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.
Concerns were raised about the operating hours and traffic from the Masons Landfill site, with a request for further investigation and a site visit. A thank you was received from the church for a donation towards the Christmas Festival & Fayre. Additionally, a new noticeboard for the Village Hall has been ordered.

Minutes of Gt Blakenham Parish Council meeting held on Tuesday 12th October 2023 in the Parish Room, Stowmarket Road, Great Blakenham at 7.30pm.

Present
Cllr Steve Plume (Chairman), Cllr Nick Leonard, Cllr Debbie Kemp, Karen Grimwood (Parish Clerk), SCC Cllr Chambers, MSDC Cllr Marriott and 2 members of the public

1. To Receive and Approve Any Apologies for Absence

Cllr Will Durrant

2. Declaration of Any Pecuniary and Non-Pecuniary Interests

  1. Councillor's declaration of interest appropriate to any item on the agenda. Cllr Plume non-pecuniary for items 9 & 11
  2. To receive written requests for dispensations for disclosable pecuniary interest (if any)
  3. To grant any requests for dispensations as appropriate.
  4. Co-option of parish councillor(s)/to sign declaration of acceptance.

3. Public Forum

  1. To receive the report from the County Councillor — See attached monthly report
  2. Advised Cllr Chambers that we have received complaints regarding operating hours of current landfill site. It appears they are working outside hours and on weekends. Cllr Chambers requested to investigate.
  3. To receive the report from the District Councillor — See attached monthly report
  4. To receive questions from members of the public (15 mins)
    • Has concerns relating to the planning applications for Masons Landfill site SCC/0091/23MS and SCC/0083/22MS. Operating working hours, HGV traffic, Noise and dust ETC. Feels that living within an industrial estate. Has read the planning application but as a layperson it is very difficult to understand. Cllr Plume agreed and concerned that level of planning application engagement with SCC Planning Dept is not good. Cllr Chambers to provide clerk with proposal breakdown of SCC/0091/23MS. Has been advised that it is 24/7 operation, but deliveries will be between 0700 to 1800 Mon—Fri and 0700 to 1300 Sat. Cllr Plume concerned that operation hours between the two applications are conflicting and requested further clarification. Cllr Chambers to organise a site visit with all parties and feels that application deadlines will be flexible.

4. To Approve the Draft Minutes of the Meeting of the Council Held on 26th September 2023

Approved

5. To Note the Clerk's Update from Previous Meetings

  1. Thank you email received from church for donation towards Christmas Festival & Fayre. Noted
  2. Maintenance worksheets have been provided to Contractors to complete. — Noted
  3. Adobe Pro has been purchased and installed. Noted
  4. Noticeboard for Village Hall has been ordered. — Note Request for payment was last minute so not showing on the payment requests for approval on this agenda. Had to be paid via BACS before they will deliver. E1927.90.

6. Planning

  1. To consider the following planning applications
    • SCC/0083/22MS Consultation MERF Masons Landfill, Bramford Construction and operation of materials recycling facility and associated infrastructure. Response needed by October 22nd 2023 - PC already responded to application and raised concerns on operating hours, traffic, noise and pollution
  2. To note any planning determinations — none
  3. Any other planning matters to note — To review planning comments for Port One Extension
    • Email received 05/10/23 MSDC advising that the Port One Extension planning application has been delayed until mid-November and a date will not be confirmed until a decision has been reached concerning PC objections to the application. Advised that the offer of solar panels on the village hall and parish rooms as a benefit would not be decided until a positive outcome was received regarding supporting the development. Phone call on 12/10/20 from MSDC to chase to see if we are now in support of the planning application. It's fine for the PC to raise their concerns but it would be useful to have our support going forward as this may affect the size of the benefit to Gt Blakenham village. PC feel that although the concerns raised on the application have all been addressed on Phase 1 & 2 and imagine the same will be done on this phase, at no point was the offer of the benefits to village offered on the understanding it was subject to supporting the development going forward. Clerk to send email to be planning dept to confirm support now that concerns have been addressed to enable the benefits to go ahead. Clerk to write an email to planning to complain on how this was handled.

7. Growth, Highways, and Infrastructure

  1. SID Devices — Approval to purchase 2 SID devices
  2. Early Years Provision - Cllr Chambers advised that a potential site has been earmarked for early years provision in Barham. SCC and landowners have ordered a feasibility study on the current building on site. If it gets the go ahead it would be leased for 25 years secured by SCC and may have scope to have 50 children to attend. PC to consider financial support if needed on the provision that prorata placements would be guaranteed for Gt Blakenham children. Watch this space.

