Draft Minutes of Dunwich Parish Annual General Meeting Held on 25Th April 2014

Draft Minutes of Dunwich Parish Annual General Meeting held on 25th April 2014

1. Welcome and apologies for absence:
   Present: Electors: S. Strickland (Chairman), G. Abell (Treasurer), A. Abell,

J. Cary, D & H Cook, V. Donovan, J. Hamilton, E. Lewis-Cracknell, N. Malkin, M. & C. Palmer, K. Riches, J. & J. Salusbury, J. Sharp, R. Smith, M & B White.

Visitors: Cllr. B. Slater (SCDC);Cllr M. Gower (SCC); N. Mayo; J. Newson, T. Taylor (Suffolk Police).

Apologies:C & M Barnett, G. Baverstock, M. Clark,S. Donovan, J. Godfrey, E. McCormick,

K. Maunder,P. & S, Labat, J & C Oldham, M. & J. Whitby;R. Walter, J. Zarins.

1. Election of Officers of the Parish Meeting for 2014-2015:
   Nominations were received for: Simon Strickland, Chairman, proposed J. Godfrey, seconded K. Riches; Jane Zarins, Vice-Chairman, proposed M. Palmer, seconded J May; Geoff Abell, Treasurer, proposed H. Cook, seconded D. Cole. The three officers were duly elected unopposed and thanked their nominators and electors for their support in the coming year.
   
2. Minutes of the Parish Meeting of 31st January 2014:
   Minutes of 31st Januarywere proposed (M. White), seconded (D. Cook)andapproved nem. con.
   
3. Matters arising from the Minutes not otherwise on the agenda:
   Item 9: the Chairman had written to T.Coffey, MP, about the need forready access to the Electoral Register; she had followed this up and received a response from G. Clark, Minister for Cities, to say that the matter was under discussion. SALC had also been approached, and indicated that the issue would be discussed at a May policy meeting of the National Association of Local Councils. Chillesford Parish Meeting had encountered the same problem when considering emergency plans; and following an EADT item on 5th March, their Chairman had engaged in comparable correspondence.
   Item 10ii: the Chairman had written to the Police and Crime Commissioner who had advised the Safer Neighbourhood Team of the problem.
4. Treasurer’s Report:
   The Income and Expenditure Account for the year ending 31st March 2014, which had been internally audited by J. Cary, indicated a year-end surplus of £143.Total reserves at the start of the new financial year were £2,565. Administration costs had amounted to £120 for dog bag dispenser, £20 for the Remembrance Day wreath and £21 officers’ expenses. External audit fees had recently been abolished for small accounts so the £60 accrued from the previous year had been re-credited. M. Palmer proposed and J. Hamilton and seconded the Accounts. The accompanying Statement of Governance was proposed by J. Cary and seconded by M. Palmer. Both motions were adopted nem.con. The accounts would now be sent to the external auditors. The Meeting expressed grateful thanks to J. Cary for undertaking the internal audit.

There werefive cheques to approve: Treasurer’s expenses(£21);a two year supply of dog refuse bags (£101.40); annual insurance (£294.84); annual subscription to SALC (£31); and subscription due shortly for Sizewell Parishes Liaison Group (expected £30); approval was proposed by M. Palmer and seconded by J. Sharp, and passed nem. con.
Following discussion M. Palmer proposed and J. Cary seconded a motion that the DPM should not subscribe to Community Action in Suffolk but invite the Dunwich Town Trust to subscribe.The motion was passed by a majority vote, with one objection and one abstention recorded.

1. Amenity Report:
   The organisers of transport for Dunwich Dynamo were working with the local authority and the police so as to minimise return coaches and trucks in the village; it was suggested that private individuals could be encouraged to do likewise through the Dynamo website. Action: G. Abell
   A charity cycle ride for Prostate Cancer on 22ndJune would involve en route refreshment on the beach car park. SCC Highways had been silent on clearing flood debris near the bridge over Dunwich River; and Cllr M. Gower kindly offered to follow this up. Better Broadband rollout plans remained unclear; Cllr B. Slater advised that contingency money would not be allocated at least until September. There would be a further round of consultation on Sizewell C in the Autumn, one of the most controversialissues being planned accommodation for 3000 construction workers near Leiston Abbey and the main building site entrance.

