Pre-meeting
Reports
4 June 2019
13. County Councillor
County Councillor
Rainger reported to members that parking enforcement is being implemented shortly
outside schools, 8am-4.30pm Monday to Friday, no stopping or waiting. He reported that from 12 June, paper bus
timetables are being phased out at bus stops, which will save £100,000 each
year. Parishes can still request to
continue with paper timetables if necessary.
County Cllr Rainger advised that SPR discussions taking place with
National Grid and a meeting is due to be held in July. Land surveys are currently being undertaken
in the area and further details can be found on the SPR website. Cllr Bailey asked why a street light in the
High Street car park still had not been repaired after 6 months. County Cllr Rainger will investigate. Cllr Bailey asked when the civil parking
enforcement would be handed over. County
Cllr Rainger confirmed Tim Passmore, the Police and Crime Commissioner, was pushing
Government to get this mandate agreed.
A resident queried the Leiston flood
risk initiative situation, with regards to new housing developments. The Clerk advised that SCC had responded to an
application recently (Johnsons Farm) quoting the new Mitigation Scheme and that
this initiative now seems to be well focussed on the flooding issues in the
town.
A resident advised the
meeting that there was a very informative video on social media, which showed a
flyby of the Bawdsey/Bramford SPR cable route. It gave a very good indication
of the devastation and affect that the works inflicted on the local
communities.
14. District Councillor
Cllr Cooper had circulated and tabled
a report. Cllr Last asked if East Suffolk Council were going to review green
waste bins. Cllr Cooper confirmed no
changes at the moment. Cllr O’Reilly
asked how the 3 district councillors would serve the new Aldeburgh/Leiston
Ward. Cllr Cooper advised all 3 will
cover the whole area and work together.
A resident asked if Cllr Cooper will
be able to switch between planning committees (north and south) and Cllr Cooper
confirmed he will be able to do this.
Several residents raised concerns regarding
the Sizewell B planning application and asked for their comments to be included
in the Council’s response. A resident
also requested that the Council ask EDF what was happening with the survey
station (Lover’s Lane), the bungalow by the Sizewell rail crossing and the large
training/outage building on Masterlord Industrial Estate.
During the
above item, the time reached 7.30pm, it was proposed by Cllr Ginger and seconded
by Cllr Harle and agreed that Standing Orders be suspended to allow the public
session to complete.
15. Public Forum
Nothing was
raised.
At a meeting of the LEISTON-cum-SIZEWELL TOWN COUNCIL
held in
the COMMUNITY CENTRE, King Georges Avenue, Leiston, on
TUESDAY 4
JUNE 2019 at 7.44pm
Councillor Mrs L Hill (in the Chair)
Councillor D Bailey
Councillor Mrs S Betson
Councillor A M Cooper
Councillor D Dix
Councillor Mrs S M Geater
Councillor C Ginger
Councillor P Harle
Councillor T E Hodgson
Councillor J N Last
Councillor Mrs S Levermore
Councillor S O’Reilly
Councillor Ms M A Woolf
16. Minutes
It
was proposed by Cllr Cooper, seconded by Cllr Last and agreed that the minutes
for the meeting of 14 May 2019 be signed as a true record.
17. Apologies
Apologies
were received from Cllr Morsley and Cllr Boast.
18. Chairman’s Communications
Councillor Mrs
Hill reported as follows:
During the afternoon of 9 May, I attended the
Inspire Suffolk Prince’s Trust Graduation Presentation held at the Community
Centre. I presented certificates to the latest group of young people who had
completed this nationally recognised programme based in Leiston. It was an
opportunity to hear about their experiences and the skills they had gained over
the 12 week programme and their plans for the future.
In the evening, I attended the Alde Valley Academy
Celebration Evening held at Snape Maltings. As a sponsor of the event, the
Council were credited in the programme and on the evening as sponsoring the
Year 10 student awards. It was a very impressive event and a wonderful evening to
showcase the success of the school’s students.
On 21 May I was invited to attend a special tea
party at the Rose and Sweet William Club. This was to celebrate the 100th
birthday of local resident Peggy Howard. On behalf of the Council, I presented
Peggy with the Council’s official birthday card and a bouquet of flowers.
Unfortunately, I did not have enough notice to get the card signed by councillors
and therefore signed it on behalf of the Council.
I was pleased to accept an invitation to attend the
Leiston Works Railway Big 160 Anniversary event to mark the reopening of a
section of the Works line. It was a pleasure to meet so many of those involved
in the project and the many members of the public who came along to support
their efforts over this two-day event. The event had also attracted much
interest from the local media.
