Ilmer Past

Parish Meeting Minutes

LONGWICK-CUM-ILMER PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL PARISH MEETING HELD ON MONDAY 16TH APRIL 2019 AT 7.30 PM IN LONGWICK VILLAGE HALL

PRESENT

Cllr Val McPherson BEM (Chair)

Cllrs Ian Walker, Jane Rogers, Sally Whitworth, Richard Myers, Rolf van Apeldoorn

Cllr Bendyshe-Brown (County)

Clerk Frank Post

14 members of the public

1. WELCOME AND APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Cllr Clive Harriss (District) not present. Apologies received from Cllr Brian Richards and representatives of Longwick School and the Police.

2. MINUTES

The Minutes of the previous Annual Meeting of the Parish on the 23rd April 2018 were approved and signed by the Chairman.

3. REPORT FROM CLLR BENDYSHE-BROWN ON MATTERS CONCERNING LONGWICK-CUM-ILMER

Cllr Bendyshe-Brown highlighted the following achievement in the last year:

Cllr Bendyshe-Brown noted the work programme moving forward:

Cllr McPherson thanked Cllr Bendyshe-Brown for all his efforts in supporting the Parish.

It was noted that a Parishioner requested the use of the MVAS in Little Meadle.

4. REPORT FROM CLLR McPHERSON (CHAIR) ON PARISH COUNCIL

Cllr McPherson highlighted the following in her report:-

Parishioners raised the following issues in the ensuing debate:

A full copy of the Chair's report is detailed below after the minutes of the meeting.

5. PARISH ACCOUNTS AND PRECEPT

Cllr McPherson highlighted the following aspects of the financial performance of the Parish Council:

6. REPORT FROM WI

The following key aspects were noted:

7. REPORT ON VILLAGE HALL

The following issues were highlighted:

It was noted that a Parishioner requested that any review should be considered in context of the advent of new housing.

8. REPORT ON NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH

The update included the following:

A Parishioner requested the supply of 2 Neighbourhood Watch signs.

13. OPEN FORUM

Comments that arose from the floor included:

The meeting concluded at 8.20pm.

Chairman's Full Report 2019.

On 1st April 2018 we appointed a new Clerk Frank Post.

It had been agreed that due to the speeding of traffic throughout the village we needed some form of traffic calming management and therefore a couple of Vehicle Activation Signs would possibly help to slow the traffic down, in Chestnut Way and Thame Road. The two VASs have now been installed. We spent £16,000 but we were lucky to receive contribution towards the cost from the Local Area Forum and WDC and the balance came out of CIL money.

Expenditure £38,000. With Income £39,000. Other Key areas of expenditure includes: Maintenance and grass cutting, bins, repairs = £10,000. Administration, including newsletter, web, insurance and audit = £12,000.

The Precept income was £27,700 and the CIL money received from Bellway and Croudace accounts to £260,000.

Planning Applications: 22 Approved and 7 Objected.

The CIL money from the building of new homes from Bellway and Croudace has been received by the Parish Council so it was decided to send out a questionnaire via the Parish Newsletter last October which was hand delivered to every household to ask their ideas/suggestions on what they would like to see implemented within the Parish. A stamped addressed envelope was enclosed so that we were able to have replies from all residents including those who do not have internet.

We had already had some ideas that had been incorporated within our Neighbourhood Plan which we mentioned on the front page of the Questionnaire such as: possibly purchasing the triangle of land opposite the Red Lion in Chestnut Way/ Bell Crescent. Installing a Multi-Use Games Area and Adult Fitness Centre on the Playing Fields or offering a small strip of land to have extra Car Parking for the Village/ Village Hall use. On the back page we gave a few other options that had been mentioned in the plan. The responses varied from Village to hamlets, but total No of properties that replied thorough out the Parish was 561, Number of responses 223 making it % 40. The majority gave sensible answers, with good suggestions, a few were angry responses, a few said the money should be spent in Longwick, a couple said that the residents in the hamlets were all rich and did not need any money, but the one in particular stood out when it became personal and compared me to being a Judas to the village. The Longwick-cum-Ilmer Neighbourhood plan was put in place for the whole parish.

Longwick School put in a bid for an Eco Classroom and Playground refurbishment which will not just benefit the children but also the community. The Parish Council have agreed to give the school £55,000 towards these two projects.

The Village Hall Trustees are also looking into some refurbishments for the hall and we have offered to help once they decided on the project(s) they wish to undertake.

We are also looking on providing a MUGA/and equipment for outdoor fitness for Adults on the Playing Field and are obtaining quotes for these two projects.

The Playing field drainage has been an on-going project but due to costs it had been put on the back burner, we are now able to obtain quotes to look at starting the work later in the year. This will also include the culvert on the Playing Field.

New Welcome Packs have been agreed and this work is in progress for new residents coming to live in the Parish.

The two Milestones have been cleaned and the lettering has been renewed.

Residents and Parish Councillors were very upset when Bellway started taking down the hedge on the Playing field by the stile and erecting steel fencing on the Playing Filed without permission from the Parish Council. A meeting was held with WDC the Planning Officer and the Ecologist, Parish Councillors and Bellway. Bellway were informed they had to leave the hedge as it was not in their planning application.

Flooding in Bar Lane and surrounding areas were undertaken with Transport for Buckingham and Croudace along with our County Councillor Bill Bendyshe-Brown to resolve the issues. Hopefully there will be no more flooding.

New Noticeboard now installed outside The Old Schoolhouse.

Footpaths between Chestnut Way and Walnut Tree Lane have now been repaired.

The Emergency Plan has now been Updated and posted on the Website, and the new Road signage for Walnut Tree Lane with the roads off has been made good.

Unfortunately, we are still waiting for the Lower Icknield Way signage to be replaced - and the directional sign further up Lower Icknield to be rectified. This has been reported to WDC.

The old bench in Ilmer has now been replaced by a Memorial Bench to George Harper, by the family.

Potholes are being filled by using a plane and patch method.

Rubbish dumping seems to be increasing and it does not help that the main household waste tip in Bledlow has now been closed to the public. If you have any problems with abandoned vehicles, / or rubbish dumping/ dog fouling/potholes please go to http://parishes.transportforbucks.net or: http://www.fixmystreet.com

We have had a few complaints regarding the state of the roads and pavements especially around Boxer/Barn Road due to the house building by Bellway and concerning litter around near Bar Lane where Croudace are building new homes, but we have either replied by email or letter and have addressed issues.

The Remembrance Service held last year to celebrate the 100 years of the First World War was well attended by the residents, and the two Silent Soldiers silhouettes stood proudly.

The Carol Service went well, but we did not have such a good turnout as the previous year, due to other activities being held on the same evening.

Val McPherson BEM

Chairman April 2019.