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25 March 2023
It was touch and go at HPC’s Extraordinary meeting on 21 March as to whether Council would be quorate. In the end, five councillors attended – two who had kindly rearranged previous commitments. So, the Council was just quorate.
But Council remained uncertain that it would be quorate until the fifth councillor walked through the door. And that, to my mind, is no way to do business.
The locum Clerk who was due to take the minutes had unfortunately contracted COVID so we were clerked by one of the locum Clerks who had helped us last year. The assistant Clerk (who had just returned from having COVID) stayed late to ensure the public could get in as one of the keys to the Council Office had gone astray.
So many thanks to the both of them for supporting the Council.
In the event, the meeting got through a considerable amount of business in a (largely) good natured way.
Here’s my summary of what was decided (in my words and my order). Let me know if you want more information: -
Action Points
For the first time, Council had a list of decisions it had made over the past six months and hadn’t yet been implemented. I found this very helpful. It’s one thing to make a decision – quite another to make it happen.
There wasn’t time to go through all the outstanding items but I was able to ask what was happening about the Great Kingshill Cricket Club lease (I’m on the working party) and the payment of the interest on the rent to the Hughenden Community Support Trust.
Burial Grounds
The management of HPC’s burial grounds has caused residents and the Council considerable concern for some time. Getting things wrong here can cause great distress to relatives of the deceased. And Council has to comply with its statutory obligations.
The Council had its first report from its new Burials Clerk. I found the report reassuring because, again for the first time, the report set out the problems (which go back to 2021), what has been done already to put things right and what more needs to be done.
Streetlights
The Council had its second report from the Streetlights Working Group which I chair. This report dealt with the maintenance of the lights. What the Working Group recommended (and Council agreed) is a reactive approach to repairs. This approach relies on residents letting the Clerk know when the lights go out or are damaged; the Clerk can then get it fixed. Council agreed to put waterproof labels on all the streetlights giving residents the telephone number of the Clerk.
The Working Group recommended that only one light (on Sunnybank) needs fixing at the moment.
Footpaths
Council agreed in principle that footpaths in Cockshoot Woods should be registered as public rights of way. It will now be up to residents to take the matter forward. Volunteers to help would be very welcome.
Mini-allotments
Council approved my motion to offer residents mini-allotments (3 metres by 1.5 metres at £15/year) at the Primrose Hill site. Let me know if you would like one. Children will be given priority.
Cycleways
Bucks Council are proposing to put cycleways from Naphill, Cryers Hill and Four Ashes to Hughenden Valley and then through National Trust land to Wycombe. Council agreed that Cllr Jones would prepare a draft for councillors’ comment to send to the Community Board on behalf of Council.
Budget
Council had a financial report to consider i.e. expenditure and income against budget up to January 2023. This should be routine for every Full Council but I think this is only the second report this financial year. We are changing over to a new system so thanks to those who compiled this report in difficult circumstances.
All I could glean from the report is that HPC is underspent – again.
Internal auditors report
Council considered the proposed response to the interim internal auditor’s report sent to Council in November 2022. I thought some of the recommendations had not been addressed and others were over optimistic. I also suggested that Council should look back to previous reports and check that Council had done what it said it would do.
Grant application
Hughenden Valley Village Hall applied for a grant of £10,000 as a 20% contribution to the repair of the carpark surface at the village hall.
Council thought this was rather too much and also asked for more information about other sources of funds for the project, deferring a decision.
Playground at Hughenden Valley Village Hall.
Council agreed that the matter of compensation to the village hall for the less- than- good equipment installed some time ago by HPC should be resolved and invited the Village Hall to make its case.
The Village Hall could apply, like other village halls, for help with other playground equipment under HPC’s grants policy.
For the rest, Council: -
- Asked the Clerk to carry out an audit of existing dog bins before it considered any new ones;
- Noted Coronation events in the parish;
- Agreed the arrangements for the annual parish meeting
- Made an amendment to Standing Orders;
- Agreed that rubbish should be collected from the parish offices;
- Authorized payments; and
- Approved some staffing issues.