Parish Councillors Present:
Stuart Fox (Chairman)
Elaine Byles (Vice Chairman)
Bridgette Crundwell
Peter Greening
Parish Clerk:
Angela Barnes
Members of the Public:
Pippa Carter (representing the Flood sub-committee)
Rob Morgan
1. APOLOGIES:
Apologies received from Nick Leadbetter.
2. MINUTES:
The Minutes for September were approved, duly signed, dated and filed.
3. MATTERS ARISING:
- OCC Highways – Peter Greening met with Paul Wilson OCC Highways on site to go through the list of outstanding issues. All of those listed below now have a timeframe for works to be done and some have been started.
- road surface Chipping Norton hill and by Tyacks yard
- posts around the Village Green
- kerb stones on Shipton Road, going into Maple Way
- hole on the edge of the Green
- loose metal plate on the corner of the Green (London Lane end)
- High Street – resurfacing
- Leafield Road – subsidence
Peter Greening also reported that the Gas Board had advised residents in High Street that they would be digging the road up from 27 October 2008 for 7 weeks. This was reported to Paul Wilson at Highways so that any re-surfacing work on High Street would be done after.
Action Clerk
Pavilion/Sports Club
Nothing to report.
Village Shop
Nothing to report
2a Shipton Road
It was reported the boarding that had been erected around the site by the developers had been painted bright red. The Clerk was asked to check with WODC Planning if this is permissible.
Cornbury Estate
Lord Rotherwick is planning to attend the November meeting.
Risk Assessment
Ongoing
Transport/Bus Service Review
Ongoing. Peter Greening to check progress.
Sports Field Sign
The Clerk reported that she had checked the price for a finger post to be added to the existing pole and it had been confirmed that it would be in the region of £200. Peter Greening had asked for a quotation from another source and was waiting for this. The District Councillor advised the Clerk to contact Lawrence King at WODC to just confirm to him that the pole is one that was originally erected by WODC and that it is a case of just adding one more finger post below the Village Shop sign.
Action Clerk
RoSPA
Lappset had confirmed that repair works had been successful to the play equipment highlighted in the RoSPA report. The only item remaining now was the price / quotations for replenishing the playbark. It was suggested that the Clerk contact Phil Page and or Bob Lightfoot to enquire if they could supply playbark.
Declarations of Interest forms
The Clerk had requested these from WODC and had chased. Unfortunately Keith Butler was away on leave, Clerk to chase again.
Play Equipment
Stuart Fox asked the Councillors if they had read the brochures that had been circulated at the last meeting. It was apparent that the minimum of cost would be £6k, this rising to £20k or even £40k plus for hard tennis courts. The Charity had indicated that they would be moderately interested in part funding, but would like to see real demand, perhaps with an action group being formed. Stuart would speak to Anne Smith and Peter Greening was going to make some enquiries with the School. The District Councillor confirmed that the Council would need to part-fund, plus another part-fund from a different source and WODC would then match fund.
4. FLOODING:
In Nick’s absence his update report was taken as read and the Clerk was asked to add this as an appendix to the September minutes when they are posted on the website.
Pippa Carter was representing the Flood Sub-Committee in Nick’s absence and gave the following report: Jim Sokal of the EA had confirmed that Ascott-under-Wychwood was regarded as “High Priority Status” and on behalf of the Sub-Committee Pippa thanked the EA, the District Councillor and Phil Garvey for all of their hard work and dedication.
It had been confirmed that the piling of the railway bridge had been looked at by both experts and contractors and this job was going to be a lot bigger than originally estimated, thus taking some 4 months. This may prove that the funding in place will not be enough. AMCO and the EA were planning to call a meeting for the Parishioners to inform them of the works scheduled. The EA had put in a planning application to WODC 08/1511/P/FP Excavation of land to form swale and construction of bunds for flood alleviation at 36 Shipton Road, Ascott-under-Wychwood. The meeting was asked if everybody whom this would affect had been notified of the planning application. The Clerk was asked to ask WODC Planning this question and to extend the date to reply so that three councillors, who had not seen the plans, would have the chance to consider the application.
It was reported that Coldwell Brook had been dredged, but there was a delay with the works to the spring fed brook due to riparian owners seeking advice from their insurers. The District Councillor confirmed to the meeting that works would be done on the spring fed brook.
