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CHEPPING WYCOMBE PARISH COUNCIL
COUNCIL MEETING
Report of the the Council meeting held on Tuesday, 15 October 2024 at 7.30pm
at the Council Chamber, Cock Lane, Tylers Green, Bucks HP10 8DS
The meeting was open to the public and press
Present: Cllr K Wood (Chairman) Cllr C Dodds
Cllr D Johncock (Vice-chairman) Cllr L Johncock
Cllr S Herron Cllr J Gurney
Cllr L Willis Cllr I Forbes
Cllr R Wilks Cllr C Jordan
Cllr A Barron Cllr S Digby
Cllr H Darch
Also present: Mr R Tackley (Buckinghamshire Council) and Mrs L Townsend (FHRA)
Members of the public are permitted to make representations, ask and answer questions, in respect of any item of business included in the agenda. A fifteen-minute period is permitted in total.
FC/24/026 Apologies for Absence
Apologies for absence were received and approved from Cllr K Griffiths (holiday), Cllr J Herschel (health) and Cllr L Webb (business)
Cllr S Barrett was not in attendance.
FC/24/027 Declarations of Interest and Code of Conduct
Cllr I Forbes and Cllr H Darch declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 16 being in receipt of
expenses cheques.
FC/24/028 Council Minutes
Council was asked to consider the minutes of the Council meeting held on Tuesday 25 June 2024 and the Special Council Meeting held on Tuesday 2 September 2024.
It was RESOLVED that;
the minutes of both meeting be approved as an accurate record.
FC/24/029 Open Spaces Committee
Council was asked to consider the report of the Committee meeting held on Tuesday 2 September 2024.
OS/24/016 Derehams
Cllr Willis advised that a Derehams Working Party meeting had taken place on 9 October to discuss the report received on the pre-planning application. Following that meeting the Clerk had contacted the architect with the suggestion of using the Bowls Club clubhouse as part of a new scheme. The next step would be to undertake a site visit, gaining access to the clubhouse to access the feasibility of using the building and/or altering the building. Cllr Wood advised that she would contact the Chairman of the Bowls Club for a convenient date and time for a site visit. The architect would also be invited.
It was RESOLVED that;
the report of the Committee meeting be approved.
FC/24/030 Works & Services Committee
Council was asked to consider the report of the Committee meeting held on Thursday 19 September 2024.
WS/24/024 LED Footway Lighting Cllr Dodds advised that this item was for further discussion later in the meeting.
WS/24/026 Heath End Road Footpath Cllr D Johncock advised that a walk along the site had been undertaken and Cllr Barron had managed to take a video recording of the path which would be taken to the next Works & Services committee meeting in November. Cllr Herschel, Cllr Barron and Cllr D Johncock had been present on the walk.
It was RESOLVED that;
the report of the Committee meeting be approved.
FC/24/031 Finance &General Purposes
Council was asked to consider the report of the Committee meeting held on Tuesday 1 October 2024
FGP/24/005 2 Risk Register Cllr Barron highlighted the register as being updated as previously requested using the employment of Peninsular Business Solutions as a mitigating factor with Employment issues.
FGP/24/013 1 Precept Timetable Cllr Barron highlighted this point asking for project information from the committees for budgeting purposes.
FGP/24/011 NAG Cllr Forbes advised that a new SD card had been purposed for the Tylers Green Community Speedwatch Team as the original card had failed.
FGP/24/008 2 Flackwell Heath Tennis Club Cllr Digby asked about the grant application. The Clerk advised that an email had been sent asking for further information and a plan.
It was RESOLVED that;
the report of the Committee meeting be approved.
FC/24/032 Planning Meetings
It was RESOLVED that;
the reports of the Planning Meetings held on 25 June 2024, 9 July 2024, 23 July 2024, 6 August 2024, 20 August 2024, 3 September 2024, 17 September 2024 and 1 October 2024 be approved.
Council was also asked to note the schedule of applications from June to October, showing eventual outcomes of the parish council submitted objections.
Cllr Digby had noted a parking issue with a previously discussed application. Cllr D Johncock asked for the address and said that he would take it forward.
Cllr Darch highlighted the Ashwells plans for the next planning meeting and asked that all concerned have a look at the documentation on-line.
FC/24/033 Community Board
Council welcomed Ross Tackley, the covering Community Board Manager for Beaconsfield & Chepping Wye, and received a verbal update on the boards and the current projects. The current situation was that the parish was split across two Community Boards this was greeted with dissent. The Chairman of Council had been in communication with the Cabinet Member for Communities to ask for a resolution to the situation and had been told that it would be looked into, however, to date Flackwell Heath had been moved to another Board but not with Tylers Green and Loudwater. The situation was felt to be unacceptable.
