HOOK NORTON PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF HOOK NORTON PARISH COUNCIL HELD IN THE WAR MEMORIAL HALL, HOOK NORTON ON THURSDAY, 9 APRIL 2015 at 7.45pm
Present: Councillors Kane, Hicks, Griggs, Wright, Brotherston, Mrs Watts (Parish Clerk), County Cllr Reynolds and five members of the public.
Apologies for Absence – Cllrs Watkins, Matthews and Henderson
Chairman’s Announcements: there were none.
Declarations of Interest: there were none.
Minutes of Previous Meeting held on 12 March 2015 and Matters Arising
Cllr Hicks proposed that the minutes of the meeting on 12 March 2015 be resolved as a true and accurate record of the meeting. This was seconded by Cllr Wright and passed unanimously.
Report of the Planning Co-Ordinator on Planning Applications – Annex 1
Two planning / TCA applications had been received since the last meeting. There were no objections to either application.
Cherwell District Council had granted nine planning / TCA applications.
To Invite Members of the Public to Comment on Planning Applications – there were no comments from the members of the public attending.
Reports of Working Groups
Recreation
a) Playdale had sent their quarterly inspection report for the play equipment and only minor items needed attention.
Cemetery and Allotments
a) Two people have kindly offered to donate bulbs for the cemetery borders.
b) One of the green bins will be moved to the middle section of the cemetery to encourage use.
c) Laura Wyatt had asked the PC if she could erect a small shed on Plot 25B of the allotments. Councillors approved the request.
Environment
a) Tite Lane – CDC will not collect the green bin from half-way down the lane. It must be taken to the bottom of lane to ensure that it is emptied. Kim Cooke will deal.
b) A resident had written to the PC to express thanks for keeping the bottle bank area clean and free from rubbish.
c) Councillors thanked Kim Cooke for cleaning some of the road signs in the village.
d) Stone steps leading to a footpath besides Compass House, Netting Street are in need of attention. The Parish Clerk will report the matter to OCC Highways / Footpaths.
Hook Norton War Memorial Hall
a) The boiler has become stuck on the ‘on’ position. Engineers have been called.
b) Further estimates for replacement windows from FENSA registered installers are to be sought.
Neighbourhood Plan (HNNP) Sub-Committee
a) On 7 April, the Executive of Cherwell District Council agreed that the HNNP is to go to Referendum. This will happen after the General Election.
b) The Community Rights Programme of Locality has approved a grant of £1,155 towards the cost of the Referendum.
Finance/Schedule of Receipts and Payments for Authorisation by the Council
The Parish Clerk presented the schedules of receipts and payments and sought approval to pay the cheques itemised on the schedules for April totalling £4,083.69 for the Parish Council and £4,975.30 for the Memorial Hall (Annex 2).
A cheque from the Memorial Hall account in the sum of £4,500 for Professor Windows was not approved and Cllr Brotherston will return the cheque (issued on 23 March) to the Parish Clerk for cancellation.
A cheque from the Memorial Hall account in the sum of £84 for Cherwell District Council (Building Regulations) was not approved and the cheque will be cancelled.
Cllr Hicks moved acceptance of the other payments detailed. This was seconded by Cllr Wright and agreed unanimously.
The Parish Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer had circulated end of year (2014-15) income and expenditure figures for the Parish Council before the meeting. These were unanimously accepted as a true and accurate record and signed by the Chairman.
The Parish Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer had circulated end of year (2014-15) income and expenditure figures for the Memorial Hall at the Annual Parish Meeting (held at 7.30pm before the PC meeting).
Accounts for 2014-2015 for the Parish Council and the Memorial Hall will be sent to the Internal Auditor for audit next week.
External Audit of the Parish Council accounts will take place on or after 29 June 2015.
Report on District Council Matters: District Cllr Jelf had not submitted a report.
Report on County Council Matters: County Cllr Reynolds reported:
a) It is hoped that super-fast Broadband will be available to a large proportion of the village soon, possibly by the beginning of June.
b) Cherwell District Council Councillors had praised the HN Neighbourhood Plan submission. It will be used as a blue-print for other councils.
Correspondence – the Parish Clerk had forwarded all correspondence to Councillors during the month. There were no matters outstanding.
To Invite Questions and Comments from Members of the Public – there were no matters arising.
AOB
a) Parish Council Election: Parish Councils are statutory bodies. Members are elected for a term of four years. The Parish of Hook Norton has to elect eleven Councillors in May to serve on the Parish Council for the next four years. The closing date for Nomination papers being submitted to Cherwell District Council was 4.00pm on 9 April 2015.
The Annual Meeting of the Parish Council will be held on 14 May 2015 at 7.30pm in the Memorial Hall.
There being no further business Councillor Kane thanked everyone for attending and closed the public meeting at 8.12pm.
