DORCHESTER ON THAMES Home

DORCHESTER ON THAMES Home | Contents | Search |

Parish Council Minutes November 2004

Home > Parish Council > Minutes > Nov 2004

The Monthly Meeting of the Parish Council took place in the Village Hall on Wednesday 10th November 2004 commencing at 7.30 pm.

The Vice-Chairman, Cllr Mrs J Nudds presided; present were Cllrs K Bryan, M Day, C Hill, Mrs M Metcalfe, C Sleigh and M Williams with G Russell in attendance. Also present for part of the meeting was District Cllr John Cotton.

1. Apologies for absence

Apologies from Mike Smith, who is unwell, and County Cllr John Howell

2. Declarations of Interest

None

3. Minutes of the Meeting held 13th October 2004

These were approved and signed

4. Matters Arising from the Minutes

a. SODC has agreed to pay £20 for each street name sign which the Parish Council refurbished and had asked for a list of those that would be done.

b. Warborough Parish Council has indicated that it may make a donation of £500 towards the annual costs of the Ambulance Responder. Other parishes and the county and district councils have been asked for their views about this matter. It was agreed that this should be an agenda item at the December Council meeting.

c. Cllr Chris Sleigh confirmed that he has been in contact with the Clerk to Berinsfield Parish Council about the proposed new bus shelter at the Berinsfield interchange.

d. The Clerk is trying to contact Jo Biggs of SOHA to find out what she has in mind about the common room at Belcher Court being used as a village meeting place.

e. A wreath has been ordered from the Royal British Legion and the Chairman has said that he will be present at the Remembrance Day service.

5 District Councillor's Report

District Cllr John Cotton said that the debate about introducing 'wheelie bins' has restarted. District Council officials are keen on the idea but, on the whole, the elected members of the Cabinet were against it. Last time the matter had been discussed it had been appreciated that there were serious disadvantages, especially in places like the High Street in Dorchester. Nevertheless the Council has been set ambitious targets for recycling waste. Cllr Cotton said that a village composting scheme might help to provide a solution.

In response to a question about travellers purchasing land so that sites could be created for their mobile homes, Cllr Cotton said there is an important meeting about this in London later in the month and he hoped to have more information in time for the next Council meeting. He said that he would make enquiries at the Council offices about the status of 'Allen's Pit' in Abingdon Road.

Asked about the future of regional government in the light of recent events in the north east of England, Cllr Cotton said that he believed that for the foreseeable future the South East of England Regional Assembly (SEERA) would continue to have a major impact upon planning policy.

6 County Councillor's Report

County Cllr John Howell had submitted a written report which highlighted the saving of the X42 bus service between Didcot and Oxford (via Burcot). This will now continue beyond 11th December, thanks to a county council subsidy until 2008 when the next review will take place. The service has also been upgraded in that it will now run hourly, will include Ladygrove and Didcot Station and will operate low access buses, which are not more than 2 years old.

The County Council has been undertaking a major review of the county’s transport networks. Some of the options suggested by the consultants in relation to this area relate to the B4015 between Clifton Hampden and Chiselhampton. They are first, reviewing signage on the B4015 to discourage non-local traffic by downgrading the road from a B road to unclassified; secondly, closing the B4015 between Clifton Hampden and the Golden Balls roundabout; and, thirdly, closing the B4015 from the Golden Balls roundabout to Chiselhampton. Each of these has implications for traffic flows on neighbouring villages e.g. potentially forcing more traffic through Burcot, Berinsfield and Drayton St. Leonard. A full consultation will take place before any changes are made and the Parish Council and local residents are urged to participate.

Cllr Howell said that he is continuing to oppose moves for regionalisation of the Fire Service control centres to one call-centre somewhere in the south east and the moves coming from SEERA to impose a 25% hike in new house builds every year for the next 20 years and to review the Oxford green belt.

7 Correspondence and Other Business

i). Sports Club & Playground;

The repairs to the Pavilion roof and guttering will be completed shortly. Some of the RoSPA Playground inspector's recommendations have been implemented but levelling the ground by the access and under the seats will be left until the New Year.

The rabbit population has undoubtedly been reduced by the recent outbreak of myxomatosis but there are again problems with moles. Total Pest Control (UK) Ltd would be asked to tackle the immediate problem and to provide a quotation for an annual service contract.

ii). Footpaths;

The Clerk reported that the Evans, who live at 7 Rotten Row, had suggested that the installation of the cycle barriers outside their house might be responsible for damaging their incoming water pipe. They had called in Thames Water to investigate what was causing a leak somewhere on their side of the water meter.

Persons unknown have removed the photosynthetic tape that had been applied to this same barrier. The County Council had supplied this but there is now a search for an alternative supplier as back up.

