Parish Council Meeting Minutes

The Chair, Mr. Arthey welcomed the following Parish Cllrs. to the meeting – R Corcoran, B Howe, R Howe and A Sturgeon. In attendance was Mrs V Waples, Clerk and County Cllr. J Finch (in part).

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

1. Apologies of Absence:

Apologies of absence were received from Cllr. Moore due to work commitments and Cllr. Hainsworth for personal commitments.
Council consented to accept the apologies given, aif.
Apologies for absence were also noted from District Councillor Jamieson.

2. Declarations of Interest:

To receive declarations of registrable interests 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 for the agenda under discussion. Cllrs. Arthey and B Howe declared a non-registrable interest in Agenda Item 8iii as Chair and Trustee of the Village Hall respectively.
Members to be reminded to review their Register of Interests and timescales involved with declaring new other registrable interests – Councillors noted the relevant forms to be completed for such interests.
There were no declarations of gifts of hospitality received exceeding £50.
There were no requests for dispensations for the agenda under discussion.

3. Minutes of Previous Meetings:

To approve the minutes of the following Parish Council Meetings: Annual Council Meeting 11th May 2022 - 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, aif.

4. Public Forum: (maximum 10 minutes)

To note the report from the County Councillor – the meeting noted the written report previously circulated – a copy of which can be found at Appendix A. The following points were raised:
- Carers week and the importance of recognising those who might need assistance.
- East Anglia Green – responses had been made. Protection of landscape and skyline were of paramount importance.
- Reclaim the Rain – parishes were invited to bid for funding that would assist with projects that would cover projects designed to cover sustainable water management.
- SEND – focus to try and solve issues that are arising from the lack of places.
To note the report from the District Councillor – the meeting noted the written report previously circulated – a copy of which can be found at Appendix A.
To receive comments from the public on the agenda as published – none submitted prior to the meeting.
To receive comments from or questions from the public on matters relating to Lindsey –
- From those present – there were no members of the public present.
- As submitted by email / letter – the Clerk had not received any matters for Council’s consideration.

5. Parish Matters: to receive updates on items raised at previous meetings:

Climate Awareness / climate emergency – to consider whether there are any further measures that can be taken for raising awareness of the issues relating to actions that can be undertaken at a local level – ongoing – see item ii below.
To receive a report from Cllr. Sturgeon on the Parish decarbonising event on community renewable energy and housing – the meeting had led to other meetings with Greener Suffolk; BMSDC Officers and Heating Bildeston (Community Heat Hub). The latter will keep Lindsey in the loop with regards to funding, public engagement etc. Chilton Woods was also seen to be a good example of how modern technology can be harnessed. Any projects going forward must be of benefit to all of the community with a reminder that the ultimate aim is for secure, reliable and affordable heat for all and the removal of the dependency on fossil fuels. 2 schools of thought – bring insulation up to level C whereas others think that the right source of heat and air source is more important. Any work undertaken must be under the umbrella of the Parish Council and not individuals. What steps could the Parish Council take now: Cllr. Sturgeon has signed up to BMDSC’s Thermal Imaging Camera Project Survey to identify potential areas where excessive heat loss is occurring; Council should consider any land or rivers that could be considered for heat sources; Council should assess level of interest in the community and keep in contact with BMSDC Officers and Heating Bildeston Project Team. The meeting was also made aware of an Oil Buying Scheme – Suffolk Syndicate – which was available for all to join and set up an account.
Directional Signage – to consider an update from SCC Highways Department on costs for the project to consider improvements to the directional signage for Lindsey - all noted that the Council was still waiting for information on this from Suffolk County Council.
Improvements to the two triangles near the Rose Pub – to receive costings from County Cllr. Finch for improvements to both areas – Cllr. Finch indicated that ballpark figures were in the region of £10,000 for both sets. Cllr. Finch was asked to progress this to the next stage and discussion was had over possible sources of funding – Neighbourhood CIL monies and Locality Budgets.
Drainage at White Rose Crossroads – to receive an update from County Cllr. Finch on the formal recommendation given by Suffolk County Council Highways Department for solutions to the drainage issues at this point in the village – it was confirmed that this area was on the list for reactive work with regards to flooding issues. Some digging had been carried out to clear the blockage to allow the water to flow down the hill once it had reached the brow.

