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EAST BERGHOLT PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

Thursday 9 January 2020 at 7.30pm at The Lambe School, Gaston Street, East Bergholt

Present – Parish Councillors
Councillor J Miller (Chairman of the Council)
Councillor N Roberts (Vice Chairman of the Council)
Councillor R Allen
Councillor C Cathcart
Councillor R Elmer
Councillor M Hurley
Councillor R Lansdell
Councillor J Price
Councillor S Rothwell
Councillor R Wombwell
Councillor G Woodcock

In Attendance
Mr G White, Parish Clerk
1 member of the public

Open Public Session

There was no request to speak from the member of the public in attendance.

1. Welcome and Apologies for Absence

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Eley and from County Councillor Jones who had
apologised for lateness due to a prior commitment. It was proposed by Councillor Rothwell, seconded by
Councillor Roberts and RESOLVED (unanimously) that the apologies be noted.

2. Declaration of Interests or Dispensations

There were no declarations of interest or written requests for dispensation.

3. Minutes of the Parish Council meeting of 12 December 2019

With reference to Minute 17, Councillor Roberts observed that the minute should state that the site ‘had been
offered for sale’ to another party and not that it had been ‘sold’. It was proposed by Councillor Roberts,
seconded by Councillor Rothwell and RESOLVED (unanimously) that subject to the foregoing correction, the
minutes be approved as a correct record.

4. Minutes of the Extraordinary Parish Council meeting of 18 December 2019

It was moved by Councillor Roberts, seconded by Councillor Rothwell and RESOLVED (unanimously) that
the minutes be approved as a correct record.

5. Minutes of the Extraordinary Parish Council meeting of 2 January 2020

It was moved by Councillor Allen, seconded by Councillor Woodcock and RESOLVED (unanimously) that
the minutes be approved as a correct record.

6. Matters Arising/Updates

With reference to Minute 12 of the meeting of 12 December 2019, A12/A14 Public Meeting, enquiries were
made as to progress by the organisers regarding the priorities of the meeting and a provisional plan of
action. Nothing had been heard from the organisers and the Clerk was asked to write to them seeking details
of such progress.

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7. Casual Vacancy

The Council NOTED that no applications for co-option to the Council had been received by the closing date.
The Chairman requested councillors to consider seriously members of the community who might have a
contribution to make and to ask if they were interested and if so to write to the Clerk by 5 February. The
Council will consider the matter further at the next meeting.

8. County and District Councillor Written Reports

The report from County Councillor Jones was deferred pending his attendance later in the meeting. The
report from District Councillor Hinton was NOTED.

9. Planning

9.1 Planning Applications received

The Council considered the planning applications received from the Local Planning Authority since the last
meeting.

DC/19/05929 The Linnets, Quintons Road, East Bergholt, CO7 6RB – Householder
application – Erection of single storey side extension.

The Council considered this to be an improvement on the previous application
upon which the Council had sought a deferral in order for the planning history
to be considered. The original two storey development was now a larger single
storey building. Importantly the applicant was prepared to undertake not to
implement the previous permission.

It was proposed by Councillor Woodcock, seconded by Councillor Roberts and
RESOLVED (unanimously) that approval be recommended.

DC/19/05965

Vine Cottage, White Horse Road, East Bergholt, CO76TR – Householder
application – Erection of single storey front extension (following
demolition of garage).

It was proposed by Councillor Roberts and seconded by Councillor Rothwell
that approval be recommended in principle and the design be improved by
closer integration with the existing dwelling. 4 voted for and 4 voted against the
proposition. The Chairman exercised a casting vote against the proposition
which was lost.

It was proposed by Councillor Woodcock, seconded by Councillor Price and
RESOLVED (6 voted for, none voted against) that approval be recommended.

DC/19/05798 Clare House, Heath Road, East Bergholt CO7 6RL – Application for
outline planning permission (all matters reserved) – Erection of 2 No
single storey dwellings.

The Chairman reported that an extension had been granted by the local
planning authority to enable a recommendation to be made on this late
received application at the February meeting.

