Full Parish Council - Meeting Minutes
Monday 13th May 2024
Introduction
MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE STOKE POGES PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON
MONDAY 13 MAY 2024 AT 7.30 P.MIN THE LIONEL RIGBY ROOM AT THE VILLAGE CENTRE, ROGERS LANE, STOKE POGES BUCKS, SL2 4LP.
Present: Cllr Crocker (Chair), Cllr Bagge, Cllr Bassi, Cllr Finan, Cllr Moore, Cllr Pritchard and Cllr Webster.
In Attendance: Mrs J Simmons (Clerk)
Also Present: One member of the public.
Agenda Items
001/PC/24- To Elect a Chairman for the coming year.
Cllr Bassi proposed that Cllr Carter be the Chairman for the coming year who had left agreement to this in writing with the Clerk and to agree to her signing the declaration of acceptance of office prior to the next meeting, this was seconded by Cllr Finan, RESOLVED to agree uncontested.
002/PC/24 -To Elect a Vice Chairman for the coming year.
Cllr Pritchard proposed that Cllr Crocker be the Vice Chairman for the coming year, this was seconded by Cllr Webster and Cllr Crocker agreed to the nomination, RESOLVED to agree uncontested and RECEIVED the declaration of acceptance of office.
003/PC/24 - 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 comment on items on the agenda.
None.
004/PC/24 - Apologies for Absence
APOLOGIES were received from Cllr Carter, Cllr Cox, Cllr Flower and Cllr Knox-Scott.
005/PC/24 - 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.
006/PC/24 - Minutes
RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the Council meeting held on 8 April 2024 which were signed by the Chairman.
007/PC/24 – Review of Standing Orders, Financial Regulations, Financial Risk Assessment for 24/25 and all adopted Policies.
REVIEWED and AGREED by all, NO changes to any of the above.
008/PC/24 -To Appoint Committees (Current list circulated).
REVIEWED by all and AGREED by all to the committees as below including two co-opted members onto Planning.
(a) Recreation & Environment Committee
(6 members plus Chairman ex officio)
Cllr Bagge, Cllr Bassi, Cllr Carter, Cllr Cox, Cllr Crocker, Cllr Webster, (Cllr Carter (ex officio).
(b) Planning Committee
(6 members plus Chairman ex officio)
To resolve to agree to co-opt two residents of Stoke Poges who sit on this committee.
Cllr Bassi, Cllr Carter, Cllr Crocker, Cllr Finan, Mr Harris, Mr Wilson (Cllr Carter (ex officio).
(c) Finance & General Purposes Committee
(6 members plus Chairman ex officio)
Cllr Bagge, Cllr Carter, Cllr Crocker, Cllr Finan, Cllr Knox-Scott, Cllr Moore, (Cllr Carter (ex officio).
009/PC/23 - Fix times of meetings (every month except August at 7.30pm.)
Full Council - second Monday except July and December (first Monday sometimes) and if a bank holiday falls on second Monday, then it will be previous week.
Planning Committee - Every third Monday at 7.30pm (including August)
Recreation and Environment committee - fourth Monday three a year June, October (Finance), February.
Finance Committee – fourth Monday twice a year May and November.
Subject to change by the Clerk.
RESOLVED to agree all in favour to keep times the same.
RESOLVED to agree all in favour to no changes to other bodies.
010/PC/24 – Beeches Community Board
Cllr Bassi reported that the Health and Wellbeing event went well and was well attended, as it was held on a weekday in office hours, she was unable to attend. To defer to the next meeting for an update from the Beeches on the event.
011/PC/24 - Buckinghamshire Council Report
Cllr Bagge said that not much has changed. Following the exceptional wet weather, crews are out constantly catching up on pothole repairs, working 24/7. Cost pressures are still high, in particular, Home to School transportation is seeing challenging cost pressures and is being scrutinised for
savings.
012/PC/24 – Chairman’s/Councillors' Update from last meeting.
Cllr Bagge thanks Cllr Webster for leading the litter pick on 11 May and all councillors present agreed and said thank you.
013/PC/24 – Neighbourhood Plan
NOTED that regulation 15 is now in process and the consultation link is live on the Buckinghamshire website and linked to our website. NOTED Buckinghamshire Council did not stick to their deadlines which made a lot of extra work for the Clerk and Cllr Carter to get to this stage.
AGREED by all to publish and update and the link onto the Facebook page.
