PITSTONE PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 27 September 2018 
in the Millennium Room at the Memorial Hall, starting at 7.30pm and 
concluding at 9.21pm

171/18	ATTENDANCE AND APOLOGIES

Council present:  Cllr Nicholls (Chair), Cllr Saintey (Vice Chair), Cllr Blunt, Cllr Dr Frearson, Cllr Mrs Crutchfield, Cllr Mrs Stoddart, Cllr Hawkins, Cllr Weber, Cllr Mitra plus the clerk: 
Mrs Eagling.    

Others present:  District Councillor S Jenkins; County Councillor A Wight; Cllr R McCarthy from Aldbury parish council; and 2 residents.

Apologies:  It was RESOLVED to accept apologies from Cllr Mrs Arney (leave) and District Councillor Town (unwell).

172/18	DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST AND DISPENSATION REQUESTS
It was noted that all councillors have standing declarations of interest as the council, as a corporate body, is trustee of the Recreation Ground Charity and Pitstone Parish Charity.   
Cllrs Saintey & Crutchfield declared interests in the allotments, as tenants.  Cllr Saintey declared an interest as a member of the National Trust Estates Committee & a member of the local British Legion.  

173/18	QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC/PRESS
1)	Following a question raised by the public, the parish council brought forward the update on the installation timetable for the public transport infrastructure improvements being carried out by Bucks County Council utilising funds arising from the Rushendon Furlong and Vicarage Road residential developments.  2 x real-time information panels being installed at the bus stops either side of Marsworth Road by the Recreation Ground, 1 x real-time information panel being installed at the existing bus stop by Queen St/Albion Road and 1 x new bus shelter and real-time installation panel being installed in the grass verge on the junction of Rushendon Furlong/Marsworth Road.  BCC anticipate that all works will be completed during October.
2)	Cllr R McCarthy from Aldbury parish council provided an update on the timetable for Access for All (installation of lifts) at Tring station.

174/18	RECEIVE UPDATES FROM COUNTY AND DISTRICT COUNCILLORS 
1)	County Cllr Wight provided updates on the Stoke Hammond bypass (soon due to complete), the Brownlow Bridge works, the Anglian Water road closures relating to the pumping station in Cheddington Road, the Remembrance Day activities in Aylesbury, virtual parking permits, the Early Help Consultation and Time to Change re mental health.  Cllr Wight was thanked for her update.
2)	District Cllr Jenkins provided an update on the Police & Crime Commissioners Panel, the Health & Social Care Committee and the Environment & Living Committee.  In response to a question raised, it was confirmed that the AVDC contract with John O’Connor was going to be terminated and the work brought in-house.  Cllr Jenkins was thanked for her updated & then departed the meeting.

175/18	MINUTES OF THE MEETINGS held on 6/9/18

It was RESOLVED that the draft minutes of the Pitstone Parish Council Meeting held on 
6 September 2018 were true and accurate record.  The Chairman was duly authorised to sign them on behalf of the council.

176/18	CLERK’S REPORT

The following updates to matters arising were noted but not discussed in detail, and are replicated below to aid members of the public:

Where third parties are responsible:

1)	Castlemead Issues: Last dwelling occupied spring 2014.  BCC advised in May 2017 that hope all will be adopted within 18m ie November 2018.   No roads yet brought up to standard.
2)	Castlemead Lighting:  Requirements for Phase V, and Phases I-V, submitted.  BCC advise that adoption can’t take place until post Westfield Road adoption (of which there has been no progress). BCC to adopt Westfield Road and industrial estate lighting in due course.  
3)	Castlemead Public Open Space Phase III: being negotiated by AVDC and TW
4)	Rushendon Furlong Street Lighting: the parish council has agreed with Croudace to adopt the street lighting and illuminated bollards within the proposed new development on provision that the stipulated conditions and contributions are met.  BCC to adopt highways prior to PPC adopting lighting.
5)	Rushendon Furlong/BOAT: BCC that works are still anticipated to the BOAT by Croudace.  ETA by end October 2018.
6)	Vicarage Road Open Space: PPC has agreed to adopt the open space within Vicarage Road post completion certificate being issued by AVDC.
7)	Vicarage Road Development Street Lighting: the parish council has resolved that it would be willing to adopt the street lighting along Vicarage Road and within the development upon conclusion of the development.  BCC to adopt highways prior to PCC adopting lighting.
8)	Vicarage Road footpath: proposed to be widened and relayed by Bellway.  BCC hope to arrange the works before end October 2018.
9)	Primary education provision: Update requested prior to submitting priority grid to BCC but no response at point of writing.
10)	Land off Westfield Road/’The Mounds’: awaiting details from Taylor Wimpey’s legal department.
11)	First Time Sewerage for Cheddington Road:  Anglian Water held 1-2-1 meetings with residents in July.  Site works postponed from September to October as the necessary road closures can’t be in place at the same time as road closures in Ivinghoe etc.  Currently hope to set site up 29/10/18 with first road closure in place 7/11/18, working on a rolling closure basis through to end of February (with closures removed over Christmas) and then vacating site completely by end March.  Will encompass Cheddington Road (up to Chequers Close) (for rising main) as well as area around pumping station & properties at end Cheddington Road and Wellington Place.  Letter received from Anglian Water with details of works, road closures and diversions.
12)	Community Governance Review/Review of parish councillor numbers:  AVDC General Purposes Committee were content to recommend the increase in size of Pitstone Parish Council to eleven, as per our submission. There will now be further consultation on the recommendations ahead of consideration by full Council later in the year.  
13)	BCC Freight Strategy: no further update from BCC.   However, Canal & Rivers Trust advise they are requesting an 18-tonne weight limit for Brownlow Bridge.
14)	AVDC/BCC initiative re Parking on Pavements:  Cllrs Frearson/Crutchfield to undertake site visit with District Cllr Town.  Update post September LAF.

Within the scope of the parish council:

1)	Leisure Land by the Recreation Ground, including Skate Park and Play Space: No action can be taken by the Parish Council at this point.  Parish Charity is unable to negotiate until planning permission has been granted & therefore sale of the PDA has completed.   
2)	Tennis/Netball/5-aside floodlit court: No action can be taken by the parish council at this point.  Unable to progress until the landowner can negotiate.
3)	Village web site: Cllr Nicholls creating a planning section & reviewing architecture of attachments
4)	Potential path from railway bridge to college lake: initial investigations being considered by Cllr Weber
5)	The Pightle Open Space: Cllr Weber investigating land ownership
6)	Pitstone Guide Review – being progressed by Cllrs Arney and Nicholls
7)	Quarry signage: Cllr Arney drafting
8)	Safeguarding:  Cllr Nicholls investigating IT options.  Cllrs Nicholls/Blunt investigating councillor involvement.
9)	Unity Bank Mandate Changes:  All signatory changes implemented by Unity.  Council resolved not to amend again until the May election. 
10)	Hever Close and Windsor Road playground gates: installed.  The concrete has had to be replaced twice, as somebody kept removing the barriers/ropes and then writing or standing in the wet concrete.
11)	Local Green Space by The Crescent: (a) 2 x benches on order from Glasdon, plus installation contractor advised (b) repairs to wooden fencing & fencing adjoining charity field commissioned (c) kissing gate and installation commissioned
12)	Ball protection measures on the Recreation Ground: I&PUCC asked council to consider ball protection measures along Marsworth Road and by the seating area.  Options being considered by the Sports and Leisure Committee and will be presented back to full council in due course.
13)	Allotments: (a) PAA investigating weed suppressant matting and track solutions plus grant opportunities and will present back to the parish council at Christmas (b) PAA/PPC working jointing on advertising campaign for next 3 months
14)	LED roll out to Yardley Avenue: street light contactor attended a site visit on 20/9/18 and preparing quotation   Columns 5-13 assessed.  8 columns standard 19W LED.  1 column S2 optic (sideways dispersal) and back shield (located in alley).  Hedge cutting notices issued to 2 properties.   Contractor to also renumber.  7 other columns in Yardley already converted to LED.  Will just leave columns 1-4 to upgrade in April/new financial year.  
15)	New councillor:  All actions completed.  Register of Interests received and published by PPC and AVDC.

