MINUTES Parish Council meeting Monday 1st July 2024

Minutes of the Stewkley Parish Council Meeting held on Monday 1st July 2024 at 7.30pm at the Stewkley Village Hall

Cllr Keith Higgins (Chair), Cllr Gill Morgan, Cllr Andrew Arthur, Cllr Brian Bottomley,
Cllr Phil Delafield, Cllr Andrew Pryke, Joanna Simonds, Clerk & RFO.
Unitary Cllr Phil Gomm was also in attendance and, 1 member of public (MoP) who left after item 3.

1. To receive apologies for absence
Apologies were received from Cllr Simeone. Cllr Hunt and Cllr Locke were recorded as absent.

2. To receive any declarations of interest on this evening’s agenda
No declarations were received.

3. Open Forum
A MoP referenced the matter raised by Cllr Delafield at last month’s meeting in respect of a Tuckwell tractor and trailer mounting the pavement, almost causing an accident, and certainly driving in a dangerous manner. The MoP said she had raised it with TVP but had heard nothing back other than an acknowledgement. The Chair confirmed the matter had been raised with the 3 members of TVP present at our last meeting and asked the Clerk to follow up with PCSO Hobson. Action Clerk A lengthy discussion ensued regarding speeding vehicles through the village and the traffic island damaged earlier in the year, which the Chair confirmed he had reported immediately on FixMyStreet and has since followed up on. The Chair reaffirmed the PC’s commitment of always being conscious of speed and raising issues with the police when we can. He also confirmed the PC are still pushing for flashing warning lights outside the school.

4. Update from Unitary Councillor, Phil Gomm on Buckinghamshire Council matters

  • BC are working under the rule of Purdah which does slow things down.
  • On the long-standing action of “pick up after your dog” stickers, Cllr Gomm is now unable to obtain them but referenced a BC document which Councils can print themselves. The Chair confirmed we could print locally so Cllr Gomm said he’d email the PDF to the Clerk.
  • Enforcement is in place on a farm on the Stewkley Road, out towards Soulbury, where they’ve been using it as a storage area. Cllr Gomm will email details to the Clerk to share with Cllrs.
  • A mtg is being scheduled with Olivia Stapleford re Redbrick Farm’s unlawful operating on a Saturday.
  • It has been agreed that the Drayton crossroads junction will be offset and funded in next year’s budget. Once Cllr Gomm receives the plans, he said he would will share them with the PC.
  • Not yet had the opportunity to follow up on the 74 HSS enforcement but will do so.
  • Currently no update on the Community Bus project.

5. Update from the Clerk on Parish matters

  • Our website host provider has moved the parish council website to a different platform for better security and performance which has resulted in a fee increase of £2 per month.
  • Following the PC’s email to Martin Tett re drainage issues on HSN, after lengthy conversation with our LAT, the Clerk will work with him to engage with affected property owners on HSN regarding the private boundary hedge requiring drastic cutting back in order for Bucks Highways to clear the drainage ditch under the hedge in order to improve the functioning of the highway surface water drainage system in the immediate area. Subject to resident approval, work will commence from Sept after the bird nesting season has finished.
  • At Cllrs request, I reached out to BC re new white lines throughout the village. The LAT confirmed that HSN is on the lining refresh programme for this year, sometime during the summer months, and that markings around the war memorial junction will also be refreshed as part of the work.
  • Having admitted liability for the damaged grit bin at the top of South Lane I am liaising with Proctor Insurance, the insurance providers for Stobart & Son, over a new replacement bin.

6. To approve the minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on Monday 3rd June 2024
The draft minutes were approved and signed as a true record by the Chair.
Proposed: Cllr Morgan / Seconded: Cllr Bottomley / Agreed unanimously

7. Planning
There were no planning applications received this month.

8. Enforcement Issues
There were no enforcement matters to update on.

9. Finance
To approve the July payment run as circulated:

SPC payments July 2024

To approve the Accounts to 30th June 2024 as circulated
Proposed: Cllr Pryke / Seconded: Cllr Morgan
The payment run and accounts were unanimously approved by all Cllrs.

10. Recreation Ground
The Chair asked that thanks be minuted to Steve Faulkner and Michael Faulkner, both of whom were instrumental in project managing the whole Rec footpath project.

11. Highways, Footpaths, and Lighting

  • Cllrs formally approved the draft proposal circulated by Cllr Arthur last month and works will commence with 7 new streetlight columns as follows: Orkney Close (Asset 60), Manor Drive (Asset 58), Walducks Close (Asset 62), Dove Street (Asset 57), Manor Drive (Asset no’s 59 and 61), Parsons Close (Asset 42). Cllrs thanked Cllr Arthur for all his hard work in getting us to where we are.
  • Mindful of several overgrown hedges in the village, Cllr Bottomley asked the Clerk to circulate to Cllrs the two hedge cutting template letters contained in our Devolved Services agreement and for letters to be sent to properties with hedges requiring attention. Action Clerk

12. Community Projects

  • Good headway is being made on the Community Garden, and Stewkley bricks are being collected tomorrow. We continue to look for brickies/builders for edging and creating a pathway.
  • Cllrs praised the great work of our new BKV co-ordinator who has done a terrific job and Cllrs all agreed that whatever the result, the village has been looking wonderful.

13. To agree the date of the next Parish Council Meeting
The next Parish Council Mtg will be held on Monday 2nd Sept 2024 at The Village Hall at 7.30pm.

The Chair confirmed the meeting closed at 21:02