Pre-meeting Reports
18 May 2021
15. County Councillor
County Cllr Haworth-Culf sent apologies, a report was
circulated before the meeting.
Cllr Harle asked for an update regarding footpath 8 that
runs behind Stocks fair. The Clerk
reported that she is still awaiting a response from the Rights of Way team which
she has chased, she will also ask County Cllr Haworth-Culf to raise this with
them.
16. District Councillor
Cllr Harle asked if there had been any
resolution regarding the smoke from the Masterlord
Estate, the Clerk will contact District Cllr Cooper for an update.
17. Public Forum
A resident praised
East Suffolk Council on the refurbishment of Dinsdale Road toilets.
At a meeting of the
LEISTON-cum-SIZEWELL TOWN COUNCIL
held in the COMMUNITY
CENTRE, King Georges Avenue, Leiston, on
TUESDAY 18 MAY 2021 at 7.30pm
and also via Zoom
Councillor J N Last BEM (in the Chair)
Councillor D Bailey
Councillor D Boast
Councillor Mrs N Corbett
Councillor D Dix
Councillor Mrs S M Geater
Councillor C Ginger
Councillor P Harle
Councillor T Hawkins
Councillor Mrs L Hill
Councillor D Morsley
Councillor Ms M Woolf
18. Minutes
It was proposed by Cllr Hill, seconded
by Cllr Boast and agreed that the minutes for the AGM and Extraordinary Meeting
of 4 May 2021 be signed as a true record.
19. Apologies
Apologies
were received from Cllr Levermore, but she attended
via Zoom.
(under new regulations Cllr Levermore was able
to participate but not vote)
20. Chairman’s Communications
First of all,
it is good to see councillors, Town Clerk, admin staff and members of the
public face to face again. There is not
too much to report on since our last meeting in April.
It
was sad to hear recently of the passing of one of Leiston’s oldest residents,
Wilf Goddard. Councillors will recall I
recently sent on behalf of the Town Council a birthday card to Wilf on the
occasion of his 103rd birthday.
On
9 April it was announced that Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh had passed
away and at short notice protocol had to be followed by the Council, so I thank
the Town Clerk, the office staff and Councillors who swung into action
quickly.
On
19 April, I sat on the panel for interviewing for the independent chair for the
Leiston Together Partnership Board. Mark Straw was appointed to that position
and Mark chaired his first Leiston Together meeting on 27 April which I
attended. The Town Clerk has sent an
invitation to Leiston Together requesting that Mark comes to a Council Meeting
to meet councillors in the near future.
On
27 April, I chaired a Member Briefing on behalf of the Transport Group, to
update councillors on the details on the proposals for transport and cycle
enhancements around the town. Yesterday,
there was a further Transport Group meeting with SCC and EDF, which I attended
along with the Transport Group.
I
have also sat in on a number of sub-committee meetings and with the easing of
restrictions, visited the allotments and open spaces including, the parks and
the community orchard.
Finally,
members may have noticed some marvellous attempts to brighten up our town
centre as we all return to the high streets. Yarn bombing is picking up around
the town and I am sure you will see and hear more on this as it progresses.
21. Declarations of Interest
Cllr Boast for CLT, Cllr Hill for CLT, Leiston
Film Theatre and correspondence item 3, Cllr Hawkins for item 18a.
22. Leiston
Together Update
Joanne Thain gave a brief update
on the projects she has been working on primarily focused around trying to
bring an economic boost to the town. This
includes general town centre improvements, new signage, painting, tidying and
the new yarn bombing project which has proved popular with many local residents
joining in. She informed councillors
that the yarn bombing project has endorsed CLT as its charity and collection
buckets have been placed around town for
donations. She also spoke about holding
a COVID-19 secure greener swap day at the Community Centre later this month
where residents can swap, scrap and get electrical items tested.
23. Net Zero Update
Councillors noted the
report, no questions were raised.
24. CLT Trustee Board Report
Cllr Boast updated thus:
The CLT continues its development of
plans for regeneration of the new town centre, with its community areas, retail
shopping and local housing for local people.
We have been progressing our
programme for 2 years and more, and we are still surprised when people say
‘Leiston Community Land Trust’ who are they?
