Minutes of Little Bealings Parish Council meeting held at Bealings Village Hall at

7.30pm on Monday 9 February 2009

 

 

Present:  Mrs F Evans, Mr K Beaumont, Mr P Carr, Mrs F Hopkins, Miss D Williams and Mrs M Wilson

 

 

In attendance: Mrs C Ramsden, Clerk to the Council

 

 

 

Actions by Councillors

 

1

Apologies and Declarations of Interest

 

Apologies were received from Dr C Rowe.  There were no declarations of interest.

 

 

 

2

 

 

 

Minutes of the Meetings held on 12 January 2009

 

These were signed as a true record.

 

 

 

 

It was RESOLVED to alter the order of the Agenda to deal with Planning before Matters Arising from the Minutes.  The meeting was adjourned at 7.35pm to allow two parishioners to make representations to the Council in respect of the LDF Site Specific Allocations and Policies, Issues and Options December 2008: proposal reference 500: Manor Farm, The Street, Little Bealings: physical limits extension.  The meeting was reconvened at 7.40pm.

 

3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4

 

 

Planning

 

LDF Consultation:

Mr Beaumont reported on the proposals of the LDF Working Party.  It was RESOLVED that:

 

  • The following Planning Statement be adopted and form the Council’s response to the LDF consultation in respect of the LDF Site Specific Allocations and Policies, Issues and Options December 2008: proposal references  538: Grove Farm, The Street, Little Bealings (housing), 623: Land off Hall Road, rear of The Chestnuts, Martlesham (housing) and 774a: Land at Kiln Farm, Main Road, Playford (housing):

 

1.     Planning decisions will be based upon maintaining the rural nature of Little Bealings and its surroundings, with flexibility for considering individual applications for development outside the current (ie as at February 2009) village envelope

 

2.     Decisions on development proposals will be based on sustainable development principles, ensuring an integrated approach to the consideration of:

·       Social inclusion, recognising the needs of everyone

·       Effective protection and enhancement of the environment

·       Prudent use of natural resources

 

3.     The overall aim is to protect the countryside for the sake of its intrinsic character and beauty, the diversity of its landscapes, heritage and wildlife, the wealth of its natural resources so that it may be enjoyed by all

 

4.     When planning applications affect neighbouring parishes, a co-ordinated decision with those neighbouring parishes will be attempted

 

·         The Council objects to any change to the current physical limits boundary of the parish and therefore to LDF Site Specific Allocations and Policies, Issues and Options December 2008: proposal reference 500: Manor Farm, The Street, Little Bealings: physical limits extension.

 

·         The Council agrees with its settlement hierarchy classification as a Local Service Centre

 

·        The Council objects to the location of the A12 resulting in Little Bealings being included in the ‘Area East of Ipswich’ in the LDF Core Strategy and Development Control Policies:  Preferred Options: December 2008, paragraph SP3.14.  Little Bealings has no direct access on to the A12 from the parish and has closer affinity with services provided in Woodbridge (being less urban and closer) than in Ipswich.

 

·        The Council objects to the alternative option for the direction of growth for new housing and associated community and social facilities, as set out in SP3.19 of the same document, in the area north of the A1214, Woodbridge Road and which includes Playford Road.  Development in this area would have significant impact, with through traffic rat running on minor C roads.  There would be severe implications on local infrastructure if new access roads were developed.

 

 

Matters arising from the Minutes

 

Communication: Webmaster

Testing and risk assessment had still to be arranged for the Webmaster and the Clerk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Footpaths

Information was still awaited from SCC about the repair to the damaged verge opposite Brimar and the signpost for FP1A.

 

SCC had advised that the application for interpretation boards via the Access Suffolk scheme may not be successful as boards were expensive and did not match the scheme’s objectives of involving those who do not usually access the countryside.  The Footpath Warden had suggested consideration of a boardwalk for part of Footpath No 2 at the end of Sandy Lane, a suggestion SCC had made last year.  It was noted that it would be necessary for local groups to be involved in either project and it was RESOLVED to:

 

·         Continue with the current application to Access Suffolk, to provide interpretation boards for the walks included in the ‘Four Walks Around Bealings’ leaflet.

 

Councillor Training

Mrs Hopkins reported on the two days of SALC training she had attended.  The training had been excellent and provided a clear picture of the role of a parish councillor.

 

Finance

 

Income and Expenditure

The Chairman reported the following income and expenditure:

 

Income:

National Savings Investment Account:  £40.91p:  Annual interest for 2008

Expenditure:

Cheques were signed as follows:

 

·         SALC:  Councillor Training for Mrs Hopkins: £103.50p

·         SORR:  Annual subscription for 2007/08 and 2008/09: £30.00p

·         Angela Cobbold Hall Fund:  Hire of Hall for APM on 9 March 2009:  £15.00p

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Matters Arising from Circulated Items

 

Circulation 2009/01 had been returned to the Clerk.  There were no matters arising.  In respect of information circulated by email it was RESOLVED:

 

·         To consider the role of the Council in the implementation of Actions from the Parish Plan at the next meeting

·         That, as all income and expenditure was minuted at each meeting, there was no need to appoint a Councillor as internal financial controller, as suggested by the SALC LAIS 1270 Accountability Guide

·         Mr Carr would attend SALC ‘Councillors Next Steps’ training on 17 and 24 February

·         The Chairman and Mrs Wilson would attend the SCDC LGR Parish Liaison meeting on 23 February

 

 

Correspondence

 

It was RESOLVED that:

 

·         The Council would not lobby the Secretary of State in respect of the LGR as urged by SCDC

·         The Council supported the application to SCDC by the Bealings Village Hall Trust for the use of playing space funds for the installation of a basketball goal. 5-a-side goal and bench at the John Belstead Playing Field

·         Information from Age Concern would be displayed on the noticeboard

 

The following correspondence would be circulated to Councillors:

 

·         Local Councils Update Issue 111/112

·         NHS Suffolk:  Application to dispense by Dr P Thomas

·         Defra:  Getting to Grips with the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 – a parish council guide to environmental enforcement

 

It was noted that the Admiral’s Head continued to have drainage problems, which were now thought to emanate from the new property next door.  County Councillor Peter Bellfield had been contacted for assistance in respect of joining to the mains drains at Bealings School.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PC

 

FE, MW

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next meeting of the Council would be on 9 March 2009 following the Annual Parish Meeting.

 

There being no further business to discuss the meeting closed at 8.30pm.