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Parish Council Minutes July 2006

Home > Parish Council > Minutes > July 2006

The Monthly Meeting of the Parish Council took place in the Village Hall on Thursday 13th July 2006 commencing at 7.30 pm. The Vice-Chairman, Cllr Mrs M Metcalfe presided; present were Cllrs. M Day, S Gibbons, C Hill (part-time), and M Stevenson with G Russell in attendance.

1 Apologies for absence
Apologies were accepted from Cllrs Ken Bryan, Jenny Nudds and Mark Williams, County Cllr John Howell and District Cllr John Cotton, who were engaged elsewhere.

2 Declarations of Interest
None.

3 Minutes of the Meeting held 14th June
The Minutes were approved and signed as a true record

4 Matters Arising from the Minutes
a. New street lights; The County Council is looking into whether any lighting can be provided on the far side of the by-pass, including the possibility of wind/solar powered lights just to illuminate the paths up to the bridge crossing. It is recognised that there are community safety issues and ORCC may also be able to help. Councillors would like to see something in place by the end of October.
b. New bus shelter; an informal approach to Don Morrison had prompted an offer to design the shelter himself but, after a period of reflection, the Morrisons had decided to write stating their opposition to the idea of any shelter at all, saying that there was a much more pressing need for a shelter outside 3, High Street (Dorchester Antiques). Councillors who had seen the catalogues being circulated liked the range produced by Littlethorpe. It was agreed that the Clerk should contact the SODC Conservation Officer and ask for her views about what type of shelter would be acceptable.
c. Halliday’s planning condition 11; this matter is on-going.
d. Noise from motor bikes; this is just as bad as ever. The Clerk said that SODC’s environmental health team can only intervene when noise is being created on premises. Once the problem is on the highway, it is a matter for the police.
e. Disabled parking space; The Clerk said that the idea of a disabled persons’ parking space just outside The White Hart has now gone for formal consultation. It was agreed that the Clerk should write to the County saying that Dorchester Parish Council believes that the provision of additional disabled persons parking areas should only be considered as part of an overall plan and not in isolation.
f. Garage development site; the Clerk reported that the work to deal with soil contamination work has started. The new build is due to commence in September. Councillors wanted the owner to be aware of the need to keep all builders’ support services/amenities etc within the enclosed site – there must be no encroachment on to the car park in Bridge End.
g. Repairs to Watling Lane: The County has been asked for help but there had been no response so far. This lack of response also applied to requests for potholes in Bridge End to be filled and the footway to Meadside repaired/resurfaced.
h. County meeting with Parish Councils on 27th July; the number who can attend is limited to only two places per Council. The Chairman and Cllr Sevenson will go with Cllr Mrs Metcalfe in reserve,
i.By pass bus shelter; there has been additional vandalism at the bus shelter and this has been reported to the Police. It has been suggested that material tougher than glass should be used and a quotation is being obtained for submission to the County. The Village Handyman will remove the broken glass.

5 District Councillor's Report
Cllr Cotton has sent his apologies received but, through the Clerk, advised the Council that he thought that the planning application for houses on Kruzcko’s yard scheme would go before the SODC Planning Committee. The Parish Council agreed that it would wish to be present if this occurred and might wish to speak.

