| 9965 |
Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the Wickhambrook Parish Council
27th May 2004 at 7.30 p.m. in All Saints Church Meeting Room |
Present
Cllrs. J. Wilson (Chairman), S. Sumner, A. Harrison, K. Merritt
, J. Claydon, J. Walker, P. Bevan
Clerk P. Miller.
1. Apologies for absence
County Cllr. J. Midwood; Borough Cllr. D. Redhead
2.
Election of Chairperson
Cllr. Wilson was proposed by Cllr. Claydon, seconded by Cllr.
Harrison and having declared his willingness to stand was re-elected
unanimously.
Declaration of Acceptance of Office was duly signed.
3. Election of Vice-Chairperson
Cllr. Bevan was re-elected unanimously.
4.
Minutes of Meeting of 15th April
The previously issued minutes were taken as read and signed.
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ACTION |
5. Matters arising.
There were no matters arising that were not otherwise on the
agenda. |
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6. Declarations of interest in agenda items.
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There were no declarations of interest.
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| 7. Appointment of Estates Committee. |
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It was resolved unanimously that the committee should continue
under the existing terms of reference.
Cllrs. Harrison, Merritt and Walker agreed to serve.
The Clerk confirmed that the four lay members were willing to
continue in office and this was approved.
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| 7.1.1 |
1099 |
P. Bevan
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Car expenses – Broadband meeting |
8.38 |
| 7.1.2 |
1100 |
P. Bevan |
Car expenses – Hedgerow Survey meeting |
8.38 |
| 7.1.3 |
1101 |
SALC |
Cllrs. training course fee |
58.75 |
| 7.1.4 |
1102 |
PCC |
Donation re. use of meeting room |
47.25 |
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| 7.2 The following income was received: |
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| 7.2.1 |
100082 |
Easter Fair |
Teen Project maintenance fundraising |
250.00 No.2 a/c |
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| 8. Appointment of representatives. |
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8.1 SALC Area Meetings – Cllr. Merritt
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| 8.2 MSC – Cllr. Sumner |
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8.3 United Charities – Cllr. Wilson and Mrs. B. Fairhall
(existing trustees)
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8.4 Tree Warden – Cllr. Bevan
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9. Clerk’s Report
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9.1 CPRE newsletters. Circulated. No action required.
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| 9.2 Wildlife Trust courses information. Circulated. Attendance
on Churchyard Management Course by Cllr. Bevan approved. Place
to be reserved. |
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| 9.3 Playgrounds Seminar. Circulated. No action required. |
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| 9.4 Local Transport Plan Area Forum. Circulated. No action
required. |
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| 9.5 Suffolk ACRE newsletter. Circulated. No action required. |
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| 9.6 Public Sector magazine. Circulated. Agreed that this should
not be circulated in future. Interested Cllr. to take own subscriptions. |
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| 9.7 Rural Services Review Consultation. On circulation. |
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| 9.8 Haverbury News, April. On circulation. |
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| 9.9 Clerks and Councils Direct, May. On circulation. |
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| 9.10 Sustainable Communities Conference. On circulation. |
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| 9.11 Police Western Area Plan 2004/5. On circulation. |
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9.12 SALC Training Courses. On circulation.
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| 9.13 Review of Revenue Support Grants Consultation. On circulation. |
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9.14 The Local Councillor. Circulated. The Clerk drew attention
to:
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9.14.1 Members allowances. Regulations 2003 deleted all reference
to payment of travel and subsistence allowances for out-of-parish
journeys. As the Government had confirmed that this was an administrative
error which will be corrected it was agreed to continue payments
for all Cllrs.