177/18	CORRESPONDENCE

	The long list of correspondence received during the month was noted.  It was RESOLVED to add the BCC Early Help Consultation and the AVALC donation request to the October agenda.

Committee Matters:

178/18	PLANNING COMMITTEE – CLLR CRUTCHFIELD, CHAIR OF COMMITTEE

1)	Applications:  no applications for consideration this month.  One new application received relating to The Coach House, Erleigh Manor and a planning committee will be convened.  Cllr Crutchfield declared an interest as the applicant’s family are known to her.
2)	Decisions:   none notified by AVDC
3)	Outstanding Applications: The following applications were noted as being outstanding with AVDC: the Pitstone Development Area residential application, Duncombe Farm Cottage on Stocks Road and 131 Yardley Avenue.

179/18	SPORTS AND LEISURE COMMITTEE – CLLR SAINTEY, CHAIR OF COMMITTEE

1)	It was RESOLVED to note receipt of the draft minutes of the Sports & Leisure Committee meeting held on 13/9/18.
2)	Daffodils: It has proved difficult to obtain quotes from suitable contractors with public liability insurance.  It was RESOLVED to continue to seek quotes for a further period of one month and then review the situation at the end October meeting.
3)	Donation to South Central Ambulance:  It was RESOLVED to grant a donation to the ambulance service, whose Community 1st Responder service is entirely funded by donations, of £150.00 in view of their support of our community by delivering 2 x defibrillator training sessions.
4)	WI 100-year celebration of the end of the war
a.	It was RESOLVED to grant permission for the Recreation Ground to be included in the yarn-bombing and noted that approval had been sought from Taylor Wimpey and Bucks County Council regarding Marsworth Road and Westfield Road.
b.	It was RESOLVED to accept the kind donation of a Silent Soldier Silhouette and accept the costs & liabilities associated with installation by the parish sign, and then subsequent removal/storage/re-use in following years.
5)	Pavilion Improvements: 
a.	It was noted that AVDC have still not provided their pre-application advice, so the planning application had not yet been able to be submitted.
b.	The advice from DCK Accounting Solutions was noted and it was RESOLVED to Opt to Tax the pavilion, and further RESOLVED to appoint DCK Accounting to act as Agent for the parish council.  The clerk and Chairman were duly authorised to approve the associated correspondence and act on behalf of the council whilst liaising with HMRC.
c.	The progress with grant funding from New Homes Bonus & S106 was noted.  It was also noted that the development was not eligible to apply for Premier League Facilities Fund which was disappointing.  Further grant opportunities to be investigated.
6)	Boundary Treatments:  It was RESOLVED not to progress with any additional fencing/boulders/hedge planting etc along the boundary of the Local Green Space & Cheddington Road, or the Recreation Ground and Vicarage Road, at present.  Breaches had historically been infrequent, and both locations were complicated by logistical issues surrounding access by maintenance equipment.
7)	Annual Bonfire and Fireworks: It was noted that the Sports & Leisure Committee had granted permission for the annual firework display following receipt of full application from Pitstone & Ivinghoe Entertainments.  It was noted that PIE would be liaising with neighbouring parties, that a site pre-meeting would take place, and that clean up standards would be explained and checked at the close of the event.  It was RESOLVED to take photographs at the pre-event meeting in case required.

