Parish Meeting 2015 Annual Report

GRUNDISBURGH & CULPHO PARISH COUNCIL
ANNUAL REPORT
1st APRIL, 2014 - 31st MARCH, 2015
Chairman
Dennis Crowe, Ceanchor House, Otley Road, Grundisburgh IP13 6RZ
Vice Chairman
Ann Willetts, 14 Gurdon Road, Grundisburgh IP13 6XA
Parish Councillors
Judith Bignell, 34 Orchard End, Grundisburgh IP13 6UA
Geoff Caryer, The Chestnuts, Rose Hill, Grundisburgh IP13 6TG
Joanna Crowe, Ceanchor House, Otley Road, Grundisburgh IP13 6RZ
Cavin Doyle, Stoneybrook, 1 Stoney Road, Grundisburgh IP13 6RA
John Dunnett, Squeech Farm Cottage, Grundisburgh IP13 6TL
Sally Grahn, 15 Alice Driver Road, Grundisburgh IP13 6XH
Guy Hartfall, Culpho End House, Culpho IP6 9EA
David Higgins, Walnut House, Meeting Lane, Grundisburgh IP13 6UB
Mike Taylor, 7 Post Mill Close, Grundisburgh, IP13 6UU
Anne Woods, 29 Gurdon Road, Grundisburgh IP13 6XA
Richard Youngman, White House Farm, Grundisburgh IP13 6RR
Clerk
John Ager, 8 Post Mill Close, Grundisburgh IP13 6UU
District Councillor
Tony Fryatt, Alby Green, Woodbridge Road, Debach IP13 6BZ
County Councillor
Peter Bellfield, The Old Rectory, Grundisburgh Road, Clopton IP13 6QB
Community Police Officer
PCSO Jeanette Pither
Telephone
01473-738174
01473-738831
01473-735459
01473-738108
01473-738174
01473-738637
01473-735515
01473-738219
01473-785347
01473-738694
01473-738066
01473-738365
01473-735221
01473-735541
01473-737218
01473-735259
01473-635000
Meetings The Council met bi-monthly and one Extraordinary Meeting was held. The Council’s Finance, Planning and
Footpaths & Environment Sub Committees also met during the year. The Annual Parish Meeting was held in the Village Hall on
the 8th April, 2014. The main theme was "Grundisburgh & Culpho in World War 1" The Clerk and Geoff Caryer staged an
exhibition of items from Suffolk Records Office and items kindly loaned by villagers. .
Councillor resignation. We were sorry to lose Mark Sanders on his appointment to Rector of Framingham and welcomed Mike
Taylor who was co-opted in his place. David Higgins was co-opted to replace Richard Graham who resigned the previous year...
Grundisburgh & District News The "News" continues to provide an invaluable service to the sixteen villages it serves. It is
run by a very dedicated group of volunteers who produce a very attractive publication four times a year. Thanks also to the
volunteers who distribute a copy to every dwelling in Grundisburgh.
Web Site The Parish Council’s web site www.grundisburgh.suffolk.gov.uk is a vital tool in disseminating news and providing
information. Over the years it has grown to include masses of information including the minutes of council and committee
meetings for the last year and sections on Planning, Housing, Environment, Local Shops and Businesses, Local History and lots
more. It also has many useful links. Please give it a look.
Welcome Pack There is always a danger that newcomers can feel isolated and lost when they arrive in the villages. Welcome
Packs compiled and delivered by Sally Grahn help enormously to help them feel at home and are greatly appreciated. These
packs are full of valuable information to help those new to the area to help them settle in. If you know of anyone who has been
missed please let Sally know 01473-738219.
Planning The parish council is a statutory consultee for all planning applications in Grundisburgh and Culpho. The council
receive details of all applications in the parishes and invited to submit comments to the Planning Authority. Planning is a very
contentious subject and people can get very worked up about it but it must be remembered that anyone can object to, or support,
applications. It must also be remembered that planning permissions are granted, or refused, by Suffolk Coastal District Council
not Parish Councils. The Parish Council has established a policy which directs how it deals with the various types of applications
and these can be viewed on the council's web site or a hard copy can be obtained from the Parish Clerk.
p.t.o...
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Footpaths & Environment The Footpaths & Environment Committee, led by Chair Sally Grahn, has been very active during
the year. It is responsible for the general appearance of the village and is very grateful to Paul Finch, our handyman, who does an
enormous amount of work in Grundisburgh. The village would not look anywhere as attractive as it does without his efforts.
