Agenda and minutes

It was RESOLVED to note the apologies for absence and the absences without apologies as listed above.

(Under the Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012, made under s30 (3) of the Localism Act, councillors are required to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests which they may have in any of the items under consideration at this meeting)

No declarations of interests were made at this stage in the meeting.

It was RESOLVED that the draft minutes of the meeting held on 23 May 2023 be approved as a correct record of the meeting.

To receive representations from members of the public on items on the agenda and to hear questions from members of the public about council business which may not be listed on the agenda.

Members of the public who wish to present  a spoken or written representation should contact the Clerk no later than 12 noon on the day before the day of the meeting in order to register to be heard or to obtain a link to join the meeting remotely.

The public speaking session will generally last no more than 15 minutes and individuals will be permitted to speak for a maximum of 3 minutes.

Requests to speak or ask questions will be dealt with in the order in which they have been received by the Clerk.

For more information or to register to speak please contact:

Delia Shephard

Town Clerk

01908 649469

clerk@bletchleyfennystratford-tc.gov.uk

Please be aware that meetings may be recorded and live streamed including the representations made by members of the public.

The Vice-chair of Water Eaton Residents Association made representations in support of his proposal (originally made at the annual meeting of electors) that the town council should consider employment of a parking education officer.

In summary long standing parking concerns were highlighted, particularly the lack of progress with parking management in Queensway and parking enforcement across the area. It was made clear that Water Eaton Residents Association was keen to find the best way to resolve these issues and believed that the employment of a parking education officer should be considered as this had been successful in West Bletchley.

Elections were not demanded by the public therefore the council is free to co-opt.  The two vacancies have been advertised in the usual way and there has been some interest from Fenny Stratford following the article in the recent edition of the Neighbour however no applications have yet been received.  It is intended to follow the council’s adopted policy for co-option unless members proposed an alternative which is compliant with legislation.

It was RESOLVED to note the two casual vacancies in Fenny Stratford and Eaton South Wards which had been advertised in the council’s most recent newsletter. The clerk confirmed that the council would continue to promote these opportunities for potential new councillors and the casual vacancies would be a standing item on full council until the seats were filled.

i       Community Committee – 2 vacant seats

ii      Environment and Planning Committee – 3 vacant seats

iii     Finance and Governance Committee – 3 vacant seats

iv     Sycamore Buildings working group/committee and Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group would both welcome additional members

Members were reminded that following the annual meeting of council there were vacant seats on the Community Committee (2 seats), Environment and Planning Committee (3 seats), Finance and Governance Committee (3 seats).

It was RESOLVED to elect Cllr Segebrecht to the Environment and Planning Committee and to the Finance and Governance Committee.

There were also opportunities to join the Sycamore Buildings Working Group and the

Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group.

It was RESOLVED to elect Cllr O’Rourke to the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group.

The Vice-chair of the council noted the next Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group meeting due to be held on 3 August 2023 and stressed that were continued opportunities for councillors and residents to be involved in the neighbourhood planning process.

(The first meeting of the Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Deal Community Advisory Group is due to be held on 29 July 2023.  Both town councils will have one space allocated to them (though some town councillors may be attending in different capacities).  The Chair of the council is happy to be the official representative but will be unable to attend on the date of the first meeting.  Members are invited to approve the attendance of the Chair as the Town Council regular member and to elect a substitute for those occasions when the Chair is unable to attend.)

Following the creation of a Community Advisory Group to inform the decision making processes of  Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Deal (as previously requested by the town council), it was RESOLVED that the chair of council be elected as the Town Council’s representative to this group with the opportunity to send a substitute if required.  It was noted that the  first meeting of the group would be on 31 July 2023 and would be held online.

It was RESOLVED that the draft minutes be noted.

(Minute reference FC23/24-29i recommendation to adopt revised LGPS Discretions Policy.)

It was RESOLVED that the draft minutes be noted.

Cllr Ely then declared a disclosable pecuniary  interest in the following recommendation due to his membership of the LGPS and took no part in discussion or voting on this item.

