Pakenham Parish Council : Minutes 24th June 2015

PAKENHAM PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday, 24th June, 2015 at 7.30pm
Pakenham Village Hall

Present: Cllr Painter (Chairman); Cllr Dorling (Vice-Chair) Cllr Bagnell, Cllr Brookman, Cllr Palfrey, Cllr Sidebotham
4 Members of the public were in attendance
Mrs S Brown (clerk) took the minutes.

1 - Record Councillors' apologies for absence:-
Apologies received and accepted from Cllr Davey

2 - Declarations of interest: No declarations were received.

3 - Police Report: No report had been received.
Jeff Horner Flood & Water Manager SCC: The Officer gave an overview of his role and Suffolk County Councils involvement with flood management since 2010. This included: Any flood issues SCC takes the lead and works with all agencies to reduce the flood risk in the area, the strategy is on SCC's website for the public to view. All of Suffolk has been initially assessed for flood risk with surface water. SCC has a mapping system to show various flood zones. They have a duty to keep an asset register of drainage which they are continually updating. With any major planning applications (10 dwellings or above) they have to be consulted to try and reduce any flood risk. The department records any flood instances, the public can report any flooding to them and they can investigate. Although they are mainly there to decide which agency needs to address any flooding issues. They do have powers under the Land Drainage Act, generally it is a case of making landowners aware of their responsibilities. It was highlighted the local sewage treatment plant their water outfall goes through Pakenham. It was advised the Environment Agency controls the amount they can discharge and how clean the water should be. He highlighted an EU directive covers the need to clean rivers up and the Environment Agency need to assess that rivers are up to a certain standard by 2018 and they are working with Anglian Water to achieve this. The sewage treatment system was discussed and how they work, if there are concerns the public should contact the E.A. who will investigate. Local flood issues were highlighted. The Officer advised if it is not a major flood incident i.e. house has not been flooded they can't do anything at the moment but they still advise the public to report any flooding to them so it may be recorded on their mapping system and it will be noted every time it occurs so a larger picture emerges. Cllr Brookman asked who was responsible for the stream running through the village, it would be the land owner's responsibility. The E.A. is responsible for major rivers. If local residents notice the behaviour of the river changes, they should contact his department. The Officer advised he would supply relevant maps to the parish for information. A member of the public asked whether his department looks at where sediment/muck etc comes from in regards to streams/rivers. He was advised it is very difficult to prove where it comes from and to therefore take any action. The Chairman and Council thanked Mr Horner for attending and explaining his department's role.

County Councillors report: No report had been received.

Borough Councillors report: Cllr Brown updated Council on two of the outstanding enforcements: Mill Road – the planning officer had indicated he had not visited the site but made a judgement from photographs. A meeting at site with Councillors he considered may be deemed contentious and it was not within his powers to go on the land concerned. Cllr Brown had arranged a meeting with the planning officer as he felt the response was not acceptable. Cllr Painter stated the Officer can't know what is on site by a photograph or whether the soil is clean and how deep the hardstanding is. Cllr Brookman advised the problem of hardstanding also existed on the first metre of land i.e. the verge which is SCC land and this could be checked. Cllr Painter advised Highways had a definitive list of their verges which the planning officer could ask for. Cllr Brookman highlighted the enforcement notice includes the hardstanding so this is known to the planning officer. A freedom of information request could be asked for the disclosure of the total costs of the whole period, St Edmundsbury is not carrying out a court order and the Parish Council just wants this matter sorted out. Cllr Brown to update Council after his meeting, he also advised Newbury/fencing had been served a planning contravention notice. The Chairman thanked Cllr Brown for his help with enforcement matters.

Public Forum: A resident updated Council on his possible purchase of The Fox Public House. Cllr Bagnell advised he had received 5 complaints concerned with the increased number of heavy vehicles using Brand Road which has a weight limited of seven and a half tonnes. The clerk to contact Highways, the Police and planning department to ask them to investigate.

4 - To consider the approval of the minutes of the last meetings:-
The minutes of the meetings held on 20th May, 2015 and 19th June were approved and signed as a true record.

