MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THESTOKE POGES PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON MONDAY 12 JUNE 2017 AT 7.30 P.M. IN THE LIONEL RIGBY ROOM AT THE VILLAGE CENTRE, ROGERS LANE, STOKE POGES.
Present:- Cllr Bagge (Chair), Cllr Cox, Cllr Crocker, Cllr Finan, Cllr fox, Cllr Hoskins, Cllr Lynch & Cllr Taylor.
In attendance:- Mrs J Simmonds (Clerk)
Also present:- PSCO Kam Benawra
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MINUTES
023/PC/17 – Police
PSCO Benawra read out the crime reports which were tabled.
024/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.
None
025/PC/17 – Apologies for Absence
APOLOGIES were received from Cllr Carter.
026/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.
Cllr Bagge declared an interest in item 037 as Leader of the South Bucks District Council.
027/PC/17 – Minutes
RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the Council meeting held on 8 May 2017 which were signed by the Chairman.
028/PC/17 – County Councillor’s Report
A meeting has been held with Cllr Bagge, Cllr Carter, two officers from County, The Head of the Stoke Poges School, PCSO Benawra and the Chair of Governors of the school and one concerned resident, regarding the children crossing safely to school and parking around the school at drop off time. It was a productive meeting, resulting in the Parish Council offering to deliver flyers for a new crossing patrol vacancy, the Head of the school going back to get better support from their management team, and to work closer alongside County. Cllr Bagge to continue working on this subject.
029/PC/17 – District Councillors’ Report
Cllr Bagge reported that it was relatively quiet at this time of year. The council was underspent at the end of March 17 by £70k. Approximately 60 families were currently homeless and in bed and breakfast or rented accommodation, this is being investigated further to try to reduce.
The Government’s housing white paper is still awaiting a decision.
030/PC/17 – Chairman’s Update from last meeting.
Cllr Bagge reported that the hanging baskets and troughs were in place and looking good.
031/PC/17 – Brockhurst Wood
NOTED that this is up for sale and that an offer over the asking price has been offered by another client. After discussion Cllr Taylor proposed that the Council offer £221k, subject to contract, to secure and protect the wood for the residents of Stoke Poges, funded by a PWLB loan, this was seconded by Cllr Hoskins, RESOLVED to agree all in favour.
032/PC/17 – LAF – Vine Road Parking Scheme
Cllr Finan proposed that we agree to provide £7786 towards the funding offered by the LAF for the Vine Road Parking Scheme, to be taken from the General Fund, and to defer the offers for Bunby Road and Hastings Meadow to allow for further investigation to be carried out, this was seconded by Cllr Cox, RESOLVED to agree, all in favour.
033/PC/17 – Financial Regulations
Cllr Crocker proposed to resolve to agree to add to the financial regulations details about the online banking procedure which was set up last financial year as per the original minuted agreement which was:- Online Banking two councillors set up online to authorise any BACS payments entered by the clerk, (one required to authorise).
Wording to be added to the Financial Regulations in July under section 5.5.5:-
Online Banking introduced in 2015. Security controls are: – A schedule of the online payments required, forming part of the Agenda for the meeting, shall be prepared by the RFO and together with the relevant invoices, be presented to the Council. If the schedule is in order it shall be authorised by a resolution of the council and shall be signed by two Councillors and the Chairman of the meeting. Payments to be submitted to the bank the following day by the Clerk and then one Councillor to log onto the bank with their own secure details to authorise the payments. Signed documents to be attached to the Minutes of the meeting.
This was seconded by Cllr Lynch, RESOLVED to agree all in favour and be brought back to the July meeting for ratification to make the change to the regulations.
034/PC/17 – Speed Review Data Farthing Green Lane
NOTED the data received from Transport for Bucks circulated and a break down from Cllr Cox tabled. DECIDED all in favour no further action required and the data to be publicised in the next edition of Stoke Poges News.
035/PC/17 – Red Ensign for Merchant Navy Day
Cllr Finan proposed that we purchase the Red Ensign flag and fly it from Friday to Monday to incorporate Merchant Navy Day on Sunday 3 September 2017 and to hold a small ceremony on that day, this was seconded by Cllr Cox, RESOLVED to agree all in favour.
036/PC/17 – Beeches Guide to Services for Older People
AGREED to the request to send an entry from Stoke Poges Parish Council for this new guide. Cllr Bagge agreed to write it.
037/PC/17 – Letter from Four District Council Leaders re:- Proposal for Two New Unitary Councils.
RESOLVED to agree all in favour to respond agreeing to the proposal.
038/PC/17 – Road Safety Concern
RESOLVED to agree all in favour that highways have already carried out as much work as they are prepared to in this area and that Cllr Bagge as County Councillor will continue to do as much as possible within his remit about all Road Safety Concerns in the village. Clerk to write back to resident.
039/PC/17 – Office Security
RESOLVED to approve a spy hole in the office door along with an additional camera/intercom connected to the existing to allow the clerk to see who is outside the office door at all times. Security has been highlighted by the Internal Auditor and the Village Centre Manager and the Clerk. Costs to be brought back to next meeting.
040/PC/17 – Khalsa School
NOTED update from Cllr Carter that The PC have been working with residents and officers from Chiltern and South Bucks to put together a Noise Management Agreement. Comments and additions have been made and submitted back to the DC who will forward them on to the EFA. We are awaiting any feedback.
041/PC/17 – RECEIVED and ADOPTED minutes from previous meetings of sub committees and working parties:
(1) Planning Minutes – 24 April 2017 – Signed 15 May 2017
(2) Recreation & Environment 27 February 2017 – Signed 5 June 2017
042/PC/17 – Finance
(1) NOTED Statement of Accounts – May 2017
(2) RESOLVED to approve list of Cheques/Bacs for signature May 2017 £39677.99.
(3) RECEIVED Bank reconciliations – May 2017
(4) NOTED Budget monitoring – May 2017.
043/PC/17 – Accounts for Year Ended 31st March 2017
1) RECEIVED, APPROVED & SIGNED the summary income and expenditure account, balance sheet, supporting statement and assets, auditor’s matters arising, which were signed by the Chairman of the Council and the RFO. RESOLVED to agree all in favour.
(2) RECEIVED & APPROVED the annual return which were signed by the Chairman the Council and the RFO and receive and approve bank reconciliation and statement of significant variations. RESOLVED to agree all in favour.
044/PC/17 – 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 Thames Valley Police Yvette Hitch – Letter to say Superintendent Yvette Hitch is leaving.
045/PC/17 – NOTED Dates of Future Meetings
Finance Meeting – 5 June 2017 – To follow this Parish Council Meeting
Planning Meeting – 19 June 2017
Full Parish Council – 3 July 2017 – NOTE 1st Monday
Meeting ended at 8.55pm