DORCHESTER ON THAMES
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Parish Council Minutes August 2008
Home > Parish Council > Minutes > Aug 2008
The Monthly Meeting of the Parish Council was held in the Village Hall on Wednesday 13th August 2008 commencing at 7.30 pm.
The Chairman, Cllr K Bryan, presided; present were Cllrs. Mrs M Metcalfe (Vice-Chairman), M Day, S Gibbons, C Hill, Mrs J Nudds, M Stevenson and M Williams with G Russell in attendance.
1 Apologies for absence
Apologies were accepted from both County Cllr John Howell MP and District Cllr John Cotton, who were on holiday.
2 Declarations of Interest
The Chairman, as a near neighbour, declared a personal interest in planning application PO8/W0855 3 The Limes, and Cllr Mrs Nudds, as a near neighbour, declared a personal interest in PO8/W0822, 17 Bridge End (The Old Chapel)
3 Minutes of the Meeting held 9th July 2008
The Minutes as circulated were approved and signed as a correct record.
4 Matters Arising from the Minutes
(i). The Hidden Britain co-ordinator, James Turner, has responded to the Council’s request for a different wording on the Defra commemorative plaque saying that the wording follows a set formula. He asks if the plaque can be mounted on or by one of the touchscreens. Cllr Mrs Metcalfe will discuss this with the Museum.
(ii) It was agreed that a mixed hedging pack of hornbeam and blackthorn should be ordered in order to restore the hedge behind the Pierces’ house on the path linking Drayton Road with the Hurst. Only one of the trees planted near the Bridge End car park has survived.
(iii) The Clerk said he would contact County Cllr John Howell about progress on repairs to the Meadside path and the surface of Drayton Road. The positioning of the drop kerb opposite The Limes has been marked.
(iv) The no parking signs for the posts at the Bridge End junction should be here next week.
(v) The Council’s response to the recent sand & gravel consultation was drafted by John Howell, approved by e-mail and sent in before the deadline on 8th August.
(vi) One more quote for tree work identified by Paul Jenks is awaited.
(vii) The Council noted that Queen Street is open again. The engineers have been drilling to find out levels of existing pipes and other services. It now looks as though the scheme to connect the rainwater drains from Queen Street into the River Thame near the High Street bus stop will cost treble what was first thought. Gordon Hunt, the County’s Drainage Engineer has advised the Clerk that, although still a possibility, the scheme will require more investigation and may have to be done in two phases. It was agreed that, in order to keep residents informed, this information should appear in Dorchester News.
(viii) A letter from the County about the new time tables for village bus services has been received and will be circulated. Residents still find the different timetables hard to follow and the lack of a return bus service from Oxford through the High Street has attracted criticism. The matter will be put on the agenda for the next meeting along with making improvements to the access to and from the by-pass bus stops.
(ix) The Clerk has made enquiries of SODC about whether they are going to take up the matters raised in the Sustainable Communities Act.
(x) A replacement metal liner for the bin on Manor Farm Road is still on order. Councillors commented that recently the dog bin emptying service had not been as efficient as usual. Sometimes the kerbside refuse collection misses households and the Clerk was asked to put the emergency SODC contact number in Dorchester News.
(xi) The division of councillors’ responsibilities had been circulated. It was agreed that Cllr Day should take over from Cllr Williams as the Council’s representative on the PCC and Cllr Mrs Nudds will take over from Cllr Hill on Allotments.
The full revised list is as follows:
Allotments: Jenny Nudds
Archaeology Liaison: Margot Metcalfe
Bus Services: Mark Stevenson
Car Parking: Ken Bryan & Jenny Nudds
Cemetery: Ken Bryan and Maurice Day
Flooding & Drainage: Chris Hill
Footpaths: Margot Metcalfe
Neighbourhood Action Group: Mark Williams
PCC: Maurice Day
Playground: Stuart Gibbons
River Users Group: Chris Hill
School Governor: Mark Stevenson
Sports Club: Chris Hill & Stuart Gibbons
Street Lighting: Ken Bryan & Jenny Nudds
Thirteen Parishes: Mark Williams
Tourism: Margot Metcalfe
Tree Officer: Maurice Day
Village Carbon Project: Mark Stevenson
Village Hall: Ken Bryan
Village website: Margot Metcalfe & Mark Williams
5 Finance:
Balance on NatWest Current Account at 30th July £25,642.48
Balance on NatWest Reserve Account at 30th June £24,421.91
Receipts during the month included Hidden Britain £1,952.89 and WREN play area grant of £6,000. The VAT repayment claim for £10,714.19 has been submitted.
The following accounts were approved for payment:
Lister Wilder (new brushcutter) £337.41
Berinsfield Community Business grass cutting June £621.46
Southern Electric (pavilion) £23.40
Thames Water (Recreation ground and allotments) £128.21
GGD Russell – Clerk’s salary £425.43
GGD Russell (admin July/August) £89.60
Geoff Willis Handyman – 5 weeks - (July £240.00) £300.00
Berinsfield Community Business grass cutting July £693.78
Now that the marking of the parking spaces, both regular and disabled, in Bridge End has been completed, The Council agreed to send its £10,000 contribution to the County Council.
The Council decided not to make a donation to the Oxfordshire Association for the Blind as there is no current link between this charity and help for local people.
