Parish Councillors
- Brian Leach
- Pauline Plant
- Sarah Russell
- Keith Ravenhill
- Sue Richards
Parish Clerk
- Angela Barnes
Members of the Public
No members of the public.
1. Apologies
No apologies received.
2. Minutes of the Last Meeting
The Minutes recorded from the meeting held on 14 September 2021 were approved as a true record, duly signed, dated and filed.
3. Declarations of interest
None
4. Financial Report
Bank Balance £63,203.48
Income:
3rd September Interest £1.26
22nd September Half year precept-WODC £10,000
Payments:
200227 30th September £59.00 PAYE
200228 30th September £5100.00 S Barnes Grass Cutting
200229 5th October £66.47 B Leach Printing for neighbourhood plan
200230 7th October £450.00 DefibPad Defibrillator training
BACS 4th October £2919.36 GWP Consultants Water & Drainage Survey
BACS 22nd September £235.00 A Barnes September Salary
Financial reports and the bank reconciliation emailed separately. The Clerk advised the councillors to commence preparations for setting the PC budget, considering any projects which may need the PC’s financial input, with a view to setting the Precept for 2022/23.
RFO Stuart Fox is preparing the forecast to assist with this.
Financial Regulations – Clerk to send to all councillors.
5. Reports from County and District Councillors
CCllr Leffman reported that next week a paper would be presented to the Cabinet for the 20mph project. She reported that the County would be able to fund in part towards the 20mph over a 3 year period. CCllr Leffman reported that this would be by applications made by parish councils and there would be certain criteria to qualify. She reported that Thames Valley Police were about to launch a new speed programme. CCllr Leffman reported on a bus improvement plan, which going forward, was largely around the city, but moving towards towns & villages.
No report from DCllr Acock.
6. Public Time
No public time to report.
7. Planning
NEW: (PC replied no objections)
The Grange, Shipton Road, Ascott under Wychwood
CONSULTATION Deadline: Please send me your comments by: 22nd October 2021. APPLICATION NO: 21/03203/HHD
PROPOSAL: Construction of detached oak framed garage with side store. Town and Country Planning Act
LOCATION: The Grange 12 Shipton Road Ascott Under Wychwood
APPLICANT: Mr Chris & Mrs Kate Kay REGISTERED: 28th September 2021
ONGOING (PC replied objected)
Land North East of 51 High Street
Deadline: Please send me your comments by: 15 September 2021
APPLICATION NO: 21/02804/RES
PROPOSAL: Reserved matters application for the erection of two detached dwellings with associated works including detached garaging and vehicular and pedestrian accesses to both properties. Town and Country Planning Act APPLICATION NO: 20/01592/OUT PROPOSAL: Residential development of two dwellings and revised agricultural access
(Outline application with some matters reserved)
LOCATION: Land North East of 51 High Street Ascott Under Wychwood
APPLICANT: Bloombridge LLP REGISTERED: 17th August 2021
ONGOING (No objections PC replied)
Little Pips 53 Shipton Road
Deadline: Please send me your comments by: 2nd September 2021.
APPLICATION NO: 21/02753/HHD
PROPOSAL: Two storey extension to south elevation, form porch to new entrance. Change of material to front gable from render to stone., change of material to remainder of front elevation and all of south elevation from render to timber cladding.
LOCATION: Little Pips 53 Shipton Road Ascott Under Wychwood
APPLICANT: Mr And Mrs Morris
REGISTERED: 11th August 2021
Planning Officer: kirk.denton@westoxon.gov.uk
ONGOING (No objections PC replied)
The Briars 2 Meadowbank Close
Deadline: Please send me your comments by: 6th September 2021.
APPLICATION NO: 21/02717/HHD
PROPOSAL: Single storey rear extension
LOCATION: The Briars 2 Meadowbank Close Ascott Under Wychwood
APPLICANT: Mr & Mrs Stratford
REGISTERED: 12th August 2021
Planning Officer: sarah.hegerty@westoxon.gov.uk
ONGOING
14 High Street
Deadline: Please send me your comments by: 4th June 2021.
