Parish Council Minutes

Little Milton Parish Council

Minutes of Council Meeting held on Wednesday 13th Jun  2007

in Pine Lodge, Little Milton 

 

Present:                                                      Mr Stuart McGill (Chairman)

                                                                Mr Barry Coward (Vice Chairman)

                                                                Mrs Mabel Wood               

                                                                Mrs Alison Shelton

                                                                Mr David Wakeling

                                                                Mr Raymond Fergusson (Parish Clerk)

 

 

                                                                Mr John Nowell-Smith (District Council Member)

                                                                Mr David Turner ( County Councillor )

                                                                Leslie Nesbitt (Crime Prevention Advisor)

                                                                Judith Johnson (OCC Trading Standards)

                                                               

                                                                Two members of the public

 

 

01/06/07     Apologies for Absence: Mr Tim Robinson

 

 

02/06/07     Declaration of any personal or prejudicial interests of members

 

Mr Stuart McGill declared a personal interest in the Recreation Ground, Village Hall and Village Shop/Post Office agenda items. Mrs Alison Shelton declared personal interest in the Village Hall/Post Office agenda item.

 

03/06/07     Approval of Minutes

 

The Parish Council approved the minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting, The Annual and Ordinary Parish Council Meetings, held on 9th May 2007 as a true record of the meeting and the Chairman signed them.

 

04/06/07     No Cold Calling

 

The Chairman welcomed Leslie Nesbit, the Crime Prevention Advisor and Judith Johnson from OCC Trading Standards to the Parish Council meeting. Leslie Nesbitt detailed the crime statistics for the village from March 2007 to April 2007 and it highlighted that the village has had a material level of crime. It was against this background that she explained the concept of No Cold Calling. Judith Johnson explained the process of setting up a scheme within the village. The Parish Council agreed that it was a worthwhile scheme. The timetable of events is as follows:

 

·         An article will appear in the July/August Newsletters detailing the sequence of events to set up a Cold Calling Scheme.

·         Trading Standards will deliver a letter to each household inviting them to participate in the scheme.

·         An analysis of the response from householders will determine whether there is enough support.

·         A provisional launch date of mid September has been agreed at which villagers will be invited to visit a mobile display unit that will show the scheme