Page | 10512 Wickhambrook Parish Council Minutes Of an ordinary meeting of the Parish Council held on Thursday 26 September, 2019 Present: Cllrs J Barton, M Lavelle (part), K Merritt, J Norton, C Townsend Attending: Parish Clerk Hilary Workman, SCC & WSC Cllr M Evans, Mrs Sandy Thwaite 19.09.01 Noted: Apologies received from Cllr P Couzens & Cllr J Claydon. 19.09.02 Noted: There were: 2.1 No Members’ Declarations of Local Non-Pecuniary Interests. 2.2 No declarations of lobbying for planning matters on the agenda their nature, including gifts of hospitality exceeding £25 2.3 No requests for dispensations 2.4 Additions and/or deletions to the Council’s Register of Interests – Cllr J Barton has removed his interest under 1. employment. 19.09.03 Resolved: That the Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 29th August, as tabled, were agreed as a true record. 19.09.04 Open Session: 7:37pm Noted: That when public comment or question on any Agenda item was invited, there was none. 19.09.05 5.1 Councillors discussed the proposed co-option of a Councillor to the Parish Council, asked questions of the candidate; and 5.2 Resolved That Mrs Sandy Thwaite be co-opted on to Wickhambrook Parish Council to serve forthwith. 5.3 Noted: Councillor Sandy Thwaite, being present and having signed a Declaration of Acceptance of Office, was welcomed and took part in the remainder of the meeting. 19.09.06 Noted: Correspondence to the meeting not dealt with as an Agenda item or in the Clerk’s report 6.1 SALC updates (circulated) – SALC AGM Monday 18th November 11am – 4:30pm – Parish Engagement event Tuesday 15th October 6.2 SCC: Grit Bin Guidance 6.3 WSC: Planning Newsletter & Help Sheet (circulated) 6.4 Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner for Suffolk – West Area Meeting 24/09/19 6.5 Suffolk Community Foundation – Community Champions – the meeting asked the Clerk to post this item on the website. 6.6 The Voluntary Network – RIDE- the meeting asked the Clerk to post this item on the website 6.7 Mr Roger Medley – enquiry regarding establishment of a Wickhambrook Men’s Shed. Cllr Norton was familiar with Men’s Shed’s and explained to the meeting how they worked in Australia. The meeting asked the Clerk to research the matter further and report back to a future meeting. Signed: John Barton Date: 31/10/2019 Page | 10513 19.09.07 Noted: That when reports were invited from Representatives of the Council on External Bodies, Ward Members and other external bodies, the following oral report from SCC & WSC Cllr Mary Evans: West Suffolk Council: 1. Budget is £55m compared with SCC’s £520m budget 2. Council setting course for next year and looking at the main issues for Rural Communities, namely a. Affordable housing – keeping people in their communities b. Support for Rural business c. Emissions d. Review of grant policy and whether it is proportionate in its support of rural areas. And Parish Councils are asked to contribute to their Rural Task Force survey. 3. Parking strategy – civil enforcement of parking commences in April 2020 (transfer of powers from Suffolk Constabulary). Order has been laid in parliament but slow progress. Positive impact in terms of reduction of congestion around school access and egress as ziz-zag zones will be enforceable. Cllr Evans noted however that still the most effective messaging against congestion and poor parking outside schools comes from the students themselves (e.g. Junior traffic warden scheme at Wickhambrook Primary Academy). 4. Cllr Evans met CEO agreeing development at Kelly’s Meadow and protections have been put in place for Wickhambrook and Depden (PC’s to have an oversight role) to ensure development of the site does not exceed that agreed with the owners. 5. Monday 14th October, 7:30pm @ Stansfield VH – Meeting led by Suffolk Constabulary about Rural Crime – Hare coursing has started up – members of the public are warned not to approach participants, just report it. 6. Reminder to residents to check their smoke alarms and leave lights on in the morning once clocks go back to reduce risk of property theft in the mornings. 7. A community hub is being set up in Clare at the Library on Monday mornings – CAB to hold surgeries for local residents. Suffolk County Council: 1. School results have been good across Suffolk with above average grades and a narrowing of the gap between disadvantaged and mainstream pupils. 2. Suffolk vaccination uptake is 95% against a national average of 87%. 3. Trading standards have seen a large increase in importation of faulty goods at Felixstowe, many of which have serious safety implications. 