14 May 2022
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It’s been 6 weeks since I blogged – mainly because the Council has had to spend time sorting itself out internally with no staff and unable to pay its creditors.
This is what Council has done since I last blogged.
On 6 April, we had an Extraordinary Council meeting to appoint a part-time locum Clerk and she started work the next day.
On 12 April, we had another Council meeting and appointed the locum Clerk as a primary user to HPC’s bank accounts so she could upload the invoices of our creditors to HPC’s accounts. (She still had to get cleared by the banks). We appointed a company called Azets to help us with the necessary financial work at the end of the year – much of which is required by law. And we also agreed the arrangements for interviewing a permanent Clerk.
On 10 May, we had the Annual Parish meeting and the Annual Council meeting (one after the other). And the Council started what I would call real work i.e. starting to do things that will help the community of Hughenden.
The Annual Parish Meeting had presentations about the advantages and disadvantages of Hughenden Parish Council having a Neighbourhood Plan and how to produce one. The Council later agreed to set up a working group to consider the costs and benefits for Hughenden of developing a Neighbourhood Plan and to make recommendations to the Council meeting on 12 July.
Gareth Cadwallader was elected as Chairman of Hughenden Parish Council and Simon Kearey as Vice Chairman.
The Council then set up four Committees with their terms of reference and memberships – Human Resources, Finance, Planning, and Environment and Services.
Not to mention setting up seven working groups – Communications, Road Safety, Jubilee Trees, Playgrounds, Streetlights, Transfer of Land and Neighbourhood Plan.
I am not going to attempt to say which councillor is on which committee as I am bound to get it wrong. But I think I am the Chair of the Planning Committee – and thank goodness there seems to have been a hiatus in planning applications in recent months in Hughenden.
These Committees and Working Groups represent a substantial programme of work – and we are still 5 councillors short. Applications from residents to be a councillor would be very welcome.
There is still a great deal to do in sorting out outstanding internal issues.
However, Council was able, at last, on 10 May to approve a list of outstanding payments for authorisation going back to 2021. Council meets again for an Extraordinary Meeting on 19 May to approve arrangements that would help ensure that Council is never in the position again of not being able to pay its creditors.
Council is also meeting next Thursday to consider the appointment of a permanent Clerk and to make further arrangement to provide more support from locums on a temporary basis.
Finally, Council is to consider a statement which is to be included in the Hazlemere Neighbourhood Plan about the boundary of Hughenden and Hazlemere at Four Ashes. Let me know if you would like a copy of this statement; HPC’s website is not yet up-to-date.