Minutes – March 2015

Minutes of the Meeting of Sherington Parish Council held on Tuesday 3rd March 2015 at Sherington Village Hall, commencing at 7.30pm.

PRESENT: Cllrs A Denman(Chair), J Ager, D Hyde, I Collinge

ALSO ATTENDING: : Hannah Balazs (Clerk)and nineteen membersof the public.

0.1 Cllr Denman opened the meeting saying that Cllr James Cook is no longer a councillor and has resigned with immediate effect.

0.2 Cllr Denman also advised that he is not and has never been employed by Michael Cook – Cllr Denman advised he is self employed and is doing work for many people around the village.

0.3 One of the previous councillors Mrs Sally Cook asked for a letter to be read out:

Re the minutes of January 2015 Item 16.1 Resignation of Mel Northfield and Sally Cook

‘why she is on the council and not declaring interests when she should be’

Sally Cook would respectfully like to make it clear that she did declare an interest whenever appropriate at all the meetings she attended. She would like to make it a matter of public record that her resignation was not due to her ‘not declaring an interest’ as is suggested in the minutes.
Sally would like to point out that in his email on New Year’s Eve 2014 in which the Chairman requested that Sally ‘do the honourable thing and resign’ at no point did the Chairman suggest in this email that Sally had not declared an interest when appropriate but rather that her ‘vested interests’ were the issue. At no stage was Sally advised by the Chairman that she was not declaring an interest when she should have been.
Should the Council or other interested parties require further explanation regarding the circumstances surrounding Sally’s resignation she would be happy to provide a full statement.

Sally Cook

0.4 The Pavilion is subject to a separate meeting and a date for this meeting is yet to be decided.

0.5 Cllr Denman proposed moving the public comments section to the beginning of the meeting. Mr Oliver Powell asked if someone or something comes out during the council meeting would the public get a second chance at the end of the meeting to ask any questions.
The public present voted and the result was to keep the public comments towards the end.

1. RECEIVE AND ACCEPT APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
None.

2. RECEIVE DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
None.

3. APPROVE MINUTES OF LAST MEETING
The minutes of the meeting held on 03rd February 2015 were agreed as a true record and signed by the Chairman

4. NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN
Cllr Collinge advised the outcome of the High Street Application will be decided on Thursday 5thMarch 2015 and he will attend to view but not to speak. There is a training course with BALC on 12th March and Keith Carey is attending too. There are two grants available although may only be eligible for one which is 1K – 8K – this needs to be looked into in great depth. The steering group will meet on the last Tuesday of the month so a week before the Parish Council’s Meeting. This group is to look at the village as a whole and to look into the wildlife, affordable housing, Drainage, Traffic and village amenities etc.

5. NEWPORT PAGNELL’S NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN
Cllr I Collinge and Keith Carey attended Newport Pagnell’s Neighbourhood Planning meeting and Newport Pagnell would like a response from Sherington.
A few points have been picked up on and they are as follows:
– A509 JCT 14 to Newport Pagnell and Monks Way H3 – these roads need to be looked at as they are extremely busy and the single carriage roads should be dualled to cope with the existing traffic and future traffic.
– The effects on Schools and Preschool – the village children go to Tickford Park Primary and then Ousedale in Newport. The Newport Pagnell campus cannot extend any more however Olney could unless the sixth form was to move to a different location so Newport’s Ousedale could expand slightly.
Cllr Denman has asked Cllr Collinge to write a response to Newport Pagnell’s Neighbourhood’s Plan.

6. CLERKS REPORT

7. WARD COUNCILLOR’S REPORT

The budget was defeated and then passed second time round:
– Library Services will be reviewed in April and June
– Bus Services: money has been put back and no services are to be cut
– Homelessness: no services will be closing
– 1.9% council tax rise
Cllr Denman advised that when busses were being looked into for services to be withdrawn a survey was carried out at 0730 in the rain so there was only 3 passengers. Carehome staff struggling to get home etc and more services are needed in the evening as young people rely on these. Ward Cllr Geary advised there will be a review on the busses.
Cllr Hosking advised Ousedale School (Olney Campus) a meeting has taken place on 24th February 2015 and about 230 parents attended:
It was agreed children in the catchment get and will continue to get priority and there will be a test on attitude within music and a minimum of a grade 2 in a certain instrument will also get a place.

8. VILLAGE SHOP UPDATE
Cllr Denman read an email from Mel Northfield that he had received. Mel Northield has advised that they require three things from the Parish Council to transfer the Shop. These three things are
1. Bank account signatories – 2 people
2. Management Committee names – min of 2 and preferably 3
3. Registered address to use for both the Bank Account, the FCA, under whose governance Sherington Community Shop is managed, HMRC (for VAT) and Companies House
Cllr Denman advised we understood it that Shopco has had enough and will pass to the council. Shopco need to gift the shop to the Parish Council. As a Parish Council we are not taking on a business and it was everyone’s understanding it will be managed the same as the Pavilion and not as a going concern.

9. FINANCE

9.1 Bank Account balance at 1st April £19,092.83

9.2 Cheques for payment were as follows:

03/02/2015 Martin Jeeves £100.00 102278
03/02/2015 Hannah Balazs £421.50 102279
03/02/2015 N Beal £42.00 102280
03/02/2015 BALC £1.50 102281
03/02/2015 Reform Fire Ltd £100.80 102282
03/02/2015 AH Contracts £84.00 102283
03/02/2015 Milton Keynes Council £220.28 102284
03/02/2015 AH Contracts £102.00 102285

10. PLANNING APPLICATIONS AND DECISIONS

10.1. 15/00132/FUL 24 Gun Lane – Change of use of existing garage into x3 bed and breakfast rooms: – Cllr J Ager is not in favour as this will cause extra traffic and it is a very narrow road. The result for this application is 2 to 1 in favour.

10.2. 115/00109/FUL 4 Leys View – First Floor Extension, Juliette balcony and minor elevation amendments: – There were no adverse comments.

Decisions. None.

11. EXTERNAL MEETINGS

MKNE Area Forum – Thursday 5th March 2015 at 1930hrs at the Pavilion in Lavendon – NA
Development Control – Thursday 5th March 2015 at 1900hrs at MKC Office – Cllr Collinge to go and watch the outcome and NOT to speak.

12. CORRESPONDENCE/NEW CONSULTATIONS

None

13. PUBLIC COMMENTS

13.1 David – Oliver Powell expressed concern regarding the Potholes located at School Lane and Crofts End – he advised he has reported along with a number of other residents.

13.2 Oliver Powell also has asked regarding the standing orders so the public can understand cllrs positions etc and that a review is needed.

13.3 A resident asked regarding the drainage on the new road -New road servicing Church End, the tarmac is now higher than the drain and comes down to the thatched cottage. The water backs up to people’s doors. This need clearing so goes to Church End. The houses near the garages: there is a gully that when cars go past sets of a huge wave.

14. COUNCILLORS ITEMS

14.1 Cllr Denman advised that next months meeting is the last meeting with the current council and will hand over to the new council a week after the elections on 12th May 2015 at the Pavilion as the Village hall is not available.

15. DATE OF NEXT MEETING The next meeting will be held on Tuesday 7th April 2015 at the Village Hall commencing at 7.30 pm.
The Annual Parish Meeting will be held on Tuesday 12th May 2015 at the Village Hall commencing at 7 pm, followed by the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council at 7.30 pm. There being no further business the meeting ended at 2100hrs

Useful Contact Information

Parish Council Clerk (Interim):

  • Jacqueline Galloway
  • 07494 760791

Chair:

  • Peter Palmer
  • 07710 242521

Other council members

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