DC/20/00052 East Bergholt Place, Mill Road, East Bergholt, CO7 6UP – Change of use
and extension to agricultural barns to form 1 no residential unit (re-
submission of approved application DC/19/01280)

It was proposed by Councillor Woodcock, seconded by Councillor Roberts and
RESOLVED (nine voted for, none voted against) that approval be
recommended.

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9.2 Planning correspondence

The correspondence received from the Local Planning Authority concerning determined planning
applications was NOTED.

10. Correspondence – Routine/General

This correspondence set out on the Final Correspondence List circulated at the meeting was considered and
NOTED, comprising:

1. 18/12/19 SALC Nomination for Buckingham Palace Garden
Party on 27/05/20
2. 19/12/19 AONB Manager AONB December update
3. 30/12/19 SALC E-Bulletin 20/12/19
4. 21/12/19 Suffolk Neighbourhood Watch
Association
Request for Donation
5. 27/12/19 County Councillor Gordon Jones

Speeding through villages – ANPR cameras
Establishment of village working group
6. 03/01/20 Babergh DC Notice of forthcoming parish liaison meetings
7. 07/01/20 Dedham Vale AONB and Stour
Valley Project
Invitation to apply for grants
8. 08/01/20 Babergh DC Spring Clean Suffolk 2020

10.1 With reference to item 1, this invitation extended only to Parish Chairmen and as the current
Chairman was not eligible, having attended a garden party previously, no nomination was
submitted.

10.2 With reference to item 4, It was proposed by Councillor Rothwell, seconded by Councillor
Woodcock and RESOLVED (unanimously) that a Section 137 grant of £50 be made to Suffolk
Neighbourhood Watch Association and the Association be asked how Neighbourhood Watch
might be revived in East Bergholt.

10.3 With reference to item 5, It was proposed by Councillor Miller, seconded by Councillor Price
and RESOLVED (9 voted for, none voted against) that Councillor Lansdell be the Council’s
representative on the Speeding through Villages Working Group and that Councillor Miller be the
reserve representative.

10.4 With reference to item 6, it was proposed by Councillor Miller, seconded by Councillor
Lansdell and RESOLVED (unanimously) that Councillor Wombwell be the Council ’s
representative at the Babergh Parish Liaison Meeting on 5 February.

11. County Councillor Written Report

County Councillor Jones attended and presented his written report which was NOTED.

Additionally County Councillor Jones reported that following a Suffolk Budget Scrutiny meeting, the County
Council was proposing a 2% increase in the Council Tax precept for Adult Social Care and a 1.98% increase
in basic Council Tax. He considered that the Government Settlement for 2020/21 had been fair and no extra
cuts were required. The County Council considered it to be a prudent step to increase balances having
regard to the fact that the national living wage would increase by 6.4% which would affect many care
workers. Schemes were in the budget for highways schemes and tree planting.

He spoke of his proposal to establish Speeding through Villages Working Groups which he hoped would
cover the County and facilitate a joint bid for financial support.

County Councillor Jones was visiting East Bergholt in company with David Chenery of County Highways on
21 or 23 January to meet representatives of the Parish Council.

Civil Parking legislation had been laid before Parliament today for implementation in April 2020.

A review of Children’s Centres was going live on 10 January 2020 and this was not a cost cutting exercise.

County Councillor Jones was thanked for his report and he left the meeting.

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12. Budget and Precept request for 2020/21

Councillor Elmer presented the budget and precept request which was recommended to the Council by the
Strategy, Finance and Policy Committee. Councillor Woodcock raised an issue about grant aid to the Bowls
Club and was advised that this could be accommodated in the current financial year if the Council decides to
fund it and that it was not necessary to amend the budget to accommodate this matter.

It was proposed by Councillor Elmer, seconded by Councillor Miller and RESOLVED (unanimously) that the
Budget for 2020/21 totalling £163,052 and the Precept for 2020/21 in the sum of £163,000 be approved.

