9-03-21 Open Spaces Committee Minutes

CHEPPING WYCOMBE PARISH COUNCIL
OPEN SPACES COMMITTEE
Report of the Open Spaces meeting held on Tuesday 9 March 2021 at 7pm via Microsoft Teams
Under the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus)(Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 (4 April 2020) allowing Local Authorities flexibility to hold meetings at a time, day and frequency to suit their own needs, without the requirement for further notice

The meeting was open to members of the public and press

Present: Cllr L Willis (Chairman) Cllr I Forbes
Cllr L Johncock (Vice-chairman) Cllr C Jordan
Cllr J Gurney Cllr S Digby Cllr M Wilkes Cllr K Wood Cllr S Herron Cllr B Kin

Also present: Cllr A Barron, Cllr D Johncock, Mr G Christie (Warden CWPC) and 3 Tylers Green residents

OS/20/043 Apologies for absence
All committee members were present.

OS/20/044 Declarations of members’ interests in Items on the agenda
There were none.

OS/20/045 Delegated Actions
Members were asked to note that since the last committee meeting in January the following actions had been taken.

Emergency tree work in King’s Wood removal of 2 x Ash trees on property boundary and removal of a rotten Beech tree hanging over a path totalling £750.00.

OS/20/046 Allotments
Members were asked to note that there are no vacant plots. There are currently 10 people on the waiting list – Ashley Drive 3 and Chapel Road 7.

It was highlighted by Cllr Digby that there were a few plots at the Chapel Road allotment site that were covered in black plastic with no sign of any work being undertaken. This will be investigated.

OS/20/047 Tylers Green Common
1. Track 4
Members were asked to review the revised quotation for the small section of track from Rays Lane to the front garden of Homeleigh. As this section of track is used by all residents living in that area (14 houses), the clerk will be approaching all for a contribution towards the cost (Track 4 and Track 5) once the council is satisfied.

Concern was raised that the quote was a minimum estimate and there was a long list of itemised exceptions that had no costings against them. The residents present advised that any contributions would only be forthcoming when the waste lorry situation had been resolved – a smaller, lighter vehicle that would not impact the new surface. This has been an ongoing issue for nearly 3 years with the Joint Waste Team and we are yet again awaiting a response to recent emails. It was noted that the level of contribution towards the works would be considered at a further meeting however the project would not fall if one household did not contribute.

It was RESOLVED that;
The contractor be asked to provide a maximum costing for the work.

Thanks was noted for the assistance provided by one of the track residents.

Resident left the meeting at 7.26pm closely followed by another at 7.27pm

OS/20/048 Playgrounds
Members were asked to note that a deep clean will be undertaken on all the parish owned play areas. Members were asked to approve the quotation received of £1,760.00 for all play areas supplied by the contractor who did this work a couple of years ago.

It was RESOLVED that;
The quotation in the sum of £1,760.00 for the cleaning of the play areas be approved.

The last resident left at 7.32pm

1 Ashley Drive Recreation Ground – fencing
Members were asked to note that the play area fencing at the above site will be installed by the end of March.

2 Straight Bit Recreation Ground
2.1 Play area fencing
Members were asked to consider a revised quote for the fencing of £12,880, this is for bow top fencing and two soft close gates. Previous quotes had been in the region of £16,000.

It was RESOLVED that;
The revised quotation of £12,880 for the play area fencing be approved.

2.2 Path and tree removal
Members were asked to note the entrance path to the play area. The path has become a trip hazard due to the cherry tree roots lifting the tarmac. Members were therefore asked to consider the proposal to remove the cherry tree and relay the path.

It was noted that the path needed to be widened to 1.5 metres, as it is not DDA compliant.

It was RESOLVED that;
Quotations for the path be obtained.

A request to re-direct the path around the tree roots was noted, this will be revisited.

OS/20/049 Railway Land – Dog Waste Bin
Members were asked to consider a request from the warden to install a new dog waste bin at the Treadaway Hill entrance of the above site at a cost of £189.00. Dog faeces are being left in bags at the gate entrance.

It was RESOLVED that;
A dog bin be purchased for installation at the Treadaway Hill entrance

OS/20/050 Green Dragon Lane Recreation Ground – Boiler replacement
Members were asked to note that the boiler at the above site needed replacement. Members were asked to consider delegating the replacement of the boiler to the clerk; currently the lowest quote received is £1,988.00.

