The Annual Parish Meeting for Lindsey was held on 9th May 2018 at 7.00pm in the Village Hall. The Chair of the Parish Council, Councillor Arthey would take the Chair for the meeting. He continued by welcoming Parish Councillors R. Corcoran; M. Hainsworth; Mrs. R. Howe; A. Sturgeon and Mr. D. Waldron, as well as Mrs V Waples (Clerk) County Councillor James Finch and District Councillor Bryn Hurren.
- The Chair of the Parish Council welcomed all to the meeting.
- Apologies for absence were received from Mr Moore and Cllr. Mrs Moore.
- The minutes of the previous meeting of 10th May 2017 were approved by all present and signed by the Chairman of the Parish Council as a true and accurate record.
- To receive a report on Village Issues that have arisen over the past year: there were no issues raised at the previous Annual Parish Meeting.
The following reports were then given as follows:
Mr James Finch - County Councillor
Mr. Finch was invited to submit his report in which he recorded that in his report for the previous year he had shared the Conservative manifesto setting out our 10 priorities for the next 4 years in Suffolk, focused on our careful management of the council, its services and its finances. We wrote about Conservative values and how we translated them into our vision of how to run a council and why we should for the next 4 years. We pointed to our delivery of 7 years of 0% basic council tax rises but were careful to say we would do all we can to keep council tax bills as low as we can for the next 4 years.
For the county council elections on 4th May, the opposition parties promoted a manifesto of “spend, spend, spend” which was soundly rejected across the area and throughout Suffolk. In all of Suffolk’s 75 Divisions, we fought a vigorous campaign and won 52 Divisions pinning Labour back into Ipswich and just two seats outside. Almost immediately we went into the surprise General Election and our county councillors put on hold their return to normal duties to take an active part in our Suffolk MP’s election campaigns, and of course here in South Suffolk, James Cartlidge’s re-election. Following that our Suffolk County Council (SCC) group published the corporate ‘Our Priorities’ document which makes the link between our manifesto and the organisation – ensuring these priorities were reflected in our officers’ priorities and action plans.
A few weeks ago, alongside our budget 2018/19 proposals, we published, for the very first time, a business plan for the next year setting out the targets for the improvements we plan to implement, alongside the further budget savings we have to make. Since 2010 we have stripped £256 million out of our annual expenditure. Despite this we still need to save a further £56 million over the next 4 years. However, we will still spend about £500 million on vital services in our community from protecting vulnerable Children, to helping older people and balancing spending on these vital services against the very important function of maintaining our roads. This is over and above the £500 + million that central government allocates for our schools in the county.
This year the county element of the Council Tax (CT) will sadly rise as our SCC councillors reluctantly voted to increase the basic CT by 2.99% at the Council meeting on 9th February 2018. In addition, they applied the National Adult Social Care Precept at 2%. This is sadly very necessary, but the group is ever mindful that its residents who pay these bills with their own hard-earned income. The plans going forward show that we need to save a further £56 million over the next 4 years and in order to do this there are no easy savings or efficiencies left and therefore difficult decisions are having to be discussed. But as Conservatives, our SCC Group will not duck these difficult decisions, determined as we are that delivering a sustainable budget is the cornerstone of providing vital front-line services to the most vulnerable people here in South Suffolk, and indeed throughout Suffolk.
On a personal note as many of you know, I have spent too much time under medical supervision during this last year. Regrettably, as a result of these circumstance, I have stepped back from my role as SCC Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport. However, with your support I do intend to keep my role as your County Councillor for the Stour Valley division. Thanks were offered to the parish for the support given to him whilst he was absent due to health issues.
Mr. Bryn Hurren - District Councillor
Mr. Hurren was invited to submit his report in which he commented on the following items: basically, a summary of the activities since he reported at the last APM
- Local Plan – 14k replies and reps received – Lindsey might be affected by a hamlet policy and a BUAB
- CIL – up and running – 15% to a host village – note it is a biddable fund
- LGBC – Boundary review – down to 32 possibly
- Environment
- Issue re unsorted recycled waste and the selling of it
- No household rubbish to landfill – diverted into Waste for Energy plant.
- Council tax – up for BDC
- Councils can borrow from PWLB for investment purposes
- Relocated to Endeavour House – democratic and financial disaster
- Corks Lane HQ redeveloped in the listed parts with the rest demolished
- Merger with MSDC has been put off
- 20th year as DC – 16 for
- Scrutiny Cttee; Pin Mill and the Quay Theatre Committee
- Success in planning terms e.g.
