BUNGAY TOWN COUNCIL
Minutes of the Town Council Meeting held on Thursday 17th September 2020 at 7.00 pm held on-line using video conferencing under The Local Authorities and Police Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020.
Members: Cllr. B, Prior (BP) Chair Cllr. J. Adams (JA) Deputy Cllr. M. Atterwill (MA) Cllr. J. Blowers O’Neill, (JBO’N) Cllr. S. Collins (SC) CLLR. A. Dawes (AD) Cllr. G. Halliwell (GH) Cllr. L. Harnden (LH) Cllr. M Lincoln (ML Cllr. K Lodge (KL) Cllr. P Love (PL) Cllr. R Marshall (RM) Cllr. D. O’Neill (DO’N) Cllr. L Richardson (LR)
Also present: J. Burton (JB) Town Clerk/RFO, P Aldous MP and 6 other members of the public.
087- To receive and accept apologies for absence: 2020/2021 Apologies were received from Town Councillors – KL, LR and LH. Apologies were also received from District Councillor J Cloke and Suffolk County Councillor & District Councillor D. Ritchie.
088- Declaration of Interest & Requests for Dispensations: Councillors to declare any Pecuniary or Non- 2020/2021 Pecuniary Interests. Notwithstanding this item, Members may subsequently declare an interest at any point in the meeting. No pecuniary or non-pecuniary interests were declared by Councillors.
089- To approve the minutes outstanding: 2020/2021 To approve the minutes of the Extraordinary Town Council Meeting held on the 9th September 2020.
It was proposed by DO’N, seconded by MA and RESOLVED to accept the minutes of the Extraordinary Town Council Meeting held on 9th September 2020 as an accurate record of the meeting and these minutes were signed by BP. For 8 Against 0 Abstain 3
090- Public Forum: Members of the public are invited to give their views on Town affairs at the discretion 2020/2021 of the Chair, for no more than 15 minutes. Members of the public may not take part in the Parish Council meeting itself.
A member of the public expressed concerns regarding 2 items on the agenda, these being the potential cost of commissioning a Bungay Town Council Overture Area and restricting the access of the public to the Staithe / Riverside area.
Peter Aldous MP spoke about (1) The closure of the Bungay Post Office and potential new owner (2) frequency of the Lloyds Bank mobile service (3) the new East Suffolk Council car park charges (4) a forthcoming meeting with Tim Passmore , Suffolk Police & Crime Commissioner, regarding policing in rural areas and (5) issues with NHS dentistry in Bungay.
091- East Suffolk Smart Towns Project: To receive a presentation from M McInnes, Economic 2020/2021 Development Officer, East Suffolk Council regarding the Presentation: A presentation was made by Morag McInnes, Economic Development Officer, regarding the East Suffolk Smart Towns Project and funding has been secured. ‘This ambitious project will see our market towns become ‘smarter’ through the installation of free public Wi-Fi and footfall trackers. Alongside this installation, we will be creating an innovative ‘business springboard’ which will help
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businesses and towns make better use of digital technology and give us a better understanding of our town centres. This is an important investment in the future of our towns and businesses’.
Following the presentation there was a Q&A session and any further questions to be sent to JB – Noted
092- Town Mayor’s Report: To receive the Mayor’s Report from Town Councillor B. Prior – For 2020/2021 Information.
The Town Mayor’s September Report ( 4) from BP had been previously circulated to all Town Councillors and is Appendix 1 (attached). The Town Mayor’s Report is also available on the Town Council’s Website – Noted
093- District Councillors Report: To receive a report from District Councillors J Cloke & David Ritchie- For 2020/2021 Information
The District Councillor Report from J. Cloke – Appendix 2 (attached) had been previously circulated to all Town Councillors – Noted
The District Councillor Report from D. Ritchie – Appendix 3 (attached) had been previously circulated to all Town Councillors – Noted
094- Town Clerk’s Report: To receive the Clerk’s Report from Town Clerk & RFO J. Burton – For 2020/2021 Information
The Town Clerk’s Report from JB had been previously circulated to all Town Councillors and is appendix 4 (attached) - Noted.
095- Financial Reports: 2020/2021 a) To receive the Bank Reconciliation to 31st August 2020 – For acceptance and approval. It was proposed by AD, seconded by GH, and RESOLVED that the Bank Reconciliation as @ 31st August 2020 showing total bank balances of £148,930.45 was approved and this reconciliation was duly signed by BP For 10 Against 0 Abstain 1
b) To receive a statement of the accounts to 31st August 2020 YTD – For Information. An excel spreadsheet showing the 2020 – 2021 Accounts Year to Date, was previously circulated to all Town Councillors - Noted
c) To approve payments and receipts – For Consideration. It was proposed by MA, seconded by DO’N, and RESOLVED that payments for a total of £46,115.35 (including VAT) be approved. For 10 Against 0 Abstain 1
It was proposed by DO’N, seconded by GH, and unanimously RESOLVED that receipts for a total £10,117.69 (including VAT) be approved.
