DRAFT MINUTES
CHEARSLEY PARISH
COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE MEETING
OF THE PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON MONDAY 21st NOVEMBER 2016 IN THE VILLAGE HALL AT
7.30PM
PRESENT
Councillors: Nic
Brown (NB), John Lewis (JL), Paul Bown (PAB), John Howard (JH),
Julia Witcher (JW), Michael Heybrook
(MH), Michael Edmonds (ME)
Parish Clerk: Helen
Spurgeon
Responsible
Finance Officer: Robert Parkes (RP)
Parishioners: There
were 4 Parishioners
PARISHIONERS QUESTION TIME
A resident spoke about the building work at The Boot in
Watts Green. The parking of related vehicles and lorries has led to the road
being blocked on several occasions. Advanced warning by means of a sign would
prevent cars from going down there and then getting stuck. ACTION: NB to speak to property owners. CLERK to contact Sue Jones PCSO.
1. APOLOGIES
None.
2. APPROVAL OF OCTOBER 2016 MINUTES
Minutes were agreed as a true record and signed by Chairman, Nic Brown.
3. APPROVAL OF EXTRAORDINARY MINUTES
Minutes were agreed as a true record and signed by Chairman, Nic Brown.
4. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
There were no interests declared. It was requested this item go at the start on
future Agendas before Parishioners Question Time. ACTION: CLERK to note.
5. MATTERS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MINUTES
excluding Village Projects including Highways
·
Overhanging
hedge. This has now been cut back.
·
Dog Bins.
These have been ordered. We are still awaiting confirmation of the cost of dog
bag dispensers and bags from AVDC before ordering. ACTION: CLERK to inform Councillors of cost.
·
AVDC
planning portal. Clerk and some Councillors have registered to receive
planning alerts. ACTION: remaining Councillors to register.
·
AVDC
Councillor. ACTION: ME to invite Michael Hawkett to
future meetings.
·
Village
Walkaround. White lines around Village Green have been remarked.
·
Provision
of Welcome to Chearsley sign. White gates at village entrances have been
repainted. ACTION: NB to arrange ordering of new signs.
·
Painting
of Post Box. Royal Mail will repaint Q1 of the new financial year.
·
Pension
auto enrolment obligations. ACTION: JL to respond to JE Accountants.
·
Bank
Mandate forms. ACTION: JH,
ME, MH, JW to
return to JL.
6. PLANNING
·
Planning
process at Committee Meetings. ME ran through the planning process and
explained that written reports, verbal reports and speakers all contribute to
the decision making process. He assured everyone that the decisions are made by
very experienced people. PAB suggested
comments be submitted early, well before the Committee Meeting.
·
16/03855/APP
– The Old Chapel, Winchendon Road, Chearsley HP18 0DW
Parish Council has submitted no
objections to AVDC.
·
16/04170/COUAR
– Chearsley Barn, Chilton Rd, Chearsley HP18 0DN
Proposed change of use of agricultural building to a dwellinghouse. JL informed councillors of this new
application. ACTION: Councillors to review application and
channel comments through NB to
report back at next meeting.
7. CORRESPONDENCE
·
Correspondence from Fenella Tillier requesting
Parishioners Question Time at the start and end of meetings and that
Correspondence be on the Agenda has been actioned. The Parish Council will not
be having a proposer and seconder of proposals as this is not usual practice.
·
NB received
acknowledgment of his letter to John Bercow MP
opposing possible capping of local councils precept increases (at 2% maximum)
or a referendum if above.
8. CONTRIBUTIONS FROM AVDC AND BCC
COUNCILLORS
It was agreed to invite Margaret Aston
(Bucks County Councillor) to future meetings. ACTION: CLERK and ME.
UPDATE ON THE NEW
VILLAGE HALL
Antonia Stratford, Chair of Chearsley Village Hall, provided a progress
update on the new village hall. She indicated good progress and said that
almost £500k has been raised in grants and donations, towards an expected total
cost of around £550k. She said that further fund raising will be required to
achieve the remaining funds, assisted by a promise of possible additional
contributions from Rectory Homes and the Heybrook family dependent on the final
revenues secured from the sale of houses.
