Little Milton Newsletter June 2008

ANNUAL PARISH MEETING

The Annual Parish meeting held on Wednesday 14th May was attended by five Councillors, the County Councillor and six members of the public. The following are extracts from the minutes that the Council need to approve at the June meeting.

Chairman’s Report

Mr Stuart McGill presented the Chairman’s Report and extracts of his report are included in this Newsletter.

Financial Report

The Clerk presented the key aspects of the Council finances for the year ended 31st March 2008 and a full statement of the finances is included in the Annual Report of the Council.   

District Councillor’s Report

Due to the absence of Mr John Nowell Smith there was no District Councillor report available.

County Councillor ’s Report

Mr David Turner reported to the meeting his work on the Oxfordshire County Council. It covered key services including the Budget, education, bus services, road maintenance, traffic calming & weight restrictions on the A329, housing, major disruption on the A329 at Milton Common, older people’s homes, Youth Service and Neighbourhood Action Groups.

Report by Chairman of Village Hall

Mr David Ponting, Chairman of the Village Hall, gave a report on a number of aspects of the Village Hall including hall bookings, finance and he thanked all the committee members who have contributed to another successful year.

Report on Little Milton School  

A report from the Governing Body of Little Milton School was read out by Cllr Alison Shelton. It covered various aspects of school life including the award of Primary School status that allows children to stay at the school until the end of year six, aged eleven, vision for the next five years, parking problem in Gold Street and long term plan to utilise the buildings and grounds to their full potential. The report concluded that “all in all this has been a great year for Little Milton School ”.

Report by Chair of Orchard Pre School

Mrs Leslie McCaig, Chair of the Orchard, gave a report on Orchard that included the celebration of the Orchard’s twenty first birthday, the patterns of term time sessions that now include a holiday club, major fund-raising activities, investment priorities and foreseen changes in school numbers as parents move their children into primary education at an earlier stage. She also thanked the village for all its support and her appreciation of the excellent staff who work at the Orchard.

St James Church

Mr Raymond Fergusson gave a brief report on St James’ Church and stated that although attendance numbers were low it was refreshing to see the strong school links.

He also referred the strong community links through the fete as well as the number of church members involved in other village organisations and therefore playing a full role within the village. He ended on a sad note by reporting the theft of lead from the Church porch.

Parish Forum

There were no questions raised from the floor.

Raymond Fergusson Parish Clerk

EXTRACTS FROM CHAIRMAN’s REPORT AT ANNUAL PARISH MEETING

This year is the fifth year I have had the privilege of being Chair of Little Milton Parish Council, and it occurred to me recently that, to many in the Village, the Parish Council may seem like a rather boring irrelevance that “suck out” about £47 per annum per household from you and deliver nothing in return. And, if I am honest, I probably thought the same years ago. However, the longer I have held the role, the more I have become convinced that Parish Councils can and should take a leading role in their Community. I strongly believe that a forward thinking Council can make an enormous difference to the quality of life in the village, and should seek to preserve and enhance the assets of the Village and its environment for all However, I am sure this is not a view shared by some. Why not, they say, close the Parish Council, and abolish the Precept, giving the money back to the Village?

No Pre School ; No Village Hall; No Recreation Ground or its maintenance

No Multi Use Games Area; No Village Green; No Traffic calming measures

No Post Office or Village Shop; No Newsletter; No Parish Clerk!; No Play Area

No communal blocked sewer investigations; No collective input to Planning Decisions

No facilities for Youth Activities; And finally, my favourite- No Doggy Bins!

This is not to suggest that the Parish Council does all the work to maintain these benefits, but it does provide the focal point at which decisions can be made to sustain and encourage those individuals and groups who do. While I have been Chairman I have constantly looked for ways in which the Parish Council can make a positive difference to the lives of everyone in Little Milton, and I believe that so far we have succeeded. £10,000 as a Precept seems a small amount of money to spend, but in reality it can go a very long way.

However, you will no doubt be pleased to hear that after we have built the Post Office and Village Shop, I have no further building ambitions. Enough is enough. But it would be dishonest of me to say that I had no further aspirations for the village.

I would like to improve the natural aspects to the Village, for example. The entrance on the A329 from the North can sometimes not show off the Village at its best, or the section between Warren View and the High Street. It would be interesting to see what sympathetic treatment could be done to remove the nettles and brambles and encourage wild flowers and plants to grow in their place. I also feel we have not done enough for

the youth of the Village, or been able to assist the Lamb pub as much as we would like, although we are severely constrained by law.

