Wheatley Parish Council
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE OF THE COUNCIL HELD ON MONDAY 22ND SEPTEMBER 2014 IN THE PARISH OFFICE AT 7.30PM
PRESENT: Councillors: P Willmott (Chair), G Stephens, R Bell, D Lamont, R Old, G Birks (until 9.10pm) & R J Reilly
OFFICER THE CLERK: Gareth Morris
15. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE had been received from Cllrs Carr and Coleridge
16. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – Cllr Willmott as an officer in the Wheatley Rugby Club declared an interest in item 11(iv)
17. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING HELD 21st JULY 2014 which had been circulated previously were signed as a correct and accurate record
18. UPDATE ON ITEMS FROM THE MINUTES 21st JULY 2014
i) Minute 6(i) New entrance in to Church Road Recreation ground – Two tenders had been received, out of the three requested. These would be looked at in the Confidential Session of the Agenda
19. TO RECEIVE THE REPORT FROM EXTERNAL AUDITOR ON 2013-2014 ACCOUNTS – The committee noted that the External Auditor had no matters of concern.
20. FORMULATION OF A VILLAGE EMERGENCY PLAN
Councillors were reminded that Mr Roger Bettess had contacted the County Council over the possibility of the Parish Council having the power to close roads affected by flooding. The advice had been that it was possible but that it should form part of the village’s emergency plan.
Some time ago, Cllr Davies had volunteered to head up the formulation of a village plan aided by other councillors. The clerk was asked to contact Cllr Davies and remind her of the offer.
Salt requirement for winter 2014 – the county council again was offering parishes a free one ton bag of road grit for them to use on the roads (OCC would do one fill of the grit bins.). A discussion followed on the merits and practicalities of the Parish taking up the offer (it hadn’t in the previous two years).
Cllr Stephens proposed and Cllr Birks seconded that the Parish Council does not take up the County Council’s offer of a free ton bag of salt/grit as the Parish had nowhere to store it. Agreed by 4 votes to 1 with 2 abstentions.
21. TO RECOMMEND TO FULL COUNCIL THAT STANDING ORDER 73 IS REVISED TO READ:
“The Clerk shall afford to the press reasonable facilities for making their report of any proceedings at which they are entitled to be present. A person may not orally report or comment about a meeting as it takes place if he is present at the meeting of a Parish Council or its committees but otherwise may:
a) film photograph or make an audio recording of a meeting
b) use any other means for enabling persons not present to see or hear proceedings at a meeting as it takes place or later
c) report or comment on the proceedings in writing during or after a meeting or orally report or comment afterwards”
Cllr Lamont proposed and Cllr Reilly seconded that committee recommend the revision to full council – Agreed unanimously
“Recording of meetings” should be placed as an item on the next F&GP Agenda
22. CLERK UPDATE
i) Appointment of Assistant Clerk – Annette Richards had taken up her position in August.
ii) Repairs to mower – These had now been completed
iii) Farm Close Road patio wall – a resident had complained that the brickwork by the steps at the front of the patio had broken away. The clerk had agreed that had needed repair for some time and had asked Richard Taylor of Taylor Landscapes to look it. The cost would be £225 plus VAT. It was agreed to go ahead with the repair.
iv) The Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulations 2014
OALC Training 2nd October Didcot – £35 – Agreed that the Clerk and Assistant Clerk should attend.
v) OCC Traffic Order London Road Headington – 20.09.14 –The County council would be resurfacing London Road Headington starting on 2oth September.
vi) Request from Royal British Legion/Wheatley Society for permission to put a commemorative plaque on the War Memorial. This was granted. The committee would like a change in the wording to “2014 They are not forgotten”
vii) Refurbishment of the War Memorial – This would start on the 24th September.
viii) Budget for 2015-2016 – the clerk reminded councillors that the budget process for 2015-2016 should now begin. He would bring a draft revised budget for 2014-15 and a draft budget for 2015-2016 to the next meeting.
ix) Playground Inspection – Zurich had completed their inspection. The only major issue was worn shackles on the swing in Church Road Recreation which should be replaced as soon as possible.
23. TO CONSIDER THE NEXT STEPS IN THE VILLAGE GREEN APPLICATION
A letter from OCC, Countryside Access, requesting confirmation that the land outlined on their map was the same as on the Parish Council’s original application.
The clerk to write back confirming that the land outlined was the same.
24. TO CONSIDER REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR THE SANDPIT IN CULLUM ROAD RECREATION GROUND
Given that the estimate from Proludic included a figure of £1,500 for ‘Poor Access’. Playdale Ltd had been asked to submit an estimate which was just short of £3,000. A site meeting had been held with a Playdale Representative, but the quote that came back was around £6,000. This was again was felt too much and the company had been asked to scale down the scheme. It was agreed that if the final estimate was under £5,000 then Playdale be asked to go ahead.
25. GRANTS, LICENCES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS
i) St Mary’s Church – grant for maintaining church and graveyard Section 214(6) LGA 1972 (2013-14 £500) – AGREED
ii) Wheatley Park School Prize Giving (2013-14 £200) – AGREED
iii) CPRE Subscription for 2014-15 – £36 (2013-14 £36) – AGREED
iv) Wheatley Rugby Club – request for grant to refurbish toilets at the pavilion – £5,000 – AGREED – Cllr Willmott having declared an interest in this item did not vote.
26. TO CONSIDER VARIOUS TRAFFIC MATTERS IN THE VILLAGE
i) Bell Lane corner – A number of Councillors had used the junction as marked out and felt that it was worth going for. The clerk to ask Mark Francis to draw up plans and costings.
ii) Vehicle Activated Devices – Cllrs Reilly and Davies had looked at possible locations and had suggested top of Ladder Hill and along London Road. This to be referred to TRAC.
