DORCHESTER ON THAMES
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Parish Council Minutes November 2007
Home > Parish Council > Minutes > November 2007
The Monthly Meeting of the Parish Council was held in the Village Hall on Wednesday 14th November 2007 commencing at 7.30 p.m.
The Chairman, Cllr K Bryan, presided; present were Cllrs Mrs M Metcalfe (Vice-Chairman), S Gibbons, C. Hill, Mrs J Nudds, M Stevenson and M Williams with G Russell in attendance. Also present for part of the meeting were County Cllr John Howell, District Cllr John Cotton and one resident.
1 Apologies for absence
Apologies were accepted from Cllr M. Day who is in hospital. The Council understands that Maurice is making good progress and sends its best wishes.
2 Declarations of Interest
There were none although it was noted that the meeting might involve discussion about some quotes received from Berinsfield Community Business of which Cllr Williams is the Business Director. He will leave the meeting if necessary.
3 Minutes of the Meeting held 10th October 2007
The Minutes of the meeting were approved and signed as a true record.
4 Matters Arising from the Minutes
i). Maps; the Clerk reported that Thames Water has a map of sewers which is available for reference at SODC offices but it cannot be copied. Monson says that there is no map of the surface water system except what Highways has and Gordon Hunt of Highways has confirmed that his records are incomplete. SODC has offered the PC a Contractor Licence to use Ordnance Survey maps of the Parish for administrative purposes and no payment is required. This licence would also facilitate use of the Pear Land Management Technology. It was agreed that Cllr Williams would review the proposed licence agreement.
ii) There has been no word from Peter Ronald about the safety of the Bridge End/High St junction now that the new houses have been built. County Cllr John Howell will be asked if he can get Mr Ronald to reply with his advice on this matter.
iii). Memorial headstone inspection; this has been carried out by Cllrs Bryan, Day and Gibbons. Some headstones had been laid flat for safety reasons and the Clerk has placed a notice on each entrance gate to explain what has happened, reassuring visitors that the work had been undertaken for health and safety reasons
iv). Thatched cob wall; Natalie Hill, Enquiry Officer in SODC’s Conservation Department has been asked to inspect the Willoughby Barn boundary wall.
v). The Parish Christmas tree will be erected and decorated on Saturday 8th December so that Pre-school carol singing can take place around it on 13th December.
vi). The Audit notice has been received from BDO for display on the notice board.
vii). The OALC has been asked for advice about posting Parish Council minutes on the Council’s website and has replied that there is no objection to leaving them there.
viii). IJP Building Conservation Ltd has been asked to look at the damage that has been revealed now that ivy etc has been cleared from the Abbey boundary wall.
ix) Homebase in Wallingford have told the Clerk that work to cut back the leylandii at 4 Beechcroft is in hand
x). The Clerk has again written to the Co-Op about having the window repaired.
5 District Councillor's Report
Cllr Cotton confirmed that there would be no change to the weekday start time for concessionary fares. This will continue to be 9 a.m.
The new refuse collection scheme has been approved by Cabinet. This includes the kerbside collection of glass. The tender process will take place in 2008 and the new scheme will come into effect in 2008/9.
Cllr Cotton said that the Council is about to send out for consultation an issues and options paper which would form the core strategy of the next Local Plan. Parish Councils would be asked for their replies by the end of January and these would be used to help set priorities. Cllr Cotton said he would be willing to attend a separate meeting of the council if required. A new Design Guide will also be going out for consultation – when approved this will become part of the District Council’s Planning Policy.
6 County Councillor's Report
County Cllr John Howell reported upon the steps that are being taken to restrict the movement of heavy goods vehicles in the villages and along the country lanes which are not suited to this type of traffic. It is the County Council’s trading standards officers who carry out this work and it hoped that one or two successful prosecutions and heavy fines will act as a deterrent. The trading standards officers may also be able to take action against the ‘sat nav’ systems that send hgv’s along routes where they should never be encouraged.
Cllr Howell said that there had been an objection to the order banning the right-turn towards Burcot Farm across traffic heading for Nuneham Courtney. This would delay the order coming into effect, probably until January.
7 Finance:
Bank balances
Reserve Account at 31st October £23,705.86
Current Account at 31st October £25,747.00
£51,046.05
The Council noted the receipt of a donation of £150 from Bentley Productions.
The following accounts were approved for payment.
