Parish Councillors:
- Philippa Carter (Chair)
- Sandy Timms (Vice)
- Peter Rance
County Councillor:
- Rodney Rose
District Councillor:
- Tom Simcox
Parish Clerk:
- Angela Barnes
Members of the Public:
- Gerald Simper, Cotswold Warden & Dave Scott District Chairman.
1. APOLOGIES:
Apologies received from Cllr Mark Tribe.
2. MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
The recorded Minutes from the Meeting held on 14 December 2015 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
INCOME
4th December Interest £6.31
8th January Sport England Reimburse Costs £1560.00
PAYMENTS
A Barnes 100993 £169.02 Expenses
Grape Vine 100994 £400.00 Donation
A Barnes 100995 £559.86 Net Salary
P Office 100996 £139.80 PAYE
G & M Tyack 100997 £144.00 (Railway Budget)
P Carter 100998 £174.35 (Mulled wine and stationery expenses)
6. COUNTY COUNCILLORS REPORT:
CCllr Rose reported on the outcome of the Chancellor’s Autumn budget. It has disastrous consequences for the OCC budget. He reported on further cuts to transport, highways, libraries and day centres. Please refer to Item No. 9 Matters Arising.
7. DISTRICT COUNCILLORS REPORT:
DCllr Simcox reported that the planning application to pollard the Lime Trees within the grounds of Holy Trinity Church had been approved. He reported that WODC were cracking down on social housing benefit cheats and that one case had been taken to court. DCllr Simcox reported that WODC could supply tabbards, bags and grabbers for the PC’s Litter Pick. He reported on devolution, the Local Plan and the recent welcoming of Syrian families.
8. PUBLIC TIME:
Cllr Carter welcomed Cotswold Wardens Gerald Simper and Dave Scott (District Chairman) to the meeting and invited them to address the meeting. Gerald Simper reported that there was good news regarding several options to help the PC to re-build the stone wall on the Pound. It was estimated that there was 11 mtrs of stone wall to re-build which would potentially need 10 tons of stone. Dave Scott reported that the stone would be sourced locally, from a Quarry in Rollright. He reported on an “application for funding” and advised the PC to advertise for local involvement. Ongoing
9. MATTERS ARISING
(a) Wychwoods Working Together – keeping in touch with regards to the cuts to the bus services – Ongoing
(b) Oxford Depository Service – The Clerk was asked to remove this from the Agenda and bring back to the June Agenda.
(c) County, District and Parish Council Surgery – this will continue for a further 12 months, the dates for Ascott-under-Wychwood are: February 27th, April 30th and June 30th – Ongoing
(d) Church Lime Tree Project – The planning application had been granted and the Diocese contacted – await confirmation from the Diocese – Ongoing
(e) Oxfordshire Together (OCC)
Councillor Carter attended the above meeting. C Cllr Rodney Rose had invited members of the Parish Councils which he represents to discuss the proposed Oxfordshire County Council budget cuts and ways in which PCs could take responsibility for services that are most important to their communities. OCC are cutting their services to the point where they only offer a statutory, base level service. Non-statutory services which parishes want to keep will have to be maintained through other means such as parish budgets, volunteers, co-operation between several parishes, fundraising etc.
However, at the moment, OCC have decided that responsibility for road and pavement maintenance cannot be taken on by parishes. Also, plans to close any HWRCs are postponed.
C Cllr Rose offered to help the Parish Councils with their plans and negotiations.
10. PLANNING:
15/04239/HHD Yew Tree Cottage, 31 High Street Ascott-under-Wychwood – NEW
15/03840/HHD 1 Priory Lane Ascott under Wychwood – APPROVED
15/01744/TPO – Holy Trinity Church pollarding of Lime Trees – APPROVED
15/04145/HHD – Meadowbank Barn House, 1 Meadowbank Close – WAITING DECSION
11. MEMORIAL PLAYING FIELD – RECREATION & PLAYGROUND
(a) Replacement Sign – Ongoing
(b) Trellis – Ongoing
(c) Handrail – Ongoing
(d) Hedgecutting – the Clerk was asked to contact the Contractor Newmans to cut the Hedge, but ask them to liaise with the building contractors who were working on Priory Lane.