6. Statutory Business:

To consider and adopt the Model Councillor Code of Conduct 2020 as produced by the Local Government Association (LGA) – Paper entitled Model Councillor Code of Conduct 2020 link to guidance: https://local.gov.uk/publications/guidance-local-government-association-modelcouncillor-codeconductAdoption - it was noted that this had been added to the agenda in error as the Code of Conduct 2020 had been adopted the previous meeting.
To note that Babergh District Council are carrying out a Community Governance Review of Parishes, Town Councils and Unparished areas – it was noted that this had been added to the agenda in error.

7. Correspondence:

BMSDC – Energy Developments Information Session – to note the PowerPoint on Energy Developments impacting Babergh and Mid Suffolk is available to view at the following link: Large-scale energy projects – it was noted that currently there were no such projects impacting Lindsey.
SCC – Highways Investment Fund – Footway Skirting and Vegetation – Council to promote areas that should be considered for skirting back and clearing vegetation from busy footways from the remaining monies of the Highways Investment Fund Project – it was agreed that this did not impact Lindsey as there were no such footways.
BMSDC – results of the Local Government Association Corporate Peer Challenge Review as carried out in March 2022 – use this link for the LGA findings – it was noted that recommendations were still to be considered by both Cabinets.
BMSDC – to note the District Council’s response to the East Anglia Green non-statutory consultation (see associated papers - https://lindsey.suffolk.cloud/parish-council/meetings/) – it was noted that both Districts including Essex and the County Council had all responded and were in essence all saying the same thing – put it via a sea route acknowledging that this was a more expensive option.
County Cllr. James Finch, Stour Valley Division, Vice-Chair of Dedham Vale AONB Joint Advisory Committee and Partnership – to note the response to East Anglia Green – non statutory public consultation (see associated papers - https://lindsey.suffolk.cloud/parish-council/meetings/) – all noted the response from the Joint Advisory Committee and Partnership.
SALC – to note all weekly news bulletins are emailed round to Councillors for their perusal. Councillors to contact the Clerk if there are any items of interest / training courses they wish to attend.

8. Clerk’s Financial Report:

To review the Clerk’s Salary Scale Point in light of the recommendations arising from the Internal Audit Report – it was proposed and agreed that the Clerk’s salary be reviewed and set at LC1- SCP 17 effective 1st April 2022, aif.
To consider schedule of receipts received since the last meeting – Paper A – all noted that there had been no new receipts received since the last meeting as contained in Appendix B.
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.
To consider the Council's financial position to date – Paper C – Council noted the reconciled position of £4,706.36 once the accounts awaiting payment had been settled, aif. Cllr. Corcoran confirmed that he had verified the position against the bank statements and cashbook.
To consider the actual versus budget for the period ending 31st July 2022 – Paper D - all noted the income versus expenditure budget analysis for the first quarter noting that currently the budget was underspent for the year to date in the sum of £702. It was anticipated that the Council’s anticipation of a further £450 being added to this year’s reserve pot was achievable. It was noted that the main underspend was within the Administration budget – Clerk’s Salary and Training – with the former having an allowance for a pay rise built into the budget figures for the year 2022-2023 as well as a further £76.60 to be taken off the bottom line for the 2nd quarter’s payment due to HMRC under PAYE.
To note receipt of the submission of the Council’s Certificate of Exemption for the year ending 31st March 2022 – the meeting noted the further communication from the external auditor confirming that they had received and logged the notification of exempt status for the year ended 31 March 2022 as submitted. It was confirmed that unless they receive any correspondence from local electors during the period for the exercise for public rights that requires them to contact the council, it would not hear from them again this year.

