MINUTES Parish Council meeting Monday 10th January 2022

Minutes of a Meeting of Stewkley Parish Council held on Monday 10th January 2022 at 7.30pm at the Stewkley Village Hall

Present: Cllr Higgins (Chair), Cllr Morgan (Vice-Chair), Cllr Arthur, Cllr Bottomley, Cllr Burgess, Cllr Delafield, Cllr Hunt, Cllr Pryke, Cllr Simeone, Joanna Simonds, Clerk & RFO, and Unitary Cllr Phil Gomm. There was one member of the public present during the Open Forum

1. Apologies for absence None

2. Declarations of interest None

3. Open Forum Representing the Rec Committee, Steve Faulkner, informed Cllrs they are planning a RecFest event on Sat 16th July and asked the PC to consider a sponsorship donation as they have in the past, of £500. The Chairman asked the Clerk to add this to the Feb agenda for discussion.

4. Update from Buckinghamshire Unitary Councillor, Phil Gomm All three Unitary Cllrs are reviewing what they’ve achieved over the last 7 months and consolidating any outstanding items.

• Cllr Gomm has a meeting with the police on Thurs 13th Jan and will raise the issue of police attendance at PC meetings, or at least an email update before meetings on rural crime issues. He will also mention the lack of police patrolling in the village.
• The Lockharts farm waste facility planning application in Cublington has been deferred.
• Cabinet met last week and agreed to increase the budget by approx. 4%; this includes additional funding to help pay for Adult Social Care.

The Chairman asked if there were any questions for Cllr Gomm. Cllr Bottomley asked for an update on the former spa shop Enforcement. Cllr Gomm said he was picking this up as one of the outstanding items from 2021, and the Chairman referenced the state of the High Street South pavements and the gully cleaning we were told would take place before Christmas.

5. To approve the minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on Monday 6th December 2021
Proposed: Cllr Morgan
Seconded: Cllr Bottomley
Agreed unanimously

6. Planning applications

21/04779/APP – STEWKLEY – 56 High Street South, Stewkley LU7 0HR Cllrs resolved to SUPPORT this application
Proposed: Cllr Morgan
Seconded: Cllr Arthur
Agreed unanimously

21/02762/APP – STEWKLEY – Land East of Wing Road, Stewkley LU7 0JB
Cllr Morgan raised concerns that Cllr comments over location of the crossing had still not been
responded to by the developers, and Cllrs were also concerned that residents may not be aware
of the latest proposals. Following lengthy discussion, the Clerk was asked to request an
extension so that these matters could be addressed. Action Clerk

21/04838/APP – STEWKLEY – 3 Wing Road, Stewkley LU7 0JB
Cllrs resolved to SUPPORT this application
Proposed: Cllr Bottomley
Seconded: Cllr Morgan
Agreed unanimously

21/04800/APP – STEWKLEY – Farm Land off Dean Road, Stewkley
Cllrs resolved to OBJECT to this application on the following grounds:

The application gives no explanation to justify the change of use from agricultural to a builders
yard.
• The current building has replaced an earlier one which the same applicant described in a
previous planning application (16/01515) as “a small derelict structure used as a sheltered
storage area” and not as claimed by the applicant, ” completed in 2005″. So, the previous
shed was still there in 2016.
• The site uses an access onto Dean Road in direct breach of condition 9 of the permission
given under application 12/01540 for a private equestrian centre, currently being built by the
same applicant in an adjoining field to the rear of this site. Condition 9 required this access
to be “stopped up within one month of the new access being brought into use”. This breach
has been reported to Planning Enforcement by the Parish Council on a number of occasions
since, without remedial action being taken.
• Despite the requirement under condition 9, not only has the access not been stopped but it
has been enlarged and enhanced. In 2016 it was a simple farm gateway.
• We would argue that allowing this change of use would regularise a totally unacceptable
development and activity in full view of the narrow country lane, which is Dean Road, an area
“characterised by expansive fields and dispersed farms” (as described by the Planning
Inspector in his 2017 Appeal Decision refusing a previous development proposal on this site.
• All the changes to the buildings and entrance have been made in the past 6 years, in breach
of clear, existing planning conditions and this nullifies any argument on the basis of business
need.

Proposed: Cllr Pryke
Seconded: Cllr Delafield
Agreed unanimously

For info, the Chairman confirmed the former highways depot application on Bletchley Road has
been refused.

7. Finance
To approve the January payment run as circulated

Proposed: Cllr Delafield
Seconded: Cllr Morgan
Agreed unanimously

To approve the Accounts to 30th November 2021

This item to be approved by email as the accounts were not provided ahead of the meeting

• To approve the draft 2022/23 budget

Proposed: Cllr Arthur
Seconded: Cllr Bottomley
Agreed unanimously

• To approve a precept figure of £46,514 for 2022/23, representing a Band D increase of £2 per month.

