Parish Council Meeting Minutes

The Chair, Cllr. Arthey welcomed the following Parish Cllrs. to the meeting: R Corcoran, M Hainsworth, B Howe, R Howe, J Moore and A Sturgeon. In attendance was Mrs V Waples, Clerk.

1. Opening and Welcome

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

2. Apologies of Absence

To receive apologies of absence – there were no applicable apologies of absence as all were present.
The meeting noted that County Cllr. J. Finch and District Cllr. Jamieson had submitted their apologies but had provided a written report which would be reviewed under Agenda Item 5.

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 - there were no declarations of registrable interests and Cllrs. Arthey & B. Howe declared non-registrable interests as Chair and Trustee of Lindsey Village Hall for agenda item 8ii.
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 Annual Council Meeting of 10th May 2023 - the meeting agreed that the circulated minutes, were a true and accurate record of the meeting that took place and agreed for the Chair to sign the minutes in accordance with legislation, aif.

5. Public Forum

(maximum 10 minutes)

To note the report from the County Councillor – the meeting noted the written report previously circulated. There were no matters for onward submission to Cllr. Finch.
To note the report from the District Councillor – the meeting noted the written report previously circulated. There were no matters for onward submission to Cllr. Finch.
To receive comments from the public on the agenda as published – there were no members of the public present and there were no comments on the agenda received via email to the Clerk.

6. Parish Matters

To receive updates on items raised at previous meetings:

Climate Awareness / climate emergency – to receive an update / information on Climate related issues coming forth – Cllr. Sturgeon announced that whilst there was a significant amount of information coming forward, there was nothing positive in terms of what can be done in the village at this point in time. He confirmed that he had attended meetings with those running the Bildeston Project as well as meetings in regards to community approaches to Rural Energy. Cllr. Hainsworth made the meeting aware that there was a pilot scheme in Bildeston between the Health Centre and the Primary School which will sink holes between the surgery and school to allow for the installation of ground source heat pumps. This could eventually extend to nearby properties wishing to the Crown.
Improvements to the two triangles near the Rose Pub – to receive further information on the designs and costings for improvements to both areas. The Clerk confirmed that she was still waiting on information from the contractor as to the type of permits that were required. She has also confirmed that she wished the setts to be similar to those in existence and that once further information had been obtained from SCC, the contractor would be in a position to requote. Cllr. Sturgeon agreed to remind the contractor that a response was needed.
To receive an update on Suffolk County Council Report CR00403464, C720 (Lindsey Tye) to A1141 – potholes – whilst its was confirmed that the significant large potholes had been filled, a number of smaller ones were still evident. The Clerk was asked to report these as well as the potholes on Church Road (between the houses and the junction of Hall Road) and those on the left hand side close to Rose Green Farm.
To receive an update on Suffolk County Council Report CR00403471 & 400719– Stone Street – Visibility issues at junction – the Clerk confirmed that she had circulated the report which had been received which stated “Our staff have visited the location of your report and assessed the issue you reported. We believe that at this time it does not warrant remedial action. However, we will continue to monitor the location as part of our routine inspections, and if the matter worsens significantly, we will take action”. This had been passed to Cllr. Finch who had requested further action. Cllr. Arthey confirmed that he had received an email confirming that SCC Highways would return and carry out further work, but the issue of poor visibility had returned and further work was now required. The Clerk was asked to submit a request to Mark Wedgewood for further work. Post meeting note – it has been agreed previously that this site would have two cuts per year and if there were visibility issues then they should be raised on the reporting tool for a safety inspection.
Befriending Scheme – Cllr. Hainsworth confirmed that he had been to the site on a number of occasions and regularly attends the farm for updates. He confirmed that an Open Day will be scheduled once completed and that the car park was almost finished. Clients were now arriving including local clients for taster days. 60% of the clients found these a positive experience. Given his involvement to date, all were in agreement that Cllr. Hainsworth should be the parish council liaison representative. The Clerk was asked to contact the CEO of the Befriending Scheme to seek an update on the progress for the setting up of the representative local community group they had proposed in their CIL bid.
Parish and Church Noticeboards – Cllr. Sturgeon confirmed that he had received a quotation for remedial works to both the parish and church noticeboard. All were in agreement to accept the quotation to repair the noticeboards at a total cost of £196.00 with funds being allocated from the CIL pot. The Clerk was asked to enquire whether a cork board could also be added and should the cost be reasonable, delegated authority was given to the Clerk to add this to the order.
Hedge cutting – Cllr. Sturgeon confirmed that a local contractor had stated that they were not in a position to cut the verges in Lindsey. As such this now meant that the verges would be cut once a year by Suffolk County Council contractors. The cut was scheduled for week commencing 26 June and confirmation was given that those on the schedule had been cut.
White Rose House Hedgerow – Cllr. Sturgeon confirmed that the hedge had been trimmed and all acknowledged that whilst there were still visibility issues at this junction, the situation was not easily remedied.
Quiet Lanes – all were in agreement that, if the list for quiet lanes were to be opened, the parish council would like to be considered in the process to be followed for the designation of some of its roads as quiet lanes.

