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Sunningwell Parish Council
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF SUNNINGWELL PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON WEDNESDAY, 19th SEPTEMBER 2007
Present: Cllrs E
Bennett (acting Chair), T Foggin, D Graham, H Lynam-Smith, J Russell, and C
Wise(part)
In attendance: M W
Rothery (Clerk)
1. Apologies for Absence
Apologies were received from
VWHDC Cllr V Shaw
2. Declarations of
Interest
There were
none
3. Minutes of the
Meeting held on 25 July 2007
The minutes
were approved and signed by the Chairman
4. Matters Arising
from the Minutes
P266 Minute 4 Protruding Hedges
The laurel hedges in Bayworth
Lane have been cut back, as have the majority of
the hedges along Foxcombe Road.
Action: Cllr Bennett to check the
position on the others and advise the Clerk who will discuss any action with
Chric Softley at OCC Highways.
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P266 Minute 4 Village Hall/Pond Surrounds
Cllr Lynam-Smith is researching
this matter and will report back to the next meeting.
P266 Minute 4 Bayworth Garage site
Cllr Lynam-Smith hopes to
progress this matter in early October.
P269 Minute 8 Parish Notice Boards
The notice boards at Sunningwell
and Bayworth have been treated with preservative, Cllr Foggin will do likewise
at Long Furlong.
Action: Clerk to send a letter to the
manager of the Oxford Beaumont
exploring the possibility of siting a parish notice board adjacent to their
property.
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5. Co-option to Parish Council Membership
It was decided unanimously to
invite Mrs Jo Russell to join the council as a
co-opted member. Mrs Russell accepted with pleasure.
Action: The Clerk to forward the necessary
forms to enable Cllr Russell to declare her acceptance, and register her
interests in the parish.
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Members noted that there remained
one vacancy on the council.
Action: Cllr Bennett to draft a suitable
note for the next edition of Sunningwell Scene
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6. Finance
(a) Finance Sub-Committee Meeting 13 September 2007
(i) The request from Sunningwell
School of Art for payment of the previously agreed grant of £150 towards the
new central heating system was approved.
(ii) It was agreed to review the
position with regard to the possible registration by the parish of the land at
the cricket field and recreation ground. Cllr Lynam-Smith will research the
file and report back to the next meeting. This research will include also the
land adjoining Pond Cottage.
(iii) The grant from VWHDC
towards the cost of the litter warden is awarded annually following the
submission of a claim form; there is no guarantee of future awards.
(iv) The Clerk was asked to add a
note to the accounts for 2007/8 that £6,000 of the reserves is ring-fenced for
various purposes, mainly flood prevention, which should be itemised.
(b) The following accounts were approved for payment, and the cheques
signed:
Cheque
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Payee
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Purpose
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Amount £
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VAT £
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116*
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PWLB
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Loan repayment due 25/8/07
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1002.42
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117*
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Opera Anywhere
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Sound & lighting – Sunningwell Festival
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1980.26
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346.55
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118*
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Nuffield Press
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Sunningwell Scene - Summer 07
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420.00
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119
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VWHDC
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Uncontested Election expenses
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66.59
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120
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B Cross
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Litter Warden – August & September
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183.48
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121
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M W Rothery
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Clerk Salary & Exp for July & August
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896.23
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122
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Sunningwell Sch of art
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Grant towards new central heating system
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150.00
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* Urgent cheques were signed by two
councillors on 13 August
2007
7. Planning
a) Applications dealt with
between meetings:
SUN/20180 erection of two storey side and single storey rear
extension. 2 Woodland Cottages, Bayworth Comment: No Objection
SUN/15356/5 Renewal of consent for erection of two storey rear
extension with parking and landscaping, The Old Stall, 5 Church Farm, Sunningwell
Road, Abingdon Comment:
No Objection
b) Decision
Notices received from VWHDC:
SUN/20180 erection of two storey side and single storey rear
extension. 2 Woodland Cottages, Bayworth Permitted
SUN/15356/5 Renewal of consent for erection of two storey rear
extension with parking and landscaping, The Old Stall, 5 Church Farm, Sunningwell
Road, Abingdon Permitted
SUN/16042/1 Demolition of utility room, garage and trailer store.