8. Governance

  1. Update on EE contract and clerk phone — New reconditioned phone has been purchased. A block on the current EE account so will have to consider a new sim with alternative provider. Clerk to continue to be reimbursed for payment of clerk mobile and wifi hub on private account until contract is up for renewal. Bill to be provided monthly.

9. Discuss Funding/Donations for Gt Blakenham Village Hall

  1. To date they still have not obtained access to the bank accounts and it may take as long as the end of October. The VH Chair has asked the PC for help.
  2. To hopefully donate to the Board funding to cover an external postbox, Cash Register, Laptop, Pay as you Go phone (phone only), Printer/Scanner/Copier, Shredder, and Safe. The cost of these being in the region of circa El,500 inc vat which will enable us to start moving forward practically.
  3. In addition, they have some requirements around paying some reoccurring invoices and works to the overgrowth around the hall and are seeking a grant of E3,000 once they have access to the accounts — PC decided that as custodian trustees they would want to support the hall as asap and agreed to the requests. Clerk has discussed with Salc and confirmed this grant aid can go ahead under Section 19(3) of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976.
  4. Budgets and earmarked reserves for 23/24 — Cllr Leonard and clerk to produce financial report for new year for next meeting
  5. To note Agaraudit has been completed by PKF Littlejohn — Noted. Hoping that with new financial software that future audits will be easier for clerk
  6. Update on Insurance — Policy in place. Increased cost due to premium increases, increased fidelity cover and increased assets.

10. Allotments

  1. Update on Sept 2023 inspection — Inspection revealed some plots are still not being utilised. Agreed to inform these plot holders that PC will take back and reallocate to people on the waiting list. Agreed that will have to request contractors to help clear the plots in readiness and book further skips. Plots to be made smaller so will need additional 6 sheds to be ordered.
  2. Update on tree surgeon quotes - Agreed to obtain professional to crown the tree asap

11. Village Maintenance

  1. Update for plaques for commemorative tree — Agreed to order sandstone plaque. Cllr Kemp to provide link to clerk to progress.

12. Churchyard and Cemetery

  1. Update on Sept 2023 Inspection — Hedge cutting has been delayed due to weather this year but should be completed by end of October. The cemetery is not looking its best so will be instructing contractors to have a good tidy up.

13. Training and Development for Councillors and Clerk

14. Finance

  1. To consider approving and making the following payments:
    • Shades Hackneys Corner maintenance as per tender — Invoice 2383 E135.00 LGA 1972 s111
    • Shades Grounds maintenance as per tender - Invoice 2382 E507.50 LGA 1972 s111
    • Shades Street cleaning as per tender - Invoice 2381 E1333.34 LGA 1972 s111
    • Shades Allotment Shed paint and labour — Invoice 2388 E520.00 LGA 1972 s111
    • Clerk Reimbursement of EE Wifi Hub and Mobile costs June 23-sept 2023 E104.00 LGA 1972 s111
    • Monthly Payroll Month ending 31/09/2023 076.30 LGA 1972 s111
    • SALC 6 months payroll services Invoice 27746 E54.00 LGA 1972 s111
    • Adobe Adobe Acrobat Pro 1 Year - AE02020500672CGB 238.75 LGA 1972 s111
    • Rialtas Alpha software, setup and training and support — Invoice 31014 f538.14 LGA 1972 s111
    • Ansvar Insurance ACY2407980 El,008.59 LGA 1972 s111
    • Cllr Plume Microsoft 365 renewal reimbursement invoice - Z62J25UDBZUZ E79.99 LGA 1972 s111
    • Back Market Re-conditioned replacement phone Clerk — Invoice 33490212 E141.99 LGA 1972 s111
    • SARS Donation f500.00 LGA 1972 s111
    • Signscape Noticeboard — Inv 25174 E1927.90 LGA 1972 s111

15. Reports

To receive reports from Councillors assigned to the following:

  1. Gt Blakenham Village Hall - Cllr Debbie Kemp
    • Previous Trustees have not completed a handover and to date the new trustees still have not obtained access to the bank accounts. It has become very obvious that the hall was badly managed and if things don't change there will be no money to run the hall by next year. Trustees looking to obtain funding, fund raising and to continue to receive support from the PC. The sustainability report to improve the hall is a high priority. VH has asked for patience from the community whilst the problems with the transition are being looked at.

16. Correspondence

17. Future Meetings

  1. To note invitation for items to be considered in the next meeting. - Purchasing daffodil bulbs for grass verges.
  2. To note the date of the next scheduled Meeting on Thursday 9th November 2023.

Karen Grimwood
Clerk to Great Blakenham Parish Council
Email: pc@qreatblakenham.suffolk.gov.uk
Phone: 07508830777
Parish Council website: www.greatblakenham.suffolk.cloud
Date: 7th July 2023

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