Bovingdon Parish Council

Meeting of the Outdoors Committee held in The Memorial Hall, High Street, Bovingdon on 1 September 2016 starting at 7.45 p.m.

Present: Councillor Graham Barrett Councillor Alison Gunn Councillor Julia Marshall Councillor Julie Steer Councillor David Stent (Chairman) Councillor Richard Taylor Councillor Pauline Wright

Also present: Mike Kember, Parish Clerk

Representatives from the village: Sue Miller, Frasier Miller Mr & Mrs Perkins for Item 4

1. Apologies for absence There were apologies for absence received from Councillor Ben Richardson.

2. Declaration of Interests linked to any of the items There were no Declarations of Interest.

3. Minutes of the meeting held on 29 June 2016 It was agreed by those present at the meeting, that the minutes of the meeting held on 26 June 2016 were a true representation of the meeting and were signed by Councillor Dave Stent.

4. Village Interpretation Boards Mr & Mrs Perkins attended the meeting to express their concerns about Councillor the position of the Interpretation Board on Bovingdon Green opposite Stent their property. Agreed that the neighbours who share their concerns should contact the Parish Council and in the meantime Councillor Dave Stent agreed to visit their property to discuss the issues further.

Despite the concern expressed about the board sited on Bovingdon Green, there have been a number of positive comments received from residents. The Chairman thanked Sue Miller for all the work she had done in sourcing the funding and producing the five new Interpretation Boards. Funding received from Boxmoor Trust of £2.5k and Fields in Trust of £1k. The boards are sited as follows: Welcome to Bovingdon Village – 2 boards - Simon Michaels dentist - by bench at the Docks Welcome to Bovingdon Green – 1 board

Bovingdon Parish Council Minutes of Outdoors Committee Meeting, 1 September 2016 Page 1 of 4 Created or 09/09/2016 - by posts near Red Lion cottage Welcome to Bovingdon Airfield Site – 1 board - by posts near junction Chesham Road and Ley Hill Road Welcome to Bovingdon Churchyard – 2 boards - to be installed at a later date and locations to be confirmed

5. Matters arising from the Minutes of the meeting held on 29 June 2016 – not on the agenda 5.1 Provision of Allotments Nothing further has been heard from Adriana Livingstone, Estates and Councillor Valuation Team Leader DBC who is following up this request with regard Richardson to the suitability of the land in Flaunden Lane for allotments (27/06/16). / Parish Clerk

5.2 ‘Ducks Crossing’ sign by pond at Bovingdon Green Councillors Dave Stent and Pauline Wright to source signs. Councillors Stent / Wright

5.3 Vehicle damage to grass verges Councillor Steer has a list of the damaged grass verges in the village but Councillor has not yet been able to take photographs of the areas to prioritise the Steer worst affected.

5.4 Bovingdon Green – newly planted oak sapling The plaque has kindly been donated by Art Signs and Councillor Barrett Councillor undertook to fix it to a post by the sapling. Barrett

5.5 Dog Poop Bags Councillor Steer has carried out an audit of the 23 dog waste bins in the Parish Clerk parish. The Parish Council are currently responsible for the cost of / Finance emptying three bins at a cost of £2.95 per bin per week as part of a Clerk borough-wide contract administered by Dacorum Borough Council. That is a total of £460.20 per annum. This combined with the cost of ordering 100,000 dog poop bags at a cost of nearly £900 totals almost £1.4k per annum. As a result, the Committee agreed to recommend to the next meeting of the Parish Council that the cost of a pack of 50 dog poop bags should be increased from 50p to £1 to help meet the annual cost of providing dog waste facilities. To provide and install a new dog waste bin costs approx. £500, the cost of which will have to be met by the Parish Council.

