West Bletchley Council Meeting - 26th. September 2002
The September Meeting of West Bletchley Council
was held on Thursday 26 th. September 2002. The meeting voted to contribute
£1,500 towards the fees of a consultant (Mr Alan Watson) who will
produce a report on the Shanks' application to
build a waste management facility. Additional meetings will be held
on Monday September 30 th. to hear opposed groups and on Tuesday October
1 st. to hear another consultant (Terry Marsh). The Council will then meet
to consider the Council's position on the waste management facility on
Thursday 10 th. October. It is believed that the latter date will be too
late to make representations to Milton Keynes Development Control Committee.
The council also agreed that there could be further discussion on the proposal to build 153 houses and an office block on the former Milton Keynes College site adjacent to Bletchley Park. Permission has already been granted to move one of the West Bletchley GP surgeries to the former school site in Whalley Drive. Applications had been received for the post of estate caretaker. Further dog bins are to be sited. A budget for next year's Carnival has been agreed. Rosemay Moore of Church Green Road won 1 st. prize in both the West Bletchley and Milton Keynes Garden contests. The Council decided to recommend the Milton Keynes Council owned land adjoining Wilton Avenue as the site for a new Cemetery. Following the resignation of Councillor Phillips there was a further resignation by Councillor Vasilou.
West Bletchley Council Meeting - 22nd. August 2002
The August Meeting of West Bletchley Council
was held on Thursday 22 nd. August 2002. A programme for selecting a new
councillor for Rivers Ward to replace Councillor Phillips was discussed.
Residents would first have the opportunity to call for an election. If
this was not requested, new members would be co-opted. John Phillips was
a Parish Councillor for Rivers Ward. There is also a vacancy for Castles
ward.
It was revealed that the special meeting on
Shanks's
application for a waste management site had been held up because Shanks
themselves refused to attend a meeting held in public. The council decided
to proceed with a meeting in the absence of Shanks.
Lisa Rodriguez was congratulated on her organisation
of the Jubilee Carnival.
The Council passed a resolution in support
of designating Bletchley Park as a World Heritage Site.
West Bletchley Council Meeting - 1st. August 2002
The July Meeting of West Bletchley Council
was delayed until 1 st. August due to a clash with an open meeting of a
Milton Keynes Council Committee Meeting on Waste
Management on the previous Thursday. A presentation was given by Sgt.
Vanessa Wilson of Thames Valley Police and Donna Lopez, a community safety
officer. The feasibility of employing a community safety officer in West
Bletchley was to be examined. The Council decided to donate any surplus
from the Jubilee Carnival (to be held on September 7 th.) to Willen Hospice.
Gagging Order:
It also decided that the Planning Sub-committee could not discuss the question
of independent advice in respect of the Shanks planning application for
a waste management facility. The Council was
to ask for £200,000 to £350,000 in planning gain. £10,000
was removed from the Bletchley Partnership budget to be used for other
purposes. It was also agreed that the Chairman would approach both Woughton
Parish Council and Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council with a view
to holding quarterly meetings with each of these.
West Bletchley Council Meeting - 27th. June 2002
West Bletchley Parish Council
Second Annual General Meeting - 23rd. May 2002
The Second Annual General Meeting of West Bletchley Parish Council was held on Thursday 23 rd. May before the monthly Council Meeting. Roger Bristow was re-elected Chairman and Eddie Thomas Vice-Chairman. The Chairmen and members of other committees were re-elected with a few minor changes.
West
Bletchley Council Meeting - 23rd. May 2002
The May Meeting of West Bletchley Parish Council
was held on Thursday 23 rd. May. It was agreed that the Environment
Committee would organise an open meeting on Shanks proposals for a
new waste disposal plant. It was also agreed that the Chairman
would invite 2 representatives each from Bletchley and Fenny Stratford
Town Council and Newton Longville Parish Council to join two representatives
from West Bletchley Council to monitor this application. The Final Accounts
for 2001-2002 were approved by the Council prior to audit. Road closures
had been agreed for the 'Jubilee Fayre' in September. 8 Carnival
Floats out of a maximum of 10 had been organised. The Council passed a
resolution opposing school closures in West Bletchley. Dog Fouling bins
had been installed but in the wrong place.
West
Bletchley Council Meeting - 25th. April 2002
The April Meeting of West Bletchley Parish Council
was held on Thursday 25 th. April. The Chairman spoke confidentially on
the strange newspaper front page article in the Citizen and reported on
the the Redrow site, the sale of the Salvation
Army Hall, and the conference of the Buckinghamshire Association of
Local Councils meeting on the Planning Green Paper. He had objected to
the chairman of this meeting being overtly party political.