Beyond any other issue, the one topic that has occupied the minds of the Parish Council most over the last 12 months has been the Village Shop and Post Office.

For reasons that are beyond me, Parish Councils are effectively legally prohibited from becoming involved with Village Shops, even if it is seen as a Village amenity and with a charitable purpose. This also, by the way, applies to Village Pubs.

We have tried to find a way in which the shop and Post Office can be built and run, which enables the shop to enjoy maximum grants, and a peppercorn rent, therefore giving it its best chance of survival, but after 12 months of debate and exploration of the options, the way forward seems even less clear now than when we started.

However, one thing that is crystal clear is your support for this project. As I write, we have now collected 166 returns, of which 163 are in favour-an incredible 98.4%, with 65% of the village participating. We have also had donations, loans, and offers to buy shares of over £12,000, and well over 30 volunteers. When I tell you that our Village Shops advisor, who covers the whole of Oxfordshire, had predicted we would raise £3,000 only, which says again how brilliant the people of this village are in support of this, and many other projects.

I do not believe that the shop could have a better level of support from its Village than you have given-a very sincere thank you.

You will note that the Precept has been held at £10,000 for the fourth year running. The budget is set every year and agreed by the Council, but it is Raymond Fergusson’s hard work and conservative accounting which keep us on an even keel We have increased revenues from the Newsletter, thanks again to Raymond, and earnings from the Multi Use Games Area of around £2,500 per year, which is popular with users from Wheatley and Chalgrove as well as Little Milton.  Sadly however we had a serious incident where a number of cars were broken into owned by users of the MUGA, so they now park as close to the courts as possible.

The Recreation Ground is being maintained to a high standard, thanks to Mark Willis and his team, and we have recently spent £500 on mole control, although this is rather like painting the Forth Bridge , given the fields next door.

The Primary School, led by Eve Hunter and Caroline Jones as Chair of Governors has now increased pupil numbers to over 60, which I know is the highest they have ever been, and created a new superb classroom for years 5 & 6, proving yet again that we have an exceptional school in the village. We have recently been circulated with a paper of “Oxfordshire’s Strategy for Primary Education”, which I always view with deep suspicion, but in this case we appear to be safe. Congratulations and thanks go to all of the staff and governors for their achievement.

The Orchard Pre School is just as popular (and full!) as ever with over 40 children on the roll and a waiting list from next September, thanks to the efforts of Yvonne Brammer, Linda Lovegrove, Helen Lovegrove, and the new Chair, Lesley McCaig. Thanks to everyone who helps to support the Orchard in any way.

The Pine Lodge still thrives, under the very able Chairmanship of Dave Ponting, and with Dee Waldron as bookeeper, and the Quiz Nights recently set an all time attendance record of nearly 90. We have a very successful Cinema Club, run by Kath Stacey, with new members every month from not just the Village but the Haseley's and Great Milton. Thanks to all the trustees for their hard work

I cannot pass over the Pine Lodge without a mention of the National Award we won. According to WREN, a charitable organisation, we are the best Community Building in the UK out of thousands they have helped to fund.

I would like to thank my fellow Councillors, Barry Coward , Alison Shelton, Mabel Wood and Tim Robinson for their commitment and dedication,  and Raymond Fergusson, our Parish Clerk, without whom I for one, would completely cease to function. I would particularly like to thank Barry Coward for his work as Chairman of the Shop Liaison Committee, who job it is to negotiate the legal minefield of setting up the shop.

I would also like to thank John Nowell Smith our District Councillor, and David Turner , our County Councillor , for their continued support at District and County level. They are both a great asset and friend of the village Thanks to both of them for their hard work on our behalf on a wide range of issues.

I hope in the coming year we can successfully relocate the Post Office, and establish a viable and popular Community Shop which will be another asset to the Village.

ANNUAL PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

The Council meeting held on Wednesday 14^th May was attended by five Councillors, the County Councillor and two members of the public. The following are extracts from the minutes that the Council need to approve at the June meeting.

Election of Chairman

Cllr. Mabel Wood proposed Mr Stuart McGill as Chairman and this was seconded by Mrs Alison Shelton . There were no other nominations for chairperson. Mr Stuart McGill was elected as chairman until the 2009 Annual Meeting.

Election of Vice Chairman

    Cllr. Stuart McGill proposed Mr Barry Coward as vice-chairman and this was seconded by Cllr. David Wakeling. Cllr. Barry Coward was elected as vice chairman until the 2008 Annual Meeting.

