Gt Blakenham 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.
Great Blakenham residents, take note! Nick Leonard has joined the parish council, bringing fresh perspectives. Exciting improvements are on the way for the Village Hall, including a new booking system to avoid mix-ups. Plus, efforts are underway to tackle flooding issues on Gipping Road, with potential drainage upgrades in the pipeline.

Minutes of Gt Blakenham Parish Council meeting held on Thursday 11th May 2023 in the Parish Room, Stowmarket Road, Great Blakenham at 7.30pm.

Present
Cllr Steve Plume (Chairman), Cllr Will Durrant, Cllr Eoin McNamee, Cllr Debbie Kemp, Karen Grimwood (Parish Clerk), District Cllr Addrienne Marriott and six members of the public.

Minutes

  1. To elect the Chairman of Great Blakenham Parish Council — Steve Plume was nominated as Chairperson. This was seconded by Debbie Kemp and Will Durrant.
  2. To elect the Deputy Chairman of Great Blakenham Parish Council — Eoin McNamee was nominated as Vice chairperson. This was seconded by Debbie Kemp and Will Durrant. Eoin McNamee leaves the meeting at 7.40pm.
  3. To receive and approve any apologies for absence — None
  4. Declaration of any pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests
    1. Councillor's declaration of interest appropriate to any item on the agenda — None
    2. To receive written requests for dispensations for disclosable pecuniary interest (if any) — None
    3. To grant any requests for dispensations as appropriate — None
    4. Co-option of parish councillor(s) / to sign declaration of acceptance — Nick Leonard was co-opted as a councillor and a declaration of acceptance was signed.
  5. Public Forum
    1. To receive the report from the County Councillor — Annual report attached. Flooding Update — Cllr Chambers has highlighted the problems with flooding on Gipping Road many times with Highways and is pushing for this area to be added to the drainage fund in the coming year. Pressure jets have been sent out to clean the gullies and a suggestion of increasing the height of the curb have been raised.
    2. To receive the report from the District Councillor — None received
    3. To receive questions from members of the public (allow 15 mins) - Member of public has concerns over the booking of the Village Hall. Had problems with a mix-up of bookings so had to change venue last minute. Had no receipt so could not prove date and time of booking. Village Hall Representative Response — The current person who completes the bookings has been doing so for many years and will be taking a well-earned retirement soon. Under the current system a receipt should have been provided once the booking sheet had been completed and this will be investigated. The VH is in the process of building a new website with an inbuilt booking system so hopefully this will minimise any problems going forward.
  6. To approve the Draft Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 13th April 2023 — Approved
  7. To note the Clerk's update from previous Meetings - The Bramford to Twinstead overhead line NSIP, proposed by National Grid, is expected to be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate (PINS) on Thursday 27th April 2023. This briefing note provides a summary of the project and information on the next stages of the NSIP process. Local authorities, communities and technical consultees have been engaged in pre-submission discussions and consultation with National Grid on this project since 2009 when the project was first being considered. In the pre-examination stage members of the public will then have the opportunity to register as interested parties and to participate. PINS will appoint a panel of examiners and a preliminary meeting will establish procedures and timetable for the decision-making process.

Planning

  1. To consider the following planning applications
    • DC/23/02043 Norfolk Trucks Ltd, Lodge Lane, Great Blakenham, Construction of INO ISUZU Fascia with built-up illuminated letters and 6.5m Isuzu double-sided totem with illuminated letters. Objected by parish council as previous requests in the area for lighting. Concerned for the protected bat population.
  2. To note any planning determinations.
    • DC/23/00691 Householder Application - Conversion of detached garage to provide ancillary annexe — Granted
    • DC/23/00718 Erection of 1 No detached dwelling - Refusal
    • DC/23/00181 Discharge of Conditions Application for DC/20/01175 - Condition 17 (Biodiversity Enhancement) (Part discharge for Phase 5 comprising Units 7, 8, 9 and 10)
    • DC/22/02797 Discharge of Conditions Application for DC/20/01175 - Condition 12 (Agreement of Materials), Condition 19 (Wildlife Sensitive Design Scheme) and Condition 21 (Sustainability) (Part discharge for Phase 5 comprising Units 7-10)
  3. Any other planning matters to note — none received

