Present: Councillors:Chair:Jayne Lines,Vice Chair: Steve Dudden, Emma Butler Smith
Minutes of Long Melford Parish Council Meeting held in the Large Room of the United Reformed Church on Thursday3rd December, 2015 at 7pm
Present: Councillors:Chair:Jayne Lines,Vice Chair: Steve Dudden, Emma Butler Smith,
Claire Ingram, Carole Michette, Richard Michette,Ann Moreton, John Nunn,
and John Watts.
Clerk to Council: Jill Gould.
Responsible Finance Officer: Yvonne Hall
36 Members of the public throughout the meeting.
The Chair Jayne Lines welcomed all to the meeting, read a Notice of Announcement
of Filming and a short notice of parish councillors responsibilities towards the public and
points of law.
1.Apologies for absencewere received from Parish Councillors: Paul Moreton and Liz Malvisi.
2.To receive Councillor’s Declarations of Interest or Hospitality in any item on the Agenda: The register was signed accordingly
3.Standing Orders were suspended/reconvened in order that members of the public may communicate or ask questions Parishioner Dave Watts updated the parish council on the latest consultation on the Fleetwood Site. The clerk had brought the documentation to the meeting for parishioners to look at and with permission of Parish Council Planning Chair John Watts would contact the planning officer following the update from Dave Watts. No other questions raised.
4.Chairs report – Jayne Lines – As this was the last meeting before Christmas the Chairinvited everyone to the working mens club, all parish councillors and members of the public for a drink and nibbles – and before anyone asked Jayne was paying for it herself. All were welcome. A by Election had been called on the 14th January, 2016 but we won’t know until 14th
December 2015 if it is contested.
Broadband to the north of the village is imminent. At the last meeting we agreed to resurface Chemist Lane. Parish Councillor Ann Moreton asked if the parish council owned it? Parish Councillor Richard Michette said he believed there was a sinking fund set up by Alstons. Parish Councillor John Watts recalled that Alstons agreed to make good after the building work but did not recall a sinking fund or any agreement for perpetuity. The Clerk said when Helen Spear was Chairman she checked with Alstons and confirmed to the clerk that there was not a sinking fund. Parish Councillor Emma Butler Smith commented let’s do it and then ask for contributions from others. Chair Jayne Lines agreed saying it is important to get this done before someone has an accident. Let’s start spending some of the public’s money. 3 quotes have been received, each quote read out and discussed. It was proposed by Parish Councillor Emma Butler Smith, seconded by Parish Councillor John Watts to award the contract to A J Smith. Parish Councillor John Nunn to contact them. The Village Hall will be notified when the work will take place. The Chair updated the council on the computer issues and that a new computer person was being sought. For those that attended Remembrance Sunday it was a lovely parade and service. Audrey Wreyford had organised a Remembrance Service at the school where the children released red balloons in memory of the men that died followed by white doves. The children were impeccably behaved and silent throughout it was an honour to attend. After the service some of us were shown around the school. When the children were asked who they thought the Clerk and Chair ladies were, one child said were we the Poppy ladies who look after our world. Perhaps we should use that as our slogan. The W.I. has been up and running again for six months and Jayne thanked all involved in that: Rosey Eade, Emma Butler Smith, Jane Ebejer and Jill Gould. We had previously been contacted by a small northern town in Italy to twin but have also been approached by a town in America Maryland.
The Cordell Road toilet redevelopment is a possibility with a draft lease being prepared
currently by Babergh District Council.
Parish Councillor Ann Moreton expressed concerns regarding the access at Bull Lane. It
was explained this is still in the very early stages and the access point is no different to
when the site was used as a toilet.
The Monitoring Officer Steve Ellwood has written to the parish council to ask if we would
like a meeting with the Monitoring Officer, SALC and Suffolk Constabulary to discuss the
ongoing issues. It was agreed not at the moment but possibly in March if the issues
have not been resolved.
Finally the Chair said well done to Emma Butler Smith, Ann Moreton and all on the
Hopefully this will be an annual event and off the back of this let’s do something else in
the summer. People seem not want the Street Fair saying it is not current.
Parish Councillors Emma Butler Smith and Ann Moreton agreed and suggested a village
picnic event on the green.
Parish Councillor Carole Michette confirmed that the Street Fair money is in a Long
Melford Parish Council Account and can go to another event.
The Chair said the village seems to be coming together so let’s do new things for the
village.
Finally a new Chair and Vice Chair of Planning and Chair and Vice Chair of Personnel
needed to be elected.
Following discussion John Watts was elected Chair of Planning, Joint Vice Chair of
Planning Jayne Lines and Ann Moreton. Chair of Personnel Emma Butler Smith and Vice
Chair of Personnel Claire Ingram.
5.Suffolk County Council – A written report had been distributed to all parish councillors. Richard Kemp went through the headlines and sent compliments of the season and the season of goodwill.
