MINUTES Parish Council meeting Monday 7th November 2022

Minutes of the Stewkley Parish Council Meeting held on Monday 7th November 2022 at 7.30pm at the Stewkley Village Hall

Cllr Keith Higgins (Chair), Cllr Gill Morgan, Cllr Andrew Arthur, Cllr Brian Bottomley, Cllr Margaret Burgess, Cllr Phil Delafield, Cllr Henry Hunt, Cllr Andrew Pryke, Joanna Simonds, Clerk & RFO, Unitary Cllr Phil Gomm, two representatives from Village Foundations and one member of public in attendance during Open Forum

1. Apologies for absence Apologies were received from Cllr Virgilio Simeone

2. Open Forum A member of public raised the issue of the proposed new footpath, and concerns about the risk of people parking their cars there, making Wing Road even more precarious. The Chairman said that Cllrs would take this comment into consideration when discussing and voting on item 6 later in the agenda.

3. To receive any declarations of interest No declarations of interest were received

4. Update from Buckinghamshire Unitary Councillor, Phil Gomm

  • As with other councils across the UK, Buckinghamshire Council are in the process of setting their budget for 2023/24 but Cllr Gomm warned they were looking to make some big savings.
  • With the ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme coming to an end, Buckinghamshire Council are struggling to find new accommodation for Ukrainian families. Hosting arrangements were for a minimum of six months, and many are coming to an end. Fewer UK hosts are now coming forward and the number of requests from Ukrainians for rematching is increasing.
  • The school bus process has worked well this term, only having to find one person in Stewkley a bus place.
  • Cllr Gomm re-confirmed that the whole of Sycamore Close was on the Capital Maintenance programme for early next year. On the “Considered Works”, Highways are looking to cover a stretch of Soulbury Road and the whole length of Dunton Road from the A4143. Following a visit by the Local Area Technician, the length from Dunton Road Village entrance, by the Hoggeston junction, all the way through to the Spiney on the corner, was deemed as the most critical. Finally on Highways, the High Street South footway (pavement) is programmed in for 2023/24.

5. To approve the minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on Monday 3rd October 2022

The draft minutes were approved and signed as a true record by the Chairman. Proposed: Cllr Morgan / Seconded: Cllr Burgess / Agreed unanimously

6. Planning
21/02762/APP – Land East of Wing Road, Stewkley LU7 0JB
Following lengthy discussion, and a split vote with 5 Cllrs reluctantly in favour of opposing and 3 Cllrs in favour to support, the PC resolved to OPPOSE this application on the following grounds:

  • Whilst the PC were fully supportive previously when it included the 40-mph buffer zone, this being removed has disregarded our “made” Neighbourhood Plan which is a matter of principle that Councillors cannot ignore.
  • The whole idea of having a “made” village Neighbourhood Plan, reviewed and approved by Bucks Council and other stakeholders, is that it be followed. Stewkley PC believe the Planning Officer needs to be challenged as to why they are ignoring our Neighbourhood Plan wishes and request that they review this decision.
  • From the beginning of this application process, Cllrs have stressed the importance of the 40- mph buffer zone, deemed it a common-sense approach, with plenty of precedents in other villages around and fully justified by the applicant in their previous application. In addition, it wasn’t going to cost Bucks Council or Thames Valley Police anything, and for this to now betaken out of the plan is simply unacceptable to Stewkley residents.
  • Thames Valley Police say they are not in favour of the buffer because they don’t have the resources to enforce it, however, the village WANT the buffer and believe it will reduce speeding regardless of whether it is police monitored or not. Influencing driver behaviour is the cornerstone of most traffic calming measures.
  • Finally, residents are concerned that where the new footpath is proposed, there is a significant risk that people will park their cars there, making Wing Road even more precarious, although it was agreed that white lines could potentially address this issue.
  • To re-iterate, on the basis of the present application and the recent amendments, specifically because the planners have not taken into account our “made” Neighbourhood Plan, which in reality means the plan has failed on its first test, the PC have no option but to oppose this application.

