Wheatley Parish Council
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE OF THE COUNCIL HELD ON MONDAY 20th OCTOBER 2014 IN THE PARISH OFFICE AT 7.30PM
PRESENT: Councillors: P Willmott (Chair), G Stephens, R Bell, D Lamont, J Carr &
S. Coleridge
OFFICER THE CLERK: Gareth Morris
Also present: Cllr A Davis for item 6 (minute 40)
35. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE had been received from Cllr R Old.
36. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – None
37. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING HELD 22nd SEPTEMBER 2014 which had been circulated previously were signed as a correct and accurate record with the following corrections:
Minute 19- second line -change ‘They’ to ‘The’
Minute 26(ii) – second line – Add ‘Road’ after ‘London’.
38. UPDATE ON ITEMS FROM THE MINUTES 22ND SEPTEMBER 2014
i) Minute 6(i) New entrance in to Church Road Recreation ground. Hall Construction had accepted the contract for the work. No start date had been agreed.
ii) Minute 22(vii) Refurbishment of War Memorial and Memorial Gardens. The cleaning of the Memorial had been completed but not the repainting of the lettering.
Cllr Lamont along with Cllr Stephens & Reilly had laid 2 tons of chippings (cost £160) along the footpaths. They were given excellent help from 6 students from Wheatley Park School as part of their ‘Big Learning Day’.
iii) Minute 22(ix) Playground Inspection – the shackles for the swings had been purchased and fixed.
iv) Minute 24 Replacement Equipment in Cullum Road Recreation Ground. Playdale had provided a quote for £4,802. The clerk had discussed with the representative that there would be no need for toilet facilities and to keep the site secure overnight Harris Fencing could be put across the public entrances.
v) Minute 28 State of the Gutters across the village
SODC had written saying that their ‘The Big Clean Up’ would be visiting the village. The letter was rather confusing as to what exactly would be included. Cllr Carr to take the matter up with the Waste Team. The Committee suggested that the High Street, Ladder Hill, Old Road and Acremead Road
39. TO FORMULATE A VILLAGE EMERGENCY PLAN
Cllr Davies was present and spoke to her draft Emergency Plan which was circulated to the committee.
She emphasised that input would be needed from other Parish Councillors and residents on ‘useful’ people, locations and suppliers. She suggested that a small working party be set up to add details. Cllr Lamont and Stephens agreed to help.
Cllr Davies was thanked for the hard work she had put into the draft plan.
The Clerk would now circulate the draft plan to all councillors and ask Holton Parish Council (via their Clerk, Sonia Barter) if they wish to be part of Wheatley’s plan.
40. TO CONSIDER A REVISED BUDGET FOR 2014-15 AND THE 2015-2016 BUDGET
(i) Revised 2014-15 budget
Following discussion on the revised budget it was agreed that:
- ‘Tree Work should be kept at £4,000
- ‘Street Furniture’ to include £4,000 for new notice boards.
- ‘Footpaths’ – to include £20,000 cost of new entrance into Church Road Recreation Ground
(ii) 2015-2016 budget
Suggestions for changes were
- Rent for office needs to be checked
- Tree Work to be kept at £,4000
- £2,000 to be added for update of Information Booklet. Clerk to check previous booklet cost.
- £2,000 provision made for recharge to SODC for Parish Council elections
- It was likely that Council Tax Reimbursement from SODC would go down next year
- Refund form OCC for verges would be reduced by 50%
The Clerk reported that even if the precept was increased there would be a decrease in the Parish Council’s balances both in this financial year and the next.
41. TO CONSIDER THE AUDIO/VIDEO RECORDING BY THE PARISH COUNCIL OF PARISH COUNCIL MEETINGS
Cllr Lamont proposed and Cllr Coleridge seconded that Cllrs Willmott and Stephens investigate the feasibility the Parish Council making audio recordings of Parish Council meetings. This was AGREED
42. TO CONSIDER THE NEXT STEPS IN THE VILLAGE GREEN APPLICATION
Nothing had been received from the County Council
Cllr Willmott reported that he believed that Joan Mortars (Headteacher at the Primary Academy) had asked M. Watts (Grounds Contractor) to quote for regular maintenance of ¼ of the field and for 1 cut per year for the rest of the field including the football pitch.
43. CLERK UPDATE
i) Christmas Tree and Lights – AGREED
ii) OALC Training – “Being Good Employer” – 12th November 2014 – £65. AGREED that Cllr Lamont would attend
iii) Oxford Brookes and the Residents’ Associations Meeting – 21st Oct – 6.30pm – Cllr Bell would be attending
iv) SODC Town and Parish Forum – Wednesday 12th Nov @ 6.00pm – Crowmarsh
AGREED that Cllr Lamont and Cllr Stephens or Willmott would attend
v) The Clerk reported that the lower part of Holloway Road would be closed for gas main works from 11th November for up to 6 weeks
44. To seek approval for the establishment of a joint working party to include the PC and the Wheatley British Legion to monitor and recommend improvements to the maintenance of the memorial gardenS
Cllr Stephens proposed and Cllr Lamont seconded that the working party be established. This was AGREED
Cllrs Lamont, Coleridge and Bell agreed to be the Parish Council representatives
45. GRANTS, LICENCES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS
i) Royal British Legion – Wreath – £40 – AGREED
ii) South and Vale Carers – request for grant (£200 213-14) – (supports 8 carers from the village) Cllr Carr proposed and Cllr Stephens seconded that the amount be raised to £250. – AGREED
46. TO CONSIDER VARIOUS TRAFFIC MATTERS IN THE VILLAGE
i) Bell Lane corner – still awaiting costings.
ii) Vehicle Activated Devices – exact locations eg lamp post numbers to be decided
iii) Pedestrian Crossing outside Morland House, London Road. Meeting with Anthony Kirkwood and Mark Francis (both OCC Highways) had yet to be arranged..
iv) Extra double yellow lines along Church Road. – has been referred to Full Council on 3rd November.
v) SODC – Civil Parking Enforcement – response by 31st October.
