Annual Parish Council Meeting Minutes 24th May 2021
Minutes of the Annual Parish Council Meeting held in The Village Hall at 7pm on Monday, 24th May 2021
Attendees: (Chair) Cllr Higgins, (Vice Chair) Cllr Morgan, Cllr Delafield, Cllr Burgess, Cllr Hunt, Cllr Pryke, Cllr Simeone, Cllr Bottomley, Cllr Philip Gomm (BC) Clerk: Rob Mann and 1 member of the public.
Acceptance of office – forms signed before the Proper Officer.
Cllr Arthur to be signed before PO before next meeting.
1. Election of the Chair of the Council.
Cllr Higgins was elected as Chair and declared acceptance of office.
To elect a Vice-Chairman of the Council Cllr Morgan was elected as Vice Chair and declared acceptance of office.
2. To appoint representatives to outside bodies:
- NBPPC – Cllr Morgan, Cllr Pryke.
- Community Board. – as available
- Rec committee. – Cllr Higgins, Cllr Morgan, Cllr Simeone.
- Councils’ Parish Liaison group. – Cllr Higgins
- Village Hall Committee. – Cllr Burgess
- Teaching and Learning Pupil and Community Committee. Cllr Higgins, Cllr Delafield.
5. To appoint sub – committees / working groups.
SPC resolved to form a financial sub-committee.
Jointly with the RFO:
To make an annual assessment of financial risk and recommend any changes to financial procedures where appropriate.
To consider and advise the council on any matter of financial importance.
The subcommittee to be comprised of Cllrs Delafield, Simeone, and Cllr Morgan (for risk assessment).
- Traffic sub-committee – Cllrs Delafield, Bottomley, Simeone.
- Streetlighting sub-committee – Cllrs Bottomley, Delafield, Arthur.
- Wildlife Reserve – Cllrs Burgess, Hunt.
- Spinney – Cllr Higgins.
- Neighbourhood planning –.Cllrs Morgan, Pryke, Higgins (ex officio).
- SEA – Cllr Bottomley.
- Website – Cllr Bottomley.
6. To agree any changes and/or amendments to standing orders.
No changes.
7. Receive Apologies.
Cllr Arthur sent an apology.
8. Open Forum.
Cllr Gomm (BC) explained that three Co Cllrs (Phil Gomm, Jilly Jordon and Iain Macpherson) would actively support parish councils of the Great Brickhill ward.
Cllr Gomm wished to be involved in any significant issues affecting Stewkley. He commented that BC has allocated a significant sum of £4,000,000 to drainage.
He also has a particular interest in prevention of speeding and in addition asked to be involved in issues related to planning. He will join a review meeting with TfB on 14th June, a few days after our proposed meeting with our LAT.
A member of the public commented on item 11. a)
A motion to allow Gt Brickhill ward Cllrs to participate in SPC meetings was agreed.
A motion to have a standing agenda item for Gt Brickhill ward Cllrs was agreed.
9. Declaration of interest in items on the agenda: to declare any interests.
No interests were declared.
10. To approve the minutes of the previous Zoom meeting; 4th May 2021.
The minutes were approved.
11. Planning:
a) Land at Bletchley Road (Old Highway Depot) Stewkley
Change of use to equestrian and erection of a stable building.
21/01596/APP.
Resolved to object.
Action – Cllr Higgins to draft objection.
12. Correspondence
a) Dunton Rd Traffic
Cllr Delafield had received reports of trucks travelling down Dunton Road to unload at Red Brick Farm late at night.
Reports sent to Greg Smith MP and the enforcement officer at BC.
Action – Cllr Delafield to share email correspondence with Cllr Gomm.
b) Play Around the Parish. Date change to pm 25 Aug 21- noted.
c) Medical transport Scheme.
Cllr Higgins reported that the organisers of the medical transport scheme had stood down and new organisers are needed.
Action – Cllr Higgins to draft an article for the GV.
13. Finance;
To ratify BACS payments.
- Revised Asset List was noted.
- Annual internal audit report was noted.
- Variance was noted.
- Accounting Statement, Section 1 approved.
- Accounting Statement, Section 2 approved.
- Date of the period for the exercise of public rights and public notification of draft Accounting Statements agreed as Monday 14th June to Friday 23rd July.
14. To discuss correspondence received since last meeting.
a) Highways, Footways and Footpaths Lighting: Update and agree any actions arising; Streetlights – update subcommittee. (see Dropbox).
Proposal to switch suppliers from E.On to SSE, on a 3-year contract, Using an agency.
Action – Clerk to contact E.ON to request price review. Also, to contact Slapton PC for further references.
b) Lighting plan St Michaels Park.
No further progress. Awaiting report from street lighting expert.
c) Proposal to purchase new SID –
Cllr Delafield proposed purchase of SID.
The proposal was approved.
Action – Clerk to order SID.
15. Burial Ground.
No reports
16. General Items: To report on meetings attended on behalf of the Parish Council and agree whether to add items to the next agenda.
Due to the non-availability of the VH for the next normal PC meeting in June and the proximity with the current meeting, Cllr Higgins proposed a workshop that he would host to discuss how the new council would operate.
The proposal was agreed.
Workshop at Chair’s house 7 June 2021 at 7pm. Or by Zoom if bad weather.
Cllr Simeone relayed a request from the residents of Chapel Square to manage the maintenance of the island and verges in Chapel Square.
Action – Cllr Bottomley to discuss further with the residents and SEA.
Cllr Simeone asked if the council could investigate the possibility of adding a socket to the street light lamppost for Christmas lights – Costs to be borne by the residents of the Square.
Action – Cllr Simeone to send specifications of request to Clerk for communication with Western Power re permission and cost.
17. The date of the next meeting:
Monday, 5th July 2021 at 7.30pm in The Village Hall.
