Minutes of the Rescheduled Council Meeting Held in Lindsey Village Hall

Minutes of the rescheduled Council Meeting held on Wednesday 11th March 2026 in Lindsey Village Hall, Church Road, Lindsey which commenced at 8.00pm.

In attendance: Cllrs. C Arthey (in Chair), R Corcoran, B Howe, J Moore and A Sturgeon, County Councillor J Finch (in part), District Councillor L Jamieson (in part) and Mrs V Waples, Parish Clerk.

1. Opening and Welcome

The Chair, Cllr. Arthey, opened the meeting and thanked all for attending. The statement on reporting at meetings of the parish council was taken as read. The Chair opened the meeting and thanked all for attending.

2. Apologies of Absence

To receive apologies of absence – apologies of absence were received from Cllr. Hainsworth.
To consent / non-consent to accept the apologies for absence received – the meeting resolved to accept Cllr. Hainsworth’s reason for absence.
Council to note the factsheet produced on Apologies for absence and disqualification – council noted the factsheet produced by NALC.

3. Declaration of Members Interest

To receive declarations of registrable, other and non-registerable interests as detailed in Appendix B of the LGA Model Code of Conduct Model Code of Conduct 2020 – Cllr. Arthey declared a non-registerable interest for Agenda Item 10ii. There were no other declarations of interests submitted.
There were no declarations of gifts of hospitality received exceeding £50.
There were no requests for dispensations for the agenda under discussion.

4. Minutes of Previous Meetings

To approve the minutes of the following Council Meeting:

Council Meeting of 28th January 2026 – following the insertion of a missing word within the public forum section, the meeting resolved that the circulated minutes were a true and accurate record of the meeting that took place, and resolved for the Chair to sign the minutes, which was undertaken in accordance with prevailing legislation.

5. Public Forum

(maximum 10 minutes)

To receive a report from County Councillor James Finch – Cllr. Finch was invited to submit his report in a report which he commented or drew the meeting’s attention to the following: a copy of the written report submitted can be seen at Appendix A.

One Suffolk plans and savings – opportunity for local councils to take on powers and additional responsibilities.
Budget 2026-2027 – adult social care – rising every year – higher proportion than other budgets.
SEND improvements – investing in own accommodation within the county
Pylon Scheme – continue with objections to the proposals submitted by National Grid
Foster Carers – new documentary and case studies promoting foster care.

To receive a report from District Councillor Leigh Jamieson – Cllr. Jamieson was invited to submit his report in which he commented or drew the meeting’s attention to the following: a copy of the written report submitted can be seen at Appendix B.

Call for sites results for Lindsey – consultation expected later in the Spring once allocations have been assessed.
Neighbourhood Plan – money from the district – need to have an allocation within the plan to be accepted for funding – it was agreed that the Clerk should register an interest.
Budget – more money from government than expected.

To receive comments from the public on the agenda as published – there were none received.
To receive comments from the public as submitted – to consider the submission of a request for the installation of the dog bins in the village – as nothing further had been received on this matter, it was agreed that the Clerk would contact the member of the public to ascertain whether they had further commentary on preferred locations.

6. Parish Matters

Climate Awareness / climate emergency – to receive an update / information on climate related issue coming forth – Cllr. Sturgeon made the council aware that there was to be an informal meeting with UK Power Networks the following Monday. The best outcome would be that they would be given the confidence to progress with an application to connect to the grid, worse outcome would be that they would refuse the idea outright. It was noted that there was funding to progress with a full application for connection if needed. Discussions followed over the understanding of the need for a resilient energy supply.
To receive a progress report on matters relating to:

Traffic calming and appropriate signage on the A1141 in the vicinity of Canada Cottages and Hollow Trees Farm Shop – it was noted that Cllr. Finch had stated at the last meeting that an assessment had been carried out at the end of October and that he was still awaiting those results prior to commenting further. Cllr. Finch updated the meeting stating that it had been a visit to the area rather than a survey but the initial assessment indicated that nothing would be actioned or could be actioned. He further stated that he had had an onsite meeting with the Highways Officer to review this matter further. When requested, he confirmed that he would chase up the results of this review and seek to have a written comment for onward submission to the parish council.
Traffic calming on C720 between Church Road to Lindsey Tye – Cllr. Finch stated that he doubted that a speed survey had been undertaken in this area. All noted that the deployment of a Vehicle Activated Sign was dependent upon the results of a survey which may also indicate other traffic calming measures that could be introduced in this area. Cllr. Finch was asked to progress this further.

7. Statutory Matters

Casual Vacancy – council to consider applicants for co-option to the vacancy in the position of councillor – it was resolved that Steven Stroud be co-opted to serve as a member of Lindsey Parish Council with immediate effect, to hold office until the next ordinary election of parish councillors, in accordance with the Local Government Act 1972, Section 16(3). Permission was given for the relevant paperwork to be signed prior to the next full parish council meeting on 20th May 2026.

8. Planning Matters

To consider the following planning applications: none at time of serving. Following the receipt of a planning application once the agenda had been served, it was agreed that the Chair would call an extra ordinary meeting to discuss planning matters. The agreed date was 2nd April 2026 and an agenda would be submitted in due course.
To note the following planning applications determined by the local planning authority: none at time of serving.
SALC – Summary of the Planning Reforms being proposed by HM Government.
BMSDC - Call for Sites – all were made aware of the two sites that had been submitted for consideration in Lindsey – one being put forward under the 2024 call and the second under the latest call for sites (October 2025-January 2026). These sites have not been reviewed in detail or a decision made as to whether any of the sites are suitable for inclusion as a future development site in the Local Plan. The council are now starting to assess each site to understand whether it is suitable, achievable and available. After this there will be a further round of publicity and consultation prior to the inclusion within the local plan.

9. Correspondence: To Consider / Note the Following

Suffolk Preservation Society – to note the invitation to attend a Neighbourhood Plan study day – it was agreed that the Clerk would register an interest should the outcome of conversations with the Strategic Planning Department be favourable.
BMSDC – to note correspondence over the decision of the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, to withdraw his decision to postpone the council elections of 30 local councils due to take place in May 2026.
Devolution – to note correspondence on this matter from SALC, Suffolk County Council and Babergh District Council – all noted correspondence on this matter.
SALC – Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects Bulletin – all noted correspondence on this matter.
BMSDC – Town and Parish Updates – council confirmed all monthly updates are emailed to Councillors for their perusal.
SALC – to note all weekly news bulletins are emailed to Councillors for their perusal. Councillors to contact the Clerk if there are any items of interest / training courses they wish to attend.

10. Financial Matters

To consider schedule of receipts received and payments made since the last meeting – Paper A – all confirmed receipt of Paper A (details can be seen at Appendix D) noting that there were no receipts allocated into the account since the last meeting.
To consider and approve the verified items awaiting authorization as per the schedule submitted – Paper B - all confirmed receipt of Paper B (details can be seen at Appendix D) - having reviewed the paper submitted, it was resolved to approve the payments awaiting authorisation for settlement via online transfer.
To consider the Council's financial position to date – Paper C – Council noted the reconciled position of £6,152.37 once the accounts awaiting payment had been settled. Councillors Corcoran and Howe confirmed that they had verified the position against the bank statements and cashbook. (Details can be found at Appendix D).
To consider the council budget versus actual statement to end of March 2026 – Paper D – all reviewed the submitted paper noting the slight underspend for the year, in the main due to decreased village expenses and administrative costs.
To note confirmation of the precept served on the Charging Authority to be levied on the parish of Lindsey – Babergh District Council had confirmed receipt of Lindsey Parish Council’s Precept Upon the Charging Authority with a precept for 2026/27 of £6,514. This will be paid to the Parish in two instalments, 50% in April 2026 and 50% in September 2026. This precept gives the Parish a Council Tax Band D amount of £68.45. This is an increase of 7.36% on 2025/26. These are the amounts that will be shown on the Council Tax Bill.
To consider requests for donations for the year 2025-2026 - Paper J - following a review of the application received and with reference to past donations, it was resolved to award £50 each to Suffolk Accident Rescue Service and East Anglian Air Ambulance.