9. PC GOVERNANCE
Following a meeting with Leif Hytten, it
was proposed that a new transparency code compliant Parish website should be
created using Hugo Fox. Councillors agreed to this. ACTION: CLERKS to circulate details and agree
time schedule.
10. VILLAGE PROJECTS
·
Speed in
Village and HGVs. 3rd HGV Traffic Watch 25th November
2016. JH reported that he presented
the findings of the recent HGV traffic surveys at the TfB Autumn/Winter
Conference. JH reported that he is
in discussions with Bucks CC regarding a feasibility study for traffic calming
measures in Chearsley. The earliest this can be done is April 2017. ACTION: JH to arrange study for April and confirm cost for budget.
·
Trees in
Village. There is no list of public owned trees in Chearsley. ACTION: ME
to identify on a map trees the Parish Council are responsible for. JL to put in the budget for tree
surgeons to carry out the work recommended in the report on the wellbeing of
the horse chestnut tree.
·
Village
Green Footpath. It was agreed to let it grow over.
·
Grass
Cutting. ACTION: CLERK to write to Bucks CC and ask
what its responsibility is re. grass verge cutting in Chearsley.
·
War
Memorial. Councillors agreed to make a pre application to the war memorial
trust who will fund up to 75% of the cost (estimated at around £3-4k) of
preserving and caring for the war memorial. ACTION: CLERKS to make pre application and
report back on cost.
·
Village
Noticeboard. Installed, locked part of noticeboard is for Parish Council
and Church notices. Only drawing pins to be used, no staples.
·
Flagpole.
New flagpole is now up. Old one to be removed shortly. ACTION: RP to order new flags (Union Jack
and St George’s cross).
·
Bus
Shelter roofs. Need replacing. One option is to replace like for like with
felt and baton roof at a cost of £950 + VAT. Second option is to lay new tile
batons and slate tiles which have greater longevity at a cost of £1479 + VAT. Councillors are in favour of option 2,
subject to funds. This project is on hold until the December budget meeting.
·
Railings by
bus stop need replacing. ACTION: PAB to explore options and obtain cost
estimate for budget.
·
Defibrillator.
PAB has registered Chearsley PC with
the British Heart Foundation who supply grants to cover the cost of a
defibrillator. NB is working on the
plan to locate the defibrillator in a new red phone box. ACTION: NB to chase BT. JH to contact Angela Gray and Claire
Lazaruk with an update.
·
Bollards
and Signage for Village Green. ACTION: NB to collect ‘No Parking’ signs. CLERK to put bollards on Agenda for
next meeting.
11. CHRISTMAS TREE
The Christmas tree arrives 25/11/16, is
being erected 26/11/16 and will be lit from 1/12/16. The official lighting up
is on 9/12/16 at 6.45pm.
12. FINANCE
·
Orders
for Payment - Cheques were issued for those items listed on the Agenda.
·
Other
- Ideas were discussed for the budget meeting and it was agreed that
procurement is the way forward.
13. BCC WORKSHOP COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE
LEVY AND SECTION 106 AGREEMENTS
JH has
produced a list of Chearsley’s current infrastructure priorities. ACTION: CLERK to submit to BCC.
14. REPORTS FROM COUNCILLORS ATTENDING
MEETINGS AND OUTSIDE ORGANISATIONS
·
JH
had already updated the meeting on TfB
Autumn/Winter conference under Village Projects, HGVs.
·
Future of
Local Government and Vale of Aylesbury Update Meeting (14.11.16). ACTION: ME
to update at next meeting.
15. PARISHIONERS QUESTION TIME
There were no questions.
16. ITEMS FOR INFORMATION
·
Town and
Parish Clerks Workshop. ACTION:
CLERK to attend.
·
Working
Together for Buckinghamshire Town and Parish Council Conference. No
attendance from Councillors.
17. DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING in
Chearsley Village Hall
·
Monday 12th December 2016 at 7.30pm
(Budget Meeting)
·
Monday 16th January 2017 at 7.30pm
(Parish Council Meeting)
