Pakenham Parish Council : Minutes 27th January 2016

PAKENHAM PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday, 27th January 2016 at 7.30pm
Pakenham Village Hall

Present: Cllr Dorling (Vice-Chair), Cllr Bagnell, Cllr Davey, Cllr Palfrey and Cllr Sidebotham
Three 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 Cllrs. Painter and Brookman
 
2 - Declarations of interest: No declarations were received.
 
3 - Police Report:-
No Officer was in attendance but a report had been received there had been no crimes of interest since the last meeting.

County Councillor’s report: Cllr Hopfensperger attended and gave her report which included: Work at the Water Mill and associated works in the area; an order has been put in, as soon as they have a date it will be given to the clerk. The yellow lines have already been blacked out; a new Grimestone End sign with pedestrian crossing has been ordered. As the road will have to be closed for the works Highways will also look at the flooding issues in the area. Cllr Hopfensperger was advised of two potholes: Brand Road and outside 3 Micklemere also the missing sign at the crossroads at Upper Town which still needed completing. An officer from Highways will contact the clerk to arrange a site visit with Councillors to look at speeding issues within the village. Following a cabinet meeting the budget papers will now go forward to be considered at a full Council meeting on 11th February. The County Council may put in a precept of 2% for adult social care, as allowed by Government. The fire brigade consultation, details on SCC website, closes on 22 February, the next public meeting is being held on 3 February in Sudbury. There is also a public consultation on the area around West Suffolk House looking at what is needed in the area which closes on 29 February.

Borough Councillor's report: Cllr Brown gave his report which included: Attending the Pakenham coffee morning twice a month for residents to bring matters to his attention. Cllr Brown has been promoted to Cabinet covering families and communities and will spend 5 minutes at the next meeting describing his role. The West Suffolk Operational Hub is currently in the second round of consultation. A copy of the consultation summary booklet was given to Council and briefly discussed. If there are any comments between now and the end of the consultation residents may advise him at the coffee mornings he attends in the village hall on Saturdays. The recent planning application at Newbury, discussed by the Parish Council at the November meeting, has not as yet been seen by Cllr Brown. Cllr Brown advised Highways were happy to arrange a site visit to look at speeding signage; a survey will be carried out in the first instance. A member of the public advised Mill Road has a lot of speeding vehicles and asked whether the speed signs could be moved nearer the main road. To be looked at on the site visit and Cllr Hopfensperger to report to Highways. It was advised the Fox public house sale seemed to be going ahead and hopefully should be completed soon. Cllr Brown advised he had arranged the replacement of a light in the telephone box at Grimestone End an invoice will be raised for the next meeting. The kebab van off Bury Road sits under Highways; the Borough Council can seek to take action against Highways but is unlikely to happen. 

Public Forum: St Edmundsbury and the Parish Council were thanked for managing to have the hedge in Mill Road re-instated. It was reported an increase in dog waste round the village, Council discussed the issue and agreed for Cllr Painter to include this matter in the Parish Council News. Cllr Sidebotham to contact the writer of ‘Walking the Dog’ to ask if they could mention the issue. To put on the March agenda to review.
 
4 - To consider the approval of the minutes of the last meetings:-
The minutes of the meetings held on 17th December were approved and signed as a true record. 
 
5 - Matters arising from previous meeting:-
i. Affordable Housing update: A maintenance inspector from Havebury Housing had visited the access road and reported ‘the area is still covered with leaves so it is a job to see anything relating to the path or road way, but saying that I can’t imagine there would be any problems that are worth any concern. As per your photos there is a fence post that is leaning over, this is due to the fall of the land on the other side of the fence, the fall starting right beside the fence in that area hence the problem. I would assume the parish council are responsible for the fence.

ii. Mill Road Enforcement: A response received from Ian Gallin CEO St Edmundsbury Borough Council was read to Council. As previously discussed in the public forum the hedge had been re-instated.

iii. Grinding of stumps Cemetery Lawn Meadow: Cllr Dorling & Cllr Painter had inspected the meadow and found a number of larger stumps. Council discussed and agreed to have these stumps as well as the agreed smaller stumps grinded to allow the whole area to be mowed, the cost would be approximately £250 all in agreement for this to go ahead.