The Planning Inspectorate had written seeking views on the information required in the environmental statement of Sizewell C’s application. Action: Chairman to draft and circulate response.

1. Coastal defence and flood committee report:
   The Chairman passed on the sad news that Stephen Hawes, engineering consultant on the beach defence project,had died; the Meeting wished to express their sincere condolences to his family.
2. Response to consultation on Boundary Commission proposals :
   The Local Government Boundary Commission had proposed new wards: ‘Peasenhall & Yoxford’ and ‘Wenhaston & Westleton’, the latter of which would include Dunwich. The villages of the Yoxmere Benefice (Peasenhall, Sibton, Yoxford, Darsham, Westleton, Dunwich, Middleton and Theberton), however, offered a plausible alternative.Following discussion of the extent of shared community identity and cohesion among the villages concerned, J.Cary proposed and R. Smith seconded a motion to put forward Yoxmere as the preferred new ward for Dunwich; this was unanimously accepted by the Meeting.
   Action: G. Abell to respond to consultation.

1. Planning Issues:

A planning application to remove an asbestos hut from Sandy Lane Farm had been received.
The following had been approved: minor alterations to a garden store and erection of a wood burning stove at Middlegate Barn; a single storey rear extension at Mill Cottage; the felling of the veteran pine outside the graveyard. It was explained that the PCC had spent over £1,100 trying to save the pine by the Lych Gate; but this was now considered dangerous and would be felled in the following week.