5.6 Renewal of Lease for pond on Bovingdon Green The Parish Council have now agreed the wording of the new draft lease Councillor for the pond on Bovingdon Green for a further period of five years from Taylor / Dacorum Borough Council. Parish Clerk

5.7 Maintenance of the Docks and pond on Bovingdon Green Jarman’s have been asked to repair the broken rail prior to repainting Councillor (29.6.16). Councillor Steer to follow up with Marc Jarman. Steer / Parish Clerk

The Parish Clerk to arrange a site visit with James Scott, the Managing Parish Clerk Director of The Garden Company and Councillors Barrett, Marshall, / Wright to discuss the appearance, planting and concrete run off of the Councillors Pond and Dock Barrett / Marshall / Wright

5.8 Christmas lights - update Councillors Gunn and Marshall to look into the possibility of purchasing Councillors LED lights to be hung outside the Memorial Hall. Gunn / Marshall

5.9 Parish Paths Partnership Scheme (P3) – to discuss application for 2016-17 Parish Clerk to submit an application for a P3 grant for 2016 – 17 to Councillor Groundwork Herts to resurface the footpath between Austins Mead and Marshall / Bryant’s Nursery, Water Lane (Footpath 11) as identified by Councillor Parish Clerk Marshall.

Footpath 11 - A section of this footpath also needs vegetation and the Parish Clerk hedges being cut back. The Parish Clerk was asked to co-ordinate.

5.10 Dog bin on Bovingdon Green Councillor Steer reported that the damaged dog bin had been replaced with a litter bin by Dacorum Borough Council.

5.11 Highway issues A list of all outstanding Highways issues and reported dates to be Councillor brought to the next meeting, so the Committee can look at addressing Steer some of the issues with volunteers e.g. sign cleaning, vegetation cutback. Herts Highways emailed to supply a current list of reported faults (30/06/16) but reply still awaited.

5.12 High Street parking problems Vehicles parking illegally or causing obstruction on the road or Councillor pavements in the High Street will be enforced for 2 months from 22/06/16 Richardson following police agreement. PCSO Bardhyl Agallili to co-ordinate on return from holiday.

5.13 School signage / markings Councillor Stent identified an issue with the road markings at the school Councillor entrance and with the physical signs. Most schools now have flashing Stent signs. A Highways fault will be raised for the markings and lack of visible school signs with photos. Councillor Stent has raised this with the Advisory Board and costings will be sourced to replace the school signs.

6. High Street Enhancement Scheme Councillor Barrett reported that there had been a meeting held on 27 July Councillors with stakeholders, who are supportive of the scheme. The brief has been Barrett and sent to four architect’s practises. Stent / Parish Clerk

7. 2016-17 Budget - update

Bovingdon Parish Council Minutes of Outdoors Committee Meeting, 1 September 2016 Page 3 of 4 Created or 09/09/2016 The budget Papers prepared by the Responsible Financial Officer were noted.

8. Update on grant application to Fields in Trust The Parish Clerk reported that an application for a grant of £3,300 had been successfully made to the Fields in Trust - to provide an interpretation board, replace the existing commemorative stone and plaque and to plant three hornbeam trees to help hide views of the radome in Long Lane from the Green.

The stone and Interpretation Board are in situ and arrangements will be Parish Clerk made for the trees to be planted in the near future.

9. BOVINGDON PARISH 10K (“BP10”) - Sunday 3 September 2017 The ‘Fun Run’ will be held 3 September 2017 to raise funds for the Councillor community groups and organisations in the village. Councillor Taylor will Taylor / be registering the event on the appropriate website after 1 October 2016. Parish Clerk It will also be necessary to organise a meeting of the Sub-Group in October.

10. Any other business 10.1 Benches around village Councillor Steer has taken photographs of the benches around the Councillor village. Some of these need attention and it was agreed that the Taylor to Outdoors Committee Working Group would undertake some work during co-ordinate the weekend 24 / 25 September. The group will concentrate on the benches in the bus stop at Bovingdon Green, the one sited outside New Hall Close and one in Old Dean.

10.2 Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Councillor Steer suggested that some of this money could be used to paint the play equipment.

10.3 Health & Safety Following the independent Health & Safety Audit it has been decided that Health & Safety will be a regular item ion the agenda for this Committee.

11. Dates of next meetings Wednesday 7 December 2016 starting at 7.45 p.m. in the Memorial Hall All to note

Meeting closed at 9.15 p.m.