EAST BERGHOLT PARISH COUNC IL
MINUTES OF THE EXTRAORDINARY PARISH COUNCIL MEETING
Thursday 3 April 2025 at The Lambe School, Gaston Street, East Bergholt

Present – Parish Councillors
Councillor J Miller (Chair of the Council)
Councillor N Roberts (Vice-Chair of the Council)
Councillor M Burns
Councillor S Davies
Councillor P Dent
Councillor R Elmer
Councillor M Hockley
Councillor L Matthews
Councillor J Price
Councillor R Wombwell
Councillor G Woodcock

In Attendance
G White, Parish Clerk

OPEN PUBLIC SESSION
No members of the public were present and the Chair closed the session.

173.24.25 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence received from Councillors Allen and Hurley were NOTED.

174.24.25 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST OR DISPENSATIO NS
None

175.24.25 RED LION
The Chair updated the Council on events since the last Council meeting. A further meeting
had taken place between Mr Peachey and the Council’s Working Group under the
chairmanship of Arthur Charvonia. Since then, Mr Peachey has provided three estate agent
valuations, one at £1.6m. A surveyor’s letter had also been provided saying how he would
value the land. This contained an estimated fair value of £1.4m. However, unlike the
Council’s valuation, this was not a red book RICS valuation. The Council’s valuation had
been conducted under the RICS international standard and produced a valuation of c£600k.

The Chair noted that there were differences in the assumptions made in producing the
valuations and these would be addressed in the confidential part of the meeting. The Chair
informed the Council that Mr Peachey had reduced his asking price to £1.4m. A further
meeting with Mr Peachey under the chairmanship of Mr Charvonia was scheduled for 11
April.

Councillor Roberts added that Mr Peachey had asked for the Council’s best and final offer
before that meeting so a decision needs to be made at this meeting.

The Chair said that over the last month the Working Group had been looking at financial
aspects to the transaction which would be discussed in the confidential part of the meeting.

176.24.25 RESOLUTION TO EXCLUDE THE PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
It was proposed by Councillor Miller, seconded by Councillor Roberts and RESOLVED
(unanimously) that pursuant to the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 and the
Local Government Act 1972 the public (including the press) be excluded from the meeting
as publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest by reason of the confidential nature of
the business to be transacted.

177.24.25 RED LION
The Chair reminded members of the confidentiality of the discussion which would follow
and that no information must be disclosed. The Chair circulated and presented a paper
addressing relevant considerations and an analysis of the Council’s financial resources, to
assist the Council in reaching decisions upon whether it wished to purchase the land and if
so, the offer it wished to make. Following due consideration and debate the Council decided
it did
wish to make an offer for the land and determined the level of that offer.

The meeting closed at 9.58 pm.

Chair……………………………………………… Date…………………………………