Ilmer Past

Parish Council Minutes

PRESENT

Cllr Mrs V McPherson (Chairman)

Cllrs I Walker, G Walters, Mrs J Rogers and B Richards.

Mrs S Griffiths (Clerk)

County Cllr B Bendyshe-Brown and Wycombe District Councillor Steve Lacey

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

No Apologies were received.

1/ ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN

Cllr Valerie McPherson was proposed by Cllr Jane Rogers. Seconded by Cllr Graham Walters. A vote was taken and all present agreed.

2/ DECLARATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF OFFICE TO BE SIGNED BY THE CHAIRMAN

An Acceptance of office was signed by Cllr Valerie McPherson.

3/ ELECTION OF VICE CHAIRMAN

Cllr Brian Richards was proposed by Cllr Valerie McPherson. Seconded by Cllr Ian Walker. All present agreed.

4/ MINUTES

The Minutes of the previous meeting of the Parish Council on the 15th April 2014, having been circulated were approved by the Meeting and signed by the Chairman.

5/ 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. None were declared.

6/ NOMINATIONS FOR REPRESENTATIONS WITH OTHER ORGANISATIONS

It was agreed that the current representations with other organisations would be as follows:-

NW Chilterns Local Area Forum – Cllr Jane Rogers

WDALC. – Cllr Ian Walker

Allotment Charities – Cllr J Rogers

7/ MATTERS ARISING NOT OTHERWISE ON THE AGENDA

Cllr Jane Rogers has compiled a list of landowners with ditches whose land borders the highway that potentially have riparian responsibilities. Concerns were raised that farmers may contravene SPS payments/DEFRA and also the Environmental Agency regulations by carrying out the requests to clear the ditches. The Clerk has contacted B.C.C. who has recommended that if any landowners ditches need to be cleared that the Parish Council provide the address for the County Council to contact.

Cllr Ian Walker has obtained a quotation of £120.00 to mend the gate post hinge in the play area. All present agreed to proceed with this quotation and request the work to be done. IW

The Clerk has obtained a quotation £105.00 to hire the machinery needed to clear out the ditch in the playing Field. All present agreed to proceed with this work. SG

The Clerk confirmed that the weed killing treatment had been applied to the Playing Field as requested.

8/ FINANCE

A/ Payments

Item Description Net VAT Total
Clerks Fees S Griffiths - May salary £433.37 £433.37
Audit Fee D Timms - Internal Audit Fee £25.00 £25.00
Grass Cutting Manor Estates - Grasscutting April £369.07 £73.81 £442.88
Risk Assessment Keith Dobson - Risk Inspection April £15.03 £15.03
newsletter Whiteleaf Printers Ltd - Newsletter £420.00 £420.00
Devolved Services PRTC - Devolved Services 2014/2015 £2,400.00 £2,400.00
Subs BMKALC- Annual Subs 2014/2015 £189.60 £189.60

B/ Credits – WDC - Precept £9,096.15; Jacob Babtie – Devolved Services £2,400.00

C/ Bank Balance £16,538.19 (allowing for the above credits and cheques)

The income for April and expenditure for May was examined by the Council. All present agreed that the necessary cheques be signed.

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 the monies were all accounted for.

9/ CAPITAL ITEMS AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES

A. Playing Field. There were no issues highlighted in the Risk Inspection Report for April 2014. Cllr Graham Walters agreed to contact a local person to give a quotation for the hedge cutting. GW

B. Children's play area. There were no issues highlighted in the Risk Inspection Report for April 2014. All present agreed to approve a residents request to display laminated signs to encourage dog owners to clear up their dog waste.

10/ ROADS, VERGES AND RIGHTS OF WAY

Cllr Graham Walters provided details of the bridge that has been graffitied. The Clerk will report the details to Network Rail. SG

Cllr Jane Rogers informed the members that the 2 signs were still lying in the verge on the Thame Road. The Clerk is requested to ascertain when the signs will be replaced. SG

Cllr Ian Walker requested that a letter is to be sent to B.C.C. informing the County Council of the work to take place by the Parish Council on the ditch which forms the northern boundary of the Longwick Playing Field and requesting that B.C.C. clear the section of the ditch which continues through B.C.C. land forming the northern boundary of Longwick School which burst its banks and flooded neighbours properties last winter. All present agreed for the Clerk to send a letter and to make the County Councillor aware of work required. SG

11/ CORRESPONDENCE

E-mail from WDC offering playground inspections by RoSPA at a cost of £64. All present agreed to instruct RoSPA to carry out the risk assessment. SG

E-mail from a resident offering to paint the railings around the War Memorial if the Parish Council can supply the paint. All present agreed to purchase the paint and accept the kind offer.

Chilterns Conservation Board - Planning Training on Tuesday 1st July 2014 – Great Missenden Memorial Hall. Noted.

Conference Invitation sent on behalf of Councillor Ruth Vigor-Hedderly, Cabinet Member for Transportation. Noted.

