Full Council 7th November 2011

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WHEATLEY PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL

HELD ON MONDAY 7TH NOVEMBER 2011 IN THE MERRY BELLS AT 7.30 PM

PRESENT: Councillors: E.M. Stacey (Chairman), J Reilly. R Old, G Stephens, P Willmott, A Knapp, R Bell, D Lamont, C Dalton (until 8.30pm) J Carr & J Anderson

OFFICER: Gareth Morris Clerk to the Parish Council

Also present: County Councillor Anne Purse, PC P Gregory, Mr P Hood (Internal Auditor to the Parish Council), Mrs J Stoker (Maple Tree Children’s Centre and one member of the public.

70. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE had been received from Cllrs Coveley and Birks

71. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – None

72. MINUTES OF THE EXTRA ORDINARY PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 12TH OCTOBER 2011 circulated with this Agenda were signed as a correct and accurate record.

73. UPDATE ON ITEMS ARISING FROM THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 12TH OCTOBER 2011

i) Minute 66 – resurfacing of Friday Lane & Holloway Road – this had now been completed

ii) Minute 67 – Brookes Planning Application – it was not known when this would go to the SODC Planning Committee. Cllr Reilly said he had heard that it was the Government’s intention to install light controlled crossings in the future

iii) Minute 68 – SODC Core Strategy – Examination in Public Wheatley Parish Council’s submission was scheduled to be heard on November 2nd. In the absence of Cllr Birks, Cllr Carr read out Cllr Birk’s report on the hearing. (Copy in Minute Book)

With the permission of the meeting Agenda Items 7 and 8 were now taken

74. TO CONSIDER ITEMS FOR THE 2011-2012 ACCOUNTS (See papers sent with the Agenda for the F&GP meeting held on 19th September 2011). Mr Hood, who was in attendance was invited to speak.

Mr Hood spoke to his report which had been circulated previously to all councillors. He said that the Parish Council should pay particular attention to the size of the balances that were being carried forward. It was perfectly acceptable to earmark funds for future projects but not to keep rolling these funds over from year to year. Some indication of when the Parish Council intended to use the earmarked funds should be given.

(i) Letter of Engagement of Internal Auditor (Mr Phillip Hood) 2011-2012

Cllr Lamont proposed and Cllr Willmott seconded that Mr Hood be engaged as the Parish Council’s internal auditor for 2011-2012

(ii) Statement of Internal Control for Wheatley Parish Council – Mr Hood said that it was no longer  necessary to have a formal, minuted Statement of Internal Control as was required in previous years. It was only necessary to place on the checklist that the parish Council had discussed.

Mr Hood was thanked for his attendance.

75.  TO SIGN THE FUNDING AGREEMENT BETWEEN OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL (BIG SOCIETY FUND AND WHEATLEY PARISH COUNCIL FOR £7,120.00 TO PROVIDE TWO OPEN ACCESS YOUTH CLUB SESSIONS FOR 43 WEEKS OF THE YEAR.

Jenny Stoker from OCC was invited to address the meeting. She reported that the funding for the refurbishment had been received in full. There would be a new landing area, flooring, ceiling, reception area, kitchen and front doors. It was hoped work would start in November/December and take to 6/8 weeks.

It was Agreed to invite Mr Paul Lawrence of Oxfordshire Association for Young People to the next

F&GP Meeting.

8.30pm Cllr Dalton left the meeting

The Chairman declared the meeting Out of Session

County Councillor Purse – She reported that each County Councillor has a small amount of money for  ‘Local Funding’ for 2012-2013 that he or she can spend on local highway matters. She was of the opinion that Wheatley as the largest village should get her first allocation.

The Library Service – Wheatley Library needed a fund raising group – ‘Friends of Wheatley Library. She would be willing to co-ordinate meetings

Is there anybody from Wheatley Parish Council willing to meet with Holton Parish Council

PC Gregory – Car crime in rural areas is on the increase especially vans with tools etc. £3,000 worth of fishing equipment had been taken from one vehicle.

Enforcement of the parking regulations in The High Street would undertaken and there was also concern racial comments on the bus shelter at Asda and general graffiti.

District Councillors – A boundary review would be taking place leading to areduction in the number of District Councillors.

9.04pm The Chairman declared the Council back in session

76. TO RECEIVE THE MINUTES of the meetings of the Planning Committee held on:

i) Wednesday 14th September, circulated previously – These were received

ii) Wednesday 12th October, circulated with this Agenda – These were received

77. TO RECEIVE THE MINUTES of the meetings of the F&GP Committee meeting held on:

i) Monday 19th September, circulated with this Agenda – these were received

ii) Monday 17th October, circulated with this Agenda – these were received

78.  TO APPROVE AND ACCEPT ANNUAL RETURN FOR 2010-2011 FOLLOWING NOTICE OF CONCLUSION OF THE AUDIT FROM THE EXTERNAL AUDITOR AND TO CONSIDER THE ISSUES ARISING FROM THE REPORT.

i) The restatement of Fixed Assets

ii) Section 1 does not add up by £1

Cllr Bell proposed and Cllr Reilly seconded that the Annual Return for 2010-11 and the report of the External Auditor be approved and accepted. This was Agreed unanimously.

79.  TO CONSIDER THE REQUEST FROM A RESIDENT FOR THE REMOVAL OF THE FOOTPATH BARRIER BY THE CORNFIELD BAKERY

Agreed that the Clerk reply to the resident saying that the Parish Council would be requesting information from the Highways Department of the County Council on the need for a barrier and on the types of barrier that https://www.southwesternmedcenter.com they approve.

80.  TO CONSIDER THE ROLE OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN COUNCILLORS

81.  REPORTS FROM OUTSIDE BODIES

a) Park Sports centre Joint User Group – the concern over the effect on parking of the new Brookes entrance was now resolved

b) The Howe Trust – no report.

c) Merry Bells Management Committee – the committee was considering the refurbishment of the coffee room

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

i) Report on last meetings. The County Council had handed over their role to Mouchet

ii) Update on the redevelopment of the pavilion – a site meeting had taken place where the designs had been marked out and a number of questions had arisen for the architects to address. The cost of a new pavilion was likely to be in the region of £1m to £1.5m.

83. CALENDAR OF MEETINGS – NOTED

a)            Planning Committee – Wednesday 9th November   2011 – 7.30pm

b)            F&GP Committee – Monday 21st November    – 7.30pm

c)            F&GP Committee – Monday 12th December    – 7.30pm

d)            Planning Committee  – Wednesday 14th December  2011 – 7.30pm

e)            Parish Council Meeting – Monday 9th January 2012– 7.30pm

f)             Planning Committee  – Wednesday 11th January  2012 – 7.30pm

Meeting closed at 9.56pm

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Full Council Extra-Ordinary Meeting 12th October 2011

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WHEATLEY PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF THE EXTRA ORDINARY MEETING OF THE COUNCIL

HELD ON MONDAY 12TH OCTOBER 2011 IN THE MERRY BELLS AT 8.15 PM

PRESENT: Councillors: E.M. Stacey (Chairman), J Reilly. R Old, G. Birks, G Stephens, P Willmott, A Knapp, J Coveley, D Lamont, C Dalton & M Fyffe

OFFICER: Gareth Morris Clerk to the Parish Council

Also present: County Councillor Anne Purse and three members of the public.

64. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE had been received from Cllrs Anderson, Bell, Carr & Coleridge

65. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – None

66. MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 5TH SEPTEMBER 2011 which had been circulated earlier were signed as a correct and accurate record

66.  UPDATE ON MATTERS ON THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 5TH SEPTEMBER

Minute 49 – The Clerk reported that work on Holloway Road resurfacing started on 10th October (instead of the 3rd as previously intended) and Friday Lane work would start on 27th October.

67. CONSIDERATION OF THE FOLLOWING PLANNING APPLICATION:

P11/W1227 (Major) Oxford Brookes Wheatley campus and Wheatley Park School. Provision of new access to serve Wheatley park School and Oxford Brooks University. New coach park for Wheatley Park School. Redistribution of existing car parking for Wheatley Park School and Oxford Brooks University with no net increase (515 spaces for Oxford Brookes University and 95 replacement spaces at Wheatley Park School). New landscaping and ancillary works.

Cllr Birks tabled a draft response that could be made by the Parish Council giving reasons for the refusal of the application on the grounds of the traffic/pedestrian safety at the Park Hill/Holloway Road/London Road junction were inadequate. Light controlled crossings should be provided at the there proposed zebra crossings.

Following a discussion, Cllr Dalton proposed and Cllr Birks seconded that the above application should be refused on the grounds that the traffic/pedestrian safety measures at the Park Hill/Holloway Road/London Road junction are inadequate.

This was AGREED by 10 votes in favour with none against and one abstention.