The Chairman's son adressed the council on the subject of a proposal for a West Bletchley Council Website. The Chairmen of committees of the Council were to consider how unspent funds from 2001-02 were to be utilised. Mr D. A Scrimshaw was appointed independent examiner of the council's accounts. Four new councillors were co-opted. A Grants policy was agreed by the council.
West
Bletchley Council Meeting - 28th. March 2002
After being addressed by residents of the Racecourses
Estate, the council expressed concern about the proposal to change one
of the houses in to a residential home for the mentally ill. Objections
were raised about loss of amenity, staff and visitor car-parking and the
precedent set for other applications.
The March Meeting of West Bletchley Parish Council was held on Thursday 28 th. March. Although Grants have already been made, no criteria have yet been determinesd. Vacancies for Councillors are still unfilled as although one candidate, Mary Pert had gone through a proper procedure, other candidates' names were only put forward at the start of the meeting. Decisions on both these matters were put back to the April Meeting. The Carnival in West Bletchley has now been put back until September. There was some concern that the cost appeared to be escalating.
West
Bletchley Council Meeting - 28 th. February 2002
The February Meeting of West Bletchley Parish
Council was held on Thursday 28 th. February. Bletchley and Fenny Stratford
Town Council no longer wish to participate in a joint carnival and are
arranging a separate event in Leon Park (Though to be arranged for the
22 nd. and 23 rd June). It was proposed that West Bletchley would hold
their own event probably on the Leys and possibly on the 1 st. and 2 nd
June but other local organisation would be contacted first. The five vacant
council seats would be advertised in the Citizen and candidates
co-opted
at the next meeting. The results of the traffic survey were awaited from
Milton Keynes Council. The installation of dog fouling bins because Corys
would be increasing emtying charges from £1.00 to £17.00 per
week. The revised Standing Orders were adopted. There was an objection
to the number of photos of Milton Keynes Councillors. particular those
of Nigel Long (who is presumably a candidate in the May election) in the
last edition of the Newsletter.
West
Bletchley Council Meeting - 24 th. January 2002
The January Meeting of West Bletchley Parish
Council was held on Thursday 24 th. January.
Reviewing the Draft Standing Orders, it was agreed
that members would not need to stand when addressing the Council. It was
also resolved that the date of the annual meeting in election years would
be change because otherwise under the rules as set out, it would always
be held on a Sunday.
The Council voted to advertise for potential candidates for co-option
for the Poets and Castles Wards.
Election will now, presumably called in the Denbigh West (Counties)
Ward and the Wentworth Avenue area. Governors were appointed to Abbeys
(M. Legge), Chestnuts(T Phillips), Holne Chase (K. Sidebottom), Rivers
First(D. Anscombe) and Wellsmead (Liza Rodringuez) Schools.
Following the withdrawal of motions to request legal advice on the
validity of some budget items, there was some discussion of the amount
of planning which went into some environmental items. Some budgets were
then reduced to reflect the timescale necessary to implement projects which
had not been precisely designated. This included a grant of £60,000
to a proposed new Bletchley Partnership Board which had yet to be esttablished.
There was a vote for a budget implying a precept of £31.83 p.a. per
average household with one abstention. This excludes payment to Milton
Keynes Council under the 'Section 136' agreement. For more details
Click
here.
The community committee had postponed the BMX track but devoted £10,000
to a Carnival for Bletchley which it is proposed should occur on the Sunday
of the Jubilee week-end. Details of CCTV for the shopping centres in West
Bletchley are being gathered. A mobile music project is planned to distract
teenagers from vandalism.
Cllrs Rodriguez and Anscombe were elected on to the Finance and General
Purposes Committee and Cllrs Lund and Legge to the Publicity and Communications
committee. It was also agreed that chairs of committees should meet regularly.
Cllr Sisson was appointed deputy chairman of the F&GP committee.
West
Bletchley Council Meeting - 18 th. December 2001
The December Meeting of West Bletchley Parish
Council was held on Wednesday 18 th. December.
The meeting agreed to replace the bench outside
Holne Chase school as a memorial to the late Councillor Woodcock the former
Mayor.
There were currently no proposals for the Parish
Partnership Fund (Jointly funded by the Parish and Milton Keynes Council).
The Council supported the continuation of Abbeys
School as a school on the same site and gave retrospective approval
to the expenditure of £1,000 on consultants engaged by the Chairman
althogh he was unable to name these consultants.
The Council supported the deletion of the 'Enigma
Bridge' from Milton Keynes Council's Local Plan.
The Council recommended that the letting of Home
Farm Depot to Cory's Waste Services by Milton Keynes Council should
be limited to two years, after which it would revert to housing or light
industrial use.