7. Statutory Business

Council to consider whether it continues to meet the criteria for eligibility to adopt the General Power of Competence and should such confirmation be forthcoming, resolve to confirm that the criteria is so met – it was noted that this was added to the agenda in error as it had been approved at the last meeting.
Council to agree that those not present may sign their Declaration of Acceptance of Office prior to the next meeting scheduled for 12th July 2023 – the Clerk confirmed that Cllr. Moore had signed his Declaration of Acceptance of Office prior to the commencement of this meeting.

8. Correspondence

BMSDC – Town and Parish Updates – all noted that the all monthly updates are emailed to Councillors for their perusal.
BMSDC – Hybrid Meeting facility – all noted that the District Authority is now able to offer the hybrid meeting facility for some of its planning meetings.
Transport East – Rural Mobility Survey - Council received the Rural Mobility Survey Results of challenges facing rural communities.
SCC – Definitive Map - Council noted that the definitive map and statement of the former rural district of Cosford has been updated – link to the webpage is as follows: Definitive Map and Statement of Public Rights of Way - Suffolk County Council
Community Action Suffolk – Suffolk Good Neighbour Newsletter – Council received the July newsletter.
SALC – Weekly bulletins – all confirmed that the weekly news bulletins were emailed to Councillors for their perusal. Councillors to contact the Clerk if there are any items of interest / training courses they wish to attend.
BMSDC – CIL Training Sessions – Council noted that workshops being run during July and August would cover CIL in general as well as the provide details on how to develop a project and apply for CIL funding.

9. Clerk’s Financial Report

To consider schedule of receipts received and payments made since the last meeting – Paper A – all noted that the receipts received since the last meeting (as seen at Appendix B) and that nil expenditure had been incurred for the same period.
To consider and approve the verified items awaiting authorization as per the schedule submitted – Paper B – all approved the payments to be settled via the internet banking system, details of which can be found at Appendix B, aif. It was noted that Cllr. Arthey did not take part in the decision to approve the payment to the Village Hall.
To consider the Council's financial position to date – Paper C – Council noted the reconciled position of £10,301.74 once the accounts awaiting payment had been settled, aif. Cllrs. Corcoran and Howe confirmed that they had verified the position against the bank statements and cashbook.
To consider the actual versus budget for the period ending July 2023 - Paper D – Council noted the wrong period stated on the agenda and received the budget versus actual report to the end of July 2023. All noted the slight underspend at this point in the year.

10. Clerk’s Report

To note the submission of the Certificate of Exemption exempting the Council from a Limited Assurance Review for the year 2022/2023 – all noted that the certificate of exemption had been filed with the external auditors (PKF Littlejohn) and subject to there being no objections to the accounts as submitted, the council would be exempt from a limited assurance review. It was noted that the period for the exercise of public rights was due to finish on Friday 14th July.
To note the Clerk has completed the re-declaration of compliance for Lindsey Parish Council with the Pensions Regulator under the Pensions Act 2008 – all noted the re-declaration date of 1st May 2023 along with written confirmation.
Semer PC – in accordance with her contract with Lindsey Parish Council, with a duty to declare other works undertaken, the Clerk confirmed that she would be assisting Semer PC with clerking duties for the next year.

