Parish Councillors
- Brian Leach
- Pauline Plant
- Philippa Carter
- Sandy Timms
- Peter Rance
County Councillor
- Liz Leffman
District Councillor
- Jake Acock
Parish Clerk
- Angela Barnes
Members of the Public
- Sarah Russell
- Sue Richards
- Laurence Mellor
- Richard Smith
1. Election of Chairman and Vice-Chairman
Cllr Carter proposed Cllr Brian Leach to be Chairman, the proposal was duly seconded by Cllr Plant. Cllr Leach proposed Cllr Plant to be Vice-Chairman, the proposal was duly seconded by Cllr Carter. Both proposals were agreed unanimously.
2. Apologies
No apologies received.
3. Minutes of the Last Meeting
The Minutes recorded from the virtual meeting held on 12 April 2021, were not approved as a true record pending a change to a reference. These will be approved, duly signed, dated and filed at the next meeting.
4. Declarations of interest
None
5. Financial Report
Bank Balance £55,845.75
Income:
25 April
R Gulland Allotment Rent £10.00
27 April
K Purvis Allotment Rent £10.00
K Davies Allotment Rent £10.00
N Tiley Allotment Rent £10.00
14 April
WODC Precept £10,000
20 April
HMRC VAT refund 2020/21 £1,188.90
Payments
30 May
A Barnes Chq. 200210 Clerks Salary £235.54
31 May
HMRC Chq. 200211 PAYE £58.90
Bank Statement reconciliation
The Clerk had emailed the Bank Statement reconciliation to all councillors prior to the meeting. This was reviewed and duly signed.
EXTERNAL AUDIT:
Year End Accounts to 31 March 2021
Responsible Financial Officer Stuart Fox presented the Year End Accounts to 31 March 2021 by email, via the Parish Clerk, to all councillors to be scrutinised and agreed. The Year End Accounts were fully scrutinised, agreed and duly signed by Cllr Leach as Chairman and Stuart Fox as Responsible Financial Officer. A copy of the Accounts would be filed by the Clerk in the Minute Record Book
Accounting Statement 2021
Responsible Financial Officer Stuart Fox presented a copy of the Accounting Statement for the year end 2021, to all councillors to be scrutinised and agreed. This was scrutinised, agreed by all and duly signed by Cllr Leach as Chairman
Annual Governance Statement
RFO Stuart Fox presented this to the Councillors and the Clerk. The questions numbered 1 to 9 were asked and all answered yes. The Annual Governance Statement was then duly signed by Cllr Leach as Chairman and the Parish Clerk.
Certificate of Exemption 2021 AGAR 2021/22 Part 1
RFO Stuart Fox reported that the Parish Council were eligible to apply for a Certificate of Exemption due to their Income and Expenditure both being below £25,000. This was discussed and agreed unanimously that the Certificate of Exemption should be applied for. Cllr Leach and RFO Stuart Fox signed accordingly.
Internal Audit Report
Parishioner Margaret Ismail will carry out the Internal Audit. RFO Stuart Fox will deliver the files to her accordingly.
6. Reports from County and District Councillors
CCllr Leffman reported that she had been re-elected as the Liberal Democrat representative. She did report the Liberal Democrats & Conservatives had the same number of seats and so there was a possibility of a coalition. CCllr Leffman reported that there was money in the budget for the 20mph signs. Cllr Leach agreed to contact CCllr Leffman on this.
DCllr Acock reported on planning and Ascott’s Neighbourhood Plan. He confirmed that this was a positive move for Ascott and he was pleased that this was now under way. DCllr Acock reported on his casework and that he had been met with some difficult situations and had helped different people, difficult situations and indeed vulnerable residents.
7. Public Time
No public time recorded, all parishioners were content to observe.
8. Planning
ONGOING: (PC replied)
19 High Street
APPLICATION NO: 21/00343/HHD
PROPOSAL: Erection of a two storey annex
LOCATION: 19 High Street Ascott Under Wychwood Chipping Norton
APPLICANT: Ms Bronwen Bennie
REGISTERED: 1st February 2021
PLANNING OFFICER: stuart.mciver@westoxon.gov
PARISH COUNCIL RESPONSE: objected with 1 abstention because the proposal would remove all car parking spaces on site.