12. SPORT ENGLAND – DRAINAGE:
Cllr Carter reported that an application had been made to the Playing Fields Legacy Fund.
13. 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
The drain below Melplash Farm drive continues to be blocked.
(c) Pot-holes
Ongoing
(d) Drains High Street
Cllr Carter proposed writing to the residents of High Street and ask them to monitor the drains and any excessive excess water from them over a 12 month period.
(e) Kerb Stones at Station Place
Cllr Carter reported that there had been damage to these at Ascott Earl, opposite Station Place and around the Green. Residents suspect the large Heyfordian school coach.
(f) Pavement outside Ascott Earl House
Vehicles driving over the grass verge have turned it into wet mud which is extremely slippery when wet. The tarmac is in a poor state and during bad light it is impossible to tell which is tarmac and which is mud. This is very dangerous to pedestrians.
(g) Tarmacked Manhole on Shipton Road opposite Andrews Yard
The tarmac is breaking up revealing a manhole cover which is loose.
Please Note: Items (b), (e), (f) and (g) were reported to CCllr Rose who asked for details and photos to be e-mailed to him.
14. ASCOTT-UNDER-WYCHWOOD SPORTS CLUB:
Nothing to report.
15. COMMUNITY EMERGENCY PLAN:
Due to weather conditions, there was nothing to report.
16. HELPERS OF ASCOTT-UNDER-WYCHWOOD:
Cllr Carter reported that the annual Litter Pick was scheduled for Saturday 23 January, meet on the Village Green at 10am.
17. RISK ASSESSMENT:
Tree Works – Cllr Rance was asked to check on the work undertaken by Treetech before signing everything off.
The Pound – rebuilding the Stone Wall – Please refer to the Item Number 8 Public Time. Cllr Timms
agreed to co-ordinate the project to re-build the wall and renew the Ascott Barrow sign.
Cllr Carter reported that the PC’s Risk Assessment was now complete and finished. The issue of grip, ditch and culvert maintenance was raised. These are not PC property and therefore do not form part of the official risk assessment but it was agreed that some thought should be given to how the PC makes sure these are maintained for the future safety of the village.
18. TRANSPORT:
Cllr Rance reported;
Rail
Alan Field of “GWR” Franchise confirmed to Cllr Rance that the special pre-Christmas Saturday trains that called additionally at Ascott and elsewhere were successful as overall they were well utilised.
The CLPG had provided the annual station usage summary for all stations on the Cotswold line which exposed that Ascott usage (still one train each way on weekdays only) had increased from 2856 to 4026, a remarkable 41% that by far exceeded all other station results! Meanwhile Shipton with 2 up and 3 return trains on weekdays and no less than 4 up and 4 return trains on Saturdays, had dropped from 5050 to 4884.
CLPG will be meeting “GWR” to press for potential service upgrades for the new timetable commencing mid May although Alan Field had not so far confirmed any upgrades for Ascott!
Bus
Cllr Rance had nothing formal to report pending OCC Budget decisions regarding subsidised bus services. However on BBC TV local news programme on 5th January it was reported that OCC were considering charging bus pass users for services, as that option had been generally offered in responses from PCs and individuals to the Public Consultations.
Culverts
With the recent constantly wet weather, Cllr Rance has regularly inspected the culverts both on the Shipton road corner and the Cornbury Estate section beyond the railway line on the Chippy Road. Far less clearance action was now needed than he had reported in December, and these culverts were working well when last viewed on 5th January.
19. WYCHWOOD LIBRARY:
Nothing to report.
20. VILLAGE CHARITY
Nothing to report.
21. CORRESPONDENCE
Clerks & Councils Direct
WODC Planning Application 15/04239/HHD
Email
Carys Davies WODC Grants West Oxon Sports Champions – to be posted on notice boards
Local Plan Update – to be posted on notice boards
OALC Update for December
OALC Training Programme 2016
22. CAROLS ROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE:
Cllr Carter reported that despite the dreadful weather and being forced at the eleventh hour to de-camp to the Tiddy Hall, Carols round the Christmas Tree was very successful and raised £375 which was donated to the Wychwood Day Centre.
23. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
There was no AOB to record.
There being no further business, Cllr Carter declared the meeting closed at 10.15pm and confirmed the next meeting will be Monday 8 February.
Cllr Philippa Carter (Chairman)