APPLICATION NO: 21/01131/HHD
PROPOSAL: Demolition of front porch and rear conservatory, replacement of new front porch and new rear single storey garden room
LOCATION: 14 High Street Ascott Under Wychwood Chipping Norton
APPLICANT: Mr & Mrs Weaver
REGISTERED: 12th May 2021
PLANING OFFICER: james.nelson@publicagroup.uk
ONGOING
Coldwell Brook 52 Shipton Road Ascott under Wychwood
Deadline: Please send me your comments by: 22nd June 2021.
APPLICATION NO: 21/01561/FUL
PROPOSAL: Removal of existing garaging and realignment of driveway. Erection of a two storey replacement building to provide undercroft parking with a self-contained unit above.
LOCATION: Coldwell Brook 52 Shipton Road, Ascott under Wychwood
APPLICANT: Mr & Mrs D Robinson
REGISTERED: 30th April 2021
ONGOING (PC replied)
BLUE CEDAR HOMES Land North West of 18 London Lane
CONSULTATION:
Deadline: Please send me your comments by: 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
REFUSED (PC replied)
BLOOMBRIDGE DEVELOPMENT LLP Land North East Of 53 High Street Ascott Under Wychwood
CONSULTATION
Deadline: Please send me your comments by: 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
GRANTED (for reference)
12-18 London Lane 17/01067/FUL Appeal Ref: APP/D3125/W/17/3179654
Construction of four dwellings and associated works at Land North West of 18 London Lane, Kingerlee Homes have informed the Parish Council that they expect to start work during the first 2 weeks of April. Cllr Carter wrote back to Kingerlee, the planning dept, WODC drainage and OCC Highways reminding them of the issues with surface water and sewage and asking that they make arrangements so that there is not a problem with deliveries or workmen’s parking
8. Neighbourhood Plan
NP Roadshow
This month has seen the Neighbourhood Plan Roadshow events over the weekend of 25th/26th September. This was a chance to collate all the materials from the various groups that have been working towards the Parish Vision and to formally switch the focus across to the Plan itself. It was also the first public engagement that has been possible for the whole NP because of COVID. My thanks to everyone who has played a part in this, and for those who attended the roadshows either as participants or to offer comments. The event was sparsely attended despite a leaflet and poster campaign, although those who attended were very much engaged once they realized what is at stake. Hopefully this will begin wider discussions, but we need to think about how to engage the absent voices of the community.
Flooding
The first draft of the mapping of the catchment areas has been completed with the aid of the funding from Locality. This has been presented in the NP Roadshows.
T&T Survey
The traffic and transport survey has gathered 46 responses from 40 households.
These have now been entered ready for the group to analyse.
Where multiple questionnaires have been received from the same household, these have been counted once in the figures excepting for comments and speed reductions. As usual, most of the responses were from High Street and London Lane with just a smattering from the centre of the village (The Green, Heritage Lane etc.) and from Shipton Road. Once again, the PC are failing to reach and engage a large part of the village. This might be in part because the surveys were returned to the village shop.
The responses show clearly the dependence on cars, with very few taking any form of public transport. Of those who filled in a response, three quarters never take a bus and very regular train. Those who do primarily use Charlbury, followed by Oxford Parkway. Kingham is almost unused. Most cited the lack of available transport services. Car journeys are primarily local to Chipping Norton, Witney and Charlbury (including the station) in that order. Very few of the respondents have children, so we don’t know how that would vary for kids getting to places. More buses and more trains were cited frequently in the improvements. There is overwhelming support for speed reductions, with 42 out of 46 welcoming this. There is also a strong sense that there are too many heavy vehicles coming through the village, with 10 respondents asking for weight restrictions over the bridge. This was not a set question. Similarly, 12 mentioned some form of physical restriction, 8 better signage or digital display and 16 a general reduction in weight limit. Parking was of course regularly mentioned.
