MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF BRILL PARISH COUNCIL
ON WEDNESDAY october 18th AT 7.45PM
IN BRILL MEMORIAL HALL
Present: Cllr Tuffley (Chair), Cllr Hulme Hunter, Cllr Slater, Cllr Keeping, Cllr Springs, Cllr Judge and 3 members of the public.
022/068 To receive apologies for absence.
No apologies were received.
022/069 To receive any declarations of interest.
No Interests were declared
022/070 To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 28 September 2022.
The minutes from the meeting were signed and approved. Cllr Tuffley proposed and Cllr Slater seconded. The decision was passed unanimously
022/071 Planning applications
There were no planning applications to consider.
022/072 Housing Needs Survey (HNS)
Cllr Keeping, supported by Cllr Hulme Hunter, described a HNS as a process by which every household in Brill Parish would be asked, in confidence, about their housing needs (if any).
A HNS would be one means by which the PC would fulfil its duty to identify and understand local needs, by asking and understanding what villagers want in regards to housing. If a need for housing is identified, the information may then be used by the community to explore ways in which these needs could be met. A HNS is NOT about identifying sites for housing. That would come much later - and then only if the community felt this appropriate and feasible. A HNS is about the community taking control of its own needs and exploring solutions to those needs.
A single quote for costs has been obtained of around £1,800 plus an additional £50 to cover delivery of the survey to all households. Councillors would be closely involved in designing the survey and the cost would include full analysis and detailed report.
Housing in the area is becoming less and less affordable. Local people and ordinary working people are priced out of the market. Although there is no immediate pressure on Brill to accept further development, a HNS would prepare us should be arise. It would also enable us to respond with more insight to planning applications.
Cllr Slater said that it was her understanding that, according to Bucks Council, Neighbourhood Plans are be the only method whereby Parishes can have any control over planning within the Parishes.
Cllr Tuffley expressed her concern about delivering housing should a HNS identify a need, suggesting that this would be beyond our capabilities. Cllr Hulme Hunter explained that should a need be identified a group of local people would be invited to take the initiative forward; it would not be a solely PC project.
Cllr Slater expressed her concern over the control the Parish Council would have over how the plans would develop and if there were any deviation from the original need in the future what recourse the Council would have.
Cllr Judge expressed his support for the ethos of assessing housing needs but said he had many concerns over the practical aspects. Principally, the lack of suitable sites within the village. He was also concerned that a small sample of views would not be representative of the wishes of the community.
Cllr Keeping responded that the survey would cover every household and outcomes could be reliably extrapolated to give meaningful data.
Cllr Judge said that he wanted to understand how this project would link with the other Plans, particularly the Bucks Council Local Plan. It was his opinion that it may be better for the PC to investigate producing a Neighbourhood Plan.
Cllr Keeping responded that there would be no conflict between a Brill HNS and the BC Local Plan. A HNS would not conflict with a future Neighbourhood Plan but contribute to it.
Cllr Rand stated that Neighbourhood Plans carry weight with the Planning Authority.
Cllr Slater encouraged councillors to look at the impact the Neighbourhood Plan has had in Long Crendon.
Actions: The Councillors to submit any further Questions to Cllrs Keeping & Hulme Hunter
Actions: Cllrs Keeping & Hulme Hunter to prepare answers to any further questions
Actions The Clerk to enquire with Bucks Council in regards to an introductory meeting about Neighbourhood Plans.
An appendix outlining in full the details and intentions of the Housing Needs survey is attached to the minutes below.
022/073 Coffee Van and use of Windmill Car park
The Parish Council confirmed their agreement for the use of the Windmill Car Park for the Mobile Coffee Van. The Agreement was signed by both parties with a three month trial period.
Actions: The Clerk
022/074 Household flooding on South Hills
Cllr Slater proposed The Clerk to contact the residents to state that the Parish Council is in agreement for the proposed work but the financial cost of these works would lie with the residents. Cllr Tuffley seconded with the agreement of three Cllrs and one abstention from Cllr Springs. The Clerk to also contact the LAT to check the blocked drain.
Actions: The Clerk
022/075 Outcome of Brill School dog poo poster competition
Cllr Hulme Hunter updated that 12 anti-dog-poo posters had been chosen and that these will be put up around the playing fields and rotated every 2-3 weeks.
Actions: Cllr Hulme Hunter
022/076 The Walks
Cllr Springs proposed to reject the Request to remove tree stumps and shrubbery at the entrance to the Walks and replace the fence at the residents expense. This was seconded by Cllr Slater and agreed unanimously.
Action: The Clerk
Request for Beech Tree to be cut back on the Walks – The Council agreed to carry out an assessment of the tree.
Action: The Clerk
022/077 Points to review and Action following the walk with BBOWT on Span Green
To review the Thames Water leak on Span Green – The Council updated that the leak on Span Green has been reported and Thames Water are on site. Once Thames water have concluded their work then the Parish Council working with the new Common Group to look at follow up work.
The Council agreed to establish a date for the Working Together Meeting on Encroachment.
Cllr Slater proposed obtaining a quote for a Hazardous tree survey on Parish Council land including a RAG rating. This would then allow the Parish Council to act more proactively with regards to trees in the Parish
Beating the Bounds – It was confirmed that this event is scheduled for 14th March 2023
Reinstate footpath west end of Span Green alongside road as safer than horses on road (as highlighted by Mark Shipperley) – It was agreed to carry this item forward to the November Agenda.