11. Clerk’s Report

To review the Council’s Financial Risk Assessment for the year 2025-26 – Paper E - council, having reviewed the above risk management procedures, confirmed that they were in practice by the parish council and that there were no regulatory or contractual issues that may impact on the council for which a further risk assessment was required. It was resolved to approved and adopt the risk assessment for the year ending 31 March 2026.
To review the Council’s Risk Management Strategy for the year 2025-26 – Paper F - council reviewed the narrative document on the risks faced by the parish council as part of its risk management process and acknowledged that it had taken appropriate steps to manage the risks and where able it has brought in an insurance service from an external body to transfer the identified risk. It was resolved to adopt the strategy in its entirety following an amendment to the number of noticeboards under the council’s remit.
To review and approve the Asset Register for the year ending 31st March 2026 – Paper G - having reviewed the risk register produced by the Clerk, following the removal of one of the noticeboards, the meeting resolved that the register represented fairly the assets under the control or remit of the parish council for ownership and maintenance for the year ending 31st March 2026.
To review and agree the effectiveness of Internal Control for the year 2025-2026 – Paper H - having reviewed the Statement of Internal Controls, council resolved that the controls currently in place were effective and appropriate for Lindsey Parish Council in its management of public finances and that its system of internal control was sound and provided an adequate foundation to mitigate the risks associated with the operation of public money.
To receive indicative year-end figures for the year ending 31st March 2026 – Paper I – the meeting received the indicative year-end figures for the year showing receipts totalling £6,968.40, payments totalling £11,586.29 giving a year-end carry forward balance of £6,052.37.

12. Parish Councillors’ Reports

Village sign frame – Cllr. Arthey made the meeting aware that it was his understanding that, as agreed at the last meeting, a price be sourced for a new frame for the sign. However, upon a review of the frame it was suggested that the original wrought iron frame should be restored as opposed to replaced. A price was being sought for refurbishment as opposed to replacement. It was resolved that this course of action should be pursued with funding to be taken from CIL.
Elm Cottage, The Street - the Clerk made the meeting aware of the response from the Empty Homes – Environmental Health Department which stated that they would instigate contact with the required parties and highlight the property as being on their radar. They would also explain their Empty Homes policy and steps in an attempt to encourage some positive action at this address. The meeting asked the Clerk to respond to the department and request confirmation of the council tax records for the property given that it had been empty for a number of years.
Trimming of hedgerow by Elm Cottage – still to be undertaken.
Works to the Churchyard – Cllr. Moore made all aware that he would continue to take responsibility for works to the churchyard for the coming year. Commencement of work was expected by Easter.

13. Date of Next Meeting

All meetings will take place in the Village Hall, Church Road, Lindsey.

To note the Annual Parish Meeting is scheduled for 20th May 2026 commencing at 7.00pm which will be followed by the Annual Council Meeting.
To note the remaining meetings for the year commencing 1st April 2026 to 31st March 2027: (extra ordinary meeting – 2nd April; 15th July; 23rd September; 25th November; 20th January (2027) & 10th March (2027).

14. Close of Meeting

There being no other business the Chairman declared the meeting closed 9.05pm.

