Little
Milton Parish Council
Minutes of Council Meeting held on 11th November 2009
Present:
Cllr Stuart McGill (Chairman)
Cllr Barry Coward
Cllr Tim Robinson
Cllr. Mabel Wood
Cllr
Cllr.
Mr Raymond Fergusson (Parish Clerk)
John
Nowell-Smith (District Councillor)
One member of the public
01/11/09
Apologies
for Absence:
Mr
02/11/09
Declaration of any personal or
prejudicial interests of members
Cllr
Stuart McGill declared a personal interest in the Village Hall and the IPS. Cllr
03/11/09
Approval of Minutes
The
Parish Council RESOLVED to approve
the minutes of Parish Council Meeting held on 14th October 2009 as a true record
of the meeting and the Chairman signed the minutes.
04/11/09
Matters Arising.
New
Refuse Collection system
The
Chairman referred to a recent letter that had been sent to the Council by a
resident who was objecting to the location of the two bins in the in an area off
the
The
Council RESOLVED that its preferred
solution of re-designating the lane to a bagged collection should be pursued
with SODC and that existing communal bins should be removed. However it accepted
that the existing arrangement was pragmatically acceptable. The Council
recognised that the views of the residents of Blenheim were very important and RESOLVED
to ask the Clerk to determine their preferred solution. It was also RESOLVED
that the views of the residents should be ascertained before there was any
further correspondence with SODC on this matter.
05/11/09
Recreation Ground
The Chairman reported that the grass outside the conservatory had been slightly damaged by a vehicle and that the five bar gate was now locked with a padlock.
06/11/09
Finance
The Council RESOLVED to approve the following expenditure:
Colourplus
– November 2009 newsletter
£296.57
SODC
– Lotteries and Amusements Licence
£17.50
Mr
Mark Willis – padlock for five bar gate
£22.71
The
Council RESOLVED that in accordance
with its powers under Section 137 of the LGA 1972
to incur the following expenditure which in the opinion of Little Milton
Parish Council is in the interests of the area or the inhabitants and will
benefit them in a manner commensurate with the expenditure:-
South & Vale Carers Centre
£50.00
Sue Ryder Care
£50.00
The
Chairman informed the meeting that approval had been received from the
Department of Communities and Local Government approving the Council’s
application to borrow an amount not exceeding £15,000. The Clerk highlighted a
condition of the approval that requires the Council to draw down any borrowing
by the 31st March 2010 as the approval does not cover any borrowing after this
date.
The
Chairman informed the meeting that the Clerk had made available the bank
reconciliations for review.
07/11/09
Planning
P09/W0977
& P09/W978/LB:
The
Council RESOLVED that these
applications should be recommended for approval by South Oxfordshire District
Council.
08/11/09
Car Park and other related matters
The Chairman asked Cllr Barry Coward to report on the progress that had
been made with Southern Construction. Cllr Barry Coward referred to the letter
that had been circulated to Council members prior to the meeting that detailed
the key components of the work for the car park and its related work. The
overall cost was just under £10,000 excluding VAT and was significantly lower
than the original quotes. He also indicated that earliest window to complete the
work was February 2010 due to the arranged activities for the Village Hall. The
Council members were appreciative of the material progress that had been made
and expressed their gratitude. However the work related to providing a knee rail
to the road side of the car park was challenged by certain Council members on
the grounds of its relative cost to the benefit that it provided. The Chairman
asked the Council to vote on this item and after a tied vote the Chairman gave a
casting vote in its favour. The Council RESOLVED to include it in the specification. There was a further
challenge to the provision of an area to accommodate the refuse skips for the
shop and the Village Hall. The issue related to the principle that organisations
that were benefiting from the provision of facility should make some financial
contribution. Cllr Alison Shelton, Cllr Stuart McGill and Cllr Mabel Wood Had
declared that they had prejudicial interest and withdrew from the decision
process. Cllr Barry Coward took over the Chair and the matter was voted on. The
Council RESOLVED to include the area
for skips on condition that the Village Hall and IPS made a financial
contribution to the facility. Cllr Stuart McGill resumed as Chairman. Cllr Barry
Coward declared that he felt that he could no longer continue as the Council’s
leader for the project but after some discussion he stated that he would reserve
his position. The Council RESOLVED
that subject to the area for the skips it would accept the quote from Southern
Construction and reserve that the work should be completed in February 2010.
Cllr Alison Shelton urged the Council to expedite the work for the barrier and
the Council RESOLVED that this should
be done. Cllr Tim Robinson left the meeting at this point.
09/11/09
New Village Shop & Post
Office/Post Office Re-Instatement
The
Clerk reported that planning permission in respect of the change of use for the
old Post Office is likely to be granted in early December and that the owner of
the property would be seeking an early completion of the work. The Clerk stated
that he would obtain two quotes for the work necessary to meeting the planning
application and the conditions within the agreement between the Parish Council
and the owner.
The
Chairman informed the Council that he had re-issued the letter to the Post
Mistress in respect of the terms between her and the IPS in respect of the space
allocated to the Post Office within the shop. He also informed the Council that
she had accepted the terms. There was a brief discussion as to whether the
letter from the IPS satisfied diction 3.6 of the lease. The Council RESOLVED that the IPS should seek legal advice on the letter to
ensure that it met the conditions of the lease and that he Council would on
receipt of a letter certified by the IPS legal advisor send a copy to Morgan
Cole.
10/11/09
Correspondence
SODC:
Tree Preservation Order 10/1969
The
Council noted that the Tree Preservation Order 10/1969 had been revoked and
replaced and re-served as Tree Preservation Order 78/2009. The Clerk informed
the meeting that he had advised the owners concerned.
OCC: Oxfordshire Fire Authority’s Integrated Risk Management
Consultation
The
Council noted that OCC: Oxfordshire Fire Authority’s Integrated Risk
Management Consultation Plan 2010-11 had been launched with a closing date of
31st January 2010. The Chairman suggested that Council members complete a short
questionnaire on www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/irmp
Terminal Control North (TCN) Consultation
The Chairman informed the meeting that there will be no second TCN consultation on revised air routes until at least September 2010. The general downturn in air traffic levels internationally since the first TCN consultation means there is less urgency than originally for this development
11/11/09
Exchange of Information
District
Councillor John Nowell-Smith informed the meeting that there was a continuing
review of a closer working relationship between South Oxfordshire District
Council and the Vale of White Horse. He also highlighted that SODC were
preparing to submit their draft Core Strategy in January 2010.
12/11/09
Date of Next Meeting
The
Parish Council will meet at
Parish Forum
There were no matters raised.
The meeting finished at 9.55 p.m.
Signed
by
Chairman…………………………………………………Date…………………………………………