Councillors Present were: Mr David Wilkinson, Mr Stuart Fox, Mrs Elaine Byles
District Councillor: Mrs Hilary Hibbert-Biles
Members of the Public: Miss S Tustian
Parish Clerk: Mrs A Barnes
1. APOLOGIES
Received from Mr Rodney Rose County Councillor and Mrs Bridgette Crundwell.
2. MINUTES
The Minutes from the May Parish Council meeting were agreed, signed, dated and numbered.
3. MATTERS ARISING
Post Box: Nothing further to report and it was decided that if no further progress by the July meeting the Council need to think again.
Cottsway Housing/Chestnut Drive: Ongoing.
Oxfordshire County Council Highway Issues: The Clerk reported that she had written to Ralph Grant, Area Engineer at Highways to enquire about electronic traffic calming signs at each end of the village. Mr Grant referred this to Geoff Barrell who in turn contacted the Clerk to acknowledge the request and to confirm that he would be looking into Ascott-inder-Wychwood’s criteria. Clerk to notify Rodney Rose to advise him of this enquiry so he can speak to Geoff Barrell also.
Elaine Byles requested that the Parish Councils interest be noted with the Cotswold Conservation Board further to their invitation to a seminar on Traffic Calming in the Cotswolds on 14th June, 2006. Unfortunately nobody will be able to attend so Clerk to write and register the council’s interest and request any literature available be sent.
Action Clerk
Pavilion/Sports Clubs: Stuart Fox reported that there is a possiblity of a “Fun Run” being held late September to raise funds for the Pavilion’s heating system.
Shop Report: Stuart Fox reported that the Village Shop was trading extremely well with last week having its highest turnover so far, the turnover for last week was £3,000. Sunday’s turnover also saw its highest turnover of £300. It was also reported the Village Shop’s AGM is to be held at the end of June.
Parish Conservation Plan: Stuart Fox reported that 5 quotes had been received for the Stonework to rebuild the Pound, one of which Stuart had not seen any of the Builders’ work. He was therefore going to visit a site in Fulbrook to view some of the Builders work. The three best quotes will need to be sent to the Cotswold Conservation Board and it was agreed to take this project forward to the next stage. Also the Parish Conservation have advised that they would like to put up a sign/notice explaining the history of the “Pound”.
Action Stuart Fox
Rubbish/Waste on Brasswell Lane / Kingstanding: Clerk reported that further to requesting that the tyres and wheels be removed also, the contractor for WODC advised that the tyres / wheels were in fact on private property and this was why they had not been able to remove them. Stuart Fox to check this and report back.
Action Stuart Fox
Hedgerows/Brambles on River Bridge and A361 joining Ascott Hill: It was decided that as no response had been received from the relevant landowners the Clerk should now address this problem to Oxfordshire County Council Highways, Mrs Hilary Hibbert-Biles advised the contact Mr Geoff Barrell.
Action Clerk
Affordable Housing ORCC: Ongoing
5 Shilling Corner: Ongoing
RoSPA Report: The report was discussed and it was agreed that the works that needed to be carried out should be actioned as soon as possible. Chairman to contact Shane Barnes to meet him on the Playing Field site to advise what needs to be done.
Action Chairman
Accounts for Approval: The 2006 Accounts were signed by the Chairman and the Responsible Financial Officer and agreed.
Application for a Premises Licence Music Festival 21 July 2006: The Clerk has replied to this application noting that the although the Parish Council has no objections to this application they do have major concerns with regards to traffic and requested that serious consideration is given to the main Villages that will be affected, i.e. Pudlicote, Chilson and of course Ascott-under-Wychwood. Ongoing.
4. CORRESPONDENCE
A letter and questionnaire had been received from WODC regarding waste and refuse. This was circulated and Stuart Fox to complete the questionnaire.
Action Stuart Fox
5. PLANNING
06/0424/P/FP CHANGE OF USE FROM REDUNDANT BARN TO HAIRDRESSING SALON (Retrospective) at CROWN FARM, ASCOTT UNDER WYCHWOOD.
Outstanding
06/0425/P/FP CHANGE OF EXISTING FARM WORKSHOP TO WORKSHOP & METAL ART STUDIO (Retrospective) at CROWN FARM, ASCOTT UNDER WYCHWOOD.
