Yaxley Parish Council.

Minutes of the Meeting of Yaxley Parish Council held on 23rd August 2017.

Present:

Councillor I LuffCouncillor A LuffCouncillor J Hawes

Councillor M FisherCouncillor K PawseyCouncillor B Feaver

Councillor R HallCouncillor J Moore

District Councillor D Burn.

P Freeman Parish Clerk.

No members of the public.

  1. Apologies for Absence.
  • Councillor C Wright and County Councillor J Fleming.
  1. Councillor’s Declaration of Interests in Agenda Items.
  • None.
  1. Minutes of the Previous Meeting held on 12th July2017.
  • The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed as a true record and were signed by the Chairman.
  1. Matters arising from the minutes:

Action Points:

Notes on the action are in red.

  • Insurance of the Community Hall.
  • Arrange for the cutting of the foliage by the entrance to Cherry Tree Close. Action: The Chairman.Completed.
  • Notify the Highways Department of Suffolk County Council of the Parish Council’s agreement to the three sites for the SID. Action: The Clerk.Completed.
  • Register the defibrillator with the Ambulance Service. Action: The Clerk.Completed.
  • Respond on Planning Applications to MSDC. Action: The Clerk.Completed.
  • Parish Council matters for publication in the Yaxley Messenger. Action: The Clerk.Completed.
  • List of materials and equipment for the Emergency Plan. Action: Councillor I Luff.
  • Permission for contact details from Councillors Fleming, Moore, Burn and Hall. Action: The Clerk.Completed.
  • Report pot hole on railway bridge to the Highways Department of Suffolk County Council. Action: The Clerk.Completed.
  • Councillor I Luff to attend the meeting with the Police and Crime Commissioner. Action: Councillor I Luff.
  • Councillor I Luff reported that he had attended the meeting with the police in Eye.
  1. Notification of any urgent business.
  • None.

Meeting closed at 7:40 p.m.

Public Forum.

Report from District Councillor D Burn:

He made the following points:

  • Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils were moving to Endeavour House in Ipswich in September 2017.
  • There will be a different way of working, with members of staff working from home and other sites.
  • There will be no face-to-face contact with members of the public at Endeavour House.
  • There will be offices at Stowmarket and Sudbury where people can meet officers by appointment. The Councils were endeavouring to move away from face-to-face contact because it was very expensive.

In response to a question Councillor Burn made the following point:

  • The District Council now charged for pre-application advice, as most authorities do. Phone call advice will continue to be free.
  • The two Councils were involved in a Joint Local Plan Consultation. A document was available and a large proportion of it was plans and maps. It was important that everyone should have the opportunity to comment and it was planned to last to 2036, and it was accessible online.
  • The Boundary Commission Ward Boundary Review had been completed. It was a number balancing exercise, and Yaxley, Thrandeston, Braiseworth, Stoke Ash, Thwaite and Thornham Parva and Magna would form one constituency. There were alternative suggestions from the Green Party and the Liberal Democrats.
  • A planning application for a BP fuel station and a McDonalds restaurant had been put forward for the Brome Triangle.

Report from Councillor Jessica Fleming:

  • Suffolk’s New Strategic Priorities – The new Council agreed the following three priorities at its July meeting – Inclusive Growth, Healthcare and Wellbeing, and Efficient and Effective Services. The administration has established relevant cross-party Cabinet Committees to take these initiatives forward into the next 4-year term of council business.
  • Consultation on Local Plans - The consultation for Mid Suffolk & Babergh starts runs from 21st August until 10th November. Comments may be submitted to: or

A County Council response will be prepared considering service responsibilities, infrastructure and policy.

  • Highways. The new transformation arrangements will begin in September, more information will be made available shortly. In the meantime defects/ potholes/ drainage etc. should be reported in the usual way – Grass verge problems should be reported to
  • Lowestoft Third Bridge: Consultation on the Lowestoft/ Lake Lothing Third Crossing starts on 4th September through Mid-October: For further information and updates please go to

Meeting reopened at 8:00 p.m.

  1. Correspondence received.

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Signed: ______Date: ______

23rd August 2017.

Yaxley Parish Council.

  • Various documents from SALC.
  • Various emails from Suffolk Community Foundation.
  • Town and Parish Council Newsletter.
  • Various emails from the Highways Department Suffolk County Council.
  • Clerks and Councils Direct.
  • The Local Councillor.
  • SID sites – Yaxley Parish.
  • Phil Cobbold Planning Ltd, - date of next PC meeting.
  • East of England Ambulance Service – defibrillator.
  • MSDC - date of next PC meeting.
  • Mellis Road, Yaxley update – Jessica Fleming.
  • Village Hall buildings cover – Community Hall Committee.
  • Emergency Alerting directory - MSDC.
  • Speed Aware Device – Thornham Magna Meeting.
  • Move of Babergh and MSDC to Endeavour House in Ipswich.
  • Local Plan Briefing Letter.

