Parish Councillors:
- Philippa Carter (Chair)
- Sandy Timms (Vice)
- Mark Tribe
- Peter Rance
Sports Club Committee:
- Laurence Mellor (Chairman)
County Councillor:
- Rodney Rose
District Councillor:
- Tom Simcox
Parish Clerk:
- Angela Barnes
1. APOLOGIES:
No apologies had been received.
2. MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
The recorded Minutes from the Annual General Meeting held in May were agreed, duly signed, dated and filed.
3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
There were no declarations of interest to be recorded.
4. CO-OPTION
Ongoing.
5. FINANCIAL REPORT:
Authorisation of payments
Payments:
Ascott-under-Wychwood PCC (Lime Tree Project) £500.00 Chq No.100972
Income:
No income
Internal Audit:
This was carried out by Margaret Ismail (previous Clerk and parishioner) who reported there were no major issues and when she returns home from hospital, she will give a more detailed report.
6. COUNTY COUNCILLORS REPORT:
CCllr Rose reported that the recent months have been dominated by the General Election and that OCC now have a clear decision by the electorate to have a Conservative government, in Oxfordshire, 49% chose to vote Conservative. To deliver the manifesto pledges will be a challenge, with further reductions in local government funding to help reduce the deficit that is vital for the national economy.
In 2010 Oxfordshire County Council received £120 million per annum from central government, which has reduced to £62 million per annum in the current year, reducing to zero by 2022. The Budget on 8 July will provide more details, along with the spending review later in the autumn. Since 2010 the council has saved £204 million, with a further £88 million of savings to be made by 2018. A report to the Cabinet on 24 May stated that there could be another £50 – £60 million of saving to be found. This will be a challenge to the County Council, with the increasing pressure on both adult and children’s social care – currently £300million which is around 50% of the OCC budget that is spent on just 2% of the population. On 23 June at an Oxfordshire County Council Cabinet meeting Oxfordshire Rural Community Council will be empowered to consult on bus provision in rural areas.
The following bus routes at present have subsidies from Oxfordshire County Council, which could be at risk:
X10 Witney – Burford-Wychwoods – Chipping Norton
C1 Charlbury Railbus
V24 and V26 Stonesfield – Witney
811 Salford – Wychwoods-Cheltenham
X9 Witney – Chipping Norton
V1/V12/V19 Witney Town Service, Oddington-Bourton on the Water – Burford – Chipping Norton – Oddington – the Wychwoods – Chipping Norton
I urge all parishes with any of the above bus routes to respond to the consultation. There is a commitment to devolve powers and budgets down to a more local level. I welcome this move and I am working with Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire, promoting England’s Economic Heartland, which has a similar size to the Greater Manchester area, to ensure that we do not miss out on infrastructure funding opportunities This is not about a Super Unitary or a Mayoral system but areas working together to deliver economic growth. If more powers were to be devolved down to the County Council, I think that more powers could be devolved down to large Town Councils to enable decisions to be made locally.
There will be some challenging decisions to be made over the coming months with work starting on the 2016/17budget that will be delivered in February.
At the July Cabinet meeting the Local Transport Plan 4 will be considered following consultation.
7. DISTRICT COUNCILLORS REPORT:
DCllr Tom Simcox reported that it had been a quiet month and that WODC were going through re-organisation following the election. DCllr reported that the planning application in Milton-under-Wychwood had been turned down by WODC.
DCllr Simcox reported that the County, District and Parish Council Surgery held on Saturday 30 May in Ascott was poorly attended – no parishioners attended. Cllr Carter suggested an Aframe Display Board advertising the surgery outside the Swan Public House may help raise awareness.
8. PUBLIC TIME:
There were no members of the public present at the meeting.
9. MATTERS ARISING
(a) Hedge on Shipton Road – Ongoing
(b) Working together with the Wychwoods
The Clerk was asked to send an email to Milton and Shipton PC’s reminding them of the joint meeting on Wednesday 24 June.
(c) Oxford Depository Service – the Clerk was asked to write and invite a representative from Oxford Depository Service to attend the October meeting and give a talk about what they do.
(d) Footbridge by Ascott Mill – Ongoing
(e) Neighbourhood Action Group (NAG) – Nothing to report Ongoing
(f) County, District and Parish Council Surgery – refer to Item No. 7.
