Parish Meeting Minutes
LONGWICK-cum-ILMER PARISH COUNCIL
INFORMAL MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL PARISH MEETING HELD 21st APRIL 2015
Present: Councillors, Mrs Valerie McPherson BEM, Mr Brian Richards, Mrs Jane Rogers, Mr Graham Walters, Mrs Sally Whitworth and Mr Ian Walker.
Clerk Mrs Susanne Griffiths.
37 Parishioners.
1. INTRODUCTION AND WELCOME
Cllr Mrs Valerie McPherson welcomed everyone and introduced the Parish Councillors and the Clerk.
2. REPORT FROM THE POLICE
The following report was received from P.C. Andy Ralph:-
"From the 1st of April 2015 the front counter at Princes Risborough Police Office will close. The decision make the closure is due to the running costs, the lack of people using the facility, plus the recent changes in technology and document processing which has negated the need for a person to attend a police station, e.g. driving and vehicle documents can be checked instantly at the roadside which has resulted in a dramatic drop in producers being issued to motorists. High Wycombe or Aylesbury will be the nearest stations were a counter service will still operate. Princes Risborough Neighbourhood Team will still be based at the Police Office (this will be reviewed in 2018-2019). To contact a member of the team please make contact via the 101 non emergency number which is 101 (the number is monitored 24 hours per day, 365 days of the year) or via email. Members of the public can still call at the office, however I cannot guarantee that someone will be present to answer the door or deal with their enquiry. I would suggest an appointment is made.
Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB): There are currently no ASB issues impacting upon the area of Longwick.
Crime: The areas bordering Longwick have had a number of shed/outhouse break-ins, but this has not impacted upon the area. In general crime has been low in the area.
Thames Valley Alert: Finally they would encourage the local community to sign up to the Thames Valley Police community messaging system to receive updates about crime in the area, crime prevention advice and to receive a copy of the local police newsletter."
3. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT
Cllr Val McPherson BEM, Chairman of the Longwick-cum-Ilmer Parish Council gave the following report:-
Since our last Parish AGM in April 2014 the Parish Council have been extremely busy with various planning applications, especially the one for the proposed Solar Farm on land north of Bumpers Farm Ilmer.
We held a Public Meeting on 18th August 2014 with the residents of Ilmer and any other interested parishioners with a Planning officer from Wycombe District Council to answer questions on this application, which was well attended. The application was refused and has now gone to appeal. We await further news.
Planning applications so far: 26 new applications received - 23 Approved and 5 refused.
Following the resignation of James Butler from Ilmer we co-opted Rolf Van Apledoorn to fill that vacancy.
The annual Remembrance Service for the parish took place at the War Memorial in Longwick on Tuesday 11 November at 11.00am and was well attended by parishioners and the children of Longwick School. Year 6 provided some readings and the roll call with the names of each of the person who had lost their livers in the First World War within the parish was read out by Ian Walker. Thank you to Cllrs Sally Whitworth & Rolf van Apeldoorn who arranged this service.
The Christmas Carol Service was held on Tuesday 16 December and we had a full house again, so to speak and were joined by the LOGS choir & school choir who entertained us by singing a number of carols and taking the lead in the carols that were chosen. Neville Trout their choirmaster and conductor who was leading the service was also strict with the audience stating when we should stand and that we would all be taking part. He stated that some carols required only ladies to sing one verse and then the gentleman the next. The refreshments were served by the WI, and this time we did not run out of mince pies! A thank you must go to Cllrs Brian Richards & Rolf van Apeldoorn for arranging this service.
During the summer we had a few complaints regarding graffiti again on the pavements in Longwick and also on the bridge as you walk away from the playing fields. Dog fouling was another issue with people not clearing up after their dog(s) on the playing field and within the village.
The footpath from the Scout Hut to Dorrells Road was causing concern to the mums who use the path to take and collect children from school and the residents, as it was becoming very overgrown. BCC were informed about the state but were at that time unable to do anything about the repairs. After a considerable length of time BCC said they would repair the footpath and adopt the path-way.
