LATIMER AND LEY HILL PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Latimer and Ley Hill Parish Council Meeting
held on Tuesday, 12th September 2017 at Latimer Parish Hall, Latimer – 7.15pm
Present: Cllr Mary Buckman (Chairman) MB
Cllr John Drewery (Vice Chairman) JD
Cllr Lesley Sunderland LS
Anne Hyde (Clerk) AH
District Cllr Andrew Garth AG
Cllr Chris Gregory CG
Cllr Anne Birkett AB
Item / Who to Action1 / Questions and Comments from the Public / None
2 / To receive Apologies for Absence / County Cllr Noel Brown (NB)
Cllr Joe Walsh (JW) tendered resignation with immediate effect by email today.
3 / To receive Declarations of Interest relating to this meeting / None
4 / To approve the Council Meeting Minutes of the 14th June 2017 / Approved and signed by MB
5 / To approve the Council Meeting Minutes of the 27th July 2017 / Approved and signed by MB
6 / Matters arising / Maintenance of the Beacon had been completed.
The Clerk has still to contact CDC/Land Registry regarding cars parking on the footpath near the Scout Hall.
The pruning of the trees at the Burial Ground was in hand by Cllr Birkett.
The Clerk had spoken with CDC and arranged for the bins to be emptied. Terry Gillott will check that they are being emptied regularly.
The Clerk will be meeting with JH in order to finalise a contract.
The incorrect electricity bill from Opus Energy had been corrected.
The Clerk had not received from County Cllr Brown the press release about the scams so that information can be put on the website.
The Clerk had not received a response from David Stowe (CDC) re the fence on manorial land. The Clerk to chase. / AH
NB/AH
AH
7 / Burial Ground
7.1 – Approval for Fence and Gate Repairs
7.2 – Approval of Ashes Plots/ Deeds of Grant of Exclusive Right of Burial
7.3 – Contract – Terry Gillott / The Clerk had received a further quote for £600 + Vat. Cllr Birkett will forward details of a fencer to the Clerk to get an additional quote.
A cheque received for £80 for B J Jackson for ashes burial of Gregory Jackson.
A cheque received for £660.00 for Laney Smith – ashes plot and permit for ashes burial (Non-Parishioner approved by the Council).
A cheque received for £450.00 for Mr Marcus Smith – Deed of Grant of Exclusive Right of Burial – approved.
A cheque received for £260.00 from Kenward & Son Ltd on behalf of the Lee Family for Pamela Lee. Permit request for memorial stone and kerb – approved.
A cheque received for £150.00 for ashes plot for Mrs A and Mr T Hyde – plot U115a – Deed of Grant of Exclusive Right of Burial – approved.
The Clerk to set up a standing order to pay Terry monthly. A copy of the contract to be sent to Terry for signing. / AB
AH
8 / Finance
8.1 – Current/Deposit account balances
8.2 – Payments/Receipts
8.3 – Review of Financial Regulations
8.4 – Purchase of Minute Book
8.5 – Transparency Funding
8.6 – Additional Signatory for Bank Account
8.7 – New Standing Order / The Clerk reported that the current account stood at £18,159.68 and the deposit account at £7018.91.
Payments have been made to:
11 December IT Services - £30.00 (Aug)
T Gillott - £333.00 and £500.00 (April – Aug)
BALC - £63.11 (Data Protection Training – A Hyde)
Y P Decorators - £240.00 (Painting of the Beacon)
A Hyde - £21.99 (D Silverstone – Internal Audit Gift)
Kenward and Sons - £1458.00 (Repair of Headstones)
Opus Energy - £87.83 (Electricity for Street Lamps)
11 December IT - £30.00 (Website Maintenance)
Receipts have been received from:
Church View Funeral Services - £450.00 (Plot U217 – K Ord)
Deposit Account – Receipt of £0.29p interest.
The new financial regulations had been distributed to all Councillors prior to the meeting and these were approved. Proposed – Cllr Buckman and Seconded – Cllr Drewery.
The Clerk had received a quote for £145.00 + vat for a new Minute Book and approval to purchase was agreed by the Council.
The Clerk had applied for Transparency Funding to purchase a laptop and printer/scanner and for monies for the website and was waiting to hear if this had been approved by NALC.
Cllr Drewery had agreed to be a signatory and the relevant form was signed by Cllr Buckman and Cllr Birkett. Ros Walter, Keith Platt and Richard Sanders will be removed as signatories.
