Minutes of the Dorney Parish VIRTUAL Meeting of the Council
on Tuesday 12th January 2021 at 8 pm
Present:- Councillors K Harris (Chairman), A Purdie, A Foxley, P Smith, J Dax, R Ormond and
C Stoughton.
In Attendance:- Buckinghamshire Council Cllrs Dev Dhillon, D Pepler and G Sandy,
Matt Orchard (Balfour Beatty), Jim Stacey (Highways England), Mitchel Pugh (Enforcement Officer from
Buckinghamshire Council), Bryan Pusker (SSE), Mr Bowman (Dorney Village Pump), 8 Members of the
Public and Sue Moffat (Clerk).
130PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Orchard Herbs, Lake End Road- Mitchel Pugh, Enforcement Officer from Buckinghamshire Council,
gave the following presentation. Current enforcement position: Officers have determined that the current
use of the land is contrary to an extant enforcement notice issued by the SBDC in June 2007 and upheld by
a planning inspector at a re-determined appeal in April 2010. Officers served letters of notice to quit the site
on the owners providing them with 28 days to cease the current use. This deadline expires on 01 Feb 2021, a
site visit will be conducted shortly after this date. Owners have been advised that failure to comply with this
request will result in the Council taking further legal action (breach of an enforcement notice is an offence).
Any concerns/comments regarding the planning enforcement position should be sent
planning.enforcement.csb@buckinghamshire.gov.uk (email for the South and East Area Team)
There has recently been a Certificate of Lawfulness application, Reference: PL/20/3452/EU. Please submit
any information which either supports or counters the applicant’s claim regarding the use of the land. This is
not a planning application for a proposed change of use and we are not assessing this relative to planning
policy. It is a legal judgement as to whether, on the balance of probability, their claimed use has been
occurring for 10 years based on the evidence submitted. Comments should ideally be made online via public
access but comments can also be made by email to planning.comments.csb@buckinghamshire.gov.uk.
Third party comments are due by 25/01/2021 but this period will be extended by reason the site notice still
needs to be posted. Site notice to be posted by end of this week.
Burning of waste on site – Concerns recently received were forwarded to the Council’s Environmental
Health Team. In the event of further occurrences, please report this in the first instance to the Council’s
Environmental Health team at envhealth.csb@buckinghamshire.gov.uk can also copy the Planning
Enforcement Team in at planning.enforcement.csb@buckinghamshire.gov.uk
Cllr Smith reported that the problems at Orchard Herb Farm have been going on for 16 years and would ask
Buckinghamshire Council to be as robust as possible and can the Environmental Agency be involved.
8.45pm Cllr Sandy and Mr Pugh left the meeting.
Cllr Dev Dhillon reported:- (i) Covid vaccinations have started and residents in Buckinghamshire who are
over 80 should receive a letter inviting them to receive the vaccination by the end of February, if not sooner.
If you know of anyone needing social care, please let him know; (ii) Cllr Foxley asked when the 20mph
speed review will be carried out? Cllr Dev Dhillon responded that this has been delayed due to staff dealing
with the Covid crisis, staff sickness levels and the need for staff to self-isolate.
Cllr Pepler reported:- (i) The latest Orchard Herb Farm planning application goes before Burnham Parish
Council next Monday and hopefully the Parish Council will oppose it so grateful for the information about it
at tonight’s meeting; (ii) Covid vaccination will be available at the Burnham Medical Surgery in 2 weeks.
M4 Smartmotorway – Jim Stacey reported:- (i) Now that Marsh Lane bridge is opened, work will start on
the side roads and should be completed by early April; (ii) Should have the wording for the Design
Statement of the new roundabout from Bucks Council by end of January but they are now saying second
week in February. Once we have this, we will get the work priced up; (iii) Matt Orchard responded to the
question asking when the sound barrier will be put up on the north side of Lake End Road that he does not
have a date yet. Also, he has not forgotten about installing the retaining wall by the Village Hall track which
should happen by the end of March; (iv) A query raised about reinstating the patch of grass in Oak Stubbs
Road which has become a mud patch due to constructions lorries parked there and mounting the verge to
pass one another. Matt Orchard assured the meeting that this would be repaired when work is completed.
The Chairman, Cllr Harris, changed the order of the agenda to allow the agenda item 11 to follow next:-
131To respond to the Refurbishment work by Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) –
Planned power cut at Dorney PC. A representative from SSEN, Bryan Puskar, gave a presentation. SSEN
has done a survey of the high voltage electricity network feeding Dorney parish and have identified
refurbishment works needed to improve the electricity network and reduce the risk of power cuts in the
future. These works represent an investment of £ 130,485.00 in the local infrastructure.
In order to safely complete these works it may be necessary to organise some Planned Power Cuts. If this is
the case, SSEN will notify affected customers and businesses in advance. The work will involve Tree
Cutting and Network Improvements, as appropriate, which will help to improve the reliability of the
electricity supply to you for the future. Once completed SSEN will provide a priority service if there is a
power cut which is a free service for the vulnerable and would like to promote this free service in Dorney. It
was agreed to communicate this service to the community via Dorney Newsletter and Peter Bowman was
happy to do this.