11. Planning Matters

To consider the following planning applications: none received.
To note the following planning applications determined by the local planning authority:
- DC/23/00219 - Listed Building Consent for Internal alterations and alterations to four windows @ Cob Cottage, Rose Green Road – it was noted that the original consultation letter had not been received by the Parish Council and as such no comment had been submitted in response to the application. The Chair and Clerk spoke to the Officer Report which accompanied the planning decision which covered internal alterations and alteration to four windows. The report concluded that overall subject to appropriate details to be agreed by condition, there was no negative impact on the historic, architectural or special interest of the heritage asset. Post meeting note: it is confirmed that the email address used by BMSDC to send the application differed from those that had been previously used and had been regarded by the server used by the Clerk as spam. This email address has now been classed as “approved”.

12. Parish Councillors’ Reports

The following reports on village issues were received from Councillors present:

Cllr. Sturgeon stated that he had noted that the finger posts on Footpath 5 from Woodcote (ex Lodge Cottage – Kersey Road) to near Merrymores (Rose Green Road) are to be replaced. Councillors confirmed that this footpath, in places, was inaccessible and blocked at both ends.
Cllr. Hainsworth asked if the agenda for the next meeting could include the siting of a Tommy Statue in the vicinity of the Beacon.

13. Date of Next Meeting

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

Parish Council Meeting – 13th September 2023 commencing at 7.30pm in Lindsey Village Hall.
Remainder of Meetings for 2023 – 15th November.

14. Close of Meeting

There being no other business the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 20.42pm

Appendix A – County and District Councillor Reports

County Cllr. James Finch’s report as submitted to the parish council:

Support for Ukrainian refugees moving to private rented accommodation. Suffolk County Council has announced a one-off £2,000 support grant for Ukrainian refugees moving on from their host into their own accommodation. The Independent Living Payment will be available to Ukrainian Refugees, who are moving into private rented accommodation after 1st April 2023. Guests must have been living in Suffolk for a minimum of two months and be registered on the Suffolk Homes for Ukraine scheme to be eligible for the payment. The funding can be used for any associated housing costs, including furniture, moving costs or travel to work. The support can be used towards accommodation which is furnished or unfurnished, and accommodation can be in Suffolk or out of county as long as a copy of the new tenancy agreement is provided. Ukrainian guests can apply for the Independent Living Payment by visiting www.suffolk.gov.uk/ukraine and completing the application form. Application forms can also be requested by emailing refugeesupport@suffolk.gov.uk.

Council to consider new chapter for library services. Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet is set to discuss the future of library services in Suffolk at its next meeting on 11 July. The current contract with Suffolk’s Libraries Industrial and Provident Society (IPS), worth £5.92 million per annum, comes to an end on 31st July 2024. The Council now needs to consider how library services will be delivered following the expiry of the contract. The report to Cabinet will recommend that a new Library Service contract is procured using a competitive tender process. To enable meaningful engagement, public consultation, and a competitive tender process to take place, the report also recommends that the current contract with Suffolk’s Libraries IPS is extended by 10 months, to 31 May 2025. The public consultation will be used to inform the requirements and future development of the new service.

Suffolk Fire Service to bring control room back to the County. Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service has announced plans to create a new fire control centre here in Suffolk. Since October 2011, Suffolk has shared a control room with Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Fire and Rescue Service in Huntingdon. The joint project has worked well, saving both fire services money and enabling greater cross-border resource sharing. However, the company behind a project to deliver a new IT system, initiated in 2019, has run into technical and financial problems, causing a significant delay. This, in addition to advancements in technology, has led to the decision to bring fire control back into the county by the end of 2024.

