PITSTONE PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 5 November 2015 
in the Meeting Room at the Memorial Hall, starting at 7.30pm and 
concluding at 8.30pm

107/15	ATTENDANCE AND APOLOGIES
	
COUNCIL PRESENT:  Cllr Saintey (Chairman), Cllr Nicholls (Vice Chairman), Cllr Mrs Stack, Cllr Mrs Arney, Cllr Blunt, Cllr Mrs Groom, Cllr Mrs Crutchfield and Cllr C Starling.   
Clerk: Laurie Eagling.    

OTHERS PRESENT:  One member of the public, Mr M London.
	
It was RESOLVED to approve for absence from:  Cllr K Weber (annual leave) & Cllr Mattey (previous commitment).
  
108/15	QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC/PRESS

Mr London queried the value in getting the footpath across the windmill field cut a second time so late in the season feeling this to be a waste of funds and cause mud to be churned which is then brought out onto the public footway up Vicarage Road.

Cllr Starling wished it recorded in the minutes that he did not feel this to be an appropriate conversation for the budget meeting.  Cllr Groom wished it recorded that she felt it was important that residents could bring budgetary and other concerns to the council within the public session and wished the matter discussed.   The parish council upheld the view of 
Cllr Groom.   It was RESOLVED that:

a.	The Parish Council would investigate cutting the path just once.
b.	If a. was not viable due to the usage of the path, the Parish Council would investigate a change of contractor that may enable the second cut to take place earlier in the year.
c.	The end of the field nearest Vicarage Road would be assessed to see if it would be advantageous to ask the landowner to provide some form of compacted hard standing by the gate to alleviate the problem.

109/15	DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST AND DISPENSATION REQUESTS

	All councillors declared a standing interest in the actions of the Recreation Ground Charity and Pitstone Parish Charity as the council as a corporate body is trustee of both.
Cllr Blunt declared an interest as Chair of Governors for Brookmead School for which a dispensation to discuss, but not vote, exists.   
Cllrs Weber, Starling, Crutchfield & Groom are members of NDP Steering Group, for which a dispensation to discuss, but not vote, exists.
Cllr Groom declared a pecuniary interest in A J Groom & Sons.
Cllr Starling declared an interest as resident of Vicarage Road in Pitstone.
Cllr Mattey has a standing declaration as the parish council’s representative on the Memorial Hall Committee, for which a dispensation to discuss, but not to vote, exists.
Cllr Saintey is a member of the National Trust Ashridge Committee and therefore declares an interest in relation to hedge cutting and tree works.
	Cllr Arney declared an interest as a member of the Beacon Villages Community Library committee, for which a dispensation to discuss, but not vote, exists.

110/15	AUTO ENROLMENT PENSIONS

The report was discussed and noted.  The following RESOLUTIONS were passed:

a.	To seek Independent Financial Advice relating to which pension product was most suitable for the parish council, including NEST, People’s Pension and NOW:Pensions.   Three quotations to be obtained for providing this advice and a budget allocation assigned.
b.	To budget for the minimum level of contributions.
c.	That the Parish Council favoured delivery via payroll software rather than out-sourcing to a payroll provider.  Therefore, Sage payroll to be investigated, with a view to switching from the start of the financial year and auto-enrolment coming on-line in time for the staging date in February 2017.  Budget provision to be assigned.

111/15	PAVILION FINANCIAL REVIEW

The financial performance of the pavilion last year, vs year-to-date this year and the forecast for next year was considered.  The pavilion sports facilities are the biggest impact cost centre on the precept.

Whilst it was recognised that government sporting facilities rarely operate at breakeven, it was RESOLVED that the Sports and Leisure Committee would continue to look for ways to improve income revenue and/or reduce costs throughout the redevelopment process eg developing a function room that could be utilised by other sectors of the community as well as the sports clubs.

112/15	PERFORMANCE REVIEW AND DRAFT BUDGET

Council reviewed the draft precept calculations, the budget monitor to mid November, the forecast for the forthcoming 3 years, the PPP projections and the budget by cost centre documents.

It was RESOLVED that:

a.	To ask Klaus Ginda to produce a comparison table of PPP advertising costs vs those in other similar local magazines.
b.	There were a number of important initiatives that the parish council wished to support with initial provisions within the forthcoming year including:

i.	The replacement play space & skate park
ii.	The redevelopment of the pavilion site
iii.	The footpath to Marsworth
iv.	The foot/cycle path to Tring station
v.	An additional mVAS
vi.	Implementation of the Ben Hamilton Baillie highways study initiatives
vii.	Rural Housing Exception Scheme survey
viii.	Replacement street furniture

The council discussed the impact of these financial implications on the precept and resolved that council would be willing and able to justify a 10% increase in precept which translated to a £6 annual increase per Band D property in order to deliver the schemes identified as these were supported through public support of the Neighbourhood Development Plan.

c.	Next revision of the draft budget to be presented at the November full council meeting.  Final version to be presented for adoption at the start of January.

113/15	CLOSURE OF MEETING

	There being no further business to be transacted, the Chairman closed the meeting at 8.30pm.

Signed:			Date:	26 November 2015
	 Chairman