March 2020
Agenda for the meeting of 20th March, Wingfield Barns at 7.30pm:
Chairman’s introduction:
County & District Councillor’s Reports
Items for discussion:
Planning: If any
Clerk’s Report
Invitation to raise matters of concern
Chairman’s introduction:
- Apologies for absence
- Signing of minutes of the meetings of 29th November 2019
- Receipt of any members declaration of interest in any items on the agenda
County & District Councillor’s Reports
Items for discussion:
- Coronavirus planning for the village
- Housing development: response to CAS meeting (Mar3rd)
- VE Day celebrations (May 8th)
- Resident’s complaint
Planning: If any
Clerk’s Report
- Status of matters arising in minutes of last meeting:
- Correspondence:
- Status of bank balance
- Authorisation of cheques for signature
- Receipt and approval of payments received since last meeting
Invitation to raise matters of concern
May 2019
Charlotte Ann Claxton, Rosemary Frances Elliott, Robin David Feavearyear, Anthony Jolly, Guy Mathias, Dennis John Murray and Lee Solomon Smith were duly elected to serve as parish councillors at the May 2nd election. It was a high turnout for a parish election at 44.7% and we thank all those who took the trouble to vote.
There are two names missing from this list. Michael Harvey, who has served Wingfield as Chairman, councillor and church warden for over 25 years, decided to retire. The other is Melanie Murray. Melanie has only lived in the village for five years but in that time, she has served as a parish councillor, village hall committee member, championed the speed sign initiative and led Wingfield’s commemoration of those fallen in World War One. We thank them both for their unstinting contribution to village life.
The new council convenes for the first time on May 24th with new members, new ideas and determination to tackle the perennial problems of roads, footpaths and Wingfield Green but also preparing the village to face a challenging future. It will need all residents to contribute to get it right for everyone’s benefit.
Silly acts of graffiti spraying, and vandalism do not help. Please assist us to stamp out this behaviour so the Council’s limited budget can be spent on improvements and not repairs.
The next Parish Council meeting after the Annual Parish Meeting on May 24th will be held on July 5th at 7.30pm in Wingfield Barns.
There are two names missing from this list. Michael Harvey, who has served Wingfield as Chairman, councillor and church warden for over 25 years, decided to retire. The other is Melanie Murray. Melanie has only lived in the village for five years but in that time, she has served as a parish councillor, village hall committee member, championed the speed sign initiative and led Wingfield’s commemoration of those fallen in World War One. We thank them both for their unstinting contribution to village life.
The new council convenes for the first time on May 24th with new members, new ideas and determination to tackle the perennial problems of roads, footpaths and Wingfield Green but also preparing the village to face a challenging future. It will need all residents to contribute to get it right for everyone’s benefit.
Silly acts of graffiti spraying, and vandalism do not help. Please assist us to stamp out this behaviour so the Council’s limited budget can be spent on improvements and not repairs.
The next Parish Council meeting after the Annual Parish Meeting on May 24th will be held on July 5th at 7.30pm in Wingfield Barns.
March 2019
Notice of Elections in Mid-Suffolk 2019 - use this link to download the PDF.
January 2019
The timetable for local elections, as published by the National Association of Local Councils, can be viewed using this link. Relevent to this year since local elections are due in May.
April 2018
January 2018
23rd January: The Post Box (Absence Of) issue rumbles on...
I have not received a response to my letter of December 23rd, addressed to Mr Cheetham, Royal Mail's Collection Manager for Suffolk. based in Ipswich. So today I visited Diss Sorting Office for the third time armed with a copy of the letter.
On this occasion I saw Mr Martin Wicks, Delivery Manager for the IP21 area. He informed me that deliveries were not responsible for collections or post boxes! However, he did agree to take the copy letter and give it to Mr Cheetham personally. After a brief discussion of privatisation's inability to provide a public service I was told that the post box taken from Vicarage Road is in fact in Diss Sorting Office and has been since last October!
My visit ended by us both agreeing that no one was benefitting from this situation and someone at Royal Mail simply has to fill in the form to get the box reinstated.
Parish Clerk
December 2017:
23rd December 2017
From: David Young, Parish Clerk
To: Mr G. Geetham, Collection Manager, Royal Mail, Commercial Road, Ipswich IP1 1AA
Dear Mr Greetham,
Re: Post Box. Vicarage Road (outside No5) Wingfield, Suffolk
I notified the Royal Mail back in October, the day after the removal of this box, that it needed to be reinstated as quickly as possible. Subsequently, Wingfield residents have spoken to their postman and visited Diss sorting office to find out when the box would be replaced.
When no positive response was forthcoming I visited the Diss office to repeat my request on December 6th, the day you also visited Diss and told your staff the matter was in hand. To obtain confirmation of this commitment I asked for your contact details. These were not forthcoming. I then phoned the Royal Mail Customer Service Team (03457 740 740) on the same day. On two occasions I hung up after 15 minutes of no response.
