Dec07Newsletter

The Council meeting held on Wednesday 14th November was attended by all Parish Councillors, the District Councillor, the Clerk and one member of the public.

Cllr. Tim Robinson wished to have recorded that he was unable to attend the Council meeting on 9th October due to the change of date agreed at the September meeting but that he had represented the Parish Council at SODC Planning Committee hearing on the Lamb on the 10th October 2007.

The clerk updated the Council on the outstanding items with OCC Highways . The following is a summary of the points:

The speed survey has been conducted outside Willowbrook Cottage on the Haseley Road . The results show a mean average speed of around 27.0 mph.

The drain on the Haseley Road close to the 30mph sign is still in need of repair.

The work to eliminate the surface water on the Haseley Road has not yet been started. OCC Highways have indicated that they have spoken to the owners of the Manor as they have some concerns that this area maybe a contributory source of the problem.

OCC Highways have indicated that some of the verges on Church Hill and the path outside Cremar Cottages could be improved. This matter is under consideration.

The Clerk informed the Council that the Stopping Up Order in respect of Church Hill Cottage had not yet been implemented. There is a temporary structure supporting the wall on Gold Street . The Clerk stated that he will speak to OCC Highways in respect of this matter.

The Clerk reported that he spoken to Mrs Caroline Jones, Chair of Little Milton School Governors, in respect of the slip road between Haseley Road and Gold Street . The Council RESOLVED that the Clerk should write to the Chair of Governors to seek support to have the slip road re-designated for pedestrians and cyclists only.

The Clerk informed the meeting that he was still waiting for a letter from OCC to confirm the registration of the Village Green although he had received a verbal confirmation. There is a need for the Council to determine the delineation of the village green to prevent further encroachment by vehicles. Cllr Tim Robinson stated that Mrs Robinson would provide the Council with options for consideration.

The Clerk informed the meeting that he had attended the meeting held on 11 October in respect of weight limits on the A329. The meeting was chaired by County Councillor David Turner . Mr Peter Ronald provided vehicle count records including HGV’s. The conclusion of the meeting was that steps should be taken to have a more effective enforcement of the current weight limits by using Trading Standards. The National Census traffic census point south-west of the village recorded in September 2007 recorded the lowest number of HGV’s in six years.

The Chairman invited Mr Mark Willis to report on the work of the recreation ground committee. He reported on the mole activity on the recreation ground and explained that Spadework UK could not start their programme to control the mole activity due to staff problems. The Council RESOLVED to ask Mr Peter Ilbury to commence work to control the moles within the immediate future. The Clerk stated that the cost would not exceed £500 without further approval of the Council.

P07/W1258:10 Chiltern View, installation of flue for clean burn multi fuel stove

The Council RESOLVED that this planning application should be approved by South Oxfordshire District Council.

P07/W0628: Orchard House; Open air swimming pool. Planning permission granted by SODC

This application has been granted planning permission by South Oxfordshire District Council.

This application has been granted Listed Building Consent by South Oxfordshire District Council.

These planning/Listed Building applications have been refused by South Oxfordshire District Council

The Council noted that South Oxfordshire District Council was investigating an alleged breach of planning control.

Cllr. Barry Coward updated the meeting on the joint meeting between representatives of the Village Hall, the shop steering group and the Parish Council. He reported that the shop would be set up as an Independent Provident Society for the benefit of the community and that a village meeting would be called by the shop steering group at some stage in the future. He also reported that the current lease between the Village Hall and the Parish Council allows the establishment of a sub lease between the Village Hall and the “shop” but would be subject to approval by the Parish Council. There is need to incorporate a revised footprint of the village hall within the lease and for it to be registered with the Land Registry. He also highlighted that a formal letter from the Village Hall requesting approval for the hall extension was outstanding.

Cllr Barry Coward also highlighted the car park as an area that will require to be carefully considered by the shop committee as there are a number of operational issues that need to be addressed. He stated that the shop steering group have been asked to submit a proposal to the Parish Council for consideration as there may be financial as well as planning implications.

Cllr. David Wakeling informed the meeting that he had received representation on behalf of residents who use the restricted byway that leads from the High Street to Warren Barn. The road is in a poor state of repair. He reported that the matter is being addressed by OCC Countryside Services but requested that the Parish Council actively involve themselves in addressing the problem. The Clerk stated that he spoken to OCC Countryside about the byway and they had expressed their desire to improve the road surface as well as restrict its use by illegal vehicles. The solution is dependent upon available funding.

District Councillor John Nowell Smith informed the meeting that South Oxfordshire District was considering a proposal on a new waste collection scheme from 2009. He also reported that the District Council were considering consulting Parish Councils on the discontinuance of the automatic referral of major and minor planning applications to the Planning Committee in circumstances where a parish recommend approval against an officer’s recommendation of refusal.

The Parish Council will meet on Wednesday 12th December 2007 at 8.00 p.m. in The Pine Lodge Little Milton unless there is a need to convene any planning or other meetings.

Please note that the complete minutes of the Council are now included on the Council website www.littlemilton.org.uk after they have been approved by the Council.