Thanks for support and friendship over the year.
Sudbury SNT
No annual report had been submitted on behalf of Inspector Danny Cooper from the Sudbury Safer Neighbourhood Team. The meeting was advised that further information about Suffolk Police and in particular Sudbury SNT could be found by going online via www.suffolk.police.uk/your-area and typing in the post code for the area to be researched. There are details of local police officers, contact information and an online contact form along with current and previous editions of the Sudbury SNT report. There was also a link from the Parish Council’s website to the Sudbury SNT Reports. The Clerk confirmed that she had signed the parish council up to Police Connect and any crimes that were reported in the locality were passed onto Councillors once received.
Reports from the Community
- Village Hall Management Committee - on behalf of the Committee, Mr Clive Arthey reported that during 2017 – 2018, the hall has continued to be hired for a wide range of uses. A week attended Village Supper had been held in January which this year was held at the Lindsey Rose, with £210 to Village Hall funds from the raffle. The annual fund-raising quiz was postponed because of bad weather and snow in early March but went ahead successfully on 28th April raising £421.00. Working parties have been arranged to cut the old and very overgrown hedge between the hall and church and to tidy up the car park. We are now waiting for the new fence to be erected on the roadside which should leave the hall looking much better. A big thank you to the committee members, especially Liz Potter for secretarial duties, Vanessa Whymark for continuing in her role as Treasurer and Ron Mills and Ben Howe who have done so much to keep the hall secure and well maintained. He confirmed that the Village Hall was actively seeking a new Treasurer. We will be considering the installation of electric vehicle charging point at the Village Hall and exploring the possibility of some acoustic panels to reduce background noise during events. It was confirmed that 17 chairs had been received from Babergh District Council as a charitable donation. As is usual, we still struggle to cover our maintenance and running costs for the year and we are grateful to the Parish Council for its grant contribution towards our overheads.
- St Peter's Church Council – on behalf of the Parochial Church Council, a report was read out from the Churchwarden, Mr Michael Moore, which stated that St Peter’s is the parish church for Lindsey which has some 180 inhabitants. The church tower fell down in 1836 and was then replaced by a small wooden structure. Despite this Nicholas Pevsner considered St Peter’s to be one of the fifty most beautiful churches in Suffolk. The reason is that its thirteenth and fourteenth century architecture is unusually light and at times the church has a calm and peaceful atmosphere. The number of worshippers is small, so we concentrate on holding between four and six worshippers a year to which a congregation of some thirty or forty can be attracted. In view of this situation it is intended that St Peter’s shall become a Festival Church once the necessary measures have passed through the General Synod. Financially speaking, our heads are just above water. The dangerous electrical wiring has been replaced and the ancient lime trees around the churchyard have received their quinquennial trimming in order to reduce the risk of a trees falling onto the church or a neighbouring house. The total net cost of these works is around £8,000 which has been generously met but the Friends of St Peter’s. Contacts with the appropriate bodies for obtaining grants to offset these costs is in progress. The Friends are an independent body founded in the year 2000 to raise funds for the upkeep of the church fabric. Without the Friends it is unlikely that St Peter’s could survive. Statistics: 2015 – 1 Funeral; 2016 – 1 Baptism and 2017 – 1 Marriage.
- Parish Council - on behalf of the Parish Council, Mr Clive Arthey, the Chairman, reported that for the year 2017 – 2018 the Parish Council membership remained the same. Thank you to all of the councillors for their attendance and contribution. We are a small village but have to attend to the same statutory requirements as all Parish Councils. Particular thanks to our Clerk, Vicky Waples, who ensures we attend to everything we should, and as our Responsible Financial Officer keeps our accounts in good order. Her support is greatly appreciated in everything we do and is helping enormously as we attend to the new Data Protection Regulations. We have b-monthly meetings and, along with local issues, consider and respond to consultations in the wider area. This year we have responded to the Babergh and Mid Suffolk Joint Local Plan consultation, which included a proposal to define a Settlement Boundary for the village and included possible areas for development. Our response also commented on a number of district-wide issues including the need for better broadband in rural areas. Further consultation on the revisions will take place in the summer. We also considered the Boundary Commission recommendations for the review of electoral divisions in the Babergh District. Their final decision is expected in the autumn. Thanks to our County Councillor, James Finch, and our District Councillor, Bryn Hurren for their regular reporting of County and District issues. Unfortunately, due to illness, James was not able to attend as often as usual, but that gave Bryn a chance to say a bit more and keep us up to date with news from Boxford and the Quay Theatre too! We haven’t seen many parishioners at our meetings, but if that’s because they are happy with life in Lindsey, I think we can be happy too.
