MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE STOKE POGES PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON MONDAY 13 MAY 2019 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 Finan, Cllr Fox, Cllr Lynch & Cllr Taylor
In Attendance:- Mrs J Simmons (Clerk)
Also present:- 2 members of public
___________________________________________________________________________
MINUTES
001/PC/19- To Elect a Chairman for the coming year.
Cllr Carter proposed Cllr Bagge to be Chairman which was seconded by Cllr Fox, RESOLVED to agree all in favour. Cllr Bagge RECEIVED and signed the declaration of acceptance of office which was countersigned by the Clerk.
002/PC/19 – To Elect a Vice Chairman for the coming year.
Cllr Fox proposed Cllr Carter to be Vice Chairman which was seconded by Cllr Finan, RESOLVED to agree all in favour. Cllr Carter RECEIVED and signed the declaration of acceptance of office which was countersigned by the Clerk.
003/PC/19 – 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 informed the council that the yellow lines at Pennylets Green/Bunby Road were being breached. Cllr Bagge agreed to inform the Civil Enforcement team. The same resident also asked if a zebra crossing could be place near the doctors/Pennylets Green for children exiting the school bus at the bus stop. Cllr Carter explained that the area had recently been risk assessed by Highways as being safe. Cllr Bagge added that a zebra crossing is very costly – £150k plus, and maybe the children needed to be educated to walk to the crossing with the centre island or down across Hollybush and then use the traffic lights crossing.
004/PC/19 – Apologies for Absence
APOLOGIES were received from Cllr Crocker.
005/PC/19 – 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 013 as Chairman of the District Council Planning Committee, he would take part but not vote, also item 030 as Chairman of the District Council Planning Committee, he would take part but not vote.
006/PC/19 – Minutes
RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the Council meeting held on 8 April 2019 which were signed by the Chairman.
007/PC/19 – Review of Standing Orders, Financial Regulations, Financial Risk Assessment for 19/20.
REVIEWED and AGREED NO changes to any of the above, all in favour.
008/PC/19 – To Appoint Committees
(a) Recreation & Environment Committee
(6 members plus Chairman ex officio)
Cllr Carter, Cllr Cox, Cllr Crocker, Cllr Fox, Cllr Lynch , Vacancy plus Cllr Bagge (ex officio)
(b) Planning Committee
(6 members plus Chairman ex officio)
Cllr Carter, Cllr Crocker, Mr Duncombe, Mr Harris, Cllr Finan, Cllr Hoskins plus Cllr Bagge (ex officio)
RESOLVED to agree to co-opt current two residents of Stoke Poges who sit on this committee.
(c) Finance & General Purposes Committee
(6 members plus Chairman ex officio)
Cllr Carter, Cllr Crocker, Cllr Finan, Cllr Fox, Cllr Hoskins, Cllr Lynch plus Cllr Bagge (ex officio)
009/PC/19 – RESOLVED to AGREE, all in favour to Fix times of meetings (every month except August at 7.30pm.)
Full Council – second Monday except July and December (first Monday) and if a bank holiday falls on second Monday then it will be previous week.
Planning Committee – Every third Monday at 7.30pm (possibly August)
Recreation and Environment committee – fourth Monday at 7.30pm (3 per year)
Finance Committee – to follow a Full Parish Council Meeting (2/3 per year)
RESOLVED to agree theses changes to other bodies, all in favour.
Footpath Watch – Cllr Cox, Cllr Lynch
Allotment Representative – Cllr Cox
Webmaster – Ralph Bagge
Website Liaison – Ralph Bagge
Parish Newsletter – Ralph Bagge
Flagmaster – Jim Budd
Tree Wardens – Alan Fox
Beeches LAF – Cllr Lynch
MVAS Rota and Co-ordination – Cllr Cox
Chiltern & South Bucks Strategic Partnership – Cllr Lynch
Stoke Poges Village Hall Committee – Cllr Carter and Cllr Fox
010/PC/19 – County Councillor’s Report
Cllr Bagge reported that the Civil Enforcement Officer is now operating and patrolling our area, which was agreed last year to part fund.
011/PC/19 – District Councillors’ Report
Cllr Bagge reported that there was a Full Council meeting tomorrow to agree the Draft Local Plan to go through to consultation stage.
012/PC/19 – Chairman’s Update from last meeting.
Cllr Bagge reported that the Community Speedwatch activity had been high and the group had been going out most weeks. He also said that the traffic week at the school had been very hands-on and had been a huge successful operation. Another will take place in early June.
013/PC/19 – Khalsa School
Cllr Carter, Cllr Bagge and a resident from School Lane had met with the head of the Khalsa School to discuss the parking and traffic issues affecting the local residents. The head explained that he was unaware of any outstanding planning enforcements and that all decisions for the school were taken by the trustees and governors. He agreed to take everything back to them and meet again in June with an update. A separate meeting was held last night with the residents only who were also concerned about when the sixth form in School Lane opens and the huge impact that will also be on them then.
014/PC/19 – Information Board
Cllr Carter has drawn up a consultation questionnaire and was going to start consulting with residents at the Green. To bring back.
015/PC/19 – Defibrillator
Update from requests made to Village Centre and Co-op. No update as yet bring back.
016/PC/19 – School Traffic Working Party
A patrol was set up by the party and supported well by the Police who were grateful at the amount of time being given by the Parish Council. A voluntary one-way system may be implemented during the summer term to trial, and a low key name and shame campaign with parents will be in place. A public meeting is to be held on 18 June 2019 at 7.30pm in the Main Hall at the Village Centre.
017/PC/19 – Merchant Navy Day 3 September 2019
Cllr Carter reported that the Church were happy to just fly the flag for this day.
018/PC/19 – Community Speedwatch
Request from Burnham Parish Council to share equipment with Iver and Fulmer Parish Councils. RESOLVED to agree all in favour that the equipment could be shared, but the Beeches LAF members should always have first priority and that the other Parishes should be looking to purchase their own equipment through the LAF funding scheme for themselves.
019/PC19 – Grassed area at corner of Duffield and Rogers Lane
Request from resident for help with top soiling and grass seeding area and maybe some planters. RESOLVED to agree all in favour that the Bells Hill Green working party would be able to donate any materials that they had over-ordered on this occasion.
020/PC/19 – Bells Hill Green
NOTED that £100 has been spent from the planting budget on flowers for the working party to plant on 14 May.
021/PC/19 – Brockhurst Woods
AGREED all in favour to investigate further with the help of our solicitor, Cllr Finan proposed to spend up to £1000 towards any costs to be vired from the General Fund, this was seconded by Cllr Taylor. RESOLVED to agree all in favour.
022/PC/19 – RECEIVED and ADOPTED minutes from previous meetings of sub committees and working parties:
- Planning Minutes – 18 March 2019 – Signed 15 April 2019 – Cancelled-defer to next meeting
- Annual Parish Meeting – 19 April 2018 – Signed 11 April 2019
023/PC/19 – Finance
(1) RECEIVED & NOTED Financial Summary & Statement Cashbook – April 2019.
(2) RESOLVED to approve list of cheques/Bacs for signature April 2019 £10126.92
(3) RECEIVED & NOTED Bank reconciliations – April 2019
(4) RECEIVED & NOTED Income & Expenditure Heading Detail/Budget Monitoring – April 2019
024/PC/18 – Accounts for Year Ended 31st March 2019
1) RECEIVED, APPROVED and SIGNED by the Chairman and the Clerk/RFO the summary income and expenditure account, balance sheet, supporting statement and assets, auditor’s matters arising. Cllr Bagge thanked the Clerk for completing the accounts so quickly.
(2) RECEIVED and APPROVED the annual return which was signed by the Chairman and the Clerk/RFO and RECEIVED and APPROVED bank reconciliation and statement of significant variations.
025/PC/19 – 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:-
026/PC/19 – NOTED Dates of Future Meetings
Planning Meeting – 20 May 2019
Parish Council Meeting Followed by Finance Meeting – 10 June 2019
027/PC/19 – 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.
028/PC/19 – Tennis Club
Lease update – Meeting date proposed for 13 June 2019, bring back.
029/PC/19 – Allotments
Update given on breaches, Cllr Hoskins proposed accept proposed amount offered by resident towards rat infestation, seconded by Cllr Finan, RESOLVED to agree 5-2.
030/PC/19 – Community Library/Hub
DISCUSSED update on possibility of moving forward with a Community Library/Hub, RESOLVED to agree not to pursue potential site offered and to keep reserve whilst further plans are developed.
Meeting ended at 9.23pm