November – 2013

Apologies for Absence – Councillor Casson, County Councillor Reynolds, District Councillor Jelf

Chairman’s Announcements

Councillor Kane had nothing to report.

Minutes of Previous Meeting held on 10 October 2013 and Matters Arising

It was proposed by Cllr Hicks and seconded by Cllr Hayward that the minutes of the previous meeting on 10 October 2013 be accepted as a true and accurate record and this was passed unanimously.

High speed broadband should be available to everyone in the village by the end of the month.

Councillors will continue to monitor parking of the Pulham’s school coach outside the doctors’ surgery.

Declarations of Interest – Cllr Hayward declared an interest in the Hook Norton Low Carbon Group.

Vacancy for Parish Councillor – Co-option – The Clerk had re-advertised the vacancy on the Parish Council following the resignation of Jonathan Leader.  She had received one application from Thomas Geoffrey Wright, Harwood Farmhouse, Chipping Norton Road, Hook Norton.  She had passed his CV to Councillors before the meeting.  Cllr Hayward proposed that Mr Wright be co-opted as a Councillor to Hook Norton Parish Council.  This was seconded by Cllr Watkins and unanimously agreed.  Mr Wright completed a Declaration of Acceptance of Office and will complete and return a Register of Members’ Interests form to the Parish Clerk.  He was warmly welcomed to the Council table.

Report of the Planning Co-Ordinator on Planning Applications Received

Seven planning applications/TCAs were received during the month (Annex 1).

Cherwell District Council had granted three applications, including the felling of an Ash tree at High Rock, Sibford Road which the Parish Council had objected to (Annex 1).

To Invite Members of the Public to Comment on Planning Applications – There were no comments from the members of the public attending.

Reports or Working Groups

Recreation – Cllr Kane reported:

• An order placed with Playdale to rectify minor faults on the play equipment identified during the annual inspection is outstanding.

Cemetery and Allotments

• The need for a green rubbish bin in the cemetery will be discussed at the next meeting.
• All allotment holders bar one have paid their annual rental.  A Notice of Termination has been sent to that person.

Environment – Cllr Hayward reported:

• Two quotations have been received for tree works.  Cllr Hayward will forward a schedule of proposed works using both quotations before the next meeting.
• Cherwell District Council’s insurers have settled the claim for repairs to the wall in Watery Lane which was damaged by their refuse freighter.
• Cllrs Kane and Hayward had inspected the vegetation growing on walls in Watery Lane.  The vegetation is not growing over the highway or obstructing traffic and no further work will be carried out.
• The Parish Clerk had written to Oxfordshire County Council to ascertain ownership of the wall between Watery Lane and the playgroup grounds and was waiting for a reply.
• A hedge belonging to the owners of ‘Springfield’, The Bourne has grown completely over the pavement.  The Parish Clerk will write to the owners asking them to cut it back to the boundary.
• Oxfordshire County Council has agreed to re-instate the footpath off the footbridge at the bottom of Bridge Hill after a member of the public slipped and fell into the stream.

Hook Norton War Memorial Hall – Cllr Brotherston reported:

• Someone has been tampering with the central heating boiler.  Labels have been put on the front advising people that only authorised personnel are permitted to access the inside of the boiler.
• The Memorial Hall’s insurers have asked for a further survey of the hall to be submitted.  The Structural Engineer inspected the roof on 25 October but his report is still awaited.
• The Structural Engineer is preparing drawings to enable the Parish Council to seek quotations for repairs to the roof.
• He had received complaints about the cleanliness and decoration of the hall above head height.  Nothing will be done to rectify this until repairs to the roof have been carried out.
• Cllr Hayward confirmed that he had sent a grant application to TOE2 for repairs to the roof and this had been acknowledged.
• The Yale lock on the front door is sticking.
• Cllr Kane reported that the October Market hire fees had been stolen from a blue re-cycling box at the front of Doug Marshall’s house.  Mr Marshall will in future pass the monies to Cllr Kane, who will then pass the fees to the Parish Clerk for banking.