A budget of £10,000 was proposed by Cllr Birks and seconded by Cllr Stephens. This was Agreed by 6 votes in favour with 1 against.
iii) Pedestrian Crossing outside Morland House, London Road. A group of residents had spent some time cutting back foliage on the flyover to give a clearer view of the crossing. Other low cost suggestions had been made to OCC. Cty Cllr Purse had added her voice to the move of the crossing as part of the promised review of the scheme promised by OCC & Brookes.
iv) Extra double yellow lines along Church Road. The clerk had written to eleven properties along Church Road that might be affected. Four replies had been received giving a mixed reception to the idea. It was agreed to send the replies to Mark Francis for a decision on whether the County would go ahead with the scheme
9.10pm – Cllr Birks left the meeting
v) SODC – Civil Parking Enforcement – response by 31st October.
SODC had sent a request asking the Parish Council whether or not it would support the introduction of civil parking enforcement (CPE) in South Oxfordshire
Cllr Reilly proposed and Cllr Bell proposed that the Parish Council support the introduction of civil parking enforcement. Agreed by 5 votes to 0 with 1 abstention
27. TO CONSIDER AND MAKE COMMENTS ON THE REVIEW OF POLLING DISTRICTS AND POLLING PLACES BEING UNDERTAKEN BY SODC.
AGREED that the Parish Council was happy with the Merry Bells Hall being used as the village’s polling. Size of hall and disabled access were satisfactory.
28. TO REVIEW THE STATE OF THE GUTTERS ACROSS THE VILLAGE
It was agreed that the clerk write to SODC (Ian Robinson) and ask what the current procedure for the roads sweeper coming to the village.
29. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
a) A completed copy of reconciled bank statement was signed by the Chairman & RFO
The Budget to the end of August 2014 was discussed
b) Balances
After the cheques below have been paid the balances on the council’s accounts as at
22nd September 2014 will be as follows: Community £298.85
Tracker £120,500.93
Treasury £60,609.01
30. SCHEDULE OF PAYMENTS TO BE AUTHORISED
Cheque no. | Payee | Payment details | Amount |
Cheques paid | |||
d/d | Bank charges | 13.6.14 to13.07.14 | 17.88 |
105968 | The Post Office | Stamps | 347.00 |
105969 | SODC | Dog bin emptying April-Sept | 200.92 |
105963-967
105970-975 |
GM/SW/JF/OCC/AR/HMR&C | Aug&July sal/wages/pen/PAYE/NICs | 3,560.68
3,921.32 |
Total | £8,047.80 | ||
Cheques to Pay | |||
105977 | Grzegorz Zasuwa | Window cleaning | 5.00 |
105978 | Kantara Ltd | Domain name,email 2013-2016 | 556.80 |
105979 | J Watson | Aug-Sept newsletter | 680.00 |
105980 | Parchment | Aug-Sept newsletter | 1,484.90 |
105981 | Mainstream Digital | Tel calls July 2014 | 2.34 |
105982 | Lyreco | Paper and diary & calendar | 44.32 |
105983 | P Farrell, Abby Farm | Repairs to mower | 86.20 |
105984 | Green Scythe Ltd | Rec cutting July 2014 x 2 | 456.00 |
105984 | Green Scythe Ltd | Cullum Rd sandpit etc | 1,656.00 |
105985 | D Lamont | Milage 2 trips to Sodc | 30.52 |
105986 | Berinsfield Community Business | Verges cut July | 608.33 |
105987 | Lyreco | Telephone, multiblock, wrist rest | 99.00 |
105988 | Berinsfield Community Business | Aug cut verges + FCR Patio | 674.33 |
105989 | Stanton Hope Ltd | Round Up weed killer | 327.54 |
105990 | BDO Ltd | External Audit | 480.00 |
105991 | Thames Water | Memorial Gardens | 6.47 |
105994 | Green Scythe | Recs cutting Aug | 228.80 |
105995 | WPSFMC | 3rd Quarter instalment | 2,000.00 |
GM/SW/JF/AR/OCC//HMR&C | Sept sal/wages/pen/PAYE/NICs | 3,700.00 | |
Total | £13,126.55 |
INCOME RECEIVED SINCE LAST MEETING
Income details | Amount |
Newsletter Advertising | 6,015.00 |
Treasury Bill Interest | 20.22 |
Allotment’s | 10.00 |
Total | £6,045.22 |
31. PUBLICATIONS & CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED – NOTED
i) The Haseleys – September 2014*
ii) Little Milton Newsletter – August + September 2014*
iii) Great Milton Bulletin – July & August 2014*
iv) URC Newsletter September 2014*
v) Holton, Waterperry & Waterstock News August 2014*
vi) Tiddington with Albury &Milton Common – Aug/Sept 2014*
vii) Wheatley/Chalgrove Neighbourhood Policing August 2014*
viii) Oxfordshire Playing Fields Association Summer 2014 newsletter*
ix) CPRE Countryside Voice and Field Work Summer 2014*
x) LCR (Local Council Review) Summer 2014*
xi) TVP Neighbourhood Newsletter September 2014*
xii) “trees” – Journal of the International Tree Foundation Sept. 2014*
* On display in Parish Office
32. DATE OF NEXT MEETING – 20th October 2014 – Noted
33. RESOLUTION TO EXCLUDE THE PUBLIC
Cllr Reilly proposed and Cllr Lamont seconded “that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph X of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act, namely private contractual and employment matters”
Agreed unanimously
The meeting closed at 9.48pm at the conclusion of the Confidential Agenda