Pakenham Parish Council : Minutes 19th June 2025

PAKENHAM PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the meeting held on Thursday, 19th June 2025 at 7.30pm
Pakenham Village Hall

Present: Cllr Dorling Vice-Chair, Cllr Bagnell, Cllr Palfrey, Cllr Sargent, Cllr Sidebotham and Cllr Berry
Two members of the public were in attendance. Mrs S Brown (clerk) took the minutes.
Cllr Dorling Vice-Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

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

2 - Declarations of interest: No declarations of interest received.

3 :-
County Councillor's Report: Cllr Hopfensperger did not attend no report had been received.
District Councillor's Report: Cllr Speed did not attend no report had been received.
Public Forum: A resident highlighted the strip of grass adjacent to 2 St Marys View had not been cut and was very overgrown, the clerk had advised District Cllr Speed to chase this. The resident to advise the clerk if it has not been cut back in two weeks the clerk to chase again. Cllr Bagnell advised he recently had difficulty driving down The Street due to the number of badly parked cars and this would have impeded any blue light emergency vehicle. The clerk to bring this to Cllr Hopfensperger attention.

4 - To consider the approval of the minutes of the last meetings:-
The minutes of the meeting held on 15 May 2025 were approved to be signed as a true record.

5 - Reports arising from the previous meeting:-
i. Highways: The broken manhole had been reported to SCC with the following response – Ref 517308 the broken manhole cover on The Street has been raised to BT under a Section 81 (defective apparatus) under reference LYS8173954626-S81-UW once received BT should accept the Section 81 and Network Assurance will wait for BT to submit a works permit for them to carry out the repairs to the cover. It was confirmed the works had not taken place as yet.
ii. Clerk's Report: All allotments have tenants and all rents for the year have been received. Currently there is no-one on the waiting list. The 'hump' on the lawn cemetery drive has now been removed, the vicar and church wardens were informed following the decision made at the last meeting.

6 - To consider documentation relating to the land for the proposed model railway club:-
The Clerk advised paperwork relating to the status of the land had been retrieved which showed the land was designated for allotments. Permission would therefore have to be sought for change of use. This had occurred both for the Bowls Club and Buggy Club with permission given. The Clerk also stated Council would have to bear in mind the need to employ a solicitor for any lease & terms of agreement and the added costs of this. Council discussed including whether this would be of benefit to the village as a whole, who would own the building, Cllr Sidebotham felt the land should remain available for allotments, Cllr Bagnell would like to see the area fenced nicely. Cllr Dorling felt any changes should not take place until the new pavilion was up and running. It was suggested there were other uses for the area including sports such as tennis courts. Cllr Berry proposed putting the item on the next agenda when a decision could be made whether to take this forward.

7 - Correspondence circulated:-
i. Regular information from SALC ebulletins, West Suffolk Community News and Suffolk County Council updates – Noted.
ii. SALC 75th Anniversary & AGM 1st July at the Atheneum Bury St Edmunds free event - Noted
iii. Mr Kebab Van: Email received from resident objecting to the licence application. The Clerk had sent a response to the Licensing department re-iterating the previous objections the parish council had made. The meeting to hear the application takes place on Tuesday 24 June at 10am at the Mildenhall Hub. Cllr Davey and Cllr Berry to attend, the clerk had advised the Licensing Team of their attendance.
iv. Email from Peter Prinsley MP inviting the Chair to the opening of his new constituency office in Stowmarket on 27 June - Noted
v. Local Nature Recovery Strategy Consultation - Noted
vi. Local Government Reorganisation residents survey: Circulated to councillors and sent through to the village Facebook
vii. Rural Transport Survey: Circulated to councillors and sent through to the village Facebook
viii. West Suffolk Council Bus Stop Funding: circulated with councillors briefly discussing the criteria but it was felt the parish council could not make use of any funding.
ix. Email from resident in regards strip of uncut grass adjacent to 2 St Marys View: this had been sent through to District Cllr Speed to chase to get this cut and discussed in item 3.
x. Letter from SCC Definitive Map Officer: It was noted the claimed public footpath Mill Road to Broadway with circular loop and spurs had been unsuccessful. The parish council expressed their disappointment and at the time this had taken to be decided.

8 - Planning Applications to comment: None received.

9 - Finance Report:-
£20 allotment rent received.
Bank balances: the deposit account had a balance of £10,966.26 at 15.4.25
The current account had a cleared balance at 18.6.24 of £17,234.31 and after the invoices on the agenda are paid of £15,893.15.
The first quarter against budget was circulated to Councillors no queries raised.
To consider any payments to be made: All in agreement for the payment of invoices:

10 - Councillors' reports and items for future agenda:-
Cllr Bagnell asked if a notice could be added to the village newsletter asking if residents could be considerate of their parking on The Street to ensure traffic is able to get through including blue light services.
Cllr Palfrey advised the grass area at Upper Town had been cut back by a member of the public a letter of thanks to be sent. Cllr Dorling to contact the member of public to ask if they would like to send in an invoice for the work as the parish council were happy to pay for this work.

11 - Date of next meeting:-
The date of the next scheduled meeting was confirmed as Thursday, 17 July 2025 at 7.30pm in the Village Hall

12 - To consider excluding the public and press from the meeting to progress a confidential staffing matter in regards the appointment of a new clerk:-
All in agreement to exclude the public and press to discuss the recommendations of the working group in regards the appointment of a new clerk. Cllr Dorling advised the recommendation of the working group, the Clerk had received one of the references which was read to Council; the matter was discussed by Council including salary scale, hours and start date all in agreement to offer the role of Clerk to the recommended candidate with a view to commence employment on 1st July 2025 with the present clerk to continue until the end of July for a month's handover.

There being no further business the meeting was closed at 8.10pm

(Ref: 539-541)