Parish Councillors:
- Philippa Carter
- Sandy Timms
- Peter Rance
District Councillor:
- Tom Simcox
Parish Clerk:
- Angela Barnes
Members of the Public:
- Bertie Trinder
- Kester Harvey
- Peter Greening
- Richard Smith
1. APOLOGIES:
Received from Cllr Mark Tribe and CCllr Rodney Rose.
2. MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
The recorded Minutes from the Meeting held on 12 September 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:
Income:
2nd September Interest £8.93
31st August OCC Grass cutting £527.75
21st September Cotswold Conservation Board £611.82 Stone
30th September Sport England £1,500 & £570
5 October WODC second half of Precept £15,500
Payments:
Chq No.
101021 Penningtons £670 Drainage Scheme
101022 WODC £78.78 Waste bins
101023 WODC £175.97 Dog bins
101024 A Barnes £98.48 Clerk’s expenses
101025 OCC £262.30 Library contribution
101026 S Barnes £4,900 various works
101027 A Barnes £694.27 Net salary-new rates plus arrears
101028 Post Office/HMRC £173.60 PAYE
101029 Cotswold Line Promotion Group (CLPG) £10.00
Precept – Cllr Carter presented a first draft of annual costs and a wish list. The Councillors were asked to give this their consideration in preparation for the November meeting.
6. COUNTY COUNCILLORS REPORT:
No report.
7. DISTRICT COUNCILLORS REPORT:
DCllr Simcox reported that rural broadband should be accessible by all from next June and the homes not reached by the larger companies would be provided by Cotswold Broadband. He reported that the Local Plan was pending and that the consultation starts on 11 October 2016 and that any sites identified by WODC will be released. DCllr Simcox reported that CCllr Rodney Rose had been re-elected by Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) and reminded the meeting that the Bi-Election was being held on Thursday 20 October.
8. PUBLIC TIME:
Please refer to Item Number 10 Planning.
9. MATTERS ARISING:
(a) Wychwoods Working Together – the Clerk was asked to carry this forward to March 2017.
(b) County, District and Parish Council Surgery – 29 October and then bi-monthly on the last Saturday of the month thereafter.
(c) Wychwood Church of England Primary School request for donation to MUGA Ongoing
10. PLANNING:
West Oxfordshire Strategic Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment 2016 – ongoing
NEW APPLICATIONS
16/02793/FUL Erection of six dwellings and associated works at 18 Maple Way
16/02924/HHD Alterations and erection of single and two storey extensions at The Priory House 22 High Street
16/03058/HHD Replacement doors and windows to rear elevation. Construction of pergola and first floor balcony together with associated fencing (Retrospective) at Chaundy Barn, Yew Tree Farm, 45 High Street
16/02076/HHD Erection of single storey pitched roof extension to rear elevation. (Amendments to 13/0578/P/FP and 16/00608/HHD to allow increase in eaves height and proposed side windows). (Part retrospective).
At Willowbrook, 51 High Street.
16/03240/FUL Change of use of land from agricultural to domestic (Retrospective) at 26 High Street
ONGOING APPLICATIONS AWAITING DECISION:
16/02257/FUL Erection of front porch at The Swan, 4 Shipton Road
Cllr Carter welcomed the members of the public and invited them to address the meeting:-
Maple Way (16/02793/FUL)
Kester Harvey and Bertie Trinder spoke about this proposed planning application. The main complaint is about the layout and its intrusive effect on existing properties and gardens. They both expressed their dissatisfaction with WODC and Cottsway regarding lack of consultation with the affected residents. There followed a short Q & A session:-
Q: Kester Harvey asked for clarification that the issue of flooding had been looked into and fully considered
A: DCllr Simcox answered that all utility companies had been given sight of the application and Thames Water were content.
Residents and the Parish Council will work together to try and find a solution with Cottsway and WODC which allows affordable housing to be built on the site without serious overlooking and compromising the privacy of existing residents.
Cllr Carter reported that she and DCllr Simcox met with some of the residents that evening to listen to their concerns and that the Parish Council would now work on their wording in response to WODC on this application and keep the residents informed.
The Priory House, 22 High St (16/02924/HHD) and Willowbrook, 51 High St (16/03240/FUL)
The Parish Council responses have been sent.
26 High Street (16/03240/FUL).
Richard Smith and Peter Greening spoke about their concerns regarding this retrospective planning application. Cllr Carter explained that the Parish Council would discuss this further and work on their reply, which needed to be in by 26 October.
16/03058/HHD Chaundy Barn.
Cllr Carter reported also that the Parish Council were working on their final wording with regards to this retrospective planning application.
There was general discussion about the difficulties of considering retrospective planning applications.
Cllr Carter thanked the members of the public for taking the time to attend the meeting.
