Meeting documents

Apologies were received from Nettta Glover, Elaine Wilson, PCSO Dodson and PC Levers.

To declare any personal or prejudicial interests

None were declared.

To confirm the notes of the meeting held at The Pavilion, Soulbury Road, Stewkley on 30 September 2008 at 6.30pm.

The Action Notes of the meeting held on 30 September 2008 were agreed after the following changes had been made:

• The name Geoff Twiss is added to the list of attendees and Malcolm Sergeant is removed.
• Cllr Cashman requested that Item 10 Question Time reflected more detail regarding the implementation of the white line scheme in Station Road, Cheddington and read out the full text of his question.  The Forum agreed the notes subject to Cllr Cashman’s re-iteration.

• Terms of Reference
• Publicity

The Chairman agreed to contact Netta Glover agreed to contact Netta Glover before the next meeting and to ask if she is prepared to be the Vice Chairman.

Members discussed the Terms of Reference and the following points were made:

• A member asked if reference to three votes for a Parish means that three members must attend the meeting.  The Chairman confirmed this.
• A member noted that this Forum was unusual in that votes were allocated to parishes based on population.  This was noted especially in light of potential issues that may arise with allocating delegated budgets and the Forum agreed to review in twelve months.
• Members discussed the distribution of the agenda and concluded that a draft agenda is published a month before the meeting containing the date and venue.  It was agreed that the closing date for agenda items is five days before advance of the meeting.   A lengthy discussion took place on the merits and demerits of distributed agendas by email and the Forum concluded that the web links are clear and direct members to the information without unnecessary delays.

Publicity

The Chairman suggested that Parish Notice boards and Parish magazines are used as a means of notifying the public about future meetings.  A member of the public was invited to address the meeting and she explained that she would contact her elected representative if there was a matter she needed to raise.

Standing Orders

Following a discussion the following Standing Orders were agreed:

1.      These meetings will be open to the public

2.      They will be advertised on the Buckinghamshire County Council website, in Parish magazines, on notice boards, etc.

3.      Posters and information will be sent out to Parish Clerks

4.      Dates will be advertised in advance

5.      The County Councillors for Great Brickhill, Wing and Ivinghoe electoral divisions are appointed Chairmen on a rotational basis.  Vice chairman will be a District Councillor.

6.      Proportional representation (see attached sheet) for voting purposes only.  This will be reviewed annually.  There is no restriction on the number of Parish Councillors attending the meeting. 

7.      There will be a 20 minute period for public questions.  Members of the public are encouraged to submit their questions in advance of the meeting to facilitate a full answer on the day of the meeting.  Questions sent in advance will be dealt with first and verbal questions after.

8.      A draft agenda, including the date, time and venue, will be sent out one month in advance of the meeting.  The closing date for papers to be posted on the website is five working days.  A holding note will be added if an item will not be available until a later date.  Action notes will be sent out to the clerk and Parish representative within one calendar month of the meeting.

9.      Meetings will be advertised on the Buckinghamshire County Council website, in Parish magazines and noticeboards.

NAGs be removed from the agenda of meetings of Local Area Forums and reviewed in 12 months.

Jonathan Clark and Claire Tranter

The Chairman welcomed Jonathan Clark and Claire Tranter to the meeting who gave a presentation during which the following points were made:

• Edlesborough School has successfully secured funding for £40,000 as part of the School Travel Plan to enable the building a footpath allowing children to walk to school.
• At Wardshurst Farm in Ivinghoe work was taking place to allow the paths to be realigned.       
• Fiona Broadbent the Healthy Walks Coordinator organises walks and she is keen to attract people who have been referred by the GPs.
• In response to a question members were advised that there is a well established culture of walking to school in Edlesborough although it was noted that usage may decline during the winter months and that there may be issues due to the distance of the path and the age of the children attending the school.
• It was noted that previously the path had previously been a bridleway and that horses were still using the path.    

Maxine Saving

Maxine Saving, Extended Services Coordinator addressed the meeting.  Maxine explained that she serves the Wing and Wendover area.  The aim is that a school should be linked with the community as part of Every Child Matters.  Extended Services have given some funding for youth cafes but they are set up and run by Aylesbury Vale Youth for Christ.

A member asked if it was intended that the building at Edlesbrough School will be used to provide services.  Maxine replied that the headteacher at the school is reluctant to allow the premises to be used because this is outside the control of the school.

At the request of members a copy of the presentation is attached to the minutes.

Karen Adamson

Karen Adamson reported that the next Adult Care Surgery will be held at Pitstone Community Centre, Yardley Avenue on 30 January 2009 between 10am – 1pm.  A Local Area Technician and a PCSO will be attending. 