13. Community Infrastructure Levy

The Council considered a paper submitted by the Clerk which showed CIL Income and Expenditure over the
last three years since the implementation of CIL in Babergh. The Council had received a total of £6165.53
and to date had not spent any of it. Money received had to be spent within five years of receipt or else it had
to be returned. There was a general feeling that perhaps the Council had not received as much as had been
anticipated and there was a need to track planning permissions to ensure that all monies due to the Council
were indeed being received. The need for vigilance and to be more requesting was highlighted as was the
need to be able to quote examples if it was considered that the Council was not receiving its full share of the
levy. There was also Section 106 money and the Clerk was asked to check the local planning authority’s
website to ensure that any monies due were duly received.

The Council needs to formulate plans to identify and prioritise infrastructure projects which can benefit from
the CIL money held, together with future receipts. Projects will be considered at the next meeting of the
Strategy, Finance and Policy Committee.

14. Strategy, Policy and Finance Matters

14.1 Schedule of Accounts – It was proposed by Councillor Elmer, seconded by Councillor Roberts and
RESOLVED (unanimously) that payments since the last meeting in the sum of £12137.51 and a transfer
from deposit to current account in the sum of £55000.00 be approved.

9.2 Bank Reconciliation statements – The Clerk presented a corrected bank reconciliation statement for July
2019 and a statement for December 2019. It was proposed by Councillor Lansdell, seconded by Councillor
Hurley and RESOLVED (unanimously) that the bank reconciliation statements be accepted.

15. Other Committee Matters

15.1 Roads, Footpaths and Flatford Committee – There were no matters to report

15.2 Burial Ground Committee – Councillor Rothwell reported that works to the Cemetery trees/foliage
adjacent to the boundary with White Cottage would be undertaken on 17 January.

15.3 Playing Field Committee – There were no matters to report.

15.4 Neighbourhood Plan Committee – There were no matters to report.

15.5 Equality and Diversity Group – Councillor Hurley reported that the next meeting was scheduled for
15 January.

15.6 Website Review Group – There were no matters to report.

16. Judicial Review

Councillor Miller reported that there had been no developments since the Extraordinary Council Meeting on 2
January; work was ongoing. The report was NOTED.

17. Parish Office

The Clerk reported that a three year lease with a break clause at 12 months (exercisable no later than 9
months) for an office at The Gattinetts had been entered into with effect from 1 January 2020. The office
would be open in about a week’s time and the Clerk would be available to receive residents with parish
related views or issues on Mondays and Thursdays from 10am to 2pm though he would work from the office
on other weekdays as well. Details of the new village base would be placed on the notice boards, the
website and in the Parish magazine. The report was NOTED.

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18. Urgent Communications

There were no urgent communications.

19. Resolution to exclude the public (including the press)

It was moved by Councillor Miller, seconded by Councillor Hurley and RESOLVED (unanimously) that
pursuant to the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 and the Local Government Act 1972
Sections 100 and 102 the public (including the press) be excluded from the meeting as publicity would be
prejudicial to the public interest by reason of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted.

20. Confidential Minutes of the Parish Council meeting of 12 December 2019

It was proposed by Councillor Miller, seconded by Councillor Rothwell and RESOLVED (unanimously) that
the confidential minutes of the Parish Council meeting of 12 December 2019 be approved as a correct
record subject to a correction to Minute 3 that the site ‘had been offered for sale’ to another party and not
that it had been ‘sold’.

21. Confidential Minutes of the Extraordinary Parish Council meeting of 18 December 2019

It was moved by Councillor Allen, seconded by Councillor Hurley and RESOLVED (unanimously) that the
confidential minutes of the Extraordinary Parish Council meeting of 18 December 2019 be approved as a
correct record.

22. Confidential Minutes of the Extraordinary Parish Council meeting of 2 January 2020

It was moved by Councillor Lansdell, seconded by Councillor Woodcock and RESOLVED (10 voted for,
none voted against) that the confidential minutes of the Extraordinary Parish Council meeting of 2 January
2020 be approved as a correct record.

23. Matters Arising/Updates

There were no matters arising or updates on any of the foregoing sets of confidential minutes.

The meeting concluded at 9.12 pm.

Date of the next Parish Council Meeting – Thursday 13 February 2020 at 7.30pm at The Lambe School,
Gaston Street, East Bergholt.

Chairman…………………………………………………………………………………….Date………………………………………………..