Stoke Poges Parish Council

Full Parish Council - Meeting Minutes

Monday 9th January 2023

Introduction

MINUTES OF THE FULL COUNCIL MEETING OF THE STOKE POGES PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON MONDAY 9 JANUARY 2023 AT 7.30 P.M. IN THE LIONEL RIGBY ROOM AT

THE VILLAGE CENTRE, ROGERS LANE, STOKE POGES BUCKS, SL2 4LP

Present:- Cllr Carter (Chair), Cllr Bassi, Cllr Cox, Cllr Crocker, Cllr Finan, Cllr Flower, Cllr Moore & Cllr Pritchard.

In Attendance:- Mrs J Simmonds (Clerk)

Also Present:- 4 Members of public.

Agenda Items

160/PC/23 – 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 on items on the agenda.

Three members of public asked about the consultation to put yellow lines on the Broom Hill junction which extend into Hollybush Hill and opposite Sefton Paddock.  They gave their concerns around the project and consultation process. Cllr Carter updated them as to why Highways deemed them necessary. Clerk to contact officer to update them with the concerns and feed any response back to residents.

161/PC/23 – Apologies for Absence

APOLOGIES were received from Cllr Bagge, Cllr Egleton and Cllr Knox-Scott.

162/PC/23 – Declarations of interest      

Members 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.

163/PC/23 – Minutes

RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the Council meeting held on 5 December 2022 which were signed by the Chairman.

164/PC/23 – Beeches Community Board

Cllr Egleton not present.  Cllr Carter had been contacted by the Beeches to ask if there were any projects that could benefit from funding, she has suggested The Friday Club, Sunshine Corner and Bucks Vision.  The officer is going to catch up with Cllr Carter later in the month.

165/PC/23 – Buckinghamshire Council Report  

No officer present.

166/PC/23 – Chairman’s/Councillor’s Update from last meeting.

Cllr Crocker asked for the council to see a proof of the plaque from the Horticultural Society before payment is made. Agreed.

Cllr Carter updated that she and the Clerk are about to start work on the Land Registry this week to then meet and discuss further with the solicitor.

Cllr Carter reported that The Friday Club are doing really well and it is very well supported.

Cllr Carter reported that Cllr Bagge has given notice on the editing of the Stoke Poges News Letter, and the Spring edition will be his last.  Bring back to February to decide what to do.

167/PC/23 – Neighbourhood Plan

Cllr Carter gave an update on where we are with the plan, ACOM are dealing with the HNA policy and the SEA Policy is also being dealt with by them.  The consultant will be having meetings in the next few weeks with each of the working parties to discuss their individual policies that they are working on.

168/PC/23 – Pond   

NOTED that the residents have offered three dates in January 2023, to be decided and then the Clerk will let everyone know.

169/PC/23 – School Traffic/Traffic Watch Update

Nothing to update from Cllr Carter on School/Traffic Watch/Enforcement and marshalling.

NOTED that a meeting with the Head has been arranged with the Head for 16 January 2023.

170/PC/23 – Pioneer Secondary Academy

Cllr Carter updated that the school has not responded to several emails asking for a meeting with residents. Cllr Carter will email one last time.

171/PC/23 – Carols on the Green 26 November 2022

NOTED £471.19 profits were made and will go to The Friday Club as agreed.

NOTED date for next year is Saturday 25 November 2023.

172/PC/23 – Plough Lane Recreation Ground

Further safety concerns around the opening onto Farthing Green Lane.  To discuss and decide if the area should be blocked off or a new swing gate installed.  Cllr Crocker proposed for Health and Safety reasons that the opening be blocked off and the quote for £295 be accepted, this was seconded by Cllr Cox, RESOLVED to agree all in favour.

173/PC/23 – Cllr Finan proposed that the Council Ratify decisions made by Finance & General Purposes on 8 December 2022.  (as below) Minutes previously distributed, this was seconded by Cllr Bassi, RESOLVED to agree all in favour.

015/F/22 Budget 2023/2024

RESOLVED to consider amounts to be included in the budgets for 2023/2024 and put forward a recommendation for the Parish Council Meeting to be held on 9 January 2023. Cllr Carter proposed to agree budget figures as discussed and that of the £90k from the General Fund agreed under item 013 that £30k be taken and added to the Christmas lights reserve, reducing the £90k for Plough Lane to £60k, this was seconded by Cllr Finan, RESOLVED to agree all in favour.

016/F/22 Precept

Cllr Carter proposed that the recommend Precept requirement for 2023/24 be reduced from last year’s figure by 5% to £202336.54 for approval by the Parish Council Meeting to be held on 9 January 2023, this was seconded by Cllr Moore, RESOLVED to agree all in favour.

174/PC/22 – Thames Valley Police Strategic Independent Advisory Group (SIAG)

NOTED Notification of reduction of Local Police Areas from 11 to 5 across the Thames Valley, no response.

175/PC/23 – Grass Cutting Contract

NOTED that the current contractor has given three months’ notice and will stop work on 31 March 2023. 

Discussed offer of the new owner who is happy to continue the next year at the same rate to be reviewed again in 2024.  Cllr Pritchard proposed that we continue for one year with the new owner on the same contract to be reviewed after six months to see how it is going, Clerk to arrange to meet with new owner prior to contract starting on 1/4/23, this was seconded by Cllr Crocker, RESOLVED to agree all in favour.

176/PC/23 – Bells Hill Green Rolling Contract

Cllr Finan proposed to agree to continue rolling on one further year from January 2023 being determined by the RPI for December of the preceding year as previously agreed, this was seconded by Cllr Cox, RESOLVED to agree all in favour.

177/PC/23 – Reception/Cups 2023

NOTED invitation is being worked on for the reception on 31 March 2023.

DISCUSSED and agreed that all councillors will think about potential recipients of the cups for awarding at the reception, and email details to clerk to be discussed and decided at February meeting.

178/PC/23 – RECEIVED and ADOPTED minutes from previous meetings of sub committees and working parties:

  1. Planning Committee Minutes  21 November 2022 – Agreed/Signed 12 December 2022
  2. Finance & General Purposed 23 May 2022 – Agreed/Signed 8 December 2022

179/PC/23 – Finance

  1. NOTED Financial Summary & Statement Cashbook – December 2022 – To be Circulated after the meeting
  2. RESOLVED to approve list of cheques/Bacs for signature December 2022 – To be Circulated after the meeting.
  3. NOTED Bank reconciliations – December 2022. To be Circulated after the meeting.
  4. NOTED Income & Expenditure Heading Detail/Budget Monitoring – December 2022 – To be Circulated after the meeting.

180/PC/23 – 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.

  1. Stoke Park – Update – Circulated.

181/PC/23 – NOTED Dates of Future Meetings

  • Planning Meeting – 16 January 2023
  • Full Parish Council Meeting – 13 February 2023

The meeting ended at 8.41pm.