Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 10th September 2025, 7.31pm at Burstall Village Hall
- Present
- Cllr B Gasper (Chair), Cllr S Godfrey, Cllr A Kerrison, Cllr K Raby, Cllr L Raby, Cllr W Petersen
- In attendance
- Mrs S Frankis, Clerk & RFO to Burstall Parish Council
The meeting was chaired by Cllr Gasper.
Apologies
The Council resolved to accept the apologies received from Cllr Main for her absence due to a personal commitment, and from Cllr K Raby for his expected late arrival at the meeting.
Dispensations
None were received.
Reports
No report had been received from County Cllr Hudson.
Comments
No comments were received.
Minutes
The minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 9th July 2025, having been circulated to the Council prior to the meeting, were confirmed and signed as an accurate record of the meeting.
Matters Arising
Cllr Gasper understands that the Mid Suffolk District Council Scrutiny Committee is investigating the mishandling of a series of mishandled FOI requests made by Cllr S Main.
On 9th September 2025, Cllrs Gasper, Godfrey, Main and Petersen, together with the Clerk, attended an online Teams meeting with representatives of Suffolk Fire & Rescue Service (SFRS), as requested by the Parish Council. The purpose of the meeting was to establish the SFRS policy of managing risk at the Bramford sub-station and surrounding solar farms and BESS, and how they respond to the cumulative add-on-add developments. Unfortunately, those representatives of the SFRS were the executers of policy and not those who work to produce policies. The Parish Council, although having found the meeting to be informative, felt that those present weren’t able to address the concerns raised and so have asked to meet with the Chief Fire Officer for Suffolk. It should be noted that the original request by the Parish Council was to meet with the Chief Fire Officer from the outset.
- Action: The Parish Council is to meet with the Chief Fire Officer for Suffolk.
- Action: The Parish Council is to contact Suffolk County Cllr Richard Rout.
- Action: Cllrs Godfrey and Main are to draft a letter of concern to the Environment Agency, asking for a meeting to discuss the risk of water contamination, and subsequent clean-up should an incident arise at the Bramford sub-station and/or surrounding infrastructure.
- Action: The Clerk is to request a meeting with James Cartlidge MP to discuss the time critical situation at the Bramford sub-station and surrounding infrastructure.
- Action: Cllr Petersen is to contact the National Protective Security Authority, on behalf of the Parish Council.
Re. minute number 478: the Council noted that planning application DC/25/02796 had again been refused permission by Babergh District Council; this raises concerns with the Parish Council as the supporting evidence to the application clearly demonstrated a risk to property.
Having studied the construction management plan for the Bramford to Twinstead pylons project, Cllr Petersen questioned why construction traffic doesn’t use access along Bullen Lane, and through the sub-station; thereby using the temporary roads that are currently being constructed, for the Verdant development, rather than the construction traffic accessing the site via Burstall village. Why aren’t all parties with an interest at the site speaking to each other and developing a simple, joined-up plan to avoid disruption to Burstall?
- Action: Cllr Petersen is to draft a letter to Suffolk County Council, c.c. Babergh District Council, for the Clerk to submit.
The Parish Council has been saddened to learn of the recent passing of District Councillor Dave Busby. The Council expressed its thanks for all that he had done for the parish of Burstall.
Cllr Petersen advised that on 16th July 2025, he had emailed EDF regarding extreme operational noise from the Pivot Power Bess. He advised that no noise assessment for the site had been submitted with the planning application and that the discharge condition for the site concerned the location of fans only rather than a proper noise assessment. The subsequent noise assessment for the Bramford BESS (and subsequent ‘cumulative’ noise assessments) used anticipated/expected noise values rather than actual values (findings/conclusions) therefore potentially being inaccurate. He had asked for confirmation that an operational noise assessment, including a cumulative assessment taking into account all BESS developments, would now be undertaken as soon as possible.
After received a totally inadequate response on 4th September 2025, Cllr Petersen, will again, ask what further noise assessments will be undertaken.
- Action: Cllr Petersen is to draft a response to Pivot Power.
