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CHEPPING WYCOMBE PARISH COUNCIL
OPEN SPACES COMMITTEE
Report of the meeting held on Thursday 31 October 2024 at 7.30pm at the Council Office, Cock Lane, Tylers Green, High Wycombe Bucks HP10 8DS
Present: Cllr L Willis (Chairman) Cllr I Forbes
Cllr L Webb (Vice-chairman) Cllr C Jordan
Cllr J Gurney Cllr S Digby Cllr S Herron
Cllr K Wood (ex officio)
Also present: Mr R Read
OS/24/028 Apologies for absence
Apologies for absence were received and approved from Cllr D Johncock & Cllr L Johncock (holiday) and Cllr H Darch (holiday)
OS/24/029 Declarations of members’ interests in Items on the agenda
There were none.
OS/24/030 Delegated Action
Members were asked to note the following delegated actions since the last committee meeting in September;
6 no fruit trees for Derehams Orchard £270.00
1 no gooseberry bush £16.00
3 no Whitebeam £120.00
1 no Rowan (pink) replacement memorial tree £40.00
OS/24/031 Derehams Lane Recreation Ground
Members were asked to receive a verbal update from Cllr Webb following the sub-group meeting on 9 October 2024. There had been a delayed response from the pre-planning application following a site visit in May. It was felt that going straight for planning would be the best next option with the following changes to answer some of the issues with the original application.
- Use of the Bowls Club clubhouse rather than building a new building – issue with this would be if the toilets could become integral to the building. For nursery use, parking would have to be available.
- The new pavilion would be for changing facilities for the football pitches, the addition of a small office space was mentioned and a community area.
- To investigate revitalising the MUGA area
Members were also asked to note that following a meeting with a Loudwater resident a plan to rejuvenate the Orchard at the site had been put into place. The fence currently around the area will be removed to allow for spread and the six new fruit trees along with further re-wilding of the area, 3 Whitebeam had been purchased and it was hoped that wildflowers will be threaded through/around the trees. Large pathways will be created through the entire area making access easy.
1 Loudwater Bowls Club
Members were asked to note that a site visit to the Clubhouse has been arranged for Friday 1 November 2024 at 10.30am. An update will be given at the next committee meeting.
OS/24/032 Allotments
Members were asked to note that there were currently 11 people on the waiting list for Ashley Drive and there was no-one on the waiting list for Chapel Road.
Members were also asked to note that the track at Chapel Road had been inspected by the grounds team and remedial works will be undertaken.
OS/24/033 Playgrounds
1 Straight Bit Recreation Ground, Flackwell Heath
1.1 Cargo netting on Grand Tower
Members were asked to note that the replacement cargo netting was still awaited from France, the small holes in the wet pour would be filled at the same time as the netting replacement.
2 Ashley Drive Recreation Ground, Tylers Green
2.1 Replacement Springy
Members were asked to note that the new springy had eventually been installed at the site.
OS/24/034 Tree Work
Railway Land: Members were asked to note that the work along the Railway Land at Holly Place that was approved at the last meeting was completed on 15 October at a cost of £950.00.
Straight Bit to Cherrywood Gardens: Members were asked to note that the work ordered following the last committee meeting, for the path leading from Straight Bit to Cherrywood Gardens, Flackwell Heath in the sum of £600.00 has been booked for 15 January 2025. Following the work being completed a site visit will take place to assess further requirements as previously approved.
King’s Wood: Members were asked to note that there was some serious ash dieback near to the Skills & Thrills area in the wood; quotations were currently being obtained, the initial work would probably be in the region of £4,000.
Members were asked to consider delegating to the Clerk the power to get the work completed up to £4,000. The expenditure would be taken from the Earmarked Reserve which currently stands at £20,228.
It was RESOLVED that;
The Clerk be delegated the power to complete initial works up to the sum of £4,000.
OS/24/035 Memorial Plaque Project, Tylers Green Common
Members were asked to note that the first 11 stainless steel replacement plaques had been installed along Track 6 (opposite the village hall) and the next batch had been sent off for etching.
OS/24/036 Biodiversity Project
Members were asked to consider the notes from a meeting with Cllr Wood, Cllr Johncock and John Shaw with a view to agreeing the felling of approximately 5 trees on Orchard Green. This is part of the Chiltern Rangers/Flackwild Heath initiative. Members were happy to take the advice on the felling of the trees.
Members were asked to receive a verbal update from Cllr Wood on the revised draft Biodiversity Strategy with a view to creating a sub-committee to review the document in detail and undertake further work as deemed necessary to take the project forward prior to full Council approval.
It was RESOLVED that;
A sub-committee be created with a view to working through the strategy and making recommendations for a parish strategy to be brought back to the committee. Membership of this committee to be Cllr L Webb, Cllr K Wood, Cllr D Johncock, Cllr S Herron, Cllr C Jordan and Cllr I Forbes.
OS/24/037 Devolved Services
Members were asked to note that the devolved services offer from Buckinghamshire Council had been accepted and we are now awaiting the legal pack. The areas that will be included in the cutting cycle for 2025/26 are: Tylers Green: The Greenway, Kitw Wood Road, Birch Way, Court Lawns, Cherry Tree Way and Chepping Close. Flackwell Heath: Chiltern Green and Southfield Road.
OS/24/038 Railway Land
Members were asked to note that contact had been made with a Civil Engineering Company for assistance. Following a discussion with one of the civil engineers, it was felt that a GeoTech Company would be best placed, in the first instance, to survey the bank and make recommendations. A contact has been received and an appointment is now being arranged.
OS/24/039 Draft Committee Budget 2025/26
Members were asked to consider the draft budget to the Finance and General Purposes committee.
It was RESOVLED that;
The draft budget for 2025/26 be recommended to the Finance & General Purposes committee.
OS/24/040 Committee Finances
1 Income & Expenditure
Members were asked to note the income and expenditure for month 6 (September).
OS/24/041 Questions from committee members and the public
- Mr Read asked that an inspection of the replacement Lime trees at the top of Track 6 be undertaken with a view to cutting back the scrub which is currently overwhelming them. The Clerk advised that she would ask the ground team.
- Cllr Wood asked about the hole that had be reported to her in Nursery Lane. The Clerk advised that the Warden had attended and could not find the hole.
- Cllr Herron asked about the zip wire in Ashley Drive which had been missing. The Clerk advised that the pieces had been found and the sip wire was now back in place. However, it looked as though it had not been installed correctly.
- Cllr Jordan mentioned some trees in Magpie Wood that needed inspecting. The Clerk advised that she would ask the grounds team to attend and meet with Cllr Jordan on site.
OS/24/042 Accounts for payment
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 11389 to 11393 be signed and that a transfer to Sam Perry, direct debits to HMRC, Peninsula Business Services and SSE along with a BACS payment to Barclays Payflow be approved for payment.
The chairman of the meeting thanked members for their attendance and closed the meeting at 8.07pm
Date and time of next meeting: TBC