Hadleigh councillors were told to defer decisions to agree funding for play areas in the town, so they could instead go into a confidential session to approve pay rises for their clerk and projects manager.

The move came after a debate involving staffing issues overran and instead of being allowed to discuss a number of agenda items in the public domain, the town clerk Wendy Brame told the mayor Gordon McLeod he should exclude the press and public so confidential items, including her pay increase, could be discussed.

The town council has cut off time of 10pm and at 9.30pm Mrs Brame said they were running out of time and they should close the public part of the meeting in order to have time to agree two sets of confidential minutes and discuss 'staffing matters', which included pay increases for two members of staff.

Hadleigh town clerk Wendy Brame

Councillors, including Cllr Andrew Knock questioned whether dealing with items in the confidential section was more important than discussing approval for items including undertake remedial works to the Timperley Road and Corks Lane play areas, but was overruled by the mayor.

Among the 14 agenda items that were skipped over as it was deemed they were not time sensitive or of an urgent nature were:

1. To agree spend of £3228.29 + VAT from the CIL earmarked reserves to undertake remedial works to the Timperley Road and Corks Lane play areas.
2.  To agree to look at adding extra infant swings to Corks Lane play area. 
3. To agree a spend nearly £1,300 to remove, repair and refit the bench outside Partridges which was damaged.
4. To agree spend of £636.49 + VAT for 1100 pin badges to be handed out to every primary school age pupil and during our events. 
5. To agree spend of nearly £600 to fix the tennis court fencing.
6. To agree spend of up to £2,150 + vat for installation of hedging to separate the natural burial area from the rest of the cemetery and erect a pergola at the entrance
7. To agree spend of up to £775 + vat to install an oak noticeboard at the natural burial area.

Councillors were also due to receive updates regarding Invest in Hadleigh, the Festival of Suffolk Working Group. Layham Road Sports Ground and Armed Forces Week.

They were also expected to discuss the council's complaints policy, Hadleigh Grand Feoffment Charity and arrangements for the Annual Town Meeting.

The mayor could call an extraordinary meeting for Wednesday next week, otherwise it could be three to four weeks before these items can be discussed by the full council.

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