Minutes of the Finance & General Purposes Committee 21st March 2016
Wheatley Parish Council
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE OF THE COUNCIL HELD ON MONDAY 21st MARCH 2016 IN THE MERRY BELLS COFFEE ROOM AT 7.30PM
PRESENT: Councillors: P Gregory (Chairman), G Stephens, J Carr, P Hood, P Willmott, R Reilly, T Davies & T Newman
OFFICER: THE CLERK: Gareth Morris
Also present; Parish Councillor R Bell
133. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE had been received from Cllr A Davies
134. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – Cllr P Willmott for item 5, Wheatley Playing Field Trust
135. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING HELD 15th FEBRUARY 2016 which had been circulated previously were signed as a correct and accurate record
136. UPDATE ON ITEMS FROM THE MINUTES 15TH FEBRUARY 2016
i) Minute 119(i) – VPA Cherry tree in the Church Road Recreation Ground
A reply from Mr Savage (VPA) was read out. A cherry tree had been ordered. The clerk would talk to Richard Taylor about planting it.
The clerk suggested that we wait until the cherry trees along Roman Road have bloomed and then decide on the variety to replace them one that had been removed.
ii) Minute 119(ii) – Vehicle Activated signs (Letter to County Councillor Nimmo-Smith)
As a result of a number of mails from Cllr Newman nothing had been heard from Cty Cllr Nimmo-Smith until today where he says he apologizes for the delay and has passed the matter on to the Deputy Director to investigate.
Cllr Hood proposed and Cllr Davies seconded that a letter is sent to the Leader of the Council, signed by the F&GP Cttee, with a copy of the clerk’s original letter saying the delay is intolerable shows the inefficient nature of the County Council. This was AGREED unanimously.
137. TO RECEIVE AN UPDATE ON THE SITUATION REGARDING THE LEASE BETWEEN THE PARISH COUNCIL AND THE WHEATLEY PLAYING FIELD TRUST.
Cllr Gregory reported on progress. A number of inspections had been organised. A productive meeting had been held between the council sub-group and the trustees.
A reply from the Trustees was awaited.
Cllr Newman reported on a site visit to the new pavilion development at Chinor that had been attended by members of the subgroup and the Trustees. A presentation had been given by a member of Chinnor’s Parish Council outlining how the project had been undertaken.
A lease was not yet in place in Chinor. All the funds had been raised by Chinnor parish Council
It was felt the visit had been extremely useful and Wheatley Parish Council could gain help from Chinnor in the future.
138. TO CONSIDER THE PURCHASE OF A DATA PROJECTOR FOR USE BY THE PARISH COUNCIL AND THE NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN GROUP.
It was AGREED to purchase a projector, screen and lead. These to be kept in the Parish Office when not in use.
The clerk would look in to the possibility of getting a front loaded debit or credit card that the Parish Council could use
139. TO CONSIDER THE CONDITION OF THE TREES WITHIN THE VILLAGE AND WHAT ACTIONS ARE NECESSARY
The Clerk had asked Kavan Ring (Buryhook) to look at the land at the corner of St Mary’s Close and London Road. He would ask Tim O’Connor (Arbor) to cutback the tree at the end of the garages on Farm Close Road.
He understood that the hedge on the corner of Howe Close and Ladder Hill had been removed. However the owner of 1 Crown Road was still defying the County Council requests to cut back her hedge.
The trees along the northern side of the footpath from Farm Close Road to Farm Close Lane would be removed when the end terrace house was redeveloped.
The clerk would contact Arbor to remove the dead bough on the plane tree on Littleworth Green
140. TO CONSIDER THE GENERAL TIDINESS OF THE VILLAGE
After an extensive discussion the following suggestions were made:
- A village clean up two or three times a year, to include road signs – this would need organising, including equipment such as a pressure washer, brush etc. (this would need organising )– mention at APM?
- A steel shed (Shed for Life) or a metal locker be purchased. Kept on ex toilet block land or in the locked alleyways at Cullum Road Recreation Ground
- Bags of leaves eg from around St Mary’s Close tree could be taken to the wooded area owned by the Parish Council by the Holton Playing fields
- Cllr Newman would ask SODC for a street cleaning schedule. Cllrs to draw up a list of roads that need cleaning.
- The Sport’s Centre banner had been removed on the fence by the flyover had been taken down after a request from the clerk. A large board in the same location would be taken down.
- SOHA to be contacted and asked to clean their signs at their various properties in the village
- The clerk would ask the outside workers to clean in front of the shops on Sunday mornings when there were few if any cars parked there
141. GRANTS, LICENCES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS
i) Fusion Youth & Community St George’s Day Community Funday – request for £325 as 50% of cost of climbing wall & bouncy castle (£275 last year) – Agreed £325
ii) Queen’s 90th Birthday party celebrations (£1,500 for marquee in 2012)
Cllr T Davies reported on progress made for a day of celebration with help from Sands Dance Group, the church and musicians.
