MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF HOOK NORTON PARISH COUNCIL HELD IN THE STUDY CENTRE, HOOK NORTON PRIMARY SCHOOL ON THURSDAY, 10 JULY 2014 at 7.30pm
Present: Councillors Kane, Watkins, Hicks, Brotherston, Hayward, Matthews, Millar, Wright, Mrs Watts (Parish Clerk) and four members of the public.
Apologies for Absence – Cllr Casson, County Cllr Reynolds and District Cllr Jelf
Chairman’s Announcements – there were no announcements.
Declarations of Interest – there were none.
Minutes of Previous Meeting held on 12 June 2014 and Matters Arising
Cllr Hicks proposed that the minutes of the meeting on 12 June 2014 be accepted as a true and accurate record. This was seconded by Cllr Brotherston and passed unanimously.
The Bell Inn – 14/00463/F. Cllr Millar had represented the Parish Council at a planning meeting at Cherwell District Council that afternoon, opposing the applicant’s request to change the use of The Bell Inn from public house to wholly residential use. District Councillors refused the planning application (all in favour of refusal, with two abstentions).
Gladman Developments – 14/00844/OUT. The Parish Council has opposed outline planning permission for 54 dwellings on OS Parcel 6680 north of the Primary School.
The noticeboard by The Sun Inn has been wood-stained and the broken glass replaced. Cllr Kane has arranged for a new map of the village to be produced and this will be displayed on the noticeboard in due course.
Parish Council Vacancy – Co-option
The Parish Clerk had placed an advertisement on the village noticeboards and website notifying villagers that there was a vacancy on the Parish Council following the resignation of Graham Usher. She had received one application from Brian Griggs, 3 Ironstone Hollow, Hook Norton. Cllr Hayward proposed that Mr Griggs be co-opted as a Councillor to Hook Norton Parish Council. This was seconded by Cllr Matthews and agreed unanimously. Mr Griggs completed a Declaration of Acceptance of Office and will complete a Register of Members’ Interests form, to be returned to the Parish Clerk. He was warmly welcomed to the Council table. Cllr Griggs said that he had no interests to declare.
Report of the Planning Co-Ordinator on Planning Applications – Annex 1
Two planning/TCA applications were received during the month – there were objections to 14/00844/OUT Gladman Developments. Cllrs have objected to 14/00379/REM Taylor Wimpey, Bourne Lane.
Cherwell District Council had granted seven planning/TCA applications during the month, including 14/00883/AGN Fodge Farm and 14/00884/AGN Croft Farm (both agreed on a ‘Notice of Determination’).
Cherwell District Council had refused 14/00463/F – The Bell Inn. Change of use from mixed use within A2/C3 to wholly residential use.
To Invite Members of the Public to Comment on Planning Applications – there was a short discussion about planning applications.
Appointment to Working Groups –
Recreation & Open Spaces Working Group – Cllrs Kane, Brotherston and Griggs
Cemetery & Allotments Working Group – Cllrs Hicks, Henderson and Wright
Environment Working Group – Cllrs Hayward, Millar and Matthews
HN Memorial Hall Working Group – Cllr Kane, Brotherston, Henderson and Watkins
Neighbourhood Plan Sub-Committee – Cllr Hicks
Reports of Working Groups
Recreation – Cllr Kane reported:
a) Weeds are growing out the pavement between Queen Street and the bus stop by the church. The Parish Clerk will report the matter to OCC Highways.
b) The first quarterly inspection report of the play area has been received from Playdale.
Cemetery and Allotments – Cllr Hicks reported:
a) Volunteers are needed to help keep the churchyard tidy. People willing to help should contact Cllr Hicks or the Parish Clerk.
Environment – Cllr Hayward reported:
a) The Environment Group are to look at bank stabilisation in a part of Watery Lane.
b) Playground: there is a “weed” sycamore growing out of the beech hedge adjacent to a bungalow and overhanging the garden. Cllr Hayward has asked Ben Acreman to look at it, as it is big enough to need consent from Cherwell District Council to fell it.
c) Self-seeded saplings on the raised verge in Chapel Street alongside ‘Long Thatch’ need removing. The Parish Clerk has reported the matter to OCC Highways.
d) The newly formed Cherwell Community Land Trust (CCLT) and Cherwell District Council are working together on an innovative self-build and self-finish development programme. CCLT is a not for profit industrial and provident society and encourages membership amongst local residents through £1 shares and a one member/one vote constitution. The CCLT will retain a long term role in ensuring that the benefits of a scheme remain in place for the local community.
A site is available in Hook Norton for the CCLT that could be used as a small self-build development for local people. The aim would be to provide housing within the reach of local people who cannot afford to buy on the open market.
Councillors welcomed the opportunity for genuinely affordable houses being made available for local people, possibly on a self-build basis. It was unanimously agreed that the Parish Council would support the CCLT in this project but would not be able to put forward anyone to take an active role at this time.
e) A resident had reported the public footpath across the allotments being overgrown. This had been dealt with by one of the volunteer Environmental Champions.
f) The Parish Council voiced concern about the heating systems being installed by A C Lloyd at the Grange.
g) Cllr Kane has established that Horsefair, the land in front of houses in Sibford Road, is not common land and is probably owned by Oxfordshire County Council.
