Burstall Parish Council Meeting Minutes

Present: Cllr B Gasper (Chair), Cllr K Raby, Cllr S Main, Cllr W Petersen

In attendance:: Mrs S Frankis, Clerk & RFO to Burstall Parish Council
District Cllr M Rowland

The meeting was chaired by Cllr Gasper.

Apologies

The Council resolved to receive the apologies received from Cllr Godfrey for his absence due to work commitments, and from Cllrs Kerrison and L.Raby for their absences due to personal commitments.

Dispensations

None were received.

The meeting was adjourned.

Reports

District Cllr Rowland presented a summary of the Babergh District Council Towns & Parishes Briefing March 2026 which included:

Babergh District Council has agreed their 2026/27 budget; the district council element of the council tax will increase by 2.90%, the maximum increase permitted without public consultation.
Babergh District Council has renewed its commitment to protect, restore and enhance the district’s biodiversity after improving a new action plan.
A new initiative distributing refurbished laptops will help tackle digital exclusion and isolation in Suffolk.

He advised the Suffolk County Council elections will be held on 7^th May 2026.

Cllr Rowland had put forward the following motion at the last Babergh District Council meeting:

“I call for Council to declare a moratorium on further planning and development of Battery Storage (BESS) capacity around the National Grid substation pending an assessment of the risks and possible mitigations posed to Ipswich and to the adjacent communities that I represent.

I also include in the motion a call for Council to commission a specific risk assessment of ground pollution from any battery fire to the Suffolk water supply. I am particularly concerned about the danger to the water supply, as the site sits on top of the aquifer that supplies Ipswich.

This is not an argument against renewable energy. It is an argument for doing it safely and with plans for dealing with worst case scenarios of a runaway battery fire.”

He advised that the motion hadn’t been received well, it wasn’t upheld and was rejected by the Council. Cllr Rowland remains concerned as ever regarding the threat to public safety that the Bramford sub-station site poses and will continue to seek a security risk assessment be undertaken.

Cllr Petersen advised he had recently learnt that at ‘best case’ scenario, the probability of one cell catching fire would be between 1:10 and 1:40 million over the lifetime of the project. As development and proposed development of the site stands, there could be as many as 40 million cells at the Bramford sub-station site, over a forty-year period, meaning best case there will be between 1-4 cell fires during the lifespan of the site.

As such, even best-case planning requires much more contingency than the current planning process allows for. Obviously, worst case scenarios, which haven’t been looked at as part of the planning process, could be very much worse than this.

Action: Cllrs Gasper, Petersen and Main are to draft a number of questions for Cllr Rowland to present; Cllr Godfrey is to draft a response to Babergh District Council’s rejection of the motion.

The Council thanked Cllr Rowland for working to move this issue forward.

No report had been received from County Cllr Hudson.

Comments

No comments were received.

The meeting was reconvened.

Minutes

The minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 19^th January 2026, having been circulated to the Council prior to the meeting, were confirmed and signed as an accurate record of the meeting.

Matters Arising

Re. minute number 511/2526

Cllr Rowland is to raise the matter of the proposed Alcemi BESS development at a Babergh District Council meeting; this matter remains outstanding.

Re. minute number 514/2526

Cllr Godfrey is to respond to James Cartlidge MP to ask that he engages as the elected member of Parliament.

Finance

To approve the February and March 2026 Schedules of Payments

The Council unanimously approved the following payments:

P60. Mrs S Frankis / broadband (POA 1954, s51) £15.00
P61. Mrs S Frankis (LGA 1972, ss101,111,112) £237.76
P62. HMRC/PAYE (LGA 1972, ss101,111,112) £7.00
P63. Suffolk County Council (LGA 1972, s139) £816.00
P64. Suffolk.cloud (LGA 1972, s139) £60.00
P65. Unity Trust Bank / fees (LGA 9172, s139) £6.00
P66. Mrs S Frankis / home broadband (POA 1954, s51) £15.00
P67. Mrs S Frankis / HP Ink Dec. 25 (LGA 1972, s139) £3.49
P68. Mrs S Frankis (LGA 1072, ss101,111,112) £237.03
P69. HMRC /PAYE (LGA 1972, ss101,111,112) £6.80
P70. Unity Trust Bank (LGA 1972, s139) £7.00

To agree the January and February 2026 Budget and Precept Reports

The January and February 2026 Budget and Precept Reports, having been circulated to the Council prior to the meeting, were agreed.

