DORCHESTER ON THAMES
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Parish Council Minutes October 2007
Home > Parish Council > Minutes > Oct 2007
The Monthly Meeting of the Parish Council took place in the Village Hall on Wednesday 10th October 2007 commencing at 7.30 p.m.
The Chairman, Cllr K Bryan, presided; present were Cllrs Mrs M Metcalfe (Vice-Chairman), M Day, S Gibbons, C. Hill, Mrs J Nudds and M Stevenson with G Russell in attendance. Also present for part of the meeting was County Cllr John Howell and one resident.
1 Apologies for absence
Apologies were accepted from Cllr Mark Williams, who was on holiday and District Cllr John Cotton who was attending another meeting.
2 Declarations of Interest
None
3 Minutes of the Meeting held 12th September 2007
The Minutes as circulated were approved and signed as a true record.
4 Matters Arising from the Minutes
a. Thames Water have been asked to explain what they mean by ‘sewer misuse’ and for a few pointers about what residents should not do to be published in Dorchester News; and about what progress is being made in cleaning the sewers in the village.
The Council wishes to have a better understanding of the sewage system in the village and also where the rainwater goes. It is understood that the District Council can supply maps which give this information.
b. Peter Ronald, Highways Traffic Engineer has turned down the request for a mirror at High St / Bridge End junction but he did not answer the question about safety and this has been put to him again.
c. Cllr Metcalfe had attended the presentation of the Oxford Preservation Trust awards where the Parish Council and IJP Building Conservation Ltd, the main contractor, were awarded a certificate in recognition of the work done at the Old Cemetery Gatehouse. Some information about this will be submitted to Dorchester News.
d. Cllr Hill has dealt with the selecting and ordering of the allocation of free trees from the District Council.
e. Memorial headstone safety; the site visit to test the safety of all memorials in the Cemetery will take place in the next few weeks.
5 District Councillor's Report
District Cllr John Cotton has sent his apologies – he is attending a District Council planning meeting
6 County Councillor's Report
County Cllr John Howell said that he had reached agreement with the Parish Council at Clifton Hampden about improving road safety at the Burcot Farm junction. The resurfacing of Bridge End has been carried out; all that remains is the marking of the parking bays for disabled drivers.
Cllr Howell said that he would talk about repairs to Watling Lane later in the meeting but in general terms he asked the Council to note that in addition to the general services provided by the Council such as social services, the fire service, waste disposal etc., it spent during 2006-7 over £700,000 on Dorchester itself (including the by-pass) and another £340,000 on facilities in the area which Dorchester shares. These include, for example, the library at Berinsfield and the Day Centre for older people. A large element of both of these amounts is a direct result of the work he had been able to do to help secure these funds for the village.
Reserve Account at 30th September £23,705.86
Current Account at 30th September £27,340.19
£51,046.05
The following accounts were approved for payment.
Thames Water (Sportsground £71.11 Allotments £217.15) £288.26
David Joseph (Cemetery plaques) £100.00
C Brown (Bridge End fence repair) £90.00
Easily Limited (website hosting – pd M. Williams) £46.94
GGD Russell – Clerk’s salary £401.82
GGD Russell (admin & travel Sept/Oct) £119.70
Geoff Willis Handyman – 4 weeks - (September £277.50) £255.00
£1,301.72
8 Correspondence and Other Business
i). Sports Club Pavilion & Playground;
Two firms have now supplied catalogues which illustrate what appear to be suitable security shutters. Quotations will be requested from both as well as from the contractor who quoted in March, Behind Closed Doors.
The Clerk will contact the Abingdon and Oxford Alliance Fishing Club to tell them that the Parish Council wishes to enter their land in order to deal with the infestation of rats that has now become a matter of concern to local residents.
Dave Rippington has asked for an additional pavilion key for the cricket club and this was agreed.
Oxford Archaeology has found someone who is able to undertake the remedial works to the excavations in the Recreation Ground starting within the next week. The Council agreed in principle to Oxford Archaeology’s request that the finds from the Minchin Recreation Ground this summer, which belong to the Parish Council as owners of the land, should go to the Ashmolean Museum subject to there being an arrangement whereby some finds are loaned back so that they can be put on display in the Dorchester museum.
A meeting between senior staff at the museum, the Parish Council and the Dorchester museum will be arranged. John Metcalfe will participate on behalf of the museum. The Parish Council is invited to nominate one or more persons to take part.
ii). Footpaths;
Mark Sumner from the Countryside Service of the County Council has written to say that he did not receive a response from Mrs Butcher following a letter explaining the works to the bridge at Overy Mill. He has sent a job sheet through to the tasks team who will be installing the gate at the bridge and removing the chestnut paling fence from along the bridge handrails. A specific date for the work is not yet known.