Appendix A – Report from County Councillor James Finch

One Suffolk plan revealed saving Suffolk £39.4 million a year with more local services with Local Government Reorganisation. Millions of pounds of public money would be saved and reinvested in frontline services and benefits for the whole of Suffolk, if the Government backs a new plan published today (Monday 8 September). The ambitious proposal will see all of Suffolk’s six councils abolished and replaced with one new unitary council - which would deliver both local and county-wide services. The One Suffolk business case demonstrates that a single unitary for Suffolk will save £78.2 million after the first five years, while three councils would cost an eye-watering £145.3 million more than the current two-tier system. After the first five years, one council would save £39.4 million a year, whereas three would cost £13.1 million more than the current model. The business case is built on rigorous financial analysis of Suffolk-based data conducted by global advisory firm Grant Thornton, rather than generic national modelling. One Suffolk would have the capacity to create real improvements to council services which would benefit everyone, including:

Improved financial resilience, enabling the unitary council to free up resources for frontline services and keep council tax as low as possible.
Harmonising Council Tax to the lowest level across Suffolk. Based on current levels this would result in Band D properties seeing a reduction of £245 in Ipswich, £17 in East Suffolk, £29 in West Suffolk, £19 in Babergh and a freeze in Mid Suffolk.
A new deal for market towns, including Ipswich, backed by a £40m capital investment fund, and a review of car parking charges and markets conducted in consultation with traders, businesses and representative bodies.
Empowering communities by offering powers and funding to town and parish councils where these councils express a desire for additional responsibilities. Creating a new town council for Ipswich to enhance democratic representation.
A proactive and revitalised highways service that says ‘yes’ more - acting swiftly, communicating clearly and delivering more.
Creating a unified planning framework that delivers greater consistency, efficiency, and strategic alignment across Suffolk, paired with local planning committees so decisions are made close to home.
Leveraging technology and innovation to create a modern council prepared for future challenges.
Building a strong, flourishing, and resilient local economy that serves all residents, businesses, and communities.
A stronger voice for Suffolk through effective collaboration with the new mayor, focusing on clear investment priorities that maximise benefits.

The One Suffolk campaign engaged communities from across Suffolk, with 8,189 responses to our Residents’ Survey. This made it the largest survey response rate for the county council in the past decade. Immediately after a Full Council meeting, the Council’s Cabinet approved the One Suffolk Business Plan on 16 September and submitted it to Government on 26 September. Government Ministers will be then deciding later this year which proposals to put out to public consultation, before making their final decision in March 2026.

Council sets out plans for 2026/27 budget The £850 million plan aims to safeguard frontline services, support the most vulnerable, and invest in Suffolk’s future – despite rising costs, growing demand and shortfalls in national funding. Key themes of the draft budget include:

Savings and efficiencies: £46.5 million of savings through service transformation and efficiencies, including a temporary reduction in employer pension contributions, made possible by the strong position of the council’s pension fund.
Rising financial pressures: Increasing demand, in particular for adult and children’s social care, will add £32.2 million in costs, alongside continued pressures from the Dedicated Schools Grant deficit.
Reserves: A one-off use of reserves will bridge a £5.9 million funding gap, while keeping reserves above the minimum level needed to manage financial risks.
Capital investment: The capital programme has been shortened from four years to three ahead of local government reorganisation in 2028. It continues to fund essential projects like school expansions and infrastructure upgrades, as well as new schemes, such as improvements to bus services, public rights of way, and cycling and walking infrastructure.

Our priorities are clear: protect frontline services, invest where it will make the most impact, and make the decisions needed to keep Suffolk strong, resilient and ready for the future. To support these plans, the council has proposed a 4.99% rise in Council Tax, comprising a 2.99% general increase and an extra 2% for adult care. Alongside a forecast 1% rise in the taxbase, this would generate an additional £27.4 million. For households, this would mean:

Band B property: £25.90 per week, an increase of £1.23 a week (Band B properties are the most common in Suffolk)
Band D property: £33.30 per week, an increase of £1.58 a week.