5 - Matters arising from previous meeting:-
Affordable Housing update: Havebury had visited the roadway leading to The Owell to investigate the concerns raised by Council but did not see the problem. The clerk to go back to them with the Councils concerns re The Dell. No drawings had been received. Cllr Brookman reported a number of notices had been put up by the playing field saying 'no' to any affordable housing being built. Council had a brief discussion on the site. The Chair to include a note in the next parish magazine to explain the current situation and progress on affordable housing.
Anglian Water update: an update was read to Council.

6 - Clerk's Report:-
Schedule of outstanding items: Councillors were updated. Clerk to re-report pot holes on Fen Road and report overgrown hedges/verges at the crossroads at Upper Town as it was difficult to see road signs as well as overgrown hedging on Fen Road and Broadway.

7 - To consider all risks facing the council have been assessed & managed:-
All Councillors had read the circulated H & S risk assessment report and were in agreement all risks have been assessed and managed. Clerk to annotate when the works were carried out. A risk assessment form had been produced for future use to add how often the checks would be made and by whom. The clerk to ask whether Mr Cranmer would inspect the bus shelter when he also inspected The Dell & Church Green Wood. To place 'risk assessment' on the September and March agenda's as a standing item.

8 - To ratify decision made to hire gala tent:-
Council agreed to terms and conditions and booking form for the gala tent with the following changes to the booking form: to add 'I attach a copy of our Public Liability Insurance in the sum of six million pounds.' On the terms & conditions of use to change 'public liability insurance of at least £6,000,000', 'straw bails' to 'straw bales', to add 'no smoking in the gala tent' and to add 'ensure all parts are clean and dry before packing away'. The clerk to contact H. Weaver with the changes.

9 - Correspondence:-
All correspondence was circulated. Stanton Parish Council had contacted the clerk asking if any Councillors were interested in attending possible bespoke training they were arranging, two Councillors were possibility interested in attending evening training. An email had been received from a resident on the possible affordable housing units, the clerk had referred them to the minutes of 20th May 2015.

10 - Planning Applications:-
No applications had been received.

Any applications determined by planning authority:-
DC/15/0026/FUL Oak Farm – granted

11 - Replacement of fencing at The Dell:-
Cllrs Dorling and Palfrey had recently inspected the fencing and considered it now to be in a dangerous state. Cllr Dorling explained the different options of replacement fencing posts. Council agreed to use the concrete spur posts at a cost of £420. Council agreed to an extra spend of £180 of works on top of the £420 if Cllr Dorling thought necessary, Cllr Dorling to instruct Mr Thrower to undertake the works as soon as possible and needs to be completed before the school holidays. Cllr Palfrey expressed concern the works had not been started earlier.

12 - To consider donation to W.E.N.T. (first responders):-
Council discussed Cllr Palfrey proposed a donation of £100 Cllr Sidebotham seconded all in agreement.

13 - Finance Report and to consider payments to be made:-
The deposit account at 3 April held £6681.86
The current account at 2 April had a cleared balance of £5709.49.
The uncleared balance before tonight's invoices are paid £16,714.44
To approve and adopt year end accounts and sign Annual Return: All Councillors in agreement to approve and adopt year end accounts (section 2 question 5 marked No) the Chairman signed the Annual Return.
No further invoices had been received.

14 - Councillors' reports and items for future agenda:-
Cllrs Palfrey and Dorling reported they had inspected the lawn cemetery boundary for dead trees. A number of dead trees will need to be removed. It was reported it was still difficult to ascertain the boundary clerk to send the deeds of the lawn cemetery to Cllr Dorling. The clerk to contact the Environmental Agency expressing the concern Pakenham has on possible discharges into the stream running through the village and its condition. Cllr Dorling reported the last remaining kerb on Fulmer bridge had fallen into the river and nearly all the brackets on the railings have been broken, clerk to report to SCC. Clerk to remind Cllr Hopfensperger of the Highways site visit.

15 - Date of next meeting:-
The date of the next scheduled meeting was confirmed as Thursday, 30th July at 7.30pm in the Village Hall. The clerk reported the Parish Council were unable to have the village hall on Thursdays in October, November, December, January and February. Cllr Dorling to give the clerk the Wednesday's he is unable to attend so meeting dates may be re-arranged.

There being no further business the meeting was closed at 9.45pm