ultimately have an impact on rural parishes but he said he could not intervene in planning matters as these should be decided by the LPA It was agreed a further letter should be sent to remind Mr. Hancock he is responsible for the whole community.

Cllr Andy Drummond: He has been well aware of our objections to Red Lodge due to sewerage, schooling, traffic, etc, all of which have not been resolved. In fact one Councillor at the planning meeting commented that it was one of the worst applications he has ever seen. We were dismayed that, before the debate on the Planning Application commenced, he moved to recommend approval. The application has been deferred in an attempt to find a solution to the outstanding issues. We find it very difficult to see why he has taken this approach as he has not debated the issues we have previously raised nor has he questioned our objections at our meetings. It was agreed in the first instance, to invite him to an Extraordinary Parish Council meeting to discuss why he has taken this action.

A member of the public, who was allowed to speak, had a copy of the Local Government Association guidelines for new Councillors dated 2014 in which it stated “ The councillor’s primary role is to represent their ward or division and the people who live in it.”

(Paul and Kay Evans took the opportunity of thanking the Parish Council for all their work and for speaking at the Planning Meeting)

  1. Meetings: LM, GH together with Cllr Dicker met with Suffolk County Council regarding the lack of school places and no second site for an additional school at Red Lodge. The head teacher and governors had not been included in the discussions around the schooling which formed part of the planning application. They were also concerned that the second school would be an Academy. Further meetings have been arranged for 15 and 16 July, the latter being with Moulton as their school is also full.
  1. Grass cutting: LM invited Kay Evans to speak about the plans for a wildlife area in the Churchyard with Alan Nunn having been involved in the discussions. A Suffolk Wildlife Trust notice has been placed on the gate and AN has agreed to cut designated paths for access. It will take 2 years for the benefits to be seen.
  1. Code of Conduct. An amendment to the Code of Conduct regarding dispensation was adopted.
  2. Correspondence: Circulated via email
  3. Payments: Village Hall and Alan Nunn by BACS
  4. Any other business: LM thanked Caroline Duncan for planting the poppies around the War Memorial.
  5. Date of next meeting: Tuesday 9 September 2014.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 8.45 pm