Works & Services 11 November 21

CHEPPING WYCOMBE PARISH COUNCIL
WORKS & SERVICES COMMITTEE
“Cherish the past, adorn the present, construct for the future”

Report of the meeting held on Thursday 11 November 2021 commencing at 7.30pm
in the Council Chamber, Cock Lane, Tylers Green, High Wycombe, Bucks HP10 8DS

Present: Cllr C Dodds – Chairman Cllr A Barron Cllr R Wilks – Vice Chairman Cllr J Gurney
Cllr L Johncock Cllr C Jordan
Cllr K Wood Cllr J Herschel
Cllr S Barrett Cllr H Darch
Cllr D Johncock (ex officio)

Also present: Mr G Christie, Cllr R Kin and Cllr I Forbes

WS/21/027 Apologies for absence
none

WS/21/028 Declarations of members’ interests in Items on the agenda
none

WS/21/029 Delegated Action
Members were asked to note that since the last committee meeting in September the chairman of committee and clerk had instigated the following under delegated actions;
• Replacement door between staffroom and workshop at a cost of £210.

WS/21/030 Committee Projects
1 Office Complex Refurbishment
Members were asked to note that the remedial work to restore the office following the water leak was scheduled to begin on 22nd November and the cost will be covered by our insurance company.

Members were asked to note that, following advice from Buckinghamshire Council, we are having new plans suitable for Building Regulations drawn up by a commercial architect.

Members were asked to note that quotes would be brought to the next committee meeting to replace the patio which is crumbling.

2 Depot
Members were asked to note that the proposed work to replace the depot roof had been completed at a cost of £23,451. The gutters would be cleaned late November once all the leaves had fallen. The first clean and inspection is free of charge.

Members were asked to note that a new roller shutter door for the depot had been ordered at a cost of £4,115.

Members were asked to note that the work to fill the redundant inspection pit in the depot would be carried out at the same time as the remedial work to the office at a cost of £1,000.

Members were asked to note that we had received an estimate of £3,395 for the painting of the steel beams and floor in the depot and workshop. Members were asked to consider the obtaining of quotes for this work.
It was RESOLVED that;
quotes for the painting of the steel beams and floor would be brought to the next committee meeting.
It was noted that the floor would be painted with epoxy paint.

Members were asked to note that the Grounds Team had painted the metal stairway between the depot and the workshop.

Members were asked to note that quotes to replace the fluorescent lighting with LED luminaires would be brought to the next committee meeting.
It was noted that a request would be made to Full Council to release £15,000 from the General Reserve Fund to cover the remaining works to the depot.

WS/21/031 Street Furniture
Members were asked to note that bus shelters would be reviewed once passenger numbers had recovered after the COVID pandemic.
Cllr D Johncock noted that the college in Flackwell Heath would be relocated but no date for the relocation had been decided.

Members were asked to note that the new bench at the junction of Northern Woods and Whitepit Lane had been installed and is being used by residents.

WS/21/032 Cemeteries
1 Altona Road Cemetery
Members were asked to note that the planter had been ordered.

Members were asked to note that 60m of holly hedging for the back boundary had been ordered and is scheduled to be delivered in the second week of January after which date it will be planted by our Grounds Team.

2 Cock Lane Cemetery
Members were asked to note that the rotten posts near the public footpath would be replaced rather than putting up a new fence and quotes would be brought to the next committee meeting.

3 Hammersley Lane Garden of Rest
Members were asked to note that it was agreed to fill in a dip in the path. The dip will be infilled with stone by our Grounds Team within the next 3 weeks and quotes to redo the whole path with self-binding gravel would be brought to the next meeting.
Members were asked to note that the height of the holly tree had been reduced.

Members were asked to note that the repointing of the flint stones had been completed at a cost of £735.

4 Policy Consultation Briefing – Environmental Permitting Regulations (DEFRA Consultation)
Members were asked to review the consultation document with a view to providing a response.
It was RESOLVED that;
the clerk would send a response to NALC with our objection to the General Binding Rule that the proposed size of the burial plots be increased to 5m2

WS/21/033 War Memorial – Flackwell Heath
Members were asked to note that:
• the four ½ bell traffic bollards had been ordered
• the turf had been extended to reduce the size of the flower beds at a cost of £640
• the flower beds had been planted with a selection of heucheras and nandinas at a cost of £131.85.
It was noted that the turf around the obelisks was turning yellow and that signs had been put up to keep dogs off the grass.
Cllr L Johncock noted that the planting looked very nice and thanked the Grounds Team for their work.

Members were asked to note that permission is not required for a paved pathway from the road to the memorial and quotes for a path would be obtained and brought to the next committee meeting.
It was noted that the whole area would be turfed by our Grounds Team after the path and bollards had been installed.

WS/21/034 Royal Mail Pouch Boxes
Members were asked to receive a verbal update from Cllr Barrett on the progression of the project regarding the removal of the pouch boxes.
It was RESOLVED that;
in the first instance, the map of all bag drop boxes in our parish needs to be updated. Following that, Cllr Barrett would work with the deputy clerk to write to RoyalMail requesting the bag drop boxes be removed.

WS/21/035 Vehicle Signage
Members were asked to note that four magnetic signs for our vehicles had been ordered at a cost of £140.

WS/21/036 Community Payback
Members were asked to note that the work undertaken by the Community Payback team on a Sunday had been suspended but that the Monday group at Derehams and Loudwater Cemetery was still going ahead and a Wednesday group was in the process of being set up.

WS/21/037 Committee Finances
Members were asked to note the committee’s income and expenditure to Period 6 (September).
It was noted that the budget for vehicle maintenance had been overspent in 2021/22 but that it had been adjusted upwards for the 2022/23 budget.

WS/21/038 Draft Committee Budget 2022/23
Members were asked to consider the draft budget and to make suggestions for the budget lines.
Following any changes, the budget would be recommended to the next Finance and General Purposes Committee for approval.

Cllr Dodds noted that he was satisfied with the budget for W&S.
Cllr Forbes was comfortable with the budget and commended the office staff for obtaining a good quote for Footway Lighting energy cost.
It was noted that the money for projects would be brought in at the next stage.
It was noted that it had been hard to get suggestions for the budget lines but it was hoped that councillors would bring ideas to the next committee meeting.

It was RESOLVED that;
the budget be recommended to the next Finance and General Purposes Committee meeting.

WS/21/039 Questions from committee members and the public
• Cllr Darch asked whether our fleet vehicles were likely to change to electric.
This would be a topic for debate in the future.
• Cllr Jordan noted that activity had begun in Rayners Avenue; trial holes were being sunk to see where the high voltage cables are.

WS/21/040 Accounts for payment
Accounts for payment were circulated at the meeting for consideration by councillors.
When queried, it was noted that the invoice for 4 Front Security Services Ltd was for 14 nights.

It was RESOLVED that;
the accounts for payment be approved and cheques numbered 10617 to 10630 be signed and direct debits to Barclays, EE, E-ON Next, NEST, Shell (Fuel Card Services), Shorts Group Ltd and SSE be approved for payment.

The chairman of committee thanked members for their attendance and closed the meeting at 8.25pm.

Date and Time of next meeting: tbc

Signed: Dated: 16 December 2021