HOOK NORTON PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF A MEETING OF HOOK NORTON PARISH COUNCIL HELD IN THE MEMORIAL HALL ON THURSDAY 12 April 2012 at 7.20pm
Present: Councillors: Shepley- Cuthbert (Chairman), Cooke, Hayward, Hicks, Usher, County Cllr Jelf, District Cllr Irvine, Mrs Watts (Parish Clerk) and three members of the public
Apologies for Absence
Cllrs Kane (Vice-Chairman), Casson, Leader, Millar and Brotherston
Chairman’s Announcements
The Chairman welcomed members of the public to the Parish Council meeting.
Minutes of Previous Meeting held on 8 March 2012 and Matters Arising
It was proposed by Cllr Cooke and seconded by Cllr Hayward that the minutes of the previous meeting on 8 March 2012 be accepted as a true and accurate record and this was passed unanimously.
Declarations of Interest
There were none
Report by Planning Co-ordinator on Planning Applications Received
In the absence of Cllr Casson there was nothing to report. The Clerk said that the current system of dealing with planning applications has resulted in the 21 day deadline for feedback to Cherwell District Council being missed is some cases. Cllr Hicks offered to distribute future planning applications to Councillors to ensure that deadlines are met.
To invite members of the public to comment on planning applications
There were no comments from the members of the public attending.
Reports of the Working Groups
Recreation and Open Spaces Group
In the absence of Cllr Leader there was nothing to report. The Clerk was asked to remind Cllr Leader that a quotation is needed for laying a path at the side gate entrance into the play area.
Cemetery and Allotments Group
Cllr Usher reported that the Allotments Group recently held their AGM. Three working parties will meet over the next three week-ends to put up rabbit fencing. Tenants are being encouraged to put up sheds on their plots with water butts attached to conserve water now that a hose-pipe ban is in force. A new 1,000 litre communal water tank has been installed in the lower field; it is gravity fed from the upper field.
Environment Group
Cllr Hayward said that there had been a query over two missing/damaged dog bins during the month and the matter was under consideration. The quarterly inspection of dry stone walls will take place in the next couple of weeks. Children from Hook Norton Primary School have been asked to design a new village map to go inside the noticeboard by The Sun; the key is missing and must be located or replaced. The Clerk reported that the cork backing in the noticeboard by the shop has failed and it is now almost impossible to pin notices to it. The Clerk will ask Mr Marshall to repair it.
Hook Norton War Memorial Hall
In the absence of Cllr Kane there was nothing to report. The front door had been repaired. Cracks in the walls were being investigated.
Cllr Hayward reported that a hirer had had difficulty getting hold of a key for the Memorial Hall for a children’s party in March. The Clerk confirmed that the standard acceptance letter advises hirers to contact the keyholder a few days before an event to ensure that a mutually convenient time can be arranged to collect the key.
Report on District Council Matters
District Cllr Irvine had nothing to report.
Report on County Council Matters
County Cllr Jelf reported that three nominations had been received so far for the position of Leader of Oxfordshire County Council. This follows the resignation of County Cllr Keith Mitchell as Leader. The election will take place on 25 April.
Finance/Schedule of Receipts and Payments for Authorisation by the Council
The Clerk presented the schedules of receipts and payments and sought approval to pay the cheques itemised on the schedules totalling £3,351.22 for the Parish Council and £178.50 for the Memorial Hall. Cllr Hayward moved acceptance of the payments detailed, this was seconded by Cllr Usher and approved unanimously.
The Clerk reported that a cheque for £30 issued by Mrs JJ Matthews for a children’s party in the Memorial Hall on 10 March in the name of Ms A Davidson (Wright) had ‘bounced’. Despite letters and telephone calls, neither party had sent payment to the Clerk. Cllr Cooke will speak to Mrs Matthews.
Cllr Hayward mentioned the Parish Council’s plans in 2011 to move away from Npower. The contract with them had been automatically renewed for one year in January 2012. The Clerk suggested that the matter should be discussed again at the October meeting to ensure that she could end the contract with Npower before January 2013 if so decided.