19. Declarations of Interest
Cllr Hill for Leiston Film Theatre and Alde Valley Academy, Cllr Cooper item
11 and item 14 letter 5, Cllr Ginger item 7, Cllr Geater for item 10(a)
20. Leiston Together Update
Mrs Gibson was not in attendance. The Clerk advised there was no update as the
Board meeting was scheduled to take place tomorrow. Cllr Cooper and Cllr TJ Haworth-Culf had been
appointed to the Board.
21. CLT Steering Group Update
Cllr Hill updated the
meeting on this item thus:
Firstly, I am delighted
to report that the CLT have recently learnt that our application to the Bright
Ideas Fund has been successful. The first stage is advisor support and an
advisor will be allocated to work with the CLT. There will be an initial
Scoping Meeting which is important to establish and confirm the aims,
objectives and milestones of support. Following successful completion of stage one,
the CLT will be invited to apply for a grant under stage two of the programme.
On 22 May the Trustees
were invited to give a presentation to the Leiston Business Association on the work
of the Leiston Community Land Trust. It was also an opportunity to encourage
membership from the LBA members and through them their staff. The Chairman, Mrs Betson gave an explanation
on the background and shared the CLT’s vision of what could be achieved to
enhance the town. Indicative drawings showing a number of aspects of the town
were explained and members had the opportunity to study and discuss them
further after the presentation. The CLT have since had these drawings made into
A1 posters which can be displayed at No.22 and used for other presentations.
The Trustees have met
on a number of occasions since my last report in April to discuss the many
aspects required to keep the project moving forward. An architect who had been
involved with the CLT project in Southwold was invited to visit the town and attend
a meeting. The Trustees were very encouraged with the advice and input he gave
both on our proposals and ways of how we could go about achieving them.
The first official
meeting of the recently formed Project Group with Trustees and key officers, including
the Planning Officer of the East Suffolk Council took place on 28 May. This was
a useful meeting, but the immediate need is still to access the additional
pieces of adjoining land required for the proposed development and work is
still ongoing in this respect. As an interim project to the proposed larger development,
the CLT are looking into improving a smaller area of the town to give residents
the opportunity to see what could be achieved. A date is yet to be agreed for the
Housing Officer and Trustees to meet regarding the housing aspect of the
project. The possibility of Leiston being considered for funding as a Heritage
Action Zone is being investigated and other possible funding streams were also
raised. Future dates for meetings have been put in the diary and the next
meeting is in July.
Unfortunately, the proposed
opening of No.22 and the meeting for members has had to be delayed but
Councillors and CLT members will be invited as soon as we are in a position to
confirm a date. In the meantime, if you would like to learn more, No.22 is open
on a Tuesday morning 9.00 – 11.30 a.m. and the CLT will have a stall at the
Long Shop Suffolk Day event on 21 June.
22. Film
Theatre Working Party – 18 April 2019
It
was proposed by Cllr Cooper, seconded by Cllr Geater and agreed to postpone
this item until the end of the meeting and discuss in camera.
23. Highways
Committee – 21 May 2019
Councillors
noted the report from the meeting. It
was proposed by Cllr Last, seconded by Cllr Bailey and agreed to authorise the
recommendation for a chevron sign at the Station Road crossing. The cost of £2,469.49 (inc VAT) would be
allocated from the Divestment Contingency reserve. Cllr Betson thanked the Highways Committee
for their input in supporting the 40mph speed limit along Lover’s Lane/Sizewell
Gap Road. The dropped kerb project on
Crown Street had identified safety concerns and County Cllr Rainger confirmed
further investigations were taking place.
24. Standing
Orders and Policies
The Clerk advised Standing
Orders and Council policies will be reviewed in July and asked councillors for
any additions or deletions to be given in writing by 21 June.
25. Finance
and Personnel
a) Accounts for Payment
It was proposed by Cllr Cooper, seconded by Cllr Last and agreed that accounts
presented in the sum of £33,810.27 along with £82,906.74 paid since the last meeting,
be approved for payment.
b) End of Year Internal Auditors report for 2018/2019
Councillors noted the report from Mrs Heelis regarding her inspection of
the full annual accounts and that she had signed her section of the Annual
Statement. It was proposed by Cllr Betson, seconded by Cllr Levermore and
agreed that the Internal Auditors report be accepted.
c) Annual Governance Statement for 2018/2019
It was proposed by Cllr Cooper, seconded by Cllr Levermore and agreed
that all statements on the Annual Governance Statement could be answered in the
affirmative and that the Chairman be authorised to sign the document on their
behalf.
d) Annual Accounts for 2018/2019
It was proposed by Cllr O’Reilly, seconded by Cllr Last and agreed that
the accounts for 2018/2019 be approved and that the Chairman be authorised to
sign the Annual Accounting Statement.
e) Allowances
The Clerk advised the Chairman’s allowance stands at £1,100 and councillors
allowance is £250. These allowances
cover any sundries incurred while on Council business. Councillors were requested to let the Clerk
know before the next meeting if they wished to take the allowance or not.