Withdrawn
06/0443/P/FP ERECTION OF DETACHED GARDEN ROOM/STORAGE at 35 HIGH STREET, ASCOTT UNDER WYCHWOOD.
Withdrawn
06/0624/P/FP 2 STOREY SIDE EXTENSION at HOLLY COTTAGE, ASCOTT UNDER WCHWOOD.
Granted
06/0791/P/FP INSTALLATION OF ROOF LIGHTS at WINDRUSH VALLEY SCHOOL ASCOTT UNDER WYCHWOOD
Ongoing
06/0776/P/FP INTERNAL & EXTERNAL ERECTION OF TWO STOREY SIDE AND REAR EXTENSION at 4 HIGH STREET ASCOTT UNDER WYCHWOOD.
Ongoing
06/0875/P/FP CONVERSION OF BARNS TO STORAGE/DISTRIBUTION USE. PROVISION OF PARKING & LOADING AREA at COLLEGE FARM ASCOTT-UNDER-WYCHWOOD.
Ongoing
6. FINANCIAL REPORT
Stuart Fox confimed that the internal audit was complete and had been given a clean bill of health. There were only 2 areas that Iona McKenzie did pick up, the first was concerning the short term bridging loan to the Parish Council. This was given to the Parish Council pending receipt of funds due from WODC and had these funds not been received in time the Parish Council would have run out of money. As it happened WODC’s funds were received in time and the loan was then paid back. Iona McKenzie advised that this should have been done formally by way of a Loan Agreement between the Parish Council and the Councillor. The second was the a couple of the cheque book stubs did not have the two signatures on.
The Statement of Accounts that form page 2 of 6 of the Annual Return were approved by the Parish Council and signed by the Chairman and the Responsible Financial Officer. For recording purposes, this is page 3 of 5 of the June Parish Council Minutes, Number 6 Financial Report, Paragraph 2.
The Statement of Accounts that form page 3 of 6 of the Annual Return was approved by the Parish Council and signed by the Chairman and Parish Clerk. For recording purposes, this is page 3 of 5 of the June Parish Council Minutes, Number 6 Financial Report, Paragraph 3.
Payments Out:
£103.87 WODC 6 months waste collection
£50.82 WODC Playground Inspection Fee
£119.85 OALC Annual Subscription (Section 137 payment)
Payments In:
£875.33 O.C.C. fee for keeping grass verges trimmed.
Stuart Fox also reported the mileage rate payable had changed to 54.4p. The Parish Council proposed this take effect from 1 April 2006.
7. COUNTY COUNCILLORS REPORT
Apologies received from Mr Rodney Rose.
8. DISTRICT COUNCILLORS REPORT
Mrs Hibbert-Biles expressed that the Parish Council fill in the Waste Questionnaire received from WODC as this is a major ongoing project. It was reported that in 2010 a choice based letting scheme will be introduced, firstly sub-regional and then regional.
It was also reported that Mrs Hibbert-Biles had been in contact with the Police with regards to a recorded 32 burglaries in Shipton-under-Wychwood and was pleased to report that the Police have arrested a local person.
Mrs Hibbert-Biles advised that in the near future the Oxford Radcliff Trust Consultation document will be sent out and once again urged the Parish Council to respond accordingly.
9. PUBLIC QUESTIONS
Q: Miss Tustian advised the Parish Council that a 4 x 4 with a trailer was parked on the Green whilst a man was spraying in the field adjacent. Miss Tustian and asked were the Council aware of this?
A: Elaine Byles advised that this was a contractor she had instructed, but did not know why he was parked on the Green, Elaine advised that she would look into this.
Miss Tustian also wished it be noted that she uses the “Green Waste” bin and believes this to be brilliant.
Miss Tustian advised the Parish Council about the ongoing speeding and noisy cars and at last she has now received a call back from the Police which sounded very encouraging.
10. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Stuart Fox advised that he had received an email from Daryl Penning regarding the state of the field behind the Shop. The field is in a very poor state from weed overgrowth, but there is a fear that Ragwort is present. Clerk to write to Cornbury Estate and ask this to be investigated and request the field is tidied up.
Action Clerk
The Council agreed that as there is still one vacancy on the Parish Council the Chairman is to approach a member of the Village and invite them to join.
Action Chairman
11. NEXT MEETING
The Chairman closed the meeting at 10pm. The next meeting will be held at 8.00 pm on Monday 10th July, 2006.