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| 9.14.2 Retirement gifts. Opinion given as inadmissible to
use S137 for such gifts. However the Clerk advised that S137
can be used for non-pecuniary awards in recognition of outstanding
public service such as that to B. Fairhall in recognising her
35 years service to the community as Clerk and Cllr. |
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| 9969 |
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| 10. Finance |
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| 10.1 The following payments were approved: |
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| 10.1.1 |
1104 |
SALC |
AGM fee - Cllr. Sumner attending |
9.50 |
| 10.1.2 |
1105 |
P. Miller |
Telephone costs – February to May |
84.92 |
| 10.1.3 |
1106 |
Suffolk ACRE |
Membership subscription |
20.00 |
| 10.1.4 |
1107 |
CPRE |
Membership subscription |
25.00 |
| 10.1.5 |
1108 |
P. Miller |
Printer ink |
14.50 |
| 10.1.6 |
1109 |
P. Miller |
Petty cash top-up |
50.00 |
| 10.1.7 |
1110 |
WMSC |
Recycling grant |
415.86 |
| 10.1.8 |
1111 |
J. Wilson |
Historical Atlas – B. Fairhall presentation |
15.00 S137 |
| 10.1.9 |
1112 |
CANCELLED |
Payee error |
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| 10.1.10 |
1113 |
SALC |
Membership subscription |
338.63 |
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| 10.2 The following income was received: |
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| 10.2.1 |
100352 |
St Edmundsbury B.C. |
Recycling credit |
415.86 |
| 10.2.2 |
100353 |
Saxon Monumental |
Cemetery fee – additional inscription |
10.00 |
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10.3 Cemetery fees review. Resolved that the fees be revised
– new schedule attached.
Proposed Cllr. Bevan, seconded Cllr. Harrison and so resolved
that the age limit for free burial be raised from 12 to 18 years.
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| 10.4 Sports facilities ground rents review. Resolved that
the rents be unchanged for 2004/5. The Clerk explained that
he had not issued invoices for 2003/4 due to the late completion
of the agreements. The Clerk was instructed to invoice for 2003/4
and 2004/5. |
Clerk |
| 10.5 Closure of Capital Reserve account. The Clerk explained
that this account had attracted higher interest but that the
bank was phasing it out and consequently the interest rates
were now lower than for the Current/Business reserve account.
Approval was given for closure of the Capital Reserve and transfer
of funds to the Business Reserve. Alternative, higher interest
accounts to be sought. |
Clerk |
10.6 Audit. The Clerk reported that the audit papers need
to be lodged with the Independent Auditor during June and that
it may be necessary to call a special meeting to approve the
accounts.
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Clerk |
| 11. Planning |
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| 11.1 The following applications had been considered by the
Parish Council on circulation: |
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11.1.1 SE/04/1750/P – Moatwood Cottage, Giffords Lane
– extension – no objection
Cllr. Claydon had declared interest on circulation and made
no comment. |
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| 11.1.2 SE/04/1765/P – Black Horse Farm, Ashfield Green
– change of use – no objection |
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| 11.1.3 SE/04/1807/P – adj. Hill View Cottages, Bury
Road – 4 new houses – no objection |
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| 11.1.4 SE/04/1847/P & 1848/LB – Rookery farm, Genesis
Green – extensions – no objection |
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11.1.5 SE/04/1957/P – 1 Hill Cottages, Old Bury Road
– extensions – no objection
Cllrs. Merritt and Wilson had declared interest on circulation
and made no comment. |
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| 11.1.6 SE/04/2176 – BT Radio Station – replacement
antennas – no objection |
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| 11.2 The following application was considered: |
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11.2.1 SE/04/1957/P - 1 Hill Cottages, Old Bury Road –
extensions revised – no objection
Cllrs. Merritt and Wilson declared interest. |
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| 11.3 The following applications granted/refused by the Borough
Council or withdrawn were noted: |
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11.3.1 SE/04/1433/P – OS 5806, Bury Road, Depden –
retention of gipsy caravans – refused
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| 11.3.2 SE/04/1659/P – Cloak House, Cloak Lane –
extensions – granted |
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11.3.3 Se/04/1807/P – adj. Hill View Cottages, Bury
Road – 4 new houses - withdrawn
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| 12. Estates Committee |
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| Minutes of meeting of 11th May had been issued. No matters
were raised. |
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| 13. MSC |
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| 13.1 Representatives report. Cllr. Sumner reported that he
had been unable to attend the trustees meeting. |
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13.2 The Clerk questioned the minutes of the trustees meeting
of 1st March which stated that nothing had been heard from the
Parish Council in respect of the damage to the football hut.
