29-08-19 Open Spaces Committee Minutes

CHEPPING WYCOMBE PARISH COUNCIL
OPEN SPACES COMMITTEE

Report of the meeting held on Thursday 29 August 2019 commencing at 7.30pm
in the Council Chamber, Cock Lane, Tylers Green, High Wycombe, Bucks HP10 8DS

The meeting was open to members of the public and press

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

Also present: Cllr D Johncock (WDC), Cllr A Barron, Cllr R Wilks, Cllr J Herschel, Cllr J White, 2 Tylers Green
residents, 3 representatives from Flackwell Heath Bowls Club

Cllr Johncock asked members present to approve Cllr Wood to act as vice chairman for the duration of the meeting – this was agreed.

OS/19/018 Apologies for absence
Apologies were received and approved from Cllr Willis (family) and Cllr Darch (holiday)

OS/19/019 Declarations of members’ interests in Items on the agenda
Declarations of personal interest on the agenda were declares as follows;
Cllr Forbes – expenses cheque
Cllr Digby – expenses cheque
Cllr Kin – expenses cheque

Cllr Johncock asked that the standing orders be suspended to allow the change in order of the meeting for the convenience of the residents from Tylers Green as follows;

OS/19/020 Questions from members of the public
Questions involved progress on Track 4
• Had there been any further movement on drainage quotations for the track?
There had been no movement due to all the known contractors being unable to attend the site for quotation purposes.
• Had there been any success in contact the joint waste team for a smaller lorry on the track?
Attempts had been made to contact the waste team however there had been no reply.
• No through road sign – had this been ordered.
Yes – it had been ordered and was awaited.
Any progress on the above would be relayed to the residents in questions as soon as practicably possible.

7.37pm Tylers Green residents left the meeting

OS/19/021 Delegated Actions
Members were asked to note that since the last committee meeting in May the following delegated action had been taken by the chairman of the committee and clerk;

Purchase of a replacement bench – Tylers Green Common £450.00
King’s Wood tree works – emergency removal from gas pumping station £650.00
King’s Wood tree works – emergency removal Beech near gas pumping station £620.00
King’s Wood tree works – Forest Way overhanging unbalanced tree removal £980.00
Boundary Road Recreation Ground – reduce tree from property £780.00

It was noted that the issue surround the temporary bunds being a Chairman of Council action would be discussed at the full Council meeting on 15 October.

 
OS/19/022 Allotments
Members were asked to note that at the time of agenda writing the following vacancies existed at the allotment sites:

Chapel Road – 5 full plots
Ashley Drive – 3 full plots

There were currently four people on the waiting list, three looking for half plots.

Members were asked to note the winners of the Allotment Competitions, the certificates had been awarded at the ‘get togethers’ over the summer.

1 Ashley Drive Allotments
1.1 Taps
Members were asked to note that the works had been completed to the extra stand pipe taps at the above allotment site.

1.2 Annual Picnic
Members were asked to note that the picnic date had been re-arranged due to inclement weather had been held on Saturday 17 August 2019, due to the change in date it had not been as well attended but all present had a good time.

2 Chapel Road Allotments
2.1 Annual BBQ
Members were asked to note that the annual Flackwell Heath Allotment BBQ held on Saturday, 20 July 2019 had been a great success.

OS/19/023 Magpie Wood
Members were asked to note that the replacement of post and wire fencing to Robinson Road/Rayners Avenue/bridleway boundary and the palisade fencing behind the properties approved at the last committee meeting had been ordered and would be installed on 30 September 2019.

OS/19/024 Flackwell Heath Bowls Club
While on the committee site visit in July the following items were under review;

The access to the Bowls Club was found to be adequate at the current time.

1 Signage
The request for a large sign for the Bowls; members were asked to note the opinion that the current sign on the fencing is adequate and could be seen from the road. Members were asked to consider a suggestion that a dark backing to the sign would be beneficial to eliminate light interference from the rear of the sign.

It was RESOLVED that;
a dark backing to the existing sign on the fence be approved.

2 Car parking
Members were asked to note that the request for increased car parking for the site had not been favoured at the site visit as it would greatly reduce the remaining green open space.

It was noted that the Clerk was asked to work with the Bowls Club to investigate options for creating a surface, along the lines of grasscrete, that could be used on an ad hoc basis for cars to park beyond the gate to the recreation ground.