6 County Councillor's Report
Apologies received.

7 Correspondence and Other Business
i). Sports Club Pavilion & Playground;
There had been another attempted break-in on the night of 7/8 July and the crime reduction officer has been invited to visit and advise on security measures.
A new supply of play grade safety bark has been obtained.
The play area sub-committee is preparing its application for a grant from SODC’s Community Investment fund for submission by 31st July.
ii). Footpaths;
Overy Mill; Mark Sumner has met on site with Mrs Butcher and confirms that the wooden fence which borders the path and which overhung the path has been made good. He now regards the path is accessible and safe for users. Furthermore Mrs Butcher has agreed that a kissing gate can be erected next to the wooden footbridge which borders the path and the meadow. The structure will be paid for and installed by the County Council as a courtesy structure for the bridge. This will mean that neither Mrs Butcher nor Hurst Meadow will own the structure, hopefully negating any 'ownership' disputes between the two parties.
Mark Sumner also reports that Mrs Butcher has agreed that a kissing gate can be installed at the southern end of the path where it leaves the driveway. This will be up to British Standards and will result in a stile free route from Overy through to Dorchester and Berinsfield.
There is no scheduled date for this work to take place but it will be put in hand as soon as possible. The Council commented that the chestnut paling fence on the stile into the Hurst is still in place and requested that it should be consulted about the exact type of gates to be installed, especially on the matter of disabled access. The gate from the village into the Hurst is a satisfactory model.
The Clerk reported that the County has been asked if there is a definitive width laid down for the path by the copse outside The Manor. He was asked to request that the Broadbents keep this hedge cut back.
The Village Handyman has cut the shrubs overhanging the path at the end of Martins Lane and has been asked to clear the sides of the path linking Bridge End with Wittenham Lane. The Council’s strimmer has been in for repair and this has delayed some of the clearance work.
The Council noted the excellent work done by Dr and Mrs Pritchard in clearing the path towards The Hurst and the Clerk was asked to write and thank them.
The Clerk reported that he had spoken to Kevin Ives of 30 High Street and Mr Ives has started clearing his border with Cheyney Lane.
iii). Cemetery;
The Chairman has mapped out wall plans for the memorial plaques and Cllr Day has produced a fair copy of the proposed new regulations. It was agreed that further discussion should be held over until the next meeting.
iv). Allotments;
Nothing to report
v). Hidden Britain;
Two walking guides have now been produced and samples will be circulated. The guides will be available through the Museum and local hotels.
vi). Other letters to Chairman and Clerk
a. Oxford Inspires; there is to be a meeting at Crowmarsh on Monday 17th July at which all are welcome to a presentation about the ‘Oxfordshire 2007’ campaign.
b. Hurst Water Meadow; at 11.00 am on Thursday 3rd August there is to be an opening of the ‘scrape’ on the Hurst Water Meadow to which all councillors are invited.
c. Maintenance; residents have requested the Parish Council to take action over a bay tree with branches overhanging the High Street and the beech hedge at 24 Bridge End which also needs cutting back.
d. Cllr Mrs Nudds had received a letter from Irene Osborne King which raised several matters of ‘villagekeeping’ including the wish that pot holes in Bridge End be more promptly repaired after they have been identified by white markings and also raising concerns about the poor state of Watling Lane.
Mrs Osborne-King also asked that the Parish Council should have regular programme for keeping the wooden benches throughout the Parish clean and in good condition. She asked about having the road sign and the bus stop sign near the Cheshire Home cleaned up but it is thought that these are actually outside the Parish. She said that the plants for sale from 20 Abingdon Road and the sign advertising them were located on County Council land and said when cars stop to view the plants, which they sometimes do rather abruptly, a traffic hazard is created. The Council was of the view that no action was necessary on this matter. All houses along that part of Abingdon Road mow their frontages and the plant stall is located on a piece of straight road.
e.. The Council noted that the Cheshire Home is about to launch an appeal to purchase a new wheelchair ambulance with £36,000 being the target

8 Planning
a) Applications:
P06/W0623/LB Bridge House, 1 Bridge End; Repair and alterations to defective bay window, insertion of new access point onto main pitched roof area, roof and chimney repairs, re-roofing lead porch roof, overhaul existing bay window joinery and shutters.
The Council agreed to recommend that this application be approved because the work clearly needs to be done.

P06/W0667 54 High Street; Garden room (3 metres by 3 metres) to rear of the property, existing shed to be demolished
The Council had no strong views about this application.

