Wendover Parish Council
Minutes of the Annual Parish Council Meeting

Held on 8th May, 2012

In Wendover Library Room at 7.30 pm

Present: Cllrs: Mrs Ballantine, Mrs Carroll, Mrs Clayton, Duggan, Grant, Mrs Green, Mrs Gregory, Mrs Saunders,

Mrs Stamper, Walsh, Worth

Deputy Clerk: Mrs Jill Bottomley

County Councillor Mrs Clayton

District Councillor Richards

Stephen Borthwick, Wing Commander, Deputy Station Commander, RAF Halton

12 members of the public,to include Mr Digby, Wendover Action Group and Mr Mitchell, Wendover Community Library

Cllr Duggan, Chairman of Wendover Parish Council, opened the meeting.

PC13/01Election of Chair
It was proposed by Cllr Mrs Clayton that Cllr Duggan be nominated as Chairman having done such an excellent job as Chairman in the previous year under difficult circumstances. Cllr Worth seconded the proposal. Cllr Duggan accepted the nomination. There were no other nominations. A vote was taken and carried unanimously in favour and Cllr Duggan accepted the position of Chairman. Cllr Duggan thanked the members for their support and remarked that he was honoured to continue as Chairman of Wendover Parish Council.

PC13/02Election of Vice Chair
Cllr Mrs Clayton proposed that Cllr Mrs Gregory be nominatedas Vice Chairman. Cllr Mrs Stamper seconded the proposal. Cllr Mrs Gregory accepted the nomination. There were no other nominations. A vote was taken and carried unanimously in favour and Cllr Mrs Gregory accepted the position of Vice Chairman.

PC13/03Apologies for Absence
Apologies for absence were received and accepted from Cllrs Lewis and Statham and District Cllr Bowles.

PC13/04Declarations of Interest

Cllr Mrs Clayton declared a personal interest in item 17, HS2 Consultation and Cllr Worth declared a personal interest in item 16i, Community Library on the agenda.

The meeting was closed for Public Participation.

Wing Commander Stephen Borthwick, Deputy Station Commander, RAF Halton provided an overview of the role RAF Halton would be taking in support of the Olympics. RAF Halton would be hosting a large number of visitors as part of the Olympic security force in addition to the usual obligations to routine training. This would result in 500 additional students being on base from mid-May which would escalate to an additional 650 personnel on base during the summer months of July and August. Such a large influx of personnel was likely to increase business in Wendover during this period. Other contributions being made by RAF Halton included support for locally organised events being run by AVDC and Bucks CC (the Olympic Torch Relay and the Paralympic Flame Festival) along with publicity for RAF athletes and officials and ceremonial and organisational duties at the Olympic Games. Wing Commander Borthwick also explained that there would be airspace restrictions that would impact on the use of RAF Halton airfield.

RAF Halton was also planning a small “Meet the RAF” event between noon and 2.00pm with RAF personnel and the RAF Halton Pipe and Drum Band on the Manor Waste on Friday 1st June 2012 as an opening event to the Diamond Jubilee weekend and “Wendover Celebrates”.

More weekend activity was to be expected at RAF Halton due to the training of more reservists and auxiliaries (possibly 700) but disruption would be kept to a minimum.

John Digby announced that he was representing Wendover Action Group and would be able to help with any questions with item 16ii, a request for funding for the Community car, on the agenda.

The Chairman then re-opened the meeting.

PC13/05Appointment of Representatives to Outside Bodies

Representatives were agreedfor the following bodies:

  1. Wendover Memorial Hall – Cllrs Mrs Ballantine, Mrs Carroll and Mrs Stamper (check if three Councillors are necessary at next Memorial Hall meeting).
  2. Lionel Abel-Smith Trust – Cllr Mrs Stamper
  3. Wendover Youth Club/Youth Management Committee – Cllrs Mrs Ballantine and Grant (check required representation at next Youth Club meeting)
  4. William Hill’s Charity – Cllrs Mrs Ballantine and Mrs Saunders (check representation and future of trust at next meeting)
  5. Wendover Arm Trust – Cllr Statham
  6. Wendover Churchyard Care Committee – Cllrs Mrs Ballantine and Lewis (check if two are sufficient representation from Parish Council at next meeting)
  7. Wendover Amalgamated Charities – Status to be clarified with the Charity Commission and any implications for the PC (Action:Acting RFO)
  8. Wendover Twinning Society – Cllr Grant
  9. Wendover Action Group – Cllr Statham
  10. WendoverChurch of EnglandSchool– Governor – Cllr Mrs Carroll
  11. Wendover Chamber of Trade and Commerce – Cllr Mrs Gregory
  12. AV Association of Local Council – Cllr Lewis
  13. HS2 Community Forum – Cllr Statham
  14. Local Area Forum – Cllr Walsh, Cllr Worth. Cllr Mrs Clayton attends in her capacity as County Councillor.
  15. VAP Stakeholder Forum – Cllr Statham
  16. Local Council Planning Liaison Group – Cllr Mrs Ballantine
  17. Community Library Committee – Cllr Worth

