Parish Councillors:
- Philippa Carter
- Sandy Timms
- Mark Tribe
- Peter Rance
Parish Clerk:
- Angela Barnes
Members of the Public:
- Laurence Mellor
1. APOLOGIES:
None received.
2. MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
The recorded Minutes from the Meeting held on 13 June 2016 were agreed, duly signed, dated and filed.
3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
There were no declarations of interest.
4. CO-OPTION
Ongoing.
5. FINANCIAL REPORT:
Stuart Fox (RFO) has supplied Cllr Carter with the new pay rates for the Clerk, which came into effect in April 2016. Cllr Carter proposed the new pay scales be adopted and paid in the next quarter, but backdated to April 2016. This was seconded by Cllr Rance.
Income
3rd June Interest £7.42
17th June Smith & Son £7.58 refund against stone pro-forma.
Payments
P Carter 101012 £129.43 Railway Fund
R P Moss 101013 £120.00 Railway Fund
A Barnes 101014 £559.86 Salary
A Barnes 101015 £92.03 Expenses
Post Office 101016 £139.80 PAYE
Patrick Edwards 101017 £139.41 Mower/Tractor repairs
Bank Balance £54,128.20
6. COUNTY COUNCILLORS REPORT:
No Report.
7. DISTRICT COUNCILLORS REPORT:
No Report.
8. PUBLIC TIME:
Please refer to Item No. 11 Planning
9. OXFORDSHIRE TOGETHER:
Cllr Carter reported that she had been in contact with Shipton, Burford and Enstone Parish Councils about a proposed OCC contract offering parish councils the opportunity to take on the responsibility for maintaining their own rural verges outside the 30mph line, but still within their parish boundary. This issue was discussed at length by the councillors. Cllr Carter confirmed again that Shipton had taken the decision not to sign the contract and reported that Burford had now confirmed they would not be signing the contract either. The general consensus was that there was too much legal liability for a small volunteer-run Parish Council.
Cllr Timms proposed that the Ascott Parish Council do not sign OCC’s contract, this was seconded by Cllr Rance. It was agreed, unanimously, that the contract that had been presented to the PC would not be accepted or signed and Cllr Carter agreed to contact OCC and give the PC’s decision.
10. MATTERS ARISING:
(a) Wychwoods Working Together – Cllr Carter reported that it was Milton Parish Council’s turn to organise the next get together.
(b) County, District and Parish Council Surgery – It was reported that the June Surgery was not well attended. The Clerk would ask DCllr Tom Simcox to confirm the future dates and then send them to Stuart Fox for inclusion in the Grapevine.
(c) Church Lime Tree Project – Ongoing
(d) Devolution – Nothing to report.
(e) The Pound –Cllr Timms reported that Gerald Simper had advised her that there was still £1000 funding still available for the new wall and barrow sign. Cllr Carter reported that a time capsule was being prepared to bury in the middle of the new wall. It will be completed sometime in August.
(f) Grass Cutting Contract – This was now with Cllr Carter for approval.
(g) Verges damaged by heavy vehicles – Cllr Carter agreed to discuss the repair of the verge opposite Tiddy Hall with the residents involved.
11. PLANNING:
(Including Item No. 8 Public Time)
West Oxfordshire Strategic Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment 2016
Cllr Carter welcomed Laurence Mellor to the meeting and invited him to address the meeting.
Q: Laurence expressed his concerns about 2 pockets of land within Ascott-under-Wychwood which had been identified by the WODC Local Planning Dept as potential sites for housing development.
A: Cllr Carter replied that the PC had not yet been informed as to whether either of those sites had been chosen or rejected by WODC.
Q: Laurence asked how the PC were going to reply to WODC
A: Cllr Carter replied that a letter had been sent following June’s Parish Council meeting and within the WODC deadline. The PC had written a synopsis of the reply, which would be circulated to each house.
New Applications
16/02257/FUL Erection of front porch at The Swan, 4 Shipton Road
The Clerk presented the paper copy of the application and confirmed that comments would need to be sent to her no later than 20 July. Cllr Carter took the application and agreed to pass it on to Cllr Timms. Cllr Tribe and Cllr Rance agreed to look online and report any comments accordingly.
