Parish Meeting Minutes

LONGWICK-cum-ILMER PARISH COUNCIL MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL PARISH MEETING HELD AT LONGWICK VILLAGE HALL ON 17th APRIL 2001

Present: Cllr George Harper, Chairman, Cllr Ian Walker, Vice-Chairman, Cllrs Mrs Dorothy Brock, Mrs Jane Rogers, Mrs Pam Priestley, Mr Malcolm Lawrence and Mr George O'Neill. Alan Weston, Clerk, and Mr Joe Slade, The Bucks Free Press.

1. INTRODUCTION

The Chairman welcomed all those present and introduced the Councillors and the Clerk to Mr Slade.

2. MINUTES

The minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting held on 18th April 2000 were distributed and agreed, subject to the following amendment:

The bus service linking Longwick to Princes Risborough station and market square is subsidised by Bucks County Council, not Wycombe District Council.

3. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT

Councillor Harper thanked all the Councillors for all their hard work during the past year. Although generally it had been a fairly quiet year, the number of planning applications had risen, a total of 62, of which we had objected to 10, expressed concern in 17 cases, no objections in 29 cases and 6 were yet to be discussed.

Our biggest items of expenditure had been playing field equipment and the village hall. Councillor Harper thanked the village hall committee for all their hard work. A grant of £60,000 had been applied for to enable an extension to be built.

Nearly £1,000 had been spent on playground equipment, following the inspection in April 2000. The 2001 inspection was due in the near future.

Problems had been encountered with fly-tipping at Gommes Mill lay-by and we were in correspondence with Bucks County Council to try to obtain a road closure order and reduce the access to pedestrian only.

A Carol Service was again held and was very successful. Refreshments had been served afterwards and this made for a good social event.

Councillor Harper thanked and congratulated Mrs Joyce Cunningham and her husband for their hard work researching and producing the book "A History of Longwick", sales of which were going well.

4. PARISH ACCOUNTS AND PRECEPT

The Clerk gave out draft copies of the accounts for the year ended 31st March 2001. Councillor Walker asked what proportion of the insurance premium related to the village hall. Clerk to report to the next meeting.

Councillor O'Neill pointed out that the cumulative fund balance carried forward did not agree with the net assets in the balance sheet. There was, in fact, a typing error and an amended summary of income and expenditure is attached to these minutes.

5. PAROCHIAL CHARITY ACCOUNTS

These had not yet been received and would be presented at the next Parish Council meeting.

6. QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

Councillor Walker reported that the playground gate was in need of repair.

Councillors had been informed that one of the Centenary Cottages had been re-allocated to somebody outside the Parish and Councillor Mrs Priestley agreed to investigate. Subject to her findings, the Clerk would write to WHA for clarification.

The crime statistics were distributed and Councillor Mrs Priestley expressed concern that a case of indecent exposure had occurred near the school. Agreed to ask PC Austin for further details at our next Parish Council meeting.

Councillor O'Neill expressed concern at the lack of attendance at this meeting by parishioners and asked if more could be done to publicise it. The Clerk had placed a notice on the notice board but this had been covered up by another notice placed there subsequently. It was agreed that next year a mail drop should be organised and local organisations invited to participate.

Sodexho had started mowing the playground and it was pointed out that the playing field should be mown just prior to the village fête on 28th April. Clerk to contact Sodexho.

The Chairman thanked everyone for attending and the meeting closed at 9.0 p.m.

LONGWICK-CUM-ILMER PARISH COUNCIL

Summary Income & Expenditure Account - year ended 31 March 2001

LONGWICK-CUM-ILMER PARISH COUNCIL