1

EAST BERGHOLT PARISH COUNCIL

ANNUAL PARISHIONERS MEETING

Thursday 11 May 2023 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 S Davies
Councillor P Dent
Councillor R Elmer
Councillor M Hockley
Councillor M Hurley
Councillor L Matthews
Councillor J Price
Councillor S Rothwell
Councillor R Wombwell
Councillor G Woodcock

In Attendance
G White, Parish Clerk
Former District Councillor John Hinton
Five members of the public

1. Welcome

The Chairman of the Parish Council, Councillor Joan Miller, welcomed everyone to the Annual
Parishioners Meeting.

The Chairman referred to the Coronation event which had taken place on 8 May and had been
very well attended by residents and their families. She thanked everyone who had contributed to
the Scarecrow Trail. It was lovely to see the village coming together on a large scale. She
offered particular thanks to Louise Smith, Assistant Clerk, for her energy and enthusiasm in
arranging the event.

Tony Brigden congratulated councillors upon their election success. However he considered the
leaflet distributed by candidates which referenced 14 of the 18 candidates to have been divisive
and to have had the effect of disenfranchising the other 4 candidates.

The Chairman said that everything had been done within the spirit and the letter of the law. The
village and the Council must now work together in going forward.

2

2. Apologies for absence

An apologies for absence received from County Councillor Hall who was involved in a work
engagement and from Councillor Rothwell for lateness were NOTED.

3. Annual Reports from the Chairman of the Parish Council and Committee Chairmen

Written annual reports from the following Parish Councillors had been placed on the village
website and each was presented to the meeting by its author.

The Chairman of the Parish Council – Councillor Joan Miller

Burial Grounds Committee – Councillor Joan Miller

Playing Fields Committee – Councillor Graeme Woodcock

John Hinton noted the capacity problem of the playing fields and asked if the possibility of use of
the High School facilities had been explored. Councillor Woodcock replied that the Sports
Council had been in touch with the Headteacher and intended to approach him again in this
municipal year.

John Hinton asked if it was known how many members of the tennis club were from outside the
village. Councillor Woodcock was unsure but added that the club was not restrictive to near
neighbours. Councillor Miller noted that many East Bergholt residents use the facilities in
Brantham.

Councillor Davies asked about the prospect of acquiring new pitches. Councillor Woodcock said
that discussions will take place with two landowners though the purchase price could be high.

Councillor Miller congratulated the Tennis Club upon its successes this year in winning Suffolk
and Regional ‘Best Club of the Year’ awards and wished them all the best for the forthcoming
National Final. She was pleased to note that the club was very united with no elitism.

Roads, Footpaths and Flatford Committee – Councillor Michael Hockley

John Hinton raised a number of issues:
(i) The locations of new dog bins. Councillor Hockley said that there were more around the
village and in one case doubling up on a single bin which was frequently full.
(ii) Problems at the Four Sisters junction where A12 workers were littering the area with
lunch detritus. He had complained to Highways England who had raised the matter with
the contractors.
(iii) National Power Networks were closing Gaston Street for five days for electric works.
(iv) Lots of contractors from the Moores Lane development were parking on Foxhall Fields
which was upsetting residents. They should park onsite and the Council should inform
the planning authority as this may amount to a breach of condition.
(v) A resident asked if CIL money could be used to lengthen the lay-by on Hadleigh Road to
the extent of the Primary School grounds. John Hinton commented that if Suffolk County
Council obtained the removal of the stretched limousine from the existing layby, it would
help. Both the District and the Parish Councils could apply for CIL money and the
Chairman added that the Parish Council would take this on board and discuss it
subsequently.

3

Councillor Matthews asked whether there was support for a walk to school campaign. The
Chairman noted that a major problem was that 60% of the pupils were from outside the village.
Councillor Hurley added that many parents consider the narrow footpaths too dangerous for the
children to walk to school.

Councillor Rothwell joined the meeting.

Councillor Wombwell referred to the Transport Strategy meeting scheduled for 24 May and
considered it vital to get local energy behind the campaign for improved transport arrangements.

Councillor Dent referred to coach parking in the car park and that ‘Coaches’ should be painted
across the parking spaces or signs be affixed to the adjoining wall.

With regard to potholes, it was noted that Suffolk County Council was not acting promptly
enough.

East Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan Committee – Councillor Nigel Roberts expanded on his
written report and said that the review of the Neighbourhood Plan had been ongoing since 2019
and wider village co-operation was needed. A public workshop was scheduled for 24 May in the
Congregational Church when consultants would present a range of interventions to reduce
traffic and speed and give emphasis to walking and cycling. The Council was engaging planning
consultants to assist in the production of the draft review plan and this work would commence in
September 2023. The process will take approximately twelve months and will include
considerable community engagement.

Councillor Davies noted the key issues of the review, the capacity to support a 20% increase in
population, Traffic Management, Leisure Space and Housing.

Councillor Wombwell asked if the Neighbourhood Plan was still valid seven years on and the
Chairman pointed out that it was still consistent with Babergh’s core policy.

Strategy, Policy and Finance Committee – Councillor Bob Elmer

4. Report from County Councillor Georgia Hall

County Councillor’s written report was NOTED. The Chairman thanked County Councillor Hall
for her continuing support of East Bergholt particularly with regard to highways issues.

5. Report from District Councillor John Hinton

Councillor Hinton presented his report and encouraged the Parish Council to maintain the
dialogue with David Wilson Homes, the developer at Moores Lane, and to keep on to Babergh
DC to pursue adherence to planning conditions. The Chairman thanked Councillor Hinton for
over twenty years’ service as District Councillor and his support for East Bergholt over that
period.

6. Open Forum

4

There were no further public contributions and the Chairman thanked members of the public for
attending and contributing to the meeting. She reminded the public that there was a Public
Open Session at the beginning of each monthly Council meeting.

The meeting closed at 8.00 pm.

The next Annual Parish Meeting will take place in May 2023 on a date to be determined.