Suffolk residents urged to #ShakeItOut when recycling A new campaign by Suffolk Waste Partnership is encouraging people to empty plastic bags and not throw them in recycling. The #ShakeItOut campaign has been launched by the Suffolk Waste Partnership to encourage households in Suffolk to help improve recycling rates across the county by making sure black bin bags and other plastic sacks are not thrown in with recyclable materials. #ShakeItOut is encouraging people to shake out plastic bags and keep recycling clean, dry, and loose. The Partnership, which comprises Babergh District Council, East Suffolk Council, Ipswich Borough Council, Mid Suffolk District Council, Suffolk County Council, and West Suffolk Council, says more than a quarter (26%) of the materials in Suffolk’s recycling bins in 2022/23 were not able to be processed as they were spoiled. Items that contributed to spoiled recycling collections included: Materials that were not clean and dry, or contained food and drink residue Rubbish sacks or plastic bags containing recycling Non-recyclable items, such as nappies and food waste. Plastic bags and rubbish sacks are a particular problem – recycling handlers can’t see what’s inside them and they are often full of rubbish or other non-recyclable items. This means bags are removed during the sorting process to avoid spoiling other good recycling. Any removed bags are then sent for disposal.

Fostering. Grateful to be sharing Aki’s story about what fostering meant to him Fostering plays a crucial role in our society, providing children who are unable to live with their birth families with a safe and nurturing environment. It is a lifeline for many children who have had a difficult start in life. Aki's story is an inspiration, and I am grateful to him for sharing his life experience with us to publish about his life with Tracey, his foster mother. He offers a unique perspective into the life of a fostered child and highlights the importance of this essential service. So, let's hear Aki’s answers to the following questions:

How did it feel for being cared by Tracey? “The feeling of being cared for by Tracey is irreplaceable, since the first time I came to the house, she welcomed me into the family and treated me like one of her own sons. If it wasn’t for this wonderful woman, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Tracey is the reason why I got into college, she is the reason why I didn’t get permanently excluded from my school and she is the real reason why I took the right path in life. Throughout my whole journey with Tracey, she has made me feel safe, at ease and wanted”
How do you describe your experience of being fostered? My experience being fostered is very hard to describe, there have been ups and there have been downs. The best advice I have is, be grateful for what you have and stay strong.
What was the best part of being cared for by Tracey? There is no best part of being cared for by Tracey because every moment I'm with her is the best. Even when I'm at university, she checks up on me daily and makes sure I'm okay. Knowing that I'm always part of the family, wanted and being cared for will always be the best.
How were you welcomed into the family? When I first came to Tracey, even though I was very difficult to handle, we always knew I'd be here for a long time. She introduced me to her family in the most comfortable way, she told me where everything I needed was, she explained the house rules and she even let me pick which room I wanted. Still to this day if I meet her new friends, she introduces me as her son. Next year will be a decade that I have been with her so there's a lot to remember.
How were you supported while living with Tracey? While I was living with Tracey I was supported in every single way. She always supported my education, making sure I was up to date with my work and was attending lessons. She made sure I had everything a normal kid would have like paying for my phone bill and taking me and my friends out for fun activities. She has always supported my feelings, asking if I'm okay checking up on me and respecting my space. She supported me financially, she has supported my dreams, and she has supported my health, making sure I'm up to date with dentists and eye appointments etc.
How does it feel to be at university? It feels like a great achievement to be at university, but it does not stop there, the journey continues.
What would you say to someone who is worried about being fostered? Coming from a man that has been in the foster system since a toddler, I would always say “be proud of who you are, even if you are different to other children, it’s good to be different, it is what makes you stand out to other people. There will be ups and downs, but people still care for you.

A Foster Carer Recruitment Event is held the 1st Wednesday of every month, and an Adoption Event is on the 1st Thursday all 7:00pm in your home. To book a place please email Claire.Gwatkin@suffolk.gov.uk or call on: 01473 264800 to register your interest. To find out more: visit www.suffolk.gov.uk/fostering

District Cllr. Leigh Jamieson’s report as submitted to the parish council:

Things are slowly starting to return to normal after the elections two months ago. Most of the new, and old, councillors have completed the key training requirements needed for committees and the first planning committee of the new council was completed last week. Despite meeting regularly since the start of June the new cabinet met earlier this week (Mon 10th) for their first public meeting and Full Council meet next week for the first time since the AGM. It will be interesting to see what difference the new council will make to the existing issues that remain.

