Councillors Present
- Present
- Matt Lunn (Chair), John Calver, Doris Dearing, Vashti Mouncer, Sam Steward, Kevin Shelver, Robert Wardley
- Apologies
- Received and accepted from Cllr. Hopewell-Smith (health issue) and Cllr. Calver (personal engagement).
- In Attendance
- Lydia Kindred (clerk), 1 resident, District Cllr. Vince Langdon-Morris
County Councillor Stephen Burroughes sent his apologies.
Declarations of Interest
There were no declarations of interest.
Minutes Approval
The Minutes of 4th November 2024 were approved as a true record.
Matters Arising
There were no matters arising.
Chair’s Report
Since the last meeting, a planning application for White House Farm has been received, but Councillors did not feel the need to call an extraordinary meeting to respond to this. Three planning applications in the village are still awaiting East Suffolk Council’s decision.
Clerk’s Report
The clerk advised that the government funding for the switch to a gov.uk web domain has been applied for and that the website providers are currently working on the change. She will provide them with Councillors’ details for the new email addresses.
Responsible Financial Officer’s Report
- The following payments were approved:
Amount Payee Details £20.00 Dennington Village Hall Venue hire January £1,068.45 L. Kindred Pay to 31.12.2024 £247.80 HMRC PAYE to 05.01.2025 & backdated NALC pay rise from 01.04.24 £36.00 SLCC Annual subscription £150.00 Dennington Consolidated Charities Annual rent for village green - No payments have been made since the last meeting. The following receipts were noted:
- £31.28 Barclays Interest Equipment Account
- £41.21 Barclays Interest Saver Account
- £1,000 Dennington Consolidated Charities Donation to be used for a future mower
- The bank balances as at 31.12.2024 were:
- Current account £3,224.25 (November’s payments are still to be made)
- Equipment account £14,700.28
- Savings account £6,691.32
The bank statements and bank reconciliation were reviewed by the Examining Officer.
The year-to-date receipts and payments account was noted. The Clerk has written to thank the Consolidated Charities for their donation. She has ring-fenced these funds as well as the £1,000 that the Council budgeted for this during 2024-2025.
Highways and Footpaths Issues in the Village
Cllr. Wardley has been actively reporting various issues within the village. Councillors expressed frustration over repeated flooding in specific areas, which has caused significant difficulties, including obstructing access for emergency vehicles.
Action: The Clerk will draft a letter of concern to the Chairman, Chief Executive, and Head of Highways at Suffolk County Council, highlighting the severity of the issue and asking for urgent remedial action.
Budget 2025-2026
Cllr. Wardley proposed the budget figures as discussed, totalling expenditure of £12,615. This was seconded by Cllr. Steward and carried unanimously. The budget will be published on the village website.
Precept 2025-2026
Having discussed the budget and reserved funding figures, Cllr. Steward proposed setting the precept at £12,250. This was seconded by Cllr. Shelver and carried unanimously.
Planning Applications
Correspondence from ESC regarding the terminology used by Parish Councils when responding to planning applications was noted. ESC also outlined procedural changes in how planning applications are considered.
Volunteering Opportunities Within the Village
It was agreed to host an open meeting on Friday, 24th January, at 7.30pm in the village hall. The meeting will provide residents with information about volunteering opportunities in the village. Attendees will be able to sign up for various roles, and an induction will be required as well as a volunteer risk assessment. There are funds available for refreshments for the event.
SCC’s Community Self-Help Scheme may be used to purchase equipment to assist volunteers with maintenance activities, and the Parish Council will purchase fuel and sundries such as strimmer cable for volunteers to use.
Meeting Dates 2025
These were agreed as: 6th January, 10th March, 12th May, 7th July, 8th September and 10th November. In addition, the Annual Parish Meeting will be held on 9th May and planning meetings will be held when required.
NALC’s Financial Regulations
The Regulations have been circulated with proposed amendments. This will be considered further at the next meeting.
Correspondence
Letter from Disability Advice Service East Suffolk requesting a grant – Councillors agreed not to support this at present.
Suffolk County Council requesting data for Section 19 report. This has been circulated along with a chaser email. It was agreed to send them the data prepared for D.Cllr Owen’s Grey’s report to avoid duplication of work.
Public Session
D.Cllr. Langdon-Morris was pleased to report that ESC has employed a new Resilience Co-Ordinator who will act as a contact between parish councils and other agencies to help disseminate information better and be a useful point of contact.
Councillor Reports
Cllr. Wardley was pleased to report that the Consolidated Charities will grant £100 to all homes with at least one occupant aged 70+ to help with winter expenses. This is a one-off initiative and has been advertised on notice boards and the latest newsletter.
Cllr. Mouncer reported on the Christmas lights switch-on event which she organised. Over 150 people from the village attended and it was well received. The Council discussed the cost and sustainability implications of obtaining a Christmas tree annually.
Action: The Clerk will write to the Consolidated Charities requesting permission to plant a permanent Christmas tree on the green. Cllr. Mouncer will provide a location map for the proposed tree.
Cllr. Lunn will purchase replacement batteries for the Speed Indicator Devices.
Matters to be Raised at the Next Meeting
- Adoption of Financial Regulations
- Consider registering the sports field with the Land Registry
Next Meeting
The next meeting was confirmed as being on Monday 10th March 2025. There being no further business, the Chair thanked everyone for attending and closed the meeting at 9.10pm.
Signed …………………….. …………………………
Chair Date