BUCKINGHAM PARK PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of a Meeting of Buckingham Park Parish Council held on Thursday
12th January, 2012 at 8pm in the Temporary Community Centre, Buckingham Park.
Present: Cllrs Looker (Chairman), Christensen, Wayte, Towle, Pancholi, Poth, Lambert & Martin
10 residents and PCSO Alison McHattie
1. Apologies for Absence
To receive and accept apologies for absence notified to the Chairman or Clerk
RESOLVED: To accept apologies from Keith Gray (Clerk to the Council). Cllr Lambert to clerk the meeting.
2. Declarations of Interest
To receive any pecuniary or non-pecuniary declarations of interest
None.
3. Minutes of the previous meeting held on 15/12/11
RESOLVED: Minor amendment to item 5.4 to reflect Councillor Towle not Cllr Martin. Minutes accepted and signed for 15/12/11 as a true recording.
4. Clerk’s Report
To receive a report from the Clerk on matters dealt with and taking forward
on behalf of the parish council
· Update following a meeting with Aylesbury Vale District Council on the negotiations for the transfer of the new Community Centre to the Parish Council. Council noted the comment that “the hire charges for current customers to remain the same as current charges” was unfortunate as it is not a like for like structure, with several rooms for hire, so charges should reflect this, and that it could limit the income of the new community centre as a result. Resolved: To ask the Clerk to continue with the negotiations with AVDC during the transfer process.
· Cllr Looker reported that concerns had been raised regarding litter becoming a problem at Buckingham Park following the high winds and holiday period, and that an urgent litter pick is needed. It was noted that Brad Lemmon (NHW Co-ordinator) had identified 3 bins near the playground that were new and had not been added to the contractors list for emptying. Resolved: To delegate to the clerk the necessary actions to carry out a ‘once over the ground’ litter pick at the earliest opportunity.
Chairman suspended Standing Orders (adjourn meeting) to enable questions from the public and any reports from councillors.
Haretwell
5. Questions from the Public & Reports. To receive any reports from County and District Councillors.
· The Chairman of the Youth Club thanked the parish Council for its recent Grant donation and advised that the Youth Club held its first weekly session on 11th January. It was well attended and they requested to still advertise in Park News and would like a link on the Parish Website. They would also like to liaise with the Community Centre working group to be as helpful and engaged as possible on the set up/ purchase of equipment.
· PCSO Alison McHattie introduced herself and advised that she had attended the opening of the Youth Club and that she was looking to set up a Youth Council which would have a member attended the NAG. Also that the first Neighbourhood Action Group is to be held on Monday 30th January and that leaflets had been distributed across Buckingham Park. In addition, the NAG will include the residents of Berryfields as there are common issues.
· PSCO Alison McHattie also advised that the area crime report showed there had been a theft of a mobile phone, and that graffiti was still a problem up Red Admiral Street and that she was in dialogue with the Housing Associations about removing this. PCSO Alison McHattie responded to Cllr Looker’s question about parking obstruction enforcement. PCSO Alison McHattie advised that she is now issuing warning letters to offenders and that this is a onetime warning with tickets being issued thereafter.
· Cllr Looker thanked all the Councillors for the delivery of Park News the week before Christmas.
· Cllr Looker reported that earlier that day she had carried out a walk with the Agetur foreman to arrange the hard standing required for 8 of the 10 grit bins. They should all be in place by the end of next week.
· Cllr Looker reported that Agetur/ TW are intending to address the hazardous conditions for pedestrians on the bend of Prince Rupert Drive on phase 5 by laying a temporary pavement on the opposite side of the road, within the next week or so.
· Cllr Wayte advised that groundwork had commenced on the building of the shops today.
· Cllr Towle reported that AVDC have sent a quote for the road signs for :
o Colonel Grantham Avenue
o Prince Rupert Drive
o Ryans Path
o Ascough Close
o Palfreyman Street
o Both Wall Brown Way and Prince Rupert Drive, where the signs are on the property of or within the boundary garden of the Housing Association buildings, they are the responsibility of the Housing Association, though not all are not all Housing Association properties
o Bursars Path name plate is being moved
o Battle Meadow will be getting a new name plate with a directional arrow
The Chairman reconvened meeting
6. Finances & Orders for Payment
RESOLVED: To authorise the following orders and retrospective orders for payment:
· Fresh Design & Print Newsletter Printing £227.28
· Keith Gray Training Expenses (23/11/11) £8.43
· Coldharbour Parish Council Grit Bin Salt £271.70
7. Website Design &Management
To consider any quotes for the design of the website and agree management procedures.
RESOLVED: Deferred as further information is required.
8. Diamond Jubilee & Olympic Celebrations – Events
Council considered it important to discuss marking both events. However, for the Olympics they are dependent on whether the torch would pass along the A413 past Buckingham Park on foot or by car as this would be the focal point.
Resolved: Cllr Wayte to investigate a Beacon lighting scheme for the Jubilee.