It was RESOLVED that the recommendation of the committee (minute reference FC23/24-29i)  to adopt a revised  LGPS Discretions Policy be approved. 

It was RESOLVED that the draft minutes be noted.

i       With respect to minute reference EPC23/24-19 concerning the 2024-35 Community Infrastructure Scheme “It was RESOLVED to recommend to full council that an application be made for community infrastructure funding towards the cost of solar panels at Newton Leys Pavilion.”  It has not been possible to provide a detailed report on this potential project for members in time for the meeting on 25 July 2023.  As the closing date for the scheme is the end of August 2023.  It is recommended by the clerk that the Town Council considers delegating the approval of the application to  the Finance and Governance Committee due to be held on 22 August 2023.  (The maximum spend for any project is £20,000 from a town council matched by £20,000 from MKCC. The sum of £20,000  falls within the remit of the committee.)

ii      With respect to minutes reference EPC23/24-21 concerning Newton Leys Football Pitches  “It was RESOLVED to continue to pursue interest from clubs and negotiate the best possible arrangement for the forthcoming season with a view to taking a proposal for decision at the full council meeting on 25 July 2023.”  Negotiations have continued with other clubs but officers are not yet in a position to present a costed proposal to the council.  It is recommended by the clerk that approval of this item is returned to the Finance and Governance Committee on 22 August 2023.

It was RESOLVED that the draft minutes be noted.

Minute reference EPC23/24-19 concerned the 2024-35 Community Infrastructure Fund (CIF) and it had been RESOLVED to recommend to full council that an application be made for community infrastructure funding towards the cost of solar panels at Newton Leys Pavilion.  It had not been possible to provide a detailed report on this potential project for members in time for the meeting on 25 July 2023.  The closing date for the scheme was 31 August 2023.  As specified on the agenda of full council, the  clerk suggested that the Town Council considered delegating the approval of the application to  the Finance and Governance Committee due to be held on 22 August 2023.  (The maximum spend for any project was £20,000 from a town council matched by £20,000 from MKCC. The sum of £20,000  fell within the remit of the committee.)

Following discussion it was RESOLVED that

i       the principle of an application to the CIF for solar panels at Newton Leys Pavilion be approved

ii      the detail of the application be approved by the Finance and Governance Committee at its meeting on 22 August 2023.

Regarding minute reference EPC23/24-21 concerning Newton Leys Football Pitches  it had been RESOLVED to pursue interest from clubs and negotiate the best possible arrangement for the forthcoming season with a view to taking a proposal for decision to full council meeting on 25 July 2023. As noted on the agenda, negotiations had continued with other clubs but officers were not yet in a position to present a costed proposal to the council.

It was RESOLVED to note that the approval of this item would be returned to the Finance and Governance Committee for consideration on 22 August 2023.

(Initial review of planning application, to be referred to full council on 25 July 2023 in view of scale of development)

It was noted that this planning application had been considered by the Environment and Planning Committee but since then more information had become available and it was hoped that a further submission would be acceptable to the local planning authority.

Discussion followed during which Cllr Segebrecht made representations and noted that whilst he did not consider he had  disclosable pecuniary interest in this matter he drew attention to his residence in Simpson Road near the proposed development site. Members were concerned that this re-submission of a previous application for the same site had been amended somewhat but the amendments did not take sufficient note of previous objections to the development.

It was RESOLVED to object to the proposed development on the grounds that the traffic and parking problems had not been sufficiently addressed and consideration had not been given to the impact of road safety improvements around the level crossing.

It was RESOLVED that the town council would object to the proposed ancillary building on the grounds that this was an overdevelopment of the original site and had the potential to place additional parking demands on the area.

A clerk’s report including information about the purpose of a parking education officer post, a potential job description and estimated costings had been circulated with the agenda.  The report drew on the experience and positive outcomes from the work of the parking education officer at West Bletchley Council. 

