Minutes of the Meeting held on 12th January
2010
Minutes remain in draft until ratified at the next Council meeting
Minutes remain in draft until ratified at the next Council meeting
PRESENT:
Cllrs J. Ford( Chairman), K. Lewis, B. Usborne, S. Carleton-Smith, P. Hammond;
Viv Robins (Clerk). Apologies from Cllrs E. Stacey, M. Patte.
Chris Messam from Royal Mail explained that if the Parish Council wanted to re-site the post-box by the Jubilee Well it would have to be at its own expense (figure later given as around £323). It was agreed that a meeting be arranged between Cllr Usborne, the Clerk and the engineer who had originally put in the box to explore the options for moving it.
10/01 Minutes of meeting November 10th 2009 were approved and signed as a true record.
10/02 Matters arising from Minutes not elsewhere on the Agenda: None.
10/03 Report from County/District Cllrs: Cllr Birchley and Cllr Rose had both sent their apologies.
10/04 Adjournment for questions from members of the public: None.
10/05 Declarations of interest on forthcoming business: None.
10/06 Planning applications: None for the meeting to consider. The Clerk reported that the P.C. had returned no objection to applications:
It was noted that a change of use had been allowed for The Gate Inn, Lee Gate, on appeal.
10/07 Footpaths: Cllr Usborne said the Chiltern Way had now been open for 10 years and he had been asked by the Chiltern Society to survey the stretch going through the Parish with a view to reporting on any clearance needed and stiles that could be replaced by gates.
10/08 Council property: The Council considered three quotes for the hedge- and grass-cutting contracts for the Oxford St allotments. The quote from the current contractor, All Seasons Landscapes, was considerably lower than the others, and given that his work had been more than satisfactory the Council agreed that the contract should be renewed.
Councillors discussed the Play-Builder Fund which makes grants for play schemes but is primarily intended for deprived areas: it was agreed that an application from The Lee could not be justified. The Clerk had not yet succeeded in getting quotes for a playground safety report as comparisons were proving difficult since the different companies appeared to be offering different things for the money. However it was agreed that whoever carried out the next inspection (due in May) it might be useful for the Clerk and /or a Cllr to accompany them.
Cllr Lewis had spoken to Dink and Graham Pearce about putting in a stand-pipe on the allotments but it had been agreed to delay further action until the weather improved.
Cllr Usborne reported latest developments on the basket-ball court (details attached). The vast majority of the work had been done and the hope was that the contractor might be able to paint the white lines in the Spring. However the paper trail between the contractor, the Parish Hall and the Parish Council was not complete and without a further invoice it appeared that £54.07 VAT due to us might not be recoverable. Final figures also showed that the Parish Council had overpaid for the project by £113.50 and the Parish Hall had refunded the difference.
10/09 Reports from organisations where Council is represented: The Chairman said the Local Area Forum gave the Parish some say in how certain allocated funds were spent and was also a potential source of information. With the re-appearance of the Winter weather Cllrs returned to the idea of drawing up a list of volunteers who could help vulnerable people in the Parish. The Clerk agreed to compile one.
10/10 Road maintenance: Bucks CC had said the gangs who repaired road defects had enough work for the next two months so Councils were being asked not to send in any further jobs for the time being. The number of gangs working on repairing pot-holes had been increased because of the damage caused to roads by the extreme weather. There was much discussion of the effect of the weather on roads in the Lee and a general sense that there had been insufficient gritting. The Clerk had received an e-mail from Cllr Rose in which he had pointed out that the CC was reverting in some places to the old policy of placing piles of grit by the roadside and apparently asking local Councils to identify suitable sites. The meeting proposed Ballinger Hill, Swan Bottom cross-roads, Kiln Hill, Lee Clump Hill and the Parish Shop car park. The Clerk would write to the Council with this list and also ask whether salt bins would be needed, and if so who should provide and pay for them. She would also point out that the Chairman was still awaiting a reply to his question as to how many times the gritters had visited the Lee since Dec 18th.
10/11 Reports of crime and disorder: None.
10/12 Grant applications: It was agreed that £100 would be donated to the appeal to restore the Coombe Hill Monument, for which £50,000 was being sought.
10/13 Finance: Cllrs approved the Financial Report and Budget Review (previously circulated) plus the drawing of the following cheques:
10/14 Social Care Services: It was noted that Bucks CC was hoping to hold a workshop on this subject in February.
10/15 Community Cohesion strategy: It was noted that the CDC was currently consulting on its fourth Community Action plan.
10/16 Local Area Priorities Workshop (= priorities to form the basis of a Local Area Plan): Noted.
10/17 Road names: Cllr Usborne pointed out that part of the difficulty in trying to discover which roads in The Lee were on the list of gritting routes had been because Bucks CC often knew them by different names. There was therefore a strong argument for standardising road names (which need not mean putting up any extra road signs). It was agreed that the Council would return to this matter in April/May before the CC drew up their gritting list for next Winter.
10/18 Any other business: The Bucks Association of Local Councils (BALC) was hoping to organise a Liaison Project to focus on the interaction – or lack of it -- between Parish Councils and the County Council. Cllrs did not feel it would be useful to take part.
The meeting closed at 9 pm.
Chris Messam from Royal Mail explained that if the Parish Council wanted to re-site the post-box by the Jubilee Well it would have to be at its own expense (figure later given as around £323). It was agreed that a meeting be arranged between Cllr Usborne, the Clerk and the engineer who had originally put in the box to explore the options for moving it.
10/01 Minutes of meeting November 10th 2009 were approved and signed as a true record.
10/02 Matters arising from Minutes not elsewhere on the Agenda: None.
10/03 Report from County/District Cllrs: Cllr Birchley and Cllr Rose had both sent their apologies.
10/04 Adjournment for questions from members of the public: None.
10/05 Declarations of interest on forthcoming business: None.
10/06 Planning applications: None for the meeting to consider. The Clerk reported that the P.C. had returned no objection to applications:
CH/09/1694 Errewig View, Lee Common,It had offered no comment on application CH/09/1696 Elmwood Kennels, Swan Bottom.
CH/09/1581 Rabbs Cottage, Swan Bottom, The Lee,
CH/09/1794 Home Farm Barn, Oxford St., Lee Common and
CH/09/1764 Bumble Cottage, Swan Bottom.
It was noted that a change of use had been allowed for The Gate Inn, Lee Gate, on appeal.
10/07 Footpaths: Cllr Usborne said the Chiltern Way had now been open for 10 years and he had been asked by the Chiltern Society to survey the stretch going through the Parish with a view to reporting on any clearance needed and stiles that could be replaced by gates.
10/08 Council property: The Council considered three quotes for the hedge- and grass-cutting contracts for the Oxford St allotments. The quote from the current contractor, All Seasons Landscapes, was considerably lower than the others, and given that his work had been more than satisfactory the Council agreed that the contract should be renewed.
Councillors discussed the Play-Builder Fund which makes grants for play schemes but is primarily intended for deprived areas: it was agreed that an application from The Lee could not be justified. The Clerk had not yet succeeded in getting quotes for a playground safety report as comparisons were proving difficult since the different companies appeared to be offering different things for the money. However it was agreed that whoever carried out the next inspection (due in May) it might be useful for the Clerk and /or a Cllr to accompany them.
Cllr Lewis had spoken to Dink and Graham Pearce about putting in a stand-pipe on the allotments but it had been agreed to delay further action until the weather improved.
Cllr Usborne reported latest developments on the basket-ball court (details attached). The vast majority of the work had been done and the hope was that the contractor might be able to paint the white lines in the Spring. However the paper trail between the contractor, the Parish Hall and the Parish Council was not complete and without a further invoice it appeared that £54.07 VAT due to us might not be recoverable. Final figures also showed that the Parish Council had overpaid for the project by £113.50 and the Parish Hall had refunded the difference.
10/09 Reports from organisations where Council is represented: The Chairman said the Local Area Forum gave the Parish some say in how certain allocated funds were spent and was also a potential source of information. With the re-appearance of the Winter weather Cllrs returned to the idea of drawing up a list of volunteers who could help vulnerable people in the Parish. The Clerk agreed to compile one.
10/10 Road maintenance: Bucks CC had said the gangs who repaired road defects had enough work for the next two months so Councils were being asked not to send in any further jobs for the time being. The number of gangs working on repairing pot-holes had been increased because of the damage caused to roads by the extreme weather. There was much discussion of the effect of the weather on roads in the Lee and a general sense that there had been insufficient gritting. The Clerk had received an e-mail from Cllr Rose in which he had pointed out that the CC was reverting in some places to the old policy of placing piles of grit by the roadside and apparently asking local Councils to identify suitable sites. The meeting proposed Ballinger Hill, Swan Bottom cross-roads, Kiln Hill, Lee Clump Hill and the Parish Shop car park. The Clerk would write to the Council with this list and also ask whether salt bins would be needed, and if so who should provide and pay for them. She would also point out that the Chairman was still awaiting a reply to his question as to how many times the gritters had visited the Lee since Dec 18th.
10/11 Reports of crime and disorder: None.
10/12 Grant applications: It was agreed that £100 would be donated to the appeal to restore the Coombe Hill Monument, for which £50,000 was being sought.
10/13 Finance: Cllrs approved the Financial Report and Budget Review (previously circulated) plus the drawing of the following cheques:
V. Robins x 2 (invoice no. 65: £154.98/cheque no. 100553; invoice no. 66: £8.28/cheque no. 100554);The Clerk reported that Geoff Weir, who had been our Internal Auditor for many years, was proposing no change in his rates for 2010. Councillors agreed to continue with his services.
The Lee Parish Hall (hall hire: £90.00/cheque no. 100555).
10/14 Social Care Services: It was noted that Bucks CC was hoping to hold a workshop on this subject in February.
10/15 Community Cohesion strategy: It was noted that the CDC was currently consulting on its fourth Community Action plan.
10/16 Local Area Priorities Workshop (= priorities to form the basis of a Local Area Plan): Noted.
10/17 Road names: Cllr Usborne pointed out that part of the difficulty in trying to discover which roads in The Lee were on the list of gritting routes had been because Bucks CC often knew them by different names. There was therefore a strong argument for standardising road names (which need not mean putting up any extra road signs). It was agreed that the Council would return to this matter in April/May before the CC drew up their gritting list for next Winter.
10/18 Any other business: The Bucks Association of Local Councils (BALC) was hoping to organise a Liaison Project to focus on the interaction – or lack of it -- between Parish Councils and the County Council. Cllrs did not feel it would be useful to take part.
The meeting closed at 9 pm.
SUBJECT
TO RATIFICATION AT MEETING ON MARCH 9TH 2010
Viv Robins (Clerk)