4. Suffolk currently has 868 children in Care – SCC working with foster parents to encourage them to continue contact with children leaving care and also encouraging older adults to mentor children in and leaving care. 5. The dip in the road opposite the school, which has been reported is scheduled for works 6. CQC has published its league tables and Suffolk has 87.8 good or above with over 300 care homes. 7. SCC gritters will be named this year (e.g. Benjamin Gritter). 8. Cllr Evans will chase progress on faded and obscured 30mph signs and contact the Engineer, Matthew Fox regarding 30mph painted signs on the highway at Ashfield Green and Bunters Road. 9. It was reported that skirting of the footpath adjacent to the school was needed. 19.09.08 Noted: 8.1 Written reports (circulated) detailing results from VAS: • 19.09.19 1063 Near School Stradishall Direction (circulated) Cllr Barton further reported that the statistics indicated that there was still an issue with speeding. In the first six months Suffolk Constabulary had issued 36 speeding tickets in Wickhambrook. This would not have been achieved without the stats forwarded to the Suffolk roads policing Unit (RPU) by Cllr Barton. Use of the old parish laptop meant that he was able to download data on site and re-position the VAS units more speedily. On a safety note he had purchased a warning light to display on his vehicle when downloading data or re-positioning units and the meeting agreed to refund the cost of this. 8.2 Update on the establishment of a Working Group to research and consider viable options for resolving access and congestion issues in the vicinity of Wickhambrook Primary Academy. The Clerk confirmed actions from the last meeting were underway. The meeting considered plans of Signed: John Barton Date: 31/10/2019 Page | 10514 the area between Wickhambrook Primary Academy and the Memorial Social Centre and asked the Clerk to circulate copies to all Councillors and seek to clarify the extent of registration of parish land at Six Acres. 8.3 Councillors considered Suffolk County Council arrangements for supporting parish volunteers in some environmental activities (WPC.19.09.01 previously circulated) and asked the Clerk to clarify with SCC whether the proposed arrangements extended to works on footpaths and byeways. 19.09.09 Clerks Report: Noted that 9.1 Councillors were asked to check and submit their Register of Interests form to West Suffolk Council (with a copy to the Clerk) 9.2 The Clerk has responded to the Valuation Office Agency enquiry with respect to the Cemetery confirming the following: • 6 – 7 interments per annum (on average) • Land needed for interments/existing unused remainder • Land needed for interments between next 10 – 15 years • Remainder of the land 9.3 a one year fixed electricity plan for the Chapel of Rest has been agreed with E.ON (Minute 19.08.08.4 referred). 9.4 a new replacement printer had been purchased at a cost of £329.95 plus VAT. 9.5 the Clerk had re-submitted the VAT126 claim for the period 1/10/18 – 31/03/19 (£2002.23) and submitted a further claim for Quarter 1 of 2019 (£254.02). 9.6 the Clerk had received an invoice for the CILCA registration; and 9.7 notice of completion of the external audit had been received and posted 19.09.10 Noted: 10.1 The following income received: 10.1.1 Interest £13.07 10.1.2 Cemetery – Memorial Fee £150.00 10.2 The following payments to be authorised 10.2.1 002584 Wickhambrook Memorial Social Centre #1108 15th & 29th Aug’19 £15.00 10.2.2 002585 Hilary Workman - Clerk Salary Period 5 £573.79 10.2.3 002586 Mdsign Internet Services Ltd # £49.46 10.2.4 002587 Hilary Workman – Clerk Home working allowance Q2 £64.50 10.2.5 002588 Hilary Workman – refund of cost of Printer replacement £395.94 10.2.6 002589 Hilary Workman – refund of sundry expenses £108.58 10.2.7 002590 HMRC PAYE Tax Liability £4.40 10.3 Resolved: That the payments to be made, listed above at 10.2 be authorised. 10.4 The following payments previously authorised. 10.4.1 DD EE Mobile Contract #V01559499231 August ‘19 £27.89 (Minute 18.10.09.5 refers) 10.4.2 DD EE Mobile Contract #V01559499231 September ‘19 £26.14 (Minute 18.10.09.5 refers) 10.4.3 DD Smart Pension (Minute 18.12.08.7 refers) August ‘19 £11.86 10.4.4 002591 Parish On-line (Minute 19.07.7.4 refers) (note – re-issue of £120.00 Cheque in name of GeoXphere. Signed: John Barton Date: 31/10/2019 Page | 10515 10.4.5 002592 Refund to Parish Clerk of Microsoft Business Essentials £41.04 Subscription Sept’19 (Minute 19.06.20.2 refers) 10.4.6 002593 Hilary Workman – Contribution to cost of CILCA registration £120.00 (£350) (Minute 18.11.09 refers) 10.4.6 002594 The Rainbird Partnership Ltd – (AccountAbility Plus) - #5694 £56.00 (Minute 18.12.08.7 refers) – Note – re-issue of Cheque in name of The Rainbird Partnership plus £2 surcharge for underpaid postage.