It was RESOLVED that;
The replacement of the boiler be delegated to the clerk to not exceed £1,988.00.

OS/20/051 Tylers Green Management Plan – Tree works
Members were asked to approve one of the quotations received for the following works in line with the Management Plan now that planning permission had been granted;

Back Common – opposite Horse and Jockey
Crown lift the copper beeches (2) and crown thin and remove epicormic growth from the lime trees (4).

It was RESOLVED that;
Quote A in the sum of £1,100.00 be approved

Triangle opposite the Village Hall
Crown lift and crown thin the two copper beeches.

It was RESOLVED that;
Quote A in the sum of £380.00 be approved.

OS/20/052 Orchard Green Hedge Project Update
Members were asked to note that the hedging for the project had been put on hold until later in the year, the delay was COVID related. It is hoped that the work will start in October.

OS/20/053 Derehams Lane Recreation Ground – redevelopment
Members were asked to note that it was hoped that design boards would be ready for consideration showing possible workable options for the replacement of the pavilion. However, at the time of agenda writing they had not been received so this item will be brought back to the next committee meeting.

Members are reminded that a previous working party had made the following suggestions for the redevelopment; possibly move the office complex to the site, improve the Nursery provision, improve the car parking, creation of a sports hall for badminton, tennis, squash, cricket training.

OS/20/054 Magpie Wood – Tree work
Members were asked to consider the quotations received to remove one cherry one sycamore and one beech overhanging a property boundary. The trees appear to have slipped due to the excess water in the ground.

It was RESOLVED that;
Quote B in the sum of £500.00 be approved.

It was noted that Cllr Jordan highlighted a few more tree branches hanging over property boundaries in Magpie Wood. The warden would investigate.

OS/20/055 Flackwell Heath Golf Club
Members were asked to consider suggested sign positions for the golf club. Members are reminded that the club have approached the parish council before and at that time they were wanting to install 7 signs and we advised that we were unable to support so many and asked for a reduced number. The golf club is only looking for parish council support for the signs so that they can approach Buckinghamshire Council.

It was RESOLVED that;
Two of the three signs could be supported. The sign pointing down Swains Lane was the rejected sign as the right hand turn across Treadaway Hill could be dangerous and should not be encouraged.

OS/20/056 Community Board
Members were asked to note that following the last meeting in January when it was suggested that the Chiltern Rangers be approached with a view to involving them in the upkeep of the Community Orchard at Derehams Lane Recreation Ground, it appears that there are still a few people involved in the Orchard Group. Cllr White offered to provide the clerk with contact details to follow this up.

OS/20/057 Committee Finances
Members were asked to note the committee income and expenditure to Period 10 (January). Income is lower than in a normal year – this has been due to football being cancelled and the nursery at Derehams Lane being closed during the pandemic.

OS/20/058 Questions from committee members and the public
Cllr Forbes asked the following questions on behalf of Cllr Darch who was not present;
• Kingswood Road Gate; Have we any plans to make the very muddy path leading down to it more substantial and more accessible?
• Track exit onto New Road opposite Ashley Drive; whilst the work done last year has improved the path this its first winter has already eroded it and we should consider ‘topping up’ the surface material. Also we need to improve the end away from the road which is still a muddy mess – better drainage/run off channels to take the water running down the slope are needed to finish this work properly.
• Rubbish problems around Widmer Pond will only get worse as the weather improves. Should we ask JJ’s to take more ownership of the problem largely caused by their customers; it is not too much to ask them to get out and pick up the extra rubbish around each bin at the end of each day? We might also consider getting them to pay for a large ‘dumpster’ bin of the sort we have at St Margaret’s Church? And as this is not just our problem but a community one, consider approaching maybe the Middle School and the Scouts for weekend bin emptying duties in return for some contribution to their funds?

The questions would be considered and the resulting actions/plans would be communicated to all committee members.

• Cllr Barron asked if the swings at the Straight Bit play area could be lubricated as they were pulling to one side.

OS/20/059 Accounts for payment
Accounts for payment were circulated prior at the meeting for councillors to note.

It was RESOLVED that;
Cheque numbers 10420 to 10431, BACS payment to Barclays Payflow and direct debit payments to EE, E-ON and Unicom be approved.

The chairman thanked members for their attendance and closed the meeting at 8.03pm

Signed: Dated: 29 April 2021