Meeting Details

The Chair of the Council

The Chair introduced Councillor Byatt who paid tribute to Stella Bostock, a previous Labour Councillor and the first female Chair of Waveney District Council. The Chair held a minute's silence in remembrance of Ms Bostock.

 The Chair attended the following events since the previous Full Council meeting:

• The Reeve of Bungay’s Town Dinner at Bungay Community Centre on 28 November.
• The Youth Council’s Annual Meeting at East Suffolk House on 10 December.
• The Youth Council’s meeting with East Suffolk MPs to discuss Flooding on 23 January.

The Vice Chair of the Council

 The Vice Chair attended the following events since the previous Full Council meeting:

• Mayor of Ipswich - A festive afternoon at the Mansion with the Mayor at Christchurch Mansion on   7 December.
• A Suffolk Christmas Carol Service with HM Lord-Lieutenant, Clare Countess of Euston at St Edmundsbury Cathedral on 10 December.
• Chair of Babergh's Burns Supper and Ceilidh at Stoke by Nayland Resort on 23 January.

The Leader's Announcements

The Leader congratulated the Chair of the Youth Council on being re-elected and the Vice Chair of the Youth Council on being elected. The Leader noted that Mid-Suffolk Council had viewed the Youth Council meeting and had adopted the model themselves.

With effect from 14 January Councillor Wilson moved to be Assistant Cabinet Member for Councillor Langdon-Morris. The Transport and Economic Development Portfolio previously held by Councillor Wilson will be split up. Car park fees and charges will sit with Resources and Value for Money. Skills will sit with Communities, Culture, Leisure and Tourism. The remaining regeneration and development would sit with the Leader and Deputy Leader.

With effect from the 14 January Councillor Clery would be assistant Cabinet Member to the Leader alongside Councillor Bennett. 

The Leader expressed support for Ipswich's bid to become UK City of Culture. 

The Decision Wheel motion had been considered by Cabinet on 2 December and they had agreed not to take this forward due to the outcome of LGR being unknown. The decision wheel would be added to the corporate project management framework for officers to use internally.

The Housing Improvement Oversight Board had been created, this would be chaired by Councillor Topping, and included Councillor Langdon-Morris, Councillor Ashton and Councillor Beavan. 

Cabinet Member Announcements

Councillor Packard stated that the Building Control National Awards had been held on 23 January and two companies in East Suffolk had received awards, Hoare, Ridge and Morris in Snape and Duncan and Son in Reydon.

Councillor Packard stated that the Council was continuing to work with residents in Thorpeness and would be funding demolition costs alongside the Environment Agency. An oversight board was meeting weekly to progress things on the ground. Councillor Packard noted that £18million had been allocated to Suffolk, Norfolk and East Yorkshire to fund coastal adaptations. 

Councillor Ashton stated that the Council's new website was now live and thanked officers for their work. Councillor Ashton noted that the website contained a wealth of information for residents and businesses, and if anything was found to be out of date this should be raised with the IT team.

Councillor Ashton stated that the IT team had presented the Council's dashboard to the Office for National Statistics and congratulated the team on this endorsement of their approach to sharing data. 

Councillor Noble stated that new bins and caddies for the Better Recycling scheme would be delivered in the next few weeks, starting with the south and then the north. Information leaflets would also be delivered to residents. 

Councillor Noble stated there was a campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of ring frisbees to marine wildlife, especially seals, and signage about this would be put up on beaches to encourage people to use different types of frisbees.

Councillor Whitelock stated that 2026 was the National Year of Reading. A number of events would be running throughout the year, and Councillor Whitelock encouraged Councillors to support any schemes in their area. 

The Chief Executive made no announcements. 

P17 of the minutes should be amended to reflect Councillor Starling left the room at 20:25 not Councillor Scrancher. 