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Signed: ______Date: ______

23rd August 2017.

Yaxley Parish Council.

  1. Yaxley Allotments:
  • Update on allotment gardens and tenancy agreement.
  1. Report on the number of vacant plots:17.
  2. Applications for plots: None.
  3. Tenancy agreements for 2016/2017: it was agreed that the Clerk should write to Mr Hearne to terminate his tenancy.Action: The Clerk.
  • Unused plots: nothing to report.
  1. Highway matters:
  2. Portable Speed Aware Device.
  • The posts should be in place in the near future, after which the device will be fitted.
  • Pedestrians, including young children, using Mellis Road at peak times:
  • There had been no progress on this matter. It could be beneficial to report any incidents on this piece of road.
  • Travellers on Judas Lane:
  • The travellers had moved on but a lot of rubbish had been left 1,234 yards from the junction of Judas Lane and the Mellis Road.
  1. Finances and financial report.
  2. Balances on Accounts: 28thJuly 2017.
  3. Current account: £4,766.33.
  4. Deposit account: £5,569.06
  5. Councillors noted the bank balances.
  6. Internal Audit.
  7. The report had been given to Councillors and the recommendations were noted:
  8. Risk Assessment: The risk assessment had been reviewed on 27th January 2016, and nothing had subsequently changed. The risk assessment will be reviewed in 2017/2018 and will take into account the purchase and use of the Speed Indicator Device and the purchase of a defibrillator. Reviews of internal controls were carried out by a Parish Councillor during the year.
  9. Bank Reconciliation: the bank reconciliation has been amended and was included.
  10. Year-end Procedures: the recommendations have been acted upon and boxes 4, 6 and 8 have been amended.
  11. Internal Audit Procedures: the internal auditor has stated that there was no evidence that it was reviewed and then states that it was considered by the Council at a meeting held on 6/7/2016. There is evidence of this in the minutes of that meeting. The response of the RFO to the internal audit is recorded above.
  12. All other recommendations will be acted upon.
  13. Financial report and bank reconciliation.
  • Detailed accounts, had been given to Councillors, which recorded all items of income and expenditure, and compared them to the budget. The spreadsheet also showed both as a percentage of the budget.
  • The accounts were to the date of this meeting and included a bank reconciliation for both accounts.
  • There were no questions from Councillors.
  • To authorise cheques for signature:

N.B. Cheque signatories to initial cheque stub and invoice.

Payee / Details / Cheque Number / Amount / Power
P Freeman / Clerk’s Pay and Expenses / 101084 / £221.74 / LGA 1972 S112 (i)
HMRC / PAYE / 101085 / £55.20 / LGA 1972 S111
David Newcombe / Grass cutting / 101086 / £70.00 / LGA 1972 S111
Keith Pawsey / Filling water bowser / 101087 / £65.00 / LGA 1972 S111
Heelis and Lodge / Internal Audit / 101088 / £118.00 / LGA 1972 S111
ICO / Registration renewal / 101089 / £35.00 / LGA 1972 S111
PH Hammond / Cut vegetation at Cherry Tree Close / 101090 / £90.00 / LGA 1972 S111
Suffolk Preservation Society / Membership / 101091 / £30.00 / LGA 1972 S111
BDO LLP / External Audit / 101092 / £240.00 / LGA 1972 S111

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Signed: ______Date: ______

23rd August 2017.

Yaxley Parish Council.

  • It was unanimously agreed to pay the invoices listed above, proposed by CouncillorA Luff and seconded by Councillor Hall.
  • Receipts: donation - £750.00
  • Requests for financial support: none.
  1. Update on Emergency Plan.
  • Sue Hearne from MSDC had approved the Plan.
  • It was agreed that Councillor I Luff should obtain costs for various pieces of equipment required for the implementation of the Plan.
  • The Chairman offered to loan a generator if it was required.
  • Councillor I Luff had prepared a piece for the Yaxley messenger asking vulnerable people to register with utility companies.
  • The Plan was ready to go to live.
  • He will prepare a short action guide.
  1. Review of Risk Assessments:
  • The risk assessments were unchanged and were agreed.

