Parish Council Minutes
1/ PRESENT
Cllr G Harper (Chairman)
Cllrs Mrs V McPherson, G O'Neill, G Walters, Mrs. P Priestley and Mrs J Rogers
Mrs S Griffiths (Clerk)
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies were received and accepted from Cllr I Walker.
Further to the Parish Council's decision to co-opt Mr Graham Walters to the Parish Council, Mr Walters signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office. Cllr G Harper welcomed Mr Walters to the council.
2/ MINUTES
The Minutes of the previous meeting of the Parish Council on the 16th November 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.
4/ MATTERS ARISING NOT OTHERWISE ON THE AGENDA
The Clerk informed the members that WDC solicitor had produced a draft lease of the play area to the Longwick Pre-School and, with the additional information required, was now in the process of preparing the lease for signature.
Cllr G Harper thanked Cllr J Rogers, P Priestley and G O'Neill for organising the Carol Service and refreshments.
5. FINANCE
Accounts for Payment:
| Cheque | Payee / Description | Net | VAT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 399 | V McPherson – reimburse costs for producing newsletter | £110.74 | £110.74 | |
| 400 | MH-P – Upload contact details | £15.00 | £2.63 | £17.63 |
| 401 | S Griffiths – Clerks Fees and Expenses (Oct, Nov & Dec) £1,285.00; Postage etc £35.76 | £1,320 | ||
| 402 | MH-P – Annual Fee e-mail address | £60.00 | £10.50 | £70.50 |
| 403 | TBS Hygiene – Dog waste and litter collection 03/09–26/11 | £182.00 | £31.85 | £213.85 |
Income received: none.
Bank Balance £6,453.05 (allowing for the above cheques). The Clerk presented the accounts together with the bank statements and bank reconciliation for the members' consideration. All present agreed that the accounts were being handled in a satisfactory manner and that the monies were all accounted for.
6. CAPITAL ITEMS AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES
Playing Field – Cllr G O'Neill has received a request from a resident to extend the zip wire and increase the height. All present agreed that the height could not be increased due to Health and Safety requirements, and the Parish Council does not have money in the budget to extend the zip wire in this or the next financial year.
Children's Play Area – Cllr G Harper confirmed that the timber climbing frame had been removed following a report from Safe and Sound that it was no longer safe due to rotting timber below the surface.
7. ROADS, VERGES AND RIGHTS OF WAY.
Cllr P Priestley requested that the Clerk thank Highways for the action they have taken concerning the phasing of the traffic lights on Thame Road. The Clerk is requested to raise the following concerns with the relevant local authority:
- Potholes in Owlsick on the road as you approach Stockwell Lane.
- A deep pothole outside Briants on the Thame Road in Longwick.
8. CORRESPONDENCE.
A letter of thanks from the Rights of Way Officer, B.C.C., further to the information and reports sent from the Parish Council as part of the Parish Survey for Longwick-cum-Ilmer footpaths.
Letter from the Longwick Sports Club requesting additional cuts of the playing field to accommodate the fixture dates for the cricket and football teams. After discussion it was agreed by all that the Parish Council was unable to agree to this request, as it had set the precept for 2011/2012 to remain at its current rate and therefore there was no additional money available. The Clerk is requested to obtain the price for an additional cut and inform the Sports Club that whilst the Parish Council is agreeable for the additional cuts, it is unable to provide the funding and the Sports Club will need to finance these additional cuts out of their own funds.
Local Transport Plan (2011/12–2015/16) Public Consultation: letter from B.C.C. advising that the consultation is open from the 6th December for 12 weeks until the 25th February 2011. Residents are encouraged to respond individually rather than on behalf of a group.
9. REPORTS
- School Governors: Cllr G O'Neill informed the members that the school had appointed a new head teacher to start at the beginning of the summer term.
- NW Chilterns Local Area Forum: Cllr G O'Neill was pleased to advise the members that the new Vehicle Activated Sign for Thame Road in Longwick will be installed in the spring.
- WDALC: nothing to report.
- N.A.G: there has been a decrease in reports of anti-social behaviour in November; the police received a report of a recycling bin that had been set alight on the Thame Road, Longwick, and Wycombe District Council have been notified and replaced the damaged parts. There are some planned speeding operations organised with Thames Valley Safer Roads Partnership to warn drivers who are slightly over the speed limit and prosecute speeders who are driving at sufficiently above the speed limit; several locations will be targeted in and around Princes Risborough.
- Newsletter: nothing to report.
10. TO REPLACE THE PARISH COUNCIL NOTICEBOARD IN 2011/2012
Cllr G O'Neill proposed that the members consider purchasing a new noticeboard in the next financial year, as the present board is in need of a lot of work and it may not be financially viable to pay for repairs only to find it needs replacing the following year. All present agreed to consider the proposal at the next meeting. The Clerk is requested to arrange for brochures and quotations to be obtained for a low maintenance noticeboard.
11. THE BUDGETS FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 2011/2012 AND THE SETTING OF THE PRECEPT
After a detailed discussion on the budgets for 2011/2012, Cllr G Harper proposed that the precept for 2011/2012 should remain at £16,500.00. Seconded by Cllr Mrs. P Priestley. All present agreed.
12. THE EXPENDITURE ALLOWED UNDER L.G.A. 1972 SECTION 137.
Cllr G Harper advised the Parish Council that included in the budget for 2011/2012 is a sum of £70.00 to be charged against expenditure allowed under Section 137, and he proposed that this be accepted. Seconded by Cllr Mrs. P Priestley. All present agreed.
Cllr P Priestley left the meeting at 8.50pm.
13. PLANNING APPLICATIONS
Progress on applications already considered:
- 10/07313/FUL: Vale Edge Farm, Owlswick Lane, Owlswick. Householder application for raising of roof, roof extensions and alterations to accommodate first floor living space. Application Permitted.
New Applications to be considered:
- 10/07759/AGI06: Bumpers Farm, Ilmer Lane, Ilmer. Erection of grain store. The Parish Council believes a grain store is a reasonable agricultural building for this location but has a concern that footpath 13 runs through this property and would like confirmation that the new building would not obstruct the footpath.
- 10/07733/CTREE: Dove Cottage, Meadle Village Road, Meadle. Various tree works: reduce by 50% 1 Pear (24) & 10 Leyland Cypress (1-4, 50-57), coppice Hazels (5-9), reduce by 40% Plums (58-60), reduce by 30% Cherry (10), Damson (14), Apples (16, 21, 22, 61), Yews (26, 28), Plums (19, 15), reduce by 20% 1 Apple (17), 1 Holly (27), reduce by 15% Beeches (29-30), formative prune 1 Cherry (23), remove Damsons (11, 18), Plums (13, 20, 60), 1 Pear (25). The Parish Council has no objections.
- 10/07684/FUL: Blacksmiths Road, Longwick. Householder application for construction of part single storey, part two storey rear extension. The Parish Council has no objections.
- 10/07578/FUL: Dorrells Road, Longwick. Householder application for erection of a single-storey front porch with pitched roof, incorporating a W/C. The Parish Council has no objections.
14/ AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE NEXT MEETING
To discuss and decide on preparing a Community Resilience Plan. To discuss and decide on a new Parish Council Noticeboard.
15/ NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of the Parish Council will take place on Tuesday 18th January 2011 in Longwick Village Hall at 7.30pm. There being no further business to discuss the Meeting closed at 9.10pm.