TUDDENHAM ST MARY PARISH COUNCIL Minutes of the meeting of Tuddenham St Mary Parish Council Held at the Village Hall on Tuesday 17th January 2017 at 7.30pm Councillors Present: Cllr. A. Long (AL) (Chair), Cllr. J. Kendall (JK) & Cllr. M. Dunnett (MD). Present: Vicky Bright - Parish Clerk & Cllr. Colin Noble - SCC 2 members of the public. Item The Chairman welcomed everyone. Action 17/01/1 Public Forum – LGA 1972, Section 100(1): Two members of the public in attendance. 17/01/2 Accepted Apologies for absence – LGA 1972, Section 85(1) and (2): Cllr. Karen Soons, Cllr. Nicola Sutherland and Cllr. Elle Minshall. Cllr. Elle Minshall has tendered her resignation with immediate effect. The Clerk is to inform the Clerk Monitoring Officer at FHDC. Absent: None. 17/01/3 Declarations of Members’ Interests (for items on the agenda) – LGA 2000 Part III: Cllr. Dunnett declared an interest in Item 10 (i). 17/01/4 Minutes of the last meeting – LGA 1972, Schedule 12, para41(2): Resolved 17/01/4.01 The Minutes of the meeting of 20th December 2016 were adopted as a true statement and signed by the Chair (AL). 17/01/5 Local Authority Reports: i) Suffolk County Council Cllr. Colin Noble apologised for his lack of attendance at Parish Council meetings last year, and explained his role had changed leading to more responsibility and longer days. He reported that this is the seventh year running that the County has had a Base Council Tax freeze. Adult Social Care has increased by 30%, with SCC increasing it by 6% over 3 years (2015/16 2%, 2016/17 3% and 2017/18 1%). SALC carried out a survey on Highways, which the response to was not positive. Suffolk is within the top 25%. The contract with Kier was renewed and is now running well with repairs improved. There has been a £70 million investment on new kit, a new pot holes’ procedure, £10 million spent on surface re-dressing, which is hoped to be expanded over the next 4 years. Councillors raised the issue of the pot holes reported in August 2016, still be under review and also the high level of traffic volume and HGV traffic through Tuddenham. ii) Forest Heath District Council TUDDENHAM ST MARY PARISH COUNCIL Minutes of the meeting of Tuddenham St Mary Parish Council Held at the Village Hall on Tuesday 17th January 2017 at 7.30pm Cllr. Rona Burt sent her apologies and asked for the following to be reported; Local Plan - I am pleased to say we are back on track with having the Local Plan adopted in December 2017, which will be very important for the Council. The final submission versions of the Core Strategy Single Issue Review and the Site Allocations Local Plan were presented to the Local Plan Working Group on 28th November and went to Cabinet on 13th December and Council on 21st December, where approval was given. Timetable: 10th January 2017 to 22nd February 2017 submission consultation Early March 2017 submit plan for examination May/June 2017 Local Plan examination October 2017 Inspectors report December 2017 Adoption of Local Plan Documents RAF Mildenhall - As I am sure you have read in the press that the MOD do not want any of RAF Mildenhall for Military use. The base is to close in 2023 as announced earlier. The announcement appears to give us the clarity we have been seeking but we need to double check the information very carefully with the MOD to ensure we understand fully the full implication of what; (No UK Provision required) really means. Hatchfield Farm - We understand that the challenge re the Secretary of State’s decision not to allow Hatchfield will be heard in the High Court in the next few months, this follows a decision by Lord Derby and the Rural Parish Alliance to challenge this decision. Mildenhall Hub - Public Consultation began on 10th January and will run until 10th February, there is to be a public exhibition at Mildenhall College Sixth Form Sheldrick Way Mildenhall on 27thJanuary 4pm to 7.30pm. The Hub will include Council Offices, Library, Pre School and Adult Learning facilities, Housing & CAB. Devolution in Suffolk appears to be dead in the water at present. Steven Woods Head of Planning at Forest Heath is retiring at the end of January, recruitment is taking place for a replacement. Meetings attended since your last meeting; Chaired Members Development Group Cabinet Planning Council Local Plan Working Group Joint Steering Group Delegation Panel Planning Briefing Chaired Planning Committee Group meeting Overview and Scrutiny Attended presentations by Candidates for Head of Planning position iii) SNT (Police) TUDDENHAM ST MARY PARISH COUNCIL Minutes of the meeting of Tuddenham St Mary Parish Council Held at the Village Hall on Tuesday 17th January 2017 at 7.30pm The latest edition of your local Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) newsletter is now available to view on the Suffolk Constabulary website https://www.suffolk.police.uk/your-area 17/01/6 Clerks Report: The Clerk advised that the VAS unit on the High Street had now been repaired. 17/01/7 Councillor Vacancy Co-Option: Mr. Mark Fitzjohn has submitted his application. Cllr. Long proposed co-option of Mr. Fitzjohn, this was seconded by Cllr. Dunnett and a vote was unanimous for co-option. Mr Fitzjohn accepted the position of Councillor. Cllr. Fitzjohn signed the declaration of office of Councillor and this was witnessed and countersigned by the Clerk. The Clerk is to email Cllr. Fitzjohn the Council’s Clerk Governance documents and the Good Councillor Guide, along with a Register of Interests form to complete. The Clerk is to look into training for Cllr. Fitzjohn. 17/01/8 Highway Matters: i) Highways Improvements/Traffic Calming Scheme Update The Chairman confirmed that all works had now been completed. The Clerk confirmed that both UK Power Networks and the Police were providing support and were collating data/statistics regarding accidents and visits to repair the telegraph pole. The Clerk confirmed she had once again emailed Cllr. Noble with no response yet received and had telephoned Matthew Hancock, MP Secretary who had also not replied with any response. The Clerk is to write to local farms/businesses to Clerk ask for their support for the appeal to be submitted to Highways in the New Year, and Councillor’s approved the draft letter submitted by the Clerk. A list of Farms and businesses was compiled for the Clerk to write to. The Clerk confirmed that no response had been received from Emergency Services regarding their support. It was suggested that part of the appeal to Highways include alternative options to the double white lining, such as Speed reduction or signage for No Overtaking. The Clerk advised that a response had been received from Highways England regarding the Cherry Hill Junction vegetation and visibility problem. They have promised that an Inspector will conduct a site visit in the early part of this year Cllr. Long confirmed that so far no update had been provided regarding the pot holes AL that had been reported for attention in the village. ii) RIS2 Fiveways Update No update. iii) Update on Nature Reserve Footpath and Bridge The Clerk is to respond to Nature England regarding the sections of footpath that have now been identified as needing attention, along with the accessibility of the Clerk Kissing gate and uneven surface of the footpath. The Clerk is also to raise the issue TUDDENHAM ST MARY PARISH COUNCIL Minutes of the meeting of Tuddenham St Mary Parish Council Held at the Village Hall on Tuesday 17th January 2017 at 7.30pm of the unsuitable surfacing of the Bridleway Bridge and to request a site visit or meeting. 17/01/9 Correspondence: Final round of Public Consultation on the FHDC Local Plan begins on 10th February ‘Find My Nearest’ www.westsuffolk.gov.uk enter your Postcode. The Police & Crime Commissioner for Suffolk would like consultation and support for his proposed ‘Fair Share for Suffolk’ campaign. www.suffolk- pcc.gov.uk. The Clerk advised that the FHDC Parish Forum had been re-arranged for Wednesday 1st February 2017 7-9pm, venue to be arranged. Funding is available from West Suffolk Councils to assist families/residents to make safe, repair and improve their homes - Debbie Paine on 01284 757036 or email [email protected] 17/01/10 Planning Matters: i) DC/16/1795/FUL – Amended Planning Application - (i) 1no storage building (ii) provision of hardstanding (iii) muck heap as amended by documents received 27th September 2016 and 22nd December 2016 - Stables Chaise House Stables, The Green, Tuddenham, IP28 6SD Resolved 17/01/10.01 No objections. 17/01/11 Finance & Policies: i) Parish Council Bank Balances and Reconciliation from list of payments and receipts Resolved 17/01/11.01 That the bank balances and reconciliation of payments and receipts be received and adopted and initialled & signed as such by the Chairman (AL). The bank account balance as of 30th December 2016 is £12,587.07. ii) Cheques for Signing and Approval Resolved 17/01/11.02 It was agreed to approve the payments of the following outstanding invoices and the cheques were approved and signed by Cllr. A. Long and Cllr. M. Dunnett. Mrs. V Bright Mileage & Expenses 898 £17.62 P. McLoughlin (Rowan Play Area repairs 899 £292.00 Maintenance) Tuddenham Village Hall Hall Hire 900 £64.00 Clerk The Clerk advised she will do a new mandate to remove Cllr. Burt as a signatory. TUDDENHAM ST MARY PARISH COUNCIL Minutes of the meeting of Tuddenham St Mary Parish Council Held at the Village Hall on Tuesday 17th January 2017 at 7.30pm 17/01/12 Councillors’ Reports: i) Village Hall Committee Update No report.