It was further AGREED to send Cllr Birks’ paper as an explanation to the parish Council’s recommendation of refusal. (copy in Minute book)

8.50pm The Chairman declared the Council out of session and invited the members of the public present to speak

County Councillor Anne Purse. – She felt that the Brookes’ application would not be dealt with by SODC for a little while yet. OCC had not yet put in any comments re highway matters. She suggested that as the officer concerned would be working on comments the following day and perhaps the Parish Council might like to send him their comments.

Mrs Tess Shaw (Chairman of Wheatley Park School Governors) – thanked the Parish Council for their concern on behalf of Wheatley Park School

9.00pm The Chairman declared the Council back in session

It was Agreed to send Mr Yoward, the OCC officer dealing with Highway matters on planning applications

68. TO RECEIVE A REPORT ON THE COUNCIL’S SUBMISSION TO THE

‘EXAMINATION IN PUBLIC’ OF  SODC’s CORE STRATEGY AND TO CONSIDER A SUBMISSION TO THE NEXT EXAMINATION IN PUBLIC SESSION (1st November to 11th November)

Items for examination are:

  • the overall strategy, particularly the quantity and distribution of housing development   (CS chapter 4 and the relevant section of chapter 7)
  • ‘moving around’ (CS chapter 5)
  • Didcot (CS chapter 9),
  • Thame (CS chapter 11),
  • Wallingford (CS chapter 12),
  • ‘quality development’ (CS chapter 15),
  • infrastructure provision (CS chapter 18).

First of all Cllr Birks gave a verbal report on her attendance at the first sessions of the Examination in Public which had been held in June.

For the forthcoming session on ‘Strategy’, to be held on 1st and 2nd November she felt that the Parish Council should maintain its previously held stance against major development in the green belt and that the apportionment of housing between town and villages is unsound. Also to state that the parish Council supports the Inspectors preliminary findings.

Cllr Reilly proposed and Cllr Dalton seconded the proposal that the parish Council submits Cllr Birks’ suggestions as the Parish Council’s response to the ‘Strategy’ Session of the Examination in Public on 1st/2nd November and that Cllr Birks be asked to attend on the Parish Council’s behalf.

This was AGREED by 10 votes in favour and 1 against with no abstentions

The Chairman thanked Cllr Birks on behalf of the Parish Council for the amount of work she had put in to this matter

69. DATE OF NEXT MEETING – MONDAY 7TH NOVEMBER 2011 – Noted

The meeting closed at 9.24pm

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Full Council 5th September 2011

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WHEATLEY PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF THE ORDINARY MEETING OF THE COUNCIL

HELD ON MONDAY 5th SEPTEMBER 2011 IN THE MERRY BELLS AT 7.30 PM

PRESENT: Councillors: E.M. Stacey (Chairman), J Reilly. R Old, G. Birks (until 9.05pm), G Stephens, J Anderson, R. T .Bell, P Willmott , S Coleridge, A Knapp(until 8.40pm) , J Coveley, D Lamont, C Dalton (until 8.30pm) & G Stephens

OFFICER: Gareth Morris Clerk to the Parish Council

Also present: County Councillor Anne Purse, Mrs Jenny Stoker (Maple Tree Children’s Centre) and Dr J Watson (Editor of the Wheatley Newsletter)

46. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE had been received from Cllr Carr

47. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – None

  1. 48. MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 4th JULY 2011 which had been circulated previously were signed as a correct and accurate record

  1. 49. UPDATE ON ITEMS ARISING FROM THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 4TH JULY 2011

Open Forum (page 3) – Report from County Councillor Anne Purse – resurfacing of Friday Lane & Holloway Road. The County Council have issued a temporary road closure order for Holloway Road whilst resurfacing works are carried out. The order comes into force on 3rd October and is expected to be of 3 weeks duration. The Friday Lane resurfacing should take place after the Holloway Road scheme is finished. – NOTED

50. THE MINUTES of the meetings of the Planning Committee held on the following dates were received:

i) Wednesday 13th July 2011 &

ii) Wednesday 10th August 2011

51. THE MINUTES of the meeting of the F&GP Committee meeting held on the following date were received:

(i) Monday 18th July 2011

52. TO RECEIVE A REPORT ON THE PROGRESS OF THE PARISH COUNCIL’S BID TO OCC’S BIG SOCIETY FUND FOR FUNDING FOR YOUTH PROVISION IN THE VILLAGE.

The Chairman reported that the Parish Council’s bid had been submitted at the end of August and it was understood that the bid would be discussed at the County Council’s October Cabinet meeting.

She then invited Mrs Jenny Stoker from the Maple Tree Children’s Centre to speak to the meeting. Mrs Stoker said that the youth centre would become a multi youth community building used by a number of organisations; such as Barnardos, The Maple Tree Children’s centre which caters for the under fives and parents to be, and, eventually the youth provision provided by the parish council.

In answer to a question on time scales, Mrs Stoker answered that one could not be given at the moment. But a steering committee for the building would be in place from mid October and a representative from the youth provision would be appointed. The County Council had agreed to go ahead with repairs to the building.

The Chairman reported that a meeting with Paul Lawrence of OAYP, the organisation that can advise about running the youth club and may actually run it, had unfortunately had to be cancelled due to ill health of Mr. Lawrence.

The Chairman thanked Mrs Stoker for attending the meeting

The Clerk read out an anonymous letter from ‘Wheatley Youth Club asking that the Youth Club stay open. – noted.

53. TO CONSIDER THE LETTER OF 8TH AUGUST TO THE PARISH COUNCIL FROM MR PAUL LARGE, REGISTRAR, OXFORD BROOKES UNIVERSITY ON THE APPLICATION FOR THE PROVISION OF NEW ACCESS ROAD TO SERVE WHEATLEY PARK SCHOOL AND OXFORD BROOKES UNIVERSITY.

The Planning Application is worded:

P11/W1227 Provision of new access to serve Wheatley Park School and Oxford Brooks University. New coach park for Wheatley Park School. Redistribution of existing car parking for Wheatley Park School and Oxford Brooks University with no net increase (515 spaces for Oxford Brookes University and 95 replacement spaces at Wheatley Park School). New landscaping and ancillary works.

Three zebra crossings were proposed for the Park Hill/London Road/Holloway Road junction. The Parish Council had requested that these be light controlled ‘Toucan’ crossings. There were no proposals for measures at the Round House junction (Holloway Road/Church Road). A number of councillors expressed a concern that the zebra crossings would not be light controlled and therefore posed a road safety issue for Wheatley Park School students crossing on foot at that point.

Cllr Birks volunteered to draft a letter to Brookes University requesting that light controlled crossings be installed and measures for the Roundhouse junction be included.

The Clerk reported that the Parish Council had been given until 22nd September to respond to SODC and, according to the SODC website, the consultation end date was 29th September and the target decision date was 24th November. The clerk was asked to contact SODC to arrange a later response date.

8.30pm Cllr Dalton left the meeting

8.37pm The Chairman declared the Council out of session and invited County Councillor Anne Purse to speak

County Councillor Anne Purse – she suggested that the Parish Council write to Holton parish council explaining their views on the Brookes application.

The County Council’s new ‘ Salt Bin and Grit’ procedure for Parish Councils was causing some upset and concern amongst parish councils. The clerk informed the council that this was to be discussed at the next F&GP Committee meeting.

She was disappointed that having been informed by the County Council that they would resurface Holloway Road in August, it would now not take place until October.

8.40pm – Cllr Knapp left the meeting

District Councillor Roger Bell – it had been very quiet over the summer period and therefore he had nothing new to report.

8.52pm The Chairman declared the council back in session.

54. TO RECEIVE A REPORT ON THE COUNCIL’S SUBMISSION TO THE EXAMINATION IN PUBLIC OF SODC’s CORE STRATEGY AND TO CONSIDER A SUBMISSION TO THE NEXT EXAMINATION IN PUBLIC SESSION (1st November to 11th November)

Items for examination are:

  • the overall strategy, particularly the quantity and distribution of housing development (CS chapter 4 and the relevant section of chapter 7)
  • ‘moving around’ (CS chapter 5)
  • Didcot (CS chapter 9),
  • Thame (CS chapter 11),
  • Wallingford (CS chapter 12),
  • ‘quality development’ (CS chapter 15),
  • infrastructure provision (CS chapter 18).

AGREED to refer this to F&GP

55 . TO CONSIDER THE RECOMMENDATION FROM HE FINANCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE OF 18TH JULY THAT THE PARISH COUNCIL ADOPT THE FOLLOWING GUIDELINES:

1. As publisher of the newsletter the council has legal responsibility for its contents. The final decision as to the content of any article and the decision whether or not to publish rests with the council.