OCC Highways

The Clerk informed the meeting that OCC Highways had repaired the pot holes on the Haseley Road and that work to address the water issue would commence imminently. However the Chairman highlighted a problem with the drain outside Brookside Cottage.

The Clerk informed the meeting that he had corresponded with a school governor in respect of the re-classification of the slip road between the Haseley Road and Gold Street . He stated that he was seeking confirmation that the school’s Better Ways to School programme included a statement that the road should be re-classified. Such a statement would support any request by the school for funding from the Better Ways to School budget.

The Clerk reported that he had spoken to Mr Steve Phillips at OCC who had confirmed that the closure of the bridge on the A329 at Junction would take place at the end of September although this date may slip as contractors are still finalising their work schedules.

Youth Facilities

The Clerk stated that he would distribute an A5 leaflet, supplied by ActiveTEN20 to targeted households within the Village. The Council will attempt to seek the guidance of ActiveTEN20 to ascertain the effectiveness of their service in meeting the needs of the youth of the village. Mr David Turner suggested that contact should be made with Monica Hannaway, Head of Youth Services, to determine what help could be offered to the Council in addressing the needs of the young people of the village.

Planning

Land adjacent to the Plough

The Chairman read out a letter from SODC Planning enforcement team that the landscaping scheme in respect of the land adjacent to Plough House was to the satisfaction of the planning officer. The Council requested that the Clerk obtain a copy of the scheme as the members did not understand the scope of the scheme and the information would further their understanding.

Planning decisions made by the SODC Planning Committee

The Chairman informed the meeting that the Planning Committee had unanimously agreed not to alter the current system of automatic referral of major and minor planning applications where the recommendation of the officers was different to that of the Parish Council. The Council welcomed this decision.

Extension to Village Hall

The Chairman updated the Council on the preliminary results of the Village Questionnaire. The results showed that over 98% of the residents that had submitted a form were in favour of the shop/post office relocation and about 65% of households had responded. The financial support from residents as either shares in the IPS, donations or interest free loans was just under £12,000. The Chairman also stated that 34 residents had indicated that they would assist in the shop and this information was being further analysed. Overall the results of the questionnaire were very encouraging.

The Clerk reported that he had spoken to Miss Jane Randall at SODC Planning who indicated that the planning permission granted for the extension to the hall and the incorporation of a shop and Post Office was valid for option 2, the Village Hall extend

the hall and the IPS fit out the extension or for Option 5, the IPS leases the land from the Parish Council and both builds the extension and equips it. The key points are that under both options the extension is as per the application in both materials and design and that any planning conditions are also met.

The Chairman reported that he had sent a letter to Jayne Bolton, the Grants Manager, at SODC requesting that the grant applied for on behalf of the Village Hall be transferred to the Shop Committee. He also informed the meeting that he had received a letter from Pat Connell, Legal and Democratic Services, at SODC requesting a copy of the draft lease to the Shop Charity (IPS) with a copy of the IPS constitution. The Council RESOLVED that a request should be made to Mr David Ponting, Chair of Little Milton Village Hall, to arrange a meeting with the Grants Officer and a member of the Legal and Democratic Services to resolve the transfer of the grant to the IPS and that the Parish Council should be represented at any meeting.

At this point in the meeting Cllr Alison Shelton and Cllr Stuart McGill declared a prejudicial interest in the next point on the agenda and vacated their places at the Council table.

Cllr Barry Coward took the Chair.

The Council RESOLVED that its initial offer of grant funding of £15k stands in respect of Option 2 but it would be subject to the power of well-being if it was to be paid to the IPS under Option 5. The PC is also offering the land upon which to site the shop at a minimal cost and, within reason, is providing the car park improvements. The PC will also, particularly under Option 5, incur legal costs. However these together constitute the limit of the PC’s current financial commitment to this project.

The Council RESOLVED that any lease between the PC and the IPS should contain clauses which achieve the following:

1.        Restriction as to use of the land – e.g. for a general village shop run for the benefit of the community as an Industrial & Provident Society

2.        Construction and materials to conform to planning consent and conditions

3.        The building may not be offered as a security for any loans and no legal charges may be placed on the building

4.        In the event of dissolution of the IPS, the premises are to be transferred to the VHMC at no cost to either the VHMC or the PC

5.        The terms under which a sub-post office is allowed to occupy space within the premises must be by form of licence only, rent must not be accepted and no sub-tenancy is to be created. In the event of the dissolution of the IPS, the post office will have no automatic right to continue operating from the premises

6.        The lease for the land cannot be assigned or otherwise disposed of to a third party

The Council RESOLVED that under Option 5, it would advise the SP that no contract for construction of the building could be placed until and unless the SP has successfully converted to an IPS and has completed registration with the FSA and in addition, under Option 5, before the land can be occupied and construction begin, the terms of the lease must be agreed and the lease signed by the PC and the IPS.