Neighbourhood Plan Sub-Committee – Cllr Hicks reported:

• An updated Neighbourhood Plan has been produced together with a non-technical summary and a Recommendations Report.
• Feedback has been received from the Sustainability Report consultation.
• A list of contacts for consultees has been prepared (statutory, non-statutory, groups and people in the Parish).
• Posters, banners and a press release have been prepared.
• A Consultation Report is being prepared.
• The Neighbourhood Plan six-week consultation will commence on 18 November.  Hard copies of the plan will be put in the Library and village public houses.  An electronic version will be put on the website.
• More open sessions are to be arranged.
• A Funding Report must be submitted by 15 November.
• Particular thanks go to Rob Gardner and Julia Edwards for their tireless support.

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 £2,747.23 for the Parish Council and £76.50 for the Memorial Hall.  Cllr Hicks moved acceptance of the payments detailed, this was seconded by Cllr Hayward and approved unanimously.

Affordable Housing – Cllr Cooke reported:

A meeting with Fiona Brown from Cherwell District Council had been cancelled.  Ms Brown has had a preliminary meeting with Taylor Wimpey and their response was favourable.  Cllr Hayward said that Hook Norton Low Carbon Group is keen to drive the Community Land Trust model forward.

Result of the Appeal of the Bourne Lane Development

Having taken advice from Counsel with extensive knowledge of planning law, Cherwell District Council had decided that there was no legal argument to pursue and applying for a Judicial Review was not appropriate.

The Parish Clerk was asked to write to Taylor Wimpey or their Consultants, Barton Willmore expressing the Parish Council’s wish to work closely with them on the design plans of the new estate and to ask if it they would consider forwarding their proposed design details to Cllrs before Taylor Wimpey’s open public consultation day in the Memorial Hall on 27 November.

Local Heritage Assets – Community Right to Bid

Cllr Cooke is preparing applications for submission to Cherwell District Council.  Cherwell District Council has acknowledged receipt of the application relating to the Village Shop.

Report on District Council Matters – in the absence of District Cllr Jelf there was nothing to report.

Report on County Council Matters – County Cllr Reynolds reported before the meeting that Oxfordshire County Council’s Home to School Transport consultation had re-started.

Correspondence

The Parish Clerk had forwarded all email correspondence to Councillors during the month.

She had received a reply from E Gasson & Sons regarding tractor movements late at night.  They assured the Parish Council that they take their responsibilities seriously and that they endeavour to limit the impact their farming activities have on the village.

Thames Valley Police had conducted a ‘Speed Watch’ event on the Chipping Norton Road.  Of the 118 vehicles heading towards the village centre between 17.10 and 18.10 on 22 October, 16 were travelling at over 30mph.  Dedicated traffic police controls will be made aware of these results and a special constable, who is speed-gun trained, will patrol and monitor vehicles in this location.

The Hooky Players had queried whether or not the Memorial Hall is licenced to play live music in the Memorial Hall.  The Parish Clerk had assured them that the annual PRS Licence Fee was paid on 16 January 2013 but that PRS no longer issue certificates confirming payment.

To Invite Questions and Comments from Members of the Public

Members of the public raised concerns over proposed alterations to counters and the secure area of the Post Office and rumours of plans to downgrade post office services (e.g. cheque payments to be stopped other than for payment to DVLA for Vehicle Licencing, the overview of Passport Applications will be stopped, un-delivered parcels will not be left at the Post Office but will have to be collected from Banbury Sorting Office).  District Cllr Jelf is discussing these issues with Cherwell District Council.

Derek Jones introduced himself to Councillors.  He has recently taken over the voluntary role of Hook Norton Parish Path Warden, a joint countywide initiative between Oxfordshire Ramblers Association and Oxfordshire County Council’s Countryside Service.  His aim is to inspect the 37 pathways in the village bi-annually.  In future he will discuss any pathway issues with Councillors.