Welcome to Sutton Parish Council - Peterborough

SUTTON

Draft Peterborough Local Plan 2016-2036

SUTTON PARISH COUNCIL'S COMMENTS ON THE A47 DUALLING PLANS

Please click here to see Sutton Parish Council's comments on the A47 Dualling Plans



Sutton is a small civil parish - population about 110 - located almost 6 miles to the west of Peterborough in north-west of Cambridgeshire.

Sutton Parish Council comprises five councillors who serve a four year term. The Council normally meets bi-monthly. It holds it’s Annual Parish Council Meeting (at which the Chairman and Vice Chairman are elected) and the Annual Parish Meeting in May.

Parish councils make all manner of decisions on issues that affect the local community. Probably the most common topics that parish councils become involved with are planning matters (they are statutory consultees), crime prevention, managing open spaces and campaigning for, and delivering, better services and facilities.

The schedule of meetings for the coming year are shown on the Agendas & Minutes page. Agendas are posted on village noticeboards and on the website at least three days before each meeting is convened. The venue for all Sutton Parish Council meetings is St. Michael’s Hall (actually the Church nave). The public is welcome, and indeed encouraged, to attend and provision is made at all meetings for public participation.


St Michael & All AngelsSt Michael & All Angels' Church: Nene Way, Sutton, Cambridgeshire, PE5 7XD
This ancient church, dates from the 12th century and was built as a chapel-of-ease to nearby St Kyneburgha’s church, Castor, for the benefit of the villagers of Sutton and to serve Peterborough Abbey’s Grange Farm and manor in the village.

CHAIRMAN'S ANNUAL REPORT 2024

Sutton Parish Council - AGM

14th May 2024

 

Chairman’s Annual Report

 

 

After a record year of rainfall, I write this report in the middle of another warm spring, lets hope the storms and heavy rain is behind us and we can all enjoy our wonderful gardens in the village.

 

A number of us have had the pleasure of welcoming grandchildren into the world and as the cycle of life continues and the sad loss of elderly family members.

 

Following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II we all joined in the various celebrations on the Coronation of The King and The Queen on the 6th May last year. Annual and regular gatherings continue to take place with our Church services, harvest festival, the ever popular residents Christmas drinks and closer to Christmas the village carol service. The community continues to raise funds for our church, charities and support food banks through the Carol singing, Sutton 49ers and the January Quiz night. Many thanks to all those who make these possible.

 

Other gatherings include the monthly Coffee Morning and what seems to be the very regular village ladies Sinners dining and Ginners drinking evenings. Come on gents we need to get our act together!

 

Some residents have moved on and we welcome Donna and Colin Blake at number 4 Graeme Road to the village.

 

We have had a change in the council team with Dr Mike Caskey joining us to replace Ann Burden who stepped down due to personal workload. The council team and I would like to thank Ann for her time and commitment towards the council and village as a whole.

 

The year has once again been very busy for the Parish Council dealing with a number of matters on behalf of the residents:

 

The A47 Dualling

 

It shocked me when I looked back through my old notes to realise my first dealing with National Highways on this was in late 2016. At last in 2023 pre construction work started with further borehole geology and a significant amount of Archaeology surveying. The latest date we have is a late summer start for primary construction when all pre planning conditions will have been fulfilled. We are aware of ongoing funding issues and cost overrunning with all the preliminary work.

 

Wansford Road(Sutton) railway station

 

The A47 dualling project route alignment meant the former WR station building needed to be demolished and 2 groups put forward proposals to move and rebuild the building in a new location. One was within the parish and the other at Rail World in Peterborough. A consistent lack of transparency and legitimate engagement with the Parish Council by both National Highways, who had compulsory purchased the building, and Peterborough Planning Dept was significant. Despite demands by our Ward Councillor, Parish Councils and individuals the decision to award the building to RailWorld was taken. A very sorry tale of local democracy at its worst. Following a considerable amount of time and effort, particularly on the part of resident Robbie Reid, we lost the battle to keep the station in its original home parish.

 

Village Habitat Improvement Project

 

Last year we received a grant of £8600 from Highways England Social Value Fund towards this important environmental project. This is our part in the John Clare Countryside Habitat Improvement project.

Almost 6000 spring flowering bulbs were acquired and planted by residents and volunteers around the village. Over the coming years as they get established we should be proud of our spring display and of course the food it gives to the important insect world.

As part of this project we have also planted over 600 hedging whips and started the process of hedge laying on the west boundary of the recreation field. This ongoing hedge management process will not only provide improved nesting sites for birds but also a secure corridor for small mammals. Once the new pathway and seating along the hedge line is sorted it will provide an excellent vista over the river.

 

Recreation Field

 

As described above we continue to improve the fauna and flora habitat and note new species of plants every year. Thanks to Peter Lee for managing many of the tasks along with supporters from around the village. We have also had support of volunteers from Perkins Engines and Peterborough Road Safety Dept.