To agree to vire £45.00 from the 2025/26 precept budget heading ‘VE Day 80’ to ‘Web Fees’ and £680.00 from the 2025/26 precept budget heading 'General Reserve’ to ‘Traffic Surveys’

The Council unanimously agreed to vire funds as proposed.

Cllr Petersen advised that an email had been received from the Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk Pylons Action Group asking for a donation / grant; as work progresses the cost of legal fees is accumulating. The Council unanimously agreed to award a grant of £250.00 to the Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk Pylons Action Group.

Financial Controls

To adopt the Asset Register 2026

The Council unanimously agreed to adopt the Asset Register 2026, as circulated prior to the meeting.

To adopt the Internal Control Report 2026

The Council unanimously agreed to adopt the Internal Control Report 2026, as circulated prior to the meeting.

To adopt the Internal Control Statement 2026

The Council unanimously agreed to adopt the Internal Control Statement 2026, as circulated prior to the meeting.

To adopt the Risk Assessment and Management (Financial) 2026

The Council unanimously agreed to adopt the Risk Assessment and Management (Financial) 2026, as circulated prior to the meeting.

To adopt the Risk Management Register 2026

The Council unanimously agreed to adopt the Risk Management Register, as circulated prior to the meeting.

To adopt the Risk Management Strategy 2026

The Council unanimously agreed to adopt the Risk Management Strategy 2026, as circulated prior to the meeting.

Planning

There were no matters to consider.

Alison Farmer Associates

Cllr Petersen advised that a response had been received from Alison Farmer Associates, with options of how she may be able to assist by undertaking:

Review of future planning applications

This would involve reviewing schemes as they come forward (for example, the Alcemi BESS), with a focus on landscape and cumulative effects. Indicative cost: £2,000–£5,000 per LVIA review.

Review of the former SLA and parish landscape to establish an evidence base

This would comprise a desk-based review of the former SLA and the wider parish landscape, together with site assessment using published Landscape Institute guidance on valued landscapes. The work would document the qualities of the area and could form an evidence base for Neighbourhood Plan policy or be used by the Local Planning Authority and developers to inform impact assessment and mitigation. I would also recommend identifying key views as part of this work. Indicative cost: approximately £8,000.

Development of a landscape strategy to conserve and enhance the landscape

This would identify opportunities to mitigate the effects of existing and proposed development, strengthen positive landscape qualities, and contribute to nature recovery. It would provide a practical guide for enhancement, helping to direct activity by the local community, landowners, and developers, and to reduce cumulative effects. Indicative cost: £8,000–£10,000.

The Council considered the ‘options’ and agreed that they would all meet the needs of the Council however external funding would need to be sought to meet the costs.

Action: Cllr Petersen is to respond to Alison Farmer Associates to advise that the Parish Council is looking to secure funding in order to commission the reports.

Traffic Calming Measures

Cllr K Raby advised he has, again, spoken with Melanie Hall, SCC Community Liaison Engineer, with regards to the introduction of a temporary 20mph speed limit through the village whilst development is in progress at the Bramford substation site; Suffolk County Council will not give permission for a temporary 20mph speed limit. Cllr Gasper asked Cllr K Raby to request the criteria and written documentation from which the decision was made.

Action: Cllr K Raby is to ask Suffolk County Council for the criteria and written documentation from which the decision not to introduce a 20mph temporary speed limit was made.

Temporary signage had been installed to advise of the 7.5t weight limit, one mile ahead from Coronation Corner (towards Sproughton) but this has since been driven over by an HGV. SCC have advised they will rebuild a double-height kerb at Coronation Corner but funds aren’t available to undertake the works at this time.

Burstall Emergency Plan

Cllr Kerrison had circulated an update to the Council prior to the meeting.

Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Parish Council will be held on 13^th May 2026.

Matters Raised by Members

Cllr Petersen advised he had been in contact with Burwell Energy Awareness Team with an aim to glean useful information and contacts with regards to BESS developments.

Cllr K Raby advised he had received an email from SCC with information regards a bus service improvement scheme; he is minded to put the details out to parishioners via the village WhatsApp group for comment.

There being no other business, the meeting closed at 20.30.

Signed ………………………………………………… Date …………………………………………