Robust discussion followed during which Cllr Hume joined the meeting.  In summary, members recognised the well known concerns about parking management in the area but expressed doubts about the ability of any parking education officer to effect change to parking behaviours in Bletchley town centre without any enforcement powers. On this basis there was concern about the value for money of such a post, the impact on precept of this post and the fact that there was no revenue budget allowance for this for the financial year 2023-24.

 It was RESOLVED that this proposal be considered further alongside the council’s other priorities during the budget setting process for 2024-25.

It was RESOLVED to note the application.

The name proposed by Milton Keynes City Council was Alnwick Place which the developers do not like and Beacon Place has been proposed by them. It is not clear what connection if any there is with local history or local geography.  The City Council is keen to hear the views of the Town Council by 31 July 2023.

The town council had been consulted by Milton Keynes City Council about street naming and addresses for the development formerly known as Bletchley View near Albert Street, the name being proposed by the developers being Beacon Place.  Councillors questioned the connection of this name with any local history and geography and noted the nearby road names, Princes Way, Albert Street, Earls Close, Barons Close, Saxon Street which appeared to have a royal/court connection.

It was RESOLVED to suggest the name Elizabeth Place as an alternative to Beacon Place and if this was unacceptable to suggest a name which was connected to the nearby street names.

The clerk noted that MKCC had now asked the town council to agree to a land transfer rather than an easement (as previously approved in principle by the town council) to accommodate construction of part of  Section 2 of the Bletchley red way development which  was planned to run alongside the football pitches at Newton Leys. It was RESOLVED to proceed on the basis of a land transfer.

It was RESOLVED to note the draft transfer map and heads of terms  and to instruct the clerk to report on the matter to the Finance and Governance Committee in future. The clerk noted that MKCC would be paying the town council’s legal costs and that Taylor Wimpey would need to approve the transfer due to an existing covenant on the land.

It was RESOLVED to support the proposed use of S106 funding in the sum of £31,460.75 from S106 agreement 15/01820/FUL (Land west of Jersey Drive) by MKCC’s public art team for the purpose of enhancing the new red way connecting Newton Leys to the Blue Lagoon through public art. This project was intended to explore the heritage of the place and its brick connections and the S106 funding would be used a match funding as part of larger bid.

Cllr Ely gave an update on a meeting of the Sycamore Buildings Working Group which had been held on 20 July 2023.  Member had discussed the findings of emergent bat surveys undertaken earlier in the summer. The ecologist’s findings did not demonstrate any use of the building by bats during the surveys but the roofs of both Sycamore buildings must continue to be regarded as potential roosts. However the bat mitigation measures suggested appeared straightforward.  Bat droppings collected in autumn 2022 had been sent for DNA analysis to identify the species involved. These results were due in early August.  It would then be possible to resubmit the planning application with this information.  If planning permission were to be granted any work would be required to be undertaken under licence from DEFRA.  Cllr Ely also confirmed that the working group were now focusing on a review of high level costings for the project.

It was RESOLVED to note the intended resubmission of the planning application as previously approved by council on receipt of the DNA analysis.

(Cllr Hussein)

In the absence of Cllr Hussein the clerk advised that a joint meeting of the Neighbourhood Plan  steering group and the environment and Development Task Forces was due to be held on 3 August 2023.  The hard work of the volunteers in the task groups meant that the planning consultants were now working on emerging policy ideas which would be discussed at that meeting. The funding window at Locality had reopened on 25 July 2023 and the clerk had begun process of reapplying for grant funding.

It was RESOLVED to note the clerk’s written report which had been circulated with the agenda and which included an update on the most recent meeting of the board and a summary of progress on the individual projects within the Town Investment Plan including the Transport Hub. 

It was unanimously RESOLVED to reaffirm the town council’s strong support of an eastern entrance to Bletchley station and the clerk was instructed to write to Iain Stewart MP and to Network Rail to this effect.

It was RESOLVED that the financial reports showing income and expenditure against budget and balance sheet for the council at 30 June 2023 be noted.

It was RESOLVED that the list of payments made or due to be made by the council before the next meeting of the Finance and Governance Committee be ratified.