Bonfires

The Parish Council has recently received a number of complaints about the impact of domestic bonfires on neighbouring properties.  Please, if you are considering having a bonfire, consider your neighbours, particularly at this time when many elderly and frail individuals, or those with underlying health conditions which might be exacerbated by smoke inhalation can only enjoy their immediate gardens, due to health guidelines in response to the COVID-19 health emergency.

You can find the guidelines on Mid Suffolk District Council’s website, here, together with information on how to make a formal complaint: https://www.babergh.gov.uk/environment/noise-and-disturbance/smoke-smells-and-other-nuisances/

If you must have a bonfire follow these guidelines to avoid causing a nuisance and to keep safe:

  • Keep the number of bonfires to an absolute minimum.
  • Only burn dry material. This will produce the minimum of smoke.
  • Never burn household rubbish, rubber tyres, or anything containing plastic, foam or paint. The Council will collect domestic hazardous waste for a small fee – see our Hazardous Waste Collections page for details.
  • Never use old engine oil, methylated spirit or petrol to light or encourage the fire.
  • Avoid lighting a fire in unsuitable weather conditions. Smoke hangs in the air on damp, still days and in the evening around sunset – ensure the bonfire is extinguished well before.
  • If it is windy, smoke may be blown into neighbours’ gardens and across roads.
  • Keep the bonfire under adult supervision at all times and ensure it is extinguished completely, by dousing with soil or water, before you leave it.
  • Keep a hose pipe or buckets of water close at hand in case the fire gets out of hand.
  • Take account of your neighbours’ activities e.g. washing hanging on a line, open windows, sitting in garden, decorating etc.
  • Consult, or at least warn, your neighbour before lighting a bonfire.

 

Vacancy for a co-opted Parish Councillor

We currently have a vacancy on the Parish Council following Daphne
Youngs’ resignation in December 2019.  A notice of vacancy was advertised, and
there being no requests for an election, we are now able to proceed with
a co-option onto the Council.  If you are interested in becoming a
Councillor, please do come along to our next meeting on 2nd March 2020, to
meet and have a chat with Councillors, or contact the Clerk, Hilary
Workman, or the Chair, Haslett Schofield for more information.  There is
also more information on becoming a Parish Councillor, a Candidate
Specification and Qualifying Criteria for you to take a look at below.

If you would like to apply, please contact Hilary at
drinkstoneclerk@gmail.com with a summary of what you consider you can
bring to the Parish Council, and the completed qualifying criteria form,
not later than 6th March 2020.  Applications will be considered by the
Council at its meeting on 6th April 2020. 

Would you like to become a Parish Councillor

 

 

Co-option Notice of Vacancy

 

 

Qualifying Criteria

 

 

Candidate Specification

 

Drinkstone Neighbourhood Plan – next stage

The Neighbourhood Plan will be submitted to Mid Suffolk District Council for examination and external review in the week commencing 11th November. This process is likely to take a little longer than normal due to the limitations on what decisions Local Government can make in the weeks prior to the General Election.