Letter from Open Spaces re registration of common land. The Parish Councils have been recommended to contact the county council's commons registration department and ask to be notified of any landowner statements made under section 15A of the Commons Act 2006. (These may be combined with landowner declarations relating to public rights of way, under section 31(6) of the Highways Act 1980.) All present agreed to register the Parish Council to receive notification. SG

Invitation to sign the Community Covenant for the Wycombe District on Monday 23rd June 2014. The Parish Council last year agreed to sign the Community Covenant demonstrating commitment to supporting service personnel, families and veterans within RAF High Wycombe. However, the signing event had to be postponed until this year. Cllr Brian Richards agreed to attend on behalf of the Parish Council. BR

An invitation to the WDC Planning Forum on 26 June, 6.15pm for 6.30pm. The Forum is open to all and provides an opportunity for WDC to receive feedback from their stakeholders on the service. It also features feedback from WDC's annual Quality Counts Tour. Noted.

12/ FILLING THE VACANCY FOR A COUNCILLOR BY CO-OPTION.

Cllr Graham Walters proposed to co-opt Mrs Sally Whitworth to fill the vacancy for a Parish Councillor following the retirement of Cllr George O'Neill. Seconded by Cllr Jane Rogers. A vote was taken and the motion passed with 4 votes in favour and one abstention. SG

13 THE INTERNAL AUDITORS REPORT FOR THE AUDIT FOR THE YEAR 2013/2014.

The Clerk presented the meeting with a letter from the Internal Auditor to confirm that the 2013/2014 internal audit has been completed and all was in order.

14. APPROVAL OF THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR 2013/2014 AND THE ANNUAL GOVERNANCE STATEMENT OF THE ANNUAL AUDIT RETURN.

The Clerk presented the Annual Return of Account for the year 2013/2014 for approval by the Parish Council. The Parish Council having examined the accounts found them to be in order. All present agreed to approve the accounts for the year 2013/2014 and the annual governance statement of the annual audit return.

15. UPDATING THE PARISH COUNCIL WEBSITE

All present agreed to contact the Webmaster to request a free website makeover. SG

16. ADDING AN EXTRA AREA TO THE EXISTING OUTLINE TO ILMER VILLAGE GREEN

Cllr Graham Walters informed the members that the land known as the Ilmer Village Green is registered with the Commons Registration Dept. B.C.C.

17. THE REPLACEMENT AND RE-SITING OF THE NOTICE BOARD.

Cllr Valerie McPherson informed the members that there were no plans to commence the development in the near future and therefore no need to resite the Notice board in the near future.

18. THE RESPONSIBILITY AND LIABILITY FOR THE FOOTWAY LIGHT OUTSIDE OF THE VILLAGE SHOP/POST OFFICE.

Cllr Brian Richards has researched the Parish Council's minutes to clarify the position concerning the responsibility and liability for the footway light outside of the village shop. In 1984 the Police traffic Dept. had requested the Parish Council to consider erecting a street light following a fatal accident at that point. After taking advice from B.C.C. and W.D.C. it decided to install a 35 watt sodium lamp on the pole outside the Village Hall at 5 metres high. An amount had been included in the precept each year until 1989 for the electricity. The last repair to the lamp was in December 2009 and was repaired by B.C.C. Despite a thorough search, Cllr Brian Richards could find no record of any payments made or bills received from utility companies or contractors. All present agreed to precept in the future for replacement bulbs for this lamp. SG

19. THE RESPONSIBILITY AND LIABILITY FOR THE REMAINDER OF FOOTWAY LIGHTING IN LONGWICK.

Cllr Brian Richards has researched the Parish Council's minutes since 1983 to clarify the position concerning the responsibility and liability for the footway lighting in the parish excluding the light outside the village shop.

In the Parish Council minutes for July 1996 reference was made to the Rural Housing Initiative which relates to the Centenary Cottages Development, that there should be a light at the entrance to the area. Warden Housing Association advised that work on the development had a planned end date in February 1997.

In November 1997 and September 2002 it was reported to the Warden Housing Association that the light was not working for them to make the necessary repairs.

The only other mention of footway lighting in Longwick is made in planning applications from developers. At no time has the Parish Council accepted responsibility or liability for the lighting installed by the developers. Cllr Brian Richards therefore proposed that the Parish Council do not accept any responsibility for the lighting in the parish excluding the light outside the Longwick Village Shop/Post Office. All present agreed.

20/ PLANNING APPLICATIONS

To consider New Planning Applications

Notice of Planning Applications Approved

To Receive Notice of Planning Applications Refused

None.

21/ AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE NEXT MEETING.

To discuss and decide on possible generation of income from the Playing Field. (Cllr Ian Walker). To discuss and decide on filling the vacancy for a Parish Councillor by co-option.

22/ NEXT MEETING

The next meeting of the Parish Council will take place on Tuesday 17th June 2014 in Longwick Village Hall at 8.00pm.

There being no further business to discuss the Meeting closed at 10.05pm.