The Council intends to enter into discussions
with Bletchley and Fenny Stratford with a view to putting in place a new
Bletchley Partnership Board with project
funding. This would be the fourth re-incarnation of the board. The
last of these having failed because Milton Keynes Council would not provide
funding.
The Council considered next years
Budget
which would be determined at the January meeting. Expenditure would be
in the range from £330,000 pounds to £466,000 with a potential
precept (or charge per household) in the range of £48.00 to £68.00
pounds per household per annum. Of the overall total £174,051 (or
£27.91 per household) would be paid to Milton Keynes Council under
the Section 136 agreement. If this were not agreed then an equivalent amount
would be charged as a special charge under the Council Tax (although the
overall Council Tax in Milton Keynes would be less as a result.
The Chairman then reported confidentially on
staffing
matters.
The meeting conclude with a social gathering of councillors with food and
drink provided.
West
Bletchley Council Meeting - 22 nd. November 2001
The November Meeting of West Bletchley Parish Council was held on Thursday
22 nd. November. The Chairman reported a meeting with Bletchley and
Fenny Stratford Council where it was decided that the two councils would
co-operate through the Bletchley Partnership. A joint meeting to discuss
common issues such as the Shanks Landfill Site was proposed. It was proposed
to clarify the legality of the proposal to grant £7,500 to the Chairman
(together with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Community Committee)
for Crime Prevention measures.
West
Bletchley Council Meeting - 25 th. October 2001
The October Meeting of West Bletchley Parish Council was held on Thursday
25 th. October
The meeting devoted some discussion to how it should conduct
its business. Business raised by councillors concerning their own Wards
would be referred to committees or the full council at the discretion of
the Chairman. Agendas will be ob coloured paper in future in order
that they can be distinguished. It was proposed to appoint a minutes section.
There are two council vacancies at present. Ten or more electors can request
a by-election. The council decided NOT to listen to representation on a
petition for a directly elected mayor of Milton Keynes.
At this stage the council devoted 45 minutes to representations on behalf of the Milton Keynes Play Association. The matter of weekly play sessions during school holidays was then referred to the Community Committee.
The remainder of the meeting was devoted to the reports of committees. A volunteer was requested for the Leys Charity. A meeting between the police and Youth Outreach workers would be organised. There was some discussion of the viability of the cricket pavilion as a Nursery/Playschool. The post of Clerk would be advertised. There was no specific discussion of either the Landfill Site, the Development of the Bletchley Park Area or the impact of the School Closure Programme. However, the Environment Committee have ordered 20 Dog Fouling Bins.
West
Bletchley Council Meeting - 27 th. October 2001
The September Meeting of West Bletchley Parish Council was held on
Thursday 27 th. September.
It decided
To set up a working party
on the decision to close Sherwood Drive Nursery School.
To seek advice on the replacement
of vandalised basketball nets.
To refer the instigation
of a report on Landfill Sites back to the Environment Committee.
To agree in principle to
sign the Section 136 protocol with Milton Keynes Council.
That all staff would receive
Joint National Terms and Conditions of Pay.
That the Community Committee
would be responsible for the Garden Competition.
To request more effective
liaison with Milton Keynes Council over the Landfill Liaison Meetings.
Members of the public may address members of the council at the start of
each meeting with the agreement of the council.
The
October meeting was to consider a proposal for regular meetings with Bletchley
and Fenny Council.
An Extraordinary meeting took place on Wednesday 19 th. September and Roger Bristow was declared Chairman.
At 7.30 p.m. on the fine evening of Thursday 26 th. July 2001 a disconsolate band of six ageing men were gathered on the pavement outside the Frank Moran Centre. They were six of the nine Parish Councillors who are not members of the Labour Party. They were waiting while those Parish Councillors who are members of the Labour Party were at a meeting held in the play school next door to decide how they would vote at Parish Council meeting itself. The Labour party members emerged at 7.30 p.m., bewildered but unbowed. Shortly afterwards the Parish Council meeting started.
West Bletchley Parish Council Meeting - 26 th. July 2001
A comprehensive list of correspondence was presented as Agenda item
4. Unfortunately, Ron Beacham's requests for information on what some of
these actually contained were terminated by the Chairman after a brief
altercation on the grounds that the items would be considered by committees.
Ken Sisson resigned as unpaid acting clerk to the council after serving
in this capacity (also unpaid) to the Neighbourhood Council for four years.
Yvette Mitchell was appointed Acting Clerk (paid).
The following committee chairmen were appointed:-
Community
Lisa Rodriguez
Vice-Chairmen Ernie Thomas
Environment
Gladstone McKenzie
Michael Legg
Finance & General Purposes Veronica Belcher
George Conchie
Publicity & Communications Bryan Myrie
Elaine Wales
There was the usual interjection claiming that the word Chairmen is
sexist. (In fact it is no more sexist than Manchester. A Chairman can be
of either sex and if female is addressed as 'Madam Chairman').