Erection of two storey extension. New roof, windows and internal alterations.
Woodcote, Red Copse Lane,
Boars Hill. Permitted
SUN/19375/1 Proposed new office/workshop to rear of garage. 2
Bullsmead, Sunningwell Permitted
c) New Applications:
SUN/20215 Provision of new stone flagged path to replace existing
path, new lamp, replacement gates with provision of access ramp. St Leonards
Church, Sunningwell. No comment made as
already permitted by VWHDC.
SUN/20079/1 Remove existing bunker. Erection of single storey
extension with link to existing ancillary accommodation. The Willows, Lincombe
Lane, Boars Hill. Comment: No Objection
d) Two applications had been
received before the meeting: SUN/6545/18-LB
& SUN/16047/3, with a response date of 8 October. These will be discussed
at site visits on 25 September.
e) Procedure for submitting
comments on urgent planning applications:
The Clerk reported that, to
ensure that urgent comments that need to be submitted in between meetings are
valid, the council should delegate to him the authority to submit comments on
planning applications. This was a procedural matter and would not affect the
way in which councillors currently handle urgent applications that cannot wait
for the next council meeting. This proposal was agreed unanimously.
Action: The Clerk is hereby authorised to
submit comments on urgent planning applications after due consultation with,
and consideration by, councillors in between meetings.
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8. Visiting
Councillors Report
Cllr Wise reported on the
following district and county matters:
(i)
The county had a backlog of highway maintenance
amounting to £180m, so only urgent priority work was being done. He suggested
that the parish maintain a log of highway defects as they arise so that these
can be formally submitted to the county and used to monitor progress.
Action: Clerk to set up appropriate log to
record reported highway defects.
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(ii)
Wootton and Dry Sandford community centre is to be
refurbished, at a cost of over £700k, with a large grant from the Lottery Fund.
He said that various grants are available for community projects.
(iii)
The county plans that the increase in their element of
the council tax in 2008/9 will be below that in 2007/8.
(iv)
Tenders have been received for the refurbishment and
operation of the Old Gaol in Abingdon. There will be a significant community element.
(v)
The VWHDC has received an application for a grant for
the restoration work at St Leonards Church, Sunningwell.
(vi)
VWHDC are able to grant £250 to each property affected
by the recent flooding.
(vii)
VWHDC is arranging a public meeting on issues arising
from the July floods; Dr Evan Harris MP will chair.
(viii)
OCC want information on footpaths that need
maintenance. Cllr Wise asked for an electronic version of the definitive
footpath map to be e-mailed to him. Clerk to arrange.
(ix)
Mobile speed indicator devices (SID) have been in
operation in Wootton. Councillors felt that their use in Foxcombe
Road, Boars Hill, should be considered in view of
residents’ complaints about excessive speeding.
Action: (i) Cllr Bennett to discuss the
possible use of mobile SIDs with Mrs Jefferson and OCC Cllr Bob
Johnston
(ii) Cllr Graham will ascertain
the criteria for speed cameras.
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9. Surface Water
Flooding
Cllr Lynam-Smith is arranging a
public meeting on Thursday 11 October
2007, in Bayworth Chapel, at 7.30pm;
she is organising a leaflet drop. It is hoped to arrange a subsequent meeting
with Mr Gordon Hunt (OCC), Mr Mainsbridge, and Cllr Wise, to pursue
possibilities. Cllr Wise said that the West Hannay local
flood prevention scheme of some 25 years ago, had worked very well in the
recent heavy rains.
10. Hedgerow Strategy
Cllr Graham proposed the
establishment of a hedgerow sub-committee to draw up a long-term strategy for
the restoration and visual improvement of hedgerows in the parish. It was felt
that a systematic approach was required. Cllr Lynam-Smith wished to
participate. This was agreed.