On the proposition of Councillor Topping, seconded by Councillor Daly it was unanimously

RESOLVED

 
That the minutes of the meeting held on 26 November 2025 as amended be agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

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

Protecting and Promoting Hare Populations in East Suffolk

Proposer: Councillor James Mallinder
Seconder: Councillor Colin Hedgley


This Council notes that:

Brown hares are an iconic species of the British countryside and a "Species of Principal Importance" under various environmental bodies. Hare populations in the UK have declined by an estimated 80% over the past century due to habitat loss, changes in agricultural practices, and illegal activities.

The protection of biodiversity is a core responsibility of local government, particularly considering the Council’s declared biodiversity and ecological emergency.

 Thriving hare populations are an indicator of a healthy, well-managed rural landscape. Illegal hare coursing remains a significant issue in areas across East Suffolk, causing distress to rural residents, damage to farmers' crops/fences, and extreme cruelty to wildlife.

 Supporting our local farming community in their efforts to deter illegal coursing is essential for both animal welfare and rural security.

 

This Council resolves to:

Promote Biodiversity: Encourage the cabinet member for environment to work with local landowners and the wildlife groups to identify and protect key hare habitats within the district’s local plan and green infrastructure strategies.

Support Law Enforcement: Write to the Police and Crime Commissioner to reaffirm the council's support for the National Wildlife Crime Unit and local rural crime teams in their use of legislation to prosecute coursers.

 Sustainable Farming: Encourage the use of the sustainable farming techniques among local farmers to create "hare-friendly" environments, such as field margins and winter cover.

 Public Awareness: Launch a seasonal "Protect Our Hares" campaign on council social media to educate residents on how to spot and safely report suspected hare coursing to the police.

Councillor Mallinder introduced the motion. The Councillor stated that a crossroads had been reached regarding local biodiversity. Once a common sight across fields, the UK hare populations had declined by an estimated 80% over the last century.

In East Suffolk populations have declined for a number of reasons 

1. The pressures of habitat fragmentation, 
2. Intensive farming
3. The illegal activity of hare coursing  

Councillor Mallinder addressed habitat first, the Local Plan and our "Nature Recovery Networks" must be more than just lines on a map. Hares required a mosaic of habitats—fallow fields, hedgerows, and woodland edges.

When working with the pressure to meet new 2026 housing targets, the Council must ensure that "Biodiversity Net Gain" was not just a box-ticking exercise. Councillor Mallinder added that genuine wildlife corridors were needed which allowed hares to move safely across the district without being trapped in "islands" of green surrounded by concrete.

The second area to address was illegal hare coursing which according to Councillor Mallinder was not just a "rural nuisance"; it was organized crime that caused immense suffering to animals and brings intimidation to farming communities. While colleagues in Suffolk Police work hard on rural crime, the Councillor recognised their resources were stretched and the Council must use its platform to demand sustained funding for rural policing. 

Councillor Mallinder stated that a clear message should be sent - East Suffolk is a hostile environment for wildlife criminals.

Councillor Mallinder added that the council should lead by example and called for a review of land management policies. Which included the verges which are mowed to the parks the Council manage. "Hare-friendly Zones" should be created and small changes — such as adjusted mowing schedules and the planting of diverse habitat —could make the difference between a hare surviving the winter or perishing. 

Councillor Mallinder concluded that the Council had a strong role to play in using resources to highlight public awareness and proposed a new seasonal project focused on Hares. This would mainly run through social media with an important focus on educating residents about the Hare (an amazing creature), how to spot and respect the hare in its natural habitat and of how to report any evidence of hare coursing. 

Councillor Hedgley was pleased to second motion.

Councillor Noble welcomed the motion and recognised the terrible crime of hare coursing. 

Councillor Gooch was supportive of the motion and highlighted several press articles relating to hare coursing and local policing. 

Councillor Ewart discussed solar farms which could be connected to the motion regarding the breaking up of habitats and the alteration of vegetation. 

Councillor Leach urged that any campaign did not name the locations as it could encourage hare coursing and tourists.

Councillor Byatt supported the motion and described a personal experience of witnessing a hare coursing event.

It was put to the vote, and the motion was unanimously passed. 