Residents can see the records of the policies and practices of the Parish Council

consultations, on request from the Parish Clerk (Raymond Fergusson –279150). Current Council member are:

Cllr. Mabel Wood, Cllr. Alison Shelton , Cllr. David Wakeling, Cllr. Tim Robinson

‘If you can find the funding then we will build barriers’, says John Gardner, General Manager of UK Highways, who maintain the M40 on behalf of the Highways Agency. His offer came during a presentation at the AGM of the M40 Chilterns Environmental Group.

Mr Gardner explained that he must reconstruct two deteriorating bridges over the motorway, at Milton Common and Stokenchurch. Existing bridges will need to be closed for extended periods whilst the works are carried out. The two schemes are planned consecutively in 2008 and 2009, which may cause further disruption of the lives of local people, who suffer from the noise of M40 traffic, night and day.

Ken Edwards, Chairman of the M40 Group, stated that, although they recognise the benefit of including the additional work, under current policies the Highways Agency will not provide funding for improving noise barriers for these communities.

Local residents queried the problems with the bridges - apparently designed for a 60 year life - after 30 years. Many expressed frustration with District and County Councils in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire for failing to consult local residents. Mr Gardner expressed his willingness to continue to examine the plans so as to minimize disruption, and to meet with local people again. However, following the Highways Agency’s refusal to fund improvement of noise barriers within the schemes, an opportunity to bring lasting benefit to local residents continues to be missed.

M40 CEG will continue to pursue this opportunity with support of local residents.

There will be no garden waste service over the Christmas period with collections starting w/c 7 January 2008

For a charge of £35 residents can arrange for their unwanted vehicle to be collected from within the District and a charge of £7.50 per bulky item e.g. fridge furniture etc. To arrange this service residents can call the Public Amenities Team on 01491 823416 or print a copy of the form from the Council’s website www.southoxon.gov.uk .

Your bin will be collected on the same day as your normal refuse and recycling. Please ensure however that your bin is placed in a safe place that does not obstruct the pavement or highway. The dates for December are as follows:-Tuesday 4th; Tuesday 18th

The Oxfordshire County Council Waste Recycling Centres at Redbridge and Oakley Wood are open Monday to Saturday 8.30 a.m. – 4.00 p.m. and Sunday 9.00 a.m. – 4.00 p.m. The recycling centres will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day (and will be closing at 3.00p.m. on 24 and 31 December.

Church Cleaning Christmas Party

The Lamb is booked and we are all about to celebrate another years cleaning with our ‘Christmas Do’. If you feel sad that you’re not ‘one of us’ then do telephone to book in as one of us cleaners! We would welcome you warmly…

I would appreciate if those who want to help with the flowers for Christmas could advise me if they are available on the 23rd or 24th December.

Just to let Villagers know that the Bell Ringers will be ringing in St. James’ Church, Little Milton on

As Christmas fast approaches people often say to me there’s not much Christmas spirit about. But if we keep our eyes, our ears and our hearts open we can discover it, even in quite surprising places.

Over the years I’ve taken part in many carol services. Some have been set in beautiful Churches with the music, rich and wonderful, and the readings read in such a way so to leave me moved and inspired. Others have been in less hallowed surroundings, but have in their own, but very different way, spoken powerfully to me of Christ’s presence with us.

But two carol services stick in my mind. One was in a school for children with special needs. There were wheel chairs turned into donkeys, angels with golden crowns all dressed in white and strapped into their chairs for safety, a rebellious reindeer with intoxicated antlers who couldn’t keep still, and a walk-about shepherd waving to his mum and dad, his brothers and sisters. So much care from loving staff, a joyful telling of the old, old story. To me the presence of Christ was tangible. The big lesson I learnt was that those who have least, give so much to such a wonderful effect.

The other experience was in prison. Again the same old story offered and received-not by holy innocents, but by men who had played a large part in their own downfall, mostly by drugs, banged up day by day with so little to hope for, even when they come out, having made reparation. They found their Saviour in prison, were longing and hoping for a new start to their lives; working to put on a concert for ‘Children in Need’, putting on the armour of God to rid them of their habit. Their chaplains, alongside the prisoners, still seeing their potential when so many write them off. We sang carols like ‘Come thou long expected Jesus, born to set your people free’. There’s so much there that was hard and wrong-yet in the midst of it all, generosity, faith and transformation.

You see in Christ we have a Lord who saw the value and potential, not just in the beautiful, successful, premier league people, but in the backward and the disabled-even those in prison. In mingling with all sorts of people, he made everyone feel that they mattered and was of value- because they mattered and were of value to God. To Jesus, it was the individual person who was revealed to be valued so very much. He taught and lived that those who felt loved, accepted and forgiven may break free of the natural order to ignore or scrag the weak, to judge, and instead able to be led into a much richer, deeper and fuller life. It is, as He said, ‘I came to give life, more abundant life.’ For it is for the healing of the whole of humankind that compassion came down at Christmas-and God said, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’

“Not much Christmas Spirit about?” Yes there is, and the way to begin to discover it for ourselves, is to stop blaming, judging, carping and condemning one another, and show love, acceptance and forgiveness. These are the things that are all needed if Christ’s coming is to have an impact on our world in 2008.

