Creeting St Peter: we may be small, but we’re perfectly formed...

It’s certainly a cold and frosty evening in the Creetings, but regardless, Parish Council got through, with me in the role of compère and continuity.

We weren’t at full strength due to illness and injury, but with the need to adopt a budget for 2019/20, and to set a precept, I was keen to get through the business briskly.

A very prompt start as the clock reached the half-hour, and we were off, racing through apologies, declarations of interest and applications for dispensations (none of the latter two, I’m pleased to note), before we adopted the minutes - it’s so much easier when Council read them in advance - allowing us to move on to the County and District Councillor reports.

As usual, Keith Welham had submitted, well in advance, his detailed report, which he added to with some last minute updates, and, as usual, we didn’t get a report from our County Councillor, although he had e-mailed a very last minute apology for absence.

We’ll miss Keith after the election, but boundary changes have separated Stowupland and Creeting St Peter, and he has not unreasonably chosen to contest the ward he lives in. Instead, we’ll have the two new councillors for Needham Market, who will hopefully be friendly.

We had already considered a draft budget in November, and with little need for alterations apparent, it was adopted without further discussion. This means that we’ll be seeking an increase in our share of the Council Tax which feels about right, close to the level of inflation.

There is little progress on the planning front, although we were slightly surprised to hear that the application to put signs up on the A1120 link road had been refused. It is, I admit, not something that bothered us either way, as it is more of a concern for residents of Cedars Park, but it is vaguely reassuring to know that the District Council don’t just wave everything through.

And that was pretty much that, apart from a few items of any other business, including the leak affecting Pound Road heading south from the village - particularly treacherous in icy conditions. Anglian Water rather need to do something about that...

The meeting was wrapped up in thirty-three minutes, in line with my stance that I’d rather have Councillors free to spend their time productively, and to enjoy their young families. As long as everyone has a meaningful opportunity to express themselves, and that we can discuss issues fully...