12. RISK ASSESSMENT:
Cllr Tribe reported that he and Cllr Rance had now completed the Risk Assessment and the working document updated accordingly.
Notice Boards – remove staples and re-paint boards in dry weather
To be organised
Waste Bins – all 3 by the notice boards were rusty and require replacing
Cllr Carter reported that WODC were identifying sites to replace waste bins. The Clerk was asked to carry this forward to September and remind Bob Lightfoot at WODC if nothing had been actioned.
Allotments
It was reported that some groundwork needed to be actioned i.e. mowing of overgrown unlet plots, monthly mowing of common areas – Cllr Carter agreed to talk to the contractor.
The items listed above and others would be addressed and the Risk Assessment updated accordingly.
13. MEMORIAL PLAYING FIELD
(Recreation and Playground)
(a) Replacement Sign – ongoing
(b) Trellis – ongoing
(c) Handrail – ongoing
All of the above will be completed when the Sport England Drainage project is complete.
14. SPORT ENGLAND DRAINAGE:
Cllr Carter and Laurence Mellor reported that there had been a pre-contract meeting on site with Jerry Anderson. This had not gone quite to plan and the drains in High Street would need to be checked before approval to start the works, which are scheduled for 25 July, could be given.
Cllr Carter asked the Clerk to minute that £130 had been received from Juliette Craig’s Art Talk. Cllr Carter reported that Juliette had been thanked.
15. ROADS:
(a) London Lane – Ongoing
(b) Grips – Ongoing
(c) Potholes and verge damage – Ongoing
16. ASCOTT-UNDER-WYCHWOOD SPORTS CLUB:
It was reported that the Football Team were struggling to find a suitable replacement pitch to play on during next season when the Ascott football pitch needs to be rested following the drainage works.
17. COMMUNITY EMERGENCY PLAN:
Cllr Carter reported that she would ask Simon Gidman to be the responsible for Ascott Earl warning signs while Cllr Carter was away on holiday. Cllr Rance agreed to be responsible for the signs warning of flooding to the Chipping Norton Rd. Cllr Rance is aware of the requirement to keep in contact with OCC if signs are deployed.
18. HELPERS OF ASCOTT-UNDER-WYCHWOOD:
Nothing to report.
19. TRANSPORT:
Buses:
The services with effect from 20th July will be by Villager only.
New timetables will be issued by them and current users are already being advised by the Villager drivers.
Meanwhile, Councillor Rance has given an advance timetable to the regular Ascott users via retired councillor Rob Morgan.
Trains:
Councillor Rance has e mailed Alan Field the GWR franchise Cotswold Line Manager seeking advice of his last internal meeting with GWR timetabling team where he was still pursuing modest improvements to Ascott services before he leaves GWR in July. Alan is however on leave and will return on 18th July to respond on that question and with the name of his successor.
Depending on his responses, and that in August there is no PC meeting, Councillor Rance proposes that the September meeting should then consider whether a letter from the PC should be drafted and sent to GWR, CLPG and our local MP about Ascott services.
20. WYCHWOOD LIBRARY:
Cllr Timms reported that a meeting was yet to be confirmed.
21. VILLAGE CHARITY:
Nothing to report.
22. CORRESPONDENCE:
- Clerks & Councils Direct
- RoSPA had advised the Clerk that a playground inspection was due in July. The Clerk was asked to advise them that the Drainage Works would be taking place and that it would be more suitable to undertake the inspection after the contractors had cleared the site.
- Enstone PC Clerk had been in touch asking about how much work Ascott-under-Wychwood PC had taken on following devolution proposals from OCC. Cllr Carter agreed to reply.
23. ANY OTHER BUSINESS:
There had been a complaint of a noxious bonfire in Dawls Close. It was referred to WODC Environmental Health Dept who dealt with the situation promptly.
For future information – there is no restriction on which day a bonfire can be lit but the only materials that can be burnt are green waste.
There being no further business, Cllr Carter declared the meeting closed at 10.40pm and confirmed the next meeting would be the held on Monday 12 September 2016.
Cllr Philippa Carter (Chairman)