Attendance
- Present
- Cllr Bilverstone, Cllrs Riddick, Walton, Pugson
- Also present
- 1 member of the public, the Clerk, West Suffolk Cllr Speed
Welcome and Apologies
Cllr Bilverstone welcomed everyone to the meeting and reminded everybody present that the meeting may be recorded. No apologies were received.
Declarations of Interest
- No Councillor declarations of interest were received. There were no updates to Councillors' register of members interest’s form.
- No written requests for dispensation were received prior to the meeting.
Co-Option of New Parish Councillor
None
Minutes
The minutes of the Council meeting on Tuesday 6th May 2025 were agreed, approved and signed to stand as an accurate record of the meeting.
Report from RAF Honington
The Clerk reported that RAF Honington had offered the position of engagement officer but it had been declined so recruitment is starting again. There have been requests for 40 tickets to the family and friends’ day.
Public Questions
No matters were raised.
Village Hall Report
Brenda Burridge gave the report which advised:
- The roof repairs are now complete but had taken most of the reserves held by the Village Hall. There is enough funds to keep the hall running until approx. March 2026.
- The Annual General Meeting of the Village Hall Management Committee will be held on Tuesday 26th August 2025 with a hope that as many residents will attend as possible.
- At the AGM Brenda will be stepping down as chairman but will remain as a representative of the Tuesday coffee morning, Bob, Maintenance Manager, Sue, Bookings clerk and Kate, Secretary will not stand again. Cathy has offered to stay as Treasurer.
The Parish Council thanked Brenda and the committee for their continued hard work especially through this period of roof repairs. A request for the Parish Council to consider a £500 grant to the village hall which happened annually prior to covid lockdown was made. Council agreed to add this to their agenda for the finance meeting in November.
Report from County Councillor Rebecca Hopfensperger
Cllr Hopfensperger was unable to attend the meeting.
Report from Borough Councillor Andrew Speed
Cllr Speed gave a brief update on progress on Devolution and Local Government Reform. He confirmed that the new recycling waste program will be starting in April 2026 with 5 bins rather than 2, these will run in the same 2-week cycle currently in operation.
Additional Parish Council Meetings
The Clerk presented costings to add 5 meetings to the Parish Council calendar which would cost approximately £750 per annum. Councillors discussed the need and the value of these additional meetings and agreed to add a meeting on 7th October 2025 and 3rd February 2026 as a trial, this will be reviewed early 2026. Cllr Walton proposed, Cllr Pugson seconded. Unanimously agreed.
Newsletter Printing and Distribution
The Clerk presented costs to print the newsletter with a view to hand delivering to all residents. Councillors felt this gave all residents the opportunity of seeing the publication. It was agreed to proceed with a budget of £150.00. Brenda Burridge agreed to organise the delivery door to door and the Clerk will organise getting the newsletters to Brenda. The Councillor thanked Brenda for her kind offer. This will start for the September newsletter. Cllr Walton proposed, Cllr Riddick seconded. Unanimously agreed.
Playground/Playing Field
- To consider the playground inspection report and note any actions
Repairs have been made to the fort, thanks to Cllr Pugson. The balance beams are showing signs of cracking and will need repairs or replacing in the next few years. The Clerk recommended that the council start to build a maintenance reserve for the playground over the next few years as the equipment ages and requires repairs/replacement, Councillors agreed.
- Update on the goal sleeves project from Cllrs Pugson and Riddick
Cllr Pugson advised that on reviewing the project that digging the area out a little, laying soil and topping with turf would provide the required coverage for the goal mouths. He suggested completing one goal at a time and would water and maintain until grafted. Councillors discussed and agreed a budget of £50. Proposed by Cllr Pugson, seconded by Cllr Riddick. Unanimously agreed.
- Zipwire update
Prior to the meeting Cllr Riddick had shared concerns from a few residents that the new zipwire was difficult to climb up to and get on and was slow. Following a meeting with OLP and review of compliance report it was agreed that the equipment was installed correctly and met all industry requirements to keep users safe. OLP have visited since to move the stop spring to the other end of the tolerance width to give approximately a metre more run. It came to light that the old zipwire was installed by a builder and would not have met any safety standards and could not be compared with.
Village Matters/Maintenance
- To receive any updates regarding the village website
Cllr Pugson advised he has been organising the folder system with the website along with adding a few more photographs and event updates. Councillors discussed a photographic competition to gather more images from around the village and agreed to proceed with this project. This will feature in the newsletter.