ONGOING: (PC replied)
BLUE CEDAR HOMES Land North West of 18 London Lane
CONSULTATION: Closed 15 April 2021
APPLICATION NO: 21/00506/FUL
LOCATION: Land North West of 18 London Lane Ascott under Wychwood Oxfordshire PROPOSAL: Erection of 7 one storey age restricted dwellings for older people (65 years) with access, landscaping and associated infrastructure
REGISTERED: 12 Feb 2021
PLANNING OFFICER: abby.fettes@publicagroup.uk / abby.fettes@westoxon.gov.uk
PARISH COUNCIL RESPONSE: Parish council objected unanimously.
Cllr Carter reported that residents close to the site formed a pressure group and organised a village wide mail drop. There have many objections.
ONGOING (PC replied)
BLOOMBRIDGE DEVELOPMENT LLP Cow Shed site High St plus Martyrs Memorial Garden (Orchard)
CONSULTATION: Closed 30th April 2021.
APPLICATION NO: 21/00651/OUT
PROPOSAL: Outline Planning Application (with some matters reserved except access) for the
demolition of existing building and construction of up to seven dwellings and new
open space/Memorial Garden of approximately 0.6ha.
LOCATION: Land North East Of 53 High Street Ascott Under Wychwood
APPLICANT: Bloombridge Development LLP
REGISTERED: 5th March 2021
PLANNING OFFICER: joan.desmond@westoxon.gov.uk
PARISH COUNCIL RESPONSE: Parish Council objected unanimously.
Residents successfully organised a petition (paper in the shop and online) against the plan to include a Martyrs’ Orchard and Richard Smith reported more than 150 signatures. Many residents also objected to the outline planning application to develop 7 homes on the Cow Shed site at the end of High St.
ONGOING: (PC replied)
6 Heritage Lane
CONSULTATION: Closed 29th April 2021.
APPLICATION NO: 21/00594/HHD
PROPOSAL: Construction of detached outbuilding.
LOCATION: 6 Heritage Lane Ascott Under Wychwood Chipping Norton
APPLICANT: Ms Marybeth Harasz REGISTERED: 1st April 2021
PLANNING OFFICER: William.hayes@publicagroup.uk
PARISH COUNCIL RESPONSE: No objections
GRANTED: (for reference)
KINGERLEE HOMES 12-18 London Lane
APPLICATION NO. 17/01067/FUL Appeal Ref: APP/D3125/W/17/3179654 Granted on Appeal
Construction of 4 homes (site reduced because of strip retained by Crown Farm on boundary with 12 London Lane). The contractors have now been on site for 2 weeks.
Sarah Russell and Kate Chilcott were very proactive in making sure that the contractors do not break any rules by corresponding with enforcement officers. Cllr Carter has raised concerns about the latest drainage strategy.
Vaughan Lewis from the Evenlode Catchment Partnership has been in email correspondence regarding Thames Water still being prepared to allow surface water to be discharged into the sewage system, despite the overloaded STW at Milton. Tim Beech of TW quote the ‘right to connect’ in planning law which allows developers with planning permission to connect to a system in order to discharge surface and foul water. 12-18 London Lane does have planning permission. Cllr Carter queried whether TW really understands how much surface water there is. Even at the rate that the drainage strategy quotes Mark Purvis has commented that this would be a large increase in overload to the STW.
Neighbourhood Plan
Traffic and Transport
Cllr Leach reported that the Traffic & Transport group met again to discuss the pedestrian facility within the village and to form that section of the Parish Vision. Cllr Leach extended his thanks to parishioner Sue Richards who had conducted a virtual walk through the village, pointing out the danger points. Because of this history of the village, there is no single route across that avoids walking in the road, blocked paths or danger points.
Cllr Leach reported that the Windrush School had agreed to meet the transport group and that Victoria Barron would be attending a meeting next week, to be followed by a meeting with the parents’ year group representatives. Cllr Leach reported that the traffic survey continues, and that the signs from the children’s poster competition have been received.
Heritage and Built Environment
He reported that a Heritage Group had now been formed to explore the history of the Village, in particular in relation to tourism, planning, conservation and identifying the character of the Village. The group has done an initial walk through the village and will be writing up the first discussions shortly.
Flooding
The appointment of Edenvale Young as Flood Risk consultant for the NP was discussed for a second time. At the last meeting Cllr Rance proposed and it was agreed to appoint the company ‘in principle’ because they had strong credentials, were recommended by a senior member of the Evenlode Catchment Partnership and had been the most engaged of the 5 companies that Cllr Carter had contacted.