PC13/06Appointment of Committees and Working Groups

The membership of the following committees was agreed as follows:

  1. Finance & General Committee - Cllrs Duggan, Mrs Gregory, Lewis, Walsh and Worth (to meet quarterly)
  2. Amenities Committee – Cllrs Mrs Ballantine, Mrs Carroll, Mrs Clayton, Duggan, Mrs Green, Lewis, Mrs Stamper, Walsh and Worth (to meet every other month)
  3. Planning Committee - Cllrs Mrs Ballantine, Duggan, Grant, Statham, Walsh and Worth (to meet two times a month)
  4. Staffing - Cllrs Mrs Carroll, Duggan, Grant, Mrs Gregory and Mrs Saunders (to meet quarterly)

The reduction in the number of meetings was agreed but it was accepted that it would be on trial in an effort to improve efficiency.

The membership of the following working groups was agreed as follows:

  1. Grants – Cllr Mrs Ballantine, Mrs Carroll, Grant and Worth
  2. Communications–Cllrs Mr Gregory
  3. Policies & Procedures - Cllrs Mrs Gregory and Walsh
  4. Events–Cllr Mrs Carroll
  5. Parking - CllrsMrs Clayton, Mrs Green and Statham
  6. Premises - Cllrs Mrs Clayton, Mrs Green, Lewis, Statham and Walsh
  7. Restructuring – Cllrs Duggan, Lewis, Mrs Saunders and Walsh

PC13/07County Councillor’s Report
Cllr Mrs Clayton noted that road works were being carried on the Aylesbury Road with night time closures for some much needed repairs. Buckinghamshire County Council efforts were reported to be very much focussed on the Diamond Jubilee events.

PC13/08District Councillor’s Report
District Cllr Richards reported that two important planning applications had been submitted for sites in Wendover. Cllr Richards had requested that planning application 12/00549/APP for the construction of 13 houses on land off Lambe Road and planning applications 12/00023/APP and 12/00024/ALB for the rebuilding and restoration of Brook House with an additional new dwelling were brought to Development Control Committee meetings both being of such importance to Wendover and its inhabitants. The Parish Council Planning representatives were urged to read the reports.

PC13/09Correspondence and Clerk’s Report

Outstanding actions from Parish Council meetings:

  • PC12/226 - Churchyard Care Agreement. Suggestion from Locum Clerk, Bridget Bradford, that agreement takes the form of a letter, which could be sent to NALC, or BCC legal services for comment on the draft letter’s suitability for purpose.
  • PC12/224c – Revised Standing Orders – feedback from Clerk (Glyn Thomas/Jill Bottomley) have made some comments.
  • PC12/248d – Website – Spoke to Eastweb, Friday 4th May, still problems with hosting site. KCS left a message that they had returned my call at 5.10pm Friday 4th May. Start to consider taking legal advice if no further progress is made. Needs constant prompting which by necessity due to time constraints is taking a lower priority.

Correspondence

  • Request received to monitor speed of traffic on Aylesbury Road between Police station and Petrol station. Speedwatch equipment was currently with Stoke Mandeville Parish Council but the Wendover team will include this area, as well as South Street, in the next Wendover Speedwatch survey.
  • Notice of Chilterns Conservation Board’s annual grant scheme, the sustainable development fund, open for new applications which will conserve/enhance natural beauty of the Chilterns/ or promote public awareness and enjoyment of the area’s special qualities.
  • A new pressure reducing valve is recommended for the Clock Tower. Had a flood when the new water heater was installed. Cost in region of £170.Agreed.
  • 2012/13 subscription fee to the National Association of British Market Authorities, £381.60.

Does Parish Council wish to remain a member? Advise that whilst Wendover has a market it would be sensible to continue with subscription – legal advice, health checks, consultancy service, etc. Agreed.

  • Circus at Ashbrook Recreation Ground, 16th – 20th May.
  • Fair on Manor Waste, 26th-27th May.

PC13/10Minutes
The minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 2 April, 2012were agreed as a true record and the Chairman signed them.

PC13/11Finance Committee

The approved minutes of the Finance Committee Meeting held on 19 March, 2012 were received and taken as read.

  1. The payment of accounts was noted:

There was an enquiry regarding the payment to Pell Frischmann and whether the Parish Council had received the noise survey. Further enquiries would be made of Wendover HS2.

  1. The March 2012 accounts were accepted.

  1. The rearrangement of the budget codes was accepted.

PC13/12Planning Committee
The approved minutes of the Planning Committee meetings held on 26th March and 2nd April 2012 were received and taken as read.

PC13/13Staffing Committee
Theapproved minutes of the Staffing Committeemeeting held on 13th February 2012 were received and taken as read.

PC13/14Amenities Committee
The approved minutes of the Amenities Committee meeting held on 26th March 2012 were received and taken as read.

