PARISH COUNCILMEETING HELD

MON 8 DECEMBER2014 @ 7.30p.m.

@ THE VILLAGE HALL, CREETING ST MARY

Present:Cllrs K Martin, S Haynes,R Coton, P Scully, N Hardingham,S Cox, A McKelvie
R Richardson.

In Attendance:SCCllr M Hicks

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1.Public Session – nothing raised

2.Apologies

Cllr N Smart, Mrs A Squirrell (Clerk)

3.Reports from District/County Councillors/Police
SCC - Cllr Hicks: Cllr Hicks apologised for a lack of his report, it will be e-mailed to the Clerk.
He mentioned that £750 had been paid out of his locality budget for the Blacksmith’s
field gateway repair and that the pre-school nursery had applied to him for funds.

Suffolk Police: Report filed with these minutes. The police report had been circulated, no questions arose.

4.Declaration of Pecuniary/Non-Pecuniary interest –nothing declared

5.Approval of minutes of the Parish Council Meetingheld 20 October 2014and to consider

any matters arising not covered elsewhere on the agenda
It was proposed by Cllr Hardingham, seconded by Cllr Scully that these were a true record of the

meeting held. They were signed by the Chairman

No matters were raised.

6.Report of Meeting re Traffic Issues
Following the meeting outside the school it was felt that speeding was not a problem;

SCCllr Hicks gave out sketch maps prepared by Josh White showing his suggested improvements;

these included a 4metre ‘buff band’ across the carriageway with white markings, these could be

funded from CCllr Hicks locality budget; possibly replace the present 30mph white signs with
white 30mph against a yellow background, it was felt these were more obvious. The Chairman proposed acceptance of Josh White’s proposals, Cllr McKelvie seconded, all Cllrs agreed.

The possibility of a footpath where the hedge is at present was discussed, it was felt this
would be an ideal long term solution but for now the Chairman is to ask the landowner whose land

the hedge is on to cut it back, part of the hedge belongs to the school.

Vas signs; SCCllr Hicks offered to pay for the posts for the signs; the general feeling of the meeting

was that the traffic Surveys did not highlight a big enough speeding problem to warrant the money

being spent on signs. Cllr Scully felt this was not the case. Cllr Hardingham proposed the plan be

dropped for now and reintroduced after the next speed survey, Cllr Coton seconded, Cllr Scully
voted against the proposal, the rest of the Cllrs were in favour.

7.Blacksmiths Field
(i)General:Cllr Cox reported that the general state of the field was good with no dog fouling.
(ii) Repairs to Gateway: Cllrs Martin and Cox reported that the gate had been rehung on new gate

posts quite satisfactorily, but were slightly concerned that there was a hollow on the approach to
the pedestrian access and a slight ridge where the mesh had been overlapped rather than butted
together, which could be a slight trip hazard. The Chairman had met with the Company representative
on the day of the meeting and he had agreed to take some remedial action to reduce this risk.

8.Reports from Parish Councillor Representatives not raised elsewhere
8.1 Report from SALC Representative – Cllr Coton
Cllr Coton reported on his attendance at the SALC AGM on 12 November 2014.
All the same people elected to the same positions. A presentation by Terry Hunt, editor of EADT of the highlights of his career as a journalist. He reminded his audience that it was their newspaper and
relied upon their contributions.
A change to the constitution was made to accommodate the resignation and the failure to attend
meetings of the SALC Board.
The following motions were made:-

Motion 1 – Parish and Town Councils should receive a proper share of Community Structure Levy and 106 payments to facilitate the additional provision of facilities and services rather than increase precepts. This was carried.
Motion 2 – Ensure that new build dwellings and business are provided with means to enable connection to fibre-optic broadband. This was carried.
Motion 3 – Provisions within The Localism Act 2011 introducing automatic precept referendums on Parish and Town Council be removed. This was carried.
Motion 4 – To introduce a mandatory minimum for concessionary bus fares to ensure that the service viability is not undermined by the requirement to provide free travel concessionary fares for local bus journeys. This was not carried.
8.2 Report from Emergency Co-ordinator – Cllr Coton
Yellow warning for rain and high winds at end of the week received. MSDC are running a Rest Centre Course for any councillor that may be interested in the New Year.

8.3 CSM Welfare Charities – nothing received.
8.4 CSM Village Hall Report – Cllr Smart
Nothing significant to report.
8.5 Footpaths – Cllr Scully

TThe hedge running along the path from Alder Carr to Crown Bridge had been cut back making it
easier to walk but debris has been left. Cllr. Hardingham explained that the hedge, although on
his land, had been planted by SWTand that it was their responsibility to maintain it. He agreed to
follow the matter up. Cllr. Scully suggested that the grass area beside the path would be improved
if it were mown, and this idea was accepted as a possibility.

The footway up to the church has now been cleared well.

8.6 Sustainability/Environment – Cllr Hardingham
Nothing significant to report.
8.7 Highways – Cllr McKelvie
Florden Road is now finished except for the broken roadsign, Cllr McKelvie has been
told this will be repaired. A pothole at the A140 end of All Saints Road is still a

problem, Cllr McKelvie will report it again. A review of all road signs will be carried

out next year.
8.8 Newsletter – Cllr R Richardson
There is a new advertiser; no new Editor has come forward.

9.Finance
(i) To receive Financial Report from RFO including balances at bank:
This was circulated for comment. Cllr Haynes proposed agreement.
(ii) Payment for Goods & Services – no payments were submitted.
(iii)Confirm Budget for 2015/16 and propose Precept for 2015/16
Cllr McKelvie proposed that a contingency sum of £800.00 be included within the 2015/16 budget.
The proposal was seconded by Cllr Hardingham and passed unanimously by the Council.
Cllr Hardingham then proposed that the draft budget for the financial year 2015/16 with a
Precept of £8,700 be accepted. The proposal was seconded by Cllr McKelvie. The motion was passed unanimously by the council.
(iv) Authorisation to transfer funds to Blacksmith Field Account
There is a ‘dormant’ account at Barclay’s Bank for Blacksmith’s Field. It was suggested
using this account for any monies raised fundraising for equipment for the field.
Cllr Haynes proposed transferring £1500 from Council funds into this account Cllr Cox
seconded, all agreed.

10.Planning
(i) New Planning Application –no new applications received.
(ii) To Receive any Planning Decisions received to date
Ref: 2663/14 College Farm, Creeting Hills, CSM – granted
Ref: 3025/14 The Cart Lodge, Coddenham Road, Needham Market - refused

11.Council Policies
(i) Use of Social Media at Council Meetings
The use of ‘Social Media’ is now law, the Chair can refuse it’s use in certain circumstances. Cllr Hardingham proposed acceptance of the Parish Clerk’s proposed policy, Cllr Haynes seconded, all in favour.
(ii) Ban on use of Lanterns on Council Property
All councillors agreed to the ban on the use and lighting of lanterns on Council Property according to the protocol issued by MSDC. Local users will be formally notified by the Clerk of this decision.

12.Correspondence
(i) Mid Suffolk Local Plan development: Parish Consultation on local infrastructure survey
The survey had been circulated for comments and collated by Cllr Scully. Further amendments have been made which will be re-circulated. The results will be submitted to MSDC.

13.Matters to be brought to the attention of the Council
Nothing significant to report.

14.Date of next Meetings:
Next meeting will be held on Mon 19 January 2015 @ 7.30pm.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 9.30pm

1 – 2014/15PC Mtg08.12.2014