- Clearance of the ditch by the bus stop
Councillors discussed the clearance of the ditch by the bus stop along with other ditches through the village. Cllr Bilverstone will produce a location plan for the Clerk who will then contact Highways at Suffolk County Council for clarification of ownership. This will be discussed once the information has been obtained. In the meantime, if any flooding occurs this must be reported by as many residents as possible to keep it visible and provide evidence that the ditches need clearing.
- Troston Wood update
Cllr Pugson advised that since our last meeting the Owl sculpture has been treated and the Squirrel is on the list for the next working party along with installation of the bollards. The next work party is due in July, date to be confirmed. The Clerk asked Cllrs if any persons or group had permission to use the wood for organised activities as there was a post about the scouts on the village facebook page. Cllrs were unaware of any permissions. The Clerk will investigate to check that the organisation has its own insurance and health and safety assessments. Cllr Walton suggested placing a reminder about no fires in the woods in the newsletter, this was unanimously agreed.
- Council to consider publication of the Troston book and the cost implications
A brief discussion took place, the Clerk will present costings to produce the book in a small quantity for September’s meeting. Cllr Pugson will try to find a hard copy of the book.
Finance
- The Clerk provided a schedule of payments which were agreed and approved unanimously.
| Date | Ref. | Supplier / customer | Description | Account name | Type | Net | VAT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27/06/2025 | 14 - 25/26 | BT | May period | Village Hall wifi | Payment | -36.95 | -7.39 | -44.34 |
| 27/06/2025 | 15 - 25/26 | Unity bank | April Bank Charges | Bank charges | Payment | -6.00 | 0.00 | -6.00 |
| 27/06/2025 | 16 - 25/26 | Kallkwik | Printing of November24 Newsletter | Newsletter | Payment | -42.00 | -8.40 | -50.40 |
| 27/06/2025 | 17 - 25/26 | SALC | Payroll services - 6 months | administration office | Payment | -45.00 | -9.00 | -54.00 |
| 27/06/2025 | 18 - 25/26 | SALC | Internal audit services | Audit | Payment | -282.00 | -56.40 | -338.40 |
| 27/06/2025 | 19 - 25/26 | Amanda Jackson | Clerks May Salary | Amanda Jackson | Payment | -319.85 | 0.00 | -319.85 |
| 27/06/2025 | 20 - 25/26 | Amanda Jackson | May working from home allowance | Working from home allowance | Payment | -25.00 | 0.00 | -25.00 |
| 27/06/2025 | 21 - 25/26 | HMRC | Tax calculated by SALC | HMRC | Payment | -76.00 | 0.00 | -76.00 |
| 27/06/2025 | 22 - 25/26 | Amanda Jackson | Clerks June Salary | Amanda Jackson | Payment | -319.85 | 0.00 | -319.85 |
| 27/06/2025 | 23 - 25/26 | Amanda Jackson | June working from home allowance | Working from home allowance | Payment | -25.00 | 0.00 | -25.00 |
| 27/06/2025 | 24 - 25/26 | HMRC | Tax calculated by SALC | HMRC | Payment | -76.00 | 0.00 | -76.00 |
| 27/06/2025 | 25 - 25/26 | Online Playgrounds | Zipwire | play area | Payment | -10,065.00 | -2,013.00 | -12,078.00 |
| 27/06/2025 | 27 - 25/26 | Countryside conservation | Grass cutting x 3 visits + spraying | Grassing cutting | Payment | -882.00 | -176.40 | -1,058.40 |
-12,200.65 -2,270.59 -14,471.24
- The Clerk had circulated the bank reconciliations. There were no questions.
Councillors Reports and Items for Future Agenda
Cllr Pugson had previously advised he had received an email from an under 9’s football club asking if they could hire our football pitch for fixtures on a Saturday and Sunday. Cllr Bilverstone had circulated to all Councillors the requirements to host such groups and it was agreed at present that without toilet facilities this could not be facilitated. The club have since found a pitch that meets their needs. Cllr Pugson also advised that he had replaced the face of one of the 30mph signs and it looks good. There is a small repeater 30mph post and sign missing in the village.
Cllr Walton suggested a gardening club start in the village and requested a notice be placed in the newsletter to see if there is interest, Cllr agreed this would be a great idea.
Items for Future Agendas
- The Troston book publication
- Location and ownership of the village ditches
Correspondence for Action or Information
None
Date of the Next Meeting
The next meeting will be on Tuesday 1st September 2025 at 7pm.