1

EAST BERGHOLT PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF THE STRATEGY, POLICY AND FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING

7 May 2026

Present – Parish Councillors
Councillor R Elmer (Chair)
Councillor M Burns
Councillor M Hockley
Councillor M Hurley
Councillor J Miller
Councillor J Price

In Attendance
G White, Parish Clerk
Four members of the public

OPEN PUBLIC SESSION

Vic Saunders, Treasurer, East Bergholt Bowls Club presented the Club’s grant application for equipment.
The Club’s equipment had been prioritised in terms of age and the current rotorake was over 20 years old
and in need of replacement. This was used on a weekly basis and it was the major contributor to the
green being the best in Suffolk. The Club had sought three quotations for a replacement machine the best
of which was for £6.697 including VAT. The grant application included an additional £500 contingency for
associated equipment, a total of £7,197.

Councillor Hockley said the application had been considered by the Sports Council and the Playing Fields
Committee and had been approved by both and recommended to this committee for an award to be
made.

Councillor Burns said the Club attracted subscriptions and held events to raise money so could not these
funds be used to provide the equipment? Mr Saunders replied that the Club built up some reserves but
experienced high costs such as the £7k per annum to maintain the green as well as electricity and
business rates etc. This application was the first of a programme over three years to replace equipment
which would be funded by fund raising and reserves.

Val James, Chair of Constable Hall Management Committee presented the CIL application for renovations
to Constable Hall which were set out in detail in the application. Adrian James circulated brief up to date
bank details which would not be finalised until the accounts were presented to the AGM at the end of
June. A full copy will be sent to the PC at this point. There was some £8k in the savings account and £57k
in the current account.

Councillor Miller asked if an application to Babergh DC had been made or was about to be which was
answered in the affirmative, though this application was the first to be formally submitted.

At least one other grant would be applied for but Councillor Price said the organisation had not been
approached yet. He added that he would declare an interest in this matter in this meeting at the
appropriate moment.

Val James said that Constable Hall had received grant aid for previous internal projects but this was the
first application for the exterior of the building. She confirmed that the warm spaces initiative was
separately funded to the main Constable Hall accounts.

2

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence received from Councillor Roberts were noted.

2. DECLARATION OF INTERESTS

Councillor Price declared an Other Registrable Interest as a member of the Constable Hall
Management Committee having been nominated by the Parish Council.

3. MINUTES

The minutes of the meeting of 19 March 2026 were approved as a correct record.

4. MATTERS ARISING/UPDATES

None.

5. GRANT APPLICATION FROM EAST BERGHOLT BOWLS CLUB

It was proposed by Councillor Hockley, seconded by Councillor Hurley and RESOLVED (unanimously)
that it be recommended to Council that pursuant to Section 1 of the Localism Act 2011, a grant of up
to £7197.00 be awarded to East Bergholt Bowls Club for the purchase of a rotorake and associated
costs.

6. CIL APPLICATION FROM CONSTABLE HALL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

Councillor Price described the works set out in the application and the various grants required to fund
the project. The amount of Parish CIL sought was £57k. In addition to the maximum CIL grant from
Babergh DC one other significant grant was required from a third party and if Groundwork East
declines to grant aid, another source of funding will be necessary.

Councillor Miller asked if the Trustees’ future plans included an extension to Constable Hall meaning
that this investment would be of short-term benefit only. Councillor Price said the Management
Committee had been reviewing this for two years and it would be very expensive. The Management
Committee had decided not to pursue this element.

Councillor Hockley asked various technical questions which were answered by Councillor Price.
Councillor Hockley added that he would like to see proper up to date accounts. Mr James advised that
these could not be submitted until after the end of their financial year at the end of June but that a set
of full accounts would be sent to the Parish Council at that point.

Councillor Burns raised a note of caution by warning that £57k might become £110k if Groundwork
declines to grant aid the project. Councillor Miller said the Council can only work on the basis of the
request for £57k and the assumptions made of other grants being forthcoming. The Parish Council’s
grant would fall if the other grants were not available and any further proposal would have to be
considered again.

Councillor Hurley said it sounds as though a lot of work needs to be done to the hall and if money is
not committed in grant aid patching up works will have to be undertaken. Constable Hall should be
preserved for the sake of the community and the application should be supported.

It was proposed by Councillor Hurley, seconded by Councillor Burns and RESOLVED (five voted for,
none voted against. Having declared an interest, Councillor Price did not vote) that it be recommended
to Council that on the basis of other grants being provided that would fund the full costs of the project,
up to £57,000 from Parish CIL be awarded to Constable Hall Management Committee for its
renovation project.

3

7. POLICE COMMUNITY SUPPORT OFFICER – TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Councillor Miller had received the terms and conditions upon which a PCSO would operate. These
had been circulated along with Councillor Miller’s suggestions upon clauses which may be the subject
of negotiation.

Councillor Price said he was largely in favour of accepting the terms and conditions with the various
amendments if possible and wondered if there was capacity to add extras in the future such as
speedwatch and lost property.

It was proposed by Councillor Miller, seconded by Councillor Price and RESOLVED (unanimously)
that it be recommended to Council that the terms and conditions for a PCSO be accepted with such
amendments as may be negotiated and with capacity for future additions.

8. URGENT COMMUNICATIONS

None

The meeting closed at 8:16 pm

Chair…………………………………………………………………………………….Date………………………………………..