09-06-22 Works and Services Committee Minutes

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CHEPPING WYCOMBE PARISH COUNCIL
WORKS & SERVICES COMMITTEE
“Cherish the past, adorn the present, construct for the future”

Report of the meeting held on Thursday 9 June 2022 commencing at 7.30pm
in the Council Chamber, Cock Lane, Tylers Green, High Wycombe, Bucks HP10 8DS

Present: Cllr C Dodds – Chairman Cllr A Barron Cllr J Gurney Cllr C Jordan
Cllr J Herschel Cllr S Herron
Cllr L Johncock Cllr S Barrett
Cllr D Johncock (ex officio)

Also present: Cllr S Digby

WS/22/001 Apologies for absence
Cllr R Wilks – personal, Cllr K Wood – holiday

WS/22/002 Declarations of members’ interests in Items on the agenda
There were none.

WS/22/003 Delegated Action
Members were asked to note that since the last committee meeting in March there had been no delegated actions taken by the chairman of committee and clerk.

WS/22/004 Committee Projects
1 Office Complex Refurbishment
Members were asked to note that the structural measurements for the office refurbishment had been completed at a cost of £950.00 and the drawings had been sent to Building Control for approval.

Members were asked to note that the replacement security system had been ordered at a cost of £3,125.00 and was scheduled to be completed on 10 June.
It was noted that the annual maintenance cost had been reduced from £590.40 to £72.00 because of the change from an analogue system to a digital system.

2 Depot
Members were asked to note that the works to replace the fluorescent lighting with LED luminaires in the depot and workshop had been completed at a cost of £1,919.70.

Members were asked to note that the floor in the depot and workshop would be painted by our Grounds Team in the winter and new, more practical, shelving would be installed thereafter.
It was noted that the existing shelving that was remaining would be cleaned and made good. Once that had been done, the ongoing works to the depot would be complete.

WS/22/005 Cemeteries
1 Altona Road Cemetery
Members were asked to note that the planter had been installed at a cost of £880 and it had been planted up by our Grounds Team.

Members were asked to note that a bench and plaque in memory of Cllr Kin had been ordered at a cost of £544 and was scheduled for delivery on 11 July. The words on the plaque would read
In memory of Cllr Bob Kin 1953-2022 “You are what you believe yourself to be”.

2 Hammersley Lane Garden of Rest
Members were asked to note that the works to redo the path with self-binding gravel is scheduled for end of week commencing 13 June.

Members were asked to note that the clerk and deputy clerk had inspected the memorials. An update on the progress of contacting deed holders of the graves would be brought to the next meeting.
It was noted that the Council should not take responsibility for the maintenance of the memorials, only the safety of them.
A record of all memorials should be created to include its location, a photograph and details of the inscription for genealogy.
The clerk and deputy clerk were thanked for taking up this project again.

3 St Margaret’s Churchyard
Members were asked to consider the quotation to repair the boundary wall. The brickwork to the gate piers requires attention. We had taken a single tender action from the contractor who carried out the pointing of the wall in October 2021.

It was RESOLVED that;
Quote A at £350.00 be approved.

WS/22/006 War Memorial – Flackwell Heath
Members were asked to note that our Grounds Team, with the help of Mr Godliman, had laid a paved pathway from the road to the memorial using the paving slabs from St Margaret’s Churchyard.
It was noted that the path looked very nice and those involved should be thanked.

Members were asked to note that the ½ bell traffic bollards had been delivered and we are awaiting a quotation for their installation.

WS/22/007 Royal Mail bag drop boxes
Members were asked to note that we had received a reply from Royal Mail, acknowledging receipt of our letter and to say that the request to remove the bag drop boxes had been passed to the Wycombe Area office. A follow up letter had been written by Cllr Barrett and the deputy clerk.
It was noted that this item would be escalated every 21 days if progress was not made and that we would go to the press if necessary. Cllr Barrett and the deputy clerk were thanked for taking on this project.

WS/22/008 FH Broxap bins
Members were asked to note that the last written communication received was an email dated 27 February 2020 from Chiltern District Council in which they said that the ongoing maintenance cost for refurbishing these bins is prohibitive and the only option they could see is to replace them for their new black bins.
Members were asked to consider that we request Buckinghamshire Council to replace all damaged bins with their standard black bins.
It was RESOLVED that;
In the first instance, we would ask BC if they were prepared to take on the refurbishment of the bins with a financial contribution from CWPC.

WS/22/009 Committee Site Visit
Members were reminded that the date for the committee site visit is Wednesday 6 July at 10.00am. Areas that will be visited are:
• Heath End Common & the two paths (Heath End Rd & Sheepridge)
• FH War Memorial
• Altona Road Cemetery

WS/22/010 Committee Finances
Members were asked to note the committee’s income and expenditure to Period 1 (April).

WS/22/011 Questions from committee members and the public
• Cllr Jordan enquired as to whether there was an update on the Japanese Knotweed at Wycombe Heights.
The deputy clerk had not received any response to her letter, email or phone calls.
You do not legally have to remove Japanese knotweed from your land unless it’s causing a nuisance, but you can be prosecuted for causing it to spread into the wild.
• Cllr Gurney enquired as to whether the committee were concerned that the green bin levy would lead to fly-tipping of grass on our land.
CWPC to make our position clear to Buckinghamshire Council that we are not in favour of the green bin levy.
• Cllr Dodds asked councillors to consider what new projects we could do and bring them to the next meeting in September.

WS/22/012 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 10815 to 10829 be signed and direct debits to Castle Water, EE, E-ON Next, Shell (Fuel Card Services), Shorts Group Limited and SSE be approved for payment.
It was queried why the invoice for the dog waste collection for FH was so much less than that for LW and TG. FH has approximately half the number of dog bins than the other two wards.

The chairman of committee thanked members for their attendance and closed the meeting at 8.25pm.

Date and Time of next meeting: Thursday 15 September 2022 at 7.30pm

Signed: Dated: