Minutes of the Annual Parish Council Meeting held on 13th May 2026, 7.32pm at Burstall Village Hall, Burstall
- Present
- Cllr B Gasper (Chair), Cllr S Godfrey, Cllr A Kerrison, 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.
Election of the Chair
Cllr Gasper was elected as Chair to the Council. He duly signed his Declaration of Acceptance of Office.
Election of the Vice-Chair
Cllr Kerrison was elected as Vice-Chair to the Council.
Apologies
The Council resolved to receive the apologies received from Cllr Main for her absence due to illness, and from Cllrs K Raby and L Raby for their absences due to personal commitments. Apologies were received from County Cllr Hudson.
Dispensations
None were received.
The meeting was adjourned.
Reports
District Cllr Rowland advised that the new recycling bins are being delivered to households and if not received by the Bank Holiday to let him know; the new collection scheme will start on 1st June 2026. Cllr Gasper advised that the Council is finalising the preliminary draft questions for him to put to Babergh District Council. 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 11th March 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 534/2526
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; this matter remains outstanding.
Finance
-
The Council unanimously approved the following payments:
- Pylons East Anglia Ltd (General Power of Competence) £250.00
- Mrs S Frankis / broadband (POA 1954, s51) £15.00
- Nosegay / grass cutting (LGA 1972, s139) £441.00
- Mrs S Frankis (LGA 1972, ss101,111,112) £213.79
- Zurich Municipal / insurance (LGA 1972, s139) £300.00
- Unity Trust Bank / fees (LGA 9172, s139) £6.00
- SALC /membership fee (LGA 1972, s139) £158.09
- Mrs S Frankis / home broadband (POA 1954, s51) £15.00
- Nosegay / grass cutting (LGA1972, s139) £231.52
- Mrs S Frankis / HP Ink (LGA 1972, s139) £3.49
- Mrs S Frankis (LGA 1072, ss101,111,112) £202.75
- Heelis & Lodge / Internal Audit (LGA 1972, s139) £185.00
- Unity Trust Bank (LGA 1972, s139) £7.00
- The March and April 2026 Budget and Precept Reports, having been circulated to the Council prior to the meeting, were agreed.
- The Year End Accounts 2026, having been circulated to the Council prior to the meeting, were agreed.
- The Council unanimously agreed to allocate the General Fund 31 March 2026 of £2,649.08 to the General Reserve Fund.
- The Council unanimously agreed the VAT reclaim of £174.00
Annual Governance and Accountability Return 2025/26
- The Council unanimously agreed Section 1 of the AGAR 2025/26. The Council unanimously agreed Section 2 of the AGAR 2025/26.
- The Council certified itself exempt from a Limited Assurance Review. Action: The Clerk is to submit the completed Certificate of Exemption to PKF Littlejohn, the external auditor.
Internal Audit
- The Council unanimously agreed to receive the 2025/26 Heelis & Lodge Internal Audit Report, as circulated to the Council prior to the meeting.
- There were no matters raised by the internal auditor to action.
- The Council unanimously agreed the Effectiveness of Internal Audit 2026, as circulated to the Council prior to the meeting.
- The Council unanimously agreed to appoint Heelis & Lodge as Internal Auditor to the Parish Council for 2026/27.
Planning
Cllr Petersen expressed his dissatisfaction with the performance of the Bramford Solar Farm Community Liaison Group; issues are having to be raised by members of the public due to lack of developers own processes to ensure planning conditions are applied. Delays are then being seen in responding to these issues, both by the developer and by Babergh District Council Planning Enforcement. The current system for dealing with issues is not proactive and complaints are taking far too long to be addressed and dealt with.
In view of the fact that other similar developments are in the ‘planning pipeline’, the Parish Council asks for proper coordination rather than leaving the current ‘broken’ system to deal with matters that arise.
BDC Planning Officer, Ms B Curtis has, in the past, affirmed that she would create a community liaison group with the intention of coordinating all companies at the Bramford sub-station site and community representatives with regular weekly meetings; the Parish Council calls for the formation of such a group with immediate effect.
The Council unanimously agreed to establish a fund to support the opposition to the Alcemi BESS proposed development. The Council agreed to draft a flyer to be circulated to the community which will include a request for parishioner funding.
Cllr Petersen advised that SKY TV have visited Burstall and the Bramford Substation, with a view to cover the National Grid Norwich to Tilbury upgrade proposals and resilience of the infrastructure.
Planning application DC/26/01910: the Parish Council unanimously agreed to engage the services of Richard Buxton solicitors, to draft a legal submission.
Appointment of RFO
The Parish Council confirmed the continuing appointment of Mrs S Frankis, the Clerk to the Council as the Responsible Financial Officer.
Roles and Responsibilities
The Council agreed the following roles and responsibilities –
- Burstall Parish Council Chair Cllr Barry Gasper
- Burstall Parish Council Vice-Chair Cllr Andrew Kerrison
- Burstall Parish Clerk & RFO Mrs Susan Frankis
- Emergency Planning Cllr Andrew Kerrison
- Footpaths Cllr Will Petersen
- Litter Cllr Lesley Raby
- Parochial Church Council Cllr Lesley Raby
- Planning Cllr Andrew Kerrison, Cllr Steve Godfrey and Cllr Samantha Main
- Village Assets, red kiosk, bench & sign Cllr Lesley Raby
- Road Safety Cllr Keith Raby
- Tree Warden Cllr Will Petersen
- Village Hall Liaison Cllr Keith Raby
Insurance Cover
The Council has satisfied itself that the insurance cover, offered by Zurich Municipal would be adequate and that having identified, assessed and recorded risks, appropriate cover would be in place to mitigate and manage those risks. The Council unanimously agreed to renew the Parish Council insurance policy, at an annual cost of £300.00.
Governance and Financial Controls
- The Council unanimously agreed to adopt the updated Standing Orders, as circulated prior to the meeting.
- The Council unanimously agreed to adopt the updated Financial Regulations, as circulated to the Council prior to the meeting.
- The Council unanimously agreed to adopt the Investment Strategy 2026, as circulated prior to the meeting.
- The Council unanimously agreed to adopt the Investment Policy 2026, as circulated prior to the meeting.
Traffic Calming Measures
No updates were reported.
Burstall Emergency Plan
Cllr Kerrison had circulated the reviewed and updated version of the Emergency Plan to the Council prior to the meeting; a copy of the Plan has been issued to Suffolk County Council.
Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Parish Council will be held on 8th July 2026.
Matters Raised by Members
Cllrs Godfrey and Kerrison gave their apologies as they will be unable to attend the July 2026 meeting.
There being no other business, the meeting closed at 20.45.
Signed ………………………………………………… Date …………………………………………