The Parish Council accepted 30 free small sapling from Woodland Trust and asked the Scouts if they would plant them out in April in the playing field, to which they agreed and have already began planting.
A questionnaire was sent to every resident within the Parish asking various questions and the best way to communicate with the Parish Council. There was an excellent response and there will be more information in the next newsletter.
Whilst on the subject of the Newsletter the PC are looking for a new editor(s) to take over this role so if anyone is interested please either speak to either myself or anyone of the councillors.
The most worrying concern for the villagers of Longwick, was the sudden proposal by Gladmans to build 175 dwellings on the parcel of land of Boxer Road/ & Walnut Tree Lane with vehicle access via Boxer/ Barn Road, & pedestrian & cycle routes via Walnut Tree Lane. We have since been informed that this application is now to be appealed.
On Tuesday 9th September LPC held a Public meeting in the Village Hall to discuss the application for a residential development of up to 175 dwelling with access via Boxer Road/ Barn Road. Once again we invited an officer from WDC to explain changes in national planning policy.
A Public Consultation run by WDC was held at Longwick Village Hall on 7th October concerning areas, which would or could be applicable for a small housing development. It was well attended.
The Parish Council held another Public meeting titled The Future of Longwick - The Next Steps on 13 January 2015 in the Village Hall. We invited the District Council Planning Officers to answer any questions on proposing a Neighbourhood Plan. Of course the hall was full with standing room only. We had a unanimous vote to begin a NP, but before putting in place this NP we needed to apply for a designation of the parish as a Neighbourhood Area. This was agreed 2 March 2015.
From that meeting the PC on recommendation from WDC we needed to form a Steering Group to take the NP forward.
A letter was sent to all those who put their names forward to be part of the Steering group. Three Cllrs namely Val McPherson - Chair, Brian Richards and Sally Whitworth and three residents Janet Marsh, Graham Bucknell and Tony Bravery.
The 1st Steering Group (SG) meeting was held on 16 February in Longwick Village Hall with Wycombe District Council (WDC), Rosie Brake & Louise Thomas, plus Graham Walters who is the Liaison officer between SG and WDC.
The next SG meeting was held on 5th March at Meadle and the most recent one was on 9th April at Longwick School with Rosie Brake & Louise Thomas from WDC.
The next SG will be on 29th April in Longwick.
And lastly I would like to add that we are very lucky to have such a dedicated and helpful Clerk in Sue Griffiths and thank her for all her hard work from all of the Cllrs.
Thank you.
4. REPORT FROM THE NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN STEERING GROUP
Cllr Sally Whitworth gave the following report:-
The Steering Group has been hard at work on preparatory stages of the Neighbourhood Plan.
Draft visions and objectives and potential sites and site selection criteria were recommended to and agreed by the Parish Council on 17th March. At that stage just the sites around the centre of Longwick village shown by the Wycombe District Council Longwick Capacity Report of February 2015 were agreed for the consultation stage of the Neighbourhood Plan.
Initial engagement with the hamlets within the Parish was completed during March and April, as these settlements were not within the scope of the District Council's Capacity Study. Questionnaires were distributed by contacts within each hamlet. Overall, 37 questionnaires were returned: 12 from Ilmer; 12 from Owlswick, 7 from Meadle and 6 from Little Meadle. No responses were received from Horsenden.
From those that responded, there was general agreement on infrastructure issues, such as traffic, drainage and flooding, power outages and broadband speed. Similarly, wildlife and landscape, and peace and tranquillity were important in all hamlets. The Conservation Areas were valued highly and respondents wished their characters to be preserved.
Regarding the potential for growth, responses varied as may be expected. However some respondents in Ilmer, Owlswick and Little Meadle were prepared to accept a small amount of new housing. In Meadle, residents wished to see only sympathetic conversions of existing buildings, and no new-build dwellings.
