- Present
- Chairman Darren Milward, Vice Chairman Frances Milward, Cllr Jeremy Lea, Cllr Brenda Mitchell, Cllr Casey Wooltorton & Cllr Wayne Allen.
- Also present
- SCC Cllr Chris Chambers, Sergeant Steve Aylott, 17 members of the public and the Clerk.
Open Forum
The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.
Member of the public would like to understand terms for the running costs of the Country Park, eg grass cutting, cleaning of the toilets, maintenance costs etc.
The Chairman informed that the revenue from the workshop £7,200, £600 per month, would help to pay the running costs, the Parish Council contractor will cut the grass. The rent from the workshop is key to help pay for the running costs (a permanent business at the site will also help to reduce crime/vandalism). The Clerk advised that a business plan is in the pipeline.
Cllr Wooltorton informed that when the freehold was passed over to the Parish Council clause 12.14b states a disposition that 75% inc vat should be paid back to SCC the original owners of the site.
Cllr Milward suggested that SCC are not interested in this pay back. SCC Chris Chambers confirmed that he has spoken to the asset office at SCC and they are not wanting any payback.
Member of the public would like to see justification that evidence of the running costs of the site. Nobody in the village wants the workshop rented out as a mechanical workshop, it is what the Parish Council wants. The public were not shown the 3 bids which were put forward for the tenancy of the workshop.
Cllr Wooltorton suggests that the bids were not shown to the Parish Councillors.
The Chairman reminded that the bids were discussed at the Parish Council meeting which took place in November 2022 and is in the minutes.
The Vice Chairman read out minutes from 2011 when the previous Barham Parish Council was agreeing a lease for a football club to take over the tenancy of the Country Park and that it was intended then to lease out the workshop. A commercial company was on board to take it over.
She also clarified that there are plenty of volunteers to cut the grass at the site FOC and the Probation Service will help forever.
Cllr Wooltorton suggests that the Parish Council is ignoring what the people in the village want, residents who he has spoken to would prefer the workshop to be turned into a community centre. The whole site could have been run as a charity.
Cllr Lea advised that when a previous survey was carried out in the village, no one had mentioned a community centre at the Country Park.
Member of the public present, on behalf of the Claydon & Barham Recreation Ground Committee thanked the Parish Council for the donation of £400 towards the forthcoming Kings Coronation celebrations. Would like to know what the status is for the 2 planning applications on the agenda?
The Chairman advised that the PC is still awaiting a decision for the approval of the MUGA and also for approval of the change of use for the workshop by BMSDC.
Member of the public suggests that without a legal decision from BMSDC approving a change of use, a lease cannot be signed.
1.04 Apologies for Absence
- To Receive Apologies for Absence. Cllr Oliver Wastell hopes to attend. BMSDC Cllr John Whitehead has a prior engagement. Cllr Andrew Akhurst apologies were received after the meeting.
- Parish Council to give Consent/Non Consent to Absence. The Clerk did not receive an apology from Cllr Akhurst until after the meeting.
2.04 Councillors Declaration of Interests
Declaration of any pecuniary or other interests with regards to any item on the agenda. None.
3.04 To Approve the Minutes of the Meeting Held on 30th January 2023
Cllr Wooltorton is not happy to approve the minutes of the last meeting due to the lack of verbal confrontation within the minutes.
The Chairman asked for approval of the minutes, proposed Cllr Milward seconded Cllr Lea, the Chairman signed the minutes.
4.04 To Approve the Minutes of the Extra Ordinary Meeting Held on 29th March
The Chairman asked for approval of the minutes, proposed Cllr Lea seconded Cllr Milward, the Chairman signed the minutes.
5.04 Planning Applications
- DC/23/01565 - Construction of fenced Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) Barham Country Park, Lower Crescent, Barham, Suffolk. The Chairman advised that the application is for a 35m x 17m MUGA to be fenced within a hard court surface to play balls sports eg Tennis, Basketball etc. The district council has £200.000 S106 money set aside to help pay for this, deadline for the application is December 2023.
- DC/23/01567 - Change of Use Application Barham Country Park, Existing Building for the Maintenance and Repair of Motor Vehicles – Still awaiting validation of application. The Chairman reported that the district council advised on Monday 17th April that a Noise Report must be carried out on the building before approval can be granted (at a cost of £1100 to be paid for out of the budgeted £47,000 country park money). Cllr Allen asked why a change of use application needs to be applied for as it is on the original Deeds that the workshop is for commercial use? The Clerk advised that the district council have no records of this, therefore change of use is required. No change of use is being applied for on the land, just the workshop.
6.04 To Agree the 12 Month Tenancy Agreement for the Use of the Workshop Building at Barham Country Park
Cllr Wooltorton suggests that this cannot be voted on until an EPC has been approved for payment by the PC.
The Clerk had forward to all the draft Heads of Terms which has been drawn up for the meeting today. Also advised that a Commercial EPC report has been ordered to be carried out ASAP, to be paid out of the budgeted £47,000 country park money.
Member of the public asked if a tenancy agreement should be signed without the confirmed change of use approval and also approval of Suffolk County Council.
SCC Chris Chambers advised that the district council will consult SCC in the change of use application, as SCC are consultees to the planning application and if they do not grant approval for change of use, which they could do, it will invalidate the application.
SCC Chris Chambers also advised that SCC stipulated on the terms of the land for the Deed that the land at the Country Park is to remain for recreational and leisure purposes.
Cllr Wooltorton advised that he is trying to work with the prospective tenants to help them in case the change of use is declined, a signed lease would then be void.
Cllr Allen asked if we can be certain that cars coming to and from the workshop will not be left parked everywhere. The Chairman confirmed that tenants will not be allowed to leave vehicles parked on the road and that the workshop is within a fenced area with plenty of room for vehicles to be parked.