11. Correspondence
requiring discussion/action
(i)
Sunningwell
Festival - Anonymous letter. This letter made various complaints about the
impact of the Festival on the village and questioned the wisdom of the parish
council’s grant of £1,000. Members were generally unsympathetic to the
anonymous emotional comments made; however they felt that the council had a
duty to ensure that both its grant and that of £10,000 which is recorded in the
council’s accounts, were properly spent and accounted for. To this end the
Clerk was asked to invite Mr Woodward to attend the next meeting of the Finance
Sub-Committee to apprise members of the financial aspects of the Festival.
(ii)
VWHDC review of polling
districts and polling stations – The Clerk was asked to advise the district
council that the present arrangements are satisfactory.
(iii)
Thames Water report on stage 2 involvement for
proposed new reservoir - to Cllr
Bennett
(iv)
R G Warne –
concerns over redevelopment at 57 Sunningwell Cllr Lynam-Smith reported
that a resident had reported possible presence of asbestos tiles. The developer
has to comply with all conditions imposed by the planning authority. The Clerk
was asked to check the file and contact the planning department’s enforcement
officer.
(v)
VWHDC invitation
to Town & Parish planning evening 9 October, Wantage. Cllrs Graham,
Wise and Foggin expressed interest in attending this event
(vi)
J F Simms,
Yatscombe Lodge- Mr Simms claimed that minute 7 (e) (iv) of 21 September 2005 erroneously
referred to Yatscombe Lodge instead of 2 Yatscombe. The Clerk reported that he
had researched the minute file and that Mr Simms’ complaint appeared to be
justified. The Clerk was asked to advise Mr Simms accordingly, and apologise
for the error.
(vii)
VWHDC Flooding
Information Pack – to Cllr Lynam-Smith
(viii)
VWHDC Review of
statement of licensing policy – comments invited
(ix)
GOSE inspectors
report of EIP Draft SE Plan (CD format) – Cllr Graham circulated the latest
newsletter of the Oxford Green Belt Network which covered the report.
(x)
Oxon Nature
Conservation Forum – offer of support – it was agreed to invite them to
address a future meeting of the PC.
12. Other Business
(i)
In response to a letter from the Transition Town
Movement it was agreed to invite Shadiya Kingerlee to address a future meeting
of the council.
(ii)
Cllr Lynam-Smith reported receipt of an application
from the PCC for a grant towards St Leonards Church restoration project; this
would be considered at the Finance Sub- Committee on 23 October.
(iii)
Cllr Lynam-Smith has asked the Planning Enforcement
Officer to visit the building work at Charlottes, 2 Sunningwell Village to
investigate residents’ concerns over the ridge height and the building at the
rear which should have been demolished.
(iv)
Cllr Lynam-Smith suggested that a letter be sent to the
CEO of VWHDC regarding the increasing misrepresentation of Sunningwell
addresses, including the use of Sunningwell Road
and the use of Abingdon, as this would eventually lead to Sunningwell losing
its separate identity. The Clerk was asked to draft a suitable letter for Cllr
Wise to review; Cllr Bennett will mention this in the Sunningwell Scene.
(v)
Dates of parish council meetings in 2008 – It was
agreed that these would held on the last Wednesday of each month except August
and December, and that those on March and September would be held in Bayworth.
(vi)
Cllr Graham tabled draft proposals for the ‘gating’ of
the road entrances to Bayworth as a traffic calming measure. If accepted by the
highway authority there would be no cost to the parish. It was agreed in
principle that Cllr Graham should progress this proposal.
(vii)
Children’s Play Area – Cllr Foggin agreed to carry out
monthly inspections, and keep a suitable record of his findings.
13. Next Meeting
The next
meeting will be held on Wednesady 31 October at Sunningwell Village Hall at 7 7.30pm
The Chairman closed the meeting at 10.22pm.
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