June 2010

TOWN AFFAIRS

At the meeting of Southwold Town Council held on 27th April 2010

Policing and . . .

PC Sadler introduced new members of his team to the meeting, and then informed it that there had been eight reported crimes since the time of the last Town Council meeting, as follows:

• One case of theft of purse from a handbag.

• One case of criminal damage to the door of a pub.

• One case of theft of a battery from a tractor in the Harbour area.

• One case of fire extinguishers being let off in the camp site.

• One case of ‘road rage’ over car parking space.

• One case of vandalism to beach hut.

• One case of theft at a business premises.

• One case of theft of a black wheelie bin from a dwelling.

He noted that there had been exactly the same number of reported crimes for the same periods in both 2008 and 2009, although those in the last two years were more serious than those of the current period.

PC Sadler was informed by councillors of parties and various other dubious goings on at the Denes. Cllr Miller asked about a reported incident between two buses from a local bus company in the Pier car park. PC Sadler explained that a local bus company appeared to have been given permission by Waveney to park in the car park free of charge, while coaches had to pay a charge. Cllr Bryant felt this was ridiculous from a local point of view. The meeting was not happy about it: in the summer, there would be many coaches using the car park. There would not be enough room for both these and buses from the local bus company. It was agreed that Waveney and the bus company be approached about the agreement.

Planning

The following planning recommendations were made by the meeting:

Approval recommended

• The Adnams Brewery off East Green (provision of 'copper house' distillery, including alterations to façade and roof).

• 14A St Edmunds Road (construction of two-storey side and single-storey rear extensions, insertion of rear dormer window to facilitate loft conversion and erection of replacement detached garage).

• Co-op Supermarket (formerly Somerfield), 2 Market Place (provision of automatic doors, relocation of existing condenser units and provision of bollards in car park area), although concern was expressed that work had appeared to have already started on this before the application had been considered.

Other areas of discussion

The meeting explored ideas for enhancing Church Green. There was not much of a consensus about whether and where to cut another entrance in the hedge. It was noted that a big problem was that it was right next door to the toilets – Cllr Ladd quipped that users of the Green would probably need an umbrella when sitting down. In the end, it was agreed that a new entrance be cut at the end nearest the school, with a town councillor in attendance, and that improvements be requested to be made to the hedge and fence near the toilets.

Councillors were not delighted with a letter from Suffolk about the proposed cycle track from the Bailey Bridge to Carnsey Road. In it, Suffolk made the request that the work on the Harbour be given priority and that the application for the cycle track be dropped until this was completed, and then a reapplication be made. It noted that this would cause a further delay and then suggested an alternate route through the railway cutting. This was because the Environment Agency had concerns about the original cycle track route having an impact on river walls and this would mean it would be unlikely to get planning permission. Cllr Miller felt this would lead to continuing delays and was not happy with the alternate route across the Common. He felt this would be a disaster for pedestrians. The meeting agreed.

The meeting was puzzled and concerned about the Great Tour cycling event due to visit Southwold on 11th July 2010. It was felt that the organisers had not given enough information about it. It was agreed to approach them for more, particularly as this could have implications for congestion in the town at the busiest time of the year.

At the Annual Meeting of Southwold Town Council held on 17th May 2010

A new Mayoral team

The meeting agreed that Cllr Sue Allen be the Town Mayor for the year to come and Cllr Sue Doy act as her deputy. The new Town Mayor was delighted – she had been Mayor before and that had been a fantastic time. She would represent the area to the best of her abilities. She paid fulsome tribute to the outgoing Mayor (Cllr Doy), saying that she would be a difficult act to follow.

More planning

The meeting made the following decisions:

Approval recommended

• Former Stable Cottage and Dray Stables, Mill Lane (discharge of conditions 3, 6, 7, 8 and 11 of DC/09/0690/FUL), although there was some concern about how condition 7 (protection of nesting habitat for swallows) was being met and assurance was being sought.

• 1 Church Street (conversion of building to one cottage, construction of single-storey rear extension and reconstruction of outhouse).

Refusal recommended

• Gun Hill House (construction of two-storey extension porch, new bay and conservatory, roof conversion and belvedere) on the grounds of overdevelopment and overlooking neighbouring properties. Objections had been received. Cllr Windell was also not happy about the lack of detail in the application. He would have liked to have been able to make a more detailed objection.

The word from Waveney

The meeting was informed that Waveney had given its approval to the proposed developments at 6 Field Stile Road, 10 Pier Avenue, 60A Victoria Street, 2 Market Place (signage), 27 Ferry Road, 2 North Green and 15 Victoria Street. With 2 Market Place, it was agreed to get clarification about what had been agreed to; hopefully not an illuminated sign as this was in a Conservation Area and it was necessary to stick to it.

Other matters of note

The meeting noted that Victoria Street would be temporarily closed between 24th and 28th May and that Church Street would be closed between 17th May and 18th July for work on 1 Church Street. The meeting was supportive of the latter closure; it welcomed the work was being done on 1 Church Street and that the closure would be manageable, particularly if, as the Town Mayor suggested, all the builders’ vehicles could be kept in Church Street in this period. That said, a watchful eye would be kept and, if it looked as if the work was going to overrun the two-month period, the Town Council express its concerns to Suffolk.

Cllr Tobin had received an e-mail deploring the state of the hoardings around the empty site of the former garage. Apparently their shabbiness was being commented on by visitors. Cllr Tobin felt they did clash with the improvements in the area (the new Town Sign, the Stella Peskett Millennium Hall, the work on the railings and the renovation of the Town Council’s own properties). Cllr Ladd agreed – something had to be done as it was at the entrance to the town and they should not have to put up with it, particularly as this might not change for some time. At least the hoardings had not been sold for advertising! The meeting followed Cllr Tobin’s suggestion that the Town Council find out who owned it and suggest that the hoardings be replaced with wooden fencing.

The meeting gave its approval to a request from the Southwold & Reydon Corps of Drums to perform the Sunset Ceremony on South Green on Saturday, 28th August. The Town Mayor felt it was good to see the Ceremony back after an absence of some years.

There was good news to report with the Kilcock Cliff Toilets. Suffolk County Cllr Goldsmith had arranged for £2,000 from Suffolk’s Locality Fund to be spent on the Toilets.

The meeting welcomed the new Town Sign. Cllr Tucker was thanked for her efforts in getting this to completion and Cllr Betts for funding the seagull on top. The Town Mayor was an unapologetic supporter of it and felt that it would do Southwold a lot of good and that it was a lot of fun. It was agreed that a plaque be placed stating who had unveiled it and when. It was also agreed to look into a competition to name the seagull, with the funds going to the outside of the Millennium Hall.

The new Town Mayor was not happy about the confused situation with the Marshes (letters from Waveney to its tenants informing them of the imminent changes had apparently gone astray), which was holding up their transfer back to the Town Council. This was also delaying the handover of the Kilcock Cliff Toilets, the Klondyke and the Putting Green from Waveney to the Town Council that was meant to have happened on 1st April. She was going to try to get things moving again at a meeting about the Marshes to be held the next day.