MINUTES OF MEETING OF BRILL PARISH COUNCIL
january 18th, 2022
7.45 - 9.10 PM IN BRILL MEMORIAL HALL
Present: Cllr Tuffley (Chair), Cllr Hulme Hunter, Cllr Slater, Cllr Springs, and 5 members of the public.
Before the meeting there was a brief presentation by Bill Piers of rRIPPLE - Ramblers Repairing & Improving Public Paths for Leisure & Exercise - on their work with Buckinghamshire Council and local parishes to repair and improve public paths, particularly replacing damaged stiles with gates.
021/207 Apologies for absence received from Cllr Dickinson and Cllr Keeping.
021/208 There were no declarations of interest.
021/209 The minutes of the previous meeting of 21 December 2021 were approved and signed. Proposed by Cllr Tuffley and seconded by Cllr Slater. Unanimous.
021/210 Cllr Tuffley announced that there are two applicants for the role of Clerk and they will be interviewed in the week of 24 January by Cllr Dickinson and Cllr Tuffley. Cllr Slater will interview in the event that Cllr Dickinson is unavailable.
021/211 22/23 Devolution Agreement
Cllr Tuffley proposed that the Agreement of Variation in respect of a Local Council Devolution Scheme Agreement be signed. Seconded by Cllr Hulme Hunter and passed unanimously.
021/212 Planning applications
21/04871/APP – BRILL
Land Off Ludgershall Road Brill
Conversion of stables and barn, with link to provide 2-bedroom residential dwelling
No objections
22/00039/APP - BRILL
2 Godfreys Close Brill HP18 9SW
Householder application for single storey rear and side extensions
Council broadly supported this application with one significant concern: parking. Since a significant portion of the existing hard standing outside this property will be lost by construction of the side extension, labelled as 'garage/storage' on the proposed plan, it was agreed to stipulate that this structure is used for its proper purpose, i.e parking, to prevent parking outside the property on the public road.
021/213 Playground
The Playground Committee has been successful in getting £81,000 of lottery funding. This is dependent on producing evidence that the King George V field is land owned by and registered to the Parish Council. Cllr Tuffley proposed that the Council seeks legal advice regarding the registration of this land urgently.
Haddenham and Waddesdon Community Board has given a grant of £10,000 to be spent this financial year. The Committee is going ahead now with ordering sensory equipment. Cllr Tuffley proposed that this work start early March. Seconded by Cllr Slater and passed unanimously.
021/214. Memorial Hall
Cllr Dickinson’s written report outlined a number of upgrades to the Hall. First is the upgrade of the kitchen both for school meals as well as providing a proper kitchen facility for private catered events. The second is to upgrade the hall cosmetically, including the acoustic titling on the ceiling. The estimated the cost of the upgrades to be in the region of £30k to £40k each. The Council should consider what help it may be willing to provide for the kitchen upgrade. The committee also discussed the installation of EV charging points in the hall car park. This is being coordinated with the PC through Cllr Slater.
021/215 Bi-Annual Weed & Feed
Cllr Tuffley proposed that the Council assist in the funding for contractors to spray the playing surfaces in the sports field to feed the grass and suppress the weeds before they get established. The shared cost in 2020 was £400. This was seconded by Cllr Hulme Hunter and passed unanimously with the caveat this is reviewed in future to ensure environmentally friendly methods of weed control.
021/216. The Common
Cllr Springs proposed that the Council finance the repair of the brushcutter by Briant’s of Risborough for around £100. Seconded by Cllr Slater and passed unanimously.
021/217 Benches on the Common
Cllr Springs suggested that the Council formulate a bench policy where a) specific styles are chosen as options to ensure some aesthetic consistency and b) a map of the Common is drawn up marking out potential future plots. Cllr Springs to bring a proposal back to the March meeting.
021/218. Footpaths
Cllr Tuffley proposed that Cllr Dickinson be the liaison with land owners to agree a coordinated approach to maintaining footpaths and to make recommendations to the PC for any need for extraordinary work or actions that may arise. Seconded by Cllr Hulme Hunter and passed unanimously.
021/219 Parish Communication Database review
The database was reviewed and the hard work of Cllr Hulme Hunter acknowledged.
02/220. Communications and Consultation
Cllr Tuffley proposed that the Communications Policy be adopted. This was seconded by Cllr Springs. It was agreed that this is a work in progress and should be reviewed regularly. Cllrs Hulme Hunter and Springs are working on a formal complaints procedure which will be an appendix to this policy.
021/221 Requests
The request to put any barrier at the start of the bridleway leading off off the Oakley Road before Forestors was refused. Proposed by Cllr Slater and seconded by Cllr Tuffley. Unanimous.
Cllr Tuffley proposed that the Thames Valley Orienteering Club have permission for their regular race on Brill Common on Saturday 19th March 2022. Seconded by Cllr Slater and passed unanimously.
021/222 Finance Update
Circulated and noted.
021/223 Receipts and Payments
Approval was proposed by Cllr Tuffley and seconded by Cllr Hulme Hunter. Passed unanimously.
December Payments
Aspire {grass-cutting} 528.00
Rob Timms {bin emptying} 105.00
BT 52.74
N Power {street lighting} tbc
Buckinghamshire Council {waste} 27.40
Clerk salary 650.00
Great Greenery Co (ducting for MUGA lighting) 198.00
Oxford Oak Tree Surgery (Walks) 1500
Judith Longman (stamps) 10.20
Date of next meeting: Tuesday 15 February at 7.45 in Brill Memorial Hall.