Great Greenery Company (Play bark) £235.00
Berinsfield Community Business (Grass cutting) £588.48
Berinsfield Community Business (Hedges, walls, weeds etc £1,234.63
Scion Estates Limited (Grass-cutting) £638.92
OPFA membership subscription 07/08 £30.00
Southern Electric (Pavilion) £25.04
GGD Russell – Clerk’s salary £401.82
Geoff Willis Handyman – 5 weeks - (October £255.00 £285.00
GGD Russell – back pay £198.83
£3,637.72
The Council declined to release the payment of £10,000 to the County Council for the resurfacing of the Bridge End car park because the work is not complete.
The Council reviewed the Clerk’s salary and agreed that in accordance with the recently concluded national agreement between NALC and SLCC this should be increased with effect from 1st April 2007 to £425.43 per month.
The Clerk will circulate a comparison of actual half year expenditure against budgeted half year expenditure analysed across a broad range of headings rather than on an item by item basis.
The Council briefly reviewed possible items for inclusion in the 2008/9 budget; these included security lighting on the Pavilion terrace; making a contribution towards the production costs of Dorchester News in return for the editorial space which is provided so that the Council can communicate with residents; new litter bins (including in the Cemetery); financial support, if requested, for the Dorchester Pre-school and/or junior sports activities; removing surplus soil from the burial ground. It was agreed that the policy should be that the Allotments should aim to break-even.
8 Correspondence and Other Business
i). Sports Club Pavilion & Playground;
There is no change to the Behind Closed Doors quote for the roller shutters (£4,624.60). A surveyor from Mercian Industrial Doors will provide his company’s estimate in time for discussion at the December meeting.
The Dorchester Fishing Alliance will discuss at its next committee the Parish Council’s request for permission to access the lakeside bank in order to trap the rats.
Oxford Archaeology has finished the restoration of the excavated area. Cllr Mrs Metcalfe was confirmed as the Council’s representative to sit on the finds committee.
ii). Footpaths;
David Taylor, public transport development officer OCC, has been asked about the signs to the bus stops and the County Council has been told that the solar powered light near the bus stop on the east side of the by pass is no longer working.
The Council agreed to accept the quote from BCB re paths to both bus stops and also the path behind 12 Watling Lane as £75 each area (£150 in all).
The Highways inspector has marked for repair an area of the path from High Street to Village Hall which has been damaged by tree roots.
iii). Cemetery;
Some memorial headstones have been laid flat for safety reasons and the responsibility for effecting the necessary repairs must now be established.
The Council noted the application from Mrs Benedicta Lammer for her daughter to be buried on 23rd November. Other members of Mrs Lammer’s family are reserving adjacent plots.
Cllr Williams said that the specification of work to be carried out around the boundary had been agreed with Cllr Day and that most of this had been completed already.
The bench in memory of David Johnston has now been installed on a concrete base paid for by the family.
iv). Allotments;
Mark Townson will advise when the skip is required. He had been asked if the Allotments Society would pay for the grass cutting of uncultivated plots and had agreed that there are funds which could be made available.
v). Hidden Britain;
The fingerpost has been installed. An event to mark completion of the project will be held towards the end of March.
vi). Other letters to Chairman and Clerk
The Council has been invited to send representation to the AGM of the Oxford Green Belt Network in Marsh Baldon village hall at 7.30pm on Monday, 19th November; and the OALC Winter Meeting commencing at 7. 30 on Monday 26th November, at Kidlington.
Cllr Stevenson asked the Clerk to send him the documents concerning the revised SODC Housing Allocation Policy.
The OALC letters about provision of Primary Education and about the Post Office Network in Oxfordshire had been emailed to all.
The Council had received a letter from Paul Arman of 69 Watling Lane, complaining about the postmen not delivering all the day’s mail before completing their rounds. The Clerk will try to discover what the new, post-strike service is supposed to be.
9 Planning
a) Application
P07/W1207/RET 1 Meadside; Replacement fence; The Council agreed to support the objections of neighbouring residents that the fence is too high.
b) Report on planning decisions, amendments etc
PO7/W1039 Green Acre, 19 Bridge End
Single storey rear extension to replace existing conservatory to be demolished.
Planning permission granted 12th October
PO6/W0535 Land between 32 & 36 High Street; Demolition of existing timber workshops. Erection of two pairs of two-storey semi-detached houses with a single garage, seven parking spaces and associated new access.
Planning refused
Cllr John Cotton said that he had had a conversation with Paul Kruczko to try to move this project forward. The applicants must show that the site is not viable as a place of employment and offer top quality buildings to replace what is there now. The site includes a Scheduled Ancient Monument and it will be a key scheme in the future development of Dorchester on Thames. If the Parish Council has views over how the site should be developed, concluded Cllr Cotton, it is appropriate that it should hold informal talks with the applicant on a ‘without prejudice’ basis.