We have proposed a Council Tax increase as part of this budget, and that proposal was debated on 12th February. It is important to be clear that the government’s provisional finance settlement assumes that councils will raise Council Tax by the maximum permitted each year, leaving local authorities with limited options if essential services are to be maintained. The final budget was agreed by all county councillors at a Full Council meeting on Thursday 12 February 2026.

Young people’s voices shape Suffolk’s 2025 Annual Public Health Report The event brought together partners from across the public, voluntary and community sectors to listen to young people who were involved in creating the report, using hackathon events to explore what matters most in their communities. Attendees discussed how youth social action improves physical and mental health, with potential to address health inequalities across Suffolk.

Department for Education (DfE) acknowledges progress - and sets clear expectations for Suffolk’s SEND improvement In a recent stocktake visit, officers from the DfE reported progress in governance, quality assurance and timeliness, leadership and multi-agency working. They praised a shared commitment to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND and laid out a number of recommendations for further improvement. SEND services in Suffolk are delivered in partnership by Suffolk County Council, the NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) and NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB, the Suffolk Parent Carer Forum and education settings. The findings of the stocktake visit have been published in a letter addressed to Sarah-Jane Smedmor, Executive Director of Children & Young People's Services at Suffolk County Council, and Dr Ed Garratt OBE, Chief Executive Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board. The DfE acknowledged work to clear the backlog of Education Health and Care Plans (EHCP) by January and the fact that plans will be delivered above the national average for timeliness. Officers noted a need to ensure that plans reflect families’ views and lead to timely, appropriate support. The next review of SEND services by the DfE is scheduled for the end of the spring term.

County Council has approved much-needed provision for children with complex needs Papers published in January set out plans for the new provision, which will provide purpose-built Ofsted-registered accommodation, improving outcomes for children and reducing reliance on high-cost, private placements. Following a successful bid, £1.4m of Department for Education funding has been secured for the project, which will be match-funded with a further £1.4m from Suffolk County Council. Nationally, councils are facing growing demand and increasing complexity of need. Suffolk is facing the same pressures, with more children coming into care, and children entering care later with lived experiences meaning that they often require more specialist care and support at higher costs. A lack of choice in the current care market means there is a critical need for Suffolk based, Ofsted-registered placements for children with complex needs. Suffolk County Council has approved plans by Unity Schools Partnership, a trust that runs 40 schools across Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire, to open the 126-place school on the site of the former Saxmundham SET School in Seaman Avenue, Saxmundham.

Nationally significant Anglo-Saxon burial ground found at Sizewell C site

Ancient graves of two high-status individuals found with weapons and personal items
Discovery sheds fascinating new light on Suffolk society in the 7th century
Remarkable archaeological find to feature on BBC Two’s and I Player “Digging for Britain”

Among the most remarkable discoveries is a high-status grave containing two individuals buried alongside a fully harnessed horse, weapons, and personal items. These finds, dating to the 7th century, suggest the individuals were elite members of Anglo-Saxon society and reflect their complex burial traditions. The team from Oxford Cotswold Archaeology (OCA), working on behalf of Sizewell C, identified at least 11 burial mounds, known as barrows, along with cremation and inhumation burials. All had been carefully arranged across a prominent point in the landscape near Theberton in Suffolk. Despite poor bone preservation caused by the local sandy soils, detailed excavation and recording have preserved valuable information about burial practices and social status in early Medieval Suffolk.

Norwich to Tilbury pylon scheme is ‘un-coordinated decimation of our county’ The first Open Floor Hearing took place Tuesday 10 February in Ipswich, as an opportunity for interested parties to present their views in person to the Examination panel. Councillor Richard Rout spoke on behalf of Suffolk County Council, citing a number of long-standing and unresolved objections as to why the council believes the current project proposal should not go ahead. These include:

The lack of alternative proposals provided by National Grid
Insufficient clarity on the need for a connection date of 2031
Concern over working hours to include weekends and bank holidays
Extensive tree loss and environmental impacts
The need to protect and enhance the Dedham Vale national landscape
The need for compensation measures in the Waveney Valley
Higher quality and more robust outline management plans

“The county council fully supports the need to resolve the country’s energy security. But not like this. The illconsidered, un-coordinated decimation of our county by nationally significant infrastructure projects like Norwich to Tilbury, simply cannot continue.”