During February and March the mobile library service will be used to take the surgeries to the rural communities.  The aim is that two static and one mobile surgery will be provided each year.    

• BCC Weight Limit Policy
• Community Speedwatch Update – Cheddington
• Plane and Patch Sites for 2009/10
• Winter salting routes
• Parish Gang report sheets
• Delegated Budget

Tim Fowler reported on the following:

BCC Weight Limit Policy

In appropriate circumstances weight restrictions can be imposed for the following reasons:

• Protection of weak bridges
• Environmental reasons –it should be noted that access is often required for refuse collection and other surface vehicles which causes difficulty in enforcing environmental weight restrictions.  Members were advised that the weight restrictions on the Grand Union Canal are being reviewed.

Speed limits can be used as a method to discourage large vehicles from using certain routes. 

In response to a question regarding freight lorries using the Linslade bypass members were advised that the road works on the M1 have been completed and that London Waste is encouraging lorry drivers to use the M1 and A5.

Community Speedwatch Cheddington

It was noted that speedchecks had taken place in the village and that drivers (including local residents) had been caught driving at 40mph.  Ivinghoe Aston had intended to borrow the equipment but had been unable to identify sufficient volunteers.  The Chairman suggested that a request is published in the Spring Newsletter.  Members were advised that there is no requirement for formal training and that operators need to record the vehicle registration number, the colour and the speed of the vehicle.  The hire charge is £200 per fortnight.

Plane and Patch Sites for 2009/10

Tim Fowler reported that the programme of works had been completed in October and that there may be additional funding (although the level of funding is unclear in 2009). 

Planing is a more cost effective method than filling potholes and provides greater longevity. 

Parish Gang Report Sheets

The Community gangs will be working until 31 March 2009.  Parish Councils will be notified of specific work to be undertaken.

Winter Salting

A report of the areas to be covered was tabled.  It was noted that in 2008 there was an increase in the areas covered.  During 2006/07 the routes being salted were reduced from 29 to 21 and in 2007/08 this increased form 21 to 25. 

A member noted that there had recently been three accidents in the Drayton Parslow area.  In response to the members request for the matter to be reconsidered a member reported that she had raised this at full Council and was notified that the road did not meet the criteria and she noted that this area bordered with Milton Keynes Council.    Tim Fowler agreed to revisit this with Val Letheren and to report back to Brenda Jennings and the Chairman.

A member asked for reconsideration of the Vicarage Road in Marsworth which he considered met the criteria.  This was noted.

Delegated Budget

Members were advised that three bids had been received from Ivinghoe, Aston Abbots and Edlesborough and that the closing date was 31 December 2008.  At the next meeting of the Forum bids received will be allocated scores.

Trevor Boyd

Trevor Boyd explained that one of the key roles of Local Area Forums will be to oversee the development and delivery of area based Local Community Plans.  These plans will set out the priorities for the community and will inform and reflect the priorities of the county and district sustainable community strategies and influence the allocation of resources.

The proposal is to hold a workshop at the March meeting.  Parishes will be sent a spreadsheet and asked to identify and fill in any issues before the workshop.  Information that is already available from residents’ surveys, NAG issues and service excellence events will also be included.   

There will be a 20 minute period for public questions.  Members of the public are encouraged to submit their questions in advance of the meeting to facilitate a full answer on the day of the meeting.  Questions sent in advance will be dealt with first and verbal questions after.

Members were invited to ask questions and the following points were raised:

• A member from Aston Abbotts asked why the request to pay jointly with Wingrave Parish Council for the lights to be reinstated had been refused.  Tim Fowler explained that Peter Cooper had been informed that paying to keep some lights on would interfere with the integrity of the trial.  Members were advised that other ‘offers’ had been received to pay for retaining the lighting and that this would be both a logistical nightmare and would undermine the reasons why the trial was promoted to save energy and costs and reduce carbon emissions.  The officers consider that the conditions at the junction are acceptable without lighting.  The enhancement measures should ensure that accidents do not happen.   The decision has not been made to provide rural lighting at junctions in the future.  It would be premature to stop putting in lighting at sites where lighting was agreed before the start of the trial.  The aim of the trial is to switch off lights where it is no longer considered an essential requirement.
• A member from Cheddington asked if the phoneboxes in any other parishes had been removed without prior notification.  They had not been although a member reported that they had been invited to comment on the social value.
• In response to a question regarding the speed limit on the A4148 members were advised that this is part of area 12.

None received

None were received.

• Delegated Budget (March agenda)
• West Linslade Urban Extension
• Energy from Waste Site
• School Travel Planning

It was agreed that the next meeting commences at 6pm with a workshop on the Community Plan and is followed by the meeting.

• 12 March 2009

This will be a workshop based around the Community Plan, venue to be confirmed.

12 March 2009.