1. Annual reports for organisations in Dunwich:
   Suffolk Police: J. Newson, Police Community Support Officer reported eight crimes: one criminal damage, one theft, one common assault, two burglaries from other buildings, one harassment and two other of a sexual nature. He explained the SAFE Key service offered by the police which allowed them access to property when the owner was away should an incident arise and included a key recovery service ( or 08444 121802. The free service Police Direct,which allowed people to receive messages on crime and traffic disruption, was still available; and the Parish Meeting could take out membership. The Suffolk Constabulary website ( or 01473 613997 would provide details.
   All criminal, suspicious or antisocial behaviour should be reported on 101 (non-emergency) or 999.
   Parochial Church Council (PCC): K. Riches spoke of Richard Ginn’s unexpected retirement after serving the village for 28 years saying that he was missed and wishing him and Linda happiness in Hacheston. The church roof was now in urgent need of repair; the Heritage Lottery Fund had awarded a grant of £160,300, which would cover 67% of costs of repairing the roof, improving the heating system and developing information for visitors.Members of the Parish Meeting were invited to show their support of the project by signing a petition, which would help with further grant applications.Thanks were due to all who supported the Annual Flower Festival, which would take place over the last weekend of May and celebrate the centenary of the Diocese.The Lent Lunch and Harvest Service had supported Christian Aid; the Leprosy Mission and Children’s Society among other charities,and the Food Bank recently set up in Saxmundham, were also supported.
   Women’s Institute (WI): V. Donovan had provided a written report:this had been another enjoyable, busy year with a varied programme of speakers and events. The WI continued to award annual bursaries. The annual village sale WI had raised £500 forthe Air Ambulance.Members had helped with the annual beach clean in April: thanks were expressed to all who had participated. The Committee and all members were thanked for their continuing support and hard work.
   Jubilee Committee: Another successful year was reported. The marquees had been used for several village events and had been hired out twice. The erectionsquad were duly thanked. The BBQ and Rounders Match had been a happy, enjoyable day with the match, once again,won by the ‘Toffs’. Mr & Mrs Maclennan had very kindly agreed to allow their field to be used for the event again this year. The Jubilee Committee had given £600 towards costs of building the storage facility annexed to the archive room; and the marquees were now more conveniently stored there. All were invited to the AGM on Thursday 1st May at 5pm in the Reading Room.
   Dunwich Greyfriars Trust: G. Abell reported that membership had risen to 80 over this first year of operations. All were invited to join the volunteer working parties; these operated monthly and had helped keep the site clear and safe, and to control the Alexanders Parsley. Two collecting box cairns had been built; and grants totalling nearly £5,000 had been secured,paying for signsand tools. All the volunteers and Trustees were thanked; and all members were invited to the AGM on 30th May.
   Dunwich Town Trust: This year’s activities included improvements to housing, work on the drainage in the car park and the conservation of a Book of Accounts dating from 1889 and a very old map. Eighteen winter grants and several individual grants for emergency and specific needs had been given and more care alarms supplied. For the benefit of the village, grants included £4,150 towards the improvements in the Reading Room and £250 towards the newSuffolk Coasts and Heaths interpretation panel. Copies of the Balance Sheet and Statement of Financial Activites were distributed and C. Clay, Treasurer, presented the accounts.Damage to the paling fence below the cliff was noted.
   Reading Room and Museum Charity: J. Hamilton reported there had been 19,000 visitors including 1,500 school children, though the school visit bookings were down. The Greyfriars Exhibition would continue this year. However, 2015 would be the 800th anniversary of the granting of a Charter to Dunwich by King John, so this would form the basis of the next exhibition. Members of the Parish Meeting were encouraged to consider how best to celebrate this. The museum relied on itsvolunteers,who were thanked for all their hard work; and new volunteers were always needed. Bookings for the Reading Room were down and all were reminded that the room was available for private hire.
2. Reports from District and County Councillors:
   SCC Cllr Michael Gower explained that because of a reduction in government funding and a commitment not to increase Council Tax the Council had to save £156m over the next four years, £38.6m had been saved over the first year. The Council was committed to improving education by working collaboratively with staff over the long term. Although the procurement exercise had slipped by three months the infrastructure for the Better Broadband project was coming into place. He was hopeful that the flooding problem on the road to the five-finger junction had been resolved by the new drainage channels and the rotation of pigs off the land. Energy generated from a new incinerator,which would burn 269,000 tons of waste a year, would supply 30,000 homes with electricity and heat 30 hectares of glass houses; and this was expected to be operational by November 2014,
   SCDC Cllr Barry Slaterhad beenactive on the Scrutiny Committee which had madeprogress on housing issues with Scrutiny now represented at quarterly meetings between SCDC and Flagship; their recent focus had been on the provision of Broadband; and a working party was seeking funding for adequate Broadband in rural communities beyond effective fibre-optic cable. The Planning Service ‘plans on-line’ facilityenabled all new applications to be reviewed: the officers of DPM could register to receive e-mail updates.The Suffolk Coastal Local Plan had been formally adopted. This would place SCDC in a stronger position to resist applications to develop inappropriate sites; but the five year land supply for potential development had not yet been identified; and this could encourage inappropriate applications. All local issues and concerns needed considering for the Stage 2 Sizewell consultation,due to be launched later this year. Much time had been spent on the ongoing Boundary Review, which had reduced councillor numbers to 42 and would createlarger wards. Each councillor now held a community budget of £4000; and bids to this fund were invited for support for new projects.
   
3. Other business and dates of future meetings:
   Future meetings were scheduled for 25thJuly, 31st October, 30th January and 24th April.Subject to Reading Room availability,the church could be a venue. Next DPM:Friday 25thJuly 2014 at 7.30 pm.

The meeting closed at 9.45 pm.

Signed as a correct recordChairman. Date

CHAIRMAN: S Strickland, Marshside, St James Street, Dunwich, Saxmundham, Suffolk, IP17 3DT. Tel: 01728 648792. VICE-CHAIRMAN: J. Zarins. TREASURER: G. Abell.

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