We need to raise our profile, we have a Facebook page, a very impressive
website, but we need to widen our presence around the town. To do this we have:
An article and photo of trustees and
church members in the church gardens in the East Anglian Daily Times reporting
the Allchurches Trust financial contribution of
£39,000.
The new ABC radio station will be
airing an interview with trustee Simon Merett on our
full regeneration town centre plans.
The Leiston community arts and
crafts, the Leiston yarn bombing project which has brightened the face of
Leiston town centre. Our office at 22
Sizewell Road was given yarn bombing display and all this whilst promoting the
CLT with its fliers and donation buckets.
Local businesses are showing a
growing interest, with their support well known businessman John Balls has
given a very healthy donation.
Well known father and son Southwold
builders Duncan and Son have also given a generous donation. So our plans are being recognised wider a
field in some quarters.
The Church walk finance target
being, £300,000 the CLT has now past the £200,000
mark. This supports our hoped start date
of August/September, with completion before the year end still our aim.
Online crowd funding and easy
fundraising sites have been set up so that everyone who wishes to be a part of
our exciting development can contribute.
Donations large or small welcome.
At the long shop on 23 May the steam
up and craft day and again on Suffolk day 21 June we will have a table to
promote the CLT and invite people to join our membership scheme. This will be our first opportunity to meet
people face to face for many months and answer any questions.
On phase two we have
begun constructive talks with high profile architects who have experience of
developing large multi facit sites such as planned
for Leiston Town Centre.
We
want local businesses to feel part of our ambitious plans, their involvement will
be very welcome, contact us via our website, Facebook or call in to our office at
22 Sizewell Road.
Finally today, the CLT has been
pleased to be a party to the Leiston Traffic Management Group with its plans
complementing our plans for the new Leiston Town Centre, we commend it to the
public presentation.
25. EDF Transport Group Update
Cllr Last advised a meeting was held
yesterday where further discussion on routes took place. Minutes will be available from the Town Clerk
on request for councillors only.
26. Traffic
and Transport Proposals
Councillors noted the
previously circulated briefing document.
After a lengthy discussion it was proposed by Cllr Morsley,
seconded by Cllr Boast and agreed (6 for, 5 against) in principle to accept the
proposal as laid down in the briefing document.
After further
discussion, it was proposed by Cllr Ginger, seconded by Cllr Harle and agreed
(5 for, 4 against and 2 abstentions) that a referendum should be held with 2
public exhibitions for residents to view the proposals. Cllr Hill commented
that she didn’t believe a referendum would give a true representation. Cllr Corbett commented Leiston Town Centre
will be intolerable during the construction of SZC unless a solution is found
to prevent through-traffic from both construction vehicles and contractors in
the town centre. The County Council has the statistics and information which
has led them to support this proposal and we should respect their judgement.
Neither we, or the general public, are the experts when it comes to making this
decision.
27. SZC
PINS Hearings/Examination Update
Cllr Corbett and Cllr
Woolf met with John Rayner, Town Clerk, Cllr Last and Cllr Hill last week to
agree what was to be raised at today’s hearing, which Cllr Corbett attended. A presence has been requested on all site
visits at both Sizewell and Hinkley. The
Town Clerk has sent in a summary of our Relevant Representation to the Planning
Inspectorate. Cllr Corbett and Cllr
Woolf also met with John Rayner, Town Clerk and Lisa Chandler (Energy Projects
Manager at East Suffolk Council) to discuss answers to the examiner’s
questions. Cllrs Corbett and Woolf are
working on a draft of answers and once a final draft has been compiled this
will be available to councillors on request.
28. Newspaper
Bank for Leiston
After a brief
discussion it was proposed by Cllr Hill and Seconded by Cllr Bailey and agreed
that no action be taken. Cllr Harle
expressed his thanks to Jo Thain, Leiston Change Manager for informing him
about the larger bins that are available.
29. Visit
Leiston Website
Councillors noted the
report and on a proposal by Cllr Hill, seconded by Cllr Bailey it was agreed
that the Council take over the Visit Leiston Website, which will be managed by
the Film Theatre in conjunction with the Visitor Information Point within the
Film Theatre.
