Minutes of the Meeting of Great Cornard Parish Council held

in the Stevenson Centre on Monday 10 September 2007.

PRESENT             Councillors        P.K.Beer                              Chairman   

                                                            Mrs.C.J.Baker

                                                            Mrs.A.Harper-Clark 

                                                            Mrs.F.A.Jackson 

                                                            J.F.Millins 

                                                            M.D.Newman

                                                            N.H.T.Proctor

                                                            J.R.A.Sayers

                                                            R.Sims

                                                            D.R.G.Thomas

                                                            Mrs.C.A.Todd                      

                                                            H.N.Todd

                                                            R.I.Wade

                        Council Manager       M.J.Fitt

                        Clerical Assistant      Mrs.N.C.Tamlyn

1.      Apologies for Absence

      Apologies were received from Cllr.D.M.Walton.  

2.  Declaration of Interests, Gifts and Hospitality

      Cllr.J.R.A.Sayers declared a Personal interest with regards to his

      membership of Sudbury Town Council and Babergh District Council.

      Cllr.P.K.Beer declared a Personal interest with regards to his

      membership of Sudbury Town Council, Babergh District Council and

      Suffolk County Council.

      Cllr.H.N.Todd declared a Personal interest with regards to his

      membership of Babergh District Council.

      Cllr.M.D.Newman declared a Personal interest with regards to his

      membership of Babergh District Council.

      Cllr.Mrs.C.A.Todd declared a Personal interest with regards to his

      membership of Babergh District Council.

      Cllr.Mrs.F.A.Jackson declared a Personal interest with regards to

      Agenda Item 6 as Cllr.Mrs.Jackson is a patient at Walnuttree Hospital

      and a member of Sudbury WATCH.

3. Chairman’s Address

      The Parish Cup was a great success, with Cornard Dynamos and Kestrals U15’s playing in the final. The event was well attended and the Parish Council provided light refreshments for the players as well as all the winners and runners up medals.   

      The Chairman had attended the 20^th Anniversary celebrations of the opening of the Dell Nursing home.

      As a member of the Transport, Roads and Highways Committee at SCC, Cllr.P.K.Beer has continued to push the matter of the Western By-pass. Following a visit by members of SCC to Sudbury, to review the problems encountered, the matter will now be discussed by the Committee in February 2008.

      The Chairman thanked Cllr.Newman and his son, Daniel, for all their work on creating the new councillor identity badges.

4.  To Confirm Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on

     9^th July 2007

     RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Council meeting held on

     9^th July 2007 were confirmed and signed as a true record.

5.  Police Beat Officers Report 

The report covers the period from the 10^th July 2007 through to the

 6^th September 2007. NOTED   

6. Items Brought Forward

      a.  Walnuttree Hospital: threatened closure

      Cllr.Mrs.F.A.Jackson reported that the Judicial review, which was to take

      place on the 5^th October 2007, will no longer happen. This is because

      the PCT have now re-instated the appropriate number of beds and staff

      required to operate them.

      Tim Yeo MP has informed Sudbury WATCH that the case has been

      passed to the Independent Re-configuration Panel. The panel have yet

      to issue their Terms of Reference. 

7. Fifteen-Minutes Adjournment for the Public To Ask Questions

8. To consider the Council’s response to the Review of Suffolk County

    Council’s Accommodation for Older People.

     AGREED Members to submit their forms to the Council manager by the

     end of September.

9. Royal British Legion: Remembrance Sunday 2007  

     RESOLVED that the Council will provide refreshments at the Stevenson

     Centre and the Council’s Chairman would be honoured to take the salute

     with their President. The Council to purchase a wreath at a cost of 

     £18.00.

10. St.Andrews Church Senior Citizens Lunch Club: to consider a

       proposal to provide the Stevenson Centre free of charge

       RESOLVED to provide the Stevenson Centre and kitchen free of

       charge.

11. To consider whether the Council should apply for membership of

      River Stour Trust

      Cllr.D.Thomas declared a Personal interest.

      RESOLVED the Council to apply for membership, dependent on the

      cost.

