DRAFT Cholesbury minutes 23-07-12 Page 1 CHOLESBURY-CUM-ST LEONARDS PARISH COUNCIL Minutes of a Meeting of the Council held in St Leonards Parish Hall on Monday 23rd June 2012 at 8pm Present: Cllrs Allen, van Hullen, Blomfield, Brown, Matthews, Minting and Sanger. Also present: Mrs Bell (Clerk) and four members of the public. 1119) To note the passing of former councillor Maureen Newall on 28th June Cllr Allen gave a moving tribute and finished by saying that Mrs Newall would be sadly missed. All the councillors and public agreed. 1112) To receive apologies for absence District Cllr Rose. 1113) To accept the signed Declaration of Acceptance of Office from Cllr Minting Cllr Allen welcomed Cllr Minting to the Parish Council. The signed Declaration of Acceptance of Office was received by the Clerk from Cllr Minting. 1114) Matters arising None. 1115) To receive declarations of interest None. 1116) Questions from members of the public Cllr Allen asked County Cllr Birchley whether she had made any progress with the problem of J&L Coaches’ buses presenting a danger on local roads. Cllr Birchley said she had spoken to the owner of the coaches, who is very aware of local concerns, and also to Peter Hardy at County Hall, who said nothing could be done. Cllr Brown pointed out that Bucks CC should have a concern about safety as the licensors. Cllr Birchley will talk to Peter Hardy again. Cllr Birchley attended a meeting with Sean Rooney and Cllr Brown about the incorrect road destination signs and she hoped they would be sorted soon. She noted that Taylors Lane has been resurfaced and she hoped Oak Lane and Chambers Green Road would go on the list next. Bucks CC has taken out a waste contract with FCC Environment at Greatmoor. She confirmtd that the East-West railway will be electrified between Oxford and Bedford with a cost benefit ratio of 11:1 (compared to HS2 at 0.2:1). Health and Social Care at Bucks CC will start to work more closely to save duplication and cost. Cllr Allen asked who the Parish Council should express its road surfacing priorities to and the answer was Sean Rooney with a copy to Cllr Birchley. He raised Wigginton Road as an example of appalling work, having been patched in February and now already coming up again, but Cllr Birchley said it was low priority for resurfacing as it had few residents along it. Cllr Allen pointed out that it takes a lot of commuter and other traffic and is very busy. Cllr Birchley will investigate what can be done. A resident asked whether there was any news on Forrest View Children’s Home in Buckland Common. The Clerk gave a brief update including a report of conversations with the immediate neighbours, not all of which was positive. Cllr Allen said the neighbours were being subjected to some very unpleasant behaviour and he hoped that keeping it current as an item may help a positive outcome for the community as a whole. Cllr Birchley agreed to write to Chris Munday at Bucks CC to lend her support. A second resident reported that some old windows had been dumped outside the next door property and it was proving difficult to get any action from Chiltern DC. The Clerk will contact Chiltern DC. He also reported that the footpath that passes between St Leonards Church and the Parish Hall is constantly wet and muddy and that about ten years ago Bucks CC cleared the surrounding drains. The Clerk will ask Jon Dickens, LAT, what can be done. He also asked for an update on the field clearance referred to in item 1135, which the Clerk gave. Cllr van Hullen asked Cllr Birchley what could be done about the water leak at Church Lane which has been going since February this year. The Clerk will contact Thames Water again and the ombudsman and Cllr Birchley will raise it with Bucks CC as the constant water flow is dangerous and damaging nearby road surfaces. Cllr van Hullen also said that she had been told a property just outside the parish had been sold to HS2 and Cllr Birchley said about 60 properties along the line have been sold to HS2 so far. 1117) Questions to the Chairman None 1118) To approve the minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council It was resolved to approve the minutes from the meeting on 25th June 2012. DRAFT Cholesbury minutes 23-07-12 Page 2 1120) To adopt the NALC-approved Code of Conduct It was resolved to adopt the new Code of Conduct presented by the Clerk. The Clerk will publicise it according to the regulations. A copy of the Code is available from the Clerk. 