Harkstead Parish Council – DRAFT Meeting Minutes

Details

Date: Monday March 12 2007

Location: HARKSTEAD VILLAGE HALL

Councillors Present: William Wrinch, Margaret Harward, Nigel Boon, James Day, Brian

Rooke.

Councillors Absent: Patty Shone.

Additional Attendee(s): District Cllr. Dave Rose, County Cllr. Dave Wood, 2 parishioners,

Clerk Pam Tunbridge.

Minutes

1. Apologies – Cllr. Patty Shone

2.Minutes – February 12, read and signed as correct.

3. Matters Arising – i) Environment Agency had replied about rotting tractor and didn’t seem too concerned as battery, oil and fuel had been removed. William will try and have another chat with Tom about it. ii) No news yet about steps at FP26. iii) Neither the Environmental Agency or Crown Agents, Morley, Riches & Ablewhite were interested in the drainage ditches causing smelly vegetation, near the shore. Parish Council agreed that the landowner would probably not clear the ditches either, so to let things ride. We know the smell isn’t sewage, which was the main concern. iv) Despite sealing the area there is still water laying on the street. PC agreed to wait and see what happens during drier weather. v) An advert for the Annual Meeting has gone in the Parish magazine.

- ADJOURNMENT – PC Garrod gave a brief report about Safe Neighbourhood Teams (SNT), parishioners would hopefully be seeing the same officer/s about, from now on, including at PC meetings. Since December 11 last year there’d been only 1 crime in Harkstead, a burglary from an insecure barn. This time last year, there’d been 6 crimes.

- Brian Excell said the village sign was overgrown with hedges at the Shotley end, and said the puddles in Church Lane were horrendous again. Clerk to ask Highways again if anything could be done. Julian Scales said the pavement on the bungalow side of River View Road was in a bad way, grass and moss growing on it. David Rose said Babergh were aware of the problem. Julian also said he’d be willing to help with a Hedgerow Survey, but not co-ordinate it. Dave Rose said BDC were keeping the Council Tax rise to 2.9%. Dave Wood briefly reported that Suffolk CC were increasing Council Tax by 4.5%. He also said the County were giving refresher courses for mature drivers and that there’d been a Mobile Library consultation launched.

4. Millennium Green – Been inspected and book signed in order.

5. Planning Applications – none.

6. Hedgerow Surveys - Clerk had been corresponding with Guy Ackers who was coming to the next meeting to talk about them.

7. Climate Change – workshops were being set up, clerk to display posters, rather than arrange a Harkstead workshop.

8. HMS Ganges – No further news.

9. Financial Report –i) Current Ac. - £180. Bus.Prem. Ac. £3561. Savings Ac. £1545.

Expenditure this month, £20 annual subscription for Suffolk ACRE. Agreed and cheque signed. ii) William had received a quote for the War Memorial from Graham Jay. PC agreed to have three face cleaned, one face over the next 3 years.

10. Correspondence – nothing particularly enthralling. Election paperwork received.

ADJOURNMENT – Julian Scales thought that the War Memorial being kept in a ‘clean and pristine condition’, is a good thing.

11. Any other business – Margaret asked if anymore was happening with Good Neighbour Scheme. Clerk had been asked same by PCC and managed to speak to Gavin Hodge, who’d not received previous messages. Clerk to invite him to the monthly meeting on May 14.

12. Date next meeting – April 16 at 8pm

Being no other business meeting ended at 8.50pm.