Parish Council 1st July 2013
WHEATLEY PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL
HELD ON MONDAY 1st JULY 2013 IN THE MERRY BELLS AT 7.30 PM
PRESENT: Councillors: J Reilly (Chairman), R Bell, C Dalton. E Bailey, G Stephens, J Carr, S Coleridge, P Willmott, R Old, G Birks & J Coveley
OFFICER: Gareth Morris, Clerk to the Parish Council
Also present: County Councillor Anne Purse, and 3 members of the public
In the absence of Cllr Stacey, Chairman of the Council, the Vice-Chairman, Cllr Reilly, took the chair for the duration of the meeting
31. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE had been received from Cllrs Stacey, Lamont, Anderson & Knapp
32. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – None
33. MINUTES of the meeting of the Extra Ordinary Parish Council meeting held on Monday 17th June 2013 which had been circulated with the Agenda were signed as a correct and accurate record with the following corrections:
Remove the 2nd ‘S Coleridge ‘ from and add ‘J Coveley’ to those present
34. UPDATE from the meeting held on Monday 13th May 2013
i) OPEN FORUM –Land behind the Windmill – report on action taken and response from SODC. Cllr Bell reported that he had taken the matter up with the Enforcement officers at SODC who had paid a site visit. They had replied that they were “unable to establish a breach of planning control at this time.” It was agreed to keep the pressure up on the District Council by writing to them with evidence of breaches in their planning permission.
ii) MINUTE 17 – SODC’S Community Governance review. Cllr Reilly gave a verbal report on his and the Chairman’s visit to Holton Parish Council meeting informing them of Wheatley’s submission to the Consultation on the Community Governance Review.
The clerk reported that Wheatley’s suggestion re the Parish boundary had been submitted to SODC.
35. UPDATE from the meeting held on Monday 17th June 2013
The Internal Auditor’s report had been received and was an item on the Agenda for this meeting. The Annual Return and supporting documents had been submitted to the External Auditor.
36. THE MINUTES of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on:
Wednesday 19th June, which had been circulated with the Agenda, were received
37. THE MINUTES of the meeting of the F&GP Committee meeting held on Monday 17th June were received
38. TO RECEIVE AND NOTE THE REPORT OF THE INTERNAL AUDITOR, MR PHILLIP HOOD
The report of the Internal Auditor had been received and circulated to all councillors. The only recommendation was that next year a further explanatory note should be added to the financial statements in regard to the earmarked funds eg stating proposed commencement and completion of the project
Cllr Carr proposed and Cllr Dalton seconded that the Internal auditors report be received and approved. Agreed unanimously
39. SODC’S HOUSING ALLOCATIONS PLANS FOR THE LARGER VILLAGES
Beryl Guiver, Planning Policy Officer, SODC had been invited to the meeting. She explained her role and where the District Council was up to in setting their housing allocation plans. She said she wished to work with the Parish council in the period leading up to December 2013 when the allocation should be formalised.
She had organised a drop in session/exhibition in the Merry Bells Hall between 2pm and 8pm on Tuesday 13th August
Also she would like to see the sites chosen by the District Council for herself along with Parish Councillors. The clerk would check diaries.
She informed the council that new rules meant that on exception sites there could now be 25% ‘marketable’ housing leaving 75% social housing.
In a general housing development, 40% of the housing should be social housing with 20% of that 40% being for ‘local’ people.
It was agreed that this matter be now dealt with in the first instance by the Planning Committee.
Mrs Guiver was thanked for her attendance.
8.20pm The Chairman declared the council out of session
County Councillor Anne Purse
The Library Service would be holding a public meeting in the Merry Bells to discuss the option for Wheatley library. The likely shortfall would be £15,000, to be met either in cash or volunteers or a combination of both
The Holton Share Care funding is continuing.
It may be possible for parishes to join together and fund a gritting service during the winter months using a quad bike and trailer. More information would be available soon.
In connection with the new school transport funding arrangements she would like to know about anybody having had an accident along the cycle track by the A40. Having such a track might count against transport for students travelling to Wheatley Park School
Finally she has heard from Keith Stenning, OCC Highways that work is likely to start on the Roundhouse pavement in the near future.
District Cllr Roger Bell
A new Housing Allocation policy gives a tighter definition of ‘local’. There is an on-line consultation on the housing allocation.
8.52pm The Chairman declared the Council back in session
40. TO CONSIDER MATTERS RELATING TO WHEATLEY PARK SPORTSFIELD MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
Cllr Willmott spoke to his report which had been circulated with the Agenda
The Rugby Club had received £4,000 from the RFU to refurbish part of the old pavilion.
The Joint User Agreement would run until at least August 2014.
The Committee were looking into the true costs of running the two fields and would be developing a business plan for the running of the fields.
Negotiating a new joint user agreement with Wheatley Park School was the next important step. To this end Cllr Birks spoke to her tabled paper giving the Parish Council’s case for seeking legal opinion.
Cllr Carr proposed and Cllr Stephens that the Parish Council goes ahead and asks for legal opinion along the line suggested by Cllr Birks. This was Agreed by 10 votes for with 0 against and 1 abstention
Cllr Willmott was given a vote of thanks for his hard work on this matter on behalf of the Parish Council.
41. TO CONSIDER THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA BY THE PARISH COUNCIL AND BY PARISH COUNCILLORS
Following discussion Cllr Dalton proposed and Cllr Stephens seconded that any further discussion on whether the Parish Council should adopt the use of social media be differed until the assistant to the clerk was appointed.
42. TO RECEIVE A REPORT FROM THE ADVISORY GROUP ON THE YOUTH CAFÉ
The minutes of the last Advisory Group meeting had been circulated with the Agenda.
These were discussed.
43. TO CONSIDER A REQUEST TO THE DISTRICT COUNCIL FOR FUNDING FROM THEIR FUND FOR TOWN AND VILLAGE CENTRES
It was agreed to apply for funding for new noticeboards in the centre and the outskirts of the village.
44. REPORTS FROM OUTSIDE BODIES
i) The Merry Bells Management Committee – The gentlemen’s lavatories had been refurbished
ii) The Howe Trust – Wild orchids had been spotted growing
iii) The Park Sports Centre Joint User Group – No report
iv) Thames Valley Police – No report
45. CALENDAR OF MEETINGS – Noted
i) Planning Committee – Wednesday 10th July 2013 – 7.30pm
ii) F&GP Committee Monday 15th July 2013 – 7.30pm
iii) TRAC Meeting –Wednesday 24th July 2013– 7.30pm
iv) Planning Committee – Wednesday 14th August 2013 – 7.30pm
v) Parish Council Meeting – Monday 2nd September 2013– 7.30 pm
The meeting closed at 9.56pm