After no remedial action and fielding calls from more irate residents, many who are elderly and were missing last days for Christmas posting, I returned to Diss sorting office today. The staff could not supply any more information than I had received 17 days earlier. I refused to leave without your contact details.
I am sure I do not have to remind you that the first priority in the Royal Mail’s customer strategy is:
The opportunity of posting your own mail nearby is not just one of safety and convenience but also of privacy. Nobody wants, even your best friend, to know your personal affairs.
The Royal Mail has clearly failed its customers or meet its Charter commitment.
Unless the box in Vicarage Road is reinstated in early January I will be taking this matter further with your boss and our local MP.
David Young
Wingfield Parish Clerk
October 2017:
5th October 2017
From: David Young, Parish Clerk
To: Bill Newman, Corporate Manager, Strategic Planning, Babergh & Mid-Suffolk Council
Dear Bill,
Yours is the only contact we can find to make comment on the JLP
If you are not the designated recipient of responses could you please pass on to the relevant department.
Proposed Joint Settlement Hierarchy Categories [Consultation Questions Q11/12]
Wingfield is classified as a hinterland village because, according to documentation supplied, it scores between 9 - 17 on facilities available.
We looked at the supporting Topic Paper: Settlement Hierarchy Review 2017 to see how this score was derived.
We discovered a number of discrepancies. Wingfield has none of the shops designated, ATM, bank or petrol station. Neither do we have a recreational ground or allotment.
The suggestion that we enjoy a standard speed of broadband (10Mb plus) is rubbing salt into a festering sore. No one in the village enjoys a standard broadband service.
By our calculation the score for Wingfield is 3 not 10
We ask that Wingfield is reclassified as a hamlet/countryside.
Could you please confirm this reclassification?
David Young
Wingfield Parish Clerk
5th October 2017
From: Bill Newman
To: David Young
Dear David,
Thank you for your email setting out the Parish Council concerns in respect of the proposed settlement hierarchy for Babergh & Mid Suffolk.
You may be aware that in the course of the Parish Council briefings currently being carried out by the Council’s Planning Policy officers, we have been asking Parish Councils to pay particular regard to this piece of work, with a view to ensuring that its accuracy is checked and validated at a local level, as those Councils have the best and most up to date information in respect of the level of services and facilities within their area. It follows that your email is of great help in this respect and I have arranged to have its contents registered as a representation made in respect of the Consultation Document. You should receive a further email in this respect in a few days from now. In this way, you are assured that the comments made will be not only considered by officers in their analysis of the consultation exercise, but also considered by Members when determining the content of the next (“Submission”) version of the Plan. Therefore any “reclassification” (along with a number of others) will be carried out at the next stage of the Plan.
Regards,
Bill Newman
May 2016:
20th May 2016
From: David Young, Parish Clerk
To: Stephanie Osbourne, Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils’ Communities Officer
Dear Stephanie,
The Wingfield PC met on Wednesday night, May 18th and the subject of the De La Pole Arms as a community asset raised. The result was a strong response in favour of registering the pub as a community asset and not allowing it to fall into private use. The reasons are threefold:
If you need a more authoritative response I can send you a copy of the Parish Council minutes when they are issued.
Many thanks for your help in this matter.
David Young
Parish Clerk
20th May 2016
From: Stephanie Osbourne, Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils’ Communities Officer
To: David Young, Parish Clerk
Good morning David,
Many thanks for your detailed response. Thank you for the offer of a copy of the minutes but what you have provided is sufficient.
Best regards,
Stephanie Osbourne
April 2016:
6th April: Submission to Suffolk Better Broadband - download PDF here.
23rd January: The Post Box (Absence Of) issue rumbles on...
I have not received a response to my letter of December 23rd, addressed to Mr Cheetham, Royal Mail's Collection Manager for Suffolk. based in Ipswich. So today I visited Diss Sorting Office for the third time armed with a copy of the letter.
On this occasion I saw Mr Martin Wicks, Delivery Manager for the IP21 area. He informed me that deliveries were not responsible for collections or post boxes! However, he did agree to take the copy letter and give it to Mr Cheetham personally. After a brief discussion of privatisation's inability to provide a public service I was told that the post box taken from Vicarage Road is in fact in Diss Sorting Office and has been since last October!
My visit ended by us both agreeing that no one was benefitting from this situation and someone at Royal Mail simply has to fill in the form to get the box reinstated.