The guide to walks around West Bletchley will now be given to local organisations and not sold.
The Chairmen produced a 'Transitional Report' of which the first three paragraphs were concerned with the handover of funds from the Neighbourhood Council. The West Bletchley Neighbourhood Council now no longer exists. A public meeting of residents agreed to hand over all assets and commitments to the new Parish Council. The new Parish Council made acceptance dependent on audit. As an auditor had not been appointed, funds could not be transferred. This had not prevented the Parish Council utilising other assets of the Neighbourhood Council and as an interim measure around £16,000 had been handed over. Ken Sisson explained this and proposed an auditor who was accepted by the council. He also criticised the report for appearing to blame the Neighbourhood Council for the delay when it, in fact, had tried to pass over the full funding but was prevented by conditions imposed by the Parish Council at its first meeting. A further altercation occurred when Ken Sisson was prevented from responding to a mention of the District Auditor. (The District Auditor could not directly audit the Neighbourhood Council as it was not a statutory body.)
A resolution on the landfill site was proposed. This required the council to take a public position, refer detailed policy on the landfill site including questions of technical, medical and legal advice and their costs to the environment committee, commit to financing public meetings and seek a joint committee with the Betchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council. An amendment was proposed which would limit the motion to taking a public position and forming a joint committee and would not mandate the environment committee to seeking professional advice or expedite the medical survey or allow the council to sponsor meetings. The meeting saw its third altercation when Arun Vaidyanathan, the resolution's seconder, was prevented by the Chairman from replying to a councillor who opposed the whole concept of a Parish council addressing this issue.
The garden competition continues. The Chairman of the Council will present the prizes. The council voted to donate £100.00 to the Chairman's favourite charity as a consequence and up to £100.00 to finance the garden competition.
There was no August meeting of the council.
West Bletchley
Parish Council Meeting - 19 th. June 2001
Councillor Conchie was elected
Chairman with Councillor Myrie as Vice-Chairman. Councillor Hughes was
also proposed for both offices but was defeated.
A Rose by any other Name!
There was some debate about the name of the new council. One member
proposed that the Council should be called West Bletchley District Council.
As Distict Councils are a higher tier of local authority responsible for
housing, public health etc. which a parish council cannot be this would
be confusing and is not a legal name. Milton Keynes Council for example
is actually a District Council. The alternative of a West Bletchley Area
Council would similarly not be a legal name. The term Community Council
could only be applied in Wales. An alternative proposal that the body should
be a Town Council would be a legal designation in which the Chairman
would become Mayor and the Vice-Chairman deputy Mayor. This proposal was
defeated. The main objection being that it would upset the Bletchley &
Fenny Stratford Council which was responsible for the town centre. A body
of this type can only be a 'Parish Council' or a 'Town Council', A proposal
that it should be known as 'West Bletchley Council' while formally being
called 'West Bletchley Parish Council was however accepted. This was on
the same basis that Milton Keynes District Council is known as Milton Keynes
Council. However, Milton Keynes (District) Council is responsible for Highways,
Schools, Housing, Public Health etc., etc. whereas West Bletchley (Parish)
Council is responsible for none of these. Is that all quite clear?
This important business having been transacted, the Council agreed to take over the assets and obligations of the Neighbourhood Council subject to audit. A clerk would be appointed in due course. Meanwhile the current acting clerk and staff would continue. A decision was also made to reduce the number of committees compared with the Neighbourhood Council. This would make it easier for members who were also Milton Keynes Council Members to attend meetings in the belief that they would be able to transact business more efficiently. The committees to go would be 'Planning and Traffic' and 'Development and Regeneration' whose main function would be to lobby Milton Keynes Council .The members will be asked their preferences and committee membership decided by the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Mr R. Beecham. The Council demonstrated its efficiency by deciding merely to note matters passed on by the Neighbourhood Council and thus avoiding any substantive business or continuity with that earlier body. The garden competition would, however, continue.
After some discussion of Monday when the Frank Moran centre was booked out, the meeting settled on tmeeting on the fourth Thursday in the month without any apparent dissent. A decision about whether to meet in August would be made at the next meeting. The meeting thus ended at 9.00 p.m. without considering and further issues. Note that the next meeting will be during school holidays. It is not yet clear whether any committee business will be completed for consideration by that date.
The concern to change the name was apparently based on fear of comparison with that appearing in the 'Vicar of Dibley' . In this, the members were demeaning themselves. West Bletchley (Parish) Council looks like becoming much funnier. Watch this space?