9. Clerk’s Report:

Cutting of the verges in Lindsey: Clerk to update on the date(s) for the one cut scheduled for Lindsey – it was noted that the target dates for the cutting of C and U roads in Lindsey was 4th July 2022.
Dairy Farm Office Semer – although the Tour scheduled for late June had been cancelled, it was confirmed that Cllr. Sturgeon had attended the rescheduled tour that took place on Friday 8th July and he asked that it be acknowledged how the farm was being run in terms of linking into the environment and sustainable methods being deployed.
UK Shared Prosperity Fund – to note the Clerk has responded to the engagement survey on behalf of the parish as issued by Babergh and Mid Suffolk – click here for full copy of the survey to be completed. All noted the response as submitted by the Clerk.

10. Planning Matters:

To consider the following planning applications: to view please follow the link below:
- DC/22/02878 - Householder Application – Erection of a two storey 3 bay cart lodge and vehicular turning area with EV charging points, with first floor studio / home office, erection of shed and installation of ground mounted PV panels @ The Granary, The Tye – the principal of home working and renewable sources of energy should be supported but this location of the cart lodge and its remoteness from the main dwelling needs to be reviewed. Following discussion all agreed that whilst the council was supportive of the proposal it would like to see the following concerns addressed: the size and mass of the building; the location of the cart lodge, the impact on the landscape and the location of the cart lodge and remoteness from the host dwelling, aif.
- DC/22/02672 - Application to determine if Prior Approval is required for a Proposed Change of Use of Agricultural Buildings to Dwellinghouses (C3) and for building operations reasonably necessary for conversion. Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development)(England) Order 2015 as amended Schedule 2, Part 3, Class Q - Conversion of barn to form 1 No. dwelling - Modern Barn at Rose Farm, Rose Green Road – all agreed that the council should support the proposal, aif.
- DC/22/03009 - Full Planning Application - Change of use from agricultural to F1 (a) provision of educational facility; Siting 2 No. portacabins and storage containers Part Red Rose Field, The Tye – supportive of the proposed change of use from agricultural to F1 (a) provision of an education facility but object to the 2 No portacabins and the storage containers that are being proposed. Concerns were also raised as to the potential impact on highway safety given the increase in vehicle movements along a narrow unclassified road (U8302). All agreed that whilst the council was supportive of the proposed change of use from agricultural to the provision of an education facility, objections should be raised to the siting of 2 No portacabins and the storage containers that are being proposed due to their appearance and their impact on the landscape, aif.
To note the following planning applications determined by the local planning authority:
- DC/22/00735 – Discharge of Conditions Application for DC/21/04019 – Condition 3 (Written Scheme of Investigation) and Condition 4 (Post Investigation Assessment) @ Ravens Hall, Lavenham Road.
- DC/22/02118 – Planning Permission for the siting of external boiler (following the removal of an existing internal boiler) @ Rose Green Cottage, Rose Green Road.
- DC/22/02119 – Listed Building Consent for the siting of external boiler (following the removal of an existing internal boiler) @ Rose Green Cottage, Rose Green Road.

11. Parish Councillors’ Reports:

To receive reports on village issues from Councillors present – there were no comments raised.

12. Date of Next Meeting:

Parish Council Meeting 14th September 2022 commencing at 7.30pm in Lindsey Village Hall.
Date of Meetings for the remainder of 2022: 9th November.

There being no other business the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 21.32pm.

