Pre-meeting Reports
06 June 2023
15. County Councillor
County Councillor Haworth-Culf was in
attendance and a report had been previously circulated. County Councillor Haworth-Culf congratulated
the Chair and Vice Chair and said that she is looking forward to working with
them over the coming year. She attended
the meeting with Minister Bowie and was pleased the consultation has been
extended to 15 June and urged the Council and Councillors to submit a response.
She also attended an event regarding North Falls, which was very useful. This
week is National Carers Week and she thanked them and volunteers for going
above and beyond in all they do. She has been in contact with Public Rights of
Way team following an email forwarded to her by Mrs Kemp regarding overgrown
footpaths along Grimsey Lane and hopes to have a response later this week. She asked the council to consider adding
“hot weather emergencies” to their local emergency plans. Small Grant applications are
now open again.
Cllr Corbett highlighted her dismay regarding
the recent overnight tree felling carried out by Network Rail and the fact
residents were not informed,
Cllr Haworth-Culf has followed this up with
Network Rail and has submitted a formal complaint, she asked the Town Council
to consider the same.
Cllr Levermore highlighted issues regarding
patchwork repairs to our roads and questioned if this will be improved once the
new Highways Contract starts in November.
County Cllr Haworth-Culf is confident this will happen and confirmed they
will have targets to meet and be held accountable. She is awaiting further information regarding
the additional £10 million pounds funding for minor roads.
The Clerk commented the Town Council are still
awaiting a response from SCC regarding an expression of interest for public
electric vehicle charging at the Waterloo Centre. The current charging station is available to
County Council staff only. County
Councillor Haworth-Culf will chase.
16. District Councillor
District Cllr Whitelock
was in attendance. Following the
elections on 04 May East Suffolk Council have formed their cabinet which will
be a Green, Liberal Democrat, and Independent Coallition.
The new Leader of the Council is Councillor Caroline Topping, and the Deputy
Leader is Councillor David Beavan. They have
introduced a new Cabinet portfolio - Energy and Climate Change
She confirmed our
District Councillors have submitted a response to the Community
benefits for electricity transmission network infrastructure Consultation, Minister
Bowie Consultation. She asked
Councillors to consider reviewing our local Emergency Plan to include ‘hot
weather emergencies’. They have agreed a
small grant for Leiston Long Shop Museum and will be meeting with Fraser Hale,
Museum Manager to discuss how they can offer further support.
Cllr Hill questioned if
ESC has any plans to install EV chargers in any of their carparks within the
town. District Cllr Whitelock will
follow this up and commented that herself and District Cllrs Daley and Graham
will be working to try and get it made compulsory for all new builds to include
an EV charging point.
17. Public Forum
A member of the public raised concerns
regarding Dinsdale Road toilets and the fact they are not consistently open at
weekends. The Clerk will follow this up.
At a meeting of the
LEISTON-cum-SIZEWELL TOWN COUNCIL
held in the COMMUNITY
CENTRE, King Georges Avenue, Leiston, on
TUESDAY 06 June 2023 at
7.30pm
Councillor Lesley Hill
(in the Chair)
Councillor Tony Cooper
Councillor Nicky
Corbett
Councillor David Dix
Councillor Susan Geater
Councillor David Boast
Councillor Selena
Levermore
Councillor David
Morsley
18. Minutes
It was proposed by Cllr
Levermore, seconded by Cllr Corbett, and agreed that the minutes for the
meeting of 02 May 2023 be signed as a true record.
19. Apologies
Apologies were received from Cllr Last.
20. Chair’s Communications
The Chair commented thus:
With Councillor Corbett, I attended a meeting at
Aldeburgh on 17th May with Andrew Bowie, Parliamentary Under Secretary of
State (Minister for Nuclear and Networks) at the Department of Energy
Security and Net Zero. This was in regard to the government’s consultation into
how communities hosting energy projects should benefit. Cllr Corbett’s report is included in the pack
of Council
papers under agenda item 7(b)
The new appointments at East Suffolk Council
following the District Council elections in May are:-
Cllr Anthony Speca - Chair of East Suffolk Council
Cllr John Fisher – Vice Chair
Cllr Caroline Topping – Leader of East Suffolk
Council
Cllr David Beavan – Deputy Leader
I will be extending an invitation to the
Councillors to visit us in Leiston.