Adam Buxton shines a light on the need for more Foster Carers in a new documentary Adam Buxton said: “I didn’t really know very much about fostering before I spent time with Gary, Shannon and Catherine. We’ve got 3 children and a dog at home, and the thought of adding another child or more children into our family life blows my mind. What they do, for kids who haven’t asked to be brought into care, amazes me. And Shannon’s reflections as a young person who has helped her parents to foster were just incredible. I’m full of admiration and respect for them and their families.” Gary, a former logistics manager and now factory worker, his wife and two daughters have been fostering for Suffolk County Council for 12 years. They usually foster children in the short term and have also looked after a young girl with disabilities for a longer time. In response to Adam asking him why they foster, Gary gets emotional and replies tearfully that they do it to give children a childhood. Catherine, a library book scheme co-ordinator, her husband Sean and their two children have been fostering with Norfolk County Council for six years. They originally planned to foster on a short-term basis but have become long-term foster parents instead. Among Top Trumps and Minecraft sword repairs, Adam asks Catherine why they foster. She gestures around the lounge and replies that they’re giving a child a chance. The 19-minute documentary can be viewed on the Foster East Youtube channel, below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6uiWmxiCRU&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.suffolk.gov.uk%2F&source_ve_path=OTY3MTQ

Fostering is a flexible role with options for short term care from a weekend a month to longer term opportunities, all providing life-changing support for local children. If you want to find out more about what it's like to foster or adopt with us, please call a member of the team on 01473 264800

Appendix B – Report from District Councillor Leigh Jamieson

Call for Sites Map - The map of the sites offered up for planning has been published on the district council website. The map shows a few sites around the village. The field opposite the Lindsey Rose, the field next to Old Ford Cottage and a field off Church Road towards Lindsey Hall. The potential allocations are hashed in Orange or Purple, with the orange sites submitted in 2024 and the purple submitted this year. At the moment these are only potential sites, and it is highly unlikely they will all be accepted. The council will now assess each site to determine if they are viable before the Strategic Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (SHELAA) is published in the spring. There will then be a public consultation when the council publishes its draft local plan. Once the sites are finalised, they will still need a developer to choose to build on them, and any proposals will have to go through planning.

Neighbourhood Plan - Money is being made available to help parishes to create a neighbourhood plan. The money will be a limited amount and will be on a first come first served basis. Once it is gone its gone. Only villages who are prepared to offer allocations will be considered, but there may be options to work with neighbouring parishes.

General Fund Budget - At Full Council, last week we debated the budget position. Following the release of the Local Governments Financial Policy Statement, Babergh’s General Fund was left with a surplus of £334k in the revenue budget compared to a deficit of £633k in 2025/26. While the 2026/27 budget is balanced and delivers a modest surplus, achieved through significant savings and one-off government adjustments, the medium-term outlook is challenging. A £9.656m gap is still emerging due to the business rates reset, reduced government support beyond 2026/27, and rising service demands. Without further structural savings or income generation, the Council’s reserves would be depleted before the end of the Medium-Term Financial Position (MTFP) period. As such the finance team has recommended an increase to Council Tax of £5.79 per annum (11p per week) for a Band D property, which is equivalent to 2.99%, increasing from £193.73 to £199.52 per annum. The Government’s assumptions on council tax yield are higher than Babergh can actually raise (producing a £119k shortfall in 2026/27 alone).