It was agreed that T Gillott was paid monthly and the relevant form was signed by Cllr Buckman. / AH
9 / Official Business
9.1 – Joint Local Plan / District Cllr Garth said that there had been a delay in the Public Consultation and this was likely to now be in March 2018.
10 / Highways / Footpaths
10.1 – TfB
10.2 – Botley Road – Road Repairs
10.3 – New Proposal for Vehicle Activated Signs / Sentinel Camera
10.4 – Naming of Roads
10.5 – Resitting of Parish Notice Board
10.6 – Kiln Lane / Nothing to report.
The Clerk to monitor the pot hole on Botley Road. The Clerk said that BCC had agreed to repair the cul de sac but no date had been agreed.
Cllr Drewery put a revised proposal to the Council that “one MVAS is purchased and to take part in the Community Speedwatch Programme. A review would take place to see if the two systems are having an effect and whether a second MVAS is required. The Parish Council had been approached about the possibility of having an MVAS site on Rushmere Lane and whether a 5th groundscrew should be installed. The Council to consider a battery operated MVAS instead of solar as this will be easier to move”.
Cllr Drewery explained that 4 x groundscrews and folding posts had been purchased at a cost of £1688.00 + vat. Discussions had taken place with SignSense (suppliers of the posts) and the Local Area Technician and it had been decided to review the four proposed sites.
Site A (Botley Road) was originally located on the verge at the junction of Botley Road and Botley Lane. The site was only suitable for traffic coming from Chesham and could not be reversed for traffic coming from Ley Hill as the site line was insufficient. In addition, the ground was not ideal for the use of step ladders due to it being uneven. A number of positions were looked at nearby and a position was identified opposite 213/215 Botley Road. This new position allows the MVAS to be pointed in either direction and yet is still quite close to the original position. Additionally, the ground is more suitable for dismantling and moving. No new utility searches are required.
Site B (Jasons Hill) – The original position was suitable only for traffic coming from Ley Hill but not from the other direction. By moving the position which is still in near proximity to the original site, the sign can be used in both directions. No further utility searches are required.
Site C – This site (at the bottom of Kiln Lane) would not change as it can be used in four different directions.
Site D (Approaching Latimer village from the Stony Lane and Latimer Road Junction) – This site to be moved a few metres towards the junction to the nearby field access gateway. This allows the MVAS to be worked on or moved with much greater safety than the original location. The sign can still be located on Highways land avoiding the need for wayleaves from the land owner of the field or new utility searches being undertaken.
Cllr Drewery said that at the Local Area Forum (LAF) in July the idea of a Community Speedwatch using a Sentinel camera was introduced. This camera will be for use for the parishes within the Chesham and Chiltern LAF. There will be no cost to the Parish (other than the upkeep of the equipment) as this will be covered by the LAF. The advantage of this system over the MVAS is that those caught speeding will be recorded on video and sent a warning letter from Thames Valley Police. Repeat offenders with 3 or more occurrences within a 6-month period will be taken up by the Police. This is likely to have an impact in conjunction with the MVAS
After discussion, the Council agreed to the new proposed sites, to purchase 1 x battery operated MVAS and to take part in the Speedwatch programme. It was agreed that the additional groundscrew in Rushmere Lane would not be installed and that this would be reviewed at a later date. Proposed by Cllr Birkett and seconded by Cllr Drewery.
The Clerk to arrange for the groundscrews to be installed at the new sites as soon as possible and to purchase 1 x MVAS. The Clerk to speak with Thames Valley Police with regard to the Speedwatch Programme.
Cllr Sunderland offered to store the redundant MVAS posts.
The Clerk said that the signs had been put up in Latimer by CDC advising residents of the changes to the road names. The Clerk had not heard about the changes to the road names in Ley Hill and the Clerk to follow up with CDC.
The Clerk had met with David Stowe (CDC) to look at a new location for the noticeboard outside the old Botley Stores. The proposed new site was on the other side of the road but a few yards further down towards Ley Hill. This was agreed – The Clerk to arrange for it to be moved.
Ros Walter had expressed concerns over the condition of the junction at the bottom of Kiln Lane. The Clerk had contacted BCC who had said that it was the resident’s responsibility. Ros to draft a letter for the Clerk to forward to CDC. / AH
AH
AH
AH
AH
11 / Planning
11.1 (CH/2016/1872/VRC) Rowan Tree Farm
11.2 (CH/2017/0926/FA) The Old Rectory, Latimer Camp Road, Latimer
11.3 (CH/2017/0643/FA) Barn at Old Hanger Farm, Jasons Hill, Ley Hill
11.4 (CH/2017/1344/KA) The Village House, Latimer
11.5 (CH/2017/1548/FA) 21 Spring Close, Latimer
11.6 (CH/2017/1561/FA) Ley Hill Cricket Club
11.7 (CH/2016/1616/FA) Land adjoining Horticon Nurseries, Kiln Lane, Ley Hill
11.8 (CH/2017/1073/FA) Ley Hill School / Decision made – Refused by Chiltern District Council
Decision made – Conditional Permission given by Chiltern District Council
Decision made – Conditional Permission given by Chiltern District Council.
Decision made by Chiltern District Council – TPO shall not be made.
Cllr Gregory had reviewed the application and the Council have no objections.
The Parish Council have no objections
Decision made – Appeal dismissed by planning Inspectorate
No documents were currently on the CDC website to view. Cllrs Birkett and Buckman to consider the Parish Council’s response to the application once the documents are available. / AB / MB
12 / Reports and Correspondence
12.1 – LAF and Rural Forum
12.2 - Residents parking on grass verge – Joiners Close
12.3 - Fencing on Manorial Waste next to Ley Hill Memorial Hall / LAF – This had been covered in 10.3 above.
Rural Forum - Nothing to report.
District Cllr Garth had spoken with David Stowe who had written to the residents but are still parking on the grass verge. One car had not moved for months. The Clerk to speak with David to see what else can be done.
David Stowe (CDC) was going to organise a meeting but the Clerk has not heard anything. The Clerk to chase David. / AH
AH
13 / Website / The Clerk has contact 11 December IT to look at a glitch on the website (text – right justified).
The site is being regularly updated by the Clerk.
We may receive Transparency Funding from NALC to cover some of the costs of the website maintenance etc.
14 / Tribute to Cllr Sanders / Lighting of the Beacon / Cllr Buckman said that Cllr Sanders will be sadly missed and without him on the Parish Council will be a big loss. The lighting of the beacon was a fitting tribute.
It was agreed that a letter would be sent to the family to ask for ideas for a more permanent tribute to Cllr Sanders. The Clerk to draft and sent to Cllr Buckman.
The Clerk to write to Lamps and Tubes Illuminations Ltd who kindly provided some wood and their time to fill the beacon. Thanks to also be sent to Brian Pavey who also provided kindling and logs and for Mathew who lit the beacon. / AH / MB
AH
15 / Litterblitz / Cllr Birkett said that this will be on Saturday 7th October. AB to produce and send to AH to put on the noticeboards / website. / AB
16 / Management of the Common / Cllr Birkett reported that the Golf Club are trying to organise more activities and were in discussions with other clubs. Cllr Birkett to continue to communicate with the club. / AB
17 / WW1 Beacon of Light / This is to be held on the 11th November 2018 at 7pm. Neil Lamond had suggested that the beacon was lit and that we had a cadet band. The Clerk to contact Neil to see if he needs permission from us regarding the beacon / register the lighting. The Parish Council are keen to be part of the event.
It was agreed that the Beacon would not be repainted until after this event. / AH
18 / Councillor Vacancies / Cllr Buckman advised that two positions had become available in the Ley Hill Ward. Cllr Sanders had sadly died and Cllr Walsh had resigned.
Cllr Buckman to report back at the next meeting. / MB
19 / AOB
Meadhams Farm
Neptune Falls, Latimer
Phone Box – Jasons Hill / Cllr Buckman reported that there had been a number of incidents regarding lorries over the past couple of months with residents complaining. Cllr Buckman has been following these up with the company.
Cllr Gregory reported that the statue had disappeared at Neptune Falls which is a historic park. District Cllr Garth suggested contacting Chess River Association / Chess Heritage. The Clerk to speak with Chenies Parish to see if they know what has happened to it. District Cllr Garth to check if it is a listed structure with the Planning Department.
Cllr Sunderland reported that this still had not been removed. The Clerk to follow up. / CG
AH
AG
AH
Signed: ______Date: ______
Mary Buckman
Chairman
Latimer and Ley Hill Parish Council
The Meeting closed at 8.55pm
Date of next Meeting: Wednesday 25th October at 7.15pm at the Committee Room, Ley Hill Memorial Hall, Ley Hill.
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