Attending: SCDC Cllr B Snell, the Clerk and 18 members of the public

4.1      Neighbourhood Plan

The Chairman read the Clerk’s report (attached below) on his research into the effects and costs of producing a Neighbourhood Plan (NP). In response to a question about the sites for which SCDC already have associated plans Cllr Snell clarified that these were form the 2008 call for development sites and stated that the current Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) will publish results early next year, now that the Core Strategy has been finalised. He went on to point out that the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) dictates that if SCDC do not allocate land for their quota of 10,700 houses developers can claim the right to develop to help achieve this aim and SCDC cannot refuse those plans. The suggestions that the allocation of development to Charsfield be handed to the Parish Council to determine where best it should be sited, and that parishioners should accept that there will be development and work with the Parish Council, were taken as support for an NP. It was also suggested that parishioners could be asked to financially support the NP, as has already happened with the pub. After discussion on other parishes doing NPs and timescales it was resolved that the Council would look into producing an NP. A request for assistance from the public was met with muted support and it was pointed out that there were experts in the room with knowledge that could be used to ease the heavy workload of those carrying out the work involved in producing the NP.

4.2      Village Hall Car Park

The Clerk explained that one company had not yet quoted. The Council will await that quote before discussing the issue further.

4.3      Speeding

i) The Chairman reported that due to the SCC Highways Department contracting out to KierMG there were delays in the implementation of the Roundels, Repeaters and Gateways. After discussion of the planned work, the previously agreed plan to implement then measure the effect, and some other options, it was resolved that the Clerk will write a letter chasing up the works, and copy Cllr Bellfield asking for his assistance.

ii) An email from Debach requesting representation from Charsfield at a joint village meeting on speeding issues in the area was read out and Martin Lyne volunteered to represent the village at the meeting. The Clerk will put him in contact with the meeting organiser.

4.4      Mr Roberts email about the Planning Meeting

The Clerk read the email in full.

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Cllr Bellfield had apologised for his inability to attend due to personal issues and the Clerk read out some notes:

• Cllr Bellfield has been invited by Letheringham Parish Council to a meeting on speeding along the B1078.
• SCC now know that the central government grant to SCC will be reduced by 37%.
• Cllr Bellfield wishes Cllrs and parishioners a very merry Christmas.

Cllr Snell reported on several points:

• Sizewell C: There are now 2 preferred sites for Park and Ride, at Darsham to the north and Hacheston to the South. There is no news on the development timescale but since the agreement over Hinckley Point, Sizewell C is more likely to proceed.
• Neighbourhood Planning: SCDC have approved neighbourhood plan areas for Framlingham, Great Bealings, Leiston and Rendlesham. In each case the area boundary follows the parish boundary.
• Boundary Commission: The current review of ward boundaries within Suffolk Coastal has gone through 2 stages and a draft of the final proposal will be published soon. Full details are available online.
• Speeding: Letheringham Parish Council are working on speeding as well. Cllr Snell suggests that the Council may wish to become involved.

PCSO Hassler was not in attendance and had not sent a report. The Council resolved to write to the PCSO requesting information about activities, especially speeding, given the current focus on this issue.

Clerk

The grant support letter drafted by the Clerk was approved and signed.

9.1      Drainage under the Chapel

An extensive letter from the Chapel was read out. It was reported that the previous Clerk had been informed after a previous flooding incident blamed on the small bore pipe in question, that the pipe was the responsibility of the Chapel. A parishioner then reported that there had been an open ditch for many years which was open and hence would have been owned by each of the adjacent landowners but that the Chapel had laid a nine inch pipe after the River Authority has forced them to double the intended diameter. The Council resolved that the Clerk will investigate the legal ownership of the pipe and respond to the letter.

9.2      St Peters Close

Flooding through from the rear of St Peters Close was reported to occur in any periods of  prolonged or heavy rainfall, when waters flows through and round numbers thirteen and fifteen. After discussion of the long history of water flowing across Chapel Lane then down this way; the ditch put in to divert the flow; the pipe under the estate and down to the brook, which is supposed of a suitable diameter; and the thought that there has always been lots of water flowing that way, it was resolved that the Clerk would write to the Environment Agency to suggest that the pipe is not sufficient and request advice on how to proceed with resolving this flooding problem.

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10.1   Grit bin not yet filled

The Chairman had requested that the grit bin in Hall Lane be filled, and it was reported that it now had been.

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11.1   Required payments were approved.

11.2   Balance of Accounts as at 24/9/13

11.3   The Clerk left the room while discussion of probation, terms and conditions took place. The Council reported that they were happy with the Clerk’s work and would like him to continue in post; they would consider his terms and conditions again in 6 months; and would increase his hours to three per week.

11.4   The Clerk explained that there were no issues arising from the external audit which was then accepted and approved.

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The Clerk’s correspondence report had previously been circulated.

The letter from Headway was discussed. The Clerk will return their form suggesting they visit the village on Saturday mornings parking their mobile shop on the concrete apron in front of the village hall, and offering an alternate of Wednesday morning if they cannot visit on Saturday.

The letter from Suffolk Preservation Society will be added as an agenda item for the next meeting.

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A parishioner asked why the bottle banks had been removed from the village hall car park. The reasons of damage caused by collecting lorries and the space the bins took up were explained along with the cessation of the previous financial benefit and the ensuing consultation without response.

It was reported that the Recreation Committee had submitted a Management Agreement to the Clerk which was being examined. This will be on the next full meeting agenda.

The Clerk asked for dates for a meeting to consider a recently arrived application. Due to the constraints on the planning application and the Hall and Clerk’s calendars a date of 10^th December was set with the meeting being at 5pm. The Clerk will arrange the meeting.

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