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For 10 Against 0 Abstain 1
096- Working Group Report to conclude the review of the BTC Working Groups and recommendations 2020/2021 from Cllr. J. Blowers O’Neill Paper presented at the June Council Meeting – For Consideration
Proposal - GE & F should be incorporated with GP & A, renamed Resources Committee. It was proposed by DO’N, seconded by MA, and RESOLVED that the GE & F should be incorporated with GP & A, renamed Resources Committee. For 7 Against 2 Abstain 1
Proposal - A sub-committee reporting to the Resources Committee shall meet once a quarter to review governance and policies It was proposed by DO’N, seconded by JA, and RESOLVED that a sub-committee reporting to the Resources Committee shall meet once a quarter to review governance and policies. For 8 Against 0 Abstain 3
At 8.03 pm KL joined the meeting
Proposal - A Strategy & Budget sub-committee shall be formed, reporting to the Resources Committee. This sub – committee shall monitor the current budget and prepare the budget for the following year. (The annual budget will be prepared by the Strategy & Budget sub- committee, with the Draft Budget then recommended by the Resources Committee and approved by Full Council). It was proposed by DO’N, seconded by GH, and RESOLVED that a Strategy & Budget sub-committee shall monitor the current budget and prepare the budget for the following year For 8 Against 1 Abstain 3
Proposal - All working parties shall be given a specific task with an endpoint, after which the working party in question is disbanded or becomes a subcommittee of the appropriate committee if necessary. It was proposed by DO’N, seconded by GH, and RESOLVED that all working parties shall be given a specific task with an endpoint, after which the working party in question is disbanded or becomes a subcommittee of the appropriate committee if necessary. For 12 Against 0 Abstain 0
Proposal – To form a Police Liaison Committee. It was proposed by DO’N, seconded by KL, and RESOLVED to form a Police Liaison Committee. For 7 Against 5 Abstain 0
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Proposal – All Working Groups to be assigned to a Committee and each Working Group to have a specific task, with an end date, and a Chairperson. It was proposed by JA, seconded by DO’N, and RESOLVED that all Working Groups to be assigned to a Committee and each Working Group to have a specific task, with an end date, and a Chairperson. For 10 Against 0 Abstain 2
097- Bungay Town Council Flag, Flagpole, and associated equipment costings - For Consideration 2020/2021 It was proposed by SC, seconded by MA, but NOT RESOLVED, to form a Working Group to consider the options of purchasing a Bungay Town Council Flag, Flagpole and associated equipment. For 3 Against 12 Abstain 0
It was proposed by JBO’N, seconded by BP, and RESOLVED, to purchase a Bungay Town Council flag to be carried, together with associated equipment. For 10 Against 1 Abstain 1
098- Bungay Town Council Overture – For Consideration 2020/2021 It was proposed by BP, seconded by ML, and RESOLVED, to accept the gift from BP of a commissioned Bungay Town Council Overture. For 10 Against 0 Abstain 2 GH asked for BP to be thanked for this generous gift – Noted.
At 8.56 KL left the Meeting.
101- Co-option of Town Councillor – for consideration. 2020/21 It was proposed by GH, seconded by ML, and RESOLVED that Frances Betts (FB) be co-opted as a Town Councillor for Bungay Town Council. For 11 Against 0 Abstain 0
Declaration of Acceptance form to be signed on 21st September 2020.
It was proposed by BP, seconded by GH, and RESOLVED to suspend Standing Orders and to extend the meeting by 15 minutes. For 11 Against 0 Abstain 0
099- Outcome of Riverside Centre/ Staithe Area proposals - For consideration 2020/2021 It was proposed by JA, seconded by PL, and RESOLVED, to accept the recommendations of the Grounds, Premises and Amenities Committee to make improvements to the Riverside Centre / Staithe area by carrying out the following works within the previously agreed 2020/ 21 Committee
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Budget. (1) Bat / wildlife Survey (2) Improve floodlighting (3) Improve CCTV (4) Install bike racks (5) Install interpretation board (6) investigate improved lifesaving equipment (7) form closer links with Falcon Meadow Trust (8) formation of Working Group responsible for the whole area and for the benefit of local residents and to include members from the community on this WG. For 11 Against 0 Abstain 0
100- To arrange date of Strategy and Strategic Event – For Consideration 2020/2021 It was agreed to hold a Bungay Town Council Strategy and Strategic Event for all Town Councillors on Thursday 29th October starting at 7.00 pm – Noted.
