MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE STOKE POGES PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON MONDAY 7 DECEMBER 2015 AT 7.30 P.M. IN THE LIONEL RIGBY ROOM AT THE VILLAGE CENTRE, ROGERS LANE, STOKE POGES.
Present: – Cllr Bagge (Chair), Cllr Carter, Cllr Cox, Cllr Crocker, Cllr Finn, Cllr Fox, Cllr Huntley, Cllr Lynch & Cllr Taylor.
In Attendance: – Mrs. J Simmonds (Clerk)
Also Present: – Sgt Price and PC Burnell.
___________________________________________________________________________MINUTES
167/PC/15 – Police
A report was tabled and read out by Sgt Price.
168/PC/15 – Public Session Time (7.30 pm-7.45 pm)
The meeting is open to the public and press and fifteen minutes will be reserved, if required, for public comment.
None
169/PC/15 – Apologies for Absence
APOLOGIES were received from Cllr Hoskins.
170/PC/15 – Declarations of interest
Members to declare any personal interest in any item of business as defined in the Code of Conduct 2012. If that interest is a disclosable pecuniary interest as defined in the Code; the member should withdraw from the meeting for that item.
None
171/PC/15 – Minutes
RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the Council meeting held on 9 November 15 which were signed by the Chairman.
172/PC/15 – County Councillor’s Report
Councillor Egleton was not present, Cllr Bagge reported for him that the County Council budget was overspent for the first six months and have imposed a spending freeze.
173/PC/15 – District Councillor’s Report
Cllr Bagge reported that The Local Development Scheme consultation would take place between January 16 and March 16 and will be on the District Council website to view from 17 December 15. All should respond.
174/PC/15 – Chairman’s Update from last meeting.
Cllr Bagge and Cllr Carter met with a legal officer from Chiltern DC who had been asked to sort out the lease situation. A new simple licence will be offered to the Parish to take over the green maintenance only and an agreed sum will be paid to the Parish Council on a yearly basis. The licence will be brought to the January 2016 meeting for approval.
Cllr Bagge accepted an invitation to a concert by Stoke Poges Singers which was a great success and a lovely evening. Cllr Bagge said a few words to explain the retiring collection which the Singers are donating to the Parish Council new pavilion fund.
Cllr Bagge attended the Bucks County Council Town and Parish Council conference. The main topics were devolved services and children’s services. County continues to find ways of devolving more services to parishes.
Cllr Bagge has received correspondence from residents regarding the speed of vehicles on Park Road. This is a big issue and Cllr Bagge asked for help from these residents with the MVAS rota which is a deterrent for speeding, and it was also agreed by all members to bring this back to January 2016 for a decision on whether to fund BCC speed monitoring and reporting for the road.
175/PC/15 – Khalsa School
Cllr Carter said that the strategy group had recently met and a list of actions have been made which are ongoing. It is apparent that traffic issues are becoming a problem with coaches struggling to gain access in and out of the school entrance.
176/PC/15 – MVAS Rota
Cllr Taylor said that a successful meeting was held on 28 November and a rota is now in place. It is difficult to move the MVAS without a van and the clerk is to investigate the possibility of leaving one pole in situ at each site or have permanent poles installed. To bring back to January 2016.
177/PC/15 – PC Logo
Response from society NOTED. It was agreed by all that it was not acceptable for the Parish Council to have to wait for the whole year in 2016 whilst the centenary is going on for the society to find another logo. Cllr Bagge to speak to them.
178/PC/15 – Collum Green Road/Stoke Green Traffic Data
NOTED Summary information. AGREED by all that Collum Green Road does not present a speeding problem. Stoke Green however does and it was AGREED by all to share the information with Thames Valley Police and Highways to pursue further. Letters to be written and delivered to residents in both roads to update them of the speed review.
179/PC/15 – MUGA Usage
Request from GLL South bucks to rent the MUGA for walking football. Cllr Carter proposed a charge of £25 per session to cover wear and tear, this was seconded by Cllr Huntley, RESOLVED to agree, all in favour.
