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Parish Meeting Minutes - 18 Apr 1995

Minutes of the Longwick-cum-Ilmer Parish Meeting on 18th Apr 1995.

LONGWICK-CUM-ILMER - ANNUAL PARISH Mtg - 18 APR 95

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF LONGWICK-CUM-ILMER PARISH HELD AT LONGWICK VILLAGE HALL ON TUESDAY, 18th APRIL 1995 AT 8.00PM.

Present: Mr B W Butler (Chairman) Mr J V Maude (Secretary) Cllrs Mrs Brock, Mrs Priestley, Mrs Rogers, Mr Harper, Mr Lawrence and Mr Walker. Also present were Mr S Paterson (Warden Housing Assn), Mr S Jones (Bucks Herald) and 26 electors of the Parish.

1. MINUTES. The Minutes of the Annual Meeting held on 19th April 1994 were read, confirmed and signed.

2. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. The Chairman introduced the Councillors, Clerk and outside visitors. He explained the reason for the Meeting, and how it differed from a normal Parish Council Meeting. He then reviewed the past year, reporting that during the year, the Parish Council considered 32 planning applications; to 27 of these there were no objections, but to 5 the Council objected. To date, the planning authority (WDC) had given unconditional approval to 1 application, had given conditional permission to 18, and had refused 5. Decisions on the other 8 applications were still awaited.

1994 was the Centenary Year for Parish Councils and whilst the commemorative trees were planted more than 12 months ago, further events were held as follows:

Two seats were purchased and positioned outside the Village Hall with the partial aid of a grant from WDC.

Council memorabilia were exhibited in the Village Hall during the Annual Fete (30 Apr 94) and attracted a steady stream of viewers.

The next day a circular walk was enjoyed by Councillors and the Clerk, and their spouses and the few parishioners who attended.

Finally, on the same day, a Church Service at St Peter's, Ilmer was well attended, including both past and present Councillors and Clerks.

The Parish Council has continued to maintain and support village community facilities. During the last 12 months the Parish Council has clarified and confirmed the particular area of responsibility of the Village Hall Management Committee; as well as the Village Hall itself, this covers the driveway, the paved area in front of the Hall, the parking areas, the flower beds and the bank. A Schedule detailing these areas has now been attached to the Village Hall Trust Deed. The Parish Council has also agreed with the Longwick Sports Club on a 50/50 split in the cost of mowing and weed treatment of the Playing Field. The Parish Council will also fund 3 mowings of the extension field this year. Following

consultation with the National Rivers Authority, the Parish Council has accepted responsibility for maintaining the stream adjacent to the Playing Field. Parish Councillors have been emptying newly installed waste bins at the Playing Field. The children's Play Area is now the responsibility of the Parish Council, and plans are being made to move the swings in the area a short distance to facilitate the fencing of the area as a "dog free" zone; the Parish Council is grateful to the landlord and patrons of The White Horse for a donation towards the considerable costs of this work. The Parish Council has refused a request by a householder adjacent to the playing field, to purchase a strip of land next to his property as the Council considers that all this land is held on behalf of future generations. Finally, the Parish Council has funded the resurfacing of the footpath from Dorrells Rd to the Playing Field, and a clean-up of the adjacent watercourse.

Moving on to footpaths, the Parish Council has continued to participate in the Parish Paths Partnership scheme. Parishioners have assisted Councillors in walking and reporting on parish paths. Little new work has been undertaken during the last 12 months, as the majority of paths are now in a good state of repair. Footpath No. 7 has been diverted round a copse, and Footpath No. 1 has been upgraded to a Byway Open to All Traffic (BOAT).

An exhibition of the affordable housing scheme proposed for the parish was held in the Village Hall last July, and was attended by over 120 parishioners who gave widespread support for the scheme; there were only 4 outright objections. Nothing more would be said on this as it would be the subject of an update briefing by Mr Stuart Patterson of Warden Housing Assn later in the meeting.

The final subject was highways. The Parish Council had suggested to the Highways Authority (BCC) that the provision of a layby outside the Post Office, and the extension of the existing 40mph speed limits in the village to include the B4009 from the Chinnor side of the railway bridge to the Aylesbury side of the Sportsmans roundabout, and also the A4129 from the existing limit to the Princes Risborough side of the Sportsmans roundabout, would improve safety. The BCC Highways and Road Safety Committee had rejected those ideas at its meeting in Feb 95. However, the Chairman and Cllr Mrs Priestley (Parish and District Councillor) had recently met with a BCC representative to discuss the County's proposal to close the southern end of Chestnut Way, at the same time the Councillors raised again the matters of the lay-by and the speed limits. They were informed that the current position was that BCC propose to close the southern end of Chestnut Way to vehicular traffic; this proposal will be formally advised to the Parish Council, to WDC, and to other interested bodies, including the emergency services. Any objections which could not be resolved between the parties concerned would be placed before the Highways and Public Transport Committee for a decision. There would then follow a period of public consultation, with notices being posted in the area affected and placed in the Press. To accommodate the increase in traffic turning left into Chestnut Way from Thame Rd, it may be necessary to ease the radius of curvature of the bend opposite the Red Lion. There are currently no plans to install a mini-roundabout at this junction. BCC have agreed to look again at extending the 40mph limits within the village, but have advised

that there is insufficient space available for a lay-by outside the Post Office, so no progress on this matter. However, it has been agreed that there will be a 12-hour survey of vehicles and pedestrians in the vicinity of the Post Office and the White Horse; the survey will be to decide whether there is a need for a pedestrian crossing on the Thame Rd at this point.