Appendix A – County and District Councillor Reports

County Councillor James Finch report to Council:

Family carers must be recognised for their invaluable contribution – during the week of 7 – 12 June, Suffolk County Council, alongside Suffolk Family Carers and other partners, marked Carers Week and celebrated the hard work and dedication of carers in Suffolk. The theme this year is 'Working together to ensure family carers are visible, valued, supported and connected'. There are an estimated 98,000 carers across Suffolk who provide unpaid care for their loved ones. In the UK, according to research from Carers UK conducted in 2020, this figure rises to 13.6 million. Their contribution is believed to have saved the country somewhere in the region of £193 billion during the Covid-19 pandemic alone – during a time when many have faced unprecedented pressure, taking on new caring responsibilities for some of the most vulnerable in our society. That is why, during Carers Week, we highlighted the challenges faced by unpaid carers and recognising the contribution they are making to families and communities across Suffolk and the UK. Many people are carers without realising it. If you are supporting someone who cannot manage without help, whether due to illness, frailty, mental health, substance misuse or disability, then you are a carer and we want you to know that there is advice and support available. Some of this support is financial: for example, you may be entitled to a weekly allowance or a reduction in your Council Tax. You can also find practical and emotional support. There are several groups and organisations where you can link up with other family carers and share information and experiences in a friendly setting. These can also offer a welcome break from your role as a carer. To learn more about the types of support available, help is available here on the Suffolk County Council website. In addition there is support and help at Suffolk Family carers website here
Council objects to Norwich to Tilbury pylon proposals - On 8th June, Suffolk County Council confirmed its intention to object to the proposals for National Grid’s East Anglia GREEN pylon run. A new network is needed to deliver electricity between Norwich, Bramford and Tilbury, to cope with the increasing amounts of renewable and low carbon electricity being generated around East Anglia. The council does not support this proposal as it stands. It believes that there are better ways to manage the project, for example involving an undersea network which has not been fully investigated. The council has been campaigning for government ministers and officials to introduce a more co-ordinated off-shore approach to meet the demands of all the energy projects in the region. The council absolutely supports ambitions for renewable energy and the government's commitment to meet the target of Net Zero by 2050. They recognise the benefits that can come from this project, and they continue to work with the government to develop coordinated off-shore transmission. However, the council objects to the proposal for National Grid’s East Anglia GREEN as it stands. I and my colleagues are determined that Suffolk will not suffer unnecessarily as a consequence, we will continue to protect our communities, residents and natural environment.
Successful communities awarded £6.4m to ‘Reclaim the Rain’ and tackle flooding - Norfolk and Suffolk County Council’s joint Reclaim the Rain project, which aims to implement innovative and sustainable water management projects, was announced on 14th June. Six communities across both counties were selected. The project team received 37 formal applications from communities keen to be involved in Reclaim the Rain living in one of the most driest areas in the country. These applications were carefully considered and whittled down to three communities in Suffolk and three in Norfolk. They are:
- Boxford – this community displayed a strong interest in sustainable water management and ways in which the community could be more involved with water management.
- Friston – who are exploring innovative ways of resolving hard-to-resolve flood issues.
- Little Blakenham – they identified some opportunities to work with upstream landowners, allowing them to have a more proactive approach in managing flood water running off their land.
Extra Funding for second phase of £45 million five-year project for SEND - Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet agreed an additional £15.9 million to complete the funding for the creation of at least 879 specialist places for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). This money marks the second phase of a £45million five-year project to deliver specialist provision for SEND students in Suffolk. These places include units attached to mainstream schools and three new special schools. So far, 500 new places have opened across the county, with another 325 due to open between September 2022 and September 2024 under Phase 1. The additional money will enable the completion of Phase 2 of the project, and the creation of between 54 to 72 new places, depending on design and planning. The new SEND places support the growing number of children and young people in Suffolk who need specialist help at school. Between September 2021 and May 2022 there have been 1,333 referrals for specialist placements for children currently in mainstream schools
Virtual Fostering and Adoption Sessions for the Stour Valley - 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.