It was agreed that the Parish Council would organise the erection and removal of the bunting for the Diamond Jubilee and Olympic Celebrations with funds that had been transferred to this event from the savings made by not arranging any summer entertainment events (12.135).

PC13/15Grants

  1. The immediate request to the Parish Council for support of the Community Library had been withdrawn due to the approval of a Partnership Agreement with the Buckinghamshire County Library Service with the staffing of 2 librarians being covered by County Council. Mr Mitchell, Chair of Wendover Community Library Committee, indicated that support would be required from April 2013 and with this in mind would request the opportunity to discuss the possibilities with the Parish Council during September/October of this year. Mr Mitchell expressed the Community Library’s desire to become a community hub with other groups joining the library and sharing the building. It was unanimously agreed that the Parish Council would enter into discussionswith the Community Library in September 2012 to consider future funding and use of the building.
  2. An appeal for funding was made by the Wendover Action Group in support of the Community Car. This service helped approximately 3,000 people each year, aiding both young and old with disabilities in Wendover and the surrounding villages. It was reported that new volunteer drivers were always welcomed.

Mr Digby was asked whether other Parish Councils had been approached for support, or the LAF for additional funding. It was proposed and unanimously agreed that £1,000 would be donated towards the running costs of the Community Car (under section 26of the Local Government & Rating Act, 1997) with further considerations in future years.

  1. It was noted that Youth Club salary costs had been supported by the Parish Council to the end of the financial year 2012/13.

PC13/17 Wendover Parish Council’s Response to HS2 Environmental Impact Consultation

It was proposed by Cllr Mrs Clayton that Cllr Statham should be given the responsibility for formulating a response to this consultation by Wendover Parish Council by the 30th May 2012 working alongside the HS2 technical group. The response was to be circulated to the Councillors before submission. It was unanimously agreed to proceed as outlined by this proposal.

PC13/18Parish Plan
It was agreedthat a three year rolling plan would be put in place to provide a clear understanding of the goals that the Parish Council were seeking to achieve during the next three years of office.

PC13/19Matters of Report

  1. It was reported that the premises working group had formulated a general consensus of thoughts regarding the Parish Council’s support of the Community Library. This consensus would feed through to further discussions regarding restructuring and timelines.
  2. The Parish Council A-board was looking untidy and was to be removed from the Manor Waste.
  3. Cllr Mrs Carroll noted that this was the last Parish Council meeting prior to the Diamond Jubilee Celebrations and expressed thanks to the Parish Council for its support of Wendover Celebrates.
  4. Cllr Statham had expressed the need to update the Parish Council website with details of cycling routes and Get Wendover Cycling. This request had been delayed due to the failure to get the new Wendover Parish Council’s website “live” due to hosting domain problems.
  5. Cllr Grant reported that the Youth Club was opening a Coffee Club to make greater use of facilities, support community activities and raise funds.
  6. Cllr Grant also promoted Wendover Celebrates describing that there would be a raffle on the day with great prizes and a special celebrity guest attending the event.
  7. Cllr Worth was awaiting a response from AVDC regarding Walnut Tree Meadow and the suggestion of a potential site for a Community Orchard.
  8. Cllr Worth commented upon the fact that the new cycle path in Manor Road had been dug up twice to date already.
  9. Cllr Worth had heard a number of comments that a pizza restaurant might be well received in Wendover.
  10. Cllr Mrs Stamper reported in her role as a representative of the Parish Council on the Wendover Memorial Hall Management Committee. The hall had been extremely busy with bookings during last autumn and the current spring period. New flooring had been installed in the meeting room. There had been no incidents.
  11. Cllr Mrs Stamper reported in her role as the Parish Council’s representative on the Lionel Abel-Smith Trust. Cllr Mrs Stamper recorded that Tony Mogford had retired from his position as Chairman of the Trust having served the Trust so well over the last 25 years. Mr Mogford was to take the position of Vice Chairman,in support of Cllr Mrs Clayton who had been duly elected to Chairman of the Trust. Mrs Sarah Potter presented Mr Mogford with a garden companion seat and cushions. In addition, Mr Mogford received a book of writings and recollections oftimes during his long service to the Trust which had been provided by people from all walks of life in Wendover in expression of their warmest best wishes and thanks.

PC13/20 DATES OF FUTURE MEETINGS

The date of the next full Parish Council Meeting was scheduled for the 11th June 2012.

Due to the confidential nature of the business to be discussed, it was resolved to close the meeting to the press and public under section 1(2) of the public bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960

PC13/21 STAFFING & FINANCIAL ISSUES

An update was provided by Cllr Duggan following the Clerk’s resignation.

An update was provided from the Restructuring Working Group.

It was resolved to provide some temporary administrative support for the Deputy Clerk.

PC13/22 CLOSURE OF MEETING
There being no further business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 9.30 pm

Signed ______Date: ______

Chairman