P06/W0685 Dorchester Sailing Club, Abingdon Road; Proposed extension to the existing Dorchester sailing club, to include changing facilities/toilets, a briefing room and training room.
The agreed to recommend that this application be approved because it would clearly result in an enhancement to the Club’s facilities.

b) Report on planning decisions, amendments etc
P06/W0461 17 Tenpenny; Erection of front entrance porch
Planning permission granted 3rd July
P06/W0475 Copse to west of Manor House; demolition of single garage and construction of double garage
Planning permission granted 4th July – several conditions mostly to do with archaeology and safeguarding of trees as well some to do with spec of building/
P06/W0487 6 Jemmetts Close; Erection of porch and dormer window to the front elevation. Planning permission granted 30th June
P06/W0508 59, Abingdon Road; Demolition of existing buildings and erection of single storey rear extension
Planning permission granted 26th June

9 Finance
a). Bank balances
Current Account (30/6) £7,469.34
Reserve Account (30/6) £33,011.75 (interest earned £163.79)
b). The following accounts were approved for payment:
Berinsfield Community Business (grass cutting) £475.86
Scion Estates (grass cutting) £513.79
The Great Greenery Company (play area bark) £235.00
Thames Water (Allotments £21.32; Rec. etc £43.37) £64.69
Robin Clive (marker stakes for parking) £32.61
Transpiration Limited (park and ride) £94.00
Information Commissioner (Data Protection registration) £35.00
GGD Russell – Clerk’s salary £361.86
GGD Russell - admin expenses June/July £122.80
Geoff Willis Handyman – 4 weeks - (June £262.75) £285.48
Lister Wilder repairs £11.42

The Council noted that the strimmer had recently been sent for repair but that spare parts are no longer available – it was purchased from Oakes Bros. in 2000. The strimmer does apparently still work, although it must be checked to see that it does so safely, but it is likely that the Council will need to budget for the purchase a replacement in the next financial year (up to £500 for a new machine)
It was agreed that it would be desirable to add at least one more signatory to the bank mandate.

10 Community Rights of Way Improvement fund and other grants
The Council noted that a declaration of interest is needed by the end July if any Right of Way improvement grant is wanted. But there is a shortage of projects within the Parish that might qualify for such a grant, an improvement to the River Thame access at Waterloo being one of the few possibilities.

11 Parish Council/Police liaison
The Thames Valley Police meeting at Regal Centre in Wallingford on 12th July about Neighbourhood Action Groups meeting had been attended by Cllrs Day, Gibbons and Stevenson and the Clerk. They had made contact with PC Jess Rowling, the Area Beat Officer for Benson, Berinsfield and Dorchester, and the Regional Watch Administrator Carol Rudd, based at Abingdon Police Station, who had agreed that in future the Clerk will receive all ‘ringmaster messages’ direct.
There is to be another meeting, likely to be at Benson Parish Hall on 31st July, to cover the Benson, Berinsfield and Dorchester NAG, at which local residents would be invited to nominate what they see as the priorities for the Police.

12 Bridge End Car Park
SODC has confirmed arrangements for the Parish should the Council be interested in taking over responsibility for maintaining the public lavatories. There would be an ongoing revenue grant of £6,500 per year for providing a service 364 days a year and an initial capital grant of £10,000 to modernise existing facilities which might be stretched in order to cover improvements to the area in the immediate surroundings of the building.

13 Any Other Business
a. It was agreed to increase the number of notices encouraging responsible dog ownership from 3 to 5.
b. The Clerk will ask Total Pest Control to visit the Recreation Ground and recommend what action can be taken to overcome the problems caused by the rabbits.
c. Cllr Day asked that all those who have responsibility for maintaining ditches in good repair be encouraged to carry out this work in the near future.
d. Cllr Day said that there have been complaints about cars being parked upon the grass leading down to the river’s edge at Waterloo, most probably cars which are pulling trailers with boats being launched on this site. It was agreed that Keike van der Zwaal should be asked how serious this problem has become and perhaps get a notice erected explaining that the grass must be left clear for pedestrians and access for vehicles from the emergency services.
e. Cllr Hills asked that the Council be aware that there has been occasional use in the village of air rifles by persons unknown and that this is potentially very dangerous.
f. Cllr Stevenson said that the information packs in circulation contained some information about Charter 88, a movement encouraging support for sustainable communities and he asked that discussion of this topic be put on the agenda for the next meeting.

Meeting closed at 9.59 pm

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