Growth, Highways, and Infrastructure

  1. Update on replacement of Zebra crossing lights Stowmarket Road — The new lights have been ordered and awaiting a date for delivery and installation
  2. Update on landfill site issues. SCC officer has visited the site and since arranged a meeting with the Environment Agency are concerned about the site and its current operation. The site is currently in compliance with the contour heights for the waste. A request for litter picking to be organised to collect litter both on the site and beyond. The Environment Agency informed that there is now a landline to the site 01473 526672. I have called it and there is an answerphone message identifying it as Masons Weighbridge, though my call wasn't answered. Following discussions with the Waste Team I have now been informed that there is a new manager on site called Simran Dhillon. I have sent a report to the site highlighting a number of Conditions that need to be discharged in the very near future relating to the new planning permission and these will be following up. There is a Condition requiring them to hold Community Liaison meetings yearly with the first one to be held by 15 July 2023. I have also informed them that I will be visiting the site every two months to ensure that the site is being managed appropriately. Parish Council advised that historically Viridor engaged with the local community and held monthly meetings. When there was a high wind litter pickers were instructed to clear litter. They regularly sprayed site to keep flies down which in turn reduced the number of seagulls. The site is not being run in the same way with new Valencia.
  3. Update on Port One development — The parish council attended an informal meeting on 02/05/2023 to discuss Port One Development, Gipping Water Meadows and other matters BMSDC Planning, Design & wellbeing and Communities. One of the points discussed was the transfer of the Water Meadow to local government for nature conservation and habitat creation. Advised that some planning issues need sorting before going forward. Member of public informed that Environment Agency had been to assess the bridge and feel will need some structural work to ensure safety. Concerned that network Rail could block some ideas put forward for the land if footfall increases due to safety concerns on the crossing.
  4. Update on Bramford to Twinstead NSIP — The Bramford to Twinstead overhead line NSIP, proposed by National Grid, is expected to be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate (PINS) on Thursday 27th April 2023. This briefing note provides a summary of the project and information on the next stages of the NSIP process. Local authorities, communities and technical consultees have been engaged in pre-submission discussions and consultation with National Grid on this project since 2009 when the project was first being considered. In the pre-examination stage members of the public will then have the opportunity to register as interested parties and to participate. PINS will appoint a panel of examiners and a preliminary meeting will establish procedures and timetable for the decision-making process.

Governance

  1. To note new phone contract and mobile wifi broadband hub have been added to existing EE contract — Noted
  2. To discuss communications between clerk and councillors — Clerk has requested that councillors improve on communications. To look at emails a minimum of once a week. To update Acronis a minimum of once a month. Advise clerk if unable to attend meetings rather than calling the chair. Advise clerk if on holiday. Respond to meeting requests. Clerk will no longer chase for a response. All emails need to be monitored by clerk due to Data protection implications. If part of a project or trust to always keep clerk updated and included in emails.
  3. To discuss results of village survey — The PC were disappointed that out of the 1800+ residents we only saw around 32 responses. Discussed if survey had enough publicity. There were a few common themes, one, improving the use and look of the village hall, two, too much dog waste in the village and rubbish.
  4. To note overtime for work that has been completed by clerk for internal audit - Noted
  5. To discuss budget forecast 23/24 — Postponed until next meeting
  6. To discuss payment card and limits with Unity Bank — Agreed that clerk to go ahead to apply for a multicard with Unity Bank with a spending limit of £1000.00. Two signatories would have to approve amounts spent.

Allotments

No updates

Village Maintenance

  1. Update on tree maintenance and quotes Mulberry Gardens — Cllr Durrant to source alternative contractor for quotes.

Churchyard and Cemetery

No updates

Training and Development for Councillors and Clerk

No Updates

Finance

  1. To consider approving and making the following payments:
    • Hackneys Corner Maintenance as per tender - 2317 £2135.00 LGA1972sill
    • Grounds Maintenance as per tender - 2316 £507.50 LGA1972sill
    • Street Cleaning as per tender - 2315 £893.75 LGA1972sill
    • Monthly Payroll Month ending April 2023 £667.89 LGA1972sl11
    • SALC Membership Subscription for 2023/24 £2875.77 LGA1972sill
    • Litter & Dog bin emptying 01.04.23 - 31.03.24 £26000.00 LGA1972sill
    • Donation towards replacing doors + windows LGAs137

Reports

  1. To receive reports from Councillors assigned to the following:
    • Gt Blakenham Village Hall — Cllr McNamee

Correspondence

  1. Parishioner concerned about fire on Chalk Hill Lane. Fire service attended
  2. Residents in Great Blakenham are raising concerns with lorries turning right into port one — Noted

Future meetings

  1. To note invitation for items to be considered in the next meeting.
  2. To note the date of the next scheduled Meeting on Thursday 8th June 2023 and any items for the agenda.

Karen Grimwood
Clerk to Great Blakenham Parish Council
Email: pc@greatblakenham.suffolk.gov.uk
Phone: 07508830777
Parish Council website: www.greatblakenham.suffolk.cloud
Date: 05/05/2023

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