Proposed: Cllr Hunt
Seconded: Cllr Morgan
Agreed unanimously

8. Queen’s Platinum Jubilee – June 2022

The cost of a marquee will be funded by the PC as it was for the last jubilee in 2012, and having already agreed a maximum budget of £3,500, Cllrs approved the £1,500 request from Janette as co-ordinator, so that she can start to make bookings. Janette also plans to apply for a grant from ‘Heart of Bucks’ on behalf of the SPC and has contacted contributors for the 2012 jubilee to see whether they will be able to offer a grant for this event. She will also contact businesses in Stewkley to seek sponsors for specific events.

The provisional programme will include:
Thursday – Beacon lighting event in the Recreation Ground
Friday – Senior’s tea party in the village hall
Saturday – Themed village fete in the Recreation Ground
Sunday – Community picnic in the Recreation Ground

The Chairman confirmed that whilst Janette has kindly agreed to co-ordinate this event, she was

doing so under the umbrella instruction of the SPC, who ultimately take responsibility.

Other points to note were that the Woodlands Trust are selling trees at an incredible price, and it might be worth having discussions with Dandara, to see if a tree could be put on that area, and with the school, to create an area around the pond, with a village sign and/or a tree, as a permanent Jubilee Garden in the middle of the village.

Cllr Arthur suggested setting up a small Cllr sub-group to discuss the different options for a permanent remembrance. He, Cllr Bottomley and Cllr Simeone agreed to form such a sub-group with a view to putting their ideas forward at the next PC Meeting. Action Cllrs Arthur, Bottomley and Simeone

9. Play around the Parishes 2022

The Clerk confirmed that Thurs 25th August has been booked. Cllr Morgan suggested the Clerk diarise for May to commence publicity. Action Clerk

10. Neighbourhood Plan

• To discuss and agree the distribution of the printed copies

The Chairman thanked Cllr Morgan for putting together a distribution document, giving each Cllr approximately 80-100 copies each. Cllrs agreed to the purchase of weatherproof envelopes at an approx. cost of £65 and Cllr Morgan said she would drop the bundles off to each Cllr’s home address. It was agreed copies should try to be distributed by end of Jan.

• To discuss re-arranging the date for the 14th December postponed “Thank You” event

Cllrs agreed this should be added to the February agenda. Action Clerk

11. New residents Welcome Day

Cllr Delafield confirmed that the first planning meeting was scheduled for tomorrow (11th Jan). The Clerk to add to the February agenda. Action Clerk

12. The Swan public House, Stewkley

This item was added to the agenda not because the PC has any role to play, but to simply clarify the facts as we know them for Cllrs and parishioners alike, that the freehold is up for sale with vacant possession and although it was identified as a community asset in the Neighbourhood Plan, this has now lapsed in time. Following discussion, it was agreed that Cllr Morgan would make contact to seek clarification to understand the process it is going through and to request consent from the Swan on the PC applying for a new community asset. Action Cllr Morgan

13. Recreation Ground

• The Rec has put in a planning application for Ball Stop Netting along the Soulbury Road, which could potentially be one of the first projects funded under the S106 scheme. The Rec are also looking at replacing one of the tractors.

14. Highways, Footpaths, and Lighting

• The issue of dog pooh on Stewkley pavements appears to be getting worse. The Chairman asked Cllr Gomm whether there were any potential enforcement routes the PC could take. Already providing pooh bags, having bins situated all around the village which are emptied weekly and “please pick up” signage, the problem is not going away. Cllr Gomm said similar complaints have been rising across the Ward and the opportunity for a dog warden to visit Stewkley is a possibility which could result in a fine of up to £1,000 for the dog walker. Cllrs agreed to escalate the matter with a piece in the next Grapevine. Action Chairman
• The Clerk confirmed Robert Goss had taken a look at the stiff cemetery gates and that they were far easier to open and shut now.
• Cllr Arthur said that ongoing faults are still be repaired by Sparkx, but Cllrs agreed to reach out to both Forde & McHugh and CU Phosco to quote for the bollards from High Street South to Griffin Field and for some of the category red lanterns that need replacing. Action Cllr Arthur The Chairman stressed the importance of getting some of these lights replaced this year. Cllr Morgan suggested it still might be worth finding out who did the lighting solutions around St Michael’s Park.
• Cllr Bottomley referenced the Linksman proposal, circulated to Cllrs, detailing how things will be dealt with this year.

15. Stewkley Wildlife Reserve
Nothing to report

16. To report on meetings attended
None

17. Date of next meeting
Monday 7th February 2022 at 7.30pm at The Village Hall

The Chairman confirmed the meeting closed at 22:02.