(g) Church Lime Tree Project – Cllr Carter reported that progress was good and that the Sponsor a Tree had been very successful.
10. PLANNING:
There were no new planning applications to be considered.
11. ASCOTT-UNDER-WYCHWOOD RECREATION GROUND:
Cllr Carter reported that a new sign for the gate would be provided. She reported that the Handrail was ongoing.
12. PROJECT SAFE PLAY:
Cllr Carter reported that this project had finally reached its conclusion and that the Celebration Cream Tea would be held on Thursday 11 June. The Clerk was asked to remove this item from the Agenda.
13. SPORT ENGLAND – DRAINAGE:
Cllr Carter welcomed Laurence Mellor to the meeting and invited him to present his update on this project. Laurence reported that there had been a few questions raised by parishioners following his letter drop and he suggested a presentation by the Contractor may help answer questions. The PC thought this was a very good idea. Laurence agreed to look into and report back accordingly.
14. ROADS:
(a) London Road South (Charlbury) private garden pond Mrs Beveridge – This will continue to be monitored.
(b) Standing water on the Shipton Road between Melplash Farm & Coldwell Brook – This will continue to be monitored.
(c) Pot-holes – Ongoing
15. ASCOTT-UNDER-WYCHWOOD SPORTS CLUB:
Laurence Mellor reported that a Ladies team were training on the playing field on Thursdays, although their games were played in Oxford. He reported that there was a possibility that a Youth Coaching team would be using the facilities during the summer. He reported that the Volleyball nets were now up and that the Football team had been promoted to Division 3 and that there was a possibility of a second football team. Laurence reported that the cricketers had asked to use the facilities.
16. COMMUNITY EMERGENCY PLAN:
Nothing to report.
17. HELPERS OF ASCOTT-UNDER-WYCHWOOD:
Cllr Carter reported that Great Western have agreed to supply 3 self-watering planters.
18. PARISH PLAN
Cllr Tribe reported that Fiona Mullins, Development Officer at ORCC had advised him that there was a Workshop at Steventon on Wednesday 15 July 7pm to 9pm.
19. RISK ASSESSMENT:
The Risk Assessment was presented to the meeting and discussed and agreed;
(a)RoSPA Inspection – Cllr Carter reported that this had now been re-done and all PCllrs were happy with the Report and the risks identified.
(b)Tree Survey – The Clerk was asked to confirm the detail and instruct Nicholsons to carry out the Survey.
(c) Stone Wall in the Pound – Ongoing
20. TRANSPORT:
Buses
Cllr Rance reported that he will attend the OCC Parish Transport Representatives meeting on 17 June, where OCC will present their new initiative on bus services, which will almost certainly involve the cutbacks that Cllr Rose refers to in Item number 6.
Trains
Cllr Rance reported that he had spoken to Alan Field today and he confirmed he was still looking into increased stops at Ascott.
21. WYCHWOOD LIBRARY:
Nothing to report.
22. VILLAGE CHARITY
Cllr Timms reported that the Village Charity is in a good place financially and a lot of the meeting was spent brain storming, trying to find ways to support the organisations within the village whilst achieving the principles of the Charity. These included the advancement of education, the assistance in the provision of recreational facilities, to secure the preservation, protection, development & improvement of features of historic or public interest in the village and of course the original brief, and most importantly, to help relieve poverty in the village. Stuart Fox spoke of the projects and discussions the Village Charity and the PC have had recently about what needs to be done. The Charity would consider applications from the PC if they needed help financially with the rebuilding of the wall at the pound or the water drainage project on the playing field, should they be short of funds, as both fit in nicely with the principles of the charity.
23. CORRESPONDENCE:
RoSPA Report (carried out again)
Email from Parishioner re the signage in the Pound, – Cllr Carter reported that she had replied to the Parishioner explaining the reason for the defective sign. High Resolution artwork will need to be sourced for a new longer lasting sign to be produced.
24. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Church Gates – it has been reported that a Motor Bike is being chained to the Church Gates. Cllr Carter agreed to speak to the Tenant and the Clerk was asked to write to the property owners.
There being no further business, Cllr Carter declared the meeting closed at 10.40pm
Cllr Philippa Carter (Chairman)