Social Housing Referral - Following an in-depth review on Compliance, which was started in 2020, a referral was made to the Regulator of Social Housing in November last year regarding concerns about compliance. This resulted in a regulatory judgement.

Following the subsequent referral to the Regulator, significant progress has been made, including the following:

Recruitment of a specialist to support the Council in carrying out procurement.
Ensuring the Council has more robust data across all compliance areas, helping better management of properties.
Reduction in outstanding compliance actions.
Relocated the damp and mould work to the compliance team and agreed to outsource to a special contractor so urgent cases can be actioned promptly.
Interim structural changes, resources, and new processes.
Appointment of external IT housing specialists.
Recruitment of new roles to help lead the transition to excellence.

However, there is still a lot of work to do, particularly around smoke detector installation where there are still 958 to complete. Meetings will continue with the Regulator until they are confident of the Councils return to compliance.

Overview and Scrutiny Workplan - Overview & Scrutiny committee have agreed a workplan going forward for the coming years. There are a number of statutory things that the committee have to review, such as the budget, and there are always cabinet decisions and member call-ins that need to be looked at. However, this time around the committee wants to look at things of its own choice. After an initial meeting it has been agreed that the committee will scrutinise aspects of planning, housing, town regeneration and access to online services. Going forward the committee may also look at areas that the public want scrutinised, even areas that Babergh does not control such as health.

Council Car Park EV points - Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils are set to install 28 new electric vehicle chargers across their car park network this year, to help tackle climate change. Starting last month, work to install 28 new 22kW EV charging points began in several council car parks in Babergh and Mid Suffolk thanks to a £300K grant from the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV). Each charging point will be able to charge two vehicles at the same time, significantly improving access to chargers for local residents and visitors.

Babergh car parks benefitting are - The Cock Horse Inn, Lavenham; Magdalen Road (long stay), Hadleigh; Girling Street and North Street, Sudbury.

Tour Of Britain - The route for the UK’s biggest professional cycle race, the Tour of Britain, has been revealed, with riders set to speed through Babergh and Mid Suffolk. On Thursday 7 September, the fifth stage of the race will head to our county for the first time since 2017. It starts and finishes in Felixstowe, but the race will pass through a number of towns and villages in the districts, including Wattisham, Bildeston, Hadleigh, East Bergholt and Holbrook, in Babergh.

Appendix B – Financial Report

Items received since the last meeting:

Income Description	Nett	VAT	Gross	Ref
Total Income	£Nil

Items Paid out since the last meeting:

Income Description	Nett	VAT	Gross	Ref
Total Expenditure	£NIL

Items Authorized for Payment:

Expenditure Description	Nett	VAT	Gross	Ref
Clerk Clerk’s Salary & Expenses	406.30	0.00	406.30	BACS
HMRC PAYE – Qtr 1 – 2023-2024	113.80	0.00	113.80	BACS
Lindsey Village Hall Annual Donation	200.00	0.00	200.00	BACS
St Peter’s Church Lindsey Annual Donation	400.00	0.00	400.00	BACS
Total Expenditure	£1,120.10

Financial Report

Date	£
Opening Balance 01.05.23	11421.84
Add Income Received June to July 2023	0.00
Less Expenditure Incurred June to July 2023	0.00
Less Verified Expenditure 12.07.23	1120.10
Closing Balance 12.07.23	10301.74

Bank Reconciliation

Community Account Statement at 07.07.23	11421.84
Less uncleared payments At 12.07.23	1120.10
Plus unaccredited income At 12.07.23	0.00
Reconciled Total At 12.07.23	10301.74

Within the balance above are the following reserves:

(Restricted) CIL reserve - £7,720.18
Earmarked General reserve - £1,650.00
Election reserve - £836.59
General reserve - £94.97