Parish Council Minutes
1/ PRESENT
Cllr G Harper (Chairman)
Cllrs I Walker, Mrs V McPherson, Mrs J Rogers, Mrs. P Priestley, Mrs D Brock and G O'Neill
Mrs S Griffiths (Clerk)
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
No apologies were received.
2/ MINUTES
The Minutes of the previous meeting of the Parish Council on the 18th May 2010, having been circulated were approved by the Meeting and signed by the Chairman.
3/ DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Members were asked to declare any personal interest and the nature of that interest which they may have in any of the items under consideration at this meeting. Cllr Mrs P Priestley declared an interest in Planning Applications.
4/ MATTERS ARISING NOT OTHERWISE ON THE AGENDA
The piece of land at Bell Crescent/Chestnut Way: the Clerk informed the members that Andy Sherwood, Green Space Team Leader, Wycombe District Council, is dealing with the enquiry, as being already public open space there are restrictions on what can be done with the site. Cllr I Walker advised that he is in the process of obtaining quotations for the work required for the suggested plan.
WDC – Emergency Plan (Version 2): the Clerk informed the members that the only change to the CD from WDC containing the updated WDC Emergency Plan (version 2) was in the list of contacts. All present agreed to add this contact list to the website.
Survey of Rights of Way in the Parish of Longwick-cum-Ilmer: the maps and survey forms have now been received from the Rights of Way Dept. Cllr J Rogers will coordinate the exercise and allocate footpaths to the councillors at the next meeting.
An update on the HS2.5 proposal: a letter from The Chilterns Conservation Board has been received concerning the HS2 proposals. It advises that it has been in direct contact with the HS2 Company, ministers and local MPs since HS2 began work in early 2009; the senior officers and Chair signed a confidentiality agreement so that they could see and comment on the plans, and have been putting the case that a route through the AONB is unacceptable. The Board's position is that it has a legal duty to conserve and enhance the Chilterns AONB, and as HS2 will irreparably damage the AONB it is bound to oppose it; it has voted to oppose any route through the AONB. The HS2 Company has agreed that groups of Parish Councils could be recognised as 'pre-consultation stakeholders'; the Chilterns Conservation Board thinks it sensible to establish such a group in the Chilterns and would be willing to support it. All present agreed to join the group. There is a Speen based opposition group to the HS2.5 route; all present agreed to add a link to www.speenbucks.org.uk to the Parish Council website.
5. FINANCE
Accounts for Payment:
| Cheque | Payee / Description | Net | VAT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 371 | MH-P Design – Modify Directory page | £15.00 | £2.63 | £17.63 |
| 372 | Manor Estates – Grass cutting May 2010 | £348.90 | £61.06 | £409.96 |
| 373 | TBS Hygiene – Collection of dog waste and litter (March, April & May) | £182.00 | £31.85 | £213.85 |
| 374 | Longwick Village Hall – Hire of hall for meetings in 2009 | £124.00 | £124.00 | |
| 375 | S Griffiths – Clerks Fees and Expenses (April, May & June) | £1,275.00 + £36.14 | £1,311.14 | |
| 376 | Safe & Sound Playground Equip Ltd – Zip Wire | £8,500.00 | £1,487.51 | £9,987.51 |
Income: £1,043.45 from HMRC (VAT refund); £0.01p interest.
Bank Balance £15,656.39 (allowing for the above credits and cheques). The income and expenditure for June was examined by the Council. All present agreed that the necessary cheques be signed.
6/ CAPITAL ITEMS AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES
Playing Field – Cllr G Harper informed the members that the weed killer was applied to the Playing Field on the 28th May as planned and that the zip wire installed.
Children's playground – nothing to report.
7/ ROADS, VERGES AND RIGHTS OF WAY
The Clerk is requested to raise the following concerns with the relevant local authority:
- The directional signs at the junction of Bar Lane are giving the wrong direction to Longwick, and the mile stone in Longwick on the Thame Road needs reseating after being lifted in a car accident — both reported under reference number 274256 in January and still outstanding.