180/18	STAFFING COMMITTEE:  No report due.  Meeting being arranged for October to consider staffing issues indicated within these minutes, annual salary budgets, quarterly review of clerk’s hours and commence planning for volunteer event.

181/18	PITSTONE PARISH CHARITY: Meeting held 6/9/18.  No matters referred to the parish council.

182/18	PITSTONE RECREATION GROUND CHARITY: Meeting held 6/9/18.   No matters referred to the parish council.

Matters Raised by the Working Groups:

183/18	GDPR:
1)	Training undertaken by all members.  Policies now in place.  One councillor to move across to the dedicated email account.
2)	The advice from BALC re encrypted USB drives was noted.
3)	It was RESOLVED to continue with email distribution of documents and not move to on-line systems such as One Drive.
4)	It was RESOLVED to check the historic Dropbox file.
5)	It was RESOLVED to bring a box for the collection of shredding to each meeting, so that meeting papers or other papers held by members can be returned to the clerk for secure disposal.
6)	It was RESOLVED that members would advise the parish council over the next few weeks if they felt that they personally needed to store hard copies of confidential information at their homes and therefore required lockable storage to be provided.
7)	It was RESOLVED that members would advise the parish council over the next few weeks if they felt that the provision of a tablet device for council work to be conducted upon would be of benefit to them.
8)	Any requests under item 6 & 7 above to appear on the October agenda for consideration.

184/18	YOUTH CAFÉ: 
1)	The staffing/volunteer position was noted.  Staffing Committee to consider at their meeting in October, with Youth Café working party submitting any recommendations.
2)	It was RESOLVED to check age rating of any console games in use.

185/18	HIGHWAYS AND PATHS
1)	It was RESOLVED to approve Cllr Stoddart joining this working party.
2)	Pitstone & Ivinghoe Safety Scheme: Awaiting formal order, cost & LAF funding information from Bucks County Council.
3)	Cycle-path to Tring: Hertfordshire County Council preparing draft engineering drawings for consideration & preparing a draft consultation that could be conducted at Tring station (Tring station approved) and within the cluster of villages.

186/18	PITSTONE DEVELOPMENT AREA:
1)	AVDC and Bidwells met to discuss MUGA and AVDC issued their position.  MUGA to remain provided with a small reduction in financial contribution by developers.
2)	AVDC Leisure & Planning agreed to inclusion of transfer of substitute car park land within S106 and terms as per transfer of MUGA.
3)	Horwood & James were therefore content that the parish council issues had been satisfactorily resolved and it was RESOLVED, as per the previous resolution, that the Parish Council should enter into the S106 agreement when the final engrossment is circulated for signature by HB Law.  Two members of the council were duly authorised to sign the S106 on behalf of the parish council, as local authority.

187/18	COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT
1)	Community Bus Transport Survey: Cllr Nicholls liaising with Chris Poll ahead of another joint parish meeting.
2)	Infrastructure Improvements: this agenda item had been discussed earlier in the meeting – see minute 173/18.1.
3)	Investigating bus to Tring station:  
a.	An initial meeting with Bucks County Council & commercial providers took place on 27/9/18.  The difficulties with potentially diverting the No. 61 service or the Tring-station bus service were discussed including knock-on scheduling impacts, disruption to existing customers & HCC subsidies.  It was noted that Bucks County Council would have no funds to subsidise any service between the village and the station.  The difficulties defining demand and discrepancies between perceived & actual demand were noted (eg bus to Hemel station).
b.	Bucks County Council to provide details of what would be required to run a trial via a local operator.
c.	Bucks County Council advised that it may be possible to utilise Public Transport Contributions towards such a scheme and stressed that any scheme would require enough initial support to raise awareness and establish the service.
d.	It was RESOLVED that the parish council would speak to a local provider to gauge if any interest in working on a joint venture.
e.	It was RESOLVED to investigate conducting a poll of Tring station users to help define demand.
4)	Community Car Scheme: Staffing committee to consider how to manage taking this service in-house at their meeting in October.