The meeting took a break from 8.10pm
to 8.20pm
26. Planning Matters
Draft response previously circulated. After a lengthy discussion it was agreed to
add:
· Coronation Wood – use as
mitigation for Dry Fuel Store
· Strengthen argument re.
footpaths as local amenity
· 40mph speed limit
request
· Reference the Sizewell
A land option
· Beef up Town and
Country Planning Act comment
The Clerk will circulate amended response to all.
b)
DC/19/1883/ARM – Approval of reserve matters of
DC/16/1961/OUT - an outline planning application for up to 187 dwellings to include
car parking, open space provision with associated infrastructure and access at
Johnson’s Farm, Land north of B1119, Saxmundham Road, Leiston
Section 106 covered footpath 3 and upgrading of 2 bus stops
to include shelters and real time information.
Cllr Last requested that, if there was a clause in the deeds for
properties not allowing residents to park commercial/ leisure type vehicles at
their place of residence, then provisions should be made for them to park
somewhere within the development. Cllr Ginger proposed for footpath 3 to remain
unmetalled, seconded by Cllr O’Reilly and agreed. Cllr O’Reilly also proposed to request for
the hedgerow to remain, seconded by Cllr Betson and agreed. It was proposed by Cllr Betson, seconded by
Cllr O’Reilly and agreed to recommend refusal unless they were minded to accept
the above comments.
RECOMMEND REFUSAL
c)
DC/19/1952/FUL – New dwelling and all associated works at 2
Upton Place, Leiston
Councillors agreed to recommend refusal on the
grounds of inadequate parking for residents of 2 Upton Place.
RECOMMEND REFUSAL
d)
DC/19/2040/FUL – Redevelopment of the site for 15 dwellings
comprising of conversation of the clubhouse into 12 apartments and redevelopment
of the former bowling green for three bungalows with associated access and
landscaping at Leiston and District Constitutional Club, Waterloo Avenue,
Leiston
RECOMMEND APPROVAL
27. County Matters
No questions were raised.
28. District Matters
No questions
were raised.
29. Correspondence
Funding request from EACH Charity
Councillors noted the letter from the EACH
Charity and declined to offer funding.
Funding
request from the NSPCC Charity
Councillors
noted the letter from the NSPCC Charity and declined to offer funding.
Funding
request from Young People Taking Action (CYDS Project)
Councillors
noted the letter from CYDS requesting funding for their running costs. It was proposed by Cllr Ginger, seconded by
Cllr Harle to grant £3,000. After further discussion, Cllr Hill proposed an
amendment to the motion to grant £1,000 immediately and to request further
information on their situation for future deliberation, seconded by Cllr
Levermore. It was agreed the amendment
to become the substantive motion and this was then agreed.
Funding
request from John Bayman
Councillors
noted the letter from John Bayman requesting funding towards his music
band. Councillors suggested he try crowdfunding
and also to contact Jayne Knight, Arts Development Manager at SCC for help and
advice.
Letter
from the Planning Inspectorate
Councillors
noted the letter from the Planning Inspectorate in relation to the Scoping
Report for Sizewell C. The Clerk will
send the Council’s stage 3 response and Cllr Betson suggested including in the
covering letter a request for air quality data with regards to base line and
predicted traffic in the town centre.
30. Questions to the Chairman
Cllr Betson
gave a summary of the recent Sizewell Stakeholders meeting. Cllr Last mentioned the website needed updating
with new councillors details. Cllr Harle
asked where the Tommy Memorial was to be placed and the Clerk said it was up to
the fundraisers to decide the location.
Before the next item, it was proposed by Cllr Cooper and
seconded by Cllr Betson and agreed that under the Public Bodies (Admission to
Meetings) Act 1960, the public be excluded from the meeting on the grounds that
publicity would be prejudicial to public interest by reason of the confidential
nature of the business to be transacted.
31. Film
Theatre Working Group – 18 April 2019
Personnel
– Staff in Confidence
The
recommendations of the Staff in Confidence element of the Film Theatre Working
Group were discussed. It was proposed by
Cllr Cooper, seconded by Cllr O’Reilly and agreed to accept the
recommendation. It was noted that personnel
matters would normally be referred to and discussed by the Personnel Committee and
that this was an exception.
A
further item regarding personnel as discussed and agreed.
The meeting finished at 9.40pm.
Chair ---------------------------------------------
Dated ---------------------------------------------