Meeting Details

Members are invited to a Meeting of the Full Council

to be held in the Deben Conference Room, East Suffolk House, Melton

on Wednesday, 24 September 2025 at 6.30pm

This meeting will be broadcast to the public via the East Suffolk YouTube Channel at https://youtube.com/live/4S3NNrYOXYo?feature=share

To receive apologies for absence, if any.

Members and Officers are invited to make any declarations of interests, and the nature of that interest, that they may have in relation to items on the Agenda and are also reminded to make any declarations at any stage during the Meeting if it becomes apparent that this may be required when a particular item or issue is considered.

To receive any announcements from the Chair, the Leader of the Council, Cabinet Members on matters relating to their portfolio, or the Chief Executive in accordance with paragraph 28.2 of the Council Procedure Rules.

No questions have been submitted by the electorate as provided by paragraph 29.1 of the Council Procedure Rules.

The following question(s) from Members has/have been submitted in pursuance of paragraph 29.4 of the Council Procedure Rules:

Question from Councillor Robert Cawley to Councillor Sally Noble, Cabinet Member with responsibility for the Environment

 I attended the Local Government Association conference in July where participants heard about the successes Solihull has had with their automated recycling plant, the selling of the end waste products, and how they successfully resolved the issue of contamination.

 At July’s Overview and Scrutiny meeting, I highlighted the benefits of investing in technology for a fully automated recycling plant ahead of implementing the planned ‘Simpler Recycling strategy.’

 I appreciate how far we have progressed, however moving to having 5 bins per household for me seems like a costly step backwards. 

 Can this administration halt its current plans and investigate how we can lead the way in east Suffolk in fully automated waste recycling? By successfully replicating Solihull, we could save taxpayers money and make additional financial gains by selling our recycled waste products.

 Question from Councillor James Mallinder to Councillor David Beavan, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Housing

 Would Councillor Beavan agree that the successful building of homes should also incorporate improvements in infrastructure, so communities do not suffer negative impacts from any additional house building? And that due to lack of improvements for the Deben peninsula there shouldn’t be new houses built there until such improvements have been agreed and authorised?

Question from Councillor Amanda Folley to Councillor Sarah Whitelock, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Communities, Culture, Leisure and Tourism

It seems the online system to book an event to be held on East Suffolk land is the same process for a large festival or for a single stall, or playgroup picnic, for example.
 
Though the need to assess risk and ensure safety remains crucial, as a way of encouraging more events and activities, particularly from voluntary groups that may have the capacity to address social isolation, could we look at simplifying the process for very small events?

Question from Councillor Tess Gandy to Councillor Caroline Topping, Leader of the Council

As you will be aware, there have recently been some misinformed comments on social media about Abigail Court and St Peter’s Court in Lowestoft being used to house asylum seekers.
 
As social media operates at speed, how can this council ensure that ‘fake-news’, such as this, is rapidly challenged with the facts?

No petitions have been received as provided by paragraph 30.1 of the Council Procedure Rules.

The following Motion(s) has/have been submitted in pursuance of paragraph 31.1 Council Procedure Rules:

Proposer; Councillor Louise Gooch
Seconder; Councillor Tess Gandy

This Council notes that:

•  Our environmental impact strategic priorities include a focus on reduction, re-use and recycling of materials through our own practices and by encouraging others.
•  In East Suffolk the percentage of household waste sent for recycling or composting remains below target at around 40% of all domestic waste we produce. A key area where we could easily do better is in the recycling of drinks cans and plastic bottles.
•  A simple yet highly effective way to increase recycling and reduce litter is the installation of public reverse vending machines (RVMs) that accept bottles and cans, giving back rewards such as points, money or vouchers. Ubiquitous in many parts of Europe, RVMs are usually part of a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), under which people pay a small deposit when buying a drink and are refunded the deposit when they return the bottle or can for recycling.
•  West Suffolk Council has recently installed RVMs in three Suffolk towns that earn users points for each item recycled. These points are then used to redeem rewards from local and national retailers. The scheme incentivises recycling, reduces the carbon footprint, fosters greater public engagement in environmental initiatives and helps local businesses by encouraging footfall.

 This Council resolves to:

•  Investigate the West Suffolk Council deposit return scheme for cans and plastic bottles with the ambition to adopt the same initiative here.
•  Provide Full Council with a report on the investigation with recommendations within six months.

It is recommended that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.     

• Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

• Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).