Hook Norton War Memorial Hall
a) Cllr Brotherston reported that he had received a quotation for painting a) the inside and b) the outside of the village hall: (£4.2K for painting the inside, including all the windows and a further £4.2K for repairing and painting the outside windows).
Chipping Norton Glass had quoted £9.46K + VAT for replacing the windows with double glazed upvc units and Professor Windows had quoted £7.48K + VAT.
Cllr Brotherston proposed that once planning permission has been sought and granted, the Parish Council agree to have the windows replaced by Professor Windows. This was seconded by Cllr Hicks and approved unanimously. Revised quotations for decorating the inside of the hall will now be sought.
b) Cllr Kane is applying for a grant from CDC’s WW1 Memorial Fund and from TOE2. The Film Society has kindly offered to make a donation towards the cost of re-decoration.
c) Cllr Kane suggested that the Parish Council engage a commercial cleaning company to clean the hall after the refurbishment and that it contract-out cleaning the hall in future. This was agreed unanimously.
d) The Parish Council had invited the monthly village market to use the Study Centre in the Primary School whilst the Memorial Hall roof is being repaired. It had also agreed to pay any difference in the cost of hire. Doug Marshall had emailed Cllr Brotherston to say that he had contacted all stallholders explaining that the hall will be closed for at least one market. He had asked them if they would be happy to move to a different venue during the closure and the majority had said that they would prefer to take a break.
Neighbourhood Plan (HNNP) Sub-Committee – Cllr Hicks reported:
a) The sub-committee had attended a meeting on 30 June with Cllr Kane and it was agreed that the Neighbourhood Plan should be submitted to Cherwell District Council. All documents will be updated before the next steering group meeting.
b) Three documents have been sent to the Parish Council for consideration; the Neighbourhood Plan, Basic Conditions Statement and Consultation Statement. The Sustainability Report will be ready by the beginning of next week.
c) The next meeting of the steering group is on 14 July when the Neighbourhood Plan should be ‘signed off’.
d) There will be a meeting for Cllrs in the Study Centre on 27 July at 7.30pm to discuss and sign-off the Neighbourhood Plan. Members of the public are welcome to attend.
e) Cllrs unanimously gave de facto approval of the Neighbourhood Plan, subject to there being no substantive changes.
f) Cllr Kane referred Cllrs to an article by Jamie Carpenter dated 10 July 2014 relating to Communities Secretary, Eric Pickles signalling his intention to intervene in planning appeals in neighbourhood plan areas by announcing changes to the criteria for consideration of the recovery of planning appeals. Planning Minister, Nick Boles said that Eric Pickles is keen to give particular scrutiny to planning appeals in, or close to neighbourhood plan areas to “enable him to consider the extent to which government’s intensions are being achieved on the ground”.
Heath Allotment Trust Accounts 2013 – 2014
The Heath Allotment Trust had submitted their revised accounts for 2013-2014. Cllr Kane proposed that the accounts accepted. This was seconded by Cllr Hicks and passed unanimously.
Review of Hire Fees War Memorial Hall
It was unanimously agreed that this item be deferred to the September meeting.
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 for July and August totalling £6,688.89 for the Parish Council and £90 for the Memorial Hall. Cllr Hicks moved acceptance of the payments detailed. This was seconded by Cllr Matthews and approved unanimously.
Report on District Council Matters: Cllr Jelf had not submitted a report. Cllrs noted that District Cllr Jelf does not agree with the Parish Council objections to the change of use of The Bell Inn to wholly residential use. Cllr Jelf had not made any objections to Cherwell District Council’s Planning Committee on behalf of the Parish Council.
Report on County Council Matters: County Cllr Reynolds reported:
a) It appears that the new school bus system will be worked out on the percentage of houses in each school area. OCC will recount each year to check for housing developments. Once a child has free transport, he/she will retain it unless he/she moves house. For Hook Norton the split is 736 properties nearer Chipping Norton, with 123 properties nearer Warriner, Bloxham (86% – 14%). It appears from these figures that Chipping Norton will remain the secondary school for Hook Norton.
b) Very soon, Bloxham Primary School will only be able to take Bloxham children.
Correspondence
The Parish Clerk had forwarded all correspondence to Councillors during the month
To Invite Questions and Comments from Members of the Public
a) Will the new windows in the village hall include some that open? Yes, some will open.
b) Will it be possible for the Film Society to suggest a colour-wash for the inside of the village hall? Yes, but please choose colours from the Dulux Trade paint chart.
c) Will there be curtains or blinds in the hall (the Film Society has obtained an estimate of £1,950 for new blinds)? The PC will also consider the cost of new curtains.
d) Will the straps from the roof down the side walls be plastered over? It was agreed that a quotation will be sought to re-plaster the side walls.
The next Parish Council meeting will be held on 11 September 2014 at 7.30pm. The venue will be confirmed at a later date.
There being no further business Councillor Kane thanked everyone for attending and closed the public meeting at 8.52 pm.