The Council also RESOLVED to seek a legal opinion on any lease that it would need to draw up between themselves and the IPS before instigating the preparation of a formal document. However this work would not be commissioned before the outcome of the meeting between the Village Hall and SODC referred to earlier in this minute. The IPS would need to provide the Parish Council with a copy of their constitution for their solicitors.

The Council RESOLVED to maintain its position to explore at the same time the option that would allow the village hall to build the extension and have a sub-lease with the IPS and the option that would set up a lease on the land designated for the extension with the IPS and the IPS building and equipping the extension.

Councillors Stuart McGill and Alison Shelton re-joined the meeting.

The Parish Council will meet on Wednesday 11th June 2008 at 8.15 p.m. in The Pine Lodge Little Milton unless there is a need to convene any planning or other meetings.

R. Fergusson Parish Clerk

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.

Freedom of Information Act – Parish Council Publication Scheme

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

including minutes, financial information and responses to planning

consultations, on request from the Parish Clerk.

Current Council members

SODC: WASTE MANAGEMENT CONTRACT

For a charge of £68 residents can arrange for their unwanted vehicle to be collected from within the District and a charge of £20 for up to three bulky item e.g. fridge furniture etc. and a further £6.35 for each additional item. 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 .

SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL –GARDEN WASTE

COLLECTION

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 June are as follows:-Tuesday 3^rd and Tuesday 17th

If you are interested in this service please contact SODC Public Amenities on 01491 823416 or email: public.amenities@southoxon.gov.uk or visit www.southoxon.gov.uk

COMMUNITY WASTE VEHICLES – DOMESTIC WASTE ONLY

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.

Please note the new schedule for Community Waste Collection has been greatly reduced in line with the reduced demand.

OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF HASELEY ROAD FROM 28 JULY 2008

The Parish Council have been notified that a temporary Traffic Order will be made to implement the temporary closure of the Haseley Road whilst essential tree felling works are carried out.

CHURCH CLEANING ROTA FOR JUNE

W/E 7th June                                        -              Mrs. M. Davies/Mrs S A Dennis

W/E 14th June                                      -              Mrs L. Lovegrove/ Mrs C Coward

W/E 21st June                                      -              Mrs E. Summers/ Mrs A Jones

W/E 28th June                                      -              Mrs. G. Taylor/Mrs H Ridley

W/E 5th July                                         -              Mrs A. Hawkins/Mrs. S. Jones

CHURCH FLOWER ROTA FOR JUNE

W/E 7th June                                        -              Sally Ann Dennis                                

W/E 14th June                                      -              Sally Ann Dennis

W/E 21st June                                      -                             

W/E 28th June                                      -

W/E 5th July                                         -                             

BELL RINGING PRACTICE DURING JUNE

Tuesday 3rd June                                -              7.30 pm to 9.00 pm

Sunday 8th June                                 -              10.30 a.m. to 11.00 a.m.

Tuesday 10th June                              -              7.30 pm to 9.00 pm

Tuesday 17th June                              -              7.30 pm to 9.00 pm

Tuesday 24th June                              -              7.30 pm to 9.00 pm

Saturday 28^th June                                -               9.30 am to 11.00 am

Raymond Fergusson279150

GRASS CUTTING ROTA FOR JUNE

W/E 7th June                                        -               David Hawkins

W/E 14th June                                      -               Raymond Fergusson

W/E 21st June                                      -               Phil Jones

W/E 28th June                                      -               Tim Robinson

W/E 5th July                                         -               Stuart McGill

TRIMMING IN THE CHURCHYARD

At this time of the year, the grass grows faster than I can keep up with it!  And I need assistance with strimming around the gravestones etc.  If anybody can help just once a month, that would be appreciated. 

Mark Willis 01844 279468

CONSIDER THE LILIES

Jesus told us, ‘To consider the lilies’.

Where would we be without flowers, where would our gardens be without them?

Flowers say the things we would want to say, which otherwise we ourselves couldn’t.