Housing Revenue Account - The Housing Revenue Account also came before full council last week. The HRA is forecasting an £8.855m revenue deficit, funded directly from HRA reserves. Income for 2026/27 is budgeted at £23.882m, an increase of £1.275m, driven by rent increases while expenditure totals £18.834m, a decrease of £1.014m, attributable to the pension contribution rate reduction, staff restructures, and repairs/maintenance management. Despite this the finance team are recommending rents rise by CPI + 1% = 4.8% in 2026/27. Average social rent increases by £5.50/week and average affordable rent increases by £7.90/week.

Housing - It was recently reported in the press that Babergh still has 12.77% of its housing stock that is failing to meet the decent homes standard. This was discussed at Overview & Scrutiny meeting this month. This figure is still too high, even though it is improving each quarter, due to the fact that we have now completed a full stock check on the state of our homes. This was something that the Green Councillors on cabinet pushed for from day one. The state of our homes had always been assumed, and we insisted that a quality check would be needed urgently to understand what needs to be done. The work to rectify the problems were delayed until we employed a new contractor. These homes will now be prioritised for improvement works as our insulation contractors are mobilised.

Roundabout Support - I am pleased to report that Green Party Councillor for North-West Cosford, Deborah Saw, and I were able to provide the Roundabout magazine with £1000 (£500 each) from our locality budget. This money will help support the magazine. With Council assistance the magazine was able to set up a bank account of their own, that will be hugely beneficial for them.

Council Complaints - The report on complaints to the council was also reviewed this month. The report, which was for 2024/25 identified an increase in complaints, which is counter intuitively a good thing. Following the installation of a new reporting system it shows that residents are finding it easier to report issues. Early data from 2025/26 is showing that complaints are now reducing.

Appendix C – Briefing Notes from Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils

Council agrees ‘financially responsible’ budget to protect services and promises to communities Babergh District Council has agreed a budget which protects vital services and unlocks funding to deliver promised community projects.

Pylons project would ‘devastate’ special Suffolk landscapes, councils warn National Grid’s plan for more pylons in the Suffolk countryside should be halted, leading councillors from Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils have told a public hearing today.

Council renews pledge to boost biodiversity Babergh District Council has renewed its commitment to protect, restore, and enhance the district’s biodiversity after approving a new action plan.

Tech donation gives new life to old devices and gets rural communities online A new initiative distributing refurbished laptops will help tackle digital exclusion and isolation in Suffolk.

Wildlife Wise encouraging grant applications to protect wildlife on Suffolk coast Organisations looking to deliver projects that help to protect vulnerable wildlife and their habitats on the Suffolk coast are being reminded of the grant funding that’s available from Wildlife Wise.

Appendix D – Financial Report

Items received since the last meeting:

Items Received
Income Description	Nett	VAT	Gross	Ref
Total Income	£0.00

Items Paid out since the last meeting:

Items Paid Out
Income Description	Nett	VAT	Gross	Ref
Total Expenditure	£0.00

Items Authorized for Payment:

Items Authorized for Payment
Expenditure Description	Nett	VAT	Gross	Ref
Clerk’s Salary & Expenses	558.25	0.00	558.25	BACS
Hire of hall	60.00	0.00	60.00	BACS
Suffolk Accident Rescue Services	50.00	0.00	50.00	BACS
East Anglian Air Ambulance	50.00	0.00	50.00	BACS
Total Expenditure	£718.25

Financial Report

Financial Report
Date	£
Opening Balance 24.01.26	6770.62
Add Income Received February to March	0.00
Less Expenditure Incurred February to March	0.00
Less Verified Expenditure 11.03.26	718.25
Closing Balance 11.03.26	£6052.37

Bank Reconciliation

Bank Reconciliation
Community Account Statement at 28.02.26	6770.82
Less uncleared payments	718.25
Plus unaccredited income	0.00
Reconciled Total As at 11.03.26	£6052.37

Within the balance above are the following reserves:

(Restricted) CIL reserve - £3,978.18
Earmarked General reserve - £1,237.60
Election reserve - £836.59