180/PC/15 – Community Carols
Cllr Crocker updated the council on the arrangements.
181/PC/15 – LAF projects cancelled.
NOTED LAF projects frozen due to overspend.
182/PC/15 – South Bucks District Council – Housing & Economic Development Needs Assessment (HEDNA)
Cllr Taylor updated the committee on the meeting she attended on 18 November 2015. Cllr Taylor to email a link to the presentation for all councillors to follow up.
183/PC/15 – PSCO Funding 2015/16
DISCUSSED a request from Iver Parish Council to contribute towards a PCSO, Cllr Huntley proposed that this was deferred so that the clerk could obtain further information and stats, this was seconded by Cllr Carter, RESOLVED to agree, all in favour.
184/PC/15 – SLCC 10th Practitioners Conference
Cllr Carter proposed to resolve to agree for the clerk to attend this practical conference 24 and 25 February 2015, this was seconded by Cllr Lynch, RESOLVED to agree, all in favour.
185/PC/15 – RECEIVED and ADOPTED minutes from previous meetings of sub committees and working parties:
- Planning Minutes – 19 October 2015 – Signed 16 November 2015
- Finance & General Purposes – 1 June 2015 – signed 23 November 2015
186/PC/15 – Finance
(1) NOTED Statement of Accounts – November 2015
(2) RESOLVED to approve list of bacs & cheques for signature November 2015
(3) RECEIVED Bank reconciliations, November 2015
(4) NOTED Budget monitoring, November 2015
(5) NOTED Fighting Fund no change.
187/PC/15 – NOTED Circulars List/Correspondence and Items received by clerk but not on agenda.
List appended to the agenda of all circulars received in the office and available to view for one month after this meeting. None.
Correspondence:
- NOTED City of London –Draft Bill (2) Open Spaces.
- NOTED Chiltern DC/SBDC – Estimate of Rough Sleepers
188/PC/15 – Cllr Bagge proposed to RATIFY & NOTE decisions made by Finance & General Purposes on 23 November 2015, minutes previously distributed, this was seconded by Cllr Fox. RESOLVED to agree, all in favour. All councillors had signed a dispensation to enable them to speak and vote on setting the precept under the Local Government Finance Act.
017/F/15 Budget 2016/2017
CONSIDERED amounts to be included in the budgets for 2016/2017 and Cllr Fox proposed to put forward a recommendation for the Parish Council Meeting to be held on 7 December 2015, this was seconded by Cllr Bagge, RESOLVED to agree, all in favour. Circulated.
018/F/15 Projects/Reserves/General Fund
CONSIDERED monies held in the General Fund and Reserves & Consider not to add any new projects. Cllr Carter proposed to vire any leftover funds in Christmas lights maintenance and carols on the green budgets at the end of the year into the Christmas Lights Reserve, seconded by Cllr Fox, RESOLVED to agree, all in favour.
019/F/15 Fighting Fund
NOTED status of fighting fund.
Cllr Bagge proposed to resolve to vire any funds if required from the general fund at the end of March 2016 up to another £50k for another statutory challenge cost if required, this was seconded by Cllr Carter, RESOLVED to agree, four for and one abstained.
020/F/15 Precept
Cllr Bagge proposed a small change to the precept to reflect a number of new properties which have been built or are due to be built in the village by an increase of £6k to £183536k this was seconded by Cllr Finan, RESOLVED to agree, all in favour, to recommend this Precept requirement for 2016/17 for approval by the Parish Council at the next meeting to be held on 7 December 2015.
025/F/15 Clerks Contract/Hours
RESOLVED to agree to increase clerks hours to 25 per week permanently, four in favour one abstention.
026/F/15 Clerks Salary
RESOLVED to agree not to increase this time.
RESOLVED to agree to pay 20 hours overtime in December 2015, four in favour one abstention.
189/PC/15 – NOTED Dates of Future Meetings
Planning Committee – 14 December 2015
Full Parish Council – 11 January 2016
Meeting ended at 8.51pm.