MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE STOKE POGES PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON MONDAY 13 FEBRUARY 2017 AT 7.30 P.M. IN THE LIONEL RIGBY ROOM AT THE VILLAGE CENTRE, ROGERS LANE, STOKE POGES, SL2 4LP
Present:- Cllr Bagge (Chair), Cllr Carter, Cllr Cox, Cllr Crocker, Cllr Finan, Cllr Fox, Cllr Hoskins, Cllr Lynch & Cllr Taylor (7.35pm)
In Attendance:- Mrs J Simmonds
Also Present:- 4 Members of public
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MINUTES
189/PC/17 – Police
A report from the police was tabled.
190/PC/17 – 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.
One member of public was present to listen to comments made on item 208 and two members were present to listen to comments on item 207.
191/PC/17 – Apologies for Absence
APOLOGIES were received from the Police and Cllr Egleton.
192/PC/17 – 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
193/PC/17 – Minutes
RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the Council meeting held on 9 January 2017 which were signed by the chairman.
194/PC/17 – County Councillor’s Report
Councillor Egleton not present, Cllr Bagge reported that County Councillor election will take place on 4 May 2017, one more piece of business to be transacted is the Council Tax increase, they are proposing 1.99% increase plus 3% increase on the social precept.
Items 207 and 208 were taken next.
207/PC/17 – Slough Issues and Options consultation
Cllr Bagge updated everyone on the public meeting held on 9 February 2017, several hundred people were present and none were in favour of the plans. Cllr Bagge said that the South Bucks and Chiltern District Councils had agreed their response to the consultation. The deadline to respond is 27 February 2017 and it was RESOLVED to agree, unanimously that the Parish Council Planning Committee should be delegated the task to comments and respond in time,
208/PC/17 – Bollards
Cllr Carter updated the committee on a meeting held with the new LAT and discussions on highways in general and bollards. It was noted that there is no funding available from County to install bollards, there is a possibility of 50% funding and 50% match funding through the LAF on some proposals which will follow shortly but will still be expensive. The Parish Council can bollard problem areas itself so long as the LAT has seen suitable consultation with immediate residents and has given the go ahead.
195/PC/17 – District Councillors’ Report
Cllr Bagge reported that the District Council has increased the council tax which will equate to an increase of £5 per annum on a band D house.
District has been made aware of constant litter issues in Stoke Poges and have agreed to step up and increase the amount of litter picks made.
The Government solving the housing problem could delay the Local Plan being completed.
196/PC/17 – Chairman’s Update from last meeting.
Cllr Bagge and Cllr Lynch both attended a recent LAF budget setting meeting, which is going to concentrate more on traffic issues in the next year. It will investigate effective ways of tackling isolation and loneliness among older people and fund schemes in 2018/19.
A radar camera device may be purchased by all Beeches LAF members to share, which enables volunteers to be trained to use it for community speed watch.
197/PC/17 – Planning Equipment & Update on recent meeting with Comer Homes.
Cllr Carter proposed that the recent planning committee resolution to agree that a Dell Laptop Inspiron 17 7000 2-in-1device is sufficient for the use required, cost £1200.00 is ratified at full council, this was seconded by Cllr Crocker, RESOLVED to agree to use the budget set a side and purchase this item, all in favour.
Cllr Carter updated the committee on meeting held with Comer Homes who own Bayer House and want to convert it into apartments and build homes around the outside, which will consist of a mixture of town houses and apartments with underground parking and restored gardens. They will be holding a public meeting and exhibition at Bayer House on 25 March 2017
198/PC/17 – Reception
DISCUSSED reception details to be held on 17 March 2016 agreed to keep everything the same as previous years.
Cllr Carter proposed that Martin Wood should be awarded the Caldecourt Cup for individuals for his tireless work with events held in the village and the scouts, this was seconded by Cllr Fox, RESOLVED to agree, all in favour.
Cllr Taylor proposed that Naomi Arnold be awarded the Jubilee Cup for work carried out for several organisations such as the Royal British Legion and The Stoke Poges Society as examples, plus the Round Robin email service that reaches over 1200 villagers at present, this was seconded by Cllr Cox, RESOLVED to agree 5-2 in favour, 2 abstained.
199/PC/17 – Carols on the Green
Update from Cllr Carter and the working party who confirmed event is to be held on 8 December 2017, 6-8pm. Cllr Carter proposed that the working party have control over the small budget for the event, this was seconded by Cllr Fox, RESOLVED to agree, all in favour.
