Parish Meeting Minutes
LONGWICK-CUM-ILMER PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE VIRTUAL ANNUAL PARISH MEETING HELD ON WEDNESDAY 28TH APRIL 2021 AT 7PM
PRESENT
Cllr Val McPherson BEM (Chair)
Cllrs Brian Richards (Vice), Richard Myers, Alex Barter, Rolf van Apeldoorn, Jane Rogers
Tracey Martin (Clerk)
Six members of public present
1. WELCOME AND APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: None
2. APPROVAL OF ANNUAL PARISH MEETING MINUTES HELD 16th APRIL 2019
Approved by all Councillors.
3. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT 2021
The last year has been a strange for all of us because an unknown virus hit the UK and became known as Covid-19, which had unfortunate consequences for a number of people.
Our last face to face meetings was in March 2020, when the late Cllr Bill Bendyshe-Brown informed us due to lockdown all existing councillors from Parish to the new Buckinghamshire Unitary Council to remain in the same posts until May 2021.
Our last Annual Parish meeting for 2020 did not take place due to lockdown and our May meeting was postponed due to our previous Clerk being unwell.
Last year we decided not to put up the precept for 21/22 so we received £30,250 which is the same amount as 20/21.
CIL Money from 01/4/2020 – 31/03/2021 received £121,064.53 and have spent £150,059.31. Breakdown as follows: Owlswick Gates £7,208.14, Kissing Gates £11,390, Playground £7,395, MAC Groundwork £103,542.40, Fencing £7,235, Laptop Donation £1800, CCTV £10,619.98, Work on Gates/Tree/Secure Field £866.09.
Full Planning Applications: 25, Declined 1, Refused 3, Permitted 14. Listed Building Consent: 4, Permitted 2. Material Amendments: 4, Permitted 3. Variation of Conditions: 3, Permitted 2. TPO's/Trees: 4, Permitted 2. Prior Notifications: 1. Notifications no comment required: 13, Permit Detail reserved 10.
We have had a busy year, and the most pressing one was to re-vamp the Village Hall Car Park which was a joint venture between the Village Hall Management and the Parish Council, so that it was more user friendly, providing extra spaces with safer access for children going to and from school and resurrected Memorial Garden Walkway. We also added a new pathway from the new Wickfield Estate to the end of the Car Park for ease of access for residents to the Village Hall, School and Shop. Cllr Myers and Cllr Richards undertook this project. The money was taken from our CIL funding.
The Children's play area fencing needed to be replaced and we decided to extend the area in order to add some new play items for the under 3's later on. At the same time, we replaced the old swings and a new bin. Expenses from CIL.
We have installed approximately 44 Kissing Gates and 4 ordinary gates across the Parish. Cllr Richards undertook this project along with Cllr Rogers and spoke to the many Landowners who were happy for installation to take place. The Rights of Way Officer confirmed agreement from the Landowners. We have received many compliments from the various walkers across the Parish. The money once again was taken from our CIL.
The Parish Council were well aware of the many complaints concerning Speeding of Traffic and more cycleway and pavements needing attention, so we undertook to employ a Traffic Consultant to draw up a comprehensive Traffic Plan for the Parish. A questionnaire was designed by the Consultant and hand delivered to every household within the Parish. 193 responses via paper and 28 electronic were received.
The main issues highlighted focussed on Chestnut Way/ Lower Icknield Way Junction and Bar Lane/ Walnut Tree Lane, and the junction at the Red Lion. Traffic speeding including excess of speed entering and exiting the village and pavements that were too narrow with traffic too close to pedestrians making it unsafe to walk. Many people would prefer to walk and cycle, so more cycleways. Buses were a large requirement because as there no bus route, cars have to be used to get from A to B or further afield. As this is an ongoing project, we will have further updates later.
CCTV has now been installed on the Playing Field to help prevent any further Anti-social behaviour that we have experienced over the last 9 months. During the first part of lockdown, we experienced Graffiti on the Skate Park, MUGA, Children's Play area and the Garage. Later in the year, a number of youths have been gathering in the evening under the Children shelter causing problems to the local residents on the Wickfield Estate with their loud noise, smoking drugs and drinking plus breaking Covid lockdown rules. The police have been called out on many occasions to deal with this issue. On top of this we have seen and reported off road motorcycles riding across the field along with many E-scooters. It is a criminal offence to use the Playing Field when permission has not been given for this form of activity, therefore the Police, were informed and they are dealing with the various issues.
The Parish Council has provided a Parish newsletter twice a year in spring/summer and autumn/winter.
We have a new website and E-mail addresses thanks to Cllr Barter and Cllr Myers for doing this project.
We have updated our Parish Emergency Plan, which Cllr Van Apeldoorn undertook, and you can find it on our new Website.
We supported Longwick C of E school by providing some CIL funding of £5,000 towards a new fence between the school and the Car Park.
We also gave them a Grant application for £1,800 to buy six new Chrome Books at £300 each for children who needed them at home learning support during lockdown.
The Parish Council are happy to support the Village Hall with their conversion project and are waiting for the three quotes from their builders to be received.
The Playing Field had a "spruce up" of bushes and undergrowth cut back including the Car Park, which had not been undertaken for the last two years.
New Benches will be added to the Field and Children Play Area.
A second Parish Council Noticeboard was erected on the land by Walkers Estate, so that residents from that end of the Parish can see what is happening.
New Dog Signs have been added to the field, to remind dog walkers to pick up after their dog(s). Most dog owners are responsible, but it is the few who need reminding.
We continue to keep the Playing Field and Ilmer Green cut throughout the year.
Looking into improving the signage and road markings by installing a VAS (vehicle activated sign) for Bar Lane to highlight there is a junction. We have put in an application to North West Chiltern Community Board for match funding and we are waiting to hear if we have been successful.
We welcomed our new Parish Clerk Tracey Martin at our September 2020 meeting.
We have received some complaints on:
Rubbish Dumping, which has become a bigger issue especially during lockdown. If noticed please report to www.http://www.fixmystreet.com
Pavements need repairing, due to uneven or encroachment of vegetation, too narrow to walk side by side due to the closeness of traffic. All reported into TfB.
Litter which is often thrown out of windows or discarded into bushes by the wayside when walking or stopping of vehicles/lorries.
Speeding of Traffic throughout the parish but mainly through the village. The proposed Traffic Plan will seek to deal with this problem.
The stream on the Playing Field needs to be cleared. This is in hand and will be dealt with later in the year.
A large number of residents complained about the Traffic Lights that were on Thame Road/Chestnut Way/Lower Icknield Way and at the Roundabout on different occasions. Our late Cllr Bill Bendyshe-Brown and our Clerk Tracey Martin took the matter to Transport for Bucks, which addressed the situation.
We held a 2-minute silence at our February 2021 meeting for the late Councillor Bill Bendyshe Brown who had supported our Parish and the residents on various topics since being our County Councillor and then representative for Buckinghamshire.
The Parish Council did not hold a Remembrance Service this year due to lockdown.
I would like to say a big thank you to all the Councillors for all the support they have given me over the last year and for all the work they have undertaken throughout the year, and also to our new Clerk Tracey Martin.
4. OPEN FORUM – TO DISCUSS ANY PARISH BUSINESS
None.
Meeting closed 7.20pm.