With more time available at this meeting Cllr Carter presented the case more clearly and with the benefit of knowing that EY had visited the village and provided a strong document to discredit the Drainage Strategy that Blue Cedar Homes had produced. (This document was funded by residents). EY has produced a village-wide map of the main watercourses and points to survey and the survey will follow shortly. Cllr Carter is collecting all the background material to save on consultants’ fees for research.
A maximum fee of £15,000 has been agreed, part funded by the Parish and part funded by grant money.
After having received 3 responses all within budget and offering to complete the work at a similar cost, Cllr Carter recommended employing Edenvale Young.
This was proposed by Cllr Leach, who confirmed that sufficient due diligence had been carried out to prove competence and that financials were in line with the other 2 tenders.
The proposal was seconded by Cllr Rance and agreed unanimously.
9. Matters Arising
(a) Thames Water – Moratorium on Building.
Cllr Carter reported that Vaughan Lewis from the Evenlode Catchment Partnership has been in email correspondence regarding TW still being prepared to allow surface water to be discharged into the sewage system, despite the overloaded STW at Milton. Tim Beech of TW quote the ‘right to connect’ in planning law which allows developers with planning permission in place to connect to a system in order to discharge surface and foul water. Of course, 12-18 London Lane does have planning permission.
Cllr Carter queried whether TW really understands how much surface water will be involved. Even at the rate that the drainage strategy quotes Mark Purvis has commented that this would be a large increase in overload to the STW. An added concern is that the same ‘right to connect’ could be applied to the Blue Cedar and Cow Shed sites if they are given planning permission – TW have not objected to either application. Cllr Carter has made this clear in the exchange of correspondence.
(b) Footpaths
Ongoing
(c) Dog Poo Bin at Gypsy Lane
Ongoing – Clerk to chase.
10. Risk Assessment and Ground Maintenance
Nothing to report.
11. Community Emergency Plan
COUNCIL FOR THE PROTECTION OF RURAL ENGLAND (CPRE) Oxfordshire
Cllr Carter reported that she had answered their questionnaire. They had asked a question about whether the Lead Local Flood Authority (which is now OCC) had been in contact or proactive. Cllr Carter had not been informed that the LLFA had moved from the District and queried this with C Cllr Leffman who informed the meeting that OCC LLFA was ‘strategic’. Until very recently Cllr Carter had been liaising with the WODC Flood Risk Lead and C Cllr Leffman promised to explain further in writing
With the retirement of two Parish councillors the contact details for first responders will need to be updated. It was agreed that this would be deferred until after the new councillors are co-opted.
12. Transport
Trains:
On Saturday 8th, an immediate ban on the use of the 100 or so Hitachi IETs due to fatigue cracks in their body panels, has massively impacted all GWR services, and the duration of this is currently unknown. Our 2 car DMU Halts train is also an unknown at present, as it could well be pressed into heavier occupation use at least as a stop gap measure. Only the GWR website will have up to the minute information.
Buses:
Villager Buses have just advised Cllr Rance that using S106 funds from the Milton Housing development, OCC are prepared to fund for 3 years, an extra Wychwoods service to Chipping Norton on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Villager which uses volunteer drivers, would much prefer to create that service based on confident customer data, but that is not easy given Covid impact on bus services and user nervousness. It appears however, that Villager will proceed, and details of the enhanced service, times and date of starting will be given by their drivers and in their website. (This info arrived too late to put in the next Grapevine journal).
This unexpected development, should of course be welcomed after such a dire recent period, but actual usage and viability, will only emerge in time.”
13. Roads
Nothing to report
14. Allotments
Cllr Leach reported that a new tenant had taken the last vacant plot. They had connected the water tank to enable rainfall to be collected. He reported that the wild area had been cleared of dangerous rubbish and Tonnes Away have been contacted to quote for its removal.
15. Reports from Organisations
Sports Clubs
Cricket:
Cllr Carter reported that the Cricket Club was going well and had a full fixture list.
Village Charity
Nothing to report
Wychwood Library
Nothing to report
16. Correspondence
Email
None
Post
Clerks & Councils Direct
CLPG Brochure
17. Any Other Business
Cllr Sandy Timms and Cllr Peter Rance tendered their resignation with immediate effect. The Clerk was asked to advise WODC accordingly request the necessary paperwork.
Cllr Leach asked the Clerk to note a huge “thank you” and gratitude from the Parish Council and village/wider community to both Sandy and Peter for their tireless, hard work and dedication.
There being no further business, Cllr Leach declared the meeting closed at 9.30pm
Cllr Brian Leach (Chairman)
Date: Monday 14 June 2021