Minutes of the Parish Council meeting on 6 February 2006

PRESENT Cllr Gridley (Chairman)
Cllrs Mrs Ballantine, Mrs Gregory Mrs Kearney, Dr King, Mrs McKechnie
McPartland, Peeler, Weston, Wilkinson and Worth
10 members of the public; District Cllr Richards; Press
PC Griggs

06/14 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE were received from Cllrs Mrs Clayton, Mrs Kearney and Mrs Myers

a) Pavilion; a presentation was made by youth workers and members of the Wendover Youth Club, regarding a meeting held to start off the project. 16 young people will be involved with the project to decorate the pavilion with legal street art. They will work in groups of four and examples of the artwork will be provided in order for users of the pavilion to select a favourite and for the Parish Council to approve. The group wishes to promote a positive image of young people to the wider community and to raise awareness of graffiti as an art form. The Parish Council was thanked for contributing £1,000 for the project and also for giving a grant of £800 towards a pool table for the Youth Centre.

There is to be a Community Policing meeting to be held in Aston Clinton Sports and Social Club on 8 March 2006 at 7.30pm to discuss local issues of concern.

It was AGREED that the minutes were a true record of the meeting, and they were signed by the Chairman. Proposed Cllr McPartland; seconded by Cllr Mrs McKechnie

a) A member clarified the situation regarding the duties of PCSOs whose shifts could continue until midnight, not 10pm as previously reported.

It was AGREED that the minutes were a true record of the meeting and they were signed by the Chairman. It was noted that minor amendments had been made to the background papers accompanying the minutes.

The Acting Chairman of the Committee gave a verbal summary, reporting that a transfer of £20,000 from deposit to current accounts had been AGREED. Grants of £500 (cycle racks) and £2,000 each from AVDC and Chilterns Conservation Board (Hampden Pond) have been obtained.

The Working Group had met to consider the process of setting up a Youth Council. It was AGREED that the Clerk would set up a meeting of a wider group of those working with young people on 7 or 9 March. It was AGREED that Cllrs Mrs Ballantine and Dr King would join the working group looking at the creation of a youth council.

05/03212/APP Single Storey rear extension and single storey side-infill extension. 108 Ellesborough Road

The Parish Council has no objections providing AVDC considers that the proposed zinc roof is in keeping with the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Chilterns Metropolitan Green Belt.

06/00051/APP Two storey side & rear extension and porch to front, 69 Grenville Avenue No objections

It was reported that Wing Cdr Paul, Chief of Staff and Deputy Station Commander, was now responsible for the administration of the group. Sound level recordings have been completed but the raw data needs to be processed in order to publish a report. The Clerk was instructed to write to AVDC to apply pressure for its publication.

A request was received to plant an oak tree in memory of Mrs Joan Newby. It was AGREED that an oak sapling could be planted to replace one of the millennium trees in Ashbrook Recreation Ground.

It was AGREED that an application for listed building consent will be made for a sign to match the one on The Town House to read 'Wendover Parish Council'.

It was AGREED that the Parish Council would not grant permission for these signs to be placed on lighting columns as they were not deemed to be effective and would result in a proliferation of signs in Wendover.

The Clerk's report was received and the contents noted. It was AGREED to nominate the Chairman for an invitation to the Queen's Summer Garden Party.

a) Property Management and Tourism Committee; this will be held after the Planning Committee on 21 February 2006

b) Hampden Pond; the work to the pond is now finished. BCC are aware of this and have been asked to carry out the improvements to the surface of Heron Path near Church Lane and to install the proposed new barriers.

c) Vehicle Activated signs; it was reported that parishes could buy these signs for £3,000 if they meet the eligibility criteria. Consideration of this will be delegated to the Lighting and Highways Committee.

d) Dropped Kerbs; no funding is left in the Local Committee budget and this project is unlikely to be considered for 3 years. It was suggested that the Parish Council could fund the project for £10,000. It was AGREED that this would be considered at the next meeting, subject to more information being available.

f) Disabled Access; an engineer is to inspect the access to Stars Newsagents in the next few weeks.

g) Code of Conduct; Cllrs Dr King and Weston attended a training session on standards in local government. The information pack provided was felt to be useful and will be circulated to all councillors.

The meeting was closed to the press and public in order to consider issues relating to staff issues.

a) Members were brought up to date with the appointment of new Clerk. An offer had been made and accepted but was subject to satisfactory references. Members endorsed the reasons for selection of the most suitable candidate. It was AGREED that the Chairman will sign the contract on behalf of the Parish Council upon receipt of references.

b) A letter was received regarding the Cricket Club lease. It was AGREED that the matter needed to be formalised.

There being no further business to be transacted, the Chairman closed the meeting at 9.20pm.

MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING