Wheatley Parish Council
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE OF THE COUNCIL HELD ON MONDAY 24th NOVEMBER 2014 IN THE MERRY BELLS COFFEE ROOM AT 7.30PM
PRESENT: Councillors: P Willmott (Chair), G Stephens, R Bell, D Lamont, J Reilly &
S. Coleridge
OFFICER THE CLERK: Gareth Morris
Also present: One member of the public
54. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE had been received from Cllrs Birks, Carr and Old
55. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Cllr Coleridge declared an interest in item 8 (Village Green Application) as she is Governor of the John Watson Federation who are objecting to the application
56. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING HELD 20th OCTOBER 2014 (Including Minutes of the confidential session) which had been circulated previously were signed as a correct and accurate record with the following correction:
Page 3 item 46(v) – add ‘was noted’ at the end’
57. UPDATE ON ITEMS FROM THE MINUTES 20TH OCTOBER 2014
i) Minute 38(i) New entrance in to Church Road Recreation ground. The entrance had been made but the actual gate was yet to be installed
ii) Minute 38(ii) Refurbishment of War Memorial and Memorial Gardens – This was completed in time for Remembrance Sunday
iii) Minute 38(iv) Replacement Equipment in Cullum Road Recreation Ground.-The replacement equipment had been installed and was ready for use.
iv) Minute 38(v) State of the Gutters across the village – SODC had been visiting the village and clearing the gutters
v) Minute 43(v) – Closure of lower part of Holloway Road. The planned closure had been put on hold for the time being due to other pressures on the highway. The clerk to ask that warning signs advising of the closure be placed at the top of Holloway Road ahead of the closure
58. TO CONSIDER A REVISED BUDGET FOR 2014-15 AND THE 2015-2016 BUDGET
(i) Revised 2014-15 budget – the alterations from the last meeting had been made
(ii) 2015-2016 budget – the alterations from the last meeting had been made. The amounts for Information Booklet and Parish Council election reduce from £2,000 to £1,000 in each case.
59. TO FORMULATE A VILLAGE EMERGENCY PLAN
As requested the clerk had written to the clerk at Holton to see if they would like to join with Wheatley in an Emergency Plan. The reply was that they would like to and a name of a Holton Parish councillor had been given
Purchase of 2 defibulators
1. One for the Holton Sports pavilion – cost to be met by Wheatley Rugby Club and the Sportsfield Management Committee. The ‘secured coded box’ donated from ‘Saving Lives of Thame’ – This was Agreed
2. One for the centre of the village. Cost of defibulators £843, cost of box £850 Total = £1,693. The Merry Bells Management Committee to be asked if they would donate 50% of the cost and give permission for it to be mounted on the front wall with power taken from the Parish Office. This was Agreed
60. TO CONSIDER THE AUDIO/VIDEO RECORDING OF PARISH COUNCIL
MEETINGS
Following research undertaken by Cllr Stephens it was agreed to purchase a stereo recorder that could be placed in the middle of a meeting and make a recording. The cost would be £83.33
61. TO CONSIDER THE NEXT STEPS IN THE VILLAGE GREEN APPLICATION
Nothing had been received from Oxfordshire County Council.
Cllr Willmott had received a request from the Director for Education at the Diocese for us to withdraw the Parish Council’s application. The committee was not for withdrawing the application. It would wait until after 5th December and the deadline for objections at the County Council.
Mrs Liz Wickens (Academy Governor) was given permission to address the meeting. She said that a letter was going from the Headteacher and the Governors to all parents encouraging them to object to the application.
She gave a draft of the letter to the Cllrs Lamont and Willmott.
62. CLERK UPDATE
i) Christmas Tree and Lights- one had been ordered and would arrive on 28th November. The lights to be switched on at 4.00pm on 4th December (the day of the advent pageant)
ii) Farm Close Patio – the rebuilding of the front wall and steps had been completed
iii) SODC Town and Parish Forum – Wednesday 12th Nov @ 6.00pm – Crowmarsh Cllr Lamont gave a verbal report on the event.
iv) Dog Bin request Windmill Lane – the clerk to enquire of SODC if a normal litter bin could be installed.
v) ‘No Ball Games’ Notice – one had been ordered to be placed by the listed building that is next to the old toilet block land.
vi) Tree work in Memorial Gardens and St Mary’s Close – OCC had requested that the overhanging tree which was blocking a light in Bell Lane be trimmed back. Also a request had been made that the horses chestnut tree in St Mary’s Close be cut back. In both cases permission from SODC was necessary. The required forms had been sent in.
