MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE STOKE POGES PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON MONDAY 4 DECEMBER 2017 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 Fox, Cllr Lynch & Cllr Taylor.
In Attendance:- Mrs J Simmonds (Clerk)
Also present:- One member of public.
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MINUTES
148/PC/17 – Police
RECEIVED a report from the police which was tabled.
149/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 addressed the council about item number 161 and put forward some alternative proposals.
150/PC/17 – Apologies for Absence
APOLOGIES were received from the Police, Cllr Crocker, Cllr Finan and Cllr Hoskins.
151/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 169.
152/PC/17 – Minutes
RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the Council meeting held on 13 November 2017 which were signed by the Chairman.
153/PC/17 – County Councillor’s Report
Cllr Bagge reported that he sat on the Health and Social Care Select Committee since the last Parish Council meeting, which scrutinised how Bucks CC manages care homes that are rated ‘requires improvement’ or ‘inadequate’ by the Care Quality Commission’s inspections. The committee was assured that effective measures are in place.
The select committee also reviewed the strategy for transforming service delivery in adult social car. The new emphasis will be on supporting clients to deploy and utilise their strengths and capabilities.
The select committee also visited Wycombe Hospital to view the birthing unit and the cardiac and stroke resuscitation unit.
154/PC/17 – District Councillors’ Report
Cllr Bagge reminded everyone that the Country Park consultation starts this week and sessions are being held at the SBDC offices on 5 December, the South Buckinghamshire on 6 December and the Village Centre on 7 December, it will run until the end of January.
He also informed everyone that a consultation is now taking place about the re-development of the Gerrards Cross Police Station into 34 apartments including 14 affordable homes.
155/PC/17 – Chairman’s Update from last meeting.
Nothing to report.
156/PC/17 – Khalsa School
Update from Cllr Carter – Nothing to report.
157/PC/17 – Representative of Village Hall Committee and Duke of Edinburgh Committee
NOTED that Cllr Finan has resigned from both of these committees as representative for the Parish Council, to nominate other councillors as representatives to both. RESOLVED to agree to check with the Duke of Edinburgh Committee to see if they still require a Parish Council representative and if they do the Cllr Lynch will replace Cllr Finan. Cllr Carter will replace Cllr Finan on the Village Hall committee.
158/PC/17 – WW1 Celebration
Update from Councillor Carter. The working party will be meeting again in January 2018 to get arrangements underway.
159/PC/17 – Carols on the Green
Update from Cllr Carter and last minute arrangements. Everything is arranged. 15 stalls confirmed.
To decide upon an offer to store the sleigh after this weeks event in a garage locally for a nominal sum. Since the agenda was published an offer has been received from Wexham Mowers to store the sleigh in one of their containers free of charge. The Parish Council is very grateful.
160/PC/17 – Pergola
Cllr Carter proposed that we sell the Pergola at Bells Hill Green by way of sealed bids in excess of £150. To be advertised on the notice boards, website, Facebook and round robin, bid by end of January 2018, this was seconded by Cllr Taylor, RESOLVED to agree all in favour.
161/PC/17 – Allotments – Bollards
Cllr Fox proposed to defer the decision to install bollards in the allotments to prevent cars driving right around the plots until the next R & E meeting, seconded by Cllr Cox, RESOLVED to agree 5 for, and 1 abstained. No requirement for new wording for the agreement at this stage.
162/PC/17 – Allotments – Fly Tipping
Cllr Bagge has been in contact with the head of environment regarding preventive measures.
163/PC/17 – Speed Awareness Stickers
NOTED that 500 30MPH stickers were not enough and Cllr Carter proposed to buy another 500 at £200, this was seconded by Cllr Lynch, RESOLVED agree all in favour.
164/PC/18 – Jogging Trail
To decide preferred contractor for path, quotes circulated, information required by Veolia. Cllr Taylor proposed that our preferred contractor for path would be Saunders Surfacing, this was seconded by Cllr Carter, RESOLVED to agree all in favour..
