Minutes of the Meeting held on 8th November
2011
Minutes remain in draft until ratified at the next Council meeting
PRESENT : Cllrs J. Ford (Chairman); S. Carleton-Smith, P Hammond, F. Nichols, E Stacey, M. Patte, Christine Thomas (Clerk). Apologies: D. Chinnery
11/83 Minutes : The Minutes of the meeting held on 27 September (previously circulated) were approved and signed as a true record.
11/84 Matters Arising from Previous Minutes: None
11/85 Report from County/District Councillor:
Apologies were received from Cllr Rose.
Cllr Birchley referred to the House of Commons Select Committee Report on HS2 which has now been released which said that the Government must firmly commit to the Y network before seeking Parliamentary approval for HS2. She reported that the Swan Bottom Road was to be resurfaced next year and she was asked to confirm that this is the road from The Lee to Swan Bottom crossroads. The Clerk raised a complaint that she had received from a resident relating to the bad condition of the direction sign at The Lee. There was apparently some dispute as to who was responsible for paying for the repainting of this sign. Cllr Birchley agreed that she would give some money from the Community Leaders Fund to pay towards the repair of the sign. The Clerk was asked to obtain quotes for the work to be done ACTION: CT
11/86 Adjournment for comments or questions from members of the public: Jean Fox gave a brief presentation on carrying out a Housing Needs Survey and said that she felt that if the Parish had to carry out three separate surveys it would not be feasible as the area was too small. She suggested that the Survey be left for the time being but she would keep the Council informed on any updates or solutions.
The Meeting resumed
11/87 Declarations of Interest on forthcoming business: None
11/88 Planning Applications: Since the last meeting, the Council had lodged a No Objection to application CH/11/1346 The Old Inn House, Oxford Street, Lee Common and to CH/11/1498 North Acre, Swan Bottom, The Lee.
It agreed to support the application by The Cock & Rabbit, CH/2011/1635 for a Certificate of Lawful Use of the Annex and The Clerk was asked to refer the application to Cllr Rose to bring to Committee with the Council’s support. ACTION: CT
The Council discussed the application CH/2011/1703 Rodwells, Oxford Street, Lee Common and it was agreed that all the Councillors would review the application over the next week and report back. ACTION: ALL
11/89 Footpaths: Nothing to report
11/90 Council Property: Playground – Cllr Hammond reported that the Deed of Dedication had been sent to the solicitors for review and their comments had been received and sent on to the Fields in Trust for their approval. Once the Deed was signed, the Fields in Trust would consider our application and possibly make a decision by the end of the week or early the next week. Once this was received we could put in our application for the SITA Trust grant. The next closing date for applications was end November 2011 or end March 2012, the latter being the more likely.
There was a discussion as to whether to involve the community in a fund-raising exercise to contribute towards the cost of the new equipment and improvement of the playground. It was agreed that an article be put into the next Newsletter to see if the community was interested in helping to raise money. Cllr Hammond would draft the article and send round to the Council for their comments. ACTION: PH
The Clerk was also asked to contact ROSPA to get a clearer picture on their definition of “medium risk” for the swings. ACTION: CT
Allotments – Cllr Nichols reported on a meeting she had had with Alison Weir, the Leader of the Allotment Holders Association. It was agreed that Cllr Nichols would send a letter to two tenants whose plots were becoming overgrown to ask them what plans they had for their plots. There was a possibility that the school could be interested in taking a half plot to be cultivated by the children and possibly the scouts. It was also agreed that The Clerk would contact Graham Pearce to get the willow tunnel and adjacent bush tidied up as they were becoming overgrown.
ACTION: FN/CT
The Clerk reported that Graham Pearce had now obtained a water tank for the allotments and would shortly be starting to put in the additional water supply.
The Clerk reported that she had received a quotation from All Seasons Landscapes for the grass/hedge cutting for the 2012/13 year. The Clerk was asked to contact Graham Pearce to see if he would be interested in quoting for this work. ACTION: CT
11/91 Reports from organisations where Council is represented: Nothing to report as Cllr Stacey was unable to attend the last Local Area Forum meeting.
11/92 HS2 Campaign: Nothing to report, other than earlier comments from Cllr Birchley
11/93 The-Lee Way: Nothing to report
11/94 Road Maintenance: The Clerk reported that she had received notification from TfB that a section of Kings Lane from Hunts Green to the Cock & Rabbit was to be closed from 9 January 2012 for approximately 5 days to enable carriageway patching works to take place. There would be a diversion put in place through Ballinger and South Heath.
11/95 National Planning Policy Framework/Housing Needs Survey/Neighbourhood Planning Regulations Survey: It was agreed that if anyone had time to review the Neighbourhood Planning Regulations Survey could they do so, failing that the Council would go along with BALC's recommendation.
11/96 Grant Applications: Councillors decided not to make a contribution at this time to The Chilterns Conservation Board.
11/97 Provisional Budget for 2012/13 (Attached): It was agreed that in the light of the extra expenditure required for the childrens’ playground, a 10% increase would be sought in the 2012/13 Precept. The revised Budget was approved, subject to the increase in the Precept.
11/98 Finance: Councillors approved the Financial Report and Budget Review (previously circulated). The drawing of the following cheques was approved:
Cllr Nichols reported that she had had no response as yet on the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Beacons article in the Newsletter.
The Clerk reported that she had recently attended a Clerks Liaison Meeting at Chiltern District Council and one of the items was on Individual Member Notification under the Data Protection Act. She distributed a copy of the handout to the Councillors for their information.
Minutes remain in draft until ratified at the next Council meeting
PRESENT : Cllrs J. Ford (Chairman); S. Carleton-Smith, P Hammond, F. Nichols, E Stacey, M. Patte, Christine Thomas (Clerk). Apologies: D. Chinnery
11/83 Minutes : The Minutes of the meeting held on 27 September (previously circulated) were approved and signed as a true record.
11/84 Matters Arising from Previous Minutes: None
11/85 Report from County/District Councillor:
Apologies were received from Cllr Rose.
Cllr Birchley referred to the House of Commons Select Committee Report on HS2 which has now been released which said that the Government must firmly commit to the Y network before seeking Parliamentary approval for HS2. She reported that the Swan Bottom Road was to be resurfaced next year and she was asked to confirm that this is the road from The Lee to Swan Bottom crossroads. The Clerk raised a complaint that she had received from a resident relating to the bad condition of the direction sign at The Lee. There was apparently some dispute as to who was responsible for paying for the repainting of this sign. Cllr Birchley agreed that she would give some money from the Community Leaders Fund to pay towards the repair of the sign. The Clerk was asked to obtain quotes for the work to be done ACTION: CT
11/86 Adjournment for comments or questions from members of the public: Jean Fox gave a brief presentation on carrying out a Housing Needs Survey and said that she felt that if the Parish had to carry out three separate surveys it would not be feasible as the area was too small. She suggested that the Survey be left for the time being but she would keep the Council informed on any updates or solutions.
The Meeting resumed
11/87 Declarations of Interest on forthcoming business: None
11/88 Planning Applications: Since the last meeting, the Council had lodged a No Objection to application CH/11/1346 The Old Inn House, Oxford Street, Lee Common and to CH/11/1498 North Acre, Swan Bottom, The Lee.
It agreed to support the application by The Cock & Rabbit, CH/2011/1635 for a Certificate of Lawful Use of the Annex and The Clerk was asked to refer the application to Cllr Rose to bring to Committee with the Council’s support. ACTION: CT
The Council discussed the application CH/2011/1703 Rodwells, Oxford Street, Lee Common and it was agreed that all the Councillors would review the application over the next week and report back. ACTION: ALL
11/89 Footpaths: Nothing to report
11/90 Council Property: Playground – Cllr Hammond reported that the Deed of Dedication had been sent to the solicitors for review and their comments had been received and sent on to the Fields in Trust for their approval. Once the Deed was signed, the Fields in Trust would consider our application and possibly make a decision by the end of the week or early the next week. Once this was received we could put in our application for the SITA Trust grant. The next closing date for applications was end November 2011 or end March 2012, the latter being the more likely.
There was a discussion as to whether to involve the community in a fund-raising exercise to contribute towards the cost of the new equipment and improvement of the playground. It was agreed that an article be put into the next Newsletter to see if the community was interested in helping to raise money. Cllr Hammond would draft the article and send round to the Council for their comments. ACTION: PH
The Clerk was also asked to contact ROSPA to get a clearer picture on their definition of “medium risk” for the swings. ACTION: CT
Allotments – Cllr Nichols reported on a meeting she had had with Alison Weir, the Leader of the Allotment Holders Association. It was agreed that Cllr Nichols would send a letter to two tenants whose plots were becoming overgrown to ask them what plans they had for their plots. There was a possibility that the school could be interested in taking a half plot to be cultivated by the children and possibly the scouts. It was also agreed that The Clerk would contact Graham Pearce to get the willow tunnel and adjacent bush tidied up as they were becoming overgrown.
ACTION: FN/CT
The Clerk reported that Graham Pearce had now obtained a water tank for the allotments and would shortly be starting to put in the additional water supply.
The Clerk reported that she had received a quotation from All Seasons Landscapes for the grass/hedge cutting for the 2012/13 year. The Clerk was asked to contact Graham Pearce to see if he would be interested in quoting for this work. ACTION: CT
11/91 Reports from organisations where Council is represented: Nothing to report as Cllr Stacey was unable to attend the last Local Area Forum meeting.
11/92 HS2 Campaign: Nothing to report, other than earlier comments from Cllr Birchley
11/93 The-Lee Way: Nothing to report
11/94 Road Maintenance: The Clerk reported that she had received notification from TfB that a section of Kings Lane from Hunts Green to the Cock & Rabbit was to be closed from 9 January 2012 for approximately 5 days to enable carriageway patching works to take place. There would be a diversion put in place through Ballinger and South Heath.
11/95 National Planning Policy Framework/Housing Needs Survey/Neighbourhood Planning Regulations Survey: It was agreed that if anyone had time to review the Neighbourhood Planning Regulations Survey could they do so, failing that the Council would go along with BALC's recommendation.
11/96 Grant Applications: Councillors decided not to make a contribution at this time to The Chilterns Conservation Board.
11/97 Provisional Budget for 2012/13 (Attached): It was agreed that in the light of the extra expenditure required for the childrens’ playground, a 10% increase would be sought in the 2012/13 Precept. The revised Budget was approved, subject to the increase in the Precept.
11/98 Finance: Councillors approved the Financial Report and Budget Review (previously circulated). The drawing of the following cheques was approved:
- C.V Thomas x 2 – invoice no. 12 - £365.41 (cheque no. 100655), invoice no. 13 - £55.25 (cheque no. 100656),
- Chiltern District Council – invoice no. DI094931 - £70 (cheque no. 100657),
- All Seasons Landscapes – invoice no. ASL804297 - £503 (cheque no. 10065
Cllr Nichols reported that she had had no response as yet on the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Beacons article in the Newsletter.
The Clerk reported that she had recently attended a Clerks Liaison Meeting at Chiltern District Council and one of the items was on Individual Member Notification under the Data Protection Act. She distributed a copy of the handout to the Councillors for their information.
THE MEETING CLOSED AT 9.45 P.M.
SUBJECT TO RATIFICATION AT MEETING ON 10 JANUARY 2012
SUBJECT TO RATIFICATION AT MEETING ON 10 JANUARY 2012
Christine Thomas, Clerk