2005/6 ANNUAL REPORT OF LAKENHEATH PARISH COUNCIL
This year has seen some significant changes. At the May meeting Mr. Bruce Rutterford indicated his wish to stand down as Chairman of the Parish Council, a role he had held for 18 years. Members received notice of his intention with regret because he had led and represented the Council with distinction during his period of office but they fully recognised that as the incoming Chairman of Forest Heath District Council he would be more than fully occupied and Mr. Roger Crane was appointed to succeed him. The members expressed their gratitude to Bruce later in the year with the presentation of a book token.
At the same time Mrs. Lorraine Stone informed members that after 20 years as their Clerk she wished to resign in September in order to have a little more time to herself. The Council paid tribute to Lorraine’s sterling work at her final meeting on 19th September and the Chairman presented her, on behalf of the community, with a No. 7 wood to complement her set of golf clubs. Mrs. Crane, a Parish Clerk of many years experience was asked, with the approval of Suffolk Association of Local Councils, if she would take the role on for a minimum of 12 months and a maximum 18 months whilst the members re-appraised the role and workload with a view to setting up a Parish office with a resident part-time Clerk. This she agreed to.
The new Beat Officer for Lakenheath Pc. Peter Maxfield, attended his first meeting in November and has been a regular and pro-active attendee since then. At his suggestion the Parish Council is exploring the use of a mobile CCTV camera in the vicinity of The Co-operative Stores for a trial period. Squadron-Leader Jo Daniels has continued to attend meetings giving regular up-dates on the coming and goings and activities at RAF Lakenheath. Members of the Council are very grateful to them both for the interest they take in Lakenheath.
Another regular participant is Mrs. Margaret Davis who reports on the meetings for both the Bury Free Press and the East Anglian Daily Times. The Council is very grateful to Margaret for her most objective and fair reporting of proceedings.
The Council did not drag its feet on the headline from the Summary presented by Mr. Cyril Brown at last year’s Annual Parish meeting, because they wrote to Tesco, Sainsbury, Asda and Morrisons inviting them to move into Lakenheath but received a refusal or no reply at all.
The completion of the Parish Plan Report and Action Plan under the auspices of the Parish Council with the co-option of interested members of the former Steering Group has been a very important piece of work because it focuses on the future social, economic and environmental welfare of the whole village. It will form the bedrock of future lobbying and future actions. (One of the first things to do will be to write to the multiple retailers once again). A sum of £20,000 has been included in the 2006/7 budget towards implemention of the Action Plan. Thank you all for your contributions to the way ahead.
The most headline issue was the Local Inquiry into the closure of Lords Walk. The Council did not appear in an official capacity nor did it withdraw its objection. When it received notification of the Secretary of State for Transport’s decision to order permanent closure the County Councillor agreed to consult with neighbouring Parish Councils to see if there was an agreed way forward. Watch this space!
During the year representations were made about the perceived encroachment on the highway by the fence in front of the Abundant Life Church, but the advice received from the Western Area Highways Manager did not support this perception and it was established that Health and Safety requirements had been met to the satisfaction of Forest Heath District Council. The Parish Council has been promised that the footway between Arrowhead Drive and Mayfields will be improved during the coming financial year.
Members were heartened in February to learn that following representation from the local community the County Council had researched the use of temporary bridges at both C600 Delph and C610 Smeeth Bridges, whereas it had been the intention to close both roads for vehicular traffic during the work to replace the bridges and hopefully you have all received the up-date February leaflet with the latest information on these bridge reconstructions.
A report from the Rail Passengers Committee detailing the findings of a study into the service and outlining proposals for future development set out various options for the Council’s consideration and these included, inter alia, mothballing some or all of the five minor stations such as Lakenheath, using the savings for a taxi bus service to enable people to reach a station which enjoyed a half-hourly service or closing all five. The Council accepted, with regret, the findings of the study that due to lack of use Lakenheath station would most probably close. However members agreed that the option to mothball the station and utilise the savings as suggested should be encouraged.
Members were consulted on the naming of the four new housing developments and were happy with Kitchener Close(off the Sedge Fen Road), Windmill Close(formerly The Limes), Eriswell Road, Pintail Close (off The Mallards) and Wingfield Close (off Wingfield Avenue).
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The Cemetery continues to be a credit to the village thanks to the care and attention it receives from Mr. Ron Archer – the village is very fortunate to have had his services but he has very recently given notice that he will be leaving the Cemetery Cottage and the Parish Council will shortly review this changed situation. Remedial work has been carried out to a horse chestnut and two birch tree crowns in the cemetery grounds.
To date the location of Infant Burial plots in the New Cemetery has not been agreed and the Parish Council would welcome residents’ views on this issue.
The Planning Committee has considered several planning applications through circulation of proposals during the year but has only met under the Chairmanship of Mr. Gerald Rickard when one or more members of the Committee have voiced objections. Formal objections were lodged with the District Council in respect of the proposal to erect two single storey dwellings at the rear of No. 73 Station Road (currently the subject of an Appeal), the proposal to erect two detached dwellings with garages, etc to the rear of Nos. 64 – 66 High Street (subsequently refused) and 9 dwellings at the rear of No. 21 Eriswell Road. Representations on access/road safety issues were made in respect of The Limes development, Eriswell Road and the erection of 6 two-storey dwellings, etc and creation of new access road off The Mallards (subsequently refused). The Council have made representations regarding the unlawful felling of lime trees at the front of The Limes development and the District Council are in discussion with the developer about a tree replacement scheme.
Members considered and completed the Core Strategy Options Questionnaire relating to the Local Development Framework which will set out policies against which planning applications will be assessed, and allocate new sites for housing, employment and other land uses.
The Parish Council received representations from both those who wished to prevent the provision of a children’s play area on the Homefields development and those who supported its provision. The Council acknowledged the concern regarding the installation of the play area but since the Council was always aware that planning permission for the 77 dwellings was subject to a legal agreement whereby the developer undertook to provide a local equipped area for play at this location they were firmly of the view that the condition requiring its provision should not be waived.
The Parish Council submitted the planning application for the erection of the football pavilion, creation of a new vehicular access and parking which has been approved and will submit the application to The Football Association for funding the same.
One new street light has been provided in Eriswell Drive between Broom Road junction and Victoria Row, a replacement has been effected at 8 Eriswell Drive and the demolished unit No. 207 Highfields replaced at a cost of £682 because the offending vehicle could not be traced.
It has been agreed to provide a notice board on the Homefields Estate.
During the year the following grants have been made:-
Suffolk Accident Rescue Service - £100
East Anglian Air Ambulance - £250
Optua (formerly Rethink Disability) - £100
Brandon and Mildenhall CAB - £100.
Suffolk Family Carers - £50
St. Nicholas Hospice - £100
The Precept for 2005/6 was £80,000 and that for 2006/7 will be £82,000 which includes the roll-over of £20,000 for the Playingfield Project and the £20,000 for the implementation of the Village Plan already referred to.