Parish Councillors:
- Philippa Carter
- Peter Rance
- Graham Ranson
- Brian Leach
Responsible Financial Officer:
- Stuart Fox
District Councillor:
- Jake Acock
Parish Clerk:
- Angela Barnes
1. ELECTION OF A CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN:
Cllr Rance proposed Cllr Carter be elected as Chairman, this was seconded by Cllr Ranson. Cllr Carter proposed Cllr Timms be elected as Vice Chairman, this was seconded by Cllr Rance. Please refer to Item No. 2 Apologies. Cllr Sandy Timms had signed her Declaration of Acceptance of Office and agreed, if voted, to be Vice Chairman.
The Clerk presented the newly elected officers with their Declaration of Acceptance of Office. These were duly signed and given back to the Clerk. The Clerk also presented them with their Register of Members’ Interests for completion and pointed out that these need to be returned to her for submission to WODC by Tuesday 5 June.
Brian Leach was welcomed as the new Parish Councillor to take the place of Mark Tribe. Cllr Leach agreed to take on the organisation of the Allotments.
2. APOLOGIES:
Apologies received from CCllr Liz Leffman. Cllr Sandy Timms sent her apologies, after falling ill just prior to the meeting.
3. MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
The recorded Minutes from the Meeting held on 10 April 2017 were agreed, duly signed, dated and filed.
4. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
There were no declarations of interest.
5. GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGISTER (GDPR)
Cllr Leach had prepared a Data Protection consent form for the PC to use where necessary. All councillors were asked to give this some thought for more discussion at the June meeting.
6. FINANCIAL REPORT:
Income:
19th April Precept £11,250.00
1st May VAT Refund £1661.69
Expenditure:
14th May
Chq 101119 Zurich Insurance £1795.33
Chq 101120 Tiddy Hall £140.80
Financial Regulations
The Parish Council’s Financial Regulations were discussed and reviewed. Several points were raised and the Clerk was asked to bring this back as an agenda item at the June meeting.
Internal Audit
Stuart Fox (RFO) took the Minute Book with him to give to the Internal Auditor, Margaret Ismail.
Approval of Year End Accounts to 31 March 2018 and External Audit
Accounts for the Year End to 31 March 2018
Stuart Fox, Responsible Financial Officer (RFO) presented the final draft of the Accounts for the year end to 31 March 2018 to the meeting. The Accounts were discussed and approved as a true record. These were duly signed and dated by the Chairman and RFO. The Clerk was asked to file a copy of the Accounts with the Minutes in the Minute File. A copy of the Accounts would also be displayed on the Website
Annual Return for the Year to 31 March 2018
Stuart Fox (RFO) presented the Accounting Statements with the Annual Return for 2017/18 to the meeting. These were approved and duly signed by the Chairman as a true record.
Annual Governance Statement
The Annual Governance Statement was presented and the individual questions answered. This was approved as a true record and duly signed by the Chairman and the Parish Clerk.
7. REPORTS FROM COUNTY & DISTRICT COUNCILLORS:
No report from CCllr Liz Leffman.
DCllr Jake Acock introduced himself as the newly elected District Councillor. DCllr Acock gave brief summary of his workload and reported on his current case work;
Hogweed, in allotment plots,
Blue Badge – a parishioner that had had his Blue Badge stopped. DCllr Acock appealed twice on this case and was able to get the Blue Badge given back to the parishioner.
Refuse – DCllr Acock is looking at all aspects of this, including the possibility of smaller refuse vehicles being used for tiny lanes and roads.
Planning – particularly in Ascott
Speeding – DCllr Acock reported that Shipton, Milton, Lyneham and possibly Churchill and Chadlington were using a device to deter speeding. He asked if Ascott would also be interested, particularly for London Lane and the Chipping Norton Road. P Cllr Timms to look into this.
DCllr Acock reported that both he and CCllr Liz Leffman would be holding a 3 monthly coffee morning at the Wychwood Inn and is open to all Wychwood parishioners.
8. PUBLIC TIME:
There were no members of the public at the meeting.
9. PLANNING:
1. 18/01018/HHD 3 The Green Ascott under Wychwood Proposed first floor pitched roof side extension. Ongoing.
2. 17/04060/FUL Demolition of existing structures and erection of new buildings to accommodate an education facility, microprocessing space and farm machinery, two new family dwellings, new access and parking at Honeydale Farm, Station Road, Shipton-under-Wychwood – PC’s no objections submitted. Approved.
3. Appeal Ref: APP/D3125/W/17/3179654 – Allowed 15 December 2017: London Lane, Ascott-under-Wychwood, OX7 6AN Application Ref 17/01067/FUL, dated 30 March 2017, was refused by notice dated 10 July 2017. Development proposed on the application form is the “Construction of 5 dwellings”.
