HOOK NORTON PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF HOOK NORTON PARISH COUNCIL HELD IN THE MEMORIAL HALL ON THURSDAY 8 MARCH 2018 at 7.30pm

Present: Councillors: Watkins, Hicks, Duggan, Henderson, Porter, Wilson, Brotherston, Mrs Watts (Parish Clerk), District Cllr Brown and one member of the public

Apologies for Absence – Cllr Matthews and County Cllr Reynolds

Vice-Chairman’s Announcements:
Cllr Watkins thanked Emma Kane for her years of dedicated service to the Parish Council, especially during her terms as Chairman.
Cherwell District Council has confirmed that no by-election has been demanded by residents and that all three vacancies on the Parish Council can be filled by co-option. An advertisement for the vacancies will go out in due course.

Declarations of Interest: Cllr Watkins declared an interest in planning application 18/00141/F. Cllr Matthews had declared an interest in planning applications 18/00179/F and 18/00210/CLUE. Cllr Wilson declared an interest in the Local Community Housing Project, as the land in question backs on to her garden. Cllr Brotherston declared an interest in work carried out for the Parish Council – his company has set up new email addresses for Councillors and staff which will comply with GDPR and it will be dealing with the Xero Cloud licence for payroll on a monthly basis for the same reason.

Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 8 February 2018 and Matters Arising
Cllr Hicks proposed that the minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 8 February 2018 be resolved as a true and accurate record of the meeting. This was seconded by Cllr Porter and passed unanimously.

General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)
Cllr Brotherston explained the difficulties smaller organisations like Parish Councils are having with the new regulations which come into force in May 2018. The sensitivity of payroll records had been addressed by purchasing a Xero Cloud licence. New email addresses for Councillors and staff have been set up and full details were passed on to Councillors and the Parish Clerk after the open meeting had closed. These are to be used as from Monday 12 March.
A policy detailing GDPR procedures will be put in place as soon as it has been approved by Councillors.

Local Airspace Development Consultation Notice:
Cllr Watkins wrote to London Oxford Airport and Osprey last week regarding the proposed change of uncontrolled airspace to controlled airspace. She had asked for details of holding points for large aircraft to establish whether or not Hook Norton would be affected by an increase in noise and air pollution. Neither had replied. Cllr Watkins will send a further email but if no response is received by 19 March, the Parish Council will send a letter of objection to the GAA which is carrying out the Public Consultation.

Appointment of Councillors to Working Groups: It was agreed that Councillors will cover the following groups;
Recreation: Cllrs Wilson and Henderson
Cemetery & Allotments: Cllrs Hicks and Duggan
Environment: Cllrs Matthews and Porter
Memorial Hall: Cllrs Watkins and Brotherston

Report of the Planning Co-Ordinator on Planning Applications – (Annex 1)
Six planning/TCA applications had been received since the last meeting. There were no objections to five applications but there was an objection to 18/00213/F, erection of workshop at The Nook, Netting Street.
Cherwell District Council (CDC) had granted four applications, to which there had been no objections.

To Invite Members of the Public to Comment on Planning Applications: there were no matters arising.

Reports of Working Groups

Recreation
• The Parish Clerk has ordered new play equipment for the play area from Playdale. The work is currently scheduled to start on 24 April.

Cemetery and Allotments
• New tenancy agreements for allotment holders were sent out on 1 November 2017, with a deadline for return of 28 February 2018. All agreements were returned within the timescale.
• Invoices have been sent to allotment holders for rental for the coming year. The deadline for payment is 1 April. Reminders will incur a £10 administration charge.
• Chipping Norton Green Gym was unable to plant the new stock-proof thicket hedge to stabilise the bank in the cemetery and so Friends of the Cemetery had planted the hedge themselves. The Parish Council thanked them for doing this and also Sean McHugh for supplying the whips.
• Cllr Hicks is chasing the contractor engaged to repair the cemetery wall.

