Parish Meeting Minutes

LONGWICK-CUM-ILMER PARISH COUNCIL

INFORMAL MINUTES OF PARISH MEETING HELD 9TH AUGUST 2010

Present: Councillors Mr G Harper, Mrs D Brock, Mrs P Priestley, Mrs J Rogers, Mr I Walker, Mrs V McPherson and Mr G O'Neill,

Clerk Mrs S Griffiths

Parishioners, J Goss, S Bryant, D Wells, R Briant, G Walters, S Whitworth, C Stubbs, J Styles and D Rayment.

Police: P.C. A Ralph

The meeting was called at the request of the Parish Council and members of the public concerned with anti-social behaviour in Longwick Playing Field.

P.C. Ralph confirmed that the police had received 2 calls concerning gun shots being heard and 6 calls concerning anti-social behaviour in the early part of July.

P.C. Ralph informed the meeting that there had been a house party in Longwick on the weekend of the 2nd and 3rd July when the majority of the calls had been received and that the noise had been a result of the guests leaving the house party and continuing to party in the playing field. The police also suspect that the other reports concerning noise from youth congregating and drinking in the playing field were caused by young people drinking alcohol in a new location having had it regularly seized from them in Princes Risborough.

P.C. Ralph also confirmed that officers had searched the playing field following reports of the gun shots and not found anyone with a gun.

Since receiving the calls, the police have been patrolling the area approx 4 nights of the week and not found any problems.

The residents acknowledged that the increased police presence had helped the situation and that they had not needed to make any further complaints in recent weeks.

The residents expressed their concern with speeding through the village.

PC Ralph acknowledged that it was a problem and that it was one of the issues being dealt with by the Neighbourhood Action Group. Residents asked for more to be done to prevent speeding in their village. P.C. Ralph informed the residents that the team were waiting for the Thames Valley Safer Roads Partnership to assess sites in Longwick on suitability for sites for a mobile van to carry out speed enforcement.

The Parish Council has secured a Vehicle Activated Sign to reduce speeding in the village. B.C.C. Highways Dept has decided to locate the sign at the Thame side of the village. Requests were made for another sign to be placed at the entry point to the village from Princes Risborough side.

A motor cyclist has been identified as speeding through the village every day early in the mornings. P.C. Ralph will visit him.

Cllr G Harper thanked the residents and P.C. A Ralph for attending and in his summary of the meeting, acknowledged that throughout time there have always been isolated incidents of anti social behaviour in the playing fields but that fortunately in Longwick these were rare. The playing field was an excellent asset for the residents of Longwick to enjoy.