Parish Councillors
- Brian Leach
- Pauline Plant
- Sarah Russell
- Keith Ravenhill
Parish Clerk
- Angela Barnes
Members of the Public
- No members of the public
1. Apologies
Received from CCllr Leffman. & Cllr Sue Richards
2. Minutes of the Last Meeting
The Minutes recorded from the meeting held on 9 November 2021 were approved as a true record, duly signed, dated and filed.
3. Declarations of interest
None
4. Financial Report
Bank balance £47,296.10
Income
None
Payments
16th November Online payments
HelloPrint £131.99 Carol Booklet
Eden Vale Young £14,400* Water Survey
23rd November Online payments
B Leach £120 Mulled Wine from Ocado
8th December Online payment
A Barnes £235.34 Clerks Salary
31st December
Chq 200233 HMRC £59.00 PAYE
*Please note there were 3 individual payments made to Eden Vale Young as we have a £5K limit on payments from our HSBC online account. We paid £4,400 & £5,000 & £5,000.
The necessary documentation has been submitted to Sports England to fulfil the requirements to complete the funding for the playing fields maintenance. Thanks to P Carter for her assistance with this. We have received confirmation in return that they will pay the final retention of £4,396.
It was proposed to create a Traffic Control Fund by transferring £3,000 from our general funds in this financial year and £3,000 from our general funds in the next financial year.
This was agreed by Cllr Plant and seconded by Cllr Russell.
A draft Parish forecast to 31st March 2023 has been prepared in order to determine the level of the 2022/23 precept. After discussion, it was decided that the Precept should be set at £20,000. This was proposed by Cllr Leach, seconded by Cllr Ravenhill and agreed unanimously. The bank reconciliation and financial report were emailed, duly attached to the email sending the monthly update for November.
5. Reports from County and District Councillors
CCllr Liz Leffman reported that the County Council budget consultation is currently live and finishes on January 5th , and I urge all councillors to let us have their feedback. The link to this is https://letstalk.oxfordshire.gov.uk/budgetconsultation We have already had over 800 responses which is testimony to the new way of consultation that has been adopted by the new administration. We will be using feedback from the consultation that we did in the summer on our 9 priorities to inform our Corporate Strategy which will be published in the first half of next year following the budget setting meeting in February. As you will be aware there has been a surge of Covid cases in Oxfordshire and the current rate is 741 per 100,000. 160 cases were reported in West Oxfordshire on December 14th. However, deaths and hospitalisations remain relatively low. The number of vaccination centres is being stepped up so that people will be able to get their booster jabs. Next Wednesday December 22nd I will be taking a walk-about in my division with Huw Thomas of Thames Water to show him the hotspots where flooding takes place and water invades the sewage system. The intention is for him to understand better how the lack of investment in infrastructure affects rural areas in particular. Brian is coming round Ascott with me to look at the issues in the village. I am sorry not to be able to attend the meeting this evening. If you need further help with anything else in the village, please let me know by email and I wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year
6. Public Time
No public time to report.
7. Planning
ONGOING
Land North West of 18 London Lane
CONSULTATION
Deadline: Please send me your comments by: 25th November 2021.
APPLICATION NO: 21/03570/S73
PROPOSAL: Variation of condition 2 and removal of condition 8 of planning permission
17/01067/FUL to allow conversion of area over garage into a home office (plots 2 and 4) and changes to fenestration (plots 1 and 5) whilst still maintaining all amendments relating to design changes, repositioning of access road and alterations to boundary treatments as previously approved under 21/00542/S73.
LOCATION: Land North West Of 18 London Lane Ascott Under Wychwood
APPLICANT: Kingerlee Homes Ltd
REGISTERED: 1st November
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
ONGOING: (PC replied)
BLUE CEDAR HOMES Land North West of 18 London Lane
CONSULTATION
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
PROPOSAL: Erection of 7 one storey age restricted dwellings for older people (65 years) with access, landscaping and associated infrastructureREGISTERED: 12 Feb 2021 Planning Officer: abby.fettes@publicagroup.uk & abby.fettes@westoxon.gov.uk
GRANTED (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
WODC Graduate Planning Officer: james.nelson@westoxon.gov.uk
Cllr Leach reported:
This was brought before the Uplands Committee Meeting on Monday, with presentations from PCllr Sue Richards and resident Nick Paines, following a great deal of communication between them, Richard Smith and PCllr Leach in drawing up statements. The PC would like to thank all those involved for their efforts, especially Richard Smith for the considerable amount of work that he had amassed for the presentation.
