Parish Meeting Minutes

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE PARISH HELD AT LONGWICK VILLAGE HALL ON MONDAY 25th APRIL 1983 AT 8 PM

PRESENT Mrs P Priestley (Chairman) Councillors Dr Bravery, Mrs Brock, Mr Taylor, Mr Underwood and Mrs Warren and 21 members of the public.

Apologies were received from Miss Couper, Mr MacIntosh and Dr and Mrs Spalding Smith. A letter from Miss Couper was noted in which she expressed her good wishes to the meeting and thanking all parishioners for their support during her term of office as Councillor on W D C.

MINUTES The minutes of the meeting held on 26th April 1982 were read, confirmed and signed.

CHAIRMAN'S REPORT The Chairman reported on the following matters which had been dealt with during the year.

Planning applications The Parish Council had been consulted on 26 applications during the year and had received 20 results. Of these two applications were for large scale housing development and two open meetings had been held attended by District Councillors as a result of which the Parish Council had objected to the applications. Both applications had been refused by WDC and it was understood the development behind the Red Lion P H was to be the subject of an appeal. An appeal for conversion of buildings at Ray Farm had been dismissed.

Conservation areas Ilmer, Horsenden, Meadle and Owlswick had now been designated conservation areas and plans were available for anyone to study. A list of buildings of historical interest had been sent to D of E for consideration after consultation with the owners. While this had been acknowledged no emergency action was being taken.

Bell Crescent site WDC had now agreed to adopt this and legal agreements were being drawn up between WDC and Needhams (Builders). Complaints had been received about dumping of rubbish on the site and all were requested to stop such action.

School footpath Permission for this had been received from BCC and the appropriate legal agreement was awaited after which application for planning permission would be made.

Sundry Village matters The Blenheim Close puddle had been attended to and various matters concerning potholes, signposts etc had been reported to the appropriate authority.

Motor cycle nuisance Complaints concerning motor cycles on test runs at weekends had been received and taken up with Powerbiking on Chinnor Road. Powerbiking had co-operated in getting the motorbikes to turn around at the layby on Lower Icknield Way.

Wastepaper When Friends of the Earth stopped collecting paper WDC had been asked to take up this service. WDC had replied this was not a viable exercise.

Longwick Chapel The Baptist Union held the deeds for this and had approached the Parish Council with a view to disposing of the property which was in a poor state of repair. This had been referred to the Interchurch Committee to see if there was interest in the property from other denominations. WDC Planning Dept had been consulted and its opinion was the use of the chapel for any other purpose would not be acceptable due to restricted access and proximity to other properties.

Youth unemployment The Manpower Services programme had asked the Parish Council if work could be offered for the unemployed in the parish. There was insufficient work in the Parish but Princes Risborough PC had set up an ad hoc committee to see if a scheme could be put forward for all the Parishes in the area working together and this was being persued.

Elections Seven nominations had been submitted for the seven vacancies on the PC so there would be no election on May 5th. Mr Taylor was retiring and would be replaced by Dr Jones. The Chairman thanked Mr Taylor for his hard work for the PC during his term of office. She also stated she had been nominated unopposed for the vacancy on the District Council due to the retirement of Miss Couper.

Finance A statement was handed out showing how the precept of £775 had been spent. The precept for 1983/84 would be £1110.

LONGWICK PLAYING FIELDS ASSOCIATION In reporting on the activities of the Association Dr Bravery pointed out the land for the playing field was acquired in 1972 by the PC and the Association had been set up to administer the playing field. The Association management committee consisted of nominated members representing various local activities (including the Guides, Scouts and Sports Club) and co-opted members. The Association (with the Sports Club) maintained the grass, hedges, fences, playground equipment etc.. The Sports Club owned the tractor and the Association the gang mower. The Sports Club cut the grass and fertilized it in lieu of rent. Income was traditionally raised from fetes, draws etc and donations but it was becoming increasingly difficult to raise funds for maintenance.

Turning to the extension of about 1 acre so generously offered by a local family Dr Bravery explained while this was offered free of charge the legal costs of acquisition, fencing etc would have to be met by the PC from its accumulated funds.

Concerning maintainance Dr Bravery estimated this cost on average over the last four years £160 for mower repairs, £25 for grass cutting and fertilizer and £20 for the hire of the Hall per year. This was likely to be of the order of £300 in the future. He suggested the PC should assist in this by a grant although fund raising activities would continue as before. There was no suggestion all of the £300 be on the Parish rate.

Dr Bravery also reported a licence had been granted to the Scouts for access to their new hut across the corner of the playing field.

In reply to questions Dr Bravery confirmed the Sports Club paid no rent and its subscriptions were for provision of sports equipment; that access to the 1 acre area would be from the existing field; that no obligations were imposed on the acquisition of the land except as mentioned above.

GENERAL QUESTIONS The matter of horses damaging and fouling pavements rather than using the road was raised. The Chairman said this was a difficult matter to resolve unless the culprits were known.

A vote of thanks to Miss Couper for her sterling work was recorded as WD Councillor for 9 years and good wishes were expressed for a long and happy retirement.

Mr Underwood congratulated Mrs Priestley on her unopposed election as WD Councillor and proposed a vote of thanks to her for her able conduct of the PC's affairs during the year. This was received with acclamation.

The meeting closed at 9.20 pm.

[Signature: P Priestley]

LONGWICK-CUM-ILMER PARISH COUNCIL

STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS - 1 APRIL 1982 TO 31 MARCH 1983

PRECEPT - £775

EXPENDITURE