Environment
• The rubbish bins outside the school have been mis-used by residents and CDC will not empty them. Cllr Watkins will ask the Parish Warden to remove them from site.
• The bottle banks outside the primary school are to be removed next week. It has been agreed that they can be moved to the Sports and Social Club car park. CDC is liaising with the Sports and Social Club Committee regarding location.
• A dog bin has been ordered for the Sports and Social Club grounds.
• OCC Highways and Transport has managed to free the flag from the old bus stop pole. It will be attached to a new aluminium pole (to be painted black in keeping with the surrounding area) and installed it in its original location at The Green.
• OCC has agreed to fill the salt/grit bin rescued by residents from the depths of undergrowth in Burycroft Road.
• CDC has installed the ‘Station Road’ road sign.

Hook Norton War Memorial Hall
• The broken blind mechanisms have been repaired.
• A plumber has dealt with a problem in the men’s toilet.
• A fence panel behind the oil tank is leaning into the neighbouring property. Cllr Watkins has arranged for this to be dealt with.
• A leak in the roof has damaged the emulsion paintwork inside
• Although the Terms and Conditions of Hire state that no naked flames may be used in the hall, red candle wax has been spilt on to one of the new chairs and damaged it. The Parish Clerk was asked to write to all hirers to remind them that the use of naked flames is not permitted in the hall, as this negates the building and contents insurance.
• More oil has been ordered and delivered.
• It was agreed that the Garden Club should be given a refund because there was no heating for their meeting in February.
• A User Group Meeting will be held in the hall on Monday, 9 April 2018 at 7.00pm.

Finance/Schedule of Receipts and Payments for Authorisation by the Council:
The Parish Clerk presented the schedules of receipts and payments for March 2018 totalling £12,248.74 for the Parish Council (Annex 2) and £658.05 for the Memorial Hall (Annex 3). Cllr Duggan moved acceptance of the payments detailed. This was seconded by Cllr Hicks and agreed unanimously.
Lloyds Bank and Santander have both confirmed that the Mandate Variations for new signatories have been approved.

Report on District Council Matters. District Cllr Hugo Brown reported:
I attended the Open Community Housing Meeting on 24 February and was very impressed by the presentations and audience participation. It was clear that there was a large degree of consensus on what should be taken into account when planning this development, including a mix of ages and facilities for them
Partial Review of Local Plan Part 1: this deals with Oxford’s so-called Un-met Housing Need and whereabouts, in Cherwell, to accommodate the 4,400 houses “required”. This was debated at Full Council on 26 February and attracted a very large audience of protesters, both inside and outside the chamber, principally from the Kidlington area where it is proposed that the houses should be located. This agenda item lasted for more than three hours as those against were given the floor – no one spoke in favour of the proposal. Despite all the arguments, CDC voted by a majority to approve submitting the Partial Review to formal Inspection. A number of Councillors voted against, including all the Kidlington Councillors and me.
Oxfordshire Housing & Growth Deal: this deals with the proposal announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Budget last November to provide “Oxfordshire” with £215M of funding in exchange for “Oxfordshire” facilitating the building of 100,000 new houses between 2011 and 2031, some of which have obviously been built. This was also debated at Full Council on 26 February with a recommendation from the Oxfordshire Growth Board to approve it. Despite this being a whipped vote, I did vote against and was supported by one other Conservative Councillor, with a number (principally Kidlington Councillors) abstaining. Given the vote to approve the Partial Review it was inevitable that this vote would also be lost.
Council Tax: at the Full Council on 26 February it was resolved that CDC’s share of the Council Tax would remain unchanged for a 9th consecutive year at £123.50 for a Band-D house.
Member’s Allowance: at the Full Council on 26 February it was resolved that Member’s Allowances be increased by 2% (£7 a month) in line with the recommendation of the Independent Remuneration Panel. I voted in favour of the increase but will, as in previous years, decline to accept it.

Report on County Council Matters. County Cllr George Reynolds had not submitted a report.