014/PC/24 – Plough Lane Jogging Path
NOTED that the Full Planning Application required more intricate maps and also other extras due to being in the Green Belt such as a Bat Survey (which would have taken 18 months of data), Biodiversity net losses versus net gain, tree surveys. This potentially could have cost the PC approximately £14,000. We asked our architect from the Pavilion for planning advice which they gave free of charge, and they sought advice from a consultant that specialises in Green Belt applications, and they advised that a Certificate of Lawfulness would be adequate for this application which was agreed at Planning. This has now been submitted and accepted. Thanks to them and to Cllr. Carter for coordinating this work and to Mr Crocker who helped with the map work. All of these efforts saved us having to employ a consultant.
NOTED a potential start date from our contractor would be early July subject to Planning Permission.
015/PC/24 – D-Day 6 June 2024
RESOLVED to agree that timeline of events be put together for the beacon lighting (9.15pm) and the wreath laying and to AGREED that Cllr Bassi and Finan would arrange and sort out the singing in the club room, asking Stoke Poges Singers and members of the Rock Choir if they could attend and to get the information to the Clerk asap for advertising.
016/PC/24 – Pavilion Solar Panels
NOTED It was decided to check the roof guarantee before potentially installing panels. Cllr. Carter liaised with the original roofing contractor and with our original architect. It appears that standard fixings would not be compatible with the roof. As advised by our architect we sought advice from an accredited solar installation company who did a site visit with Cllr. Carter, they are now liaising with the roofing contractor regarding load bearing calculations and fixings.
AGREED to defer the two quotes which have now been obtained but to June when all information should be available.
017/PC/24 – Pond
NOTED correspondence received from a resident claiming damages to garden, to decide on a response. RESOLVED to agree all in favour to reply as before.
018/PC/24 – Hollybush Hill/School Lane Yellow Lines request
NOTED request from a resident to recommend that Buckinghamshire Council install parking restrictions/double yellow lines at the top of School Lane and along Hollybush Hill.
It was AGREED by all that installing double yellow lines does not stop people from parking on them and there is currently no enforcement.
AGREED by all that traffic is the responsibility of the school who originally said that pupils would be bused in and out and there would be no traffic issues. The Clerk was instructed to explain this to the resident and to signpost them to the school for a solution and for them to ask to see their school travel plan, the clerk was also asked to obtain the travel plan to show the council.
019/PC/24 – Brockhurst Wood
Cllr Crocker said she had spoken to the agent who clarified that the re-instatement of the path would not take 80 lorry movements per day and those rumors were untrue. Cllr Crocker asked the agent if they wanted to sell the land or pieces of it, they said they were looking to sell off tranches of 4 acres at £20-25k per acre potentially. DISCUSSED purchasing some land if it becomes available and it was AGREED by all that Cllr Crocker should register our interest in purchasing and to stay in touch with the agent.
020/PC/24 – Litter Pick 11 May 2024
Cllr Webster said that the event was well attended and went very well, the Teiyko School attended with 2 teachers and 10 children, and they really enjoyed the event. The Clerk has thanked them. Cllr Webster offered to lead future events and especially the next one on 13 July 2024, 10am to 12pm.
021/PC/24 – RECEIVED and ADOPTED minutes from previous meetings of sub committees and working parties:
Planning Committee Minutes 18 March 2024 – Agreed/Signed 15 April 2024
022/PC/24 – Finance
RECEIVED Financial Summary & Statement Cashbook –April 2024.
RESOLVED to approve list of cheques/Bacs for signature April 2024 - £11897.85
RECEIVED Bank reconciliations – April 2024
RECEIVED Income & Expenditure Heading Detail/Budget Monitoring – April 2024
023/PC/24 – Accounts for Year Ended 31 March 2024
NOTED that the accounts have been audited with no issues.
Cllr Bagge proposed to Receive, Approve and Sign the summary income and expenditure account, balance sheet, supporting statement and assets, auditor's matters arising, this was seconded by Cllr Bassi, RESOLVED to agree by all, and was signed by the Chairman of this meeting and the RFO.
Cllr Bagge proposed to Receive and Approve the Annual Return this was seconded by Cllr Bassi, RESOLVED to agree by all and was signed by the Chairman of this meeting and the RFO and RECEIVED & APPROVED bank reconciliation and statement of significant variations.
024/PC/24 – 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
025/PC/24 – NOTED Dates of Future Meetings
Planning Committee Meeting – 20 May 2024
Recreation & Environment Meeting – 3 June 2024
Full Parish Annual Council Meeting – 10 June 2024
Meeting ended at 8.28pm