Sarah Golding from Countryside Services has been out and looked at the alleged encroachment of the bridleway at 9 Watling Lane. She would be writing to the resident in the near future. She said, however, that there is no recorded width for the bridleway and so it is difficult to tell where the Highway ends and private property begins. The resident would need to check their deeds and ensure they are working within their boundaries. Sarah Golding said that she would also contact the land registry to see the extent of the property.

iii). Cemetery; Abbey Closed Churchyard

A Landscape Grant from the District Council may assist towards the work on the horse chestnut in the Abbey closed churchyard.

The Council noted that Mr Feeney at 4 High Street had erected a boundary fence between his property and the Abbey which had not received planning consent and which was apparently in the wrong place. It was understood that the District Council's planning enforcement officials were involved.

There was nothing to report on the Cemetery buildings but the Clerk said that he would contact some possible sources of grant aid before the next meeting. Cllr Day is obtaining estimates for further landscape works.

iv). Allotments;

Mark Townson has supplied more details s received about the proposed new taps both in terms of their location and the likely cost, which was estimated to be no more than £400 for materials with the labour being provided free of charge by members of the Allotments Society. This expenditure was approved.

v). Parish Plan;

Cllr Williams reported that the Housing Needs Survey would be distributed with the next Dorchester News with a return date prior to Christmas. ORCC will undertake the analysis of the returns, which are completely confidential.

An event will be organised in the near future for all those who have expressed interest in becoming part of the Neighbourhood Watch scheme.

Richard Hotopf, chairman of the shops and services group, is compiling a list of volunteers who will help others with their shopping and Cllr Mrs Metcalfe is compiling a list of useful contacts which will be published both in Dorchester News and the village website.

vi). Other letters to Chairman and Clerk

a. Roy Tudor Hughes had asked the Parish Council if it would write a letter to WREN supporting the Abbey's application for a grant to improve the facilities at the west end of the Abbey, including the provision of better drainage, more storage and generally useful extra space, all of which would make the Abbey a better place to hold functions of all kinds. This was agreed.

b. The Council noted that the District Council is currently undertaking a recycling participation survey which involves spot checks on what residents place in their green boxes, that there has been an application from Watlington Pharmacy Ltd to be included for consideration to provide pharmaceutical services in Berinsfield; that there is a temporary footpath closure at Day's Lock for three weeks commencing 1st November to allow work on the lock gates to be carried out; that works are due to commence on 8th November to create the Berinsfield to Culham Station Cycle Route and they will last for up to 18 weeks and that the Winter General Meeting of the Oxfordshire Association of Local Councils will take place on 22nd November in Stratfield Brake Pavilion, Kidlington - no-one is able to attend and apologies for absence will be sent.

8 Planning

a) Applications

PO4/W1172 Hallidays Antiques and Workshop; Conversion and extension to provide two 3 bedroom houses, six 2 bedroom houses and one 1 bedroom flat and new office accommodation for Hallidays. Demolition of modern single storey additions. Conversion of existing workshop building to form new antiques showrooms.

PO4/W1173/LB Hallidays Antiques and Workshop; Conversion and extension to provide nine residential units and new office accommodation. External alterations to replace modern windows and add new windows and openings. Demolition of existing flat roofed structure with courtyard, modern lean-to extension and part demolition of modern two-storey brick built structure

The Council had received many letters from residents who objected to these proposals. There had been no letters of support, although it was generally believed that the proposed developments would not have a detrimental impact upon the appearance of the Hallidays buildings as a whole.

The Council agreed with the concerns about parking; there is already a shortage of car parking spaces in this part of Dorchester and any extra demand for on street parking resulting from an increase in the number of residents cannot be satisfied. This would lead to congestion and have a significant and adverse impact upon the safety of pedestrians using Queen Street, where there is no pavement, including parents taking children to and from the Village school and pre-school. The drivers of all types of vehicles using Queen Street, especially school buses, would find driving conditions made more difficult, with large vehicles possibly finding on occasions that the Queen Street/High Street junction was impassable due to the presence of parked cars.

The Council believes that these difficulties can only be overcome if more off-street parking is provided within the boundaries of the existing site. This means that there must be a significant reduction in the number of dwellings proposed and more open space provided. Making the centre of the site more accessible to vehicles would also, incidentally, be of great help if the fire and/or ambulance services were ever to be required.

The Council felt that the applicant had exaggerated the favourable impact upon the present car parking situation that would result from the removal of the applicant's workshops from Queen Street to an industrial unit elsewhere. The traffic generated by these workshops had its greatest impact during the working week, the very time when the demand for on street car parking facilities by both residents and visitors to the village is least, whereas the demand for on street car parking by residents of the proposed nine dwellings would be in the evenings and weekends, the very time when the demand is already at its peak.

