Ferguson Way, Kesgrave, IP5 2FZ | 01473 625 179
Ferguson Way, Kesgrave, IP5 2FZ | 01473 625 179 | Full Council21 September 20267.15pm |
KESGRAVE TOWN COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE FULL COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON MONDAY 21 SEPTEMBER 2026 AT THE TOWN COUNCIL OFFICE, FERGUSON WAY, KESGRAVE.
Present:
In attendance:
Apologies: Apologies were received from Town Councillor Alastair Cook, District Councillor Stuart Lawson and County and District Councillor Debbie McCallum.
The meeting commenced at 7.15pm. The Chair read the emergency evacuation procedure statement.
1. Welcome and Apologies for Absence
The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. Apologies were received as noted above.
Resolved: It was unanimously agreed to accept the apologies for absence from Councillors Cook, Lawson and McCallum.
2. Declarations of Interest
The following declarations of interest were made:
Councillor Comber declared a non-pecuniary interest in item 8b as a Director of RFC, Scout Leader and Comber Enterprises.
Councillor Ogden declared a non-pecuniary interest in item 8b as a Scout Leader.
No other interests were declared.
3. Minutes of the Town Council meeting held on the 27 July 2026
Resolved: The minutes of the meeting held on 27 July 2026 were accepted as a true and accurate record of the meeting and were duly signed by the Chair. Councillor Ling abstained from the vote as he was not present at the meeting.
4. Chairman's Communication
The Chair welcomed Councillors back after the summer break. He reported his attendance at the Reading Quest event at the library, noting it was a fantastic event with over 320 young people completing the challenge. He praised the library staff and stated that the town should be very proud of Kesgrave Library and the high participation rates it achieves.
5. Clerks/Officer Report/Update
The Clerk confirmed her attendance at the East Suffolk Council Chief Executive and Town Clerk meeting, a NALC webinar on tree management, and the East Suffolk planning forum. She then requested consideration for additional costs incurred during the Oak Meadow play area refurbishment project. The removal of the old safety carpet proved more problematic than anticipated, resulting in unforeseen expenditure. The total additional cost was £7,804, comprising £1,720 for waste disposal, £2,250 for infill and surfacing, and £3,834 for additional safety matting to allow for the relocation of the slide to a better position. The Clerk proposed that these costs be met from the Earmarked Reserves for play equipment and/or the CIL funds. She noted that a 10% contingency would be built into future project budgets.
It was proposed by Councillor Gibson and seconded by Councillor Ward to approve the additional expenditure.
Resolved: It was unanimously agreed to approve the additional expenditure of £7,804 for the Oak Meadow play area refurbishment, to be funded from Earmarked Reserves and/or CIL funds.
The Responsible Financial Officer (RFO) reported that the external auditor's report and certificate for 2025/26 had been received. The auditor had requested evidence of the internal auditor's independence, and whilst historical records were unavailable, the matter did not affect their opinion. A formal note was made advising that the Council should review the independence of the internal auditor on an annual basis going forward. The RFO confirmed this procedure would be adopted. The notice of conclusion of the audit will be published on the website and noticeboard before 30 September.
The reports were noted.
6. Members of the Public
The Chair invited the member of the public to speak. The member of the public didn't wish to address Council.
7. County and District Councillor Reports
County Councillor Jeffreys summarised his written report. He noted his appointment as Chair of the Health Scrutiny Committee and work on other committees covering adult services, vape shops, and community safety. Regarding highways, he confirmed he had passed on the Council's objections to the Woodbridge Road cycle path proposals and would not be supporting the scheme. He acknowledged feedback from one member on what they believed was a poor quality finish of the recent JCB pothole trial on Penzance Road. He clarified that the government's plans for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in Suffolk had been withdrawn, not postponed, though devolution discussions were proceeding separately. He also answered questions regarding the structure of the local NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB) and the pothole reporting criteria.
The Clerk provided an update on behalf of Councillor McCallum regarding 'better recycling'. Both the Clerk and Councillor McCallum had expressed significant frustration to East Suffolk Council (ESC) about the initial rollout. ESC is now providing performance updates which show improvement, though staff sickness remains a challenge. The Clerk confirmed the loss of resident trust had been raised as a key concern.
District Councillor Lynch reported on a recent ESC Audit Committee meeting where the external auditors presented a highly critical report on the council's accounts. He expressed concern about ESC's increasing borrowing costs for its housing programme and the viability of the financial model. He confirmed the next ESC Full Council meeting would focus on the recycling service, where a rebate for residents would be proposed.
The reports were received and noted.
8. Finance & Governance
a. Committee meeting minutes 7 September 2026
The minutes of the Finance & Governance Committee meeting held on 7 September 2026 were received and noted.
b. Schedule of Accounts
The schedules of payments and receipts for the period 1 July 2026 to 31 August 2026 were presented for consideration. The RFO highlighted grant income from Spark and the ESC outdoor play space fund.