165/PC/18 – LAF Funding Offers
NOTED LAF funding offers for three schemes and to decide whether or not to match fund them. Cllr Taylor proposed to accept the Highway Code test protection and the Pennylets Green verge hardening trial at a cost of approximately £10k, this was seconded by Cllr Cox, RESOLVED to agree all in favour.
166/PC/18 – MVAS
Cllr Cox proposed to replace batteries for MVAS machines at a cost of £1400, this was seconded by Cllr Fox, RESOLVED to agree all in favour.
167/PC/18 – MK&BALC Association
NOTED Request from Carol Burslem County Officer to come and do a BALC/NALC presentation to ask the council to consider re-joining. The Council discussed this and RESOLVED to agree all in favour not to accept a presentation and had no desire to re-join at this time.
168/PC/17 – Cllr Fox proposed to Ratify decisions made by Finance & General Purposes on 6 November 2016. Minutes previously distributed, this was seconded by Cllr Lynch, RESOLVED to agree all in favour.
015/F/17 Budget 2018/2019
CONSIDERED amounts to be included in the budgets for 2018/2019 (R & E items already done) and Cllr Fox resolved to put forward a recommendation for the Parish Council Meeting to be held on 4 December 2017, this was seconded by Cllr Carter, RESOLVED to agree all in favour.
016/F/17 Precept
Cllr Lynch proposed to increase the precept requirement for 2018/19 by 5% to allow for the amount of new houses that have been built over the last two years, this was seconded by Cllr Carter and the amount of £195863.00 is to be put forward for approval by the Parish Council Meeting to be held on 4 December 2016. RESOLVED to agree all in favour.
017/F/17 Projects/Reserves/General Fund
CONSIDERED monies held in the General Fund and Reserves & Consider any new projects. Cllr Bagge proposed that a recommendation to add a reserve for a Community Library be set up and any surplus funds in the general fund at the end of each year be transferred in, to include the surplus that was in the general fund at the end of March 2017, this was seconded by Cllr Finan, RESOLVED to agree all in favour.
169/PC/17 SPN Layout
RESOLVED to agree all in favour that this item be moved to Part II. To review and decide increasing the current payment made to the layout designer of SPN.
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170/PC/17 – RECEIVED and ADOPTED minutes from previous meetings of sub committees and working parties:
(1) Planning Minutes – 16 October 2017 – Signed 20 November 2017
(2) Finance & General Purposed – 12 June 2017 – Signed 13 November 2017
171/PC/17 – Finance
(1) NOTED Statement of Accounts – November 2017.
(2) RESOLVED to approve list of cheques/Bacs for signature November 2017 £41886.20
(3) RECEIVED Bank reconciliations – November 2017
(4) NOTED Budget monitoring – November 2017
(5) NOTED External Auditor appointment for 2017/18
Cllr Carter proposed that a document be signed from Lloyds Bank to allow the Parish Council to accept cheques and payments made payable to Stoke Poges Recreation Ground and Bells Hill Green, this was seconded by Cllr Lynch, RESOLVED to agree all in favour.
172/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:-
None
173/PC/17 – NOTED Dates of Future Meetings
Planning Meeting – 11 December 2017
Full Parish Council – 8 January 2018
174/PC/17 – Exclusion of the Press & Public
Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960
RESOLVED to exclude the press and public from the following business because publicity would prejudice the public interest by reason of the confidential nature of the business.
169/PC/17 SPN Layout
REVIEWED and Cllr Fox proposed a £50 per edition increase to the current payment made to the layout designer of SPN, this was seconded by Cllr Cox, RESOLVED to agree all in favour. Cllr Bagge had left the room.
175/PC/17- Pension
NOTED Changes to pension contributions, RESOLVED to agree all in favour to increase the contribution to 3% from April 2018.
Meeting ended at 9.11pm