Pakenham Parish Council : Minutes 13th May 2015

PAKENHAM PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday, 13th May, 2015
Pakenham Village Hall

Present: Cllr H Painter (Chairman); Cllr M Bagnell, Cllr Brookman, Cllr N Davey, Cllr D Dorling, Cllr C Palfrey, Cllr B Sidebotham
Mrs S Brown (clerk) took the minutes.

1 - Election of Chairman:-
Cllr Dorling proposed Cllr Painter this was seconded by Cllr Palfrey. Cllr Painter accepted and signed the Declaration of Acceptance form.

2 - Election of Vice-Chairman:-
Cllr Brookman proposed Cllr Dorling seconded by Cllr Palfrey. Cllr Dorling accepted.

3 - To Sign the Declaration of Acceptance of Office:-
All Councillors signed their Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

4 - Record Councillors' apologies for absence: All Councillors were in attendance

5 - Declarations of interest:-
No declarations were received.
Councillors were reminded of the need to complete their register of interest's forms.

6 - Police Report:-
Nothing further to report from the Parish meeting
County Councillors report: Nothing further to report from the Parish meeting.

Borough Councillors report:-
Cllr Brown thanked the Council for their warm welcome and to inform him at meetings of anything the Council require. The Parish Council requested a reply to the email sent to Mr Gallin re: Mill Road. For updates on the other enforcement issues within the village i.e. The fence on Fen Road and the Boatyard which had temporary permission to be used as a boatyard which has not been renewed. It was also asked if Cllr Brown could speak to Christine Leveson the Conservation Officer at St Edmundsbury re The Fox public house and her correspondence with the owner asking for it to be kept tidy. Cllr Brown advised he will make enquiries re The Fox and see what help can be offered.

Public Forum:-
The issue of trees/shrubs overhanging pavements was raised. The Chair to ask if a definitive map of verges was available. The member of public was asked if they could attend the Highways site visit to explain the encroachment of verges on to the road using her local knowledge. The clerk to inform them of the date when it becomes available. It was highlighted there were a number of issues of hedges being left and becoming overgrown by landowners to also highlight this on the proposed Highways site visit.

7 - To consider the approval of the minutes of the last meetings:-
The minutes of the meetings held on 22nd April 2015 were approved (the clerk to note the memorial plot number) and signed as a true record.

8 - Matters arising from previous meeting:-
Anglian Water: no further update received the clerk to chase.

9 - Clerk's Report:-
The £500 grant from St Edmundsbury had been received towards the cost of the defibrillator. An update from the Principal Conservation Officer at St Edmundsbury on The Fox public house asking the owner to keep the building in good repair was given. An email response from the Broadband Officer at SCC on the progress of superfast broadband installation in Pakenham was read to the meeting.
Schedule of outstanding items: Councillors were updated on the roadside reserve 2 missing posts which should be installed soon before the verge cutting begins again.

10 - To Consider forming a Planning Committee:-
Council discussed and decided not to form a planning committee.

11 - Correspondence:-
Clerks and Councils direct circulated. The Officer attending the meeting on Affordable Housing asks if there are any particular questions the Council wants answering to forward to her before the meeting, the access road was highlighted, the clerk to send any through. An email from a resident had been received re a number of signs appearing on a small green, the clerk to refer to planning to comment. Havebury Housing informed the Council they are intending to install solar photovoltaic panels to around 2,000 of their properties.
i. Village of the Year: Council discussed and decided not to enter.

12 - Gala Tent:-
Council discussed how the gala tent should be used and booking procedures. It was agreed only village organisations to have use of the tent and no charges would be made for its use. Council were pleased to understand Holly Weaver to photograph the tent to help with the future erection of tent and has offered to help arrange the booking form. Council felt the booking forms should include any damage will have to be paid for, a copy of their public liability insurance to be forwarded also a generic risk assessment to go out with the tent. The chair to contact Holly Weaver.

13 - Planning Applications:-
DC/15/0872/LB The Willows, Bury Road
Application for listed building consent retention of softwood casement windows: Council discussed Cllr Brookman proposed no objection Cllr Sidebotham seconded.
No further applications had been received.

14 - Finance Report and to consider payments to be made:-
To approve and adopt year end accounts and sign Annual Return: The deposit account had received interest of £19.08 which gave a cleared balance of £6,681.86.
The current account had a cleared balance at 2 April of £5,709.49.
The clerk advised the internal audit had been completed by Mr Malcolm Saunders. Cllr Brookman asked whether the Council still needed 'Village Gates' in the reserve of £2000. Council discussed, Cllr Dorling proposed to delete the village gates £2000 from the reserve seconded by Cllr Brookman.
Cllr Brookman requested the reserves should be shown as £12,235 this was discussed, Cllr Bagnell proposed no change, Cllr Dorling seconded, Cllr Brookman withdrew the request.
Cllr Brookman advised he felt Council were unable to sign the Annual return as item 5 had not been complied with as no review of the H & S booklet had been carried out. The H & S booklet to be circulated and put on next agenda.

15 - Councillors' reports and items for future agenda:-
Cllr Palfrey and Cllr Dorling reported there was one dead cherry tree which will have to be dealt with in the lawn cemetery; probably costing in the region of £200, there may also be some further dead trees which will need clearing. There was a query on the boundaries of the lawn cemetery, the clerk to bring the map to the next meeting. Cllr Palfrey advised part of the fence at the Dell had fallen down and needs fixing as soon as possible as dangerous. Cllr Dorling to organise its fixing as an emergency. Cllr Palfrey asked whether Council would like him to continue as their representative to the Village Hall and Playing Field Association. Council were happy for him to be their representative and also asked if he would be the representative on the Pakenham Charities as well. Cllr Palfrey was happy to undertake this. Cllr Dorling asked whether it was possible to change future meetings to either Tuesdays or Thursdays, all Councillors were happy to change. The clerk to check the village hall availability for these evenings.

16 - Date of next meeting:-
The date of the next scheduled meeting was confirmed as Wednesday, 20th May at 7.30pm in the Village Hall.

There being no further business the meeting was closed at 10.10pm.