Sally Grahn organised the Annual Litter Pick on the 29th March when villagers turned out to give Grundisburgh a good clean up.
The Sunday walks have again been very popular leaving the Village Green at 2.00pm on the second Sunday in the month. This is
a great way to discover routes you are not familiar with and enjoy the beautiful countryside surrounding the village in good
company. The walks last about 2 hours.
20 villagers participated in the Christmas Torch Lit Walk on the 17th December in the dark from the Village Green to
Mr & Mrs.Hill's home in Hasketon where they enjoyed mulled wine, fruit juices and festive fare. It was good to see so many
people taking part including several complete families.
The Millennium Meadow, a rare area of wet grass land, was conceived by the Parish Council as a conservation area to celebrate
the Millennium and made possible by the generosity of Lord Cranworth in allowing us a 100 year lease. We are very grateful to
John Dunnett who has developed and managed the Meadow for the last fifteen years. John is helped by three villagers, Sally
Grahn, Geoff Caryer and Paul Franklin but would appreciate more help. There is a regular work party on the first Saturday of the
month 10.00am – 12.30pm. Please contact John on 01473-735515.
Lyttleton Meadow, which is owned and managed by the District Council, leaving an area around the pond as a natural habitat with
unmown grass. We are very grateful to Greenways volunteers who cut and remove the grass from both Meadows once a year..
Village Sign Our village sign is one of the many made by the late Hector Moore and has stood on the Green for many years.
The post has lasted well but had rotted to such an extent that it was in danger of toppling over and had to be replaced. It took a
large team of volunteers to remove the old post and manoeuvre the new post in position. We are very grateful to John Broad,
Geoff Caryer, Dennis Crowe, Allan Dunnett, Richard Garnham, Iain Langdon, Steve Sim, and Peter Voller.
The old post has been given to St.Mary's Church and will be used to replace a gate post and by Mr.Hill, wood turner, to make
items for sale - proceeds towards the new church extension fund.
Good Neighbour Scheme A committee was formed during 2014 to provide help to vulnerable villagers in times of emergency.
The kinds of emergencies we are likely to encounter are power cuts and bad weather, the village being cut off by snow, ice or
flooding. Enormous strides were made in a comparatively short time and a system to provide care and help to those most
vulnerable in Grundisburgh was quickly set up. The response for volunteers was amazing. We now have a list of villagers we
consider will need help divided into areas and a list of volunteers living close by. So great has been the response that we have the
luxury of having one volunteer to two/three vulnerable villagers.
If an emergency arises a volunteer will visit the villagers allocated to them and offer help. We also have a date base of villagers
who have gas hobs who would be willing to provide hot water and food in emergencies. The Dog Inn has been particularly
generous in their offer of help. The Parish Council has set aside a sum of money to provide emergency aid if needed.
World War 1 The Council has been very active in commemorating the 100th anniversary of the commencement of the 1st
World War. The Rolls of Honour in St.Mary's Church have been restored. A new roll commemorating the service of six women
who served in the ATS and WAAF during World War 11 is being made by local artist Cindy Speer. Their names were
mentioned in a provisional list but omitted from the Roll.
Wreaths have been laid at the village War Memorial and, for the first time, on the grave of Frank Lambert who lies in the World
War 1 Field of Honour in Ipswich Cemetery and Eric Nunn and Douglas Rayfield who died in World War 11 and are buried in
St.Mary's churchyard. An exhibition of local World War 1 memorabilia was staged at the Annual Parish Meeting where the
Clerk gave a talk on the effect that World War 1 had on Grundisburgh and Culpho. Some of the exhibition material has been
lodged with the Suffolk Records Office.
The future Last year we reported on three very important projects in Grundisburgh. The Parochial Church Council's plans to
build an extension to St.Mary’s Church, The Scouts and Guides fund raising to build a new HQ and a new Village Hall for
Grundisburgh.
The first two are ongoing and we wish them well. Both are desperately needed and will bring enormous
community benefits.
A new Village Hall is now in the final planning stages after a very long and arduous campaign. The need for a new hall was one
of the main findings of the Village Appraisal in 1984 and the 2006 Parish Plan showed clearly that a majority of villagers wanted
a new hall and had clear ideas where it should be situated and what facilities it should provide. The existing building has served
the village so well for nearly ninety years. It is no wonder that it is showing its age and that the existing facilities no longer meet
the needs of the village considering the growth of the community since the village hall was built.
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