The Inspector requires any additional representations by 5th December. It was agreed that the text of Cllr Stevenson’s submission to the planning committee should be sent.
10 Village Carbon Project
Cllr Stevenson reported that The Carbon Project, ‘Living Lightly in Dorchester’, has met and has established a programme of events and surveys which will take place over the next few months. Negotiations with the Village Hall Management Committee are continuing regarding a weekly Ecover refill/recycling point.
The WI has volunteered to be involved and the Project will also seek to involve local business, the school and the Abbey as well as private households.
The group wants to lobby the County Council pointing out that the Overy footpath could be part of the village's "Routes to School" strategy were they to complete the work necessary to make it properly accessible to pushchairs and buggies.
The Group, which receives funding from the County Council direct, is also applying for funding to purchase at least one electricity consumption meter that could be loaned out to households so that they can monitor the effects of individual appliances on their electricity use.
A regular spot in Dorchester News will include a diary of all known local events with a carbon reduction/sustainability interest and the group wishes to investigate the possibility of having a dedicated notice board within the village. The Clerk will approach the Village Hall Management Committee on this matter. The group also wishes to find where it might be able to borrow a thermal imaging camera.
11 Watling Lane repairs
A copy of the report written by Richard Douglas had been circulated to all councillors. His suggestion about repairs on safety grounds has not carried any weight with the County because they say it is a bridle way and acceptable standards are less than for a road.
Before taking the project any further the Clerk was asked to take advice from OALC about the implications of the Council becoming involved with a joint venture project with some residents and from the Council’s insurers regarding the question of liabilities and insurance cover.
12. Area Bus review and Local Transport Needs survey
The 500 questionnaires were printed courtesy of Moulsford Prep School to whom the Clerk will write a letter of thanks. They were distributed by members of the Carbon Project committee to whom thanks were also due. The ballot box contained 84 survey forms which, added to the 40 sent back by post, made a grand total of 124 (24.65%). ORCC’s team will now analyse the results and report to the Council in December.
Parish Councillors are invited to attend the County Council meetings in Wallingford Town Hall at 2.30 pm and again 7 pm on Wednesday 21st November. The County Council officers will outline the review process and deal with any suggestions for specific areas. The Chairman and Cllr Stevenson said that they would like to go.
13 Surface water drainage
Quotations for ditch clearance in Oxford Road and Drayton Road (both sides) have been received from BCB and Gilbert Hobbs. The Council agreed to ask Gilbert Hobbs to do the work. Whatever is excavated from the south side of Drayton Road will be left to dry before a decision is taken as to whether it should be used to build up the banking or removed from site at an extra cost of approximately £200 per load.
14 Bridge End car park area improvements
The Council agreed that litter bins should be reinstated near the car park as long as the contents were emptied more frequently than once per week. The Clerk said that the District Council had been asked if the contractors who service the public convenience on a daily basis could be involved in also emptying these bins.
The County Council is understood to be about to complete the project by marking the spaces for disabled and the junction itself.
County Council advice is being sought on the viability of creating a barrier to prevent Bridge End being flooded through the underpass.
15 Parish Plan Review
Since the Plan was written there have been several developments, not all of them good. One pub has closed and the post office is thought to be under threat; the Hidden Britain project has made progress with improving facilities for visitors but there is perhaps even less provision of activities for young people than there was before; the establishment of the Police Neighbourhood Action Groups and appointment of PCSOs may have reduced some fears of crime. On the other hand there has been no solution to some of the problems identified in the plan especially event car parking and public transport. Cllr Stevenson wondered whether a village design statement could be developed from the interest expressed in conservation.
The Council has the opportunity to apply for funding if it decides to undertake a more formal and quantifiable review process before the end of March 2008.
16 Any Other Business
a.). Thames Travel has said that it is unable to divert the late night bus services so that they run through the village. Several bus users have commented that using the route back to the village from the by-pass bus stops is not a pleasant experience.
b). The village is for the time being without its Area Beat Officer – it is understood that PC Jess Rowling has been promoted to Sergeant and redeployed elsewhere in the division.
c). A recent break-in at the Abbey Tea Room and Museum has been reported to the Police.
d). Cllr Mrs Nudds said that the 30 mph repeater sign between Meadside and Dorchester bridge needs realignment.
e). Cllr Hill asked if the Council should consider meeting more frequently so that its monthly meetings might not last so long.
Meeting closed at 10.40 pm
Revised Nov/2007 © 2007 DOTWeb