2 The Council reserves the right to decline to publish any article.

3 Any article the editor proposes not to publish or which he proposes to publish but gives rise to doubt, or to a conflict of interest whether actual or perceivable as such, should be identified and discussed with the Chairman of the Council who will make the final editorial decision after consulting if possible with the vice-chairman of the council and such other councillors as can be contacted within a reasonable period of time

Dr Watson, the editor of the newsletter was invited to speak. He said that the guidelines virtually followed the present procedures and he had no objection to them

Cllr Stacey proposed and Cllr Birks seconded that the guidelines be adopted. This was AGREED by 10 votes in favour and 2 against (0 abstentions).

56. TO RECEIVE AND NOTE THE REPORT OF THE INTERNAL AUDITOR, MR PHILLIP HOOD

Cllr Bell proposed and Cllr Birks seconded that the report be received and the recommendations noted. AGREED UNANIMOUSLY

57. TO CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING CONSULTATIONS:

i) Oxfordshire County Council -Library Service Public Consultation – 27th May – 30 September http://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/wps/portal/publicsite/councilservices/libraryserviceconsultation

The proposal is that Wheatley Library will be a ‘community plus library’ which two thirds paid staff and one third volunteers – AGREED NO RESPONSE

ii) The Local Government Boundary Commission – Electoral Review of Oxfordshire

Full report, including maps available at www.lgbce.org.uk

Consultation closes 10th October 2011 – The Parish Council’s recommendation the Wheatley ward include Garsington had not been taken up. Tiddington and Waterstock would now be part of the ward. AGREED NO RESPONSE

58. TO CONSIDER A REQUEST FROM FUSION YOUTH AND COMMUNITY TO USE CULLUM ROAD RECREATION AREA FOR A MINI FUNDAY ON THE AFTERNOON OF SATURDAY 15TH OCTOBER. AGREED
Then everything runs smoothly. I was surprised by many feedbacks, which state that https://www.sandwichmedical.com/links-and-resources/cialis-online causes side effects. The only thing I noticed is an agitated state throughout the day.

9.05pm Cllr Birks left the meeting

59. TO RECEIVE A REPORT FROM COUNCILLORS JIM REILLY & ROGER BELL ON THE RECENT PARISH COUNCIL WALKS AROUND THE VILLAGE AND TO RECOMMEND THAT THE F&GP COMMITTEE LOOK AT ANY ACTIONS REQUIRED AND THE COSTS INVOLVED. It was Agreed to refer this to F&GP.

  1. 60. REPORTS FROM OUTSIDE BODIES

a) Neighbourhood Action Group – No Report

b) The Howe Trust – Cllr Fyffe reported that more hedging for the Howe had been discussed and there also had been discussion on access on to the Howe from the house on Ladder Hill

c) Merry Bells Management Committee – New heaters had been installed in the main hall and the coffee room

  1. 61. TO CONSIDER MATTERS RELATING TO WHEATLEY PARK SPORTSFIELD MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

i) To appoint a new Parish Council representative in place of Cllr Bell

Cllr Anderson was proposed by Cllr Bell and seconded by Cllr Reilly. It was AGREED that Cllr Anderson be the Parish Council’s representative on the SFMC

The Chairman thanked Cllr Bell on behalf of the Parish Council for his service on the Management Committee

ii) To receive the accounts for the financial year ending 31/3/2011. The balance due from the Parish Council is £10,330.95. This means that after the 4 quarterly payments of £2,000 that have been made, the Parish Council owes £2,330.95. – AGREED

iii) Cllr Willmott reported on the last meeting where the design briefs from the five architects that had been asked to submit, were opened. One did not submit and one referred to the previous design brief. Therefore at the next meeting it would be decided which of the remaining three architects should be invited to explain their designs to the committee.

62. TO CONSIDER THE ENTERTAINMENT LICENCE RENEWAL APPLICATION FROM OXFORD BROOKES UNIVERSITY – NOTED

63. CALENDAR OF MEETINGS. – NOTED

a) Planning Committee – Wednesday 14th September 2011 – 7.30pm

b) F&GP Committee – Monday 19th September – 7.30pm

c) Planning Committee – Wednesday 12th October 2011 – 7.30pm

d) F&GP Committee – Monday 17th October 2011– 7.30pm

e) Parish Council – Monday 7th November 2011 – 7.30pm

The meeting closed at 9.35pm

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Full Council 4th July 2011

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WHEATLEY PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF THE ORDINARY MEETING OF THE COUNCIL

HELD ON MONDAY 4th JULY 2011 IN THE MERRY BELLS AT 7.30 PM

PRESENT: Councillors: E.M. Stacey (Chairman), J Reilly. J. M. Carr, G. Birks, R. T .Bell, P Willmott , S Coleridge, A Knapp, J Coveley, D Lamont & G Stephens

OFFICER: Gareth Morris Clerk to the Parish Council

Also present: County Councillor Anne Purse, Police Sergeant S Hookham, Mr Toby Warren SODC and one member of the public

28. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE had been received from Cllrs Anderson, Dalton, Fyffe and Old

29. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – None

30. MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 16TH MAY 2011 which had been previously circulated were signed as a correct and accurate record with the following amendment:

Minute 6(iv) replace Gwendolen Birks with Maggie Fyffe

31. MINUTES OF THE EXTRA-ORDINARY PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 27TH JUNE 2011

which had been circulated with the Agenda were signed as a correct and accurate record

32. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 16th

MAY 2011

i) Minute 13(iia) Section 106 Funding for Pedestrian Safety Measures

A site meeting had been held between Parish Councillors and Mr Yoward (OCC Highways) where the councils proposals were outlined and also their reaction to those proposals put forward by Oxford Brookes. Members present felt they had had a sympathetic hearing. Mr Yoward had taken a number of photographs of the Park Hill/Holloway junction and also the Roundhouse junction.

ii)        Minute 16 – Parish Council reply to Wheatley Society Leaflet

The letter referred to in the minute had been sent and a meeting had been held between Parish Councillors and members of the Wheatley Society Committee and Jim Watson as the Village Plan Co-ordinator. This meeting had discussed ways in which the Parish Council and the Wheatley Society could work together to the benefit of the village.

33. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES OF THE EXTRA-ORDINARY PARISH COUNCIL   MEETING HELD ON 27TH JUNE 2011

Minute 26 – 2010-2011 Final Accounts. The clerk circulated the Internal Auditors report which had been received on the previous Friday. This would be discussed at the next F&GP meeting and accepted formally at the next full council meeting in September.

34. THE MINUTES of the meetings of the Planning Committee held on the following dates were  received:

i) Wednesday 25TH May  2011, circulated previously

ii) Wednesday 8th June 2011 circulated previously

35. THE MINUTES of the meetings of the F&GP Committee meetings held on the following dates were received

(i) Monday 23rd May 2011 circulated previously

(ii) Monday 27th June 2011, tabled

36.  TO CONSIDER THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE F&GP MEETING OF 27TH JUNE THAT “IN THE LIGHT OF INFORMATION RECEIVED AND ITS RESERVES, THE PARISH COUNCIL  IS PREPARED TO CONTRIBUTE £5,000 ANNUALLY TO YOUTH SERVICE PROVISION IN Wheatley”.

The Chairman outlined the proposal which was 2 evenings per week for 2 different age groups; 10 to 13 and 13 to 19 for 48 weeks of the year. The County would be paying refurbishment costs. A private provider would be engaged to run the operation on behalf of the Parish Council. The Parish Council would be responsible for other costs, including staffing costs, which are estimated to be in the region of £14,000 per annum.

The Parish Council is going to submit a bid for funding from the Big Society ‘pot’, which, if successful, will cover the first year’s costs. Other sources of funding would be available eg OCC’s “Chill Out” fund, other parish Councils could be asked wherther their young people used the centre. It might be possible to get Brookes University on board.

Mr Toby Warren of SODC addressed the meeting. He said that whilst SODC hadn’t any funds to help with staffing there was the Community Investment Fund which could help with funding for capital items e.g. IT infrastructure.

Cllr Birks proposed and Cllr Carr seconded that the F&GP’s recommendation be adopted. This was AGREED unanimously.

37.  TO CONSIDER APPOINTING A PARISH COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE TO THE ‘SHOTOVER USER’S GROUP’

Cllr Birks was proposed by Cllr Carr and seconded by Cllr Lamont to be the Parish Council’s representative on the Shotover Users Group. This was AGREED

38. REPORTS FROM OUTSIDE BODIES

a) Neighbourhood Action Group – Sgt Stephen Hookham addressed the meeting. He confirmed that the NAG had now disappeared and would be replaced by liaison with the Parish Councils and the regular ‘Have your Say’ meetings with the public to establish priorities. He would hope a TVP representative would attend most Parish Council meetings.

The priorities in the Wheatley areas are:

Operation Maginot – targeting known criminals via automatic number plate recognition equipment entering the area.

Operation Mangrove – theft of fuel from lorries

Restorative justice project – the young people who had sprayed graffiti in Cullum Road Recreation Area had apologised to the Parish Council and would be removing it shortly.

Parking issues (especially along Waterperry Road) working with Brookes on both short and long term solutions.

The Council thanked Sgt Hookham for his attendance

8.35pm The Chairman declared the Council out of session and asked the members of the public present if they wished to speak

County Councillor Anne Purse – OCC Library Consultation – whilst the Wheatley Library would be better off than some, it was still a blow to local facilities especially after the funding for the youth centre had been withdrawn. She felt that a Parish Council response would be helpful.

Youth Centre – she understood that the Fire Service might be interested in having an input. She was lobbying other Parish Councils for funding, if not in this financial year, the next one.

Roads – Friday Lane and Holloway Road are expected to be repaired in August/September.

A40 – whilst the surface noise has been reduced where it has been resurfaced, Holton and Shotover still suffer the full extent of the noise. She felt, as resurfacing of the entire stretch was unlikely in the short term, a 50 mph limit should be pushed for

Mr John Reay – he supported the Holloway Road/Friday Lane repairs but felt that if a 50 mph limit was implemented some form of Speed Indication Device should be installed as well.

He sought clarification as to exactly what the Parish Council’s intentions were for the Youth centre. The Chairman reiterated the points made earlier in the meeting.

He also asked were the results of the Wheatley Society Survey to be published in the newsletter or not. The Chairman replied that she would give a summary of the results as part of her Chairman’s report in the newsletter, when the data had been received from the Wheatley Society.

District Councillor Bell – reported that the District Council’s Community Investment Fund had £1/2 million pounds to distribute but had received twice that amount in bids. The Council was placing an emphasis on evidence of consultation. Also the Council was again consulting on the change to the times of parking in their car park on Church Road.

Core-Strategy – the Inspector, in his pre-Hearing report, said that ‘windfalls’ would not be allowed to be set against the District’s targets. This meant some adjustment to the distribution of new housing.

Finally he announced that Janet Carr had been elected Vice-Chairman of the Council which meant that it was likely that she would be Chairman the following year.

District Councillor Carr – said she had been surprised but delighted to be offered the Vice-Chairmanship of the District Council. She then outlined some examples of her duties.

9.05pm – The Chairman declared the Council back in session

39. TO CONSIDER STATEMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED ON BEHALF OF THE PARISH COUNCIL TO THE ‘EXAMINATION IN PUBLIC’ (EIP) OF SODC’S CORE STRATEGY RELATING TO THE MATTERS AND QUESTIONS RAISED BY THE INSPECTOR

The Clerk explained that if the parish Council wished to speak at the Examination in Public from 19th-22 July a submission had to be made answering the Inspectors’ questions on the different chapters of the Core Strategy. The Parish Council had until 6th July to get their submission in to the Inspector.

Cllr Birks, as the Councillor who had written the Parish Council’s initial response to the Core Strategy

in 2009, explained what she thought should be the Parish Council’s submission for Chapters 13 and 14, Rural Communities and The Environment respectively.

After some discussion Cllr Carr proposed and Cllr Reilly seconded that Cllr Birks should write the submission along the lines she had proposed. This was AGREED by 9 vote for and 2 against.

(Copy of submission in minute book)

40.  REPORTS FROM OUTSIDE BODIES (Contd)

b) The Howe Trust – no report

c) Merry Bells Management Committee – it was hoped that the new heaters for the hall and coffee room would be installed in August.

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

Cllr Bell had stood down as Chairman of the committee and Cllr Willmott had taken his place. There had been meetings with the Planning Consultant and a business plan and time line had been drawn up. Architects would now be asked for proposals and one would be appointed in the hope that an application could be submitted to SODC by the end of October/ beginning of November. The Parish Council would, shortly, have to start paying for the planning costs. The total cost of the build could be around £3/4 m

Cllr Bell requested that finance for the project be placed on the next F&GP Agenda and also announced his wish to stand down as a Parish Council representative on the Committee. It was felt by the meeting that Cllr Bells place should be taken by a Parish Councillor.

42. CALENDAR OF MEETINGS. – NOTED

a)  Planning Committee – Wednesday 13th July  2011 – 7.30pm

b)  F&GP Committee – Monday 18th July  – 7.30pm

c)  Planning Committee  – Wednesday 10th August 2011 – 7.30pm

d)  Parish Council Meeting – Monday 5th September  2011– 7.30pm

43. RESOLUTION TO EXCLUDE THE PUBLIC

Cllr Birks proposed and Cllr Carr 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 nem con

44. THE MINUTES OF THE CONFIDENTIAL SESSION HELD DURING THE MEETING OF THE F&GP COMMITTEE ON 23rd MAY 2011 were received

45. THE MINUTES OF THE CONFIDENTIAL SESSION HELD DURING THE MEETING OF THE F&GP COMMITTEE ON 27TH JUNE  2011 were received

The meeting closed at 9.50 pm

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Full Council Extra Ordinary Meeting 27th June 2011

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WHEATLEY PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF THE EXTRA-ORDINARY MEETING OF THE COUNCIL

HELD ON MONDAY 27TH JUNE 2011 IN THE MERRY BELLS AT 8.00PM

PRESENT: Councillors: E.M. Stacey (Chairman), J Reilly. J. M. Carr, G. Birks, R. T .Bell, P Willmott , M Fyffe , S Coleridge, R Old, D Lamont & G Stephens

OFFICER: Gareth Morris Clerk to the Parish Council

24.  APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE had been received from Councillors Anderson, Dalton and Coveley

25. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – none

26. TO RECEIVE THE FINAL ACCOUNTS FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 2010-2011

i) To approve and sign the final accounts for the financial year 2010-2011

The Clerk reported that Mr Phillip Hood, the Parish Council’s newly appointed Internal Auditor had visited the Parish Office the previous Tuesday to inspect the council’s accounts and various other documentation. He had found everything was satisfactory and he had returned that day to sign Section 4 of the Annual Return. His written report was expected shortly and would be circulated to all councillors and discussed at the next Finance and General Purposes Committee and full Council

The clerk explained that due to a new instruction from the external auditors Parish Council assets should no longer be valued at their insurance values (as in past years). They should be valued at cost price or if that was not known given a proxy value, which as most of the council’s assets do not have a market value would be just £1. On paper the value of the Parish Council’s assets had been halved despite new assets having been purchased for over £3,000 and no assets having been disposed of.

The Parish Council funds had increased by £21,143 over the year and the total net assets of the Council stood at £119,905.

It was AGREED that the accounts be received and approved, as recommended unanimously by the Finance and General Purposes Committee, and signed by the Chairman.

ii)  To receive, approve and sign SECTION 1 (Statement of Accounts) and SECTION 2 (Annual Governance Statement) OF THE ANNUAL RETURN FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 2010 -2011

It was AGREED to receive, approve and sign Section 1 of the Annual Return and to answer ‘Yes’ to all the questions in Section 2.

27.  DATE OF NEXT MEETING – MONDAY 4th July 2011 – Noted

The meeting closed at 8.30pm

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Full Council AGM 16th May 2011

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WHEATLEY PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE COUNCIL

HELD ON MONDAY 16th MAY 2011 IN THE MERRY BELLS AT 7.30PM

PRESENT: Councillors: E.M. Stacey (Chairman), J Reilly (Retiring Chairman), J. M. Carr, C .M. Dalton, G. Birks, R. T .Bell, P Willmott , M Fyffe , E J Coveley, S Coleridge, R Old, J Anderson, D Lamont, G Stephens & A Knapp (from 8.00pm)

OFFICER: Gareth Morris Clerk to the Parish Council

ALSO PRESENT: County Councillor Anne Purse

The Retiring Chairman welcomed all to the meeting especially the new Councillors. He then asked all councillors to introduce themselves to the new councillors. He also thanked all the Councillors for their support he had received from them during his year in office.

WELCOME & HEALTH & SAFETY ANNOUNCEMENTS

1 ELECTION of Chairman for 2011 – 12 and Signing of the Acceptance of Office

Cllr E Stacey was proposed by Cllr Reilly and Seconded by Cllr Carr

There being no other nominations, Cllr Stacey was duly elected Chairman. She then signed the Acceptance of Office and took the Chair.

She thanked the meeting for electing her Chairman and paid tribute to the work that the Retiring Chairman had done during his period of office.

2 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE – None

3 ELECTION of Vice-chairman

Cllr Reilly was proposed by Gwendolen Birks and seconded by Cllr Carr

There being no other nominations, Cllr Reilly was declared Vice-Chairman

4 FORMAL ADOPTION OF STANDING ORDERS (INCLUDING CODE OF CONDUCT)

Proposed by Cllr Dalton and Seconded by Cllr Stephens – Agreed nem con

5 APPOINTMENT of Committees;

i.) Standing Committees

a) Finance & General Purposes

Cllrs Anderson, Bell, Birks, Carr, Coleridge, Fyffe and Old

b) Planning Committee

Cllrs Coveley, Dalton, Lamont, Stephens and Willmott

The chairman and vice-chairman are ex-officio members of each committee.

b) Advisory Committees and Working Groups

i) Traffic and Roads Advisory Committee (TRAC)

Anderson, Bell, Birks, Carr, Coveley, Dalton, Fyffe, Stacey & Reilly

ii) Recreation Areas Working Group

Deferred until item 15

6 CONFIRMATION of representatives to outside bodies: current appointees, 2010 to 2011, are as indicated below and will normally be confirmed unless they wish to resign.

i Merry Bells Management Committee; Cllr Janet Carr

ii Oxfordshire Association of Local Councils; Janet Carr. Ellie Stacey

iii Wheatley Sports Field Management Committee; Messrs Peter Bayliss, Steve Kemp, and Paul Edson, and Cllrs Roger Bell, Douglas Lamont & Paul Willmott

iv Howe Trust; Cllrs Caroline Dalton and Gwendolen Birks and Maggie Fyffe

v Park Sports Centre Advisory Committee; Cllr Douglas Lamont

vi Wheatley Charities; Mr Peter Targett, (until 2013) and Mr Graham Colverson (until 2015)

vii Public Transport Representative; Mr James Dalton – A letter of thanks to be sent to Mr Dalton expressing the gratitude for all the hard work he puts into this role.

viii Wheatley Windmill Preservation Society; Cllr Caroline Dalton

FIRST STATUTORY MEETING OF WHEATLEY PARISH COUNCIL

for council year 2011 – 12

7 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE – None

8. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – None

9. CO-OPTION OF NEW PARISH COUNCILLOR

Mrs Angela Knapp was proposed by Cllr Bell and seconded by Cllr Reilly. Mrs Knapp was duly co-opted on to the council.

10. MINUTES of the meeting of the Parish Council of Monday 7th March 2011 which had been circulated previously were signed as a correct and accurate record with the addition of Cllrs Old and Carr and the deletion of Cllr Coleridge to those present.

11. MATTERS ARISING from the meeting held on Monday 7th March 2011 – None

12. THE MINUTES of the meetings of the Planning Committee held on the following dates were received:

i.) Wednesday 9th March 2011 – circulated with the Agenda

ii.) Wednesday 13th April 2011 – circulated with the Agenda

13. THE MINUTES of the meetings of the F&GP Committee meetings held on the following dates were received:

i) Monday 21st March 2011 which had been circulated previously

ii) Monday 18th April 2011 – circulated with the Agenda

a) Minute 161(i) Section 106 Funding for Pedestrian Safety Measures (Brookes University) – To agree a formal response to Brookes’ Proposals. Unfortunately due to circumstances beyond the control of the councillors’ control a draft letter was not available. It was agreed to take this to F&GP and ask Brookes for a week’s grace in sending the response.

Cllr Birks reported that she had attended Holton Parish Council

b) Minute 161(ii) – ‘Big Society’ Funding and Youth Provision in Wheatley. No information was yet forthcoming about the amount of money that might be needed from the Parish Council.

14. THE MINUTES OF THE TRANSPORT AND ROADS ADVISORY COMMITTEE HELD 31ST MARCH 2011 which had been circulated with this Agenda were received and adopted.

Minute

The Clerk reported that he had received a telephone call from Mr Francis of OCC Highways who said that he would be taking another look at the proposals for Church Road and would get back to the parish council

15. TO CONSIDER WHETHER TO RE-INTRODUCE THE OPEN SPACES COMMITTEE AS ONE OF THE COUNCIL’S STANDING COMMITTEES.

Cllr Bell spoke to his paper which had been circulated with the Agenda (copy in Minute Book). One way of meeting his concerns could be to ‘beef up’ the Recreation Areas Working Group, if councillors were not happy with establishing a further committee and this would obviate the necessity of changing Standing Orders.

The general feeling was that there was no need for a further committee but councillors should be asked at the end of meetings for items of concern on the understanding that these could not be debated or resolutions proposed etc. These would be noted.

The remit of the Recreation Areas Working Group to be be discussed at the next F&GP meeting.

Recreation Areas Working Group – Appointment of members – deferred from the AGM

Cllrs: Fyffe, Dalton and Reilly

8.35pm The Chairman declared the Council out of session and invited the County and District Councillors to give their reports

County Cllr Anne Purse – she encouraged the Parish Council to liaise with Holton Parish Council over the proposed new entrance to Brookes University. She further reported that she would be putting in a bid to the County Council to fund some form of Youth service within the village. There was to be a meeting of interested parties in the next ten days

The Chairman then congratulated Cllrs Carr and Bell on their re-election and election to the District Council respectively.

Cllr Carr reported that the District Council’s AGM would take place on the 19th May. A pay freeze had been agreed with the staff, that monies would be taken from the reserves rather than cut services and that the sharing services with the Vale District Council had produced savings.

8.43pm The Chairman declared the Council back in session.

16. TO CONSIDER A PARISH COUNCIL REPLY TO THE Wheatley SOCIETY’S LEAFLET DISTRIBUTED TO HOUSEHOLDS IN MARCH 2011 (See Minute 168 F&GP Minutes 18.04.11)

Cllrs Reilly, Carr, Birks, Dalton and Fyffe had been requested by the Finance and General Purposes Committee to draft a reply, on behalf of the Parish Council, to the above leaflet.

The draft reply (copy in Minute Book) had been tabled.

After discussion Cllr Reilly proposed and Cllr Dalton seconded that “the letter be adopted in its entirety and sent to the Wheatley Society”.

This Agreed by 11 votes in favour to 2 votes against and 2 abstensions.

17. TO CONSIDER A REQUEST FROM NICOLE MEROLA, OCC, CHILDREN’S CENTRE OUTREACH WORKER TO USE CHURCH ROAD RECREATION AREA FOR A STAY AND PLAY EVENT (WHERE CHILDREN AND PARENTS CAN PLAY TOGETHER) ON JUNE 1ST

AGREED – The clerk to seek clarification as to whether or not the organisation has Public Liability Insurance

18. REPORTS FROM OUTSIDE BODIES

i) The Merry Bells Management Committee – Cllr Carr reported that Thames Valley Police had at last signed the new lease for the police office in the stable block. New heating for the hall and the refurbishment of the steps would be discussed by the committee

ii) The Howe Trust – Cllr Dalton reported that David Mancey had been helping the trustees establish a wildflower meadow but that his efforts had been hampered by lack of rain, so that germination of seeds had been delayed.

iii) The Park Sports Centre Joint User Group (Minutes of meeting held 29th March have been received*) The refurbishment of the centre was now complete. There was some concern at the Centre about the loss of parking and subsequent loss of business when the parking in front of the centre is lost when the new Brookes entrance is built.

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

i) Cllr Bell reported that there had not been a meeting since the last Parish Council.

At the next committee meeting answers to the questions put to it by the Sportsfield Planning Consultant would formulated.

The Clerk read out Mr Cosier’s letter of resignation as a Parish Council representative to the committee was read out. It was Agreed to write a letter to Mr Cosier thanking him for his many years of service as a Council representative and that he would be solely missed.

20. CORRESPONDENCE

i) SODC – Examination of the South Oxfordshire Core Strategy

Exploratory meeting + Pre Hearing meeting Tuesday 17th May 10.00am

Hearing to start on July 12th with Review of the Green Belt timetabled for 28th July

Cllr Birks reported that she had been in contact with Martin Harris (Horspath Parish Council) and had advised that a representative from the Parish Council attend on 17th May and if allowed and it was appropriate give a statement on behalf of the Parish Council. (Copy in Minute book) Cllr Birks said that Cllr Carr was prepared to attend and give the statement. She (Cllr Birks) then read out the statement. She said that nothing in the statement went against current Parish Council policy but that it would be putting down a pointer to the Inspector of the Parish Council’s position.

Cllr Reilly proposed and Cllr Coveley seconded that “Cllr Carr attends the pre-hearing on behalf of the Parish Council and if allowed and it is appropriate she reads the statement as outlined”. This was Agreed by 11 votes in favour with non-against and 4 abstentions.

21. CALENDAR OF MEETINGS – NOTED

i) Planning Committee – Wednesday 25th May 2011 – 7.30pm

ii) F&GP Committee – 23rd May 2011 – 7.30pm

iii) Planning Committee – Wednesday 8th June 2011 – 7.30pm

iv) F&GP Committee – Monday 20th June 2011 – 7.30pm

v) Parish Council Meeting – Monday 4th July 2011– 7.30 pm

22. RESOLUTION TO EXCLUDE THE PUBLIC

Cllr Reilly Proposed and Cllr Carr 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.”

Advantages of ” https://healthylombard.com/buy-ativan/” is that you can go without one for days. I still can live an ordinary life without getting addicted. One of the main disorders “Ativan Online” applying to is anxiety and sleeping problems.