132Apologies- None.
133Disclosure of interests – None.
134Resolved to receive and approve the minutes of the previous Council meeting held on the 8th December 2020.
135Clerks Report – None.
136Chairman’s Report – None.
137Updates on the new Roundabout at Lake End Road – The Clerk reported that confirmation has been sent
to Beeches Community Board that Dorney PC will be contributing £5k towards this project. There have
been problems again over the Christmas period with parking around the entrance to Eton Dorney Lake. This
is becoming a complex situation now that the area has become popular for walking during the Covid
lockdown. This problem mainly occurs Saturdays and Sundays and it does not help that the double yellow
lines cannot be seen because of mud and leaves. Cllr Dev Dhillon will ask the Highways Officer to have the
lines cleared, remarked and enforced. Cllr Harris will arrange a Zoom meeting with Eton Rowing Lake next
week and all councillors will be invited to attend. Cllr Foxley will put more information on the web site.
138Update on Roundmoor Ditch from Cllr Dax. Cllr Dax reported on Roundmoor Ditch:- The Ditch has
been partially cleared and this has resulted in a significant drop in the water level at Lake
End. Further clearance is required by the areas that EA and TW are responsible for leading up to
the Roundmoor Pumping station.
139Updates on the Emergency Plan – Cllr Smith will try and set up a meeting but difficult during the Covid
crisis.
140To respond to the Refurbishment work by Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) –
Planned power cut at Dorney PC. As discussed above.
141To appoint an Internal Auditor for 2020-21 who can carry out the duties independently of the affairs of
Dorney Parish Council. The Clerk proposed Barrie Dancer who was recommended by the Clerk at Taplow
Parish Council. Mr Dancer has a vast experience as an auditor for large and small councils and carries out a
robust internal audit. It was agreed to appoint Mr Dancer.
142Planning
(i) Resolved to note planning issues, decisions and appeals recently notified by South Bucks Planning
(ii) Orchard herbs Farm – Dorney Parish Council object to this application for the following reasons:
(a) The application area is the surface of the new road constructed by Highways England along Lake End
Road.
(b) The statement appears to be for a claim for Adverse Possession, rather than evidence submitted to support
the application.
(c) The application form states that Chris Ball is the owner, which he cannot be as he is applying to be the
owner (Possessory Title).
(d) The site plan (note that the plan is for the hotel development) does not accord to page 1 of the statement
exhibit.
(e) The evidence cannot be correct because the land was originally an embankment at 45 degrees, so no
vehicle could drive or park there. The only way that land could be used would be when the imported spoil
was so high that the ground would be level. Even then, the vehicles etc would need to drive up to the level
of the road. No evidence has been submitted to show where vehicles were parked. No photographs, or
annotated plans.
(f) Considering point (e) above, the use of the land would have to be the long-term storage of materials (earth,
waste etc) for the entire period of 10 years, so the use cannot be as described.
(g) The appeal decision plan (page 6) omits the embankment (the area including the subject of this
application). This shows that the embankment as at April 2010 was not used for those activities described
in the appeal decision (“storage of non-agricultural plant, equipment, vehicles and materials”).
143Finance
a) Resolved to authorise payment of Accounts for January 2021 (as circulated).
b) Receive list of income for January 2021 (as circulated).
c) Received recent bank statements and Chairman to sign reconciliations.
d) Received the budget for 2020/21. Cllr Ormond reported that the budget is as anticipated and there will be
an overspend by the end of the financial year. He asked if there were any updates from Dorney Village Hall
regards reclaiming the maintenance charge and is there a time frame regards feedback? Cllr Foxley
responded that there are some difficulties within the trusteeship but plan to report back as soon as possible.
144 Member’s Reports – Agreed to ask Cllr Dev Dhillon to agree a location where we can move the MVAS sign
nearer to the Pineapple PH.
145 Correspondence:- (i) December update on the Jubilee River works; (ii) M4 J3 to 12 Motorway Upgrade –
December 2020 project news bulletin; (iii) TTRO Lock Path, Dorney; (iv) Jubilee River Storm Bella update
26Dec2020; (v) The Buckinghamshire Council (Public Footpaths Nos. 22 and 23, Dorney) (Temporary
Footpath Closure) Order 2021 for approx.. 3.5 months.
146Resolve any complaints/comments received from resident :- (i) Kids Club taking over the use of the Muga
during October half term. Cllr Foxley is still waiting to hear from the person using it; (ii) Letter received
from Jill and James Palmer with concerns about the roundabout Lake End Road/Court Lane which
have been noted.
147Grounds Maintenance and Highway employee/work. Unfortunately, the groundsman if off sick at the present
time. All councillors wishes him a speedy recovery.
Date of next meeting – Council meeting at 8pm on Tuesday 9
th February, 2021 to be conducted remotely.