Habitat improvements for wildlife also include the human population and we were also awarded another grant for £9900 towards the fabulous gazebo we can now see alongside the eastern footpath. To complete this we need to purchase the new seating for the interior which should be in place within a few weeks

 

Field Garden Allotments Sale(South Allotment)

 

Progress on this has been very slow due to land registry complications however, I am pleased to confirm this is now completed allowing us to proceed with sale of the land.

 

The Proposed Muslim Burial Ground

 

Following a residents meeting on this subject it was decided to set up a sub group to the Parish Council to look into the establishment of a village Neighbourhood plan(see next section). Following some conversations with both the land owner and the burial ground management company everything has gone very quiet. To date no pre planning application has been made but we know this issue has not gone away and we will continue challenging this as appropriate.

 

Peterborough Local Plan and Sutton Neighbourhood Plan

 

At the same time the Muslim Burial Ground arose Peterborough City Council(PCC) began the process of reviewing its 30 year Local Plan. As part of the review process and to increase the potential housing bank, during the call for “new land sites” for development, over 60 plots have been put forward by land owners adjacent to the village boundary. Additionally and partly within the parish boundary to the north of the A47, land to provide over 5000 homes and some employment areas has been put forward during the call for land process.

 

With the pressures from the above the Sutton Neighbourhood Planning(SNP) team was established in June last year as a semi-independent extension of the Parish Council to focus on a Neighbourhood Plan which would give us a greater say in potential planning development in and around the village.

To spread the workload Simon Scriven agreed to chair the SNP team of 4 other residents and 2 members of the parish council. Meeting of the group takes place every few weeks and the first major output has been the first public meeting and SNP Questionnaire, the results of which are currently being analysed and summarised before being released to the residents. It was pleasing to see that over 95% of the residents responded and the results will set the direction and contents for the first draft of a plan.

 

 

Other ongoing challenges:

 

      Rabbit population control.

      Litter, now a regular thanks to our resident “Wombles of Sutton” for the ongoing clearing of rubbish.

      Fly Tipping, again an improvement on previous years especially at Muck Hole Corner since the hedging was opened up and cleared.

      Speeding in and around the village especially with delivery drivers and trades people working at various residents.

      Reading Room replacement.

      Although this has improved, sadly dog poop left around the village and in the recreation field is still an issue.

 

 

Enjoy the summer and the rest of the year

 

Mick Grange

 

Chairman - Sutton Parish Council

 

 


PARISH COUNCILLOR INFORMATION

MAKING A COMPLAINT ABOUT A PARISH COUNCILLOR

To make a complaint about a councillor you must use the complaints form attached. To process a complaint, a complaint form must be completed and returned to the Monitoring Officer by email or post using the contact details below.

ComplaintAgainstACouncillorGuidanceJan2021268KB–pdf

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CouncillorComplaintForm2018185KB–pdf

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Confidentiality guidance for complaints34KB–pdf

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LINK TO REGISTER OF INTERESTS OF PARISH COUNCILLORS

 

https://democracy.peterborough.gov.uk/mgParishCouncilDetails.aspx?bcr=1

 

SUTTON TOWNLANDS CHARITY

THE SUTTON TOWNLANDS CHARITY A report to the Sutton Parish Council – May 2021. The Sutton Townlands Charity (“the Charity”) is registered with the Charity Commission (registration number 204122) and was formed in the first half of the 19th century “for the benefit of the Poor in Sutton”. Its current charitable purpose is recorded by way of a Notice under the Charities Act of 1985: - “The relief of persons normally resident in the Parish of Sutton who are in conditions of need, hardship or distress….”. The Charity has two trustees (“the Trustees”) Simon Scriven and Anne Grange. The Parish Council appoints each trustee, and his or her re-appointment is subject to Council approval every three years. The fixed assets of the Charity consist of a parcel of land, of approximately 6 acres, to the north of the village adjoining the boundary of Willowhayne. The land is farmed and provides an annual rent to the Charity which is paid in two half-yearly instalments. The financial assets of the Charity comprise: - 1. 1275.13 Units in the COIF Charities Income Fund. The bid market value of one unit as at 31.3.21 was 1790p, giving the Charity’s investment a bid market value at that date of £22,814. 2. The balance of £26,334. (as at 31.3.21) held in a COIF Charities Deposit Fund. 3. A cash balance held with HSBC, standing at £657 at 1.5.21. Dividends from the Income Fund are transferred quarterly to the Deposit Fund. The COIF Income and Deposit funds are managed by CCLA Investment Management Ltd, which is one of the UK’s largest charity fund managers. It is the intention of the Trustees to transfer the Charity’s investment in the Income Fund to the CCLA’s Ethical Investment Fund at the end of May 2021. As its name suggests, the Ethical Fund restricts the scope for investment, for example limiting the amount of investment in companies extracting non-renewable sources of energy. There have been few calls on the Charity’s resources in recent years as, fortunately, there are few residents of Sutton who have suffered genuine need, hardship or distress, but the Charity has each year bought a supply of coal for one resident to provide warmth over winter. There are tight restrictions in the application of the Charity’s funds which need to be observed, and the Trustees hope that given the small size of the village they will become aware of any qualifying causes as they arise. However, they would welcome any information in that respect that the Council may gather from time to time