Agreed Nem Con

23. THE MINUTES OF THE CONFIDENTIAL SESSIONS OF THE FINANCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES MEETING OF 15th MARCH & 19th APRIL 2011 were received

The meeting closed at 9 37pm at the conclusion of the Confidential session

Items raised by Councillors

  • The amount of graffiti that has appeared around the village
  • An Enforcement Notice had been served on the land below the windmill. However the owner had made an appeal against the order and it was now with the Planning Inspectors. There had been some tidying up of the land subsequent to the order.
  • The sandpit at Cullum Road recreation area being used as a ‘cat litter tray’
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Full Council 7th March 2011

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WHEATLEY PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF THE ORDINARY MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL

HELD ON MONDAY 7th MARCH 2011 IN THE MERRY BELLS AT 7.30 pm

PRESENT: Councillors: R J Reilly (Chairman), G. Birks, R. T .Bell, C Sprent,

S Coleridge, M Fyffe (from 8.47pm), J Coveley, E Stacey, C Dalton & A Knapp

OFFICER: Gareth Morris, Clerk to the Parish Council

ALSO PRESENT: County Cllr Anne Purse and PCSO Cooney

  1. 100. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE had been received from Cllrs Messenger, Devlin & Coleridge. Cllr Fyffe would be late

  1. 101. MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 10th JANUARY  2011 circulated with this Agenda were signed as a correct and accurate record with the following amendments:

i) Minute 84(i) 6th line – change ‘an’ to ‘on’

ii) Minute 88 4th line – insert ‘seconded’ between ‘Fyffe’ and ‘that’.

  1. 102. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 10TH JANUARY 2011

i) Minute 92 – Space in Wheatley Churchyard – The Clerk reported that he had been informed by OALC that a parish council does not have a ‘duty’ to provide a cemetery

  1. 103. THE MINUTES of the meetings of the Planning Committee held on the following dates were a received.

i) Wednesday 12th January 2011, circulated previously

ii) Wednesday 9th February 2011 circulated previously

  1. 104. THE MINUTES of the meetings of the F&GP Committee meeting  held on the following dates were received:

i) Monday 24th, January 2011 previously circulated

ii) Monday 21ST February 2011, circulated with the Agenda

  1. 105. TO APPOINT MR P HOOD AS THE PARISH COUNCIL’S INDEPENDENT  INTERNAL AUDITOR

Mr Hood had been recommended as Internal Auditor by Mr Rollinson the previous Internal Auditor. Mr Hood, who is the Internal Auditor for a number of neighbouring parishes had sent his letter of engagement.

Cllr Bell proposed and Cllr Carr seconded that Mr Hood be appointed Independent Internal Auditor for the Parish Council Agreed Unanimously

  1. 106. TO CONSIDER MATERS RELATING TO ANNUAL RETURN 2010 – 2011 AND  ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 2010-2011.

(i) Review of Internal Audit Procedures – these had been circulated with the Agenda – Cllr Reilly proposed and Cllr carr proposed that the Review be adopted – Agreed Unanimously

(ii) Risk Assessment Action Plan 2010-2011 The Action plan had been circulated with the Agenda. Cllr Reilly proposed and Cllr Dalton Seconded that the Action be adopted. Agreed Unanimously

  1. 107. TO NOTE THAT THE 2011 PARISH COUNCIL ELECTIONS WILL BE HELD  ON THURSDAY 5TH MAY 2011. NOMINATIONS HAVE TO BE DELIVERED IN PERSON TO SODC OFFICES BY NOON ON MONDAY 4TH APRIL 2011

Nomination forms could be obtained from the Parish Clerk

  1. 108. TO CONSIDER A RESPONSE TO Local Government Boundary Commission’S Electoral review of Oxfordshire

Following discussion of Cllr Bell’s paper at the F&GP meeting held on 21st February the Committee agreed to recommend to full council that the Parish Council’s response should be that the Wheatley Ward should include: Wheatley, Holton, Forest Hill, Garsington and Cuddesdon.

Cllr Dalton proposed and Cllr Birks seconded that the recommendation of the  Finance and General Purposes Committee be adopted. This was Agreed

  1. 109. 10. TO CONSIDER CONSULTATION DOCUMENTS FROM OCC & SODC

i) OCC – Revised Household Waste Recycling Centre Strategy for Oxfordshire

See www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/waste. – Refer to Finance and General Purposes Committee

ii) SODC – Off street parking Order 2011 – Church Road Car park – No charge –  for max  4 hours parking 9am to 5pm Mondays to Fridays – Noted

8.30pm The Chairman declared the Council out of session and invited contributions from the floor

PCSO Cooney – PCSO Cooney gave an update on the recent crime statistics for Wheatley. In answer to a question from the floor he confirmed that the Police do patrol regularly along Old London Road.

County Councillor Anne Purse – reported on the Recycling Centre review. The Thornhill Park and Ride extension could take place in 2012. She was also pressing the County Council to repair the potholes and damaged pavements in Wheatley

8.47pm Cllr Fyffe joined the meeting

District Cllr Carr – said there would be a Parish Council forum on the Localism Bill after the elections. Also the Oxfordshire green Belt network and the CPRE are behind the Parish Council in trying to prevent development in the Green Belt (save for Affordable Housing.

8.50pm The Chairman declared the Council back n session

  1. 110. REPORTS FROM OUTSIDE BODIES

a) Neighbourhood Action Group – This body had now folded. Community Police  officers would now be attending more parish Council meetings

b) The Howe Trust – Cllr Dalton reported that one of the Parish Council representatives had resigned so a new one needed to be appointed at the Parish Council AGM.

Also the Trust had planted its first memorial tree

c) Merry Bells Management Committee – Cllr Carr reported that the central heating system needed to be upgraded

  1. 111. TO CONSIDER MATTERS RELATING TO WHEATLEY PARK SPORTSFIELD   MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

Cllr Bell spoke to his report that had been tabled

  1. 112. CALENDAR OF MEETINGS – NOTED

a)  Planning Committee – Wednesday 9th 2011 – 7.30pm

b)  F&GP Committee – Monday 21st March  – 7.30pm

c)  TRAC – Wednesday 30th March – 7.00pm

d)  Annual Parish Meeting – Monday 4th April – 7.30pm

e)  Planning Committee  – Wednesday 13th April  2011 – 7.30pm

f)   F&GP Committee – Monday 18th April 2011 – 7.30pm

g)  Parish Council Annual General Meeting – Monday 16th May 2011– 7.30pm

  1. 113. RESOLUTION TO EXCLUDE THE PUBLIC

Cllr Carr proposed and Cllr Birks  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 Nem Con

  1. 114. THE MINUTES OF THE CONFIDENTIAL SESSION HELD DURING THE MEETING OF THE F&GP COMMITTEE ON 24TH JANUARY 2011 were received

  1. 115. THE MINUTES OF THE CONFIDENTIAL SESSION HELD DURING THE MEETING OF THE F&GP COMMITTEE ON 21ST FEBRUARY 2011 were received

The meeting Closed at 9.17pm

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District Council Elections 2011

The results of the 2011 Election for Councillors to South Oxfordshire District Council for the Wheatley and Horspath Ward was as follows:

Elected Party                             Votes            %

Janet Maureen Carr             Conservative 976          30.89

Roger Thomas Bell            Liberal Democrats 766          24.24

Not Elected

John Patrick Walsh         Conservative 724          22.91

Helena Tess Harris          Liberal Democrats 694          21.96

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Parish Council Elections 2011

There was no need to hold Parish Council elections in the village this time round because there were only 14 nominations for the 15 available places.

For the names of the Councillors please see the the ‘Councillors’ web page.

The Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Council will be elected at thr Council’s Annual General Meeting on Monday 16th May at 7.30pm in the main hall of the Merry Bells.

At that meeting it is hoped that the vacancy on the Council will be filled by co-option.

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Village Plan Review -September 2010

Part A             Review of Village Plan Achievements to 2010

Achievements

Many of the objectives itemized as PLANS in the Village Plan (pages 16 to 19) have been achieved as summarized below.  The achievement list is excellent. The PLANS are described as medium to long term –presumably over the 10 year life of the Plan. A number of these projects had lives of their own eg within the Parish Council independently of the Village Plan

PLAYGROUNDS FOR UNDER 11s

Plan 1 – Improving the village playgrounds

Since the publication of the Village Plan a major refurbishment of the Church Road recreation ground has been carried out, which is popular and effective. A major refurbishment and imaginative makeover of the Cullum Road Recreation Ground (which includes provision for over 11s) is almost complete. Both these schemes have required much hard work and fundraising, including by individual Parish Councillors; also Parish Council funds.

Plan 2 – Safer access across Church Road to the recreation ground/pavement on North side of Church Road.

This a priority of the Parish Council and is in a queue of works, some of which involve lengthy campaigns to obtain funds from third parties, eg Brookes University and the County Council’s Travel to School schemes.