Finance
- To approve the August and September 2025 Schedules of Payments
The Council unanimously approved the following payments:
- P27. ICO / data protection (LGA 1972, s139) £47.00
- P28. Mrs S Frankis / broadband (POA 1954, s51) £15.00
- P29. Nosegay / grass cutting (LGA 1972, s139) £210.00
- P30. Mrs S Frankis / July 2025 salary (LGA 1972, ss101,111,112) £204.79
- P31. Unity Trust Bank / fees (LGA 9172, s139) £6.00
- P32. Mrs S Frankis / broadband (POA 1954, s51) £15.00
- P32. Suffolk.cloud / web host & support (LGA 1972, s139) £120.00
- P33. Nosegay / grass cutting (LGA 1972, s139) £126.00
- P34. Mrs S Frankis / August salary (LGA 1972, ss101,111,112) £145.22
- P35. Unity Trust Bank / bank fees (LGA 1972, s139) £6.00
- P36. Mrs S Frankis / HP Ink (LGA 1972, s139) £3.49
- To agree the July and August 2025 Budget and Precept Reports
The July and August 2025 Budget and Precept Reports, having been circulated to the Council prior to the meeting, were agreed. The bank statement balances were verified by Cllr L Raby.
- To agree Reserve Account Transfer
The Council agreed to transfer £150 from the Reserve Account to 2025/26 budget heading ‘Village Sign Refurbishment’.
New Pay Scales
The Council unanimously agreed to increase the Clerk’s hourly rate in accordance with the 2025/26 National Joint Council for Local Government Services (NJC) Agreement and to back date the pay increase to 1st April 2025.
Policies
- To adopt an IT Policy
The Council unanimously agreed to adopt the draft IT Policy, as circulated prior to the meeting.
The Clerk advised the Council of the upcoming AGAR Assertion 10, and that although not enforceable, it would be best practice for all parish councillors to use dedicated parish council email addresses, i.e. cllrblogs.burstallpc@gmail.com or cllrblogs@burstall-pc.gov.uk.
- To adopt an updated Publication Scheme
The Council unanimously agreed to adopt the updated Publication Scheme, as circulated prior to the meeting.
- To adopt an updated Data Protection Policy
The Council unanimously agreed to adopt the updated Data Protection Policy, as circulated prior to the meeting.
- To adopt an updated Community Engagement Strategy
The Council unanimously agreed to adopt the updated Community Engagement Strategy, as circulated prior to the meeting.
- To adopt an updated Reserves Policy
The Council unanimously agreed to adopt the updated Reserves Policy, as circulated prior to the meeting, subject to the Policy stating that the level of general reserves to be held by the Council needs to be approximately 150% of the annual precepted figure and not 50% as drafted.
Traffic Calming Measures
Cllr K Raby was detailed to continue discussions with Suffolk Highways regarding the damage to the road signs at Sproughton Corner.
The suitability and viability of traffic calming measures. Cllr K Raby advised the cost of the traffic surveys would be £816.00 and could be scheduled for 1st to 16th October 2025. However, the Council agreed the surveys should be undertaken once the Verdant site construction commences.
It was agreed one of the locations to be surveyed would need to be the stretch of The Street, from the corner of the A1071 towards Sproughton Corner, turning into Burstall Lane.
The Council agreed in principle to funding the traffic surveys at a cost of £816.00.
- Action: Cllr K Raby is to liaise with Cllr S Main to agree an appropriate period for the traffic surveys to be undertaken.
The Clerk advised she had submitted a request, on 31st July 2025 to Suffolk Highways, asking for the introduction of a temporary 20mph speed limit on all roads in and out of Burstall for the duration of the Verdant Solar Farm construction period. A follow-up report submitted today triggered a response from Suffolk Highways who stated they, “would not look to implement long lengths of 20mph speed limit as they would not be likely to be observed by drivers and would not be suitable in much of the environment in question. reduced speed limits have been placed around a number of works (typically the Anglian Water SPA) because there was reduced visibility in and out of the site accesses rather than reducing speeds of vehicles along the access routes – In this instance there is sufficient visibility from the site junction”.
The Council considered the response to be inadequate and agreed to ask again that Suffolk Highways consider introducing temporary 20mph speed limit on The Street and Church Hill for the duration of the Verdant Solar Farm construction.
- Action: The Clerk is to ask County Cllr Hudson for his assistance in putting the Parish Council’s request for a temporary 20mph speed limit on The Street and Church Hill for the duration of the Verdant Solar Farm construction.
Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Parish Council will be held on 12th November 2025.
Matters Raised by Members
Cllr Kerrison asked if anyone would be attending the Local Government Re-organisation meeting to be held in Hadleigh on 12th September 2025.
Cllr Kerrison advised he might attend the upcoming Emergency Planning Community Rest Centre Training.
Having discussed the risks posed by the Bramford sub-station, solar farms and BESS to the residents of Burstall, it was agreed that the Burstall Emergency Plan should be revised to include the site, and associated risks, i.e. fire and water contamination.
- Action: Cllr Kerrison is to revise the Burstall Emergency Plan to include the risks posed to Burstall by the Bramford sub-station, solar farms and BESS.
There being no other business, the meeting closed at 20.47.
Signed ………………………………………………… Date …………………………………………