Ilmer Past

Parish Council Minutes

PRESENT

Cllr Mrs Valerie McPherson (Chairman)

Cllrs Ian Walker, Graham Walters, Mrs Jane Rogers, Rolf van Apeldoorn, Brian Richards and Sally Whitworth

Clerk Mrs Susanne Griffiths

1 member of the public

1/ APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

None were received.

2/ MINUTES

The Minutes of the previous meeting of the Parish Council on the 20th January 2015, 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. Cllrs Sally Whitworth and Brian Richards declared an interest in agenda item 14, application number 14/08237/VCDN.

4/ A REPORT FROM CLLR BENDYSHE-BROWN (BCC) ON MATTERS CONCERNING LONGWICK-CUM-ILMER PARISH COUNCIL

Cllr Bill Bendyshe-Brown reported that he has requested a litter pick in the lay-bys outside of Longwick. The hedges have been cut on the roads around Longwick. The road surface in Ilmer is to be patched. The issue of the footway to the school is to be raised on the LAF agenda.

5/ MATTERS ARISING NOT OTHERWISE ON THE AGENDA

Cllr Val McPherson reported that she is still waiting for additional dog fouling signs.

UK Power Networks – Wayleaves: further to the Parish Council decision Minute 799(9), UK Power Networks has sent a Wayleaves Agreement to sign. All present agreed for the Chairman to sign the agreement on behalf of the Parish Council.

Update from The Woodland Trust: notification has been received that the trees should arrive between 2nd and 6th March, together with a guide to identify, plant and care for the saplings, publicity poster, press release advice, stickers and more. The Scouts will be planting them in early April.

6/ FINANCE

Payments:

Cheque Payee / Description Net VAT Total
s/o Salaries, February 2015 £433.37 £433.37
181 mh-p – Domain renewal 8/1/2015-7/1/2017 £15.98 £3.20 £19.18
182 Manor Estates – Grass cutting August 2014 £369.07 £73.81 £442.88
183 K Dobson – Risk Inspection Jan 2015 £15.18 £15.18

Receipts: nil.

Bank Balance £16,387.46 (allowing for the above cheques). The expenditure for February 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.

7/ CAPITAL ITEMS AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES

Playing Field – there were no medium or high risk issues highlighted in the Risk Inspection Report for January 2015.

Children's play area – there were no medium or high risk issues highlighted in the Risk Inspection Report for January 2015.

8/ ROADS, VERGES AND RIGHTS OF WAY

The Clerk is requested to contact the relevant authorities to action the following issues:

CORRESPONDENCE

10/ A REPORT FROM THE STEERING GROUP ON THE NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN

Three Councillors and three residents have formed a steering group and had the first meeting with two WDC officers to review the Neighbourhood Plan process and possible timescales. Please see appendix A for the minutes of the Steering Group meeting.

All present agreed to use the following channels to cascade information to residents:

11/ COMMISSIONING A TREE SURVEY

Mr P Simpkin, Aboricultural officer at WDC, has agreed to quote for conducting a tree survey for Longwick Playing Field but requires clarification on the extent of the land and who owns the trees on the boundaries. Cllr Ian Walker produced a list of trees owned by the Parish Council. All present agreed to instruct Phil Simpkin to quote for a survey of all the trees without the definitive information on ownership of the trees on the boundaries.

12/ AN UPDATE ON DEVOLVED SERVICES FROM B.C.C.

The Councillors have been invited to a conference which visits a variety of ways in which Parish Councils can work with their principal authorities to meet today's challenges, as Parishes and principal authorities are being challenged to provide more for less. The conference "Parish Councils Delivering More and working together with principal authorities" is on the February 24th 2015 at Adams Park, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire; the Clerk will attend. The Clerk advised that the formal contracts to be signed with BCC and PRTC will be available for inspection shortly.

13/ REPORT FROM THE WORKING GROUP ON THE RESPONSES TO THE RECENT COMMUNICATIONS QUESTIONNAIRE

Cllr Jane Rogers reported that she and Cllr Rolf van Apeldoorn have studied the questionnaires in some detail. The results were circulated to the members and are to be published in the next Newsletter. The possibility of engaging a volunteer as Communications Director was discussed.