30. Flagpole
on the Council Office Building
The Clerk informed councillors
that she has contacted East Suffolk Council regarding the flagpole and is
awaiting a site visit, she will provide a further update once this has taken
place.
31. Grounds
Maintenance Meeting – 14 April 2021
Councillors noted the
previously circulated report.
32. Open
Spaces Working Party – 20 April 2021
Councillors noted the
report.
After a brief
discussion concerning the skatepark it was proposed by Cllr Ginger, seconded by
Cllr Morsley and agreed to recommend an upgrade, expressing
that they would like the ‘young people’ of the town to be involved with the planning
process.
33. Film
Theatre Working Party - 22 April 2021
Councillors
noted the previously circulated report.
34. Leiston
Library Steering Committee
Councillors noted the
previously circulated report.
35. Finance and Personnel
a) Accounts for Payment
It was proposed by Cllr Hill, seconded by Cllr Bailey and agreed that
accounts paid since the last meeting of £46,864.49 be approved for payment.
b) Personnel Committee
Members noted the recommendations of the Personnel Committee from their
meeting of 28 April. It was proposed by Cllr Bailey, seconded by Cllr Boast and
agreed that those recommendations be approved.
The meeting
took a break from 8.27pm to 8.37pm
36. Planning Matters
RECOMMEND APPROVAL
b) DC/21/1142/FUL - Creation of a temporary access to the
west of lagoon located on the eastern boundary of the site. - Johnsons Farm
Land North Of B1119 Saxmundham Road Leiston Suffolk
IP16 4TW
RECOMMEND APPROVAL
Councillors
noted the points raised in item 1 from correspondence, a copy of a letter sent
to East Suffolk Council planning from a resident concerning this planning application. Councillors recommended approval but asked
that consideration is given to all the points raised in the letter, the footpath
across the level crossing, water and the rear access road for St Margaret’s
Crescent residents.
RECOMMEND APPROVAL
d) DC/21/1878/FUL - Conversion of former stables to form
residential annex to main home - The Cupola Church Road Leiston IP16 4HL
RECOMMEND APPROVAL
e) DC/21/1879/LBC -
Listed Building Consent - Conversion of
former stables to form residential annex to main home - The Cupola Church Road
Leiston IP16 4HL
RECOMMEND APPROVAL
RECOMMEND APPROVAL
Councillors commented why the trees are not
being replaced by silver birches and refer to tree officer.
REFERRAL TO TREE
OFFICER
h) DC/21/1799/FUL – Removal
of existing conservatory and replaced with new extension – 14 Huntingfield Road, Leiston, IP16 4DH
RECOMMEND APPROVAL
37. County Matters
Cllr Last raised
concerns regarding the recent road closures at Knodishall. The diversion routed traffic along another
road with roadworks, he requested that these works be better co-ordinated in
future. The Clerk will take this forward
to highways.
38. District Matters
Cllr Harle asked if the
road names for the new Johnsons Farm development had been finalised. The Clerk informed councillors the list had
been finalised a while back and she will send a copy to Cllr Harle.
Cllr Harle asked if
there had been any progress regarding the dog bin on High Green, Mrs Kemp advised
she is still awaiting a reply from East Suffolk Council conservation team but
will chase.
39. Correspondence
Letter referring to DC/21/1548/ARM
Councillors noted the letter from a
resident concerning the proposed development of land rear of St Margaret’s
Crescent and this had already been discussed in conjunction with planning
application DC/21/1548/ARM.
Copy of letter sent by local resident to Secretary of
Transport
Councillors noted the
copy of a letter sent to the Secretary of Transport by a local resident
regarding bringing back a railway to our town.
The Clerk will write a letter of acknowledgement to the resident. Cllr
Ginger requested that we support the resident and look into how it could be
possible to bring back the local railway.
The Clerk will investigate further to see what process is involved.
40. Questions
to the Chairman
Cllr Bailey commented that residents who
have no access to Wi-Fi should be allowed to attend public meetings. The Clerk explained that due to COVID-19
restrictions we only had space for one member of the public to attend tonight.
Cllr Ginger commented about an
article in the Times newspaper stating that the Sizewell B Outage would be
extended.
The meeting finished at
9.10pm
Chair
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Dated ---------------------------------------------