4. Richard Cutler from Bloombridge had contacted the Clerk to ask for an informal meeting to discuss a possible small development of dwellings on the site of the cow sheds at the end of High St. Cllr Carter had responded to Mr Cutler that she would agree to meet but after she had had time to consult High St residents for their views.
10. MATTERS ARISING:
(a)Wychwoods Working Together – Milton PC have confirmed Tuesday 5 June as preferred date, but 3 Councillors could still attend on Wednesday 6 June. Still awaiting confirmation from Shipton PC.
(b)OCC Grasscutting contract – Ongoing
(c)Sign at the Ascott Earl Sheepwash – ongoing
(d)Footpaths – ongoing
(e)Defibrillator – Tiddy Hall Trustees have voted to offer the PC a grant towards a second defibrillator to be installed at Tiddy Hall. Parish Clerk will investigate a grant from the Chipping Norton Lions Club.
(f) Concreting the Christmas tree sheath into the ground in order to stabilise the tree – to be added to an autumn agenda. Clerk to refer to Shane Barnes for best time for concreting. Cllr Carter suggested early autumn.
11. RISK ASSESSMENT & GROUND MAINTENANCE:
Cllr Carter reported that this was due to be carried out again and agreed to meet on Sunday 3 June at 10am on the Village Green with Cllrs Ranson and Leach.
Lloyd Kimber had written to ask who would be responsible for cutting the hedge on the North perimeter of the allotments. It was concluded that it would be the PC responsibility and Cllr Carter has asked Shane Barnes to undertake a light cut, taking care not to disturb nesting birds.
The Wychwood Project Volunteers are preparing to re-build the stone wall between the Pound and the Churchyard. Brian Mitchell, resident of the Parish, has cleared away all the ivy growing within the wall.
12. COMMUNITY EMERGENCY PLAN:
Nothing to report.
13. TRANSPORT
Buses
Cllr Rance reported that both the Villager and the WOCT bus timetables are now on our village website. However, since the April meeting, WOCT have expressed concern that usage of their 210 service has not matched expectations and consequently the imminent Grapevine journal will include both a reminder to all parishioners that these services must be used or lost, and a 210 service timetable flyer.
Trains
Cllr Rance attended the Cotswold Line Promotion Group (CLPG) AGM on 12th May, where Mark Hopwood the GWR Franchise MD gave a full briefing, and responded to numerous questions from the members including Cllr Rance. The keynote issues centred upon the reasons for and their efforts to overcome, the continued very poor service reliability on the whole Cotswold Line, and the potential impact of the new timetable from January 2019, still being drafted in consultation with CLPG.
Overall, it is some solace that the “Halts” service, both out and return, has been more reliable over the past month, reflecting the impact of very strong criticism that GWR had received. Their very poor communication with passengers, should also improve soon, with the appointment of an assistant to Claire King, the GWR Cotswold Line Station Manager, who has had her role expanded to include stations to Didcot! This said, there is no prospect of any additional services from Ascott this year, and as the new 2019 timetable aims to increase the through Hereford to London frequency from 2 to 3 trains per hour, with the IETs replacing HSTs, doubt even then of additions. Furthermore, Hopwood admitted that in 2019, the evening return “Halts” service will revert to a 3 or 2 car Turbo, where a 5 car IET currently runs! A potential major option being explored, is to split the stations served currently on one “Halts” train, over two trains, so as to minimise the line blockage the current all stations services create.
Cllr Rance had briefed Ascott commuters and some Finstock and Combe users of the above.
14. ROADS:
Potholes and other issues ongoing. DCllr Acock reported that a second Dragon Patch machine had been purchased in Oxfordshire to tackle the pothole problems.
15. REPORTS FROM ORGANISATIONS:
(a) Ascott-under-Wychwood Sports Club – Cllr Carter reported that the ladies toilets were leaking. These had been turned off and a notice installed. Cllr Carter will arrange a plumber to call..
(b) Ascott Village Charity – Nothing to report.
(c) Wychwood Library – nothing to report.
(d) Helpers of Ascott-under-Wychwood – nothing to report.
16. CORRESPONDENCE:
Election paperwork from WODC
Robert Courts MP
Various emails
17. ANY OTHER BUSINESS:
– A resident’s complaint about inconsiderate car parking by WVS teachers. Cllr Carter has responded to the resident saying that she will look into agreeing a better arrangement with the school.
There being no further business, the meeting was declared closed at 9.40pm. The next meeting will be held on Monday 11 June 2018.
Cllr Philippa Carter (Chairman)
Date: 11 June 2018