Other Matters:

188/18	DEVOLVED SERVICES
1)	The parish council is waiting for the draft contract from BCC for 2019-2023.
2)	It was noted that works for the duration of the new contract would need to be subject to a new tender process.  Work to commence with the preparatory documents.
3)	No further devolved services remedials were noted.

189/18	BCC CONSULTATION ON RECYCLING CENTRES:  It was RESOLVED that no response was necessary.

190/18	HCC CONSULTATION ON REVISED STATEMENT OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT:  
It was RESOLVED that no response was necessary.

County Cllr Anne Wight left the meeting.

191/18	PUBLIC SECTOR BODIES (WEBSITES AND MOBILE APPLICATIONS) ACCESSIBILITY REGULATIONS 2018 
1)	Website has been reviewed.  It was noted that the Parish Council requires an Accessibility Statement with link to enforcement procedure – to be drawn up and considered/approved at October meeting.
2)	It was noted that ongoing, the council needed to add captions/titles to any images published.
3)	It was noted that ongoing, any posters/images provided to the council for publication must also contain a transcript of the information in text format.

192/18	PLAY AROUND THE PARISHES 2019: Following the success of previous events, it was RESOLVED to book 2 x 2hr sessions for summer 2019, at the 2018 price ie £350 per session.

193/18	BALC TRAINING:  It was RESOLVED to meet the cost (£38.32) for Cllr Stoddart to attend BALC Councillor Induction Training on 4/10/18.

194/18	QUARTERLY PPP SUBMISSIONS
It was RESOLVED to approve the submission for the next village magazine with no amendments/additions requested.

195/18	HEDGE CUTTING
It was RESOLVED to confirm the following hedge cutting requirements with the contractor (original resolution 338/17 in January 2018):
1)	Hedge to recreation ground (£100) as part of open space profile on behalf of Recreation Ground Charity
2)	Hedge at Local Green Space between Marsworth Road and The Crescent (£70) as part of open space profile.
3)	Hedge between new allotment site and Marsworth Road (£70) as part of Allotment cost centre.  PAA requested all sides of hedge cut this year.
4)	Windsor Road playground hedge (£90) from S106 maintenance cost centre.  NB hedge at Hever Close is owned by Taylor Wimpey.
5)	All hedges at pavilion (£250) from the pavilion cost centre
It was noted that National Trust did not require any hedge cutting at Pitstone Hill.  It was noted that Pitstone Parish Charity proposed to arrange their own hedge cutting.  It was noted that the hedge beside the new footpath to Marsworth fell outside the 30mph limit and therefore fell within the responsibility of Bucks County Council.

196/18	CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
1)	It was RESOLVED to commission Lamps & Tubes to bring the illuminations out of storage, test lights & supply and mount into the tree (presuming quote not too increased from prior year) and then reverse after the festive season.
2)	It was RESOLVED that as per last year, council wished the illuminations to be operational between 1st Sunday of Advent and 12th night after Christmas, from 3pm to 1am nightly.

197/18	CHILTERN SOCIETY ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP:  It was RESOLVED to renew annual membership at a cost of £30 but not to make any additional donation.

198/18	SILENT SOLDIER:  It was noted that the local British Legion had obtained permission for a silent soldier silhouette to be erected in the memorial garden at the Memorial Hall.  Council had previously resolved to offer a grant to British Legion to purchase this silhouette, but they advise that they are unable to do this & request the parish council orders direct.  Due to time constraints, members had been asked to approve the change in procurement electronically.  It was noted and officially RESOLVED to commission the rifle bearing foot soldier with “Remembering the fallen of Pitstone” engraved on the plaque for the required ‘donation’ to central Royal British Legion of £250.00.  It was RESOLVED to meet the costs & liabilities associated with installation and ongoing storage/use.

Financial Matters: 

199/18	LLOYDS BANK TERMS AND CONDITIONS: the revised credit card terms were noted.

