Full Parish Council - Meeting Minutes
Monday 1st December 2025
Introduction
MINUTES OF THE FULL PARISH COUNCIL MEETING OF THE STOKE POGES PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON MONDAY 1 DECEMBER 2025 AT 7.30PM IN THE LIONEL RIGBY ROOM AT THE VILLAGE CENTRE, ROGERS LANE, STOKE POGES BUCKS, SL2 4LP.
Present: Cllr Carter (Chair), Cllr Bassi, Cllr Finan, Cllr Harwood, Cllr Pritchard and Cllr Wilson.
In Attendance: Mrs J Simmonds (Clerk)
Agenda Items
144/PC/25 - Public Session Time (7.30 pm-7.45 pm)
The meeting is open to the public, and press and 15 minutes will be reserved, if required, for public comments on items on the agenda.
None
145/PC/25 - Apologies and Acceptance for Absence.
APOLOGIES were received and accepted for Cllr Crocker.
146/PC/25 - Declarations of interest
Members to declare any personal interest in any item of business as defined in the Code of Conduct adopted 2021. If that interest is a disclosable pecuniary interest as defined in the Code, the member should withdraw from the meeting for that item.
None
147/PC/25 - Minutes
RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the Council meeting held on 10 November 2025 which were signed by the Chair.
148/PC/25 – Southeast Bucks Board
Nothing to update from Cllr Bassi. A meeting will be set up for the New Year between the officer and Cllr Bassi, Cllr Carter and the Clerk.
149/PC/25 – SBALC
Cllr Carter updated on the meeting she attended on 17 November 2025. Several local Parish Councils attended. Areas of concern: Data Centres, fly tipping, loss of greenbelt, speculative planning applications. It was agreed to work together to better understand the impact that development will have. Subscription is £20.00 per year.
150/PC/25 - Buckinghamshire Council Report
Update on any issues discussed at the October meeting with Cllrs More and Dhillon
No County Councillors were present.
151/PC/25 – Chairman’s/Councilor’s Update from last meeting.
Graffiti on Virgin boxes had been reported and the resident directed to fix my street.
Cllr Carter reported that the boundary fence in the Bells Hill toddler area had rotted and fallen and was dangerous, this has been replaced under health and safety. Work from the RoSPA reports is being carried out in both recreation grounds shortly also under health and safety.
Cllr Carter replied to the email from the London Green Belt requesting an audit of Green Belt land that is under threat, it has been pointed out that the draft Buckinghamshire Council Local Plan shows no analysis of Green Belt/Grey Belt which is a concern.
Cllr Carter and Cllr Crocker sat in on a Teams meeting on the A40 Data Centre. They are offering a nature trail for residents, but no-one can get to it as there will be no parking. As Data Centres are now considered as capital infrastructure this means that any decisions can be decided by the Secretary of State.
Cllr Carter has put the resident from the group for the Bucks Golf Club application in touch with Mr Egleton to discuss further.
Cllr Bassi asked in Councillors should reply to the Town and Country Planning consultation individually, agreed yes.
152/PC/25 – Sefton Business Park
Update following presentation and leaflet drop.
A consultation is due to go live this evening. We will circulate it on socials and newsflash.
153/PC/25 – Stoke Poges Community Hub.
NOTED First meeting will be held 11 December 2025, all arranged.
154/PC/25 – Parking Enforcement
Cllr Carter reported that the parking enforcement officer is being very helpful and sending out to this area as often as possible.
155/PC/25 – Plough Lane/Paddocks/Allotments/Wood
NOTED that the solicitor has been asked about protection of these assets as agreed and that Cllr Carter and the Clerk have a meeting with them tomorrow to discuss further.
156/PC/25 – Allotment Agreement
Following last month’s meeting the quote to clear allotments and cover them with membrane ready for re-letting is £180.00 plus the membrane. Cllr Harwood proposed that we accept this quote ongoing, this was seconded by Cllr Wilson, RESOLVED to agree all in favour. Clerk obtaining another quote from our groundsman. RESOLVED to agree all in favour to using CIL funds.
157/PC/25 – Carols on the Green 29 November 2025
The event was very busy. The grotto not as well attended as previous years. Procession not as many people following as previous years. Marshalling may need looking at to make it safer. It was agreed to have a meeting in May to discuss the event and the workings of it before the SAG is submitted in the summer. Figures to be given at the January meeting.
158/PC/25 – Conservation Areas
Update on robust response being written by Cllr Carter and Cllr Harwood, brought back for two
meetings. Defer again to the next meeting.
159/PC/25 – Buckinghamshire Council Local Plan
CONSIDERED commissioning a Settlement Spatial Plan and a Green belt assessment to assist us with speculative planning applications and further development. Quote tabled. Cllr Carter proposed to agree the quote and share proportionally with Burnham Parish Council based on a pro data basis per head, which is 70/30 which reflects fairly our respective populations and use CIL money; this was seconded by Cllr Bassi. RESOLVED to agree all in favour.
160/PC/25 – 11/11
Cllr Carter updated on the 11/11 service which went well, and the itinerary was timed to perfection. All local schools sent a small representation to the service and laid wreaths. Cadets representing the Pioneer School arrived after the event and said that they were told by the Parish that they were not welcome, this is totally untrue and they said they would feed that back. The Church also sent representation expecting to participate but without any contact beforehand, this was not possible with the itinerary written. It was AGREED by all that the service should be a civil service only as agreed last year and as per the British Legion.
161/PC/25 – Buckinghamshire Land Sales/Lease
NOTED last month that the land being leased to a dog walking tenant will not be up for sale/lease as previously thought. Brought back from last meeting to discuss further with Cllr Harwood.
Cllr Harwood to write a response to the officer for the clerk to send. Bring back.
162/PC/24 – Cllr Finan proposed to Ratify the decisions made by Finance & General Purposes on 24 November 2025 as below, this was seconded by Cllr Harwood. RESOLVED to agree all in favour.
016/F/25 - Budget 2026/2027
CONSIDERED the amounts to be included in the budgets for 2026/2027 and Cllr Finan proposed that a recommendation be put forward for the Parish Council Meeting to be held on 1 December 2025, this was seconded by Cllr Bassi, RESOLVED to agree all in favour.
017/F/25 - Precept
CONSIDERED the recommended Precept requirement for 2026/27 and Cllr Carter proposed that there would be no increase for 26/27 and that a recommendation be put forward for approval by the Parish Council Meeting to be held on 1 December 2025 will be £182102.89 this was seconded by Cllr Bassi, RESOLVED to agree all in favour.
163/PC/25 – RECEIVED and ADOPTED minutes from previous meetings of sub committees and working parties:
Planning Committee Meeting 20 October 2025 – Signed 17 November 2025
Finance Committee Meeting 23 June 2025 – Signed 24 November 2025
164/PC/25 – Finance
RECEIVED Financial Summary & Statement Cashbook – November 2025
RESOLVED to approve list of cheques/Bacs for signature – November 2025 – £18422.89
RECEIVED Bank reconciliations – November 2025
165/PC/25 – 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
166/PC/25 – NOTED Dates of Future Meetings
Planning Committee Meeting – 8 December 2025
Full Parish Council Meeting – 12 January 2026
Meeting ended at 9.45pm