22/03624/APP – Littlecote Farm, Littlecote, Stewkley MK18 3LN

Cllrs resolved to SUPPORT this application
Proposed: Cllr Delafield / Seconded: Cllr Arthur / Agreed unanimously

7. Enforcement Issues

Cllr Bottomley expressed his deep frustration over 74 High Street South. All these months on and none of the site has been cleared; it is all still there, and rightly so, residents are questioning what the PC are doing about it, as to them it looks like nothing at all with just excuse after excuse.

Cllr Gomm said he understood these frustrations, adding that he’d asked Enforcement for an updatetwiceearliertodaybutwasstillwaitingtohear. Heconfirmedthatassoonashereceived an update, he would immediately share this with Councillors.

8. Finance

Cllr Bottomley expressed his deep frustration over 74 High Street South. All these months on and none of the site has been cleared; it is all still there, and rightly so, residents are questioning what the PC are doing about it, as to them it looks like nothing at all with just excuse after excuse.

Cllr Gomm said he understood these frustrations, adding that he’d asked Enforcement for an updatetwiceearliertodaybutwasstillwaitingtohear. Heconfirmedthatassoonashereceived an update, he would immediately share this with Councillors.

• To agree the November payment run as circulated

Stewkley parsih council payments november 2022

Proposed: Cllr Morgan / Seconded: Cllr Delafied / Agreed unanimously

To approve the Accounts to 30th September 2022
Proposed: Cllr Morgan / Seconded: Cllr Bottomley / Agreed unanimously

9. Queens Jubilee Commemorative Garden
There were no new updates to report

10. Recreation Ground

  • A meeting has been arranged with the Community Board Manager, later this week regarding our grant application for the proposed bike shelter at the Recreation Ground.
  • Cllrs will recall that Cllr Morgan applied for the Pavilion to be re-listing as an asset of community value. We expect to receive a copy of the Decision Notice by 10th November.
  • There was a discussion on the recent S106 funding application for ball stop netting at the Recreation Ground, and following input from a concerned resident, Cllrs discussed at length various amendments including removal of the net during the off-season. This to be taken forward and raised at the next Rec Committee meeting.

11. Highways, Footpaths, and Lighting

  • The circular walk loop off Cricketer’s Close was raised, as over the summer months people started using it again, following its closure for remedial work by the BC Rights of Way team, who had previously declared it unsafe. As the area is not cordoned off, people have assumed it is now safe, but it appears nothing has been done with the area. The Clerk will follow up with the Rights of Way Team to try and determine the situation. Action Clerk
  • Cllr Arthur updated that 10 streetlight lanterns throughout the village have been replaced over the last month, and as with our neighbouring parishes, rising energy costs remain high on the radar for the PC and are closely monitored. Cllr Gomm reported that Balfour Beatty Living Places, who will take over the Highways maintenance from Transport for Bucks in March, have a lighting division and the hope is that PC’s should be able to make use of their services at competitive rates.

12. Wildlife Reserve

Cllr Hunt passed an invoice to the Clerk that he’d received from Alan Dickens in respect of seeds purchased from Emorsgate Seeds. This to be added to the next payment run for approval. He also informed Cllrs that Alan has collected a lot of seed from local sources and has sown seeds that would have otherwise cost over another £1,000. Alan has also asked Robert Goss to cut the hedges in the nature reserve, for the first time since 2018 so a bill will be submitted in due course for that.

13. To report on meetings attended

  • The recent Drop-In Event at the Rec was a great success, and really well supported. The Chairman thanked all those involved in the organisation of the event, and those that attended. As the PC plan to hold future events, it would be really great to get parishioner feedback so that we can go from strength to strength. Any such feedback should be emailed to the Clerk at stewkleyparishclerk@gmail.com who will ensure the feedback is shared. One important observation was that should future events be held, if they are to be on a Sunday, could they start after church and chapel have finished.
  • Cllr Morgan was unable to attend the most recent North Bucks Parishes meeting but plans to attend the next meeting on 23rd January 2023, and would be encouraging Cllr Gomm to do the same. Cllr Morgan added that the meetings are fairly dominated right now by all the massive developments going on around Newton Longville, the edge of Milton Keynes, Whaddon and Maids Morten.

14. Date of next meeting

The next meeting will be held on Monday 5th December 2022 at The Village Hall The Chairman confirmed the meeting closed at 21:57