District Councillor Leigh Jamieson report to Council:

Corks Lane, Hadleigh - Significant inflationary pressures in the construction industry have resulted in a shortening of tender validity periods- to a period of a few weeks and sometimes only days, compared with several weeks, or months previously. This has put Babergh in a difficult position as the contractor’s price for phase 1 of the HQ redevelopment was only valid until 10th June 2022 and the Council needed to decide before this date to enable Babergh Growth to determine whether they can award the contract or not. Babergh Growth could not award the contract until they had secured the increased funding. Further delay to the award of contract in the current market would have resulted in price increases. On 8th June, the Babergh Cabinet therefore agreed to increase the peak funding threshold for Babergh Growth Ltd to £7m for use to deliver the redevelopment of the former HQ site in Hadleigh
Energy rebate extension - Residents in Babergh and Mid Suffolk who have been unable to access financial support through the Council Tax Energy Rebate Scheme may now be able to do so through a discretionary fund. In addition to the one off - £150 – launched in February the Government has made £300,000 available as a discretionary fund to Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils meaning people in need of support who were not eligible for the main fund can now access the £150 rebate. The discretionary fund is for people who live in a house where the Council Tax is paid by the property owner or for those in a house of multiple occupation, in any Council Tax band that was not eligible for the Council Tax Energy Rebate.
Local community climate fund - A £150,000 fund has been opened to applications from not-for-profit organisations looking to deliver community-based carbon reduction projects in Suffolk. The fund is available to:
- Charities
- Community interest companies
- Parish councils
- Voluntary groups
- Not-for-profit organisations
Projects could include:
- improving the energy efficiency of buildings
- promoting walking and cycling
- using sustainable/recycled materials
- raising awareness of climate change through events, among others
It will support up to 50% of costs (up to a maximum of £10,000) for projects that can demonstrate support from others in the community - in the form of contributions from multiple other sponsors for the remaining project costs.
Cost of Living Plan - Cabinet members at Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils have considered a five-point action plan to support residents and staff through the cost-of-living crisis, bringing together work already underway with new initiatives, under five key headings:
- Cost of Living:
  - Co-ordinating Government support – getting help to those who need it.
  - Exercising discretion providing welfare support and advice to support those facing challenging times.
  - Maximising partnership working and established systems to provide targeted support where there is a particular trend and need.
- Preventing Crisis:
  - Maintaining good health – such as referrals for mental health support, use of council gyms, community-led “wellbeing” initiatives
  - Ensuring access to food and nutrition – such as healthy eating exercises/initiatives, community gardens and larders, or extra support for local food banks.
The plan brings together a suite of measures that focus on providing advice and support, maintaining people’s health, and building on work already underway since the launch of the councils’ Communities and Wellbeing strategies.
Energy Infrastructure - Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils are calling for an urgent government review of the number and scale of ‘potentially devasting’ energy infrastructure projects for local communities. The leaders of both councils have written to the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, calling for a wider review of the strategic planning of energy infrastructure including developments such as solar farms and battery storage, for which the districts are seeing a substantial number of applications.

Appendix B – Financial Report:

Items received since the last meeting:

Total Income £NIL

Items Paid out since the last meeting:

Total Expenditure £NIL

Items to be Authorized for Payment:

Expenditure Description	Nett	VAT	Gross	Ref
13.07.22 Clerk’s Salary & Expenses	361.95	0.00	361.95	BACS
HMRC – Qtr. 1 – PAYE	81.20	0.00	81.20	BACS
Suffolk Cloud – Website Hosting	120.00	0.00	120.00	BACS
Lindsey Village Hall – Annual Donation	200.00	0.00	200.00	BACS
St Peter’s Lindsey – Annual Grounds Maintenance	400.00	0.00	400.00	BACS
Total Expenditure	£1163.15

Financial Report

Date	£
Opening Balance 11.05.22	5869.51
Add Income Received April – July 22	2474.50
Less Expenditure Incurred April – July 22	1772.62
Closing Balance 13.07.22	4706.36

Bank Reconciliation

Community Account Statement at 10.07.22	5869.51
Less uncleared payments At 13.07.22	1163.15
Plus unaccredited income At 13.07.22	0.00
Reconciled Total At 13.07.22	4706.36

Within the balance above are the following reserves:

(Restricted) CIL reserve - £2,015.37

General reserve - £ 777.83

Earmarked reserve - £1,913.16