Father of all mankind, deepen our gratitude, enlarge our sympathies and order our affections in generous and unselfish lives. In the name of Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who is born as at this time and who lives forever to draw all mankind to your love. Amen.

Advent in the Church is always a period of quiet expectancy and preparation in readiness to receive anew, the Christ Child and the intense new love he brings into our lives at Christmas. To help us in our spiritual preparations, in addition to our usual pattern of services in a month, on each Friday morning in Advent, there will be a Service of Holy Communion at 9.00 a.m. Please do check the list of Services for the venues, since they will rotate around our parishes.

As I write our two schools are busy making their own preparation to celebrate Christmas, and it will be a special delight, to welcome all our children into our Churches. The Christingle Service with Little Milton School will be on TUESDAY 11^th DECEMBER at 6.00 p.m. I am sure it will be as colourful and delightful as always, and similarly on WEDNESDAY 19^th DECEMBER at 6.00 p.m., Great Milton School will come into Church for Hosannah Rock. Each school will in their own way tell again the old old story, but yet making it real and live and relevant to us today.

On Sunday 16^th December each parish is having their Carol Service. We begin at 4.00 p.m. at Great Haseley. Tim Suter, will be getting together a very worthy choir for the occasion, and after the service, refreshments will be kindly served at the home of Mrs. Alexander, immediately adjacent to the Church.

At 5.30 p.m. in St. James’ Little Milton , their carol Service will take place, and it is planned to have some instrumentalists from the village taking part.

At 7.00 p.m., in St. Mary’s Great Milton will be held the Festival on Nine lessons and carols, and to enhance our carol singing, Kate Billimore with friends will be helping us with the music. Kate is already gathering a choir together, even as I write.

On Friday 21st December at 8.00 p.m., we are all invited to A Carol Service at Rycote Chapel by kind invitation of Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Taylor. We always enjoy visiting Rycote, and at Christmas time it will be truly magical there. Look forward to seeing you.

On MONDAY 24^th, Christmas Eve, there is the Benefice Crib Service in St. James’ Little Milton at 4.00 p.m. and at 11.30 p.m. we shall greet the new born Heavenly King with Midnight Communion at St. Peter’s, Great Haseley.

On Christmas Day itself at 9.30 a.m., there will be a CHRISTMAS SERVICE FOR ALL THE FAMILY in ST. MARY’S, GREAT MILTON . I stress this Service is for all the family, so do come along and bring all of your family and friends along with all the children with yours. This service will last about 40 minutes. Afterwards there will be a shortened form of Holy Communion for all who care to stay.

Over the Christmas period, there will be many of you who will have family and friends staying with you, and when you bring them to church they may feel a hesitation to come up and receive communion. There really is no need to feel so. All are welcome around the Lord’s Table.

May I wish you all a most blessed and peaceful Christmas, and a new year full of all good things.

On the second Monday of each month there is a service of prayer, readings and hymns in Fullers Field Community Room, Great Milton. The service is shared with our Methodist friends. The service starts at 6.00pm and lasts about 30 minutes. The next service is scheduled on Monday 9th December 2007. If you would like to attend the service but require transport please contact Raymond Fergusson of 27 Chiltern View; telephone number 01844 279150 who will ensure that you are taken to the service and collected after it is finished.

Aprons

Calling all cooks………………..

Does your ‘Little Milton Apron’ need updating or have you never had the pleasure of owning one?

Buy a newly designed apron with artwork of St James’ Church, The Lamb and Little Milton Primary School in burgundy on a white background. With its own little pocket you and your mobile need never be apart!!

Only £7.50 each.

They make ideal Christmas presents.

For sale in the Post Office or ring Theresa Quested 01844 278922/ Sarah Jones 01844 278120

Proceeds to St James Church

Friday 7th Dec.	Chalgrove Village Car park	8.00 – 11.00 am
Friday 14th Dec.	Chalgrove Village Car park	8.00 – 12.00 pm
Saturday 15th Dec.	Wheatley Primary School	8.00 – 11.00 am
Friday 21st Dec.	Chalgrove Village Car park	8.00 – 11.00 am
Sat 22nd Dec.	Wheatley Primary School Chalgrove Village Car park	8.00 – 12.00 pm 8.00 – 12.00 pm
Friday 28th	Chalgrove Village Car park	8.00 – 11.00 am

2nd	9.30 a.m.	All age worship led by Mr Colin Watts
9th	3.00 p.m.	Carol service led by Rev Derick Chambers
16th	11.00 a.m.	Sacrament of Holy Communion led by Rev Anne Henman
23rd	11.00 a.m.	Morning Service led by Rev Derick Chambers
25th	11.00 a.m.	Local arrangement
30th	11.00 a.m.	Covenant Service led by Rev Derick Chambers

Church Cleaning Christmas Party

LITTLE MILTON

GREAT HASELEY