63. i)TO REQUEST A FACULTY FROM THE CHURCH DIOCESE TO PLACE A SEAT INTO THE MEMORIAL GARDENS AT THE REQUEST OF THE WHEATLEY SOCIETY/ROYAL BRITISH LEGION
This was AGREED subject to the design and confirmation that the seat and installation would be met by the Wheatley Society/Royal British Legion.
ii) TO CONSIDER A REQUEST FOR A HANDRAIL ON THE STEPS FROM THE HIGH STREET
It was AGREED that the clerk make investigations in to suitable handrails and the permissions needed.
64. TO CONSIDER THE REQUEST FOR STREET TRADING CONSENT FROM MR MAHDY TAVAKKOLY TO SELL KEBABS AND PIZZA FROM A CATERING VAN LOCATED IN THE SODC CAR PARK, WHEATLEY, TRADING BETWEEN 1700 AND MIDNIGHT ON EVERY WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
The committee strongly objected to the granting of this licence on the grounds of litter and the noise and disturbance it is likely to create in what is a mainly residential area.
65. TO SET UP A SUB-COMMITTEE TO DECIDE UPON THE DETAILED PROPOSALS FOR THE FORMATION OF A TRUST TO LOOK AFTER THE SPORTSFIELD (to be presented to the Council meeting in January)
It was agreed to set up the subcommittee with Cllrs Bell, Lamont and Willmott willing to serve.
The clerk would circulate all councillors to see if any others wished to serve.
66. GRANTS, LICENCES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS
i) Sue Ryder Nettlebed Hospice – deferred to next meeting
ii) Oxford Association for the Blind – deferred to next meeting
67. TO CONSIDER VARIOUS TRAFFIC MATTERS IN THE VILLAGE
i) Bell Lane corner
ii) Vehicle Activated Devices
iii) Pedestrian Crossing outside Morland House, London Road.
iv) Extra double yellow lines along Church Road.
v) Weight Restriction in the village
These items to be discussed at the Traffic and Roads Advisory Committee 26th
November
68. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
a) A completed copy of reconciled bank statement was signed by the Chairman & RFO
Budget to the end of October 2014 was discussed.
b) Balances
After the cheques below have been paid the balances on the council’s accounts as at 24th November 2014 will be as follows:
Community £3,401.02
Tracker £149,910.55
Treasury £60,632.69
69. SCHEDULE OF PAYMENTS AUTHORISED
Cheque no. Payee Payment details Amount
Cheques paid
106040 Playdale Playgrounds 50% deposit – Cullum Rd rec 2,881.56
106045 I Roberts Electricity for 2013 Xmas Tree 20.00
105992-6001-05 GM/SW/JF/OCC/AR/HMR&C Oct sal/wages/pen/PAYE/NICs 3,755.20
Total £6,656.76
Cheques to Pay
106032 AW Mobbs & Co Limited Shingle for Memorial Garden path 154.50
106033 Fenland Leisure Products Swing Shackles 11.60
106034 Grzegorz Zasuwa Window Cleaning 5.00
106035 Trinder & Son Safety Test Appliances 80.00
106036 D. Lamont Refreshments for WPS pupils 11.20
106037 R. Taylor Landscapes Rebuilt damaged wall FCR patio 270.00
106038 The Merry Bells Hall Hire 360.00
106039 WPSFMC Outstanding balance 2013/14 2,600.07
106041 Mainstream Digital Tel charges Oct 1.52
106042 Lyreco UK Ltd Stationery, office equipment 106.90
106043 Green Scythe Ltd Recs. Oct Cut 228.00
106044 Berinsfield Community Business Verges October 608.33
106046 Berinsfield Community Business FCR Patio, weeding Cullum Rd 210.00
106047 Playdale Playgrounds Cullum Rd Rec final amount 2,881.56
106048 SLCC Clerk’s manual 82.80
GM/SW/JF/AR/OCC//HMR&C Sept sal/wages/pen/PAYE/NICs 3,900.00
Total £11,511.48
INCOME RECEIVED SINCE LAST MEETING
Income details Amount
Newsletter Advertising 3,930.00
Treasury Bill Interest 23.68
Tracker Interest 18.62
Total £3,972.30
70. PUBLICATIONS & CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED AND NOTED
i) The Haseleys – October 2014*
ii) Little Milton Newsletter – October 2014*
iii) Great Milton Bulletin – November 2014*
iv) URC Newsletter November 2014*
v) Holton, Waterperry & Waterstock News – November 2014*
vi) Thank You from South and Vale Carers for grant aid
vii) ORCC – Annual Review 2013-2014
viii) Clerks and Councils Direct – November 2014
ix) CPRE – ‘Countryside Voice’ & ’Fieldwork’ – Winter 2014
x) CPRE, Oxfordshire – ‘Oxfordshire Voice’ – Autumn 2014
xi) Open Spaces Society – ‘Open Space’ – Autumn 2014
xii) Oxford Brookes Residents’ meeting – 21.10.14 – minutes
* On display in Parish Office
71. DATE OF NEXT MEETING – 15th December – Noted