At each Cabinet meeting, up to 15 minutes shall be allocated for questions or statements from and discussion with, non-Cabinet members. Members wishing to speak during this session are encouraged to give notice in advance. Who speaks and for how long will be at the complete discretion of the person presiding.
Minutes:
The following non-Cabinet members spoke under this item:
1. Councillor Andy Neal (Customer access at the Mildenhall Hub)
Councillor Andy Neal (Ward Member for Mildenhall Queensway)addressed the Cabinet with regards to the public being able to access West Suffolk Council services at the Mildenhall Hub.
Councillor Neal stated that the Mildenhall Hub was a flagship facility and commended its success. However, he wished to raise his residents’ concerns regarding the absence of face-to-face representation from West Suffolk Council Officers at the facility. Prior to the construction of the Hub, ‘face-to-face’ services were available at both the Council Offices located at College Heath Road and at the Mildenhall Bus Station. If possible, he asked if it would be possible for a ‘Help-desk’ facility to be provided at the Hub (possibly for two days a week), where West Suffolk Council Officers could help residents with their queries.
Therefore, Councillor Neal asked the Cabinet to give future consideration of a ‘Help-desk’ facility being made available at the Mildenhall Hub.
The Chair thanked Councillor Neal for attending Cabinet and then asked Councillor Robert Everitt (Portfolio Holder for Families and Communities) to respond directly.
In response, Councillor Robert Everitt firstly wished to commend the Mildenhall Hub as an excellent public facility. He thanked Councillor Neal for attending this Cabinet meeting and raising these concerns. Councillor Everitt reassured Councillor Neal and the local residents that support and advice was provided from Mildenhall Hub. Public access to West Suffolk Council services was provided by telephone and computers on site or through a pre-booked appointment. A Hub Host service was provided on-site covering all co-located partner services. If members of the public wanted to discuss matters with Council staff and would prefer to do so face-to-face, then that absolutely could be arranged and at a time convenient to the customer. There were staff working across West Suffolk from various locations, so it was always best to arrange appointments rather than arriving at the Hub and finding that staff were on-site elsewhere. The vast majority of people preferred to contact the Council on-line or via the telephone, but appointments could be arranged for those that needed one.
In addition, Councillor Everitt also referred to the consultation which had been undertaken with regards to the future provision of the Council’s Customer Service Access Points (and which had been previously approved by Cabinet). Councillor Everitt considered that because of the arrangements in place, there was not a specific need for Officers to be available on a general ‘meet and greet’ basis and that the process for making appointments to speak with Officers was more efficient and effective.
Councillor Andy Neal thanked Councillor Everitt for his response and would reassure his residents that the operation of the appointment process allowed the public to continue to be able to meet with West Suffolk Council staff ‘face-to-face’.
2. Councillor Brian Harvey (Agenda Item 6 (Report number CAB/WS/22/012): Sunnica Energy Farm Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project: Draft Relevant Representation)
Councillor Brian Harvey declared a local non pecuniary interest being the Ward Member for Manor (which included the parishes of Worlington and Freckenham who would be directly affected by this proposal) and also being a resident of Worlington.
Councillor Harvey addressed the Cabinet and explained that, if constructed, this scheme would become the largest solar panel, battery storage and regeneration farm within the UK, of some 500MW capacity and encompassing some 3,700 acres of farmland, straddling both East Cambridgeshire and West Suffolk. Therefore, the sheer size of this proposal would effectively change the local rural community / landscape forever.
Recent public opinion surveys which had been taken across all parishes within the affected areas, showed that 90% of residents opposed the current Sunnica scheme. However, the survey also revealed that local residents were not opposed to the solar energy agenda and fully supported the need for climate changes. If approved, this project would have a consequential impact, not only upon local residents, but also upon local businesses, such as the local anaerobic digestion plant, with its gas production connecting directly to the National Grid.
