WHEATLEY PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL

HELD ON MONDAY 6TH JANUARY IN THE MERRY BELLS HAL AT 7.30PM

PRESENT: Councillors: E Stacey (Chairman), J Reilly, R Bell, C Dalton. J Coveley, E Bailey, G Stephens, P Willmott, J Carr, G Birks, R Old, A Knapp, S Coleridge,

A Davies, & D Lamont

OFFICER: Gareth Morris, Clerk to the Parish Council

Also present: 48 members of the public

86. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE had been received from County Councillor Anne Purse

87. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – None

88. MINUTES of the meeting of the Parish Council meeting held on Monday 4th November which had been circulated previously were signed as a correct and accurate record after the following amendment had been made:

Minute 69(ii) 4th line – omit the second “seconded”

89. MINUTES OF THE EXTRA-ORDINARY MEETING HELD ON 16TH DECEMBER 2013 – circulated with the agenda were signed as a correct and accurate record

90. UPDATE from the meetings held on Monday 4th November 2013 and 16th December

Minute 64 (i) – No official news re the Housing Needs Survey, or the Exhibition held in November – Noted

Minute 64(ii) – Flood Alleviation Scheme – report from first meeting of sub-group Mr Bettess had met with Monson Engineering

Open Forum – Cty Cllr Anne Purse – bollard at bottom of Friday lane

The Clerk had met with the Area Steward, Mr D Clack, who had suggested that something called a ‘bell bollard’ might be considered for the bottom of Friday lane.

91. THE MINUTES of the meetings of the Planning Committee held on:

i) Wednesday 13th November – previously circulated

ii) Wednesday 11th December – circulated with this Agenda

were received

92. THE MINUTES of the meeting of the F&GP Committee meeting held on:

i) Monday 18th November 2013 – previously circulated

ii) Monday 16th December 2013 – circulated with this Agenda

were received

93.. THE MINUTES of the meeting of the TRAC Advisory Committee meeting held on 18th September 2013 circulated with Agenda were received

i) Minute 22(i) REMOVAL OF TWO PARKING SPACES ON CHURCH ROAD.

RECOMMENDATION FROM THE TRAC TO FULL COUNCIL:

“THAT IN THE LIGHT OF THE COSTS OF REMOVAL BEING MAINLY ADMINISTRATIVE FEES THIS ADVISORY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS TO PARISH COUNCIL REVIEWS ITS REQUESTED REMOVAL OF TWO PARKING SPACES IN CHURCH ROAD.”

The Parish Council originally decided to request the removal of the spaces at the Parish Council meeting of 13th May 2013

Following a discussion Cllr Birks proposed and Cllr Bell seconded the motion which was LOST by 4 votes to 9 with 2 abstentions

ii) Minute 24 – Recommendation to Full Council that 2 volunteers are trained to operate TVP’s Speed indicator device and that the Parish Council agrees to sign TVP’s £5,000 indemnity form.

Cllr Reilly proposed and Cllr dalton seconded the motion which was AGREED unanimously

iii) Minute 25 – Recommendation to full council that the parking in the SODC car park is not altered. Cllr Dalton proposed the recommendation and Cllr Lamont seconded. The recommendation was Agreed unanimously.

94. TO RESOLVE TO APPROVE THE PARISH COUNCIL REVISED BUDGET FOR 2013-2014 AND THE PARISH COUNCIL BUDGET AND PRECEPT FOR 2014-2015 AS RECOMMENDED BY F&GP ON 16TH DECEMBER 2013 (see enclosed papers)

The F&GP Committee has recommended that the precept for 2014-2015 be reduced from £104,609 to £100,792 in order to take into account the amount it expects to receive from SODC under the Council Tax Reduction Scheme (£3,872)

Cllr Reilly proposed and Cllr Carr seconded that the revised 2013-14 and 2014-15 budgets and the recommended precept be approved. This was Agreed unanimously.

95. TO REPORT ON PROGRESS ON THE PARISH COUNCIL’S APPLICATION TO REGISTER THE LITTLEWORTH ROAD FIELD AS A VILLAGE GREEN

Cllr Carr proposed and Cllr Dalton seconded that the Parish Council’s application 31st December 2013 requesting that the field at Littleworth Road be made a village green be approved. This was Agreed by 14 votes to 0 with 1 abstention

8.27pm – The Chairman declared the Council out of session and asked for contributions from the floor.

District Cllr Carr – SODC were now having discussions concerning the 2014-15 budget. SODC

were also taking on street parking from the police.

Mr Tim Davies – presented to the Council and spoke to the report of the ‘Wheatley Traffic and Safety Action Group’

Mr Scot – Crown Road residents were against ‘No Right Hand Turn at the top of Friday Lane.

Mr Newton – we should be aware of the impact on other roads.

Mr Slight – Crown Road residents had not been consulted on the suggestions

Cllr Birks – congratulated the group for their hard work

Paula Good – the village should work as a whole

Aaron Savage – account should be taken of the fact that people work in Wheatley and need to travel into the village and to visit the shops.

9.00pm – The Chairman declared the Council back in session

The Clerk said the report would, in the first instance, be sent to the TRAC meeting on Wednesday 29th January.

96. TO DECIDE MATTERS RELATING TO THE COMPOSITION OF THE PARISH COUNCIL AND ITS COMMITTEES AND WORKING GROUPS

(i) To appoint a replacement for Cllr Anderson on the Traffic and Roads Advisory Committee

It was AGREED to appoint Cllrs Davies and Lamont to the Advisory Committee

.

97. TO CONSIDER MATTERS RELATING TO WHEATLEY PARK SPORTSFIELD MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

i) To receive a report of the latest meeting – Cllr Willmott spoke to his report.

In order for the Rugby Club to be able to take advantage of grants from the RFU they needed an assurance that they would be able use the field for a number of years.

Cllr Carr proposed and Cllr Stephens seconded that the Parish Council allow the Rugby Club 25 years use of the land. This was AGREED unanimously. Cllr Willmott would obtain from the RFU a satisfactory form of words.

98. TO RECEIVE AN UPDATE ON SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL’S COMMUNITY GOVERNANCE REVIEW

SODC’s Councillor working group intends to recommend a new boundary between Wheatley and Holton as per Wheatley Parish Council’s suggestion

99. REPORTS FROM OUTSIDE BODIES

i) The Merry Bells Management Committee – good use was being made of the building however a new treasurer was needed

ii) The Howe Trust – more than 500 trees had been received from the woodland Trust

iii) The Park Sports Centre Joint User Group – next meeting in March

iv) Thames Valley Police – the clerk read out a report from PCSO Cooney

99. CALENDAR OF MEETINGS. – NOTED

i) Planning Committee – Wednesday 8th January 2014- 7.30pm – (Cancelled due to lack of business)

ii) F&GP Committee Monday 20th January 2014 – 7.30pm

iii) TRAC Meeting –Wednesday 29th January 2014– 7.30pm

iv) Planning Committee – Wednesday 12th February 2014 – 7.30pm

v) F&GP Committee Monday 17th February 2014 – 7.30pm

vi) Parish Council Meeting – Monday 3rd March 2014 – 7.30 pm

100. RESOLUTION TO EXCLUDE THE PUBLIC

Cllr Dalton proposed and Cllr Willmott seconded “that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph X of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act, namely private contractual and employment matters”

Agreed unanimously