11. RISK ASSESSMENT & GROUND MAINTENANCE:
(a) Notice Boards – to remove staples and repaint in dry weather – ongoing
(b) Waste Bins – WODC have replaced 3 bins and the Clerk was asked to contact WODC and enquire when the 4th bin would be replaced.
(c) RoSPA Inspection – Cllr Carter reported that she would speak to the contractors now that the drainage project was complete to organise the annual inspection of the play equipment.
(d) Hedgecutting – Clerk had instructed Newman and Sons to cut the hedge around the Memorial Playing Field in October/November.
Cllr Carter had met with Shane Barnes to review all PC grounds maintenance that he had undertaken this year and discuss other tasks. This year’s contract worked well. Cllr Carter asked if Shane would work out the cost of clearing and mowing part of the verge by Coldwell Brook. Shane will also make good the grass in the Pound at the beginning of the spring (Cllr Carter to purchase materials). A bench has been donated to be sited in the shade in the Pound and Shane agreed to secure the legs into concrete.
12. MEMORIAL PLAYING FIELD
(Recreation and Playground)
(a) Replacement Sign – Ongoing
(b) Trellis – Ongoing
(c) Handrail – Ongoing
13. SPORT ENGLAND DRAINAGE:
Cllr Carter reported that the finances had been updated and that they were now waiting for a meeting with the Contractors and Consultants to sign the project off and to give a certificate of completion.
14. ROADS:
(a) Pavement outside Ascott Earl House – Ongoing.
15. ASCOTT-UNDER-WYCHWOOD SPORTS CLUB:
Nothing to report.
16. COMMUNITY EMERGENCY PLAN:
Cllr Carter proposed a letter of thanks should be sent to Mr & Mrs Badger in appreciation of their hard work during the winter months and for storing the emergency equipment at Crown Farm until their retirement this autumn. Cllr Carter’s proposal was seconded by Cllr Rance and agreed unanimously. A new store for the snow ploughing equipment was discussed and quotes will be obtained.
17. HELPERS OF ASCOTT-UNDER-WYCHWOOD:
Cllr Carter reported that the Helpers had done a fantastic job clearing dead material from the hedgerow opposite the Signal Box. All debris was cleared to the PCs newly made bonfire site at the allotments (thanks to Shane Barnes and Robin Walker).
18. TRANSPORT:
Trains – Cllr Rance has made e mail contact with Claire King the recently appointed GWR Franchise Cotswold Line Manager and she has responded positively to arrange an early meeting at AuW station with Cllr Carter and him, date TBA. She has already met the Cotswold Line Promotion Group (CLPG) Chairman, and has acknowledged the ongoing dialogue to obtain modest increases to the current bare minimum AuW service. She has also agreed to Cllr Rance’s request for early confirmation of the running of pre- Christmas Saturday, shopper’s trains to Oxford and Worcester, which have proved popular with parishioners.
Cllr Rance has also sought her earliest resolution caused by growing concerns that when the current, on train ticket machines are unavailable, passengers find that their Cotswold Line Railcard concessions are not recognised at Oxford Station. Still worse, that imminent, new issue, on board machines may well lack this concession too! This concession was granted by her predecessor Alan Field reflecting the minimal train service that AuW commuters have to reply upon.
Buses – Cllr Rance has not yet had the opportunity to review the satisfaction or issues with the revised Villager Services with our regular and dependent users. Before doing so however, he will take further advice on the recent initiative by OCC of the “Oxfordshire Comet” service, by which on weekdays between 1015 and 1430, existing 16 seat buses (with wheelchair access) can be booked, for a fee, for individual, group or community use. OCC have set aside a £200k sum to trial this scheme.
19. WYCHWOOD LIBRARY:
Nothing to report.
20. VILLAGE CHARITY:
Nothing to report.
21. CAROLS ROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE:
The Clerk was asked to forward the Event Schedule for this to all councillors to consider for the next meeting.
22. CORRESPONDENCE:
CLPG Booklet & Invoice
Email
WODC re Oxfordshire Unitary
Cllr Carter had received a complaint about a stile leading to the Oxfordshire Way from Ascott Mill which she forwarded to our Cotswold Warden, Gerald Simper. This has now been replaced by the Cotswold Wardens with a Kissing Gate and residents have made very positive comments.
Thank you letter from Mark Abrey for the work that the Helpers had done on the lower growth of the Lime Trees in the Churchyard. Cllr Carter had passed these thanks on to the Helpers who had attended the session.
22. ANY OTHER BUSINESS:
There being no further business, Cllr Carter declared the meeting closed at 10.25 pm and confirmed the next meeting would be the held on Monday 14 November 2016.
Cllr Philippa Carter (Chairman)