Pakenham Parish Council : Minutes 18th February 2015

PAKENHAM PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday, 18th February, 2015 at 7.30pm
Pakenham Village Hall

Present: Cllr H Painter (Chairman), Cllr D Dorling (Vice-Chairman), Cllr M Bagnell, Cllr I Brookman, Cllr Davey, Cllr C Palfrey and Cllr M Sargent
5 Members of the public were in attendance 
Mrs S Brown (clerk) took the minutes
 
1 - Apologies for absence: All Councillors were in attendance
 
2 - Declarations of interest:-
Cllr Bagnell declared a non-pecuniary interest in item 10ii
Cllr Sargent declared a non-pecuniary interest in item 11

3 - Police Report:-
Suffolk Constabulary did not attend; a report had been received and was read to the meeting this included: There had been 1 crime since the last meeting a metal sundial had been removed from the front garden of a dwelling in Pakenham. The next priority tasking meeting is at 7pm Tuesday 10 March at Bury St Edmunds police station. Speeding data for Pakenham was read out. Clerk to go back to Suffolk constabulary to ask what a ‘static presence’ was in relation to the speeding data.

County Councillor’s Report: Cllr Hopfensperger did not attend and no report was available.
 
Borough Councillor’s Report:-
Cllr. Spicer attended and gave a report which included: Street light pole on Fen Road without a lamp. Planning application at 9 The Owell - Cllr Spicer agreed with the recommendation of planning to refuse.
Enforcement issues update a new Officer Andrew Smith had joined the planning enforcement department. The majority of enforcement issues to be returned to the enforcement department to deal with but Newbury enforcement to be left with LSR Solicitors. Mill Road to be dealt with by Andrew Smith who has visited the site. Council advised Cllr Spicer a letter had been sent to the chief executive of St Edmundsbury Ian Gallin but no reply or acknowledgement had been received. Clerk to send Cllr Spicer a copy of the letter. Cllr Dorling asked whether Mr Gallin could be invited to attend the next Parish Council meeting. Cllr Spicer would try to arrange this. Councillors highlighted their exasperation with the enforcement department at St Edmundsbury highlighting the outstanding cases of Mill Road, Newbury and Shetland Boatyard. 
 
Public Forum:-
There were still a number of pot holes in the village, the clerk to report these again to Highways and ascertain whether there is a time period they should be repaired after reporting, to copy in Cllr Hopfensperger. A resident asked for an update on Mill Road, they were informed a letter had been sent to the chief executive at St Edmundsbury when a reply is forthcoming a copy will forwarded. The clerk to re-send the letter to Mr Gallin to cc Deborah Cadman at SCC highlighting the verge at Mill Road is not being kept in a suitable condition by Highways. Council discussed whether there was anything further they could do to help the matter. A new MP and Borough Councillor would be available to contact after the election, it was hoped they would be able to help persue this matter. Cllr Brookman was happy to attend the next Town & Parish Conference to highlight the matter. The clerk to contact St Edmundsbury asking what monies had been spent with 3rd party agents on this matter over the last 10 years under a FOI request (Clerk to check timescale FOI can ask for before proceeding)

4 - To Consider the approval of the minutes of the last meeting:-
The minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday, 14th January was approved and signed as a correct record. 

5 - Matters arising from previous meetings:-
i. Affordable Housing Update: Reply received from Havebury Housing was read to Council. Council discussed the matter including shared ownership, widening of the roadway, priority to residents of Pakenham, Council agreed to refer back to the Parish Plan survey to ask Havebury whether priority can be given to residents i.e. need for a covenant to allow the Parish Council to have control over tenancies to ensure only local residents are given priority. No to shared ownership unless they remain in public ownership.  Cllr Brookman to informally check who is legally responsible for the road in regards to the bank within the Dell. A resident expressed concern over extra sewage and surface water if extra houses are built. They highlighted the problems they & others were already experiencing with both foul water flooding and surface water flooding. The Parish Council need to be aware when building or alterations are carried out especially where there is more building works being carried out in the surrounding area. Cllr Dorling reported problems of this sort had been experienced around 15years ago before the sewerage treatment works were upgraded. Cllr Brookman suggested inviting the Environmental Agency to attend a future meeting to explain where the water flow goes within the Pakenham area. Clerk to organise.

ii. Anglian Water update: The Clerk advised a letter had been sent to the residents affected by foul water flooding to update them on progress. Reply received from Anglian Water was read to Council. The clerk to ask if approval is at the first stage yet.

6 - Clerk's Report:-
There has been one funeral in the lawn cemetery since the last meeting and a cheque for £550 has been received (non-resident) A cheque has also been received from SCC through Rebecca Hopfensperger locality money of £500 as a contribution towards the community marquee. 
i. Schedule of outstanding items: A blocked underground drain on Bull Road had been reported to Highways and added to the schedule. To re-report the pavement needs to be cleared between Manor Garth & Greenwoods. To report new pot hole outside Boundary House to cc in Cllr Hopfensperger into all Highways issues.

7 - Standing Orders Review: To defer to next agenda

8 - Financial Orders Review: To defer to next agenda

9 - Correspondence:-
Letter received & distributed from Oak Farm re their planning application. Suffolk Age UK poster received for noticeboard. St Edmundsbury ‘making democracy better’ comments by 30 March distributed. Thurston Parish Council have reported problems with flooding along the footpath that follows from Pakenham to Thurston which runs through Nether Hall estate. The clerk had been told in the past Nether Hall had kindly put down some hogging to make parts of the footpath passable. Council did not know whether this had happened. The next Town & Parish Conference will be held at Honington & Sapiston Village Hall on Thursday 26 March from 5.30pm to start at 6pm.  The clerk to book Cllr Brookman to attend.

10 -  Planning Applications:-
DC/15/0178/FUL land adjacent to 22 The Owell
Change of use to create 7 no. parking spaces & realignment of kerb.
Council discussed Cllr Sargent proposed & seconded by Cllr Brookman no objections all in agreement.

DC/15/0026/FUL Oak Farm
Construction of 1 & half storey 4 bedroom dwelling
Council discussed Cllr Dorling proposed & seconded by Cllr Brookman object with comments: The Parish Council asks for the house to be of a more modest size, necessary for the needs of an agricultural worker on site. It was also felt the style did not relate well to the Suffolk countryside. The Parish Council ask that any house permitted on the site be tied by an agricultural restriction, restricting its use to the adjacent building being used for chickens or other livestock. The clerk to ask it be referred to full planning committee rather than a delegation panel is used and to inform Cllr Spicer of this.
 
Any applications determined by Planning Authority:-
DC/14/2215/FUL 9 The Owell application refused.

11 - To consider donation to W.I. for ‘Welcome Pack’:-
Council discussed and all in agreement to donate £40 to the W.I. for welcome packs.

12 - To consider lamination of dog waste posters:-
Cllr Sargent advised Council of the cost x3 of each poster to be laminated a total cost of £24 all in agreement to carry this out. 

13 - Finance Report – to consider payments to be made:-
Cleared balance of the deposit account £6662.78.
Current account a cleared balance @ 31/12/14 £10,244.08 an uncleared balance of £8532.43 after the invoices on the agenda have been paid.
Letter to Santander to be signed to request more envelopes for paying in cheques.

14 - Councillors’ reports and items for future agenda:-
No items were raised

15 - Date of next meeting:-
The next scheduled meeting was confirmed as Wednesday, 18th March  2015 at 7.30pm in the Village Hall

There being no further business the meeting closed at 9.45pm