Further engagement will take place to establish whether there are any specific sites suitable for development, subject to the comments made already and assessments by Wycombe District Council. In addition, meetings with 15 key interested 'Stakeholder' parties have been held with Steering Group members. These include Longwick Church of England Combined School, Longwick Pre-School, Scouts, Women's Institute, Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinators, Tea at Three and 9 businesses in Longwick.
Responses from these meetings mirrored those comments received at the District Council's consultation in October last year: concerns on car parking, traffic and speeds, road junction and footway improvements, better cycling routes, public transport, flooding and drainage, importance of the Post Office and shop, retention of character including views from existing properties to the open countryside and Chiltern Hills, separation from Prince Risborough, preservation and protection of landscape and wildlife, development not to be approved at high density, electricity and broadband services improvements, school capacity and catchments, increased demand for doctors, dentists, affordable housing and mixture of housing types, and better recreation and sports facilities such as tennis, netball and basketball.
The new email account [email protected] now has over 50 subscribers to the Consult Group. If you have not received this News Update by email directly, you can register your interest by request. A new Neighbourhood Plan page on the Council's website: http://www.longwickcumilmer.org.uk/ should be set up during May. Look out for this as it will hold an expanding list of documents and relevant material for the plan process. Notes of meetings will continue to be posted on the Longwick notice boards.
Councillors and Steering Group members will be available at a Parish Council stall at the Fete, 2nd May, on the Recreation Ground. You can ask questions and see maps of the existing planning policies and constraints for the Parish, and the Longwick potential development sites.
Drafting the Neighbourhood Plan itself is about to start. If all goes well, formal consultation should follow in June and July. The next few months will be a very important time. Once again, the Parish Council encourages you to get involved in this process, to help guide the development of our community.
5. REPORT FROM COUNTY COUNCILLOR BILL BENDYSHE-BROWN ON MATTERS CONCERNING LONGWICK-CUM-ILMER.
Cllr B Bendyshe-Brown reported on the work completed during the past year and the work currently in progress by Highways on the footways and roads in the Parish. The Parish Council has been successful in obtaining devolved services which gives the Parish Council the authority to arrange for the grass verges to be cut within the village, get the road signs cleaned and vegetation cleared from the footways.
The Chair of Governors at the Longwick Primary School confirmed that there was an increase in the number of children that would be attending the school in September with the reception class being oversubscribed.
6. PARISH ACCOUNTS AND PRECEPT
Copies of the Estimates Summary which showed the actual spend £13,903 against the budget £17,807 in the financial year 2014/2015 and the proposed budget for the year 2015/2016 of £19,651 were distributed to the members of the public.
Vice-Chairman Cllr Brian Richards explained the makeup of the precept.
The Parish Council has requested an amount of £20,100 which is an increase of 18.9%, just less than £5.00 for the year for each band D property in the parish.
The increase of just under £3000 is required to fund the following:- A cost had to be factored into the budget in the event that there would be a contested election; The insurance company requires a tree inspection of which the cost is approx. £500 and an additional amount budgeted for any remedial works required; Due to a car hitting the playing field fence which required an immediate repair last year, the whole fence needs to be replaced in the next year or two at a cost of approx. £2,500 and the need to build reserves to cover any shortfall in costs to prepare the Neighbourhood Plan. Most of the cost for preparing the Neighbourhood Plan will be borne by WDC and hopefully a successful grant application will cover the remaining costs but the council is mindful that reserves will be required for any unforeseen costs.
The District Council will give a reduced grant of £246 in response to the reduction in tax base for the Localised Council Tax Scheme. This is likely to be reduced again next year.
Cllr Brian Richards finished his report by saying that he hoped the residents of the Parish had approved of the expenditure of the Parish Council and that the Councillors welcome any feedback.
OPEN FORUM
There being no further questions, the meeting closed at 8.15pm.