Parish Clerk
December 2017:
23rd December 2017
From: David Young, Parish Clerk
To: Mr G. Geetham, Collection Manager, Royal Mail, Commercial Road, Ipswich IP1 1AA
Dear Mr Greetham,
Re: Post Box. Vicarage Road (outside No5) Wingfield, Suffolk
I notified the Royal Mail back in October, the day after the removal of this box, that it needed to be reinstated as quickly as possible. Subsequently, Wingfield residents have spoken to their postman and visited Diss sorting office to find out when the box would be replaced.
When no positive response was forthcoming I visited the Diss office to repeat my request on December 6th, the day you also visited Diss and told your staff the matter was in hand. To obtain confirmation of this commitment I asked for your contact details. These were not forthcoming. I then phoned the Royal Mail Customer Service Team (03457 740 740) on the same day. On two occasions I hung up after 15 minutes of no response.
After no remedial action and fielding calls from more irate residents, many who are elderly and were missing last days for Christmas posting, I returned to Diss sorting office today. The staff could not supply any more information than I had received 17 days earlier. I refused to leave without your contact details.
I am sure I do not have to remind you that the first priority in the Royal Mail’s customer strategy is:
- Delivering economic and social benefit to the communities we serve;
The opportunity of posting your own mail nearby is not just one of safety and convenience but also of privacy. Nobody wants, even your best friend, to know your personal affairs.
The Royal Mail has clearly failed its customers or meet its Charter commitment.
Unless the box in Vicarage Road is reinstated in early January I will be taking this matter further with your boss and our local MP.
David Young
Wingfield Parish Clerk
October 2017:
5th October 2017
From: David Young, Parish Clerk
To: Bill Newman, Corporate Manager, Strategic Planning, Babergh & Mid-Suffolk Council
Dear Bill,
Yours is the only contact we can find to make comment on the JLP
If you are not the designated recipient of responses could you please pass on to the relevant department.
Proposed Joint Settlement Hierarchy Categories [Consultation Questions Q11/12]
Wingfield is classified as a hinterland village because, according to documentation supplied, it scores between 9 - 17 on facilities available.
We looked at the supporting Topic Paper: Settlement Hierarchy Review 2017 to see how this score was derived.
We discovered a number of discrepancies. Wingfield has none of the shops designated, ATM, bank or petrol station. Neither do we have a recreational ground or allotment.
The suggestion that we enjoy a standard speed of broadband (10Mb plus) is rubbing salt into a festering sore. No one in the village enjoys a standard broadband service.
By our calculation the score for Wingfield is 3 not 10
We ask that Wingfield is reclassified as a hamlet/countryside.
Could you please confirm this reclassification?
David Young
Wingfield Parish Clerk
5th October 2017
From: Bill Newman
To: David Young
Dear David,
Thank you for your email setting out the Parish Council concerns in respect of the proposed settlement hierarchy for Babergh & Mid Suffolk.
You may be aware that in the course of the Parish Council briefings currently being carried out by the Council’s Planning Policy officers, we have been asking Parish Councils to pay particular regard to this piece of work, with a view to ensuring that its accuracy is checked and validated at a local level, as those Councils have the best and most up to date information in respect of the level of services and facilities within their area. It follows that your email is of great help in this respect and I have arranged to have its contents registered as a representation made in respect of the Consultation Document. You should receive a further email in this respect in a few days from now. In this way, you are assured that the comments made will be not only considered by officers in their analysis of the consultation exercise, but also considered by Members when determining the content of the next (“Submission”) version of the Plan. Therefore any “reclassification” (along with a number of others) will be carried out at the next stage of the Plan.
Regards,
Bill Newman
May 2016:
20th May 2016
From: David Young, Parish Clerk
To: Stephanie Osbourne, Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils’ Communities Officer
Dear Stephanie,
The Wingfield PC met on Wednesday night, May 18th and the subject of the De La Pole Arms as a community asset raised. The result was a strong response in favour of registering the pub as a community asset and not allowing it to fall into private use. The reasons are threefold:
- The village has no centre for community contact. We have no shop, garage or school. Even our village hall is shared and located in the next village.
- Despite its size the village is of historical significance and thus attracts visitors. We have a Castle, College and St Andrews Church all connected with the first Duke of Suffolk (Michael De La Pole) and the Tudor monarchy.
- The basic functions of a local pub (probably better defined by CAMRA) that would be denied our residents. The nearest alternative would be in Fressingfield a three mile drive (!) away.
If you need a more authoritative response I can send you a copy of the Parish Council minutes when they are issued.
Many thanks for your help in this matter.
David Young
Parish Clerk
20th May 2016
From: Stephanie Osbourne, Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils’ Communities Officer
To: David Young, Parish Clerk
Good morning David,
Many thanks for your detailed response. Thank you for the offer of a copy of the minutes but what you have provided is sufficient.
Best regards,
Stephanie Osbourne
April 2016:
6th April: Submission to Suffolk Better Broadband - download PDF here.