- The potholes between Owlsick and Stockwell Lane Junction, reported under reference number 287983, are now becoming a matter of urgency to repair.
- There are potholes on the Lower Icknield Way by the end of Longwick Mill and Farthings Cottage that need attention.
- Nettles are obstructing the footpath under the bridge on the B4009 heading towards Chinnor.
- The standard of grass cutting is of concern in the Parish as strimmers are being used instead of mowers and the grass is left lying on the paths.
8/ CORRESPONDENCE
- Letters of thanks from the churches for the maintenance of the churchyard grants. Noted.
- Request from BCA to give a presentation on Community Led Planning at a Parish Council meeting. All present agreed to invite the BCA to the meeting in October to enable the presentation to be advertised in the next newsletter.
- Invitation to attend the Chilterns Planning Training event. Noted.
- Invitation to attend a course to introduce the Parish Consultation Portal. Noted.
- Notification of a local enquiry into the appeal against the decision of WDC to refuse permission for change of use of land at Hemley Hill. Noted.
- Invitation from WDC to submit comments on the update on the Delivery and Site Allocations Development Plan Document, available for viewing from June 25th until 23rd July 2010; the Clerk informed the members that there were no policies and issues included in the update relating to the Longwick-cum-Ilmer Parish.
- Invitation to the inauguration of RACB's new Community Bus. Cllrs G O'Neill and Mrs J Rogers agreed to attend on behalf of the Parish Council.
- Two letters received from residents concerned that they were not informed of the decision to install a zip wire, and complaining about the noise from young people in the playing field. The Clerk is requested to reply reassuring the residents that there will be no additional noise from the zip wire equipment and that any anti social behaviour should be reported to the police; the Clerk is also requested to contact the police and ask them to visit the playing field on a regular basis.
Items of general interest on table.
9/ REPORTS
- School Governors: nothing to report.
- WDALC: nothing to report. The next meeting is on the 17th June 2010.
- NW Chilterns Local Area Forum: Cllr G Harper attended a meeting held to discuss the HS2.5 proposal. He informed the members that until the Government confirms that it proposes to continue with the previous government's proposal, there is little more that can be done at present.
- Neighbourhood Action Group: nothing to report.
- Newsletter: further to comments made by the public in the public forum, Cllr G O'Neill proposed that the Parish Council include a parish report in the Newsletter informing residents of any plans the Parish Council were considering and actions taken in the previous months. All present agreed.
10. AN INVITATION TO MEET WITH JERRY UNSWORTH, W.D.C.
Cllr Mrs P Priestley explained the purpose of the meeting was to join with WDC and other parishes that have gypsy settlements to form a fair policy for the future. Cllr Mrs J Rogers agreed to represent the parish at this meeting and report back to the council at the next Parish Council meeting.
11. TO PLACE A MAP OF THE PARISH ON THE WEBSITE.
The Clerk informed the members that it would cost £35 to place a map of the parish showing the parish boundaries on the website. All present agreed to this cost and requested the Clerk to proceed with placing the footpath map on the website.
12. PLANNING APPLICATIONS
Progress on applications already considered:
- 10/05508/FUL: Horsenden Manor, Horsenden Lane, Princes Risborough. Erection of general storage building to house equipment and machinery. Application Permitted.
New Applications to be considered:
- 10/06017/FUL: 7 Walnut Tree Lane, Longwick. Householder application for erection of new front porch, new front wall & creation of new hard standing. The Parish Council has no objections.
- 10/06185/FUL: Orchard Farm, Stockwell Lane, Little Meadle. Erection of two buildings to house livestock, serve as temporary workshop and store animal feed. The Parish Council has no objections.
- 10/06031/LBC: Stockwell Lane Farm, Stockwell Lane, Little Meadle. Listed Building application for replacement ground floor side window with pair of French doors. The Parish Council has no objections.
13/ AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE NEXT MEETING
To be advised.
14/ NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of the Parish Council will take place on Tuesday 20th July 2010 in Longwick Village Hall at 8.00pm. There being no further business to discuss the Meeting closed at 9.50pm.