200/18	FINANCIAL POSITION AND PAYMENTS 
The council noted the bank reconciliation, income, expenditure, debtors and creditors’ information plus the monthly budget summary.  It was RESOLVED to make the payments and transfers outlined in the monthly financial summary.  Two councillors authorised the transactions for BACS transfer and initialled the corresponding paperwork.   The chairman was duly authorised to sign the monthly summaries. 

201/18	Internal Controls: The regular internal controls had been conducted with no amendments requested or issues arising.

202/18	BUDGET AND 3-YEAR PLAN: The first draft of the budget had been circulated to all members.  Rather than go through line-by-line in the public meeting, councillors were asked to feed back their thoughts/requirements on all the bullet pointed matters over the next couple of weeks so that revised figures could be considered at the October meeting.   

Other Reports:

203/18	OTHER REPORTS
1)	Cllrs Frearson & Crutchfield provided feedback from the LAF on 18/9/18 including the Stoke Hammond Bypass, Brownlow Bridge, Violent thefts from vans, village funded CCTV, Universal Credit roll-out, Live Well Stay Well, flu vaccinations and falling attendance at LAF.   It was RESOLVED that Pitstone LAF members would advise other councillors if they were not able to attend so that substitutes could be sought.

Cllr R McCarthy of Aldbury parish council departed the meeting.

2)	Cllr Crutchfield provided feedback from the LAF Traffic Calming Sub-Group on 26/9/18 including Freight Strategy and traffic calming.
3)	It was noted that HCC had advised that Cllr Mitra could not attend the Hertfordshire Forward Conference as Pitstone was outside the county.
4)	It was noted that no delegates attended the BMKALC Parish Liaison meeting on 26/9/18.
5)	Cllr Crutchfield advised that she had been welcomed to the Pitstone Memorial Hall Charity meeting on 17/9/18.
6)	The feedback from the SLCC branch meeting was noted.
7)	The other reports were noted.

204/18	THE FOLLOWING REMINDERS WERE NOTED

•	Parish Council meetings: 25/10/18, 29/11/18, 3/1/19, 31/1/19, 28/2/19, 28/3/18, 25/4/19, 23/5/19, 27/6/19, 18/7/19, 5/9/19, 26/9/19, 31/10/19, 28/11/19 & 2/1/2020.
•	Sports and Leisure Committee meetings: 13/9/18, 11/10/18, 8/11/18, 13/12/18, 10/1/19, 14/2/19, 4/4/19, 9/5/19, 13/6/19, 11/7/19, 8/8/19, 12/9/19, 10/10/19, 14/11/19, 12/12/19.
•	Annual parish assembly: 14/5/19
•	Annual thank you event for volunteers: 17/1/19
•	SLCC branch meeting: 20/9/18
•	PPP Publication dates: January, April, July and October.
•	Election 2 May 2019 (tbc).  First parish council meeting must take place within 21 days.
•	Play space planning expires April 2019
•	BALC Councillor Induction Training – Cllr Hawkins & Cllr Stoddart 4/10/18
•	BMKALC AGM 9/11/18 – Cllr Mitra attending

205/18	DATE OF NEXT MEETING: The next meeting of the Parish Council will be 25/10/18.  It was noted that the following would appear on the agenda:

•	2nd pass of budget & any other initiatives costed
•	Consider donation to Royal British Legion in lieu of wreath
•	Review content of Guide to Information Available on web (quarterly)
•	Quarterly VAT Return
•	Quarterly grant consideration 
•	TVP NAG at council meeting (tbc)
•	Consider quotes to renew mVAS service agreement
•	Annual AVALC Donation Request 
•	BCC Early Help Consultation

No further agenda items were requested.

206/18	CLOSURE OF MEETING:  There being no further business to be transacted, the Chairman closed the meeting at 9.21pm.

Signed:			Date:	25 October 2018
	 Chairman