The Clerk tabled correspondence with the Football Club which
had ended with a response from the Parish Council in June 2003.
There had been no further correspondence from the Football Club
on the matter. Cllr. Sumner requested a copy of the letter to
present to the next MSC trustees meeting.
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Clerk/SS |
| 14. United Charities representatives report |
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| Cllr. Wilson reported renovation work to be proceeding and
it is hoped to complete by end of June. Necessary alterations
to the porches are being discussed with Planning Dept. A garden
tidying party had been arranged for 12th June – any volunteers
would be welcomed. |
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| 9970 |
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| 15. Hedges, Verges, Roads and Drains |
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15.1 The Clerk reported on behalf of County Cllr. Midwood
that following the Annual Parish Meeting she had raised the
question of maintenance of the road verges with the West Area
Highways Manager. He had responded that he was also concerned
and had expressed his concerns to Central Highways.
Cllr. Claydon reported that some out-county villages arranged
their own verge maintenance and received county grant support.
The Clerk suggested that this was probably under the Partnership
Funding Scheme which had previously been considered by the Parish
Council and resolved to be inappropriate.
The Clerk was instructed to write to Highways to express the
Parish Council’s concern. Also to investigate the current
position on Partnership Funding.
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Clerk |
| 15.2 Roadworks. The condition of U7105 from Attleton Green
to Malting End was again raised. Cllr. Wilson agreed to forward
photographs to Highways. |
JW |
| 16. Rights of Way |
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| Vehicles on footpaths. Concern expressed at the Annual Parish
Meeting about motorcyclists using the footpaths had been noted.
It being illegal to use a motor vehicle on a footpath every
effort should be made to discourage such use and to report incidents
to the police where necessary. |
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17. Broadband.
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The Clerk reported that recent information from BT was that
all exchanges would be enabled by mid-2005 and that the trigger
registration process was no longer applicable. Cllr. Bevan considered
that he should continue the campaign to promote broadband demand
and this was approved.
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| 18. Neighbourhood Watch |
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The Clerk reported that following the Annual Parish Meeting,
it had been suggested that the Parish Council should be more
actively involved in promoting the re-establishment of Neighbourhood
Watch. It was agreed that the leaving date of the present co-ordinator
should be confirmed to facilitate planning.
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SS |
19. Date of next meeting
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| Thursday 24th June, 7.30 p.m. in All Saints Church Meeting
Room. |
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20. Dates of subsequent meetings
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| 22nd July; 26th August |
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| 21. Any other business |
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21.1 Insecure gravestone – All Saints Churchyard. Cllr.
Bevan reported that the gravestone securing pin had rusted through
making it unstable and, as this is a closed churchyard, the
Parish Council is responsible for its maintenance since no family
of the deceased can be contacted. Referred to the Estates Committee
for consideration. The Clerk offered to obtain a quote for repair
and confirm the extent of the Parish Council responsibility.
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Clerk |
21.2 Insecure historic memorials – All Saints Church.
Cllr. Bevan reported that two memorials attached to the outside
wall of the church are in need of repair. Because of their historic
nature specialist attention is required. The Parish Council
was asked to consider making a grant towards the cost. Cllr.
Bevan was asked to obtain more information for consideration
at the next Parish Council meeting.
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PB |
| 21.3 Risk assessment. Cllr. Bevan confirmed that he carries
out inspections on behalf of the Parochial Church Council. |
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| Meeting closed at 9.25p.m. |
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