6.Babergh District Council – A written report had been distributed to all parish councillors. Richard Kemp went through the report. Richard updated on the awaited Hopkins Homes site and that the Rodbridge site – Ropers Lane was up for sale for 4.1 million and asked how can affordable houses be built when speculators get planning permission with no intention of building – there is a flaw in the system somewhere! That as a village we need to start saying enough is enough the pressure on roads, schools, doctors and infrastructure from all these planning applications is too much. Richard Kemp reported on Charity Matters. He updated all present that someone has written to the clerk asking how much do the Trustees take from the charities. Richard explained that some of the charities are from the 16th Century. Richard confirmed that he takes not a penny from the village but rather has always given to the village.
7.Police update – Police report has not been received this month yet.
8.Clerks Update – CPRE Spending Review - update A boards – The office and Babergh District Council Enforcement department have received many complaints over the previous four to five months. B.D.C. Enforcement department have appointed two officers to draw up a proposal to negotiate with the businesses to address this issue. Clearance of Downs Garage site. Further correspondence has been received regarding the clearance of the site and has been passed onto the enforcement officer at B.D.C. Town and Parish Newsletter has been sent to all parish councillors electronically. There is a section on tourism – parish councillors agreed to work with LMBA. SALC are lobbying the government regarding devolving business rates down to local level. This could mean the parish council would receive 10% of business rate income. Bin Collection leaflets. In previous years we have all had a leaflet showing the changes to bin collection dates over the Christmas, easter and bank holidays left with our bins. B.D.C. will not be doing this this year and have supplied all clerks and libraries with a handful of leaflets. The collection dates are also available online. Road Traffic Closure Notice - Footway Swan Lane for Gas Mains between 7th December and 21st December 2015.
Emergency Closure of Hare Drift until 17thDecember, 2015
9.Finance Update – Yvonne Hall, Responsible Finance Officer to Council. The R.F.O. reported a healthy balanceof £212,000 but that this should be earmarked for special projects. Yvonne clarified again about the distribution of the cheque authorisation list which is only sent out to the five signatories to approve that the cheques are signed. It was proposed by Chair Jayne Lines that instead of this being sent electronically that the five signatories should come into the office to look at the list. No objections were raised.
10.Correspondence as the Chairman may allow - None
11.Standing Orders were suspended/reconvened in order that members of the public may communicate or ask questions Parishioner Angela Mc Kenna asked if the village hall could be notified as soon as possible with the date of the resurfacing of Chemist Lane. Angela McKenna further asked for an update on the code of conduct complaints that have gone into Steve Ellwood, Monitoring Officer at B.D.C. showing the key points and what and when will these be resolved. Parish Councillor Emma Butler Smith said clearly the Monitoring Officer clearly has no teeth. It was commented from a parishioner that perhaps public opinion should be published then. A parishioner reported blocking of her driveway and bad parking at both the Street Fair and Xmas Fair and asked if it was possible to have residents only parking bays or cones.Parishioner David Chitty commented that it had taken him over a year to get a Keep Clear road marking sign in place but still people park blocking his access. Another parishioner reported a Black Range Rover that parks and blocks the view/access to St Catherines Road and to the right of Fanny Annes and is very dangerous. The police have been made aware. A parishioner said that he believed a charity shop was about to open and did the parish council fee this was opening the floodgates. Parish Councillor Emma Butler Smith said it was a high end, designer outlet opening for St Nicholas Hospice. The parishioners asked if they pay reduced rates to which someone answered but do we want empty shops. Parishioner Graham Eade asked what part of Chemist Lane was being resurfaces. Chair Jayne Lines clarified. Graham Eade further asked if there will be enough space at the Cordell Road toilet site for a Heritage Centre, parish council office, tourist information centre and toilet in the space of the existing three toilets. Graham Eade further asked if the Old School public car park could be resurfaced and that it is pitch black and needs lighting. A parishioner thanked Richard Kemp and John Nunn for their action in dealing with an issue with Paul Gant in getting George Lane cleared. The clerk updated all present that she had received notification from B.D.C. that all allies had been cleared except Meetingfields where there was hedge work being undertaken and that they would be back to clear. The parishioner thanked the clerk for her help. Parishioner Dave Carter asked when and where were the parish council going to get a BMX track That the children of the village need something? Parish Recorder, Julie Thomson asked the clerk if she could send on the police report electronically. Parishioner Pat Davies asked about the affordable housing part of the Fleetwood planning application. Parishioner Dave Watts spoke about the Viability study attached to the Fleetwood planning documents and asked if the parish council were aware these were confidential documents. The Clerk and Richard Kemp said they were both aware that these were commercial documents and that we had no access to them. Richard Kemp suggested the parish council wrote to B.D.C. to ask who examines and scrutinises the Viability studies? Parishioner Graham Eade said that during the Xmas event he noticed the British Legion car park was nearly empty and suggested that they used that as another parking alternative next year.
12.Information Round: Parish Councillor Ann Moreton reported a dropped drain outside the pharmacy. The clerk asked if she could send an email clarifying where it is and the clerk will report it as a matter of urgency. Parish Councillor Emma Butler Smith asked if we will be building the new website in the new year. The clerk said yes and asked Emma if she would help. Emma agreed and went onto thank everyone on behalf of the Christmas committee for all your support and money. Thank you.
Chair Jayne Lines thanked everyone and see you all at the working mens club.
13.Closure of Meeting – The meeting closed at 8.55pm
Signed…………………………………… Dated………………………