Correspondence:
The Parish Clerk had forwarded all correspondence to Councillors during the month.
Cllr Hicks had been sent a copy of the questionnaire that will be sent by HNLC to residents asking for comments on the Local Community Housing Project.

To Invite Questions and Comments from Members of the Public: there were none.

AOB: there was none.

The Annual Parish Meeting will take place on 12 April 2018 at 7.30pm in the Memorial Hall.

The next Parish Council Meeting will be held on 12 April 2018 at 7.45pm in the Memorial Hall.

There being no further business Councillor Watkins thanked everyone for attending and closed the public meeting at 8.45pm.

HOOK NORTON PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF HOOK NORTON PARISH COUNCIL HELD IN THE MEMORIAL HALL ON THURSDAY 11 JANUARY 2018 at 7.30pm

Present: Councillors: Kane, Watkins, Hicks, Duggan, Henderson, Porter, Matthews, Wilson Mrs Watts (Parish Clerk), District Cllr Brown and one member of the public

Apologies for Absence – Cllr Watkins, Griggs, Brotherston and County Cllr Reynolds

Chairman’s Announcements: Cherwell District Council has confirmed that the vacancy on the Parish Council can be filled by co-option. An advertisement for the vacant post has been posted on noticeboards and on the website. The closing date is 29 January 2018. The vacancy will be filled by co-option at the February meeting.

Declarations of Interest: there were none.

Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 14 December 2017 and Matters Arising
Cllr Hicks proposed that the minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 14 December 2017 be resolved as a true and accurate record of the meeting. This was seconded by Cllr Porter and passed unanimously.

Report of the Planning Co-Ordinator on Planning Applications – (Annex 1)
Three planning/TCA applications had been received since the last meeting. There were no objections.
Cherwell District Council (CDC) had granted nine applications, including revised details on the Gladman site, 17/00950/REM – the Parish Council had raised a number of objections to this application but none of the objections had been successful.
17/02009/CLUP, Hunters Lodge, Sibford Road – application Withdrawn by Applicant. The Parish Council had not objected to the application.
ABS/253/10.15 Swerford Park Farm – consultation by Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) regarding the diversion of part of the bridleway under S119 of the Highways Act
OCC approved MW.0080/17 Banbury Plant Hire – continued use of lower yard in connection with waste transfer and MW.0081/17 waste management to continue without complying with Conditions 3, 8 and 10.
Cllr Duggan will attend an OALC training course on planning on 7 February at West Oxfordshire District Council.

To Invite Members of the Public to Comment on Planning Applications: there were no matters arising.

Reports of Working Groups

Recreation
• Cllr Kane is obtaining a quotation for a see-saw & monkey-bars for the play area.
• Branches on some conifers in the play area were damaged by the recent snow. Acreman Arboriculture has dealt with the matter.

Cemetery and Allotments
• New tenancy agreements for allotment holders were sent out on 1 November 2017. Thirty-one of the forty-five tenants have returned their signed agreements. The remaining tenants have until 28 February 2018 to return their agreements to the Parish Clerk. Failure to return the signed documents by the due date will result in the Parish Council, with 12 month’s written notice, terminating the tenancies.
• Green Gym of Chipping Norton have lifted the bark in the play area and weeded and tidied the area.
• Cllr Hicks will ask Friends of the Cemetery if they would welcome a few hours of Green Gym’s time helping them to carry out a winter tidy-up of the cemetery. This would be financed by the Parish Council.