There are already questions about the adequacy of the sewer in Queen Street, which is frequently blocked, and also of the existing storm drains that cannot cope with heavy rainfall. This causes the whole width of the roadway and much of the adjoining footpath to be submerged and impassable on foot. The Council had serious concerns that any increase in the number of people living on the Hallidays site would make a bad situation even worse and agreed that no development of residences should be allowed unless the capacity of the sewers is increased to cope with the extra demand.

The Council considered the question of whether a proportion of the proposed development should be reserved as 'affordable housing' but was advised that under the District Council's present policy this requirement did not apply.

The Council concluded that the applications should be recommended for refusal in the strongest possible way and that the Clerk should write to the District Council giving details of the Council's reasons for this conclusion.

PO4/W1187 Overy Manor

Erection of free-standing cedar wood greenhouse

The Council had no strong views about this application

PO4/W1189 Dorchester Sailing Club

Construction of a new vehicular access

The Council had no strong views about this application

b) Report on planning decisions, amendments etc

i). 23 Bridge End

A letter from Ken Jones had been received about the rebuilding of 23 Bridge End after the recent fire using thatch on the roof as before. Mr and Mrs Jones wanted the Parish Council to support their effort to have the specification amended so that tiles would be used because of their concerns about the fire risk. It was pointed out that the insurers of the house had specified that thatch should be used and also that the District Council Conservation team wished the property to continue as a thatched cottage. Improvements in building standards have brought about a reduction in the fire risk of thatch. The Clerk is in contact with the Fire Risk Manager of the local Fire Service.

ii) The Council noted the following planning decisions:

PO4/W1041 86 High Street

Lower kerb for existing access

Planning permission granted 15th October

PO4/W0342 Molly Mops, Samian Way

Extension in place of demolished buildings, alterations to first floor

Listing building consent granted 28th October

PO4/W0909 Tudor Cottage, 76 High Street

Erection of garage with loft space

Planning permission granted 26th October

PO4/W1105/RET 11, Manor Farm Road

Single storey conservatory onto rear of house

Planning permission granted 1st November

9 Finance

a). Bank balances

Current account at 29th October £13,882.06

A letter transferring £10,000 from current account to reserve account was signed by Cllr Mrs Nudds.

b). Accounts for Payment:

Berinsfield Community Business (grass-cutting) £352.50

Southern Electric (Pavilion) £85.32

Reading Extinguisher Services (Pavilion) £28.61

Nancy Wing - website activation fee £9.99

GGD Russell - salary £320.25

Geoff Willis (Handyman - 5 weeks to 5/11/04) £214.50

Hurst Water Meadow Trust donation for seats £150.00

The Clerk distributed a schedule of the Council's actual expenditure to date compared with budget and said that the Precept for 2005/6 should be discussed at the December meeting. The District Council would like all parishes to set their precepts by no later than Friday 14th January 2005.

10 Village Maintenance

It was agreed to order rubbish bins for both the by-pass bus stops, provided that the District Council would agree to supply and service them free of charge.

It was agreed that the Village Handyman should have the name of the parish council on his visibility jacket so that residents could more easily identify him.

11 Flooding in Queen Street

The Clerk has been in touch with both Keith Jamieson and Trevor Gwynne; the latter has agreed to provide some of the information that Mr Jamieson had suggested should be readily available.

County Highways have agreed to come out to cleanse floodwater drains in Queen Street. It was agreed to ask them to see if the drains in Bridge End could also be cleansed or at least improved on the same visit.

12 Car parking facilities

Letters have been received from residents living in Drayton Road and Bridge End expressing their concern at some of the measures that were proposed in the Parish Plan and have subsequently been adopted by the Parish Council. The Clerk was asked to explain that the proposals had been adopted for further detailed study and not necessarily for immediate implementation without any further consultation.

It was agreed to accept a quotation from Chris Drewett Signs for the supply of three more traffic signs, two of which are specific for use in connection with the park 'n ride service, at a total cost (excl VAT) of £185.

Cllr Hill said that he would see if the 'Resident Parking only' sign on the point of the green at Bridge End could be more securely fixed.

13 Traffic calming proposals

Details of the scheme for Abingdon Road, High Street and Henley Road have been circulated and, although some elements of the proposal were approved, for example the idea of moving the Dorchester on Thames signs to mark the actual Parish boundary, it was agreed by 4 votes to 3 that the Parish Council would not support the scheme as a whole.

14 Date of Next Meeting

This was agreed for Wednesday 8th December

15 Any Other Business

a. Cllr Sleigh asked the Clerk to see what financial assistance might be available for improving car parking facilities in Bridge End.

b. Cllr Mrs Nudds said that she would be visiting the Chairman at the Sue Ryder Home on the following day. She was asked to convey the Council's very best wishes to Cllr Mike Smith and all councillors signed a greetings card for her to deliver on their behalf.

The MEETING closed at 9.32 pm

Back

Home :: Contents :: Search