And so I attended my first Annual Parish Meeting, attended by a crowd far larger than that which attended last year's event. The Church Hall which, curiously, is quite some distance from the church, echoed to the voices of eleven attendees.The minutes of the previous meeting were approved before moving onto reports. First up was the report from Suffolk Police, who advised that we had suffered from four crimes in the past year, two of which affected the same business premises.
Next up was our Conservative County Councillor, Gary Green, who talked about the review of unitary status and the (insufficent) steps that the County Council is taking with regard to the economic crisis. He confirmed that the Chief Executive is working part-time for another (failing) local authority, but that she is doing this in her spare time.
Cllr. Caroline Byles presented the Mid Suffolk District Council report, which included news that free swimming for the under-16's and over-60's has been introduced in Stowmarket. In addition, the fencing on Footpath 25 to the church requires repair. Neither the District or County Councils are accepting responsibility, and it was felt likely that either the landowner or the Highways Agency. There will also be a diversion of Footpath 15, and the Parish Council were keen to ensure that it was properly signposted.
Cllr Byles raised the spectre of lightning squatters on unoccupied land. An incident of this kind happened in Essex recently, and she gave us the lowdown on who to contact if such a thing were to happen in our lovely village.
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