- Friends of St Peter's Church – on behalf of the Friend’s Committee, a report was read out from the Chair which stated that The Friends Committee consisted of the Chair Frances Moore, Treasurer David Ross, Members Lu Salway, Sarah Terndrup, Jacqui Delahaye and Jean Taylor. The Friends have two fundraising events during the year. The Wreath Making activity in the Village Hall in December and the Annual Soup and Cheese lunch at Folly Farm in March. The Harvest Supper which had previously been an event organised by the Friends was held in October 2017 at the Red Rose Pub and much enjoyed by 21 participants. The Red Rose generously donated £4 from each ticket sold to the Friends. It is planned to repeat this arrangement in October 2018. The Friends were called upon by the Parochial Church to assist them in meeting the cost of two essential expenses during the year. Firstly, the electrical wiring in the church and secondly the cost of ensuring that the lime trees were of no threat to the church or houses nearby. Both of these costs were met by reserves accumulated for church fabric expenses.
- Kersey Village School – on behalf of the Headteacher, a report was read out which stated that Kersey School was a well-supported and oversubscribed Primary School. We are a friendly inclusive school, committed to the wellbeing of every child and enabling them to achieve their full potential. All our staff, governors and parents work closely, resulting in a supportive, successful effort to ensure all the children excel in their own way. The Values of the School are We Believe, We Strive and We Achieve. This is echoed in the ethos of a caring and Christian Community and this i.e. even more visible with the introduction of ‘Open the Book’ where the bible stories are read and acted by the children. As a Church School we have close links with our local Church, holding whole school assemblies at the Church three times per week. Our school facilities are well utilised and have been developed in the last year to ensure the use of the outside area engaging for all and learning opportunities are maximised. The school accommodation does not include a school hall or canteen but the four class bases are well used by 76 children and four teachers along with all the other staff. We lease the village hall for certain indoor sporting activities and an annual performance. Other sports are conducted outside in the playground or on the village Glebe, which is also used at lunch time for games. Children are constantly involved in exciting curriculum activities such as museum visits, sports tournaments, residential trips, music festivals, arts and other educational visits to support a broad, balanced and creative curriculum for every child. We offer a range of ‘out of hours’ school clubs ranging from a variety of sports to piano, guitar, French and drama. This year has been additionally exciting as we have entered into a partnership with Hintlehsam C of E Primary School, sharing a head teacher in order to strengthen the future of both schools strategically as we move into the future. We are almost definitely a very busy little school.
- Lindsey Newsletter – it was confirmed that the Newsletter was published 3 times a year and had articles that covered generic and local information; special interest as well as the Norman the Gnome Competition. David Ross prints the newsletter which is delivered free in hard copy and there is an aspiration for an email copy to be the way forward.
Public Forum
A resident at Canada Cottages had raised the issue of speeding along the Lavenham to Hadleigh Road. It was confirmed that this was not only an issue for Canada Cottages but also for Semer Farm Shop as all were located on A1141. It was commented that, due to topography there is very little opportunity to locate a Vehicle Activated Sign (VAS). The Clerk and Chair confirmed that residents at this area would like a request submitted for an investigation into a change in the speed limit. County Cllr. Finch agreed to make an enquiry into whether appropriate signage would be suitable for this area. The meeting made Cllr. Finch aware that there had been a change in circumstances with regards to the expansion of the Semer Farmshop and he agreed to ascertain whether a request could be submitted for a change in the speed limit.
Kersey Crossroads – finger post (sign post) have been knocked over and have still not been replaced nor had the agreed works taken place. Cllr. Finch stated that he thought that the works that had been agreed had been carried out, but the Council informed him that it had been agreed that the bank would be cut back to allow better visibility and this had not taken place.
VAS – Cllr. Finch agreed that he would be amenable to an approach for funds for a VAS from his Locality Budget. A brief discussion followed over location and criteria and it was agreed that this would be discussed further at a future parish council meeting.
Meals on Wheels as run by the Royal Voluntary Service has been taken over by the charity Aspect Living Foundation which was a registered Charity. A plea for funds and plea to let them know should this be needed by villagers had been submitted to all parishes.
The Chairman closed the meeting at 8.00pm by thanking all for their attendance.