12.  Commission for Patient and Public involvement in Health: Request

       for Forum members

       NOTED. Members to contact the Council manager.

13.  Representation on the Market Town Project Officer Steering Group

       RESOLVED to no longer continue with our representation on the

       Steering Group.

       AGREED the Council Manager to write to Sudbury’s Town Clerk, asking

       whether it would be possible for Great Cornard to be represented on the

       Vision for Sudbury group.  

14. To consider a proposal to introduce a ‘Member feedback’ form as

      part of the procedure for the Council Manager’s Annual Appraisal.

      RESOLVED to accept the proposed form, which will be sent to members

      in October and should be returned to the Council Chairman by the end

      of November.

15. Development & Planning Committee

a)     Confirmation & Adoption of Minutes

      The Minutes of the meetings of the Development & Planning  

      Committee held on 9^th July 2007 were accepted as a true record of

      the meeting.

            Adoption of Minutes 

            RESOLVED that the Minutes be adopted. 

            The Minutes of the meeting of the Development & Planning

            Committee held on 23rd July 2007 were accepted as a true record of

            the meeting.

            Adoption of Minutes 

            RESOLVED that the Minutes be adopted. 

8.28pm Cllr.Mrs.C.A.Todd left the meeting.

      b) Planning Applications considered out of Committee

          NOTED

           Questions to Committee Chairman

           Cllr.Mrs.Jackson asked the Committee Chairman to expand on the

           reasons for refusing planning application B/07/01183/FUL/MB.

           During the discussions that followed, Cllr.Mrs.Baker commented that

           her father-in-law is buried in the Church graveyard. Cllr.Sayers

           suggested that Cllr.Mrs.Baker declare an interest. The Chairman

           pointed out, that in his view it was not a personal but a prejudicial

           interest, however, it was up to the member to make that decision.

           Cllr.Mrs.Baker declined to declare an interest.

      c) Questions to Committee Chairman

    Minutes for 9^th July 2007

            None

    Minutes for 23rd July 2007

            Cllr.P.K.Beer read out a letter of thanks from Wheldons Fruit Farm.

           NOTED

16.  Recreation & Leisure Committee

        a) Confirmation & Adoption of Minutes

              The Minutes of the meeting of the Recreation & Leisure

             Committee held on 23^rd July 2007 were accepted as a true

  record of the meeting.

              Adoption of Minutes 

             RESOLVED that the Minutes be adopted

   b) Questions to Committee Chairman

   None

  c) Ratification of any Recommended items

i)  Item 4 Country Park: Report on Health & safety work

    required on trees

            RESOLVED to accept the recommendation.  

       Cllr.P.K.Beer reported that both he and the Chairman of the

      Committee had signed an Order Out of Council to enable this work

      to be carried out urgently.

  17.  Policies and Finance Committee

        a) Confirmation & Adoption of Minutes

            The Minutes of the meeting of the Policies and Finance Committee

            held on 23rd July 2007 were accepted as a true record of the

            meeting.

            Adoption of Minutes 

            RESOLVED that the Minutes be adopted. 

   b)Questions to Committee Chairman

              i) The Council Manager reported that the Disabled Swing had not

                been found. AGREED to add the matter to the next Policy &

                Finance committee agenda.              

             ii) Cllr.Mrs.C.J.Baker announced that a meeting had been arranged

                with the Scouts at the Village Hall on Thursday 20^th September at

                7pm. Members were encouraged to attend.

 18.   Stevenson Centre Task Group: Confirmation of proposals for

   re-decoration

        The Council Manager reported, that the task group had met twice

        recently and that priority had been given to the decoration of the ceiling

        in the lobby and re-fixing and re-staining the woodwork on the outside

        of the building. The contractor approached, has quoted a price of

        £3,500.00, as well as offering to re-decorate the hall free of charge as a

        community project.

        RESOLVED to accept the quotation and to take up the contractors

        offer to paint the hall free of charge.

19.  Financial Matters:

a. Cheques Issued, Credits received

Meeting closed at 9.04pm

                                                                        Signed                                             

                                                                                                P.K.Beer  : Chairman