 |
|
|
Sunningwell Parish Council
MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON WEDNESDAY, 27th FEBRUARY 2008
Present: Cllrs E
Bennett (acting Chair), T Foggin, D Graham, H Lynam-Smith, and J Russell
In attendance: M W
Rothery (Clerk)
13/08 Public Forum
No members of the public were
present.
14/08 Apologies
for Absence
Apologies were received from Cllr
C Wise and OCC Cllr B Johnston
15/08 Declarations of Interest
Cllr Graham
declared a personal and prejudicial interest in item 7 relating to the Cricket
Field.
Cllr Lynam-Smith declared a
personal and prejudicial interest in item 6 relating to flood prevention.
16/08 Minutes of the Meeting held on 30th
January 2008
The minutes were approved and
signed by the Chairman.
17/08 Matters Arising from the Minutes
1/08 Charlottes The Clerk reported that a letter had been received from VWHDC
confirming that the project is in accordance with the approved plan
5/08 Protruding hedges – The Clerk reported that the owner of
Cherry Tree Cottage has undertaken to trim the beech hedge back in growing
season. Cllr Lynam-Smith agreed to draw up a list of other hedges that require
cutting back.
5/08 Parish Notice Board – OCC Highways have no objection to the
siting of a notice board outside the Oxford Beaumont but VWHDC require planning
application to be submitted, which will require expensive professionally drawn
plans. The Clerk has queried this with VWHDC planning as the three notice
boards erected in 2002 did not require planning consent
5/08 Mobile SID’s Foxcombe Road – The reply from OCC’s Geoff Barrell raises doubts on action in the near
future on speed calming measures due to budgetary constraints.
Action: It was agreed that the Clerk
follow this up with Mr Bowler of OCC Highways
|
5/08 57 Sunningwell – Despite a further letter and several telephone
calls there had been no response from Hodson. The matter was now very urgent
and alternative arrangements may shortly have to be made.
Action: Clerk to call Hodsons requesting a
meeting during the week commencing 10 March; if Hodsons are not able to do
the work, Cllr Lynam-Smith to discuss with two other solicitors involved with
parish activities.
|
5/08 Sunningwell Addresses – The CEO of VWHDC has responded that
they use the official royal mail address & postcode database, and that the
matter should now be regarded as closed. It was felt that it would be necessary
to lobby Royal Mail to amend their database.
Action: Cllr Foggin and Russell will
supply the Clerk with specific examples of confusion arising from the current
addresses used by Royal Mail.
|
5/08 Children’s Playground – Cllr Foggin has contacted the VWHDC
Parks Manager for advice on the repairs. He agreed to consult the OPFA, and
will also investigate the feasibility and cost of adding another swing. It was
noted that some ground work has been undertaken in the vicinity of the
playground, and it was thought this might be related to the school.
8/08 Speed gating at Bayworth – There had been no response to the
letter sent following the last meeting.
9/08 Hedgerow Strategy – Cllr Graham will contact Ian Corbyn again
in March with a view to getting landowners on board in order to develop a
long-term plan.
18/08 Flood Prevention Project
(i) An application for a grant under
the Community Grant Scheme had been submitted to the north east committee of
the Vale of White Horse DC, and a letter seeking financial aid has been sent to
Peter Dela of VWHDC. However there had been difficulties obtaining three
similar quotations and the necessary drawings before the meeting of the
committee. Furthermore it was not clear how the project would be fully funded
as the only power available to the parish was S137 which was of limited value.
It was therefore decided that the grant application be withdrawn for the time
being to allow time for refining the scope of the project and seeking
assistance from the relevant authorities.
Councillors noted that urgent
flood prevention work carried out in other parishes such as Bampton and Nuneham
Courtenay had been carried out by the responsible authorities such as the county
and direct councils, and the Environment Agency, at no cost to the parishes. It
was agreed therefore that information be sought from these parishes as to how
the works were promoted and with whom, and then to proceed on similar lines.
Action: It was agreed:
(i)
Clerk to formally withdraw the grant application;
(ii) Cllr Lynam-Smith to discuss with Cllr
Wise the preparation of initial drawings for the proposed work;
(iii) Cllr Lynam-Smith to contact Bampton
PC and possibly visit to find out how they approached the project and its
funding.
|
(ii) The back syphoning of dirty
water has effected a number of houses in the Parish. Thames Water is
aware of the properties affected by this problem. Cllr Lynam-Smith
reported that Thames Water has recently checked by camera the dirty water
pipes in Sunningwell and cannot find any fault with them. It was agreed to
write to Wootton Parish Council to propose
sending a joint letter from the two parish councils to Thames Water requesting
that action be taken to increase the capacity of the sewage pump at the holding
tank at the corner of Sunningwell Road and Wootton Road, as its present size is
believed to be causing occasional dirty water flooding in Bullsmead.
Action: Clerk to write accordingly.
|
19/08 Sunningwell Cricket Field
Cllr Lynam-Smith reported that
the cost of registering ownership of the cricket ground with the parish council
would be approximately £460 exc VAT. The
ground was originally bequeathed to the parish for the purposes of playing
cricket only. The council would be responsible for future maintenance of the
ground although if it was then leased to the cricket club under agreement the
club would be expected to maintain it. It was agreed to approach the Church
Commissioners to transfer ownership to the parish council, and to instruct
Hedges to undertake the task.
Action: Clerk to ask Janis Macknamara of
Hedges Solicitors to write accordingly to the Church Commissioners.
|
20/08 Finance
(a) The following accounts were
approved for payment, and the cheques signed:
Cheque no.
|
Payee
|
Details
|
Total
|
VAT
|
1133
|
PWLB
|
Loan repayment
|
1002.42
|
|
1134
|
B Cross
|
Letter Warden (4 weeks to 2Mar)
|
94.41
|
|
1135
|
OPFA
|
Annual Subscription 2008/9
|
30.00
|
|
1136
|
St Leonards Church PCC
|
Grant towards restoration project
|
1000.00
|
|
(b) The Clerk was asked to
investigate the possibility of early repayment of the outstanding balance of
the loan.
(c) It was agreed to appoint RJS
(IA) Ltd as internal auditor for the 2007/8 accounts.
21/08 Planning - New Applications
SUN/20439 Proposed front single storey porch/extension. 69
Sunningwell Village, OX13 6RD. Comment: Recommend approval, as the proposed
development is minor and has no effect on neighbours.
22/08 Correspondence
The full list of correspondence
received had been circulated to councillors by e-mail.
Item 184 Clerk to obtain 100 copies of the Oxfordshire Transport
Guide for distribution in the villages.
Item 191 It was agreed to invite OCC member for Transport, Cllr Ian Hudspeth, to the Annual Parish
Meeting.
Item 192 Cllr Bennett to study the proposec changes to the
subsidised bus service 44 and submit any comments direct to OCC.
Item 195 It was agreed not to make a donation to Root & Branch.
Item 199 It was agreed that the Clerk contact the Chair of the School
Governors regarding the consultation on the future of primary
school provision.
23/08 Other Business
It was agreed to hold the Annual
Parish Meeting (APM) and the AGM of the parish council on Wednesday 28 May.
Possible items for the APM to include OCC Cllr Hudspeth, the flood prevention
project, talk by the community police officer.
24/08 Next Meeting
The next
meeting will be held on Wednesday 26th
March 2008 at Bayworth Chapel at 7.30pm
The Chairman closed the meeting at 9.50pm.
|
|