14/ PLANNING APPLICATIONS

New Planning Applications:

Cllrs Sally Whitworth and Brian Richards declared an interest in the next application and took no part in the discussion and decision:

Notice of Planning Applications Approved:

Notice of Planning Applications Refused:

15/ AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE NEXT MEETING

To receive an update on devolved services from B.C.C. To receive a report from the Steering Group for the Neighbourhood Plan. To discuss and decide on commissioning a tree survey. To discuss and decide on the Annual Review of the Internal Audit. To discuss and decide on the appointment of the Internal Auditor. To review the Financial Regulations. To review the Parish Council Insurance Policy for 2015/16.

16/ A RESOLUTION TO EXCLUDE THE PUBLIC AND PRESS IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION (12) OF THE PUBLIC BODIES (ADMISSION TO MEETINGS) ACT 1960

All present agreed to pass a resolution to exclude the public and press in accordance with section (12) of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 to discuss the following: quotations for the replacement of the playing field fence; staff matters; and the Maintenance Contract for 2015-2016.

17/ NEXT MEETING

The next meeting of the Parish Council will take place on Tuesday March 17th 2015 in Longwick Village Hall at 7.45pm. There being no further business to discuss the Meeting closed at 10.00pm.

Appendix A

NOTES OF THE LONGWICK-CUM-ILMER PARISH NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN STEERING GROUP MEETING

16th February 2015, Longwick Village Hall

1. Welcome and Introductions – Cllr Val McPherson chairs the Steering Group and is Chair of the Parish Council. Sally and Brian are other Councillor members in the Steering Group (SG). Janet, Graham and Tony are co-opted members from the Parish. Rosie Brake and Louise Thomas represent Wycombe District Council, and will support the preparation of the Neighbourhood Plan (NP) for the Parish. Cllr Graham Walters is acting as Liaison Officer for the SG.

2. Review of the Neighbourhood Plan process and possible timetable – RB drew attention to the Process diagram in the "Roadmap Guide", tabled. A draft timetable was presented and explained that it is fairly ambitious; it anticipates a Draft Plan to be out for consultation after the May General Election.

3. Interaction with the Local Plan – the Local Plan process is very lengthy: WDC is looking to adopt the new plan in 2018. RB noted that the NP should reflect the Local Plan as it develops.

4. Technical Matters – 'Basic Conditions' need to be met, as described on p36 of the "Roadmap Guide". The Strategic Environmental Assessment and Sustainability Appraisal are required in EU law; WDC will assist the Parish Council with screening, scoping and preparing a draft framework for consultation (Action: RB). Much of the evidence base has been collected as part of the Longwick Capacity Study, commissioned by WDC and undertaken by Tibbalds consultancy, published on the WDC website. Some more evidence gathering would be needed for the hamlets, as these were not in scope of the Capacity Study.

5. Vision and Objectives, Engagement and other early action – the Capacity Study includes a number of tenets and principles which can be reviewed, and the SG can decide which could be included in a Vision and objectives; other examples of NPs were tabled. There is no compunction for the SG to accept any of the Capacity Study principles, although WDC consider them well thought through. Initially BR and GB would consider and draft a Vision and objectives, for review by the SG (Action: BR, GB). The SG needs to establish an engagement strategy, including seeking views from key stakeholders and contributors; it was noted that the hamlets need to be involved, and that Ilmer residents had already produced some work which the SG could seek to utilise. The PC would consider the engagement strategy and methods at its meeting of 17th February (Action: PC); it was decided that channels of engagement would include SG Notes published with PC Notes (website and Notice Board), updates in Newsletters, the Annual Parish Meeting (21st April), a stall at the May Fete, press releases to Bucks Free Press, inviting contributions on sub-groups (e.g. for Hamlets), and 'testing' latest provisional ideas at forums with key stakeholders before publishing fully. The SG needs to develop and agree site criteria; a meeting was arranged for Thursday 5th March at Meadle to discuss this (Action: VM). BALC has organised an event "Supporting Parishes in Neighbourhood Planning" on Thursday 12th March; priority to attend should go to TB and GB if they would like to go (Action: VM to email details to JM, GB and TB).

6. Grant application and use of consultancy – the PC can apply for grant-aid in the new financial year, which can cover consultancy support. In the meantime, there is some consultancy time available from WDC, which could for example be used to be involved with or review the site criteria.

7. Date of Next Meeting – Thursday 5th March, Meadle, 19:45.