Pippa reported that Keith Macaulay was not content with the order in which works were being carried out and felt that unless the spring fed brook was started as a priority he would not sanction the various agencies using his land for access etc. The Parish Council was extremely disappointed with this view and was very keen for all of the works to continue without let or hindrance. The Chairman pointed out to the meeting that Keith Macaulay was able contact the agencies and indeed do what he felt necessary, albeit as a private individual and not a representative of the Flooding Sub-Committee or the Parish Council.
Finally Pippa asked if the Parish Council could write to all riparian owners along the river bank to ask them to clear any debris from the river which was on their land as a riparian owner. The Parish Council felt that this was a question for Nick on his return.
5. CORRESPONDENCE:
A list of correspondence was circulated to Councillors.
6. PLANNING:
08/1260/P/LB Re-roof two slopes using Welsh blue slates (Part retrospective) at Yew Tree Farmhouse, 41 High Street, Ascott-under-Wychwood.
Ongoing
08/1398/P/FP The Old Vicarage London Lane Ascott-under-Wychwood
Ongoing
08/1458/P/FP Erection of dwelling at High Street, Ascott-under-Wychwood
New
08/1511/P/FP Excavation of land to form swale and construction of bunds for flood alleviation at 36 Shipton Road, Ascott-under-Wychwood
New
7. FINANCIAL REPORT:
Receipts
No receipts.
Payments Out
S Barnes Grass Cutting £2,850.00 Chq No. 100657
Clerks Quarterly Salary £494.59 Chq No. 100658
Clerks Quarterly Expenses £103.85 Chq No. 100659
HM Customs & Excise £108.57 Chq No. 100660
Copies of the Parish budget were circulated showing forecast figures and actual expenditure. All Councillors were asked to consider setting the Precept figure for next year which will need to be submitted by 31 December 2008. Reducing the Precept figure was discussed and all councillors felt this should be reduced, if possible, back to the Precept claimed in 2007/08, but with an increase in line with inflation. The Clerk was asked to contact Roger Shepherd to check if there were any future costs or expenditure that may be necessary on the Pavilion.
Action Clerk
8. COUNTY COUNCILLORS REPORT:
No Report
9. DISTRICT COUNCILLORS REPORT:
The District Councillor gave her report to the meeting, confirming that in light of the news and media with regards to Iceland WODC were carrying on as normal and that they would be lobbying the Government to retrieve the monies.
Witney Hospital now had 25 beds, ringfenced for complex care, but these would be made available for the whole area now. It was reported that the District Councillor did have four flooding/road closed signs in her garage. However, it is only the Police or Highways that could officially close roads. The South East Plan for Housing was due to be discussed on Wednesday with 600 houses needed in this area, with exception land/sites also needed.
The District Councillor reported future changes to the waste collection system; food and recyclable waste collection will remain weekly, green waste and non-recyclable waste being collected fortnightly, but without a charge for green waste.
10. ANY OTHER BUSINESS:
(a) Stuart Fox reported that Mr Woods had vacated his allotment, this being plot number 4. Details of the new tenant were given to the Clerk.
(b) It was reported that the Church Fete would be held on Saturday 13 July 2009.
(c) Speeding on London Lane – nothing still heard from the PCSO’s at Chipping Norton. The Clerk was asked to contact Bill Oddy and enquire if road strips could be placed on a certain stretch of London Lane.
(d) Dog Mess was still a problem. Stuart Fox was trying to obtain bags for the Village Shop
(e) A complaint had been received regarding the Hedge along the Playing Field. The Clerk was asked to contact Newmans to enquire if they could do this sooner rather than later.
(f) Church Path; there has been a delay on the clearing and re-shingle of this due to the problems with the Builders.
(g) School Parking; this was still a major problem, especially on the corner where the road narrows by the Green. Peter Greening was asked to speak with the School.
(h) Stuart Fox reported that he had received an Email from Terry Wright of the Environment Agency advising they would be running a pilot scheme for people to log in to a website and monitor the river levels.
(i) Sustainable Community Acts; Stuart Fox asked the District Councillor to look into this and “find out what is in it for Ascott”.
(j) Peter Greening reported that the contractors Halcrow had written to 4 houses regarding sewage flooding on High Street enclosing a questionnaire. Peter was going to pass this information on to 4 houses in Shipton Road.
(k) OALC Update on Freedom of Information Act. The Clerk was asked to prepare the information necessary for this to be adopted at the November meeting.
11. PUBLIC QUESTIONS:
No public questions – public participation throughout the meeting.
There being no further business, Stuart Fox closed the meeting at 11.00pm and confirmed the next meeting would be Monday 10th November.