9. Matters Arising
(a) 5 Shipton Road
Following a meeting with Richard Smith, the PC has been briefed on the current state of affairs. The sale of the land presents both opportunities and dangers for the village, whether initiated by the current claimant or a later owner. Due to a legal technicality regarding the wills, the PC has a partial claim on the land: this would be unlikely to be upheld if challenged, but is sufficient for the PC to assert rights to enter into negotiation with all parties with the intention of creating an agreement that safeguards both the value of the land for Ms Longshaw, and the protection around unsuitable development for the village. It was decided that the opportunities for sensitive development within the framework of the emerging Neighbourhood Plan were compelling, and so the PC has temporarily asserted the rights to the land given in Paul Longshaw’s original will, as a holding mechanism whilst we enter into negotiations with Ms Longshaw. There is no intent to deprive Ms Longshaw of the eventual title and value of the land, and the PC has made clear that it will drop its claim once a suitable agreement to control future development is in place. Ms Longshaw has been approached by several agents offering to purchase the land for development. As a prime location, the PC has recognised there is little to no chance that the site would be preserved intact, whether through this or a future sale.
The next step will be to perform a suitability assessment of the land with the same rigour as would be applied to any site in which the PC has no interest, and if suitable to seek expressions of interest in line with the requirements of the village that were shown in the Housing Needs Assessment undertaken early this year. Any proposals would be subject to the wider consultation with the village as well as with Ms Longshaw, and of course will still require planning permission from WODC. They would also have to be set against other factors, such as the moratorium on new building until such time as the sewerage system is made fit for purpose.
(b) Councillors’ Roles & Responsibilities:
Cllr Brian Leach – Planning & Neighbourhood Plan
Cllr Pauline Plant – Playingfield
Cllr Sarah Russell – Roads
Cllr Keith Ravenhill – Village Warden
Cllr Sue Richards – Transport
(c) First Aid / Defibrillator training – date and time to be confirmed.
(d) Road signage – Ongoing
(e) OALC 2050 Consultation – Ongoing
(f) Utilink Consulting – Cllr Richards will speak to Utilink.
10. Risk Assessment and Ground Maintenance
Cllr Leach reported that he has cleared the ditch running opposite Sunset House of debris, bracken, leaves and ivy. However, the trees are holding onto their leaves and once they fall, a second clearance will be needed before the winter. If anyone wishes to assist, please let me know. The drains at the bottom of London Road by the school are completely blocked again. This has been reported on Fix My Street. We need to make sure these are checked at least once a month.
11. Community Emergency Plan
Cllr Leach reported; the leaflet campaign to request volunteers and to identify those who would be vulnerable in the event of an emergency has had a very disappointing response. Two households have come forward to offer help, and we are very grateful to them. We have received nothing in respect of those who would be vulnerable, despite all of us knowing neighbours who would be in that category.I will write up more in the Grapevine. A further meeting will be held with PCllrs Leach and Plant, and with Pippa Carter, to discuss the redesign of the CEP and to ensure that the details are up to date
12. Transport
We were delighted that Margaret Burden from WOCT took time to attend the NP Roadshow on the Saturday. Whilst there were not many members of the public there, she was able to induct the various PC and T&T members present on the current state of the bus services. There have been new additional services launched, with the result that during the day there are now ?? buses to ??. We spoke about the issues with weekend services, evening services, and a workable service to and from a main line station.
We also spoke about the reliance that villagers have on cars, which means that they are already habituated to getting in the car for convenience. One area of potential ??, however, we agreed might be for the kids in the village getting to places such as Witney. That would reduce the number of journeys required by parents and can give some of the older children a sense of independence. We agreed to publish the latest timetables in the Grapevine, and WOCT will contact them with their regular news update.
13. Roads
We currently have Chipping Norton Hill closed to traffic, and so far that has not been hugely problematic. The road from Ascott to Shipton will be closed from 1st November to 3rd (estimated): the PC had not received prior notification of this as it was sent to Shipton. They have provided us with the traffic notice, which specifies that it for carriageway retexturing work.
14. Allotments
Nothing to report.
15. Reports from Organisations
Sports Clubs
Nothing to report.
Village Charity
Cllr Ravenhill reported that the Charity Run has been postponed this year. He reported that the amount offered to applicants starting further education would be increased from £75 to £100. Cllr Ravenhill reported that the tree in the Charity field had been cut down due to it being in poor repair.
16. Correspondence
Post
17. Any Other Business
– WODC will be holding their Parish and Town Forum at the Tiddy Hall
– Pippa’s presentation was given on 1st October at the excellent and well attended musical evening held at Tiddy Hall.
There being no further business, Cllr Leach declared the meeting closed at 9.30pm
Cllr Brian Leach (Chairman)
Date: Tuesday 9 November 2021