YOUTH ACTIVITIES

Plan 3 – New/better facilities at the Youth Centre

The Parish Council earmarked funds year on year to open up the Youth Centre on an additional weekday evening. This was not taken up by the County Council notwithstanding repeated Parish Council requests. Query whether most young people welcome the level of supervision involved in Youth Centre schemes. A number of Parish Councillors are pursuing a “Youth Shelter” project which appears very popular. This involves creating an informal, marginally sheltered, gathering place to be installed in one of the recreation grounds. After initial work is appears the Church Road recreation ground is likely to be a more suitable site than Cullum Road.

Plan 4 –Conversion of Primary School Sports Pavilion to Community/Youth centre

Query whether this can happen within the Village Plan time frame; there may be problems with the relative isolation of the Sports Pavilion and the current sports Field agreement with the County Council. This may be something for the future.

NEEDS FOR (sic) THE ELDERLY

Plan 5 – Better information etc services for older persons

Since the Village Plan was published the Parish Council has co-operated with the Citizens’ Advice Bureau in establishing a CAB in Wheatley. This is in the heart of the village at the United Reformed Church, which has very kindly made its facilities available. The Parish Council has paid £1,000 each year towards the cost of the CAB for three years. This service is useful to all residents but especially to the elderly. The Wheatley Information Booklet is being revamped, thanks to the Wheatley Society, and will presumably give details of the various services available in the village for the elderly. The Parish Council has installed a number of public seats around the village, particularly to assist older persons walking into the village.

VILLAGE SERVICES

Plan 6 –Desirability of Markets

A small farmers’ market now takes place weekly/fortnightly on Friday mornings outside the Merry Bells.

THE ENVIRONMENT

Plan 7 –focuses on litter, best kept village competitions, information boards re village history etc.

Best kept village competitions have been entered –thanks to hard work on the part of Parish Councillors Dalton and Carr – and awards have been won. Councillors Slade and Sprent successfully organised recent litter blitzes –thank you.

Plan 8 –Improvements to the Old Burial Ground

The Parish Council has made substantial improvements to the Old Burial Ground, including a redesign of the stone steps on the High Street side, refurbishment of the High Street wall, provision of seats and refurbishment of the path (although the stones deployed on this path now appear unsatisfactory and are likely to be replaced). The commemorative lettering on the war memorial itself has been re-picked out, largely on the initiative of the late Cllr Peter Audley-Miller. “Installing effective fencing and keeping the ground locked at night” may be a step too far and impractical given the nature of the site –the fencing would have to be very high for the heart of the village.

Query whether plans 7 & 8 are sufficient to address the village’s environmental issues.

TRANSPORT, CAR PARKS, PAVEMENTS

Plan 9 – proposes that “car parking is the most urgent component in this category” The Plan proposes that new car parks be constructed on the greensward to the north side of London Road 9 -by the ancient wall – and in the residential Wren Close area; also within the business centre on Old London Road and land at the telephone exchange.

Query whether these sites are suitable and whether demand has been accurately analysed. The Parish Council has rejected the first two sites as being inappropriate.

Plan 10 –“install higher kerbs on many pavements, dropped kerbs at crossing points, pavements at Church Road/Holloway Road junction and in Crown Road”

The Parish Council successfully obtained County Council funding for widening and raising the pavements on the south side of Church Road -an expensive project partly because of drainage problems. The new pavement is not as wide as the Parish Council would have liked but it is an improvement. The County Council declined to improve the pavements on the north side of Church Road for lack of funds.

The Parish Council had previously, with County Council funding, created a pavement on the east side of Friday Lane, where previously there had been none. Further works in Church Road –well publicised in the village -to improve safety, reduce congestion and prevent vehicles driving on the pavement  – by allowing only buses to enter Church Road from the east – are an ongoing  Parish Council project, with the work promised by the County Council in the spring of 2010 (recently  postponed again  by the County Council, apparently for financial  reasons–somewhat odd given that the bus companies have asked for similar measures to be urgently put in place because of the problems in Church Road; also the proposed measures will substantially increase safety and  are extremely cheap.)

New pavements and crossings at the Church Road/ Holloway Road junction and Park Hill roundabouts are also projected, held up by delays in the above Church Road project and the possibility of funding from Brookes University as part of a S106 agreement and School Travel Plan funding.

Pavement widening and pedestrian crossing/s in Station Road are being pursued – with the support of the Primary School. Pavements in Crown Road -the County Council has said there is insufficient room. The pavement and crossing on the north side of Church Road west -by the recreation ground – (Plan 2) is also a Parish Council priority.

The Parish Council has funded a number of new dropped kerbs in the village eg at Simons Close.

See also the Parish Council’s work towards obtaining a quieter modern surface on the A40 past Wheatley in place of the abrasively noisy surface installed without consultation some years ago.

The Parish Council actively supports the installation of a 20mph speed limit throughout the village. See generally the Parish Council’s detailed response to the County Council’s 2010 Local Transport Plan consultation.

The Parish Council would appreciate extra input from residents wishing to help make the village safe for pedestrians and cyclists; also to make the village more pleasant and attractive to live in – eg by meeting the local preference for reducing the volume of through traffic using the village (see the huge vote for this vote shown on page 34 of the Village Plan document).

FOOTPATHS AND CYCLEWAYS

Plan 11 –Open new footpath from Ladder Hill via Howe Close to Littleworth; open new path/cycle way from Roman Road to Asda

The first footpath crosses private land with an elderly disused railway bridge and proved unfeasible; the Parish Council is actively pursuing a cycle route from west to east of the village and thence to Thame and has sought funding including from Brookes University. This is an ongoing project. The footpath from Station Road to Farm Close has been successfully refurbished. At Roman Road the Parish Council has extended the footpath by the stream to the roadside. The Littleworth footpath has been extended and improvements made where the path meets the business “apron.” in Littleworth. See also the Parish Council’s response to the County Council’s 2010 Local Transport Plan Consultation.

SPORTS

Plan 12 –New facilities sought –all weather bowling green, all weather outdoor pitch, roller blade park; aspirations -indoor tennis court, swimming pool, ten pin bowling alley.

A major project to renew the sports pavilion at Holton with brand new facilities is ongoing. This is organised by the Sports  Field Association, which is part funded by the Parish Council to the tune, currently, of c £10,000 per annum.

COMMENTARY

  • The 2004 Village Plan states, at page 2, that it is a ten year plan. The ten year period expires in 2014.
  • The Executive Summary, at page 3, prioritises car parking first and foremost. There is no analysis of the pedestrian safety and traffic concerns of the village, although dropped kerbs and controlled crossings are prioritised. Improvements to public footpaths and to the recreation grounds are also highlighted.
  • The Plan authors, somewhat controversially, designate Wheatley at page 4 a “rural town” rather than a village.
  • The assumption, at page 3, that environmental improvements can be left to the District and County Councils, has not proved justified.
  • At page 4 the Plan states that “traffic simply flows through the village and has little connection with it”. At page 5 the Plan states “It is to address the sustainability of village community life that this report has been written”. On page 6 the objectives of the plan include –“to evaluate the… problems and needs… of the community.”
  • At page 6 traffic calming was stated to be excluded from consideration for the reason that it was “in process”. However “the environment, issues associated with living in certain locations and transport were included. At page 36 the printed responses to the Village Plan questionnaires show that 1,171 residents (a very high proportion of the adult population) “agreed with the attempts being made to reduce traffic driving through Wheatley” (Village Plan emphasis).  This vote and its broader priorities for the village are not reflected in the detailed Plans and, oddly, are contradicted by a few of the short term “Action Points”.
  • The Parish Council has worked on numerous other projects since 2004 –please see detailed Minutes and Agendas of Parish Council and committee meetings. There have been successes and certainly much background work. For example a Parish Council website has been established; the Parish Council very recently persuaded the County Council to use a modern quiet surface for the August/September 2010 A40 repair works – this sets a helpful precedent for the remainder of the noisy A40 stretch currently blighting Wheatley and Shotover; the land in the centre of the village previously occupied by the toilet block is about to be purchased by the Parish Council for community use.

The Six Action Points (pages 20, 25 & 26 of the Plan) – these are said by the Plan to be recommendations for short term action eg “writing letters and would not necessarily involve significant costs”.

In the case of some Action Points this is not a realistic assessment of the work involved; also some of the Points appear to have a limited correlation with the statistics of the Village Plan questionnaire responses.

Action Point 1 relates to matters such as “increased NHS  dental services, respite for carers, improvements to the Library, further education classes, and improvements to the Merry Bells” none of which appear to fall within the remit of the Parish Council. At the time of writing it is not clear whether the Wheatley Society and other village organisations have pursued these matters. The Merry Bells Management Committee has made ongoing improvements to the building and has recently embarked upon plans to improve the Merry Bells frontage; also to prevent cars driving on the forecourt in the context that pre school children use it.