Finally, the Chairman thanked the Parish Clerk for his work behind the scenes, and also for his assistance to the Chairman in his first year of office.

Having concluded his report, the Chairman responded to questions from the floor:-

Mr More (Boxer Rd) reiterated the need for a mini-roundabout at the junction of Chestnut Way and Thame Rd, emphasising the difficulty of exit from Chestnut Way turning right into Thame Rd, and asked if this was part of the plan when Chestnut Way became a cul-de-sac. The Chairman replied that the question had been raised with BCC, but, as reported, there was nothing in the plan as yet.

Mr Conyers (Bell Cres.) and Mr Holland (Chestnut Way) seconded the above, while questioning the need for closing Chestnut Way at all. The Chairman said that their views would be reflected in the Parish Council's response to BCC.

Miss Louise Austin supported the need for a speed limit on the B4009, particularly in the vicinity of the railway bridge. The Chairman took note of her view, which coincided with that of the Parish Council.

3. PAROCHIAL CHARITY ACCOUNTS.

In accordance with the Charities Act, the accounts of The Princes Risborough Charity and the Monks Risborough Parochial Charities were laid before the Meeting. Mr Maude summarised the accounts as follows:

** A disbursement cheque for £300.00 had not been cashed before the end of the accounting period and could not be shown, thereby distorting the disbursements and balance c/f figures.

4. ACCOUNTS 1994/5 & PRECEPT 1995/6

Mr Maude placed before the Meeting the Statement of Accounts 1994/5 of the Parish Council (see Annex), and advised the Meeting that the Parish Precept for 1995/6 would be £5737.00.

5. BRIEFING ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING SCHEME FOR LONGWICK.

Mr Stuart Patterson of Warden Housing Association (WHA) briefed the Meeting on progress on the affordable housing scheme since the public exhibition last July. A bid for funds had been made to the Housing Corporation in Sep 94, and he was happy to report that, notwithstanding considerable government cut-backs in funds available, the Longwick scheme had been approved for funds in 1995 (the only one in Wycombe District). WHA were pursuing a contract with Mr J Walker for the chosen site (subject to planning permission), and it was hoped to submit a planning application to WDC by the end of this month, for consideration by WDC at their July 1995 meeting. WHA were also negotiating with WDC the terms of a Section 106 Agreement.

Mr Patterson had passed plans of the scheme to the Parish Council just prior to the meeting, and said that, since last July some minor revisions had been included. For example:

WDC had asked for the flint facing panels to be deleted. WDC had rejected the proposed lay-by at the telephone box. The wall between the development and Chapel Cottage had been agreed. Parking arrangements had been revised as WDC required "curtilage" rather than "communal" parking. Gardens for the flats had been revised. A site survey had been carried out and sightlines/visibility splays agreed.

In answer to questions from the floor, it was stated that WDC Planning Dept had repeatedly emphasised that the proposed scheme was exceptional and did not set any sort of precedent for further development of the rest of the field, that the parking arrangements were in accordance with WDC planning guidelines, and that any potential storm water drainage problems would presumably be dealt with at the detailed planning stage.

6. QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR.

Mr Austin (Chestnut Way) asked what could be done about cars parking so as to obstruct the pavement along Chestnut Way. He was advised that this was a matter which should be raised with the Police rather than the Parish Council, and he should make a complaint to Sgt Scott at the Princes Risborough police office.

There being no other questions, the Meeting closed at 9.35pm.

Annex

LONGWICK-CUM-ILMER PARISH COUNCIL

STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS - 1994/5

PRECEPT - £4334.00

EXPENDITURE

Clerk's Salary £550.00 Clerk's Home Office Allowance £100.00 Clerk's Phone £ 96.55 Clerk's Car Mileage £ 56.17 Petty Cash (inc Duplicating) £ 94.28

REGULAR EXPENDITURE Village Hall hire (PC Mtgs) £ 56.00 VH/PF Renewal/Repairs £1413.12 PC Insurance (inc Village Hall) £561.39 Audit Fee £100.00 Footpath Rent (to BCC) £ 10.00 Pr. Ris. New Burial Ground (Reserve) £500.00

SUBSCRIPTIONS & DONATIONS Bucks Assn of Local Councils £ 94.27 Bucks Assn of Youth Clubs £ 10.00 Wycombe Dist Assn of Local Councils £ 4.00 Bucks Playing Fields Assn £ 10.00 Council for Preservation of Rural England £ 15.00 Ilmer PCC (Graveyard Maintenance) £ 30.00 Horsenden PCC ( " " ) £ 30.00 NALC Centenary Appeal £ 20.00 Society of Local Council Clerks £ 26.00 NALC Magazine (Local Council Review) £ 7.95

NON-REGULAR EXPENDITURE Local Council Administration (4th Ed) £ 27.00

FREE RESOURCE Parish Centenary Benches £341.70

Balance cf £180.57 Total £4334.00 ------------------------

RESERVE FUNDS Princes Risborough New Burial Ground (total) c/f £1500.00 Audit Fees (total) c/f £206.50 Free Resource Balance c/f £275.59

[Signature: B. W. Butler] 16 APR 96