Cllr Wooltorton suggests that without a change of use approval from BMSDC and no EPC a vote on the proposed draft heads of terms should not be voted upon.
Cllr Lea proposed that a vote on the agreement for a 12 month rolling tenancy should be approved.
Cllr Wooltorton would like the removal of 12 month rolling tenancy to be removed as the Parish Council had approved in November 2022 to be a 12 month tenancy.
The Chairman asked for approval of the Parish Council that subject to the change of use being approved by the district council and an EPC is carried out and also the removal of 12 month rolling changed to 12 month tenancy, that the heads of terms is approved and signed. Proposed Cllr Lea seconded Cllr Allen.
Cllr Mitchell suggests that this Parish Council meeting is illegal as she had noted that the agenda posted on a village notice board has the date of the meeting as Wednesday 19th April 2023. The Clerk informed that the agenda she had sent out to all of the councillors and posted on the website, has the correct date as today’s meeting, Tuesday 18th April 2023. Unable to give any further explanation as to how this happened.
7.04 Any Other Business
Cllr Allen has received a notice through his door making accusations about the current Parish Council, whoever the author is, this is rude and slanderous. Accusations should be done on the correct platform. His name is also published on a list which is advertised on a social media website and he had not granted his approval, he is unhappy that he was not consulted and would like his name removed.
Cllr Wooltorton apologised for the inclusion of Cllr Allen’s name and will remove it from the social media site he had place it on.
The Vice Chairman also referred to the leaflet which has been distributed around Barham and she would like to give relevant answers to the queries which were raised on the leaflet as follows;
- Barham Parish Council has increased it precepts this year by £6.73 a year for a Band D property, this equals an increase of £0.56p a month per household. The precept for Barham Parish Council had not been raised for the past 3 years.
- £25,000/£28,000 was budgeted for security in 2021. K9 Security was paid £16,182. Highways Assurance helped pay towards the security and granted £3450, therefore total spend £12,732. K2 Recovery paid the Parish Council £6,600 for the use of parking its vehicles at the Picnic Site. This helped towards the security cost, grand total spent on security £6132. A PCSO officer could expect to be paid £35,000 to carry out security in the village.
- £40,000 had originally been allocated by the Parish Council to spend on the country park but was increased to £47,000 due to unexpected additional expensed at the site. Cllr John Whitehead gave £2000 towards the new picnic benches. Cllr Whitehead and Passmore gave £3693.71 towards the new play equipment. Taylor Wimpey gave £1500 towards the new picnic benches. Cllr Chambers gave £3000. £7950.56 CIL money was used towards the new fencing. Total raised £16,644.27.
- £200.000 has been allocated by BMSDC towards the country park for a MUGA and also some money for new play equipment. The Clerk is also in the process of applying for grants for the new play area.
- Extra Ordinary Parish Council meetings are summoned in the correct way, the Clerk always gives the required 3 clear working days notice.
- Rumours that Barham Parish Council is bankrupt is untrue, currently as of today 18th April 2023 the Parish Council has £44,173.57 in the bank accounts.
Complaints to Suffolk County Council are from a group of people claiming to be friends of Cllr Mitchell, they are trying to disrupt Barham Parish Council. No rules have been broken by Barham Parish Council.
The disrespect and disruption caused to the Chairman and Parish Councillors has been unacceptable. Incorrect information has been fed to the public and some councillors have used their positions incorrectly. All the stories which have been fed to the public are untrue.
When a new Chairman and Vice Chairman are elected at the AGM in May their details will be passed onto PC Kate Jarrod so that training can be given for Community Speed Watch and it can be taken over by the newly elected councillors. The village is very passionate that speeding in the village is tackled. Currently 6 approved sites in Barham for speed watch and a good team of volunteers.
Due to all of the hard work that Darren Milward the Chairman has done, Barham was chosen for a trial ANPR camera, only 10 other parishes were included in this survey. Well done to the Chairman. Also, great to see 30mph speed limit signs on resident’s wheelie bins.
The Vice Chairman is extremely passionate that it is important that the Parish Council does what the village wants and not just what we want.
Kirby Rise has been another great success for the Chairman and congratulated him for all his hard work and time spent to get the new play area in place.
The village has been kept clear of overgrown footpaths and damaged signs have been immediately sorted by the Parish Council maintenance man.
The Chairman finally got the new road signs and roundels installed by Highways along the Norwich Road to help combat speeding. The next step is to resolve speeding along Church Lane & Sandy Lane, so would urge the new Parish Council to keep this going.
The Vice Chairman would like to thank the Chairman and Cllr Lea for all their time spent trying to stop 269 houses along the Norwich Road, unfortunately these houses are just the beginning. However, a piece of land has been designated for a new Community Centre to be built and would also hope that this could incorporate a GP surgery, this is ongoing. Thank you to the Chairman for all the time he has spent making Barham a better place to live Thank you to Cllr Lea and all of the Councillors and Clerk for all their hard work too.
The Chairman thanked the Vice Chairman for her support and hard work. Also for clarifying the incorrect issues which had been around Barham.
The Clerk reported that today she has received confirmation from SUEZ Communities Fund - England, that the grant application she has applied for towards the new play equipment for the Country Park has been approved for £25,000. This is subject to the PC providing some additional information in order to issue a formal grant contract.
She has also received a kind donation of bulbs and wildflower seeds from local horticulturists Thompson & Morgan, allocated to be planted at the Country Park.
Cllr Lea would like it noted that the work of the Chairman and Vice Chairman is very commendable and that both are not seeking re-election.
Cllr Allen also praised their work and for the speed in which it has been carried out, these kinds of things usually take years and years to get done, so it is good to see the results.
The meeting ended at 8.15pm