Environment
• The bottle banks outside the primary school are to be removed as soon as possible. Cllr Kane has contacted the Sports and Social Club to see if they would have any objection to them being moved to a suitable area in their car park. The matter is under consideration.
• A salt/grit bin has been ordered from Oxfordshire County Council for the corner of The Grange/The Sidings. OCC will inspect the area before agreeing to the purchase.
• A large lorry attempting to turn down Bell Hill has damaged the verge.
• A vehicle demolished the bench opposite the Pear Tree Inn on 20 December. The Parish Clerk has made a claim against the driver’s insurance.
• Cllr Griggs and Roy Davis have cleared the path through the Ironstone Hollow estate
• A missing bus stop sign and pole were removed by OCC because the pole was rusted through. It will be returned in due course.
• A resident has complained to Cllr Kane about the grammar used on the ‘20s Plenty’ signs in the village.
• County Cllr Reynolds and Cllr Kane have raised concerns with Ian Hudspeth at OCC about safety issues on the two school buses that currently serve children travelling to Chipping Norton School. Cllr Kane had raised a FOI enquiry with OCC asking for their risk assessment details. OCC replied stating that they had not carried out any risk assessments. This was a matter for the school and the bus company to deal with.

Hook Norton War Memorial Hall
• Cllr Watkins is obtaining a quotation for or repairing or replacing the broken blind mechanisms.

Finance/Schedule of Receipts and Payments for Authorisation by the Council:
The Parish Clerk presented the schedules of receipts and payments for January 2018 totalling £2,150.72 for the Parish Council (Annex 2) and £221.97 for the Memorial Hall (Annex 3). Cllr Duggan moved acceptance of the payments detailed. This was seconded by Cllr Wilson and agreed unanimously.

Report on District Council Matters. District Cllr Hugo Brown reported:
Castle Quay – At the Full Council Meeting on 18 December it was unanimously voted on that CDC should proceed with purchasing the 85% of Castle Quay Shopping Centre which it did not own and also to proceed with developing Castle Quay 2 (CQ2).  While the purchase price of Castle Quay has to remain confidential, the expected development cost of CQ2 is in the order of £60m.  The combined investment is very significant.  This is being financed entirely by loans at very favourable interest rates and the income stream from Castle Quay will be sufficient to meet the capital financing costs of the acquisition.  CQ2, once developed, will house a hotel, cinema, supermarket and restaurants and is seen as vital to attract foot-fall not only to Castle Quay itself, but also to Banbury Town Centre.  The project is not being undertaken primarily as an investment exercise (although it is expected to be more than self-financing) but principally to act as a launch-pad for the regeneration of Banbury – something CDC was far from confident would be achieved if left to a commercial developer.  I sit on both the Budget Planning Committee and the Accounts, Audit & Risk Committee and a very significant amount of my time (and that of other Councillors on these committees) was devoted to combing through finer details to satisfy ourselves as to the viability of this project.

Horton Hospital – CDC launched, in conjunction with others, a Judicial Review into the Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group’s decision to downgrade services at the Horton Hospital.  A 2-day hearing was held at the High Court in December in front of Mr Justice Mostyn with CDC, and others, arguing six points relating to:
1. the split nature of the consultation
2. misleading information on maternity care
insufficient information generally
not meeting the Government’s new test for bed closures
legitimate expectation of Cherwell residents for a functioning General Hospital in the North of the District
inadequate ambulance service effect – i.e.: transporting patients between the Horton and the JR in Oxford
Mr Justice Mostyn dismissed all six points. Cllr Barry Wood, Leader of CDC, expressed his “bitter disappointment” and further commented “Despite this, the Council will not rest on its laurels and will now focus its attention on the referral of the obstetrics service to the Secretary of State for Health and his hopeful instruction to his specialist panel to review that decision”.

Report on County Council Matters. County Cllr George Reynolds reported:
OCC will be discussing whether to increase the Council Tax by 4.99% or 5.99%.

Correspondence:
The Parish Clerk had forwarded all correspondence to Councillors during the month.
To Invite Questions and Comments from Members of the Public: there were none.

AOB:
There was a brief discussion about the Gladman Estate and CDC approval of 17/00950/REM. Any complaints about the approval should be made to Cherwell District Council direct, not the Parish Council. The Parish Council made a number of objections at the various consultation stages and can have no further input now that approval has been granted.

The next Parish Council Meeting will be held on 8 February 2018 at 7.30pm in the Memorial Hall.

There being no further business Councillor Kane thanked everyone for attending and closed the public meeting at 8.13pm.