I and members of
the Council have been invited by Trevor Peskett, Committee
Member of the Leiston Branch of the Royal British Legion and Member of the Friends of the Suffolk Regiment to
attend the VJ Day Commemoration and to lay a wreath at the
memorial flag at the Long Shop Museum on Saturday 12th August at
10.45 a.m. I am able to attend and hope other councillors will be able to join me.
21. Declarations of Interest
Cllr Boast for CLT,
Cllr Levermore for CLT, Cllr Geater for finance and personnel, Cllr Hill for CLT
and Cllr Cooper for Leiston Long Shop Museum
22. Assets Steering Groups
a) Film
Theatre Steering Group – Minutes of Meeting held 18 May 2023
Councillors
noted the previously circulated minutes.
It was proposed by Cllr Cooper, seconded by Cllr Morsley and agreed an
expenditure of up to £3000 for the new Film Theatre Website.
b) Community
Centre and other Assets Steering Group
Councillors noted the date of the next meeting
8 June 2023. Cllr Cooper commented
on the Town Map located in the Council Chamber and asked if this
can be archived.
c) ‘Live
Well Centre’ Update
The Clerk reported thus:
There was good
interest in the job advertisement.
Shortlisted to 3 applicants. One
failed to show up to interview, one emailed the day before saying that she was
unable to attend, One turned up for interviewed. An alternative
date for interview was offered to the second candidate but she wasn’t available
on that day and the interviewing panel
decided that they were unable to offer a third alternative.
The interviewed candidate was appointable, but she declined the offer of
the job.
At this afternoons meeting it was agreed we would go back out to advertise the
post. There is a potential candidate
known to a member of the Steering Group.
The Steering Group
agreed we should try and get the centre open if LTC manage the diary bookings
and others in the steering group help to man the centre. Sharon Cuthbert also offered support of some volunteers. volunteers. We will go for a
soft opening with a bigger opening later in the year.
The Corporate
Management Team of the INT had some concerns about the name having ‘Leiston’ in
the title as it makes it sound as if it is only available to people living in
Leiston. We agreed as a compromise to
make it Live Well Hub – Leiston pointing out that the name had been chosen in a
transparent manner with due consultation.
23. Parks and Recreation Working Groups
a) Parks
and Recreation Grounds Steering Group
Councillors noted the date of the next
meeting 11 July, 3pm. Cllr Hill informed
councillors that Mrs Kemp received a reply today from a tree surgeon regarding
two trees at Hayling’s Pond, one of which is deemed to be dangerous and needs removing
at a cost of £1200. After a brief
discussion it was proposed by Cllr Corbett, seconded by Cllr Levermore and
agreed that we ask ESC Arboriculture team to view the tree and if they deem the
tree needs to be removed go ahead and get the tree removed at a cost of
£1200. The second tree will be taken
forward for discussion at the next Parks and Recreation Grounds Steering Group.
b)
Leiston Makes Space for Wildlife
Cllr
Corbett reported that a LMSFW had a meeting on 18 May. The two new trees planted in memory of local
residents will have plaques erected in due course. There are signs of wildflowers germinating at
both Victory Park and Haylings Pond. LMSFW have applied to ESC Bloom Campaign for
four bundles of 500 daffodil bulbs, these will be used to replace the ones at
the Skatepark and the Church Square.
c)
East Suffolk Services Contracts Meeting
The
Clerk is in the process of rearranging this meeting. A date has come forward this afternoon for 12
July, this is yet to be confirmed.
24. Infrastructure Working Groups
a)
Highways Working Group
Councillors
noted the date of the next meeting 18 July, 3pm. The Clerk confirmed this will
be a face to face meeting and Wayne Saunders from SCC Highways has confirmed he
will be attending. The Clerk will chase
an update on all outstanding items before this meeting.
b)
Energy Projects Working Group
Councillors
noted the date of the next meeting 12 June, 3pm. Councillors noted the previously circulated
report regarding the meeting with Minister Bowie Parliamentary Under Secretary
of State (Minister for Nuclear and Networks) at the Department for Energy
Security and Net Zero. The response to
the consultation will be discussed at the next Energy Projects Working Group. SZA
c)
Neighbourhood Plan Review Steering Group –
Minutes of Meeting held 23 May
Councillors
noted the previously circulated minutes.
The Chair informed Councillors that we had been unsuccessful in our
grant application from the UKSPD and we have been informed we did not meet the
criteria, the Clerk is seeking clarification as to why.
d)
Traffic and Transport Working Group
This
meeting will be convened after the meeting with SZC has taken place.
25. Outside Bodies
a) Net Zero Leiston
The Clerk reported
thus:
Members might recall LTC put in an Expression of Interest for the EV
Charging units at Waterloo Centre to be made available to the public.
They are currently only available to SCC employees. This stalled as SCC
were exploring bigger grants which they have now secured. LTC has been
invited to put in another EOI which we have done but this requires SCC
permission which may take some time to secure. There is currently no EV charging point in Leiston, only one courtesy of
Revell’s on Eastlands Industrial Estate. Councillors will read
under correspondence a letter from a resident who is frustrated with the lack
of charging infrastructure.
Would the Council be interested in putting in an Expression of Interest
to install a 2-bay overnight EV charger unit here at the Community
Centre? This does not commit Council at this stage but registers interest
as a landowner and will be subject to further detail. After a brief
discussion it was proposed by Cllr Levermore, seconded by Cllr Dix and agreed
to put in an Expression of Interest to install a 2-bay overnight EV charger at
the Community Centre.
Cllr Levermore
questioned the possibility of purchasing solar powered speed signs, this will
be taken forward to be discussed at the next Highways Working Group.
b) Leiston CLT
Nothing to report.
c)
Aldeburgh, Leiston and Saxmundham
Community Partnership
The next Aldeburgh,
Leiston and Saxmundham Community Partnership meeting
is still to be rescheduled. Cllr Cooper
commented that the new Chair will be Cllr Fisher.
d) Leiston Police Crime Information
Cllr Hill informed
Councillors that all crime figures and data for our area can be found on the
Suffolk Constabulary Website: https://www.suffolk.police.uk/your-area/leiston
Cllr Hill confirmed she
will be attending the Antisocial Behaviour Board meetings with the Clerk.
Cllr Corbett commented
she found the figures disappointing and they clearly indicate Leiston has a
problem and deserves much more Police presence.
The Town Clerk met Rebecca O’Neill, Community Sergeant for SZC last
week. She was keen to understand the CCTV provision in Leiston and to
review whether there was need for further CCTV coverage. The Town Clerk
believed there was and that she was aware of provision within the Community
Safety Plan for SZC. When new in post she had a similar conversation with
our local Safer Neighborhood Team and there was talk of a Design out Crime
study. Sgt O’Neill will follow this up. The Town Clerk invited Sgt
O’Neill to come to a future Council meeting when she had her full team in
place. Sgt O’Neill thought this would be July, possibly August.
It was proposed by Cllr
Cooper, seconded by Cllr Levermore and agreed to progress this with Sgt
O’Neill.
26. Civic Matters
a) Regalia
of Office for Vice Chair
Cllr Hill commented that she felt it would be useful for
the Vice Chair to have a Regalia of Office.
Mrs Kemp had obtained a quote from Thomas Fattorini Ltd for a medal and
plain top bar pendant for £966.58 but Cllr Hill felt a ribbon like the Chairs
with a smaller pendant maybe more appropriate.
It was proposed by Cllr Cooper, seconded by Cllr Dix and agreed they
felt a Regalia of Office for the Vice Chair seemed appropriate and that a quote
for a ribbon and small pendant be obtained.
27. Finance and Personnel
a)
Finance Committee
Councillors noted the
date of the next meeting 08 June 2023.
b) Annual
Governance and Accountability Report (AGAR) 2022-2023
The
RFO talked through the previously circulated AGAR report. It was proposed by Cllr Cooper, seconded by
Cllr Morsley and agreed to delegate authority to the Finance Committee to sign
off the Internal Audit Report. It was
proposed by Cllr Cooper, seconded by Cllr Morsley and agreed that section 1 of
the AGAR be signed off by the Finance Committee. It was proposed by Cllr Cooper, seconded by
Cllr Morsley and agreed that section 2 of the AGAR be signed off by the Finance
Committee.
c) General
Power of Competency
The
Town Clerk confirmed the legal power of duty has been identified for each
budget code and was circulated to all Members and has been uploaded to the LTC
SharePoint ‘ budget’ folder.
It is
now important that under GPC any new financial project is minuted
with the appropriate Power or Duty until the Town Clerk has completed CiLCA when we will once again declare GPC which means we
have the
power to do “anything that individuals generally may do’
d) Accounts
paid May 2023
It
was proposed by Cllr Levermore, seconded by Cllr Corbett and agreed that the
accounts paid for May 2023 of £31,972.69 be approved for payment.
e) Councillors
Allowance
A
polite reminder from the Clerk if Councillors have not responded please let her
know asap if you wish to claim your allowance or not for this year.
28. Policies and Procedures
a)
Data Protection and Information Management
Policy
Councillors noted the
recently circulated Data Protection and Information Management Policy. On a proposition from Cllr Cooper, seconded
by Cllr Levermore it was agreed to approve the policy.
b)
Privacy Notice
Councillors noted the
recently circulated Privacy Notice. On a proposition from Cllr Levermore,
seconded by Cllr Corbett it was agreed that to approve the Privacy Notice.
a)
DC/23/1306/FUL - Part of the land handover to
Sizewell B we are required to move 10no portacabins from the grid land and
relocate them to the South of our Site Accommodation Building. A new security
fence will be installed to separate the new site boundary's and a new pole
mounted security camera is to be installed on Sizewell As front lawn area https://publicaccess.eastsuffolk.gov.uk/online-applications/centralDistribution.do?caseType=Application&keyVal=RS8KH4QXJNX00
RECOMMEND APPROVAL
b)
DC/23/1851/FUL - Construction of a carport to
store motorhome and vehicles 6 Queen Elizabeth Close Leiston Suffolk IP16 4XB
RECOMMEND APPROVAL
c)
DC/23/1593/LBC – Listed Building Consent –
Replacement of three round windows in clock tower – 2 High Green Leiston
Suffolk IP16 4ET
REFER TO ESC LISTED
BUILDINGS TEAM
d)
DC/22/4879/FUL - Use of first floor as
six letting rooms (HMO) including alterations to form separate external
staircase access. 54 High Street, Leiston, Suffolk, !P16 4EW https://publicaccess.eastsuffolk.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=externalDocuments&keyVal=RMVFU8QX06O00
RECOMMEND REFUSAL
30. County Matters
Nothing raised.
31. District Matters
Cllr Levermore
questioned when the work on the Council Offices will be completed. The Clerk is hopeful that staff will be able
to return to the Offices next week but more extensive works were required than
originally thought.
Cllr Dix raised
concerns regarding the safety of staff working in an open building and asked if
an electronic doorbell system could be put in place. Cllr Cooper will follow this up.
32. Correspondence
Leiston Long Shop Museum
Councillors noted the request from Leiston Long
Shop Museum asking for a grant of £30,000.00 payable in three yearly payments
of £10,000.00 to help with the MEND refurbishment project. It was proposed by Cllr Levermore, seconded
by Cllr Corbett and agreed to approve this grant in principal and request the
Long Shop Museum to complete a more detailed CIL application form and for the
RFO to check that we are able to fund this through CIL. Cllr Morsley abstained.
Letter from Resident EV Charging Points
Councillors noted the letter from a local
resident regarding the lack of EV charging points in the town. Councillors are going to put forward an
expression of interest to Net Zero Leiston for a 2-bay overnight EV charging
point at Leiston Community Centre and have requested our local County Councillor
and District Councillors investigate further EV charging options in the town.
Letter Regarding Haylings
Road Allotments
Councillors noted the letter from a local
resident regarding the overgrown state of some of the plots at Hayling’s Road
allotments. After a brief discussion it
was decided to convene a walkaround at this site.
33. Questions to the Chairman
Cllr Levermore
questioned if our insurance covers their laptops for home use. The RFO confirmed it does. Cllr Hill questioned if they have internet
security. The RFO confirmed they are all
have internet security software installed.
Cllr Levermore
commented that she has received lots of positive comments regarding the
Skatepark. She questioned if there had
been any issues with litter, Mrs Kemp confirmed that there had been an issue in
the previous week as Norse had not emptied the bins as scheduled due to
staffing issues. Mrs Kemp will continue
to monitor. This issue will be discussed
at the next East Suffolk Services Contract Meeting.
The meeting finished at 9.15pm
Chair
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Dated ---------------------------------------------