The signs from the by-pass bus stops towards the village are very helpful to visitors and the Council asked the Clerk to suggest to the Transport Officer at OCC that there should also be a sign or signs from within the village indicating how to get to the by-pass bus stops.
iii). Cemetery;
Mrs Williams is very pleased about the repair made to the bench dedicated in her late husband’s memory and she is in direct contact with Cllr Day about the planting of a commemorative tree. The bench in memory of the late David Johnston will be placed on the other side of the gatehouse.
The Council agreed to accept Paul Jenks’s quote for removal of the damaged horse chestnut and the grinding out of its stump at £625 +VAT. A suspected outbreak of honey fungus has been reported and Paul will be asked to remove that.
Cllr Day will write a specification for the work needed along the boundary of the Cemetery with the gardens of houses in Page Furlong and quotations will be requested from BCB and Gilbert Hobbs.
iv). Allotments;
The Council noted that allotment rents have been left unchanged this year at £5 and £10 depending upon size of plot. Rent levels will be reviewed for 2008/9.
The Council agreed to the request from Mr Rob Barker to erect a 6’ x 4’ shed on his allotment to the west side of the track leading to the parking area from the main gate.
Mark Townson has asked if the Parish Council will pay for another grass cut of all non used plots before the winter and also the hire of another skip for a nine day period to span two weekends. It was agreed that the Council would undertake the skip hire but would ask if the Allotment Society had the funds for the suggested grass cut.
v). Hidden Britain;
The Fingerpost will be installed in Bridge End soon
i). Other letters to Chairman and Clerk
a. The Council noted that the Community Council has grant money available for carrying out parish plan reviews - around £1,000 - if organised by end of March.
b. SODC has enquired whether the Parish Council would like to attend any further formal training sessions about the new code of conduct and the Council decided not.
c. The Council had received an invitation to attend a meeting of Oxfordshire NHS Trust in Henley but no-one was available.
d. Miss Susan Bowditch has sent her £200 donation towards the cost of refurbishing the old bus stop signs and in her covering letter asked about the re-pointing and re-thatching of the wall between Willoughby House and Willoughby Barn. The Clerk will seek advice from Malcolm Airs.
e. The Council agreed that the Clerk could use the Council notices in Dorchester News to ask for volunteers to decorate the Parish Christmas Tree this year.
f. DEFRA has recently issued a pamphlet about Parish Councils & Climate change. The copy was given to Cllr Stevenson.
g. The Clerk had received a request from Edward Olleson that the Parish Council should consider placing a litter bin between Belcher Court and the Drayton Road end of the footpath by the Cemetery.
h. The District Council’s review of its licensing policy is under way with views wanted by 12th November. The papers will be circulated.
i. The Parish Council has been reminded that the audit is due for completion by the end of November.
9 Planning
a) Applications
PO7/W0707 Garage at entrance to Samian Way; replacement of existing garage with a new garage
The papers concerning this application were not available but councillors who had seen them already commented that the replacement building is bigger/longer/higher than the existing structure. It was also noted that some neighbours have objected. The Council agreed that any structure located in the Conservation Area must be of a high standard of design and that the application should be recommended for refusal.
PO7/W1172/LB; Roman Catholic Church of St Birinus, Bridge End
Upgrading of coping on boundary wall. Dismantling of modern buttresses to boundary wall
It was agreed that this application should be approved as it will result in an improvement to the appearance of this prominent wall.
b) Report on planning decisions, amendments etc
PO7/W0668/LB Thatchers Cottage; confirmation of refusal dated 5th September
Loss of historic fabric which would be to the detriment of the qualities of the building
PO7/W0847 7 Bridge End; Extensions;
Planning permission refused 18th September on grounds of overdevelopment of the dwelling and that the proposal would create an overly complicated appearance.
PO7/W0860/LB 16 Malthouse Lane; replace plastic guttering, cement render and two windows to rear. Listed building consent granted 14th September.
10 Village Carbon Project
Cllr Stevenson said that the group would be meeting next week.
11 Watling Lane & other Highways maintenance matters
County Cllr John Howell said that he had been supporting the requests for a County Council contribution to the repair of Watling Lane. He has been unable, however, to secure any direct County Council funding for the repairs but the County Council is happy to provide a contribution-in-kind by way of technical support and evaluation of the resurfacing work if the Parish Council and some Watling Lane residents decide to employ their own contractors.