The East Suffolk Youth Council Chair discussed the Youth Council’s annual meeting in which the Chair the was re-elected and a new Vice Chair was elected. 

The Chair discussed the recent online meeting with MPs where they discussed issues of flooding and the tidal barrier. A parliamentary visit was being planned for 6 March 2026. The Chair and Vice Chair thanked the Council for their ongoing support

The Chair highlighted that Mid Suffolk District Council were looking to develop their own Youth Council, using East Suffolk as a guide. 

The Vice Chair introduced the motion.

The following motion has been received from East Suffolk Youth Council in pursuance of paragraph 31.2 of the Council procedure rules:

East Suffolk Youth Council Community and Cohesion Motion – December 2025

This Council notes that:

Prejudice, discrimination and hate crimes against people because of their age, gender, disability, race, religion, sex and or sexual orientation has become increasingly common in the past year across England, Suffolk and East Suffolk.

There is a lack of clear information, including statistics, regarding gender identity and sexual orientation for people living or working in East Suffolk.

 The internet, especially social media, spreads misinformation about the nine protected characteristic groups as laid out by the Equality Act 2010.

 East Suffolk Council already remains committed to considering the needs of the nine protected characteristic groups identified in the Equality Act 2010, plus socio-economic disadvantage, which is a key concern in East Suffolk. It also is responsible for fostering good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not share it.

 East Suffolk, compared to other districts, lacks diversity, with only 4.2% having a non-UK identity, and 96.2% being white.

 Immigrants help to fill useful gaps in UK public services such as the NHS. For example, more than 17% of NHS staff and 27% of nurses are from overseas. The NHS currently has 100,000+ vacancies, and immigrants and their families help to fill these gaps, contributing to the UK State.  Non-EEA (non-European Economic Area) immigrants, on average, contribute around £341,000 each to UK public finances.

 Meanwhile, at a time where there has been an increase in reported incidents of discriminatory behaviour, many local residents have expressed concerns with the appearance of flags in public spaces and are concerned about what might be the intended sentiment behind it. In other parts of the country this has led minority ethnic communities to feel intimidated and excluded.

 While patriotism is welcome, concerns remain around whether proper permissions were always obtained before flags were flown on public land, and around who will be responsible for maintaining the flags in good condition, removing any flags no longer fit to fly, and mitigating any environmental impacts.

 The four fundamental British values are democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance for those of different faiths and beliefs.

East Suffolk Youth Council resolves to:

Write to Councillor Nadia Cenci, Suffolk County Council Cabinet Member for Communities, and the Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP, as Minister for Women and Equalities, to hear East Suffolk Youth Council’s perspective on the issues presented above, and to actively promote British values and a sense of unity.

East Suffolk Youth Council resolves to call on East Suffolk Council to:

Involve East Suffolk Youth Council in the current work to develop an East Suffolk Community Cohesion Action Plan, to ensure that the youth perspective is adequately represented.

Consider including the following actions in the East Suffolk Community Cohesion Action plan:

 Creating resources for students and staff in schools to educate people about microaggressions, derogatory language and how to confront discrimination to build constructive conversations around differing opinions.

 Disseminating information widely about how to report hate crimes and hate incidents, and ensuring people feel safe to use these mechanisms and confident that they will be dealt with sensitively and effectively.

 Promoting local positive stories about those who fall under one or more of the protected characteristic groups as laid out by the Equality Act 2010 in East Suffolk Council communications, particularly during times such as Pride Month, Black History Month and Windrush Day.

 Sharing (with permission) the experiences of these community members with discrimination in order to promote underrepresented voices and encourage understanding.

 Combatting online rhetoric with ‘mythbusting’ information to mitigate the impacts of misconceptions, stereotypes and fake news.

 Promoting British Values wherever appropriate to cultivate a greater sense of togetherness and community cohesion across East Suffolk.

 Working with a wide range of partners to deliver practical projects that build unity and celebrate diversity.