102- To Receive reports from the Chairs of all Sub Committees and Working Groups – For Information. 2020/2021 The reports from the following Chairs had previously been circulated to all Town Councillors: a. Bungay Neighbourhood Development Plan b. Broad Street Working Group c. Tourism d. Annis Hill Green
103- Minutes from Committees: - For Information. 2020/2021 To receive the Committee Minutes of: a) Planning, Environment & Highways – 6th August & 20th August b) Grounds, Premises & Amenities – 13th August & 27th August c) Governance, Employment & Finance – None
The approved minutes for the above meetings had previously been circulated to all Town Councillors - Noted
104- To receive written reports from Town Council Representative on outside bodies – For Information. 2020/2021 • BEBA Report – September • Bungay Christmas Lights • Bungay Royal British Legion • Community Partnership • Line Group North • SALC Focus Group • Town Trust Report
The reports for the above meetings had previously been circulated to all Town Councillors - Noted
105- Correspondence from Norfolk and Suffolk Against Live Quarry Hunting – For Information 2020/2021 Correspondence from Norfolk and Suffolk Against Live Quarry Hunting had previously been circulated to all Town Councillors - Noted
106- Date of next Extraordinary Town Council Meeting: Wednesday 23rd September 2020 - For 2020/2021 Information The meeting closed at 9.12 pm Minutes dated: 18th September 2020 Jeremy Burton Town Clerk, Bungay Town Council, 1a, Broad Street, Bungay. NR35 1EE 5 Signed ______Date ______BUNGAY TOWN COUNCIL [email protected]
Appendix 1
Mayors Report No 4 (17/09/2020)
Once again there is a dearth of civic events as we continue through this awful pandemic and it doesn’t seem that there will be any happening in the foreseeable future.
I’m still involved in the Annis Hill Green Project which is progressing, although weaving in and out of technicalities, but hopeful the ‘Top Field’ will be in the hands of BTC by January. A report on this is with you. The good news on this is that David Ritchie has committed £2000 from his County Council Locality budget and Judy Cloke has committed £1000 from her District Council Budget and we thank them both for their support. This will help us greatly in the early stages of the project.
I have attended two in a series of SALC Planning Webinars, which I found to be very useful and a good grounding on what is to come. I would encourage all Councillors to book themselves onto some of the very good SALC webinars that are becoming available.
We of course have a vacancy in our number, which I hope will be filled quickly as we still have a lot of business to get through for the rest of the year.
We had a good Police Meet on Thursday at the Old Grammar School Playing Field. This was organised by one of our Community Engagement Officer PC Amy Yeldham and supported by another officer from Halesworth. There seemed to be a steady flow of enquiries. It is hoped that they will hold another one in the town soon. Many thanks to the Town Councillors that attended.
I had a meeting with the new manager from the Three Tuns to find out what they had planned for the future and to arrange ‘ribbon cutting’ to re-open following an internal refurb. However, the next day I received the news that the manager and owner had a falling out, resulting in the manager leaving the employment and the cancellation of further meetings and ‘opening’ being cancelled.
I am pleased to note that the Good Neighbours Scheme has a Coordinator appointed, Martha Coleman, to who I wish her every success in driving the GNS forward.
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I would like to pay tribute to the excellent team work from the Town Hall staff who have more than adequately dealt with the many and varied situations that have arisen because of the Coronavirus problem, but yet have kept the Council business running smoothly and efficiently. We are very fortunate that we have these great people supporting what we do and hope to achieve.
Bob Prior
Appendix 2
Report to Parishes, Sept 2020.
I’m not entirely sure what happened to August, but I have been really busy, attending training sessions on Understanding Planning, Neighbourhood Planning, Scrutiny Best Practice, , Speed Reading ( leaning I read much too fast to take anything in !) and an information session on Hidden Needs in the context of COVID 19. I have also attended two Norfolk Health Scrutiny committee meetings, at the first, the committee received presentation son how local NHS services reacted to the COVID crisis and asked for further information on the following :
o Staff vacancies and staff absence rates across the local healthcare system. o Plans for supporting staff / staffing resilience during the ongoing Covid 19 pandemic. • Plans for future capacity of services under Covid-safe conditions:- o Diagnostics capacity o Elective surgery capacity. • Effects of Covid 19 on people with learning disabilities and other disabilities:- o Comparative death rate figures • Plans for care of patients with diabetes during the ongoing Covid 19 outbreak (details; e.g. will the plan include dietary management?)