The County Council has a backlog of highways maintenance due to under-investment in the network from a number of sources over more than 20 years. Although the highways maintenance budget in Oxfordshire is in the region of £20 million, the reality is that in the face of this backlog, and the increasing demands put on the budget by current repairs and maintenance, a system of rationing of the budget has been put in place. Watling Lane, despite the level of development along it, is classified as a bridleway and as such does not enter into the scale of highways prioritisation.
The Clerk said that an alternative quote has now been received from Enterprise Accord. Following a visual inspection of Watling Lane the estimate is that a gang could do the pothole repairs over a period of 4/5 days on a daily-rate of £950, which would include materials.
It was agreed that this matter would be fully discussed at the next Council meeting.
12 Area Bus review and Local Transport Needs survey
The local transport needs survey will be carried out during the ten days leading up to 9th November, after which the completed questionnaires would be analysed by ORCC so that the matter could be discussed at the December Council meeting.
13 Surface water drainage - Dorchester
Despite the comments received from Bill Major, Clerk of Works, Oxfordshire Highways, the Parish Council still believes that clearance of the ditch adjacent to North End House, 92 High Street is not a Parish Council responsibility. However, since this ditch has been allowed to fill with rubbish and is no longer performing its function, the Council will ask contractors for quotes to clear it and excavate it to meet the gravel layer below, having first taken advice also from Monson, the District Council’s drainage consultants.
14 Bridge End car park area improvements
Accord has quoted £350.00 to dig out the base area of the proposed bike racks and the supply and installation of a concrete base with shingle between. It was agreed that this price should be accepted. The bike rack itself will be supplied free of charge.
Now that the resurfacing of Bridge End has been completed it is hoped that contractors will return to mark out the two bays for disabled drivers and the markings on the road itself, including a ‘give way’ notice at the junction with High Street.
Cllrs Hill and Stevenson have ordered some trees from the District Council for planting in this area and are investigating whether a flood-protection wall could be effective if located on each side of the access to the underpass with provision for a barrier across the opening in the event of severe flood warning being received.
It was also decided to enquire from SODC whether the daily servicing of a new litter bin in the car park area could be included in the routine of the contractors who look after the public convenience building.
15 Any Other Business
a. Cllrs Mrs Metcalfe and Stevenson reported on the Town & Parish Council Forum with the District & County Councils that was held on 8th October. They had attended different workshops during the evening.
Cllr Stevenson said that the County is working on a sustainable community strategy document which aims to set out the vision for the next 30 years. County Cllr Howell commented that there is no enthusiasm anywhere for this document but it is the basis for future local planning and it will include the setting of targets, meeting which can lead to the award of more funding from central government.
Cllr Mrs Metcalfe had attended the workshop discussing future communications between County, District and Parish Councils. She said that she had been surprised that the majority of those present stated that they still prefer to receive their information on paper rather than on line.
b Cllr Day asked if it was appropriate that the minutes of Parish Council meetings should remain accessible on the Council’s website for an indefinite period or whether they should be removed after a predetermined period of, say, one year with all interested parties continuing to have access to the Council’s minute books and the right to make copies of entries in return for a fee.
The Clerk will ask the advice of the Oxfordshire Association of Local Councils.
c. Cllr Day said that he was arranging for the ivy and nettles to be cleared from the walls surrounding the Abbey closed churchyard
d. Cllr Mrs Metcalfe said that the leylandii hedge outside 4 Beechcroft needs cutting. The Chairman said that the Clerk should contact the property agents, Homebase in Wallingford.
e. Cllr Gibbons said that next year’s Village Fête will be held on 12th July and will be organised by the team raising funds to replace the climbing frame in the play area, which will cost £24,000 including the base surface. In the meantime the extension to the climbing frame that is considered dangerous has been removed.
f. From the floor Mr Philip Collings of 90 High Street asked if the Parish Council would join the campaign lobbying the suppliers of sat nav equipment, particularly to the drivers of heavy vehicles, to stop suggesting routes which brought extra and unwanted traffic into small villages where this was not even the best route. He cited the recent example of a long wheelbase vehicle which had tried to access the warehouses at Queenford Farm by taking the Drayton Road turn off the High Street by the Recreation Ground. Of course the vehicle had found that route to be a dead end and had had the greatest difficulty getting back on the right road.
It was agreed that this matter would be investigated.
The Meeting closed at 10.30
Revised Nov/2007 © 2007 DOTWeb