Risk assessments will be prepared on:

  1. Defibrillator. It was agreed to add checking the defibrillator to the bottle bank rota.
  2. Speed Indicator Device.Action: The Clerk.
  1. Review of Standing Orders and Financial Regulations.
  • The standing orders had been amended in line with a recommendation from the auditor and were agreed.
  • The financial regulations were unchanged and were agreed.
  1. Access across the Community Hall car park to 71 The Pink House, Old Ipswich Road, Yaxley.
  • The Clerk had received a request from Mr Bull that he should be able to put some posts near the entrance to his property which would ask people not to block his entrance.
  • The followingwere agreed:
  • To put two concrete bollards, painted white, with ‘please keep clear’on them, by the entrance to the property from the Community Hall car park.
  • To put reflective disks on each of them so they can be seen when it is dark.
  1. Asset Register.
  • The asset register was approved with one amendment – there are three notice boards not as shown. Action: The Clerk.
  • The defibrillator and speed indicator device had been added.
  1. Yaxley Community Centre:
  2. Car Park and Security of the Community Centre.
  • Nothing to report.
  1. Parish Council matters for publication in the Yaxley Messenger.
  • Vulnerable people notice.
  • A link to the Babergh and Mid Suffolk Joint Local Plan Consultation.
  1. Planning:
  2. Applications:
  3. Application Number: DC/17/04028

Proposal: outline planning application (access to be considered) – Erection of 2 No dwellings and garages.

Location: Conifers, Mellis Road, Yaxley IP23 8DB.

The following points were agreed:

  • This was a more realistic application than the previous one.
  • The hedge by the entrance should be cut back.
  • There was nothing for the benefit of certain groups e.g. affordable housing.
  • It was agreed to support the application, proposed by Councillor Hawes and seconded by Councillor Hall.
  • Application Number: DC/17/03934

Proposal: Planning Application – Erection of a new dwelling, garage and new vehicular access.

Location: Crossways, Mellis Road, Yaxley IP23 8DG.

The following points were agreed:

  • Access was by a single-track lane.
  • A mirror was required,to be placed on the opposite side of the road, to allow oncoming traffic to be seen.
  • It was agreed to support the application, and to comment on the issue of the entrance, proposed by Councillor Hall and seconded by Councillor Fisher.
  • Applications – no decisions to date:
  • Application Number: DC/17/02810

Proposal: householder planning application - direction of side and rear extension. Install new rooflights, replace windows and repair render throughout.

Location: 13 Maple Close, Yaxley IP23 8DQ.

  1. Planning decisions:
  2. Approved:
  3. Application Number: 1681/17

Proposal: Erection of two-storey detached dwelling with double garage Variation of Condition 2 of approved 3803/16 to revise plans and include balcony and minor elevational changes.

Location: Linden Lea, Mellis Road, Yaxley, IP23 8DA

  1. Refused:
  1. Withdrawn: None.
  2. Appeal by: None.
  1. Play area:
  2. To receive Play Area Inspection Report.

Councillor Fisher had prepared a report which included details of each of her visits. She made the following points:

  • Generally, the playground was in good order and had been well used.
  • The slide needed a small repair due to a wooden slat being broken at the base of the climbing side.
  • The large swing seat on the left had exposed metal, but it was not sharp or dangerous.
  • The ground under the bin was very soft and the spike hadcompletely come out of the ground. The bin had been emptied.
  • The Chairman was thanked for his help with the repair.
  • A few brambles were growing through the bark.
  • The grass was very long between the playground and the car park.
  • There was a small amount of litter around the park.
  • The timber platform under the slide was damaged on the left bottom corner and was beginning to rot.
  • Councillors thanked Councillor Fisher for carrying out the inspections and she offered to continue until the next meeting.
  1. Yaxley Cemetery
  2. To consider inspection report - Councillor J Hawes.

The following points were made in Councillor Hawes report:

  • The memorials were safe.
  • Grass had been cut.
  • Brambles were growing out from the hedge and needed to be cut back.
  1. To receive Councillor’s reports.
  2. Councillor Luff – EPR.:
  • Nothing to report.
  • SALC:
  • Nothing to report.
  • Councillor Moore - Yaxley Town Estates Fund.
  • Nothing to report.
  1. AOB - Any items raised earlier but not for an extended discussion or decisions and items for inclusion at the meeting on4th October 2017.
  • Councillor I Luff reported that he had attended a meeting in Eye with the police.
  • A new policing model had been described and was under review.
  • The Force was understrength.
  • If there were issues it was preferable that they should be reported by individuals.
  • There was a drugs problem in Eye.
  • Councillor I Luff would be happy to attend the next meeting.
  • It was important that local residents should be aware of the need for additional security in their homes.
  • They should be prepared to take the registration of strange vehicles in the area.
  • It was agreed that the Clerk should add a piece in the Yaxley Messenger about security. Action: The Clerk.
  • It was agreed that the Clerk should write to Lord Henniker, as the landowner, to request that the hedge by the entrance to the Community Hall was cut back. Action: The Clerk.

Meeting closed at 9:05 p.m.

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Signed: ______Date: ______

23rd August 2017.