Action Point 2 These suggestions came from a small number of respondents,  mostly High Street businesses and shops, eg “improved car parking near the shops, reducing planning restrictions, removing traffic calming features” etc. To some extent these points contradict the majority responses shown at page 36 of the Village Plan document. A way needs to be found to balance business interests with residents’ wish to have an unpolluted, safer and more pleasant environment.  Such an environment is likely in turn to bring more business to local shops.  Improved car parking near the shops is an ongoing need which has proved difficult to achieve in an ancient High Street with unmonitored car parks. There is on street parking within easy walking distance from the shops, but see Village Plan at Page 4 quoted above –“traffic simply flows through the village and has little connection with it”. This is unlikely to change very substantially for commuters accustomed to shopping at nearby Asda, Waitrose, Tesco, Sainsburys. The market is ideally local and local trade is likely to increase with a more attractive village environment so that residents, including children, can walk/cycle pleasantly and safely to their local shops. The Parish Council has considered an environmental improvement scheme in the heart of the village near the shops but has been told there is no funding at present.

Action Point 3& 4 relate to litter, recycling and waste. The District Council has introduced much of the requested recycling provision.

Action Point 5 –“More information about Town & Country Planning applications; no development in the Green Belt; Affordable Housing” All planning applications appear on SODC’s website. The Parish Council has recently set up its own website which will include the agendas and minutes of its Planning Committee. The Parish Council has pursued an energetic policy of protecting the Green Belt and has actively supported the search for an “Exception Site” for affordable housing in the village, consistent with policies for the preservation of the Green Belt. The need for Affordable Housing is considered regularly at meetings of the Parish Council and has been the subject of newsletter articles by the Chairman of the Council.

Action Point 6 deals with particular security issues which are largely beyond the control of the Parish Council, although the Council works well with the Police and Community Safety officers on security issues at large.

Action Point 7 – increase car parking times in the High Street. This has been achieved to a modest extent. Query –possible conflict of priorities between residents seeking long term parking on the one hand and local shops seeking brief parking for passing trade.

Action Point 8 –mentions public transport matters. NB the Parish Council has an active and experienced Public Transport Representative.

Action Point 9 (Footpaths and Cycle ways)  –“reopen old White Hart footpath-High Street to Church Road; install lighting on 3 village footpaths; cut grass and remove litter and dog dirt.” The Parish Council made a detailed formal application to the County Council’s Footpaths Agency to reopen the White Hart footpath for public use. This application failed and consequently the footpath remains closed. The Parish Council has arranged and paid for lighting to be installed at the Beech Road/Kelham Hall footpath and an arrangement has been kindly agreed by the bakery to improve lighting on the High Street/Farm Close Road footpath. The County Council is responsible for the maintenance of public footpaths. The Parish Council has subscribed to additional dog waste bins –at considerable public expense.

Action Point 10 –the requested informal recreational access to the Holton/Primary school playing fields proved unworkable for reasons beyond the control of the Parish Council.

Part B         WHEATLEY PARISH COUNCIL

VILLAGE PLAN 2010

Mission statement

Wheatley Parish Council serves to shape and fulfill the vision of Wheatley Parish continuing to develop into the 21st century as a thriving semi-rural community, whilst maintaining its emphasis as a village and protecting it from the less desirable effects of its location.

Objectives

1.    To take a lead in the development of appropriate facilities and services for the benefit of Wheatley residents of all ages, and to deliver these on time and on budget.

2.    To respond to the ever-changing environment by protecting the interests of Wheatley residents, both current and future.

3.    To ensure Wheatley is a safe and enjoyable place in which to grow up, live, work and grow old.

Strategies

1. Facilities and infrastructure

Maintain

  • To continue to maintain existing green spaces, play areas, seating and pathways via grass cutting, tree and general maintenance, and litter picking to a good standard.

Look to develop

  • To improve pedestrian safety and accessibility.
  • To reduce rat-run traffic volumes and speed through the village.
  • To improve sports, play and recreational facilities for villagers of all ages.
  • To improve the village centre environment.
  • To provide affordable housing as required.
  • To consult on/hold a public competition for a design for best community use of the “former toilet block” land in the heart of the village
  • To improve the availability of short term parking for shoppers in the village via the existing car park and on-street spaces, including by drawing up proposals for measures to reduce the current problem of all day commuter park-and-ride behaviour.

Do not progress

  • Whilst one proposed outcome from the questionnaires suggested a need to provide new car parks this was not felt a priority to progress, at least for the time-being, since more parking would encourage all-day commuter park-and-riding, additional hazards on our narrow streets and has the potential to ruin the rural nature of the village.

2. Services and Communication

Maintain

  • To continue to support and publicise village societies and organisations to ensure all residents are aware of the opportunities and services available to them.
  • To continue to encourage and support outside organisations such as C.A.B. who can offer support and advice to residents.
  • To continue to communicate directly with village at least bi-monthly to ensure residents are kept abreast of initiatives.
  • To maintain and improve the infant Parish Council website, which provides Parish Council Agendas and Minutes to the community.

Look to develop

  • To improve accessibility of information and encourage input from all residents.
  • To support additional business/non-commercial organisations who might bring employment and services to the local community.

3. Community and Environment

Maintain

  • To continue to support third party organisations such as SODC, CPRE, Shotover Estate, Wheatley Primary School etc to protect the Wheatley village area from unwanted, potentially damaging development, whilst ensuring positive works are supported.
  • To continue to support third party organisations to protect biodiversity in the area.

Look to develop

  • To create a Wheatley biodiversity statement and to identify which areas in the parish and vicinity should be protected.
  • To work, together with other third parties, such as neighbouring parish councils and local councillors to improve and protect the rural nature of Wheatley – including reducing the noise polluting effects of A40/M40 or local roads, putting in place measures to minimise all day street parking by commuters into Oxford etc.
  • To support third parties such as Fusion in building positive relationships across age  and social groups in the village via village events etc

Action Plans

1. Facilities and infrastructure

  • In conjunction with the Sports field Management Committee, to pursue grants with the aim of improving the sports fields and buildings
  • To work on the arrangements  which will take the place of   the current Sports field agreement with the County Council, on its expiry in November 2013
  • To add a Youth Shelter to the Church Road recreational ground.
  • To continue to maintain and refurbish  recreation grounds as need/opportunity arise.
  • To develop the existing, and look at new opportunities to enhance, the footpath network.
  • To add to the dog bin locations as seen necessary to maintain cleanliness on paths and streets.
  • To maintain and improve the Parish Council- owned allotment sites as required.
  • To draw up proposals and secure third party funding for a new cycle path.
  • To draw up proposals and secure third party funding to introduce pedestrian safety/speed measures on Church Road including the junction with Holloway Road.
  • To draw up proposals as above for Holloway/London Rd/Park Hill junction.
  • To draw up proposals as above for a crossing at the Cromwell Place/Fairfax Gate London Rd junction.
  • To work with Primary School on their travel plan objective to secure funding for a Station Road pedestrian crossing;  to look at creative school-traffic problem solutions such as park & walk schemes which may help reduce traffic volumes, and to encourage walking/cycling to school initiatives as a whole.
  • To promote signage/road changes to reduce through traffic volumes and speeds – including to reduce inappropriate Heavy Goods Vehicles/Sat Nav problems on minor roads, and dissuade rat-running traffic in general.
  • To draw up proposals to create a no-through road for Bell Lane, thereby reducing traffic cut-through speeds and helping to improve pedestrian safety in a proven danger-spot in the centre of the village.
  • To maintain an active involvement, including with the Park School, in the Brookes Campus development plans and ensure appropriate section 106 improvements are obtained for the village. These include obtaining funding for the child/student friendly road safety measures outlined above.
  • To purchase pockets of land, as appropriate to enhance the village centre/High Street environment, eg the former toilet block land adjacent to the parade of shops.
  • To work with third parties to assess the needs of residents and influence those bodies, so far as we are able, to supply as required, suitable  affordable housing.

2. Services and Communication

  • To support third party development of a village information booklet.
  • To deliver and develop the bi-monthly newsletter.
  • To maintain and improve the Parish Council website

3. Community and environment

  • To continue to control  development and protect  the village from inappropriate development via the Parish Council’s Planning Committee and Traffic and Roads Advisory Committee; also the Council’s relationships with SODC and other government agencies.
  • To actively protect  village interests in regard to national/council planning, voicing concerns robustly where necessary, whilst actively supporting favourable development initiatives such as Thornhill Park & Ride extension etc
  • To build relationships with local MP and district/city and county representatives to ensure Wheatley’s best interests are put forward wherever possible, and in particular in relation to the Local Transport Plan.
  • To work together with other local parish councils, organisations and societies to ensure the local villages act in unison where relevant for the good of us all – in particular to actively campaign for A40 resurfacing with a view to  noise reduction.
  • To continue to liaise with commercial organisations and employers (such as ASDA) as well as local schools and higher education personnel to ensure that the needs of the community are met when considering any future developments.

Wheatley Parish Council

6th September 2010

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