Their wonderful shapes and forms, their amazing colours-from rich colours to subtle pastel shades, and then when they are planted, in the right place-in shade or sun, depending on the variety, what a glorious sight, a true delight to the eye. I love the remark of John Masefield who said of a flower, ‘It has a beauty beyond poetry, and a pomp surpassing Kings’.

To most of us, a garden means flowers, but the gardeners of the Bible had little time or space for flowers, all their energies went into creating coolness and shade, and growing plants for food and for their medicinal properties. Life was hard in those days, and I can understand why they took no leisure to cultivate flowers for their own sake. They needed to live. And virtually all the flowers mentioned in the Bible are wild flowers. I don’t believe that they were oblivious to the beauty of flowers, indeed, they were acutely aware of it. And it was Jesus who implored his followers to consider the lilies of the filed which surpassed in loveliness even Solomon in all his glory. But all too brief is that beauty-here today-gone tomorrow.

It’s warm in the Middle East , hot even. The searing heat of the summer sun, soon burns up the strongest of blooms. The scorching wind sears the green leaves to a sombre brown. But there’s a thread of thought running through the Bible. It’s the transitoriness of flowers that is noticed repeatedly, from Job, the Psalmist, James, Peter and, of course by Jesus.

They all make the point that in the brevity of their flowering, they resemble man himself. It was the psalmist who wrote, that our days are but a grass, for he flourishes as a flower of the field. For as soon as the wind goeth over it, it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. But the merciful goodness of the Lord endureth for ever and ever upon them that fear him.

I’ve often thought that it’s a tragedy for such loveliness to perish so quickly. But then, I remind myself that without the flower of the field fading, there can be no seed, no fruit, no flowers next year-no resurrection. If this year’s petals hang on and don’t drop-no flowers next year.

The wife of my Dutch friend has a wonderful house plant, an Oxalis, in her living room, and every year that plant flourishes and grows. The leaves and flowers are quite delicate, and I asked what the secret was. She said as the leaves and flowers fall, I allow them to fall onto the soil in the pot, and that creates the necessary fertilizer for the following year.

Our Lord told a parable of a grain of seed falling to the ground, dying to bring forth a rich harvest. He not only told us that parable, but he lived it. His way was a way of love even to the end. Everywhere he went, he poured forth that love, so that others might taste the more abundant life. Supremely of course, revealed to us through the vulnerable love of the Cross. Christ Jesus gave himself away to bring life.

Christian Love is that quality where the more it is poured forth, the more it abounds. To live, for the Christian, is to love and to love is to die, die to self and live and love for others. Our Lord said, ‘Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains a single grain, but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest.

We pray that we shall be good soil, so that the seeds of the Spirit of Jesus, who lived that parable, will flourish and grow, and bear fruit in plenty, in us and through us.

Or in the words of the old collect:-

That God will increase and multiply upon us his mercy that we may so pass through things temporal that we finally lose not the things eternal.

Amen.

FROM THE RECTORY

ST. JAMES’ CHURCH FÊTE, SATURDAY 7^th JUNE.

Our Church Fête will be held on Saturday 7^th June with the opening by M. Raymond Blanc at 2.00 p.m.  at Little Milton Manor by kind permission of Mr. and Mrs. Simon Oddie . This is always a superb village community occasion when we all come together to have a most enjoyable afternoon. There will be all of the usual stalls, and many more attractions besides, and some new ones as well. Elsewhere in the Newsletter you will find the afternoon’s programme. A lot of people have undertaken a lot of hard work to put together the fête, and we are very grateful for that. But even more so do we all look forward to meeting you and your friends on the day.

FULLERS FIELD SERVICE.

This always takes place on the second Monday in the month in the Common Room at Fullers Field, Great Milton at 6.00 p.m. and lasts about 35 minutes. The service is a simple one of hymns, readings and prayers. If you are available then do come along and a warm welcome will always await you. The Service for June will be on the 9^th.

EVENING SERVICE IN ST. JAMES ’

There will be an evening Service in St. James’ on Sunday 29^th June at 6.30 p.m. The PCC thought that to have an evening service might help some people, and against that background do come along.

ASTON & CUDDESDON DEANERY EUCHARIST.

This will be held in Christ Church Cathedral on Wednesday 2^nd July at 8.00 p.m. This year the service will play particular attention to remembering the remarkable ministry of The Revd. Martin Garner who was Rector of Ewelme and who died in January this year. Please do put this date in your diary and come along if you are free.

Revd Victor Story (279498)

BENEFICE SERVICES FOR JUNE