Question asked by councillors and a member of the public over who authorised a 'controversial' payment made by Hadleigh Town Council, forced an agenda item to be withdrawn at its public meeting last night.

Mayor Frank Minns had hoped to garner agreement from councillors to close the matter but a member of the public questioned the events surrounding the payment made on May 10, 2019, eight days after the election

There are concerns about who actually authorised and signed off the payment, understood to be a substantial amount, and when it was discussed and agreed by elected councillors - if it was.

Huw Roberts last night used the public open session to highlight the issue and told how documents he had obtained showed details of the payment were withheld from the new council at a meeting on May 16, with the next the next council meeting scheduled for June 20.

Two schedule payment lists, one labelled a draft on June 13 included the payment, but the second payment list which was presented to council, did not include the payment.

Mr Roberts said at least night's meeting: "By way of explaining these two different documents, the new acting town council manager emailed me recently to say the payment was presented to the current town council and was discussed as a confidential item at the meeting June 20. In other words, you, the current council were shown the payment and possibly retrospectively approved the payment.

"If you pass the motion and use the matter this is the narrative you are committing too - it may not stand scrutiny.

"The councillors who attended the meeting on June 20, as I did, will know no confidential items were discussed. Others may check the agenda and minutes.

"The June meeting was only the second meeting of the new council and councillors may recall how they were keen to keep matters open and transparent. they wold remember if at that meeting, you were asked to approve or even just discuss a confidential and potently controversial payment for such large amount of money."

Cllr Minns conceded the issue had serious legal implications and moved to withdraw the item so the matter could be investigated.

"This puts us all in an extremely difficult position," he said. "So difficult, that I cannot say anything more about it. I would be a happier if we brought the matter to close.

"We need to find a way of satisfying Mr Roberts, and others, that we have little choice in this matter."

As the council meeting moved back into session Cllr Minns wanted councillors to note a report from the Suffolk Association of Local Councils (SALC) in relation to the payment, understood to be a substantial five figure sum

Councillor Angela Gregg made it clear she was not happy with the way SALC had tried to investigate the issue and questioned the information they had received in order to make their report.serious matter.

"I don't believe this should be swept under the carpet," said Cllr Gregg. "SALC's report has gone by a report by Andrew McMillan (former town council manager) and I don't believe SALC have done the role and job they were asked to do."

Councillor Andrew Knock also questioned how Hadleigh Town Council could have said it was a confidential item, when he had not seen anything at the time about a confidential payment and agreed there was nothing on the agenda and there were no minutes about any confidential matter for that meeting.

He expressed a concern that SALC been told it had been dealt with as a confidential item, and wondered how SALC had been convinced that had happened and wanted to see the email trail regarding the issue.

SALC has been approached by Nub News for comment but it has not yet responded.