Cllr Newman proposed and Seconded by Cllr Reilly up to £1,500 to be granted
Cllr Newman reported that SODC would be giving, on application, £1,600 to the Parish Council
142. TO CONSIDER THE REPORTS ON THE PARISH COUNCILLORS’ WALKS AROUND THE VILLAGE
The footpath behind Barlows Close had now been cleared. It was agreed that Green Scythe had done a very good job.
It was Agreed that a brush cutter be used a couple of times a year to keep the path tidy. Advice to be sought on further clearance.
It was Agreed that the councillors walks around the village be done again this year. Cllr Newman volunteered to organise.
143. TO RECEIVE AN UPDATE ON THE SITUATION OF THE MAPLE TREE CHILDREN’S CENTRE
Cllr Newman was to attend a meeting on the matter which would be talking about raising finance for non-statutory provision. Statutory provision would be provided at a ‘hub’ in Barton
144. CLERK UPDATE
i) Rock fall in Church Road Recreation Ground.
A rock fall had occurred from the cliff face at the north end of the recreation ground.
The clerk passed around photographs. Cllr Newman supplied the name of a surveyor. The clerk would contact the surveyor and arrange a site visit
ii) OCC would be resurfacing London Road, from Sunnyside to The Avenue, starting on 5th. A diversion along Old London Road would be in place.
145. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
a) Budget to the end of February 2016 was discussed
A completed copy of reconciled bank statement was signed by the Chairman & RFO
b) Balances
After the cheques below have been paid the balances on the council’s accounts as at 15th February will be as follows:
Community £2,845.15
Tracker £91,461.78
Treasury £60,887.99
146. SCHEDULE OF PAYMENTS TO BE AUTHORISED
| Cheque no. | Payee | Payment details | Amount |
| Cheques paid | |||
| 106432-106437 | GM/SW/JF/OCC/AR/HMR&C | Jan sals/wages/pen/PAYE/NIC | 4,047.97 |
| 106442 | Lyreco Ltd | Photocopier paper | 36.20 |
| d/d | Barclays Bank | Charges 13/01/16-14/02/16 | 26.65 |
| Total | £4,104.82 | ||
| Cheques to Pay | |||
| 106438 | Safe and Sound Playgrounds | Replacement of nest swing leg | 918.00 |
| 106439 | Berinsfield Community Business | Verges – Feb | 608.33 |
| 106440 | Mainstream Digital | Phone calls 04/02/16-26/02/16 | 1.51 |
| 106441 | M Aitken | Plants for the Memorial Gardens | 49.00 |
| 106443 | Thames Water | Memorial Gardens–30.12.-6.03.16 | 8.22 |
| 106444 | SODC | Dog bins 01.10.15-31.03.16 | 200.93 |
| 106445 | Green Scythe Ltd | Clear path behind Barlow’s Close | 1,677.60 |
| 106446 | Irwin Mitchell | Village Green Application | 234.40 |
| 106447 | T Newman | Carbon Monoxide Alarm | 59.98 |
| 106448 | Merry Bells | Recharge for gas used | 52.04 |
| 106448 | Merry Bells | Hire of hall and coffee room | 171.00 |
| S/O | Wheatley Playing Field Trust | Monthly standing order | 833.33 |
| GM/SW/JF/AR/OCC//HMR&C | Mar sals/wages/pen/PAYE/NICs | 4,200.00 | |
| Total | £8,984.34 |
INCOME RECEIVED SINCE LAST MEETING
| Income details | Amount |
| Newsletter Advertising | 1,540.00 |
| WPFT Feb repayments of loan | 500.00 |
| Total | £2,040.00 |
147. PUBLICATIONS & CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED AND NOTED
i) The Haseleys March 2016*
ii) Little Milton Newsletter – March 2016*
iii) Great Milton Bulletin – February 2016*
iv) URC Newsletter – March 2016*
v) Holton, Waterperry & Waterstock News – March 2016*
vi) Tiddington with Albury and Milton Common – February/March 2016*
vii) TVP Neighbourhood Team – Wheatley/Chalgrove January 2016 Newsletter*
viii) Green Belt Network Newsletter March 2016*
* On display in Parish Office
148. DATE OF NEXT MEETING – 18th APRIL 2016 – noted
149. ITEMS FOR INFORMATION
The clerk reported that the diocese had approved the new position for the bench in the Memorial Gardens. The forms to obtain a Faculty now had to be filled and sent to the Parochial Church Council
Cllr Carr would check if the stories that the CAB had closed its Wheatley outreach office in the URC were correct
The meeting closed at 9.20pm