Minutes of the Dorney Parish VIRTUAL Meeting of the Council
on Tuesday 10th November 2020 at 8 pm
Present:- Councillors K Harris (Chairman), A Purdie, P Smith, A Foxley, J Dax, R Ormond and
C Stoughton.
In Attendance:- Buckinghamshire Council Cllrs Dev Dhillon, D Pepler and G Sandy,
Matt Orchard (Balfour Beatty), Mr Bowman (Dorney Village Pump), 9 Members of the Public and Sue
Moffat (Clerk).
92 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Cllr Dev Dhillon reported:- (i) No further updates on the second lockdown of Covid-19 except there is
funding available for those that need help; (ii) The Chairman of Beeches has been contacted by a Dorney
resident who has raised concerns about the proposal for the Court Lane/Village Rd/Lake End Rd roundabout
stating there has been no local consultation with residents and that they believe a majority of local residents are
against it. They also cited a local poll of 108 people where 67% voted for a T junction rather than a roundabout.
Cllr Harris, supported by Cllr Purdie, responded that the roundabout has been under discussion for about 27
years, since the time when Ken Richmond was Chairman and again at the 2012 Olympics. Each time there was
lack of funding to install a roundabout. The poll cited above conflicts with the poll carried out by the Parish
Council where 500 residents were in favour of the roundabout. In 2017 there was a serious vehicle collision
and emails were sent to the local MP and Cabinet Member at Bucks CC highlighting this dangerous junction.
Cllr Dax also pointed out that national statistics show a T-junction is more dangerous than
roundabout. Furthermore In 2017, a survey by DTWP showed approximately 173 people in Dorney were in
favour of a roundabout and she has information available to this effect. Also, Cllr Foxley pointed out that
Minutes have been posted on Nextdoor as far back as December 18 and November 19 when the roundabout has
been discussed so it is general knowledge. Cllr Sandy and Cllr Pepler were in full support of a roundabout.
MoP, Stephen Baker, also supported the roundabout and being a governor at Dorney Combined School he
confirmed that the School is in support as well. Highways England has offered to fund a roundabout as a
gesture of goodwill after the disruption of the M4Smartmorway works but have limited availability to construct
it so a decision must be made soon. After much discussion, it was agreed that Dorney Parish Council is fully
supportive of a roundabout and such a proposal has been discussed by the community for many years where
there has been good support for this proposal. Cllr Dev Dhillon, also in favour of the roundabout, will take
back this information to Beeches Community Board in support for funding for the Design and Safety Audit.
Matt Orchard will check with Highways England the amount of funding available to install the roundabout.
M4 Smartmotorway – Matt Orchard reported that Lake End Road works have not gone so well as expected
and they 6/7 days behind schedule. Cllr Harris asked if local businesses such as the pubs and Garden Centre
had been consulted about the road closure as he had found out from Eton Wick. Matt Orchard reported that
businesses had not been consulted but had been notified. Regards the sound barrier this will be one of the last
operations to complete. A query was raised about access to the M4 from Marsh Lane. Matt did not know the
answer at the meeting but has since checked it out and the only access point from Marsh Lane to the south east
of the bridge is the reinstatement of the original field access. When the bridge is opened the temporary footpath
will be removed and the road swept so it will be in the same condition as before the works. Tree planting will
take place, if not this Spring, next Autumn.
Speeding Review – Complaints continue about speeding in Marsh Lane. Cllr Dev Dhillon will schedule a
speeding review once the M4Smartmorway works are completed.
8.45pm Cllr Dev Dhillon left the meeting.
93 Apologies- None.
94 Disclosure of interest in items on the agenda – None.
95 Resolved to receive and approve the minutes of the previous Council meeting held on the 13th October 2020.
96 Clerk’s Report – Highways funding applications have been submitted to the Beeches Community Board
for:- (i) Design and Safety Audit to install a roundabout at the junction of Village Rd/Court Lane/ Lake End
Rd and; (ii) 2 x flashing 20mph School warning signs.
97 Chairman’s Report – Covered under Public Participation.
98 To respond to the Emergency Plan – Cllr Smith reported that one local resident has offered to be a coordinator (and more came forward at this meeting). It was agreed for Cllr Smith to set up a Zoom meeting
with potential volunteers. The Emergency Plan at parish level is very much community led so hopefully more
people will come forward as it progresses.
99 Website Accessibility – It was agreed that Cllr Foxley needs more resources to improve electronic
communications and this will be discussed at the Finance meeting when considering next year’s budget.
The son of the late Cllr Eddie Nelson has offered some help in this matter and Cllr Foxley will contact him.
100To adopt a Social Media and Electronic Communication Policy – Deferred.
101Further consideration on filming Council meetings which are open to the public and the press and
make these recordings available on the web site – Time limit to be decided by the Parish Council.
102To respond to the Refurbishment work by Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) –
Planned power cut at Dorney PC – It was agreed to ask a representative to attend a meeting to explain the
request made about resilience planning.
103Planning
(a) Planning issues, decisions and appeals recently notified by South Bucks District Council were noted.
(b) Planning applications – Agreed.
(c) To note the Orchard Herbs Farm outline application has not yet been decided. Cllr Pepler added that it
is on the agenda at Burnham PC all the time as Orchard Herb Farm is within the boundary of Burnham.
104Finance
a) Resolved to authorise payment of Accounts for November 2020 – Agreed.
b) Resolved to receive list of income for November 2020 – Noted.
c) Resolved to receive the budget for 2020/21. Noted.
105Member’s Reports – Cllr Harris attempted to join the Beeches Community Board Virtual meeting but was
unable to join.
Cllr Dax attended the Roads and Infrastructure sub-committee where it would appear that the Community
Board is the correct way forward to discuss problems such as parking outside the Pineapple PH and exiting
Ashford Lane.
106Correspondence – (i) Buckinghamshire Council Budget Consultation 2021/22; (ii) Dorney Village Hall
Management Committee- regards payment of ground maintenance; (iii) Full closure of the M4 this weekend
between Junctions 8/9 and 7; (iv) Planning White Paper response – Buckinghamshire Council; (v) Parish
liaison Meeting – Wednesday 14 October 2020
107Resolve any complaints/comments received from residents:- (i) Parking outside Pineapple Pub Taplow –
case 40144248; (ii) Reducing speed in Marsh Lane. Cllr Dax responded that she has undertaken the training
to use the Community Speed Watch camera and happy to assist any volunteer wishing to use it. First need to
check if the camera is safe to use in Marsh Lane.
108Grounds maintenance- Nothing to report.