At the second, only last week, I learned of the difficulty in getting NHS dentistry treatment or registration , even before COVID placed so many restrictions on how the industry operates. It was quite an eye opener . All of these meetings and sessions take an inordinate amount of time and sometimes the meetings run on a bit and it can be difficult to concentrate, especially when you are staring at a screen for hours on end , I feel sometimes my eyes are quite strained. I don’t dislike ‘remote ‘ meetings, but I do think some would be preferable in a live atmosphere , so you can interact with colleagues, but we have to work with what we have.
There has also been a couple of group meetings and a full Council meeting to discuss SIzewelll and the result was for the Deputy Leader to continue to negotiate the best deal for East Suffolk. We all have to remember East Suffolk Council will not be the deciding authority in this case, it is a national decision. All we can do is – if it goes ahead – ensure we get the best deal we can for our community.
The Beccles, Bungay Halesworth & Villages Community Partnership will be meeting on 14 September and I am looking forward to seeing what projects may come forward for discussion.
Can I remind everyone David and I still have some Enabling Communities’ funding available. Thus far this year I have sponsored some repair work at Barsham village Hall, Bungay Christmas lights and Bungay in Bloom , the latter two jointly with David. It would be good to sponsor projects in some villages , too, bearing in mind we have less in total to spend this year as every Councillor gave £1k to the COVID relief fund .
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JC 7/4/20
Appendix 3
From County and District Councillor David Ritchie
Dear all,
After a three and a half million pound update the Bungay Pool and Gym is due to reopen in mid-October. It has been renamed the ‘Waveney Valley Leisure Centre’. I think the new name better describes what is on offer and who it is for. Although it is in Bungay, it is the main centre for Beccles, Halesworth, and the surrounding villages. I wont list all the facilities, but as well as renewing the electrics and the mechanics, there will be new changing rooms, showers, and toilets, also a new café, WiFi, a pool viewing area, air conditioning and modern gym equipment. Places Leisure who already run leisure centres in East Suffolk have been awarded a temporary contract to manage the centre. They have a good track record.
The government have published a white paper on planning reform. The central idea is that a district would be divided into separate areas. Development areas, Renewal Areas, and Protected areas. For development areas detailed design codes would be required stipulating what is allowed to be built. For proposed development that is in line with the design code for an area, full planning permission would not be required. There is a consultation at the moment. There are sure to be many changes before it becomes law, if indeed it does. In any case it would not affect planning in East Suffolk for several years. Meanwhile we have an up to date local plan for the old Waveney District Area and I will be bringing the new plan for the old Suffolk Coastal District Area to the cabinet, and then to full council, at East Suffolk Council later this month. Having up to date local plans is essential If you wish to avoid a planning free for all where developers achieve planning permission on inappropriate sites on appeal.
The government are also about to publish a white paper on local government reform. We will wait to see how this is likely to affect Suffolk. However, I think this is likely to result in unitary councils rather than District and County Councils.
I have attached to this report an account of the work of Suffolk County Council in August which I hope you will find useful. As usual it was compiled by Catherine Blanchard the Conservative research assistant. The item on home to school travel may be of interest.
I am told that in past times councils had a slack period in August. That is no longer the case. I have been just as busy in August as I was in July!
Best wishes
David Ritchie
One of your two District Councillors for the Bungay and Wainford Ward.
And County Councillor for the Bungay Electoral Division
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Appendix 4
Clerks Report – September 2020
The Town Council Offices and the Riverside Centre have been re- opened to the public, following the Corona Virus closure. Extensive works were undertaken to ensure that both buildings remain ‘safe’ places and within the legal requirements which are being constantly updated.
The legal work for the Transfer of Assets from East Suffolk Council (ESC) to Bungay Town Council is still ongoing and it has been asked that the transfer of the Council Offices be transferred 1st in order the installation of the ATM can commence as soon as possible. Work on the refurbishment of the windows in the Council Chamber and re-decoration of the exterior has now been finished.
As previously reported Phase 2 of the Town Centre Installation with cameras being located at Cork Bricks Gallery and Farmhouse Bakery should commence in September,
Residents have expressed a number of concerns regarding the recent changes to the East Suffolk Council car parking arrangements in the Town. These matters are currently being taken up by the 2 East Suffolk District Councillors who represent Bungay and yet to be resolved.
During September I have attended a presentation from East Suffolk Council and Southwold Town Council on the introduction of a Town Development Manager at Southwold and the East Suffolk Smart Towns Project. I have also attended 2 SALC Planning Webinars.
Jeremy Burton
11th September 2020
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