Quotations to be obtained for a single row, double row for parking purposes and also measure the area down the side of the Bowls Club to see if this could be possibly used without interfering with the houses backing onto the recreation ground.

The representatives from the Bowls Club thanks members and left the meeting at 8.10pm

OS/19/025 Tylers Green Common
1 Car Parking
Members were asked to note that a revised permit request form was being worked on at present in an attempt to mitigate any further event issues with parking on the Common.

It was noted that Cllr Forbes volunteered to assist.

2 Management Plan
Members were asked to note the works undertaken in the Management Plan to date.

It was noted that the Warden had cleared the drain from the road into the pond – Cllr Forbes asked that thanks be noted.

OS/19/026 Derehams Recreation Ground
1 Working Party
Members were asked to note that the Working Party was need of a refresh and members were asked to volunteer to look at the re-development of the site.

It was noted that Cllr Herschel, Cllr Jordan, Cllr Gurney and Cllr White all volunteered.

OS/19/027 Playground Updates
Members were asked to receive updates from the working parties.

It was noted that the Flackwell Heath Playground working party was in need of revival and the following councillors volunteered Cllr Herschel, Cllr Barron, Cllr Wilks, Cllr Kin, Cllr L Johncock along with a members of the Flackwell Heath Residents’ Association and WDC Cllr Johncock. The working party would be looking at the completion of the Straight Bit recreation ground with the inclusion of a roundabout, zip wire and fencing along with the development of a small play area at the Green Dragon recreation ground.

Cllr White left the meeting at 8.19pm

1 Ashley Drive Recreation Ground
Members were asked that remedial repairs highlighted at the site visit had been completed.

Members were asked to consider the quotes received to complete the play pad at the above site.

It was RESOLVED that;
The alternative Quote B in the sum of £12,231.00 be recommended to Finance and General Purposes, along with the estimated cost for the fencing in the sum of £9,080.62

OS/19/028 Totteridge Common
1 Fencing
Members were asked to note that the approved fencing had been order and work was due to commence in mid- September.

OS/19/029 Orchard Green Hedge
Members were asked to consider the estimated costings for the continuation of the hedge work at the above site. The proposed works to be undertaken would consist of the next 43 linear metres of hedge line.

It was RESOLVED that;
The costings as follows be approved for the continuation of the hedge.
Estimated excavation/removal works £4,000.00
Hedging 20 metres/Holly £3,100.00 (13 metres of hedging held in the depot)
Excavator £200.00
Top soil/bark mulch £350.00
 

OS/19/030 Railway Land
Members were asked to consider the quotes received for the tree works to the rear of properties in Bay Tree Close, Loudwater. Quotes are for felling – 3 Ash trees, 1 Cherry tree and 1 Holly tree and coppicing 2 Hazels and pruning a Field Maple.

It was RESOLVED that;
Quote B be approved in the sum of £1,220.00 for the above works.

OS/19/031 Hedley Green
Members were asked to note that the approved works to the steps at the site had been completed.

OS/19/032 Committee Finances
Members were asked to note the committee income and expenditure to Period 4 (July).

OS/19/033 Questions from committee members and the public
There were no questions from the public.

 Cllr Barron highlighted a problem with overhanging trees along Old Kiln Road.
Clerk advised that she would investigate the ownership of the trees and take the matter forward.
 Cllr Barron highlighted the works being done at 128 Heath End Road
Cllr D Johncock (WDC) advised that the Enforcement Team (WDC) were aware and had issued a stop notice and a civil prosecution order had been put in place. The works had undermined trees along the boundary that were TPO protected.
 Cllr Kin advised that the CP team at the allotments had done a really good job.
 Cllr Gurney asked when a replacement bench would be installed at the bottom of Derehams Lane.
The Clerk would contact Cllr D Shakespeare who had originally donated the bench to see if he would replace it.
 Cllr L Johncock asked how many green bins there should be in Flackwell Heath.
Cllr Herschel advised that he had a schedule of the bins and would provide her with it.

OS/19/034 Accounts for payment
The accounts for payment were circulated at the meeting for consideration by councillors.

It was RESOLVED that;
the accounts for payment be approved and cheques numbered 9929 to 9944 be signed and that the BACS payment to Payflow and direct debits to Barclays, Castle Water, E-ON, EE, Shell, SSE, Npower and Unicom be approved for payment.

The chairman of the meeting thanked members for their attendance and closed the meeting at 8.50pm

Date and time of next meeting: Thursday 31 October 2019 @ 7.30pm