Signatories
Cllr Shepley- Cuthbert reported that the Clerk had been unable to obtain a new cheque book from TSB because she is not an authorised signatory. It was unanimously agreed that the Clerk had authority to deal with such matters. If necessary Cllr Shepley- Cuthbert will write to TSB confirming that she has the Parish Council’s authorisation to deal with such matters.
Proposed Bourne Lane Development
Cllr Cooke reported that it appears that the Bourne Lane planning application will be discussed by the Cherwell District Council Planning Committee on 23 May 2012 at the earliest. The Clerk reported that Engage Planning had emailed her to say that although they were unable to attend the March meeting, they would like to attend the May meeting. It was unanimously agreed that the Clerk should offer them a 10 minute slot at 8.00pm.
Housing Needs Survey / Affordable Housing
Cllr Cooke reported that the Housing Needs Survey was complete and copies had been circulated to Councillors. 284 households had responded (28%) and 25 households had been identified as having a need for affordable housing. Of these, 17 are not on Cherwell District Council’s housing register, which currently shows 21 households having affordable housing needs (i.e. a total of 38 households). The Post Office development should offer accommodation to 3 of these families.
Cllr Hayward reported that the HN Low Carbon Group had been unsuccessful in their bid for a £20K grant to set up a Community Land Trust (CLT), 12/34 refers. Cllr Cooke said that he had looked into CLTs further and they appear to be very complicated and expensive to operate.
Neighbourhood Plan
Cllr Cooke attended an OALC meeting, “Supporting Communities with Planning” on 12 March at Exeter Hall, Kidlington. There were presentations from 3-4 Parish Councils. The consensus was that plans are expensive and time consuming to create and give Parish Councils little say over planning matters other than say, design of houses (e.g. Thame spent £80K on their plan). Cllr Jelf said that Deddington PC had a Neighbourhood Plan and he would obtain details.
Cllr Cooke said that he, Cllr Shepley- Cuthbert and Cllr Usher will attend a Neighbourhood Planning Meeting at Cherwell District Council on Monday 16 April at Bodicote House.
It was unanimously agreed that a public meeting will be called when plans for the Stanton site have been received by the Clerk from Cherwell District Council.
Correspondence
- Temporary Road Traffic Order – Sibfords / Burdrop @ Mannings Hill, 26 April 2012 for approximately 7 days. Update, now starting 8 May 2012.
- Tony Baldry – National Planning Policy Framework
- Thames Valley Police – Monthly update
- Cherwell District Council
- Diary dates for Parishes
- Jubilee Celebration Fund Update
- Community Governance & Polling District Review Update
- Press Releases March 2012
- ORCC / OALC
- ORCC News Bulletin April 2012
- Chipping Norton & Charlbury Area Review of Subsidised Bus Services
- OALC News Update April 2012
- Playdale Playgrounds Ltd
- Quarterly Inspection Report 27/02/12
- Quotation for repairs as a result of inspection
- Fields in Trust – Queen Elizabeth II Fields Challenge, Fields in Trust
To Invite Questions and Comments from Members of the Public
A member of the public asked about Parish Council plans for dealing with wild garlic in some areas of the churchyard. Cllr Usher reported that he had already sprayed the garlic with Roundup but it continued to grow. Tim Birchall has been asked to treat the area again. Mr John Coppage from Louth in Lincolnshire has offered to contribute towards the cost of spraying as his family grave is affected. Cllr Usher will contact him.
The Parish Council noted that the Matthews family have provided in excess of 102 years service between them to the Volunteer Fire Service in Hook Norton. It was unanimously agreed that their dedication and hard work to both the Fire Service and the wider community should be formally recognised by the Parish Council. The Clerk was asked to write a letter of thanks to the family via Mr Windsor Matthews.
Date and Time of Next Meeting
The next Parish Council meeting (the Parish Council Annual General Meeting) will be held on Thursday, 10 May 2012 in the Memorial Hall at 7.30pm.
There being no further business the Chairman thanked everyone for attending and closed the public meeting at 8.12pm