Resolved: The Clerk to investigate with LOCOG (London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games) for detailed information on the Olympic Torch passing Buckingham Park.
9. Western Link Road
Council was concerned that not enough information is known about trigger points and dates for the road to be commenced/ completed. Resolved: The Clerk to contact AVDC and/ or Bucks County Council to find out definitively what the key dates and timescales are.
10. Community Centre
Council noted that the Temporary Community Centre and its contents will move to Berryfields when the new Community Centre opens. Council were concerned that Watermead were to stop taking bookings beyond 31st March and that it was not known what they are saying to hirers now about bookings post that date.
Council would like a smooth transfer from the Temporary Community Centre to the new one and there should be no loss of amenity in between the opening and closing dates. This may mean the Council running the Temporary Community Centre for a matter of weeks. Council were also mindful that an early appointment of a centre manager was essential in order to manage the bookings and maintenance regime. Council felt that they would like to mark the opening of the new Community Centre with an event and delegated the organisation of this to the working group.
Resolved: Cllrs Poth, Wayte and Christensen would form the working group, with the Clerk.
Resolved: that Clerk to contact the current Community Centre bookings manager to agree what action to take for bookings after 31st March 2012.
Resolved: The Clerk to liaise with AVDC and the Taylor Wimpey to ensure that there is no loss of amenities between the new Community Centre opening and the old Community Centre closing.
11. Taylor Wimpey Development Issues
· Street lights still being worked on with Cllr Towle
· Street signs are still being worked on with Cllr Towle
· Pond Life Buoy has gone missing. We understand that it will not be replaced as Health and Safety requires the warning notices instead (already erected). The empty stand for the Life Buoy therefore needs removing.
· Surface in basketball area is ‘ponding’. Hazardous in icy/ winter weather.
· The gate is being left open by the pond and needs an appropriate working latch/ lock
· Greenway not properly routed along Northern boundary, to main park and MUGA
Leading to subsequent issues: Small White Path right of way and vehicles parking on the grassed area near the MUGA
· Phase 1 entrance (Prince Rupert Drive), construction vehicles are still using it, when they should not be.
· Road channels caused by digging up of the road surface along phase 5 exit is causing difficulty (and car damage) for residents who live on Phase 4
· Difficulties with work vehicles (especially travelling through Phase 5) and request some courtesy to residents
· Require a timeline for the opening of the Phase 3 section of Price Rupert Drive. Need to be able to drive the length of PRD by the time the school opens in September. Suggest that inevitable move of site from 3a to 3b happens sooner rather than later to enable.
· The main Taylor Wimpey sales suite sign and several flags were damaged during the recent high winds and the sign is now propped up by a lean-to post that does not look safe or tidy.
· The pavement by the post box on Prince Rupert Drive is breaking up (subsiding) and needs repairing. Also, same problem on the corner of Founders Path.
· The junction of Peacock Lane/ Red Admiral Street and Prince Rupert Drive has a broken kerb stone that need fixing.
· Require an update on our request (to planning) for pedestrian access to be created between Leys Close and Colonel Grantham Avenue
Resolved: The Clerk to write to Andy Smith at Taylor Wimpey with these concerns and copy in AVDC planning for their information/ action areas.
12. Vale of Aylesbury Plan
Cllr Lambert updated Council on the latest information on the Neighbourhood Plan and the current consultation on housing and job growth in the Vale. Council were concerned at the amount of planning applications they were receiving and there not being a design code that they could work with as a framework for their decisions. Council also noted that the lack of a clear code also makes it difficult for residents when they were submitting plans for development.
Resolved: The Parish Council will not respond to the AVDC Consultation as a corporate body, but individual Cllrs may do so.
Resolved: A working group to be set up to pull together a design statement document to help future planning decisions. The working group will be: Cllrs Looker, Towle and Lambert.
13. School Building
Council noted the intake closing date for reception class is Sunday 15th January. Council also noted that the closing date for applications for the new Head teacher for the school is this weekend. Council would like to work with the Diocese and are interested in their future plans. Therefore would like them to come to a Parish Council meeting to present their plans and ideas for the school so that the Council and the community can better understand the plans.
Resolved: The Clerk to invite the Diocese to a Parish Council meeting to share their vision of the school.
14. Planning Applications
To receive and comment on the following planning applications or any planning applications presented by the Clerk.
· 11/02652/APP Buckingham Park
Provision of temporary medical centre and car parking with access from Colonel Grantham Avenue
Resolved: Council supports the application with the following comments:
Concern that there is not a continuous pedestrian footway on Colonel Grantham Avenue to the site and no access via market Square as yet. Council think it desirable that this is in place before the new surgery opens (potentially in less than one month).
· 11/02725/APP 8 Petronel Road, BP
Erection of rear conservatory
Resolved: Council had no objections to the proposal
· 11/02464/APP 2 Acres Way, BP
Erection of replacement shed to rear (Retrospective)
Resolved: Council noted the refusal
There being no further business the Chairman closed the meeting at 9.48pm
Signed: ______Date: ______
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