022/078 MUGA
Telegraph Pole: It was confirmed that the Telegraph pole adjacent to the MUGA is the responsibility of the Scouts and this has been replaced. The Councillors at this time resolved to not look at the possibility of including lights on the MUGA
Woodchip around the Hornbeam hedging – Rob Timms & Gordon Govier have strimmed the weeds and will continue to manage during the winter. The Council resolved for Cllr Tuffley to arrange for wood chip to be laid around the MUGA before the Spring.
022/079 Path to the Playground
The Parish Council agreed for this to be postponed until the next meeting and a plan received from the Play Area Committee.
022/080 Windmill
Cllr Keeping proposed to source Quotations for a survey of condition of the windmill and the insurance of the windmill's structure and features. This was seconded by Cllr Hulme Hunter and approved unanimously by the Council
Action: Cllr Keeping
022/081 Confirmations
The Parish Council unanimously agreed for Parking on King George V Playing Field for the Christmas Market, weather depending.
The Parish Council unanimously agreed for the Tree work in Hectors Lane
022/082 Communications Database
The Communications was reviewed by the Council and Cllr Hulme Hunter urged the Councillors to keep checking and updating the database.
Cllr Judge updated that the SID’s are on order but have not yet been delivered
Cllr Judge also confirmed that he has put in the case for the EV charging points in the BMH car park and submitted the case for bollards outside the BMH. Cllr Judge to update when there is any further update
022/083 Receipts and Payments
October Payments
Rob Timms – Bins / Post Stubs / Path hasps - £272.84
Gordon Govier – Post Stubs - Common - £90.00
AJG Liability Insurance - £2,580.83
PKF Littlejohn - £360
Aspire Grass Cutting - £528.00
Discovery – Play Area - £20,833.20
LERC - £63.60
Tracmaster – Commander Mower – Service - £479.57
Brill Memorial Hall - £184.33
MP Printers - £33.00
King’s of Brill Book - £18.00
October Receipts
Interest - £6.19
Confidential Session – To follow the conclusion of the public meeting
Confidential business: To consider and resolve whether to exclude Public and Press on the grounds that matters for discussion affect individual staff members / procedures / legal / finance issues.
No Matters to discuss
Appendix A
Housing Needs Survey
What is a HNS?
A process that gathers a range of relevant data, and then draws balanced, reasonable judgements based on that data.
In other words, asking people what they think about a wide range of issues relating to housing in Brill, and getting some expertise to analyse the information and help the PC to draw conclusions.
Every PC should try to understand its parish & parishioners’ needs: it is fundamental to our rôle.
What is this about?
An informative, democratic process enabling the PC to fulfil its democratic duty to identify local needs and enable the community to deliver them.
It’s about understanding what villagers want re housing in Brill, e.g.:
Which housing issues they think are important
What sort of housing they would like regarding their, their families’ circumstances
What types of housing they would like Brill to offer and whether demand is being met, or not
What is this not about?
Trying to predict and answer housing issues in Brill
Not to generate a policy but to enable avoiding the making of decisions based on a misunderstanding of our parishioners’ aspirations
Identifying or allocating development sites
Providing a NIMBY nor pro-development platform
Preparing a Neighbourhood Plan, whether this may or may not happen in future
Why would a PC commission a HNS?
Rural communities thrive by responding to meet local challenges. A significant challenge across South East England is providing housing which meets local needs
Rural communities are at risk of decline and loss of essential services like schools, shops & pubs because of factors such as widening income gaps, poor transport, ageing populations, seasonal working...
Part of the role of the PC is to understand and help our community to meet its needs
Knowing what villagers think about this important issue will enable the PC to help Brill meet its needs and aspirations for the future
[Housing is a fundamental right, a human right]
Why is a HNS a good idea in Brill?
What will a HNS provide?
Information about what villagers think about current housing provision in Brill
Information about whether and how villagers would like to see any change to housing provision in Brill
Information about aspirations relating to housing, e.g. regarding:
Environmental standards, energy efficiency
Provision for people with disabilities
Provision for families, including intergenerationally
Provision for elderly people
Affordability of housing
... & other matters – i.e. this process is not about predicting or asking leading questions!
What could the PC do with the information the HNS provides?
Understand what villagers think about housing provision with Brill, e.g. about the balance between different types of housing
Promote positive change
What will it cost?
Survey: c.£1,800 + VAT
Delivery: c.£50 + VAT
These costs are estimates based on direct approaches to example providers
Who might undertake a HNS?
A consultancy or a community organisation: it would be best to engage with locally relevant organisations
What are the implications of not undertaking a HNS?
Without an understanding, we risk making decisions about planning applications without a deeper knowledge of local needs & aspirations
Not being able to address undesirable developer-led proposals, or undemocratic individual-led schemes “on the front foot”
Planning policy is in a state of flux:
There is very strong pressure to develop a lot of new housing in our area
Existing planning policy may be weakened to enable this
With evidence of local needs, the PC would be better placed to try to ensure that any new development is suitable for parishioners
The risk of inaction on this essential issue is very, very significant: housing needs are rising and changing in nature, and the PC will increasingly face pressure to act.
We have a choice to be proactive about this or to continue to respond blindly to developers’ or individuals’ motives