March 2020 Parish Council Minutes
Minutes Stewkley Parish Council Meeting, 7.30pm, Monday 3rd February 2019
Attendees: (Chair) Cllr Morgan, Cllr Delafield, Cllr Smith, Cllr Wodey, Cllr Burgess, Cllr Pragnell, Cllr Bottomley, Clerk: Rob Mann and 12 members of the public.
1 Receive Apologies: Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Pryke, Cllr Higgins and Tina Hobson PCSO.
2 Open Forum:
A group of electors from Dove Street raised concerns regarding the poor condition of the access and service roads on the South side of Dove St. The Council was urged to contact VAHT and AVDC to determine how improvements would be made. Attention was also drawn to moss and overgrown hedges making a footpath unusable at the top of Dove Street where it egresses on to Soulbury Rd. Further comments were added to previous complaints about the ditch in front of properties. In addition, at the top of Dove St., the ditch is overgrown and has been blocked by dumped topsoil. This debris is blocking the culvert and was reported as a potential flood risk.
A resident noted that repair of a light in Dove St had taken an excessive amount of time.
A resident noted that he had incurred damage to his car whilst driving on High Street North/Mursley Rd and that the state of this road was now dangerous as the potholes are now impossible to avoid safely.
A representative of The Recreation Association reported an insurance shortfall some of which related to sports equipment and asked the PC to discuss the shortfall with their insurers and to delegate the responsibility for the Clerk to finalise action with the Rec Assoc. Treasurer.
In addition, the PC was asked to delegate the responsibility to the Clerk to place an order for playground equipment which would be made in the next 14 days. The details to be finalised with the Rec Assoc Treasurer.
A request was made for SPC to accept ideas for projects that could be funded by the S106 money that accrues from the development on Soulbury Rd. The Chairperson suggested that it would form a useful discussion at the Annual Parish Meeting and invited villagers to attend the meeting and to put their ideas to the Clerk for addition to the APM agenda that is published I month before the meeting to be held 18/5/20.
3 Declaration of interest in items on the agenda: No interests were declared.
4 To confirm the minutes of the previous PC Meeting
The minutes were confirmed after a small change was made to the invoice list: a repayment of £240.49 to was altered to read “for mountings for speed indicator device” and not for Spinney expenses.
5 Planning: To discuss planning applications and make recommendation.
a) Agricultural barn and workshop
North Farm Littlecote Stewkley Buckinghamshire MK18 3LN
20/00514/AGN Expiry 6 Mar 2020.
Stewkley Parish Council resolved to support this application.
b) Single storey rear extension & side canopy
83 High Street South Stewkley Buckinghamshire LU7 0HU
20/00678/APP | Expiry Date Wed 25 Mar 2020
Stewkley Parish Council resolved to support this application
6 Finance
Budget Monitoring. Clerk.
The budget monitoring was noted.
Discussion took place regarding the points raised by the Rec Association representative.
It was decided to examine the costs of adding additional insurance cover for Sports Club equipment and to further investigate unforeseen liabilities. Also, to ensure a memorandum of understanding with the Sports Clubs involved.
The Clerk was given provisional delegation to make decisions after the above issues have been resolved to the satisfaction of the PC.
Action: Clerk to discuss further with treasurer of the Rec Assoc. and with Insurers. Then to consult with SPC.
The authority to place the order for play equipment was delegated to the Clerk.
Action: Clerk to place the order.
7 To draw cheques, ratify BACS payments and to check accounts
The payments were noted and invoices as shown below were ratified. The accounts were checked.
8 To discuss correspondence received since last meeting.
a) Visit to Haddenham Dandara Site.
Cllrs Burgess, Morgan, Delafield offered to attend a site meeting in Haddenham.
Action: Cllr Morgan to coordinate.
Cllrs Wodey and Smith to attend if the organised time is suitable.
Action: Clerk to ask Ward Assoc to resend feedback from Dandara meeting with villagers in a Microsoft friendly format.
b) Elections. (electoral register numbers).
Election packs to be sent to the Clerk from 9th March.
Action: Clerk able to provide numbers from the electoral register on request.
c) Faccenda Farm fumes. Complaints to Environmental Agency ref 1780442 –
These complaints were noted.
Others had noted increased smell and black smoke from the site.
Action: Clerk to write to the site manager to enquire if anything has changed recently as the smell is proving a nuisance and loss of amenity for its neighbours.
d) Access road next to 20 Dove St.
Vaht have indicated their intention to begin repairs to the access road – June 2020.
Action: Clerk to write to VAHT and AVDC to request that they coordinate with VAHT to complete a repair of the access roads and rear roads on both sides of Dove St.
9 Neighbourhood Plan: To receive an update from the steering group and agree any actions arising;
The Southern Gateway sites have agreed to the wording to STK3 which now needs incorporation into NP.
The reg 14 comments are near completion.
The background documents supporting the NP are at the final draft stage for submission.
Harlequin Press have completed a first draft which will be circulated for final comment.
The Plan was recommended to SPC for submission before the end of March, and therefore before the next SPC meeting.
SPC agreed to the submission of the finalised plan, delegating the responsibility of signing off the documents to the NP Steering Group.
10 Recreation Ground: To note any outstanding requirements and agree any actions;
a) PPLPRS licence finalised – It was noted that the licence has been finalised.
b) New toilet order confirmed – It was noted that the order had been confirmed.
11 Highways, Footways and Footpaths Lighting: Update and agree any actions arising.
a) Lantern Bletchley Rd replaced – SPC noted that the lantern that had gone missing has been replaced with a new one
b) It was noted that the bollard light for Parsons Walk has been ordered and is due for installation
c) It was noted that flashing lanterns: Dove St, outside Village Hall, Folding Close have all been repaired.
d) Survey of all lights except Cricketers Close has been completed and SPC noted that the report is expected soon.
Following the points raised in the Open Forum the following actions were agreed:
Clerk to contact SEA to request linxman is asked to clear moss and hedging on footpath at top of Dove St.
Clerk to investigate ditch clearance at top of Dove St.
Cllr Morgan to contact our LAF to press for repairs on the Mursley Rd/HSN.
12 Stewkley Wildlife Reserve: To discuss and authorise expenditure incurred or actions required;
No reports.
13 Burial Ground: To discuss and authorise expenditure incurred or actions required.
No reports.
14 General Items: To report on meetings attended on behalf of the Parish Council and agree whether to add items to the next agenda.
Stewkley PC resolved not to invite prospective County Council Unitary Election candidates to the next meeting.
Cllr Burgess reported that the parking in Dove St is becoming more difficult as the access road to the northern side carparking is in a very poor condition and preventing use.
Actions: Clerk to add request for improvement to the access road on the North side of Dove St to letter to VAHT. See item 11 above.
The Chair expressed disappointment that the new PCSO for Stewkley had been unable to attend the meeting and asked that the invitation is extended to future meetings including the APM.
Action: Clerk to re-invite PCSO.
Cllr Delafield reported that the ‘20s plenty for us’ signs had been mounted on the telegraph poles up and down The High Streets. The bin sticker campaign was underway.
The PC asked the Clerk to invite Mr Greg Smith MP to the APM.
The PC agreed to enter The Tindall Cup as Stewkley’s entry for the Best Kept Village Winners competition.
Cllr Bottomley asked the PC to extend their thanks to Terry Brown for continuing to store the Hippo waste collection bag for use by the linxman.
Meeting Closed 9.40
15 Date of Next Meeting.
Monday, 6th April 2020
