Parish Council Minutes

PRESENT

Cllr Mrs Valerie McPherson (Chairman)

Cllrs Brian Richards, Ian Walker, Mrs Jane Rogers and Graham Walters

Mrs Susanne Griffiths (Clerk)

1/ WELCOME AND APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

No apologies were received.

2/ MINUTES

The Minutes of the previous meeting of the Parish Council on the 18th March 2014, having been circulated, were approved by the Meeting and signed by the Chairman.

3/ DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members were asked to declare any personal interest and the nature of that interest which they may have in any of the items under consideration at this meeting. None were declared.

4/ A REPORT FROM CLLR BENDYSHE-BROWN (BCC) ON MATTERS CONCERNING LONGWICK-CUM-ILMER PARISH COUNCIL

Cllr Bill Bendyshe-Brown gave a report at the Annual Parish Meeting. (Please see minutes)

5/ MATTERS ARISING NOT OTHERWISE ON THE AGENDA

None.

6/ FINANCE

A/ Payments

Item Description Net VAT Total
Risk Assessment K Dobson - Risk Inspection March 2014 £15.03 £15.03
Admin ICO - Data protection registration fee £35.00 £35.00
Admin C Page - Fee for cover for March meeting due to Clerks holiday £31.80 £31.80
Grant St Michael's Church, Horsenden - Cont to churchyard Maintenance £75.00 £75.00
Grant St Dunstan's PCC, Owlswick - Cont to churchyard Maintenance £75.00 £75.00
Grant St Peter's Church, Ilmer - Grant for Churchyard Maintenance £75.00 £75.00
Grant Risborough Area Community Bus Grant £250.00 £250.00
Clerks Fees S Griffiths - April salary £433.37 £433.37
Grass Cutting Manor Estates - Grasscutting 1/8 £369.07 £73.81 £442.88
Subs Buckinghamshire Playing Fields £20.00 £20.00

B/ Bank Balance £8,525.04 (allowing for the above cheques)

The expenditure for April was examined by the Council. Cllr B Richards proposed that the necessary cheques be signed. Seconded by Cllr J Rogers. All present agreed.

7/ CAPITAL ITEMS AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES

A. Playing Field. There were no issues highlighted in the Risk Inspection Report for March 2014. The Clerk was requested to obtain a quotation to carry out a weed killing treatment on the Playing Field. A quotation has been received at £310 + vat for a selective treatment and it was recommended that this should be undertaken during May. All present agreed to accept this quotation. The Clerk is requested to issue a work order stipulating that the work is done after the Village Fete on the 3rd May 2014. SG. The Clerk is requested to arrange for the ditch in the Playing Field to be cleared. SG. The Clerk is requested to ascertain when the next grass cut is due on the Playing Field. SG

B. Children's play area. There were no issues highlighted in the Risk Inspection Report for March 2014. Cllr Ian Walker informed the members that work is required on the gate post hinge in the play area. All present agreed for Cllr Ian Walker to organise the repair with Briants. IW

8/ ROADS, VERGES AND RIGHTS OF WAY

The Clerk is requested to contact the local authorities concerning the following issues:- SG. 2 signs on the Thame Road (one each side) between Ray Farm and Penns Flower Nursery (Green Lane) are lying in the verges and need replacing. They are quite close to the old mile stone and are clearly visible when driving from Longwick going towards Thame before reaching the turning to Ilmer.

9/ CORRESPONDENCE

E-mail from WDC re Play provision in Wycombe District. Wycombe District Council is carrying out an audit of play areas in the district to inform the development of a Play Strategy for Wycombe. Whilst they have basic information about what play areas there are, they are interested in further details about the sites. The Clerk is requested to reply with the necessary information. SG

Invitation from BALC to a Parish Liaison Meeting. Noted.

A letter from Community Impact Bucks concerning changes to the Bucks Home Choice allocation policy and the effect on Rural Exception Schemes. Community Impact Bucks would like the Parish Councils to become more involved and maintain a 'Register of Interests' in their parish. All present agreed to support this initiative. SG

10/ UPDATING THE PARISH COUNCIL WEBSITE

All present agreed to defer this agenda item until the next meeting when Cllr James Butler is present.

11. THE METHOD OF APPROACHING LANDOWNERS ABOUT CLEARING DITCHES

Cllr Jane Rogers agreed to prepare a list of local landowners for the Clerk to contact. JR

12. AN UPDATE ON THE NAG

Cllr Valerie McPherson informed the members that the Outer Risborough Group had ceased to exist due to lack of interest.

13. AN UPDATE ON THE NEWSLETTER

Cllr Valerie McPherson informed the members that the newsletter had been delivered later than planned due to late submissions of articles and a problem with the printers. All present agreed on a change of design for the front cover. VM

14. ADDING AN EXTRA AREA TO THE EXISTING OUTLINE TO ILMER VILLAGE GREEN.

All present agreed to defer this agenda item until the next meeting when Cllr James Butler is present.

15. ON WHETHER TO REQUEST THE CHILTERN SOCIETY TO MAINTAIN THE PATHS AS PART OF THE PARISH PATHS CLEARANCE SCHEME.

All present agreed to request the Chiltern Society to maintain the paths devolved from Rights of Way as part of the Parish Paths Clearance Scheme and to donate the funds received from the B.C.C. for the maintenance of the paths to the Chiltern Society. SG

16. FILLING THE VACANCY FOR A COUNCILLOR BY CO-OPTION.

Following notification from W.D.C. that the Parish Council is not required to hold a by-election and that the Parish Council should now proceed in filling the casual vacancy by co-option, all present agreed to advertise the vacancy until 19th May and to invite anyone that may be interested to the next meeting. SG

17. PLANNING APPLICATIONS

To consider New Planning Applications

To Receive Notice of Planning Applications Approved

To Receive Notice of Planning Applications Refused

None.

18/ AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE NEXT MEETING.

To discuss and decide on updating the Parish Council website (Cllr James Butler). To discuss and decide on adding an extra area to the existing outline to Ilmer Village Green (Cllr James Butler). To discuss and decide on the replacement and re-siting of the Notice board. To discuss and decide on filling the vacancy for a Councillor by co-option.

19/ NEXT MEETING.

The next meeting of the Parish Council will be the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council and will take place on Tuesday 20th May 2014 in Longwick Village Hall at 8.00pm.

There being no further business to discuss, the Chairman closed the meeting at 10.00 pm.