1121) To receive members’ declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests These have all been received by the Clerk with the exception of Cllr van Hullen’s which will be received by 27th July. 1122) Reports (a) Clerk’s Report: The report was received from Mrs Bell (see attached). The Clerk will ask Cllr Birchley for a report on the school transport question. [Cllrs Matthews and van Hullen left the meeting.] (b) LAF: Cllr Brown reported that the Council has been awarded £5,000 from the delegated budget which will be spent on repairing and kerbing two road triangles (Pound/Stoney Lane and Oak Lane/Jenkins Lane). The work will be completed by March 2013. (c) NAG: There was nothing to report. (d) Good Neighbours Scheme: Cllr Brown said the third lunch brought 45 people together and is increasing in popularity. He will be collaborating with Sandy Clarke to bring speakers to the regular tea parties. (e) Turpin Charity: Cllr Allen reported that the developer with the option has started marketing the land and will approach Aylesbury Vale DC with new planning permission requests when prospective tenants are on board – possibly by the end of this year. (f) St Leonards Parish Hall: The caravan rally due 28/29th July is sadly cancelled due to the recent wet weather. 1123) Finance (a) Payments were approved as follows: Chilterns Conservation Board (donation, £50.00), Chris Brown (carrier bags for Jubilee bricks, £55.19), H G Matthews (packaging for Jubilee bricks, £257.48) and the Clerk’s salary. (b) The quarterly accounts to 30th June were received and approved. 1124) Planning (a) Applications: (i) CH/2012/0853/FA: Russet Barn, Little Twye Road, Buckland Common; no comment (b) Decisions of Chiltern District Council: (i) CH/2011/1195/OA: Morgans Orchard, Jenkins Lane, St Leonards. Appeal dismissed. (ii) CH/2012/0713/FA: Three Gates Farm, Arrewig Lane, Chartridge. Conditional permission. (iii) CH/2012/0732/FA: Beechwood Farm Lodge, Little Twye Road, Buckland Common. Conditional permission. (iv) CH/2012/0838/FA: Stone Cottage, Parrotts Lane, Buckland Common. Conditional permission. (v) CH/2012/0854/FA: 3 Chiltern Cottages, Cholesbury Lane, Buckland Common. Conditional permission. (c) Notice of Appeals: None. 1125) The Green at Buckland Common Cllr Blomfield will mow the whole Green within the next fortnight. 1126) Springall Hill allotments The allotments were inspected by Cllrs Allen, Sanger and Blomfield and found to be in very good condition barring one slightly untidy plot. 1127) Highways (a) The Clerk’s report was received. Any outstanding matters will be dealt with by her next meeting with Jon Dickens on 10th September. (b) Cllr Brown met Sean Rooney from BCC on 20th July and toured the destination signs in question (13 out of 17 have problems). These problems have been going on for seven years but Sean Rooney now understands the issues and Cllr Brown hopes for resolution by the end of this year. 1128) To allocate a £200 donation from Bucks CC This money was originally intended to help pay for the Jubilee bricks but they covered their own costs so it was resolved to donate the full amount to the proposed Diamond Jubilee monument to be erected on Cholesbuy Common by the Hawridge & Cholesbury Common Preservation Society. It was also agreed to designate the oak tree on the Green at Buckland Common as a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Tree. 1129) HS2 Community Forum update Cllr Brown attended the Wendover & Dunsmore Forum in June (one of six in Bucks). HS2 are drafting a very complex design specification along the proposed line and it is vital that affected communities get involved at this stage as there will be no recourse once the specfication has been fixed. Cllr Brown will continue to attend these forums and report to the Council. DRAFT Cholesbury minutes 23-07-12 Page 3 1130) Chilterns Conservation Board planning training course Cllrs Sanger, Brown and van Hullen (for Chartridge PC) attended this course on 26th June and Cllr Sanger gave a report suggesting that the Council should consider a Village Design Statement to protect the parish. Cllr Brown asked about issues surrounding permitted development and was told that Chiltern DC wouldn’t challenge many such applications as it is too expensive to do so. 1132) To discuss the Delivery Development Plan Document Cllr Allen will attend a meeting chaired by District Cllr Rose on 9th August and he has asked for agenda items on the abuse of permitted development regulations, Chiltern DC’s lack of consultation regarding Luton Airport expansion plans, HS2 and this document. This item will therefore be carried over to the Council’s September meeting. 1131) Parish Liaison Meeting run by BALC Cllr Brown attended this meeting on 18th July. HS2, rights of way legislation changes and a review of the LAFs were discussed. The LAF review has not consulted parish councils or clerks and Cllr Brown will formally express the Council’s dissatisfaction with this and he will ask for councils to be consulted.