Resolved: It was unanimously agreed to approve the List of Payments and the List of Receipts for the period 01/07/2026 to 31/08/2026.
c. Detailed Income and Expenditure to 31 August 2026
Resolved: The detailed income and expenditure report to 31 August 2026 was received, reviewed and unanimously approved.
d. Transfer from the Savings Account and the KTC Card Payments Account
The RFO confirmed she would review the fees associated with the Council's card payment machine.
Resolved: It was unanimously agreed to approve the transfers from the Savings Account and the KTC Card Payments Account.
e. Trial Balance for August 2026
The trial balance for August 2026 was received for information.
f. KTC Policies
I. The Unauthorised Encampment Policy, as recommended by the Finance & Governance Committee, was considered.
Resolved: It was unanimously agreed to adopt the Unauthorised Encampment Policy.
II. The amended Expenses Policy and Procedure, updated to include councillors and reference the current HMRC mileage rates, was considered.
Resolved: It was unanimously agreed to adopt the amended Expenses Policy and Procedure.
III. The amended Complaints Policy and Procedure, updated to include reference to data protection complaints, was considered.
Resolved: It was unanimously agreed to adopt the amended Complaints Policy and Procedure.
IV. The amended Data Protection [General] Policy, updated to align with the complaints procedure, was considered.
Resolved: It was unanimously agreed to adopt the amended Data Protection [General] Policy.
V. The Land Acquisition and Adoption Policy was considered. An amendment was proposed to remove a footnote referencing future LGR changes which are no longer proceeding.
Resolved: It was unanimously agreed to adopt the Land Acquisition and Adoption Policy, subject to the removal of the incorrect footnote.
g. GDPR NALC Advice Note dated 3 September 2026
The RFO presented the NALC advice note as a useful reminder of data protection principles for all councillors.
Resolved: It was unanimously agreed that all Councillors would read the NALC advice note in full to refamiliarise themselves with their GDPR responsibilities and direct any questions to the RFO.
h. Draft Budget 2027/28 Proposals
The Clerk presented a request from Councillor Cook for a third Speed Indicator Device (SID) to be considered for inclusion in the draft budget, at an approximate cost of £5,000. It was noted that officers are currently undertaking a review of SID data, and this request would be considered as part of that process. The findings will be presented to the Council ahead of the budget setting.
The request was noted for consideration.
9. Planning & Development
a. Committee meeting minutes 10 and 24 August 2026 and 7 September 2026
The Chair of the Committee encouraged all members to read the minutes, highlighting important discussions regarding changes that were undermining the Council's position as a statutory consultee. The minutes were received and noted.
10. Community & Recreation
a. Committee meeting minutes 14 September 2026
The minutes of the Community & Recreation Committee meeting held on 14 September 2026 were received and noted. It was highlighted that the committee had reviewed an excellent report from officers detailing progress against the Council's action plan.
b. ESC Land Adoption
An update was received confirming that the Council's solicitor is ready to proceed and is awaiting East Suffolk Council to appoint their own legal representation to complete the transfer.
c. Kesgrave, Rushmere St Andrew, Martlesham, Carlford and Fynn Valley Community Partnership meeting 4 August 2026
An update was received from the Councillor Comber on the recent Community Partnership meeting. Key points included the renewal of a grant for the Just42 youth project and funding for a successful exercise initiative for the elderly to expand into other local areas. Councillor Ling declared a non-pecuniary interest as a volunteer for Just42. The update was noted.
11. Local Council Award Scheme; for the Bronze Award
The Clerk confirmed that the application for the Bronze Award had been submitted and acknowledged. Feedback from the initial triage team is expected by 25 September, with a final decision from the assessment panel anticipated in October/November. The update was noted.
12. Community Engagement; Kesgrave Magazine
The Clerk reported that delivery of the first edition of the new Kesgrave Magazine had commenced over the weekend. Thanks were recorded to the Events and Estates Manager, the Chair, and the web designer for their work. Feedback from residents will be gathered and presented at the next meeting to inform a decision on future editions. The update was noted.
13. Devolution/Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)
The Clerk referred to an email update circulated to all Councillors following official confirmation that the LGR proposals for Suffolk have been withdrawn. The update was noted.
14. Other/Urgent Communications
There were no urgent communications.
15. Date of Next Meeting
The date of the next meeting was confirmed as Monday 26 October 2026 at 7.15pm.
16. Agenda Items for Next Meeting
No items were put forward.
17. Resolution to exclude the Public under the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960
Resolved: It was unanimously agreed to exclude the public and press from the remainder of the meeting due to the confidential nature of the business to be transacted.
this part of the meeting finished at 8.15pm
Please note that the Council uses AI to transcribe audio recordings of our meetings to assist in generating minutes. These drafts undergo a thorough human review and correction process by Council staff to ensure the accuracy of the final record.