200/PC/17 – Friends of Bells Hill Green Planting Scheme/Hanging Baskets/Troughs.
Cllr Carter update the committee on a meeting held with the working party Friends of Bells Hill Green and ideas they have had to improve the area.
Cllr Carter proposed to resolve to agree to the contract circulated from Window Flowers to supply hanging baskets and troughs at Bells Hill Green, and to resolve to agree to rent on a yearly basis ongoing, plus the one off fees for installing the brackets, this was seconded by Cllr Cox, RESOLVED to agree all in favour.
201/PC/17 – WW1 Memorial
To resolve to agree on WW1 memorial previously circulated. It was agreed following a consultation carried out by Cllr Carter that a life size figure of a soldier is favourite of the designs, and that we should obtain a quote and contract to commit and then bring back to full council for a formal proposal and decision.
202/PC/17 – WW1 Celebration
Cllr Carter updated the committee from working party meetings held. It was agree that the date of the event will be 7 July 2018, it may include a school poetry competition, flag raising, a minutes silence, and throught the day progress through the ages holding different events. Cllr Bagge proposed that a budget of £20k be agreed for the event and to give the working party control over that budget, this will be added into the budgets for 2018 in November 2017, this was seconded by Cllr Hoskins, RESOLVED to agree, all in favour.
203/PC/17 – Beeches LAF
Update from meeting held on Thursday 9 February. This was already covered under item 196.
204/PC/17 – Farthing Green Lane – Speed Review
NOTED that due to the low casualty rate on this road highways have said it unlikely that any speed review will change the speeds along this road, and have advised that this could be a waste of time and finances. RESOLVED to agree to continue to run a speed review on this road, because it was previously agreed unaninmously and no further information has come to light to warrant a change in this decision. Clerk to proceed.
205/PC/17 – Jogging Path
Cllr Carter has obtained several quotes which are in the region of £80k, to continue to get more and bring back for decision. NOTED first payment received from Tesco grant, and three other grants have been applied for.
206/PC/17 – Neighbourhood Plan
Cllr Carter and Crocker updated the committee on a meeting held with Graham Winwright from Chiltern District Council to discuss Neighbourhood Plans. The conclusion is that they are very time consuming, expensive and are outdated as soon as they are published, and probably not worth the effort.
209/PC/17- Pavilion Snagging
To resolve to agree to the costs quoted by Basil Wyatt to carry out snagging issues that they say were not part of the original build quote and are extras. Cllr Carter and the Clerk asked for this to be deferred until March, due a them attending a meeting next week with the architect, AGREED.
210/PC/17 – Speed Reduction
Letter received requesting a speed reduction on Hollybush Hill.
Cllr Hoskins proposed that the evidence shows that this is not necessary and to agree not to request a speed review on Hollybush Hill, this was seconded by Cllr Lynch, RESOLVED to agree all in favour.
211/PC/17 – Building of Merit
Cllr Carter proposed that the council agree to applying to SBDC and asking for the Fox & Pheasant and The Stag pubs to be added to the list of Community Assets to protect them from future development, this was seconded by Cllr Finan, RESOLVED to agree all in favour.
212/PC/17 – Litter Picking
Discussed the possibility of having designated volunteer litter pickers and to decide whether or not to supply the litter picking equipment. Cllr Bagge agreed to check out the SBDC volunteer scheme and bring back, all agreed to defer until Marc
213/PC/17 – RECEIVED and ADOPTED minutes from previous meetings of sub committees and working parties:
(1) Planning Minutes – 12 December 2016 – Signed 16 January 2017
214/PC/17 – Finance
(1) NOTED Statement of Accounts – January2017
(2) RESOLVED to approve list of cheques/Bacs for signature January 2017 (subject to additions)
(3) RECEIVED Bank reconciliations, January 2017
(4) NOTED Budget monitoring, January 2017
215/PC/17 – 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.
Correspondence:-
(1). NOTED South Central Ambulance Charity – Thank you letter for donation from carols collection
(2). NOTED Department for Communities and Local Government – Letter in response to ours to the SOS
216/PC/17 – NOTED Dates of Future Meetings
Planning Committee –20 February 2017
Recreation & Environment – 27 February 2017
Full Parish Council – 13 March 2017
Reception – 17 March 2017
Meeting ended at 9.20pm.