The three main areas of concern presented built on the objections already presented by the PC (see November minutes):
- These buildings are not in keeping, and are not of the style, size and type required by the village as identified in the Housing Needs Assessment carried out this year.
- The turning head that was a significant factor in the original site layout and the design and access statement for which outline permission was granted, has been removed. This means that large vehicles will have nowhere to turn in the High Street and refuse and emergency vehicles in particular will have to reverse the length of High Street, exiting by reversing into traffic on a busy junction outside a primary school.
- The site is therefore significantly altered from the design for which outline permission was granted and should thus merit a new outline application, it not being certain that permission for the new layout would have been granted.
Unfortunately, whilst sympathetic to the arguments, the Committee determined that they did not have a planning reason to oppose the design that the developers had put forward.
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
Neighbourhood Plan:
Housing
PCllr Leach reported:
The leafleting drawing attention to the potential development of the paddocks behind Maple Way, The Orchard, Dawls Close, Heritage Lane and Shipton Road drew a lot of attention, with a good turnout to the two Tiddy Hall events and comments followed up by the Steering Group. A questionnaire has been completed by many residents and we will be considering this for the forthcoming Plan.
Milton under Wychwood
MUW have published their draft NP and have requested comment.
8. Matters Arising
(a) 5 Shipton Road – ongoing.
(b) Road signage – Ongoing
(c.) OALC 2050 Consultation – Ongoing
10. Risk Assessment and Ground Maintenance
Nothing to report.
11. Community Emergency Plan
Following the work on updating the Community Emergency Plan as discussed in November’s PC meeting, all Councillors attended a village walkabout with Pippa Carter to identify and to document the preventative maintenance work that needs to be carried out so that this is recorded for future councils. PCllrs Leach and Plant to update the CEP with the results of this exercise.
It was also proposed that the PC should engage a local contractor to undertake certain specific maintenance tasks, including clearing drains and gulleys, at regular times. The difficulty is in predicting when this will be required as it depends on the season and climate: however, a local contractor may be able to do with this sufficient flexibility on a T&M basis.
PCllr Leach to approach Will Gomm and engage subject to suitable terms and his agreement. Increase provision in budget for ad hoc general maintenance for next year to £500.00.
12. Transport
Nothing to report.
13. Roads
Cllr Russell reported that the grit bins were full. It was reported that there had been fly-tipping at the top of Chipping Norton hill and Heritage Lane. The water leak on London Lane, with the potential to create a sheet of ice across the road, has finally been remedied.
14. Carols round the Christmas Tree
The tree had been delivered, erected and decorated.
In the light of the Omicron COVID variant the PC will continue to watch for the current advice from the Government, but for now this should go ahead, with a number of additional precautions:
1. We should not serve mince pies
2. We will serve mulled wine but only if we can distribute this safely to the groups without risk of creating undue pinch points.
3. The event will not be moved indoors to Tiddy Hall in the event of bad weather
The final preparations:
– Posters designed, to be put up at the usual locations – Cllr Leach
– Carol booklets have been printed – Cllr Leach
– All meet at the Village Green at 5.30pm to set up
– Tables, Wine, Black bags & buckets – Cllr Leach
– Trays & jugs – Cllr Plant
– Beneficiary – Chipping Norton Food Bank
15. Reports from Organisations
Sports Clubs
Nothing to report.
Village Charity
Nothing to report.
16. Correspondence
OALC – Monthly update/Newsletter November (forwarded)
Operation London Bridge (forwarded)
WODC
The Welcome Back Fund (forwarded)
Budget Consultation (forwarded)
Evenlode Catchment Partnership Survey (forwarded)
Post
CPRE The countryside charity Oxfordshire (will bring to December meeting)
17. Any Other Business
None.
There being no further business, Cllr Leach wished everyone a Merry Christmas and declared the meeting closed at 8.30pm.
Cllr Brian Leach (Chairman)
Date: Tuesday 11 January 2022