Ross continued with bringing the Council up to date with projects – the Flackwell Heath project had been approved along with the Bridging the Gap project and there was further project for Juniper Hill School near to completion.
FC/24/034 Grant Applications
Council was asked to consider the recommendation from the Finance & General Purposes committee to approve the following application;
1 Flackwell Heath Residents’ Association
Flackwell Heath Residents’ Association had applied for a grant in the sum of £2,748.15 towards the Christmas Lights in the village. The amount requested was 50% of the total cost and to be granted on a non-recurring basis.
It was RESOLVED that;
a grant in the sum of £2,748.15 be approved on a non-recurring basis.
FC/24/035 Financial Regulations
Council was asked to consider the recommendation from the Finance & General Purposes committee to adopt the New Model Regulations. Council was asked to note that amendments had been made by combining the New Model Regulations with our existing Regulations as agreed at committee level.
It was RESOLVED that;
the New Model Financial Regulations be approved for adoption.
FC/24/036 Investing – CCLA
Council was asked to consider the recommendation from the Finance & General Purposes committee to invest an initial sum of £250k with CCLA and for the authorised signatories to be Cllr K Wood, Cllr A Barron, Cllr S Herron, Cllr Forbes and Mrs W Thompson (Clerk).
It was RESOLVED that;
the sum of £250k be invested and that the authorised signatories by Cllr K Wood, Cllr A Barron, Cllr S Herron, Cllr I Forbes and Mrs W Thompson.
FC/24/037 LED Footway Lighting
Council was asked to consider the recommendation from the Works & Services committee to accept the quotation of £10,217.08 for the repairs to 54 high priority lamps in Flackwell Heath following the inspection undertaken by our lighting contractor.
It was RESOLVED that;
the quotation for £10,217.08 for the repairs to 54 high priority lamps in Flackwell Heath be approved. The expenditure to be covered by the Footway Lighting Earmarked Reserve.
The chairman asked to suspend standing orders so that the agenda items could be taken out of order as follows. Members present were in agreement.
FC/24/038 Devolved Services – Tylers Green & Flackwell Heath
Council was asked to note the offer and maps from Buckinghamshire Council relating to the above. Council was asked to consider the options with a view to either expressing an interest or declining the offer.
It was RESOLVED that;
the offer be accepted as it was only for an initial period of two years.
FC/24/039 Public Participation
Mrs Townsend thank the Council for their support with the grants for current projects an advised that her dealings with the Community Board had been only positive.
In view of the confidential nature of the business to be considered it is RECOMMENDED that Council resolve to exclude the public and press from the remainder of the meeting as permitted under the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960.
Mrs Townsend and Mr Tackley left the meeting at 8.20pm
FC/24/040 Staff Committee
Council was asked to receive a verbal report from the Staff Committee attached to this report APPENDIX 1 Council was asked to consider the recommendations of the Staff Committee.
It was RESOLVED that;
a salary uplift of 6.3% be awarded, backdated to April for the current financial year.
FC/24/041 Questions by Members of the Council
Cllr Darch asked if the Football Club had been in contact about parking issues with the matches coming up. The Clerk advised that she had emailed and was awaiting a response.
Cllr Willis asked about the enforcement of the double yellow lines on Queensmead Road. Cllr Wood said she would follow this up.
FC/24/042 Accounts for Payment
It was RESOLVED that;
the accounts for payment be approved and cheques numbered 11380 to 11388 be signed and that direct debits to Barclays, Barclaycard, Clear Business (Unicom), E-On Next, Redsquid Communications Ltd ( Triumph Technologies), Shell (Fuel Card Services), Shorts Group Ltd and Trade UK along with a transfer to Jayne McFarlane be approved for payment.
Date & Time of Next Meeting: Thursday 19 December 2024 @ 7.30pm
APPENDIX 1
Full Council meeting – verbal report on Salaries meeting
CWPC has not agreed the 2023 / 24 salary changes
For period 2023 / 2024
£4,058 = 1% of precept.
Current 2023 / 2024 Salaries = £151,495
Salaries 2024 / 2025 = £161,039
For a decade we have had a stable workforce. All our staff are ageing, and we do not appear to have any succession plans in place.
Grounds team:
The informal meeting discussed the possibility of taking on additional ‘devolved services’ to include grass cutting. Grass cutting is not the issue – it is the strimming that is labour intensive. Any increase, particularly a suggestion in W&S to augment the parish footpath network may result in a different work pattern i.e. two teams of 2 in the Grounds team. This would be beneficial in relation to issues regarding lone working practices.
Administrative team:
The current Clerk fulfils a range of duties that exceed a standard job description for the role. The current support staff do not have the ambition to replace the Clerk and thus we are extremely vulnerable in the event of absence. CWPC needs to consider recruitment of a Deputy Clerk who may be able to replace the Clerk in the event of retirement.