The Council noted that the Annual Return has been sent to BDO Stoy Hayward and requested that the Clerk should buy a gift for Douglas Jupp, as Internal Auditor, as a token of the Council’s appreciation of his work.
6 Correspondence and Other Business:
i). Sports Club Pavilion & Playground;
Pete Smith is carrying out work to the new doors and windows which will be fitted soon.
Inspections of the play area are being carried out on a weekly basis.
Cllr Williams will have a look at the area used for the archaeological dig last year and recommend if more work is needed to restore the surface.
ii). Footpaths;
The brush cutter has now been purchased and is being put to good use. The Clerk will contact County Cllr John Howell and ask if there is any news about the Overy access.
iii). Cemetery;
The Council agreed that Paul Jenks should be given approval to cut back the yew tree adjacent to the Bates grave for £95. This is £30 less than quoted by Michael Harvey, a potential new tree contractor.
Cllr Williams said that he would like to be told if any councillors have any comments about the quality of the work being carried out by Berinsfield Community Business.
iv). Allotments
The archaeologists have finished their excavations but would like to return next year and maybe for three or four years after that. They have stated that they would be willing to pay the going rate for renting the allotments which they are occupying. It was agreed that this matter should be discussed with Mark Townson and the Allotments Society. The Council has no objection in principle to the excavations continuing over the next few years but feels that an agreement should only be made covering one year at a time.
v). Other letters to Chairman and Clerk
a. Dial a Ride Service Provision; there is no funding from SODC but there is a possibility of a service from a local taxi firm. More information has been requested.
b. Cycling on pavements - complaint from a resident in Abingdon Road; the Clerk received a letter from Maureen Fitzgerald complaining about cyclists using the pavement. This is against the law but councillors asked if the Clerk would find out if there is any possibility that the pavement in Abingdon Road could be widened so that it could, like the cycle track through Burcot, be legally used by both pedestrians and cyclists. This would result in Abingdon Road being made slightly narrower and might encourage slower traffic speeds. The Clerk will raise this matter with Cllr Howell.
c Rebuilding Biodiversity offer from Oxford Nature Conservation Forum; the Forum is offering help in setting up parish environment groups. Cllr Stevenson said that he would follow this up. Other groups in the village may also be interested.
d. Oxford Angling & Preservation Society; the Council noted that the Society has decided to abandon its scheme to upgrade and make safer the Drayton Road Lake because the cost is going to be in excess of £70k. which they cannot afford.
7 Planning:
a. Applications
(Cllr Mrs Nudds took no part in the following discussion)
PO8/W0822, 17 Bridge End (The Old Chapel)
Side and rear single storey extension
There were concerns about overdevelopment on this site. The enlargement of the property is likely to increase traffic and the demand for car parking. No extra provision for parking cars has been proposed and the development could result in a situation which is already difficult being made even worse.
There were a few days remaining in the consultation period and the Council will check on the reaction of neighbours before returning the consultation form.
(The Chairman, took no part in the following discussion, during which the chair was taken by Cllr Mrs M Metcalfe [Vice-Chairman]))
PO8/W0855 3 The Limes
Conversion of loft space with single roof light on east and west elevations. Addition of glazed roof lantern to existing side extension
The Council decided that it had no strong views about this application.
PO8/W0859/LB Virginia Cottage 21, High Street
Replace two modern style windows with smaller traditional windows. Install oak framed flat roof light.
The Council decided that it had no strong views about this application.
b. Other Planning matters
PO8/W0677, 20 Abingdon Road; Two storey rear extension and pitched roof to existing bay front window
It was noted that planning permission was granted 18th July
PO8/W0623/A and PO8/W0736/LB 43, High Street; Erection of two externally illuminated fascia panels and one non illuminated projecting sign.
It was noted that the amended plans were given approval 4th August
The continued presence of the high fence at Meadside has been referred to Planning Enforcement officers at SODC and also to District Cllr John Cotton.
8 Repairs to Watling Lane
The residents are to receive a letter asking to what extent they are prepared to make a financial contribution towards the cost of repairs.
9 Play area improvements
The Parish Council has written to WREN confirming that the Parish Council will pay third party funding requirement. A donation of £200 has been received from the Dorchester on Thames Society.
The Village Fête raised over £2,000 and the Council expressed its appreciation to Cllr Stuart Gibbons, Carol Bradley and their team for achieving such an excellent result.
10 Consultation about Oxford Green Belt
The Parish Council has been invited to participate in two sets of consultations. That organised by SODC ends on 25th August and asks where, if the Council does have to accept 4,000 new dwellings being built in the Green Belt outside Oxford, these dwellings should be placed while the second for the Government Office of the South East, is to do with revisions to the South East Plan as a whole and ends 24th October.
The Council re-stated its total opposition to any intrusions into the Green Belt around Oxford.
Cllr Cotton is to be asked if the District Council is organising any briefing meetings.
11 Other Urgent Business
(a.) The Highways Fact Sheets requested by Cllr Mrs Metcalfe have been included in the folder for circulation.
(b.) The lower branches of the tree in the centre of The Green at Bridge End need removing because it has become difficult to sit on the bench below. Cllr Hill said that he would be able to do this.
(c.) Cllr Mrs Metcalfe is preparing the Council’s comments about the Thames Water consultation document concerning future supplies. She said that she would be interested to know how Cllr John Howell is advising his parishes to respond.
The meeting closed at 9.58 p.m.
Revised Oct/2008 © 2008 DOTWeb