The Clerk read out objections from 3 residents of High Street to the possibility of parking enforcement in the High Street. An objection from Cllr Davies to the decision to support SODC in parking enforcement being taken by Finance and General Purposes Committee and not full council was noted.
SODC had asked for suggestions for roads that would benefit from better enforcement. The clerk to reply with all of High Street, Church Road, Crown Square, Littleworth Road, Station Road, Old London Road and Crown Road
vi) Collision between house and HGV in High St – the clerk had contacted OCC Trading Standards and they would write back with advice.
9.30pm Cllr Stephens proposed that Standing orders be suspended for 20 minutes so the Agenda could be finished. Cllr Carr seconded. AGREED.
47. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
A copy of reconciled bank statement was signed by the Chairman & RFO
Budget to the end of September 2014 – taken under Item 5 (Minute 40)
b) Balances
After the cheques below have been paid the balances on the council’s accounts as at
20th October 2014 will be as follows: Community £2,047.29
Tracker £161,891.93
Treasury £60,651.31
48. SCHEDULE OF PAYMENTS AUTHORISED
| Cheque no. | Payee | Payment details | Amount |
| Cheques paid | |||
| 105993 | OALC | Training Course | 84.00 |
| 105997 | CPRE | 2014-2015 Subscription | 36.00 |
| 105998 | Wheatley Park School | Grant Aid Prizegiving | 200.00 |
| 105999 | The Post Office | Stamps | 292.00 |
| 106016 | OALC | Training Course | 78.00 |
| 106000 | St Mary’s Church | Grant Aid | 500.00 |
| d/d | Barclays Bank | Bank Charges 13/8 – 14/9 | 40.13 |
| 105992-6001-05 | GM/SW/JF/OCC/AR/HMR&C | Sept sal/wages/pen/PAYE/NICs | 3,736.77 |
| Total | £4,888.90 | ||
| Cheques to Pay | |||
| 106007 | Berinsfield Community Business | Verges – September | 608.33 |
| 106008 | Anker International | Black rubbish bags | 124.80 |
| 106009 | Online Playgrounds | Shackles for swings | 30.20 |
| 106010 | The Merry Bells | Office Rent 25/9 -24/12 | 1,107.55 |
| 106011 | J Watson | Oct/Nov newsletter | 680.00 |
| 106012 | Lyreco | Copier paper etc | 48.84 |
| 106013 | Mainstream Digital Ltd | Phone book entry/linerental/calls | 76.72 |
| 106014 | Parchment Printers Ltd | Oct/Nov Newsletter | 1,484.90 |
| 106015 | Southern Electric | Electricity 05.07-06.10 | 78.85 |
| 106017 | Swift Digital Services | Copies(14/7-13/10)Support 14-15 | 213.04 |
| 106018 | Clair Logic | Support for computer | 84.00 |
| 106019 | C Sprent | Tags for newsletter bags | 3.00 |
| 106020 | Green Scythe | Oct cut of recs | 228.00 |
| GM/SW/JF/AR/OCC//HMR&C | Sept sal/wages/pen/PAYE/NICs | 3,800.00 | |
| Total | £8,568.23 |
INCOME RECEIVED SINCE LAST MEETING
| Income details | Amount |
| Newsletter Advertising | 4,408.29 |
| Treasury Bill Interest | 23.68 |
| VAT refund | 323.99 |
| Allotment’s | 120.00 |
| Newsletter Subscriptions | 30.00 |
| Total | £4,905.96 |
49. PUBLICATIONS & CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED AND NOTED
i) The Haseleys – October 2014*
ii) Little Milton Newsletter – October 2014*
iii) Great Milton Bulletin – October 2014*
iv) URC Newsletter October 2014*
v) Holton, Waterperry & Waterstock News – September & October 2014*
vi) Tiddington with Albury &Milton Common –Oct/Nov 2014*
vii) Wheatley/Chalgrove Neighbourhood Policing August 2014*
viii) TVP Neighbourhood Newsletter September 2014*
ix) Tree Council’s ‘Tree News’ Autumn/Winter 2014*
* On display in Parish Office
50. DATE OF NEXT MEETING – 24th November – NOTED
51. RESOLUTION TO EXCLUDE THE PUBLIC
Cllr Stephens 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
This was AGREED nem con
The meeting closed at 9.50pm at the conclusion of the Confidential Item
WHEATLEY PARISH COUNCIL
Finance and General Purposes Committee – Confidential Agenda Monday 20th October 2014
51. RESOLUTION TO EXCLUDE THE PUBLIC
To propose 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
52. MINUTES OF THE CONFIDENTIAL SESSION HELD ON 22nd SEPTEMBER 2014 which had been circulated previously were signed as a correct and accurate record,
53. UPDATE FROM THE CONFIDENTIAL SESSION HELD ON 22ND SEPTEMBER. – None