Councillor Graham discussed the Youth Council’s desire to look at issues impacting the local community and social media. The Youth Council had decided to take their concerns into their motion. Councillor Graham commented that the Community Team was impressed with the ideas presented and some will be taken forward for further exploration with ongoing work. 

Councillor Ewart welcomed the new Vice Chair and recognised the engagement and commitment of the Youth Council. The Councillor added that more clarity would be required with clear definitions, deliverables and leads roles must be understood. 

Regarding the proposal to write a letter, it would need strong evidence and clear purpose. Councillor Ewart encouraged the Youth Council to utilise the Suffolk Observatory for research and data collection. 

Councillor Topping confirmed that Full Council were not adopting a motion of Full Council. Councillor Graham added that there was work already taking place.

Councillor Byatt welcomed the Chair back for another year and welcomed the new Vice Chair in their role. Councillor Byatt welcomed the awareness being brought to important and complex issues. He encouraged the Youth Council to engage with Community Partnerships where appropriate and consider the Pride of Place scheme which they could also become involved with. 

The Leader introduced report ES-2680 which related to the Community Governance Review 2026.

East Suffolk Council received requests from three town and parish councils to conduct a review of the number of councillors representing the council.  Aldeburgh Town Council and Bramfield and Thorington Parish Council had requested a reduction in councillor numbers and Eyke Parish Council had requested an increase in the number of councillors representing the parish.

A Community Governance Review should be undertaken in those areas to ascertain whether these changes in council size would provide for cohesive communities, improved community engagement, better local democracy and result in improved effective and convenient delivery of local services.

Public consultation would be a key part of the review allowing the local community, elected representatives and other stakeholders to engage in the process. The Terms of Reference and timetable were included in the report.

Councillor Topping concluded that she believed that Aldeburgh now wished to retain the number of Councillors they had.

Councillor Ashton added that it can be challenging for Town and Parish councils to remain quorate as numbers are smaller and if sickness or issues arise meetings can easily not be quorate.

On the proposition of Councillor Topping, seconded by Councillor Ashton it was unanimously

RESOLVED

That Full Council:

1. Agreed to the commencement of the community governance review for Aldeburgh Town Council, Bramfield and Thorington Parish Council and Eyke Parish Council.

2. Approved the terms of reference for the community governance review (Appendix A to the report)

Full Council received report ES-2681 which was presented by Councillor Topping, Leader of the Council, and provided individual Cabinet Members' reports of their areas of responsibility, as well as reports from those Members appointed to represent East Suffolk Council on Outside Bodies. The Leader stated that the written reports could be taken as read and she invited relevant questions on their contents.

Councillor Deacon sought clarification on the number of Sizewell C Community Safety Officers that have been employed (in addition to Sizewell C Community Safety Team) and what issues of anti-social behaviour (ASB) or safety issues were anticipated.  

 Councillor Candy responded that the officers were building positive relationships between the teams. There was a Community Safety Plan in development with partners, including the police. Councillor Candy would report back on the numbers of officers and issues anticipated. 

Councillor Byatt raised the face-to-face contact with Customer Service staff and queried the nature of enquiries and usage. Councillor Byatt also queried if there was a need to consider evening and weekend opening hours.

Councillor Ashton responded that he would provide a written answer outside of the meeting, however usage varied and he would take consideration to extended opening hours.

Councillor Jepson queried whether the quotation process had concluded for the new car parking signage and was the work on track for completion.

Councillor Ashton responded that he would come back with an answer outside of the meeting as he had just taken over the service area. 

Councillor Folley commented on the colours of the new parking signage which was not considered to be accessible for people with colour blindness or other disabilities. The Councillor queried if there was time to feedback regarding the colour scheme. Councillor Ashton confirmed he would find and provide a response.

Councillor Byatt queried if there was going to be an option for car park users to pay via direct debit to avoid paying the app charges. Councillor Ashton confirmed he would find and provide a response outside of the meeting. 

On the proposition of Councillor Dr Speca, seconded by Councillor Fisher it was unanimously 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.