6 - Clerk's Report:-
An automatic precept referendum will not apply to the parish sector in 2016/17. A reply had been received from St Edmundsbury flood department: the management of any watercourse river will be down to the land owners either side of it. They may need permissions from the EA (if main river) or us (if ordinary watercourse) for works other than maintenance.
i. Outstanding highway items: All issues received at and since the last meeting had been reported to SCC and forwarded to Cllr Hopfensperger. A resident had contacted the clerk re flooding on Church Hill SCC had been contacted Ref: 127559 the gullies had been jetted, the site has been visited during flooding and the surface water is not clearing as expected, the investigation is still ongoing. A street light on the approach to the playing field is no longer working Cllr Sidebotham to forward the unit number to the clerk.

7 - To consider memorial application (E22):-
Council discussed all in agreement no objection to the memorial application. 
 
8 - To consider contract for grass cutting:-
Council discussed and agreed three companies to be approached for quotes for a 2 year contract. To place on the March agenda.
 
9 - Correspondence:-
An email from a resident requesting a dog waste bin & litter bin & expressing concern at the state of the pavements off Bury Road was read to Council, Council discussed, Cllr Brown to ask the owner of the kebab van to provide a litter bin. To consider a dog waste bin on next agenda.
Buckingham Palace Garden Parties nomination form: Council nominated Cllr Painter. Council had been sent a plan (from a resident) to mark the location of any hedges they felt were overgrown and caused a hazard to enable them to apply for permission to get them cut. Council marked the location as requested.
The president of Pakenham W.I. advised they are offering to organise celebrations of HM The Queens 90th birthday, Council were happy for them to go ahead but suggested they contact the Village Hall Committee to liaise.
A survey had been received on the parish council’s experience of the community right to bid. Cllr Sidebotham agreed to complete it.
The Parish Conference will take place on Monday, 11th April 6pm no venue as yet. Consultations had been received and circulated: Suffolk Fire & Rescue service and West Suffolk Operational Hub. Letter from Suffolk Constabulary re match funded PCSO’s; Clerks & Councils Direct and a letter from Suffolk Age UK were circulated.
 
10 - Planning:-
i. No Planning applications had been received.

ii. Any applications determined by planning authority:-
DC/15/2068/TPO : South of Compton Cottage, Fen Road
Trees in a conservation area – Refused
DC/15/2081/HH : The Gables, Fen Road
First floor rear extension – Granted
DC/15/2434/HH : Manor Garth
Detached single garage - Granted
 
11 - Annual review of standing orders: Council agreed no changes required
 
12 - Annual review of financial regulations: Council agreed no changes required
 
13 - Finance Report and to consider payments to be made:-
The deposit account has a cleared balance of £6681.86.
The current account a cleared balance at 14th December of £13,549.21
 
To consider budget 2016/17 and precept: A copy of the third quarter against current budget was circulated – a copy of the proposed budget 2016/17 was circulated. Council discussed and agreed to add £1500 to the reserves for IT equipment. Council discussed the precept requirements and all in agreement for a precept of £12,063 which would equate to £35.90 on band D an increase of £0.46 or a 1.30% increase. The form was dually signed.

Cheques raised:-
1466 Vertas inv: 9176567 Oct-Dec grounds maintenance 793.54
1467 ARO Parliamentary Election uncontested May election expenses 21.34
1468 CPRE subscription 36.00
No further invoices had been received

14 - Councillors’ reports and items for future agenda:-
It was reported the verge is damaged next to the footpath by the agricultural centre, the clerk to inform highways. It was reported a five bar gate on the circular footpath was padlocked the clerk to forward the contact details of the Rights of Way Officer to Cllr Sidebotham.
 
15 - Date of next meeting:-
The date of the next scheduled meeting was confirmed as Wednesday, 17th February 2016
 
There being no further business the meeting was closed at 9.15pm 
 

(Ref:  132 - 135)