Despite various requests from the local MPs, Sunnica had failed to engage with local residents, since the launch in 2019. By invitation, last week, Sunnica had attended a public meeting at Red Lodge, with over 100 local residents present, together with the local TV news channels. After the presentation by Sunnica, residents had the opportunity to raise their concerns over their proposals. In particular, issues relating to the capacity and siting of the battery storage containers, shown to be located and installed on a 45 acre site, adjacent to Elms Road, directly opposite the new Red Lodge housing development and primary school. Unfortunately, when challenged on these issues, Sunnica were unable to provide any clear answers or details as to the size and type of batteries to be installed.
Councillor Harvey also explained that during the COVID-19 lock-down period there had been several local resident ‘virtual’ meetings, in addition to meetings with the Parish Council Alliance and the ‘No to Sunnica’ Action Group. In addition, regular briefings had also been held with West Suffolk Council’s Portfolio Holder and Planning Officers, with the Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service and Suffolk Highways.
With such a major project, being approved by the Secretary of State without detailed proposals and designs contained within the final submission, then the subsequent reviews and the final approval could fall back to the four local authorities as the project proceeded, which could be an inherent cost to all of these Councils.
Councillor Harvey concluded by stating that Suffolk County Council had submitted its Relevant Representation, which he fully supported. Therefore, he also strongly recommended that the West Suffolk Council Relevant Representation, as presented within the agenda papers, also be fully supported by the Cabinet.
The Chair thanked Councillor Harvey for attending Cabinet and noted his concerns. The item would be considered in detail later in the meeting under Agenda Item 6.
3. Councillor Lance Stanbury (Agenda Item 6 (Report number CAB/WS/22/012): Sunnica Energy Farm Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project: Draft Relevant Representation)
Councillor Lance Stanbury declared a local non pecuniary interest being the District Council Ward Member for The Rows and the Suffolk County Councillor for the Mildenhall Division (which included the parishes of Worlington and Freckenham who would be directly affected by this proposal).
Councillor Stanbury addressed the Cabinet with regards to this item and firstly acknowledged that it was a difficult time to speak out against a proposal for solar energy, given not least, the fact that the country wanted to achieve net zero, but also with the current situation in Europe and the effect on energy prices. However, this should not mean that schemes should be accepted ‘at any cost’.
Councillor Stanbury wished to make it abundantly clear that this scheme was a speculative investment opportunity for Sunnica, who were an investment company. Sunnica were looking for sites all over the country and had found a potential opportunity within this local area to submit an application of this kind. As this was an investment company, then assumptions could be made that at least half of the income generated would go abroad and there would be no local benefit whatsoever. All of the money spent and all of the work over the years and yet Sunnica had indicated that there would only be 17 full time jobs actually created from this project. Not only would it hugely disrupt local people, it would also affect the countryside habitats within the area as well.
Councillor Stanbury explained that Sunnica were intending to generate energy during the daytime and take in the cheaper energy at night and then sell for a higher price during the daytime. In order to be able to achieve this, Sunnica were proposing the untested battery storage system, which had also been acknowledged by Sunnica themselves. As a consequence, these could be a potential fire risk for the local community.
In conclusion, Councillor Stanbury stated that the Suffolk County Council Cabinet, at their recent meeting, had objected to this particular scheme, within their Relevant Representation and urged the West Suffolk Council Cabinet to do exactly the same.
The Chair thanked Councillor Stanbury for attending Cabinet and noted his concerns. The item would be considered in detail later in the meeting under Agenda Item 6.
4. Councillor Rachel Hood (Agenda Item 6 (Report number CAB/WS/22/012): Sunnica Energy Farm Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project: Draft Relevant Representation)
Councillor Rachel Hood declared a local non pecuniary interest being a Newmarket Town Councillor, the District Council Ward Member for Newmarket East, Suffolk County Councillor for the Exning and Newmarket Division, Suffolk County Council Cabinet Member and a resident of Newmarket.
Councillor Hood endorsed the previous comments made by Councillors Harvey and Stanbury and also commended the proposed West Suffolk Council Relevant Representation, as set out within the agenda papers. She stated that the provision of green energy was supported, but this scheme could not be.
Both Exning Parish Council and Newmarket Town Council were unanimous in their opposition to this scheme. The size of the scheme was monstruous with 2,800 acres of good farmland being potentially lost. This scheme was actually a battery storage system masquerading as a solar farm.
The proposed scheme would damage heritage assets, in particular, the famous Limekilns Gallops in Newmarket. The appearance of how the solar panels had been misrepresented by Sunnica and they would be a hideous blight on the landscape, ruining heritage assets that had been admired for hundreds of years. It would damage the horse racing and tourism industry and would cause a detrimental increase in traffic, particularly within Newmarket, with large lorries having to come through the town.
The proposed battery storage scheme was a danger to local residents who were genuinely frightened, particularly those living within Red Lodge. There were no reports on the fires that these batteries could cause and which were exceedingly difficult to extinguish. The loss of farmland would reduce the ability for local food production, which had also not been taken into account by Sunnica, with regards to the calculations on the carbon footprint of the scheme.
Councillor Hood concluded that this scheme was, overall, very disappointing and could not be considered as a green environmental project and would be a blight on the special countryside within West Suffolk.
The Chair thanked Councillor Hood for attending Cabinet and noted her concerns. The item would be considered in detail later in the meeting under Agenda Item 6.
5. Councillor Ian Shipp (Agenda Item 6 (Report number CAB/WS/22/012): Sunnica Energy Farm Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project: Draft Relevant Representation)
Councillor Ian Shipp declared a local non pecuniary interest being the District Council Ward Member for Mildenhall Kingsway and Market, a Mildenhall Town Councillor and a resident of Mildenhall.
Councillor Shipp explained that he was not opposed to projects of solar power and would support these schemes where they were in the right place, the right size and were locally supported. Councillor Shipp expressed his grave concerns regarding this scheme, for all of the reasons which had been already stated. The massive scale of the scheme would blight the lives of local communities for years to come. The battery storage would threaten the safety of many thousands of local people and Sunnica had taken, little or no regard, to the concerns of the local community.
Councillor Shipp explained that he was not attending this meeting in his capacity as Deputy Mayor of Mildenhall Town Council, but stated that the Town Council had also expressed its concerns towards the scheme and had also offered financial support to help fight the scheme, as its Members could see the real issues that it would bring locally.
Councillor Shipp suggested that new legislation should be introduced which may protect local farmland against schemes, such as these. New legislation could insist that all new developments, both residential and commercial, should incorporate solar panels. This proposal should be stopped and a new, more sustainable project should be brought forward, which not only delivered the energy needs, but also engaged with and brought on board local communities.
In conclusion, Councillor Shipp also expressed his support for the West Suffolk Council’s Relevant Representation, as set out within the Cabinet agenda papers.
The Chair thanked Councillor Shipp for attending Cabinet and noted his concerns. The item would be considered in detail later in the meeting under Agenda Item 6.
6. Councillor Rachel Hood (Agenda Item 7 (Report number CAB/WS/22/013): Former St Felix School Site, Newmarket – Development Brief)
Councillor Rachel Hood declared a local non pecuniary interest being a Newmarket Town Councillor, the District Council Ward Member for Newmarket East, Suffolk County Councillor for the Exning and Newmarket Division, Suffolk County Council Cabinet Member and a resident of Newmarket.
Councillor Hood explained that Newmarket Town Council was opposed to this application (although not unanimously so). There was an existing allocation within the Site Allocations Local Plan (SALP) for 50 dwellings on this site. Suffolk County Council had confirmed that the part of the site which was not developed, would be allocated to Newmarket to join up with the George Lambton Playing Fields, as some of the site had been allocated as playing fields.
Councillor Hood stated that both herself and Councillor Drummond had been in consultation with Suffolk County Council about what would happen and are both in the position, as Newmarket Town Councillors, who would have liked this site to be allocated as open space/sports facilities for Newmarket. However, they were both aware that this could not be achieved due to the existing allocations on the site, but still wished to make the Cabinet aware of the views of Newmarket Town Council.
In conclusion, Councillor Hood stated that she supported the Development Brief proceeding to a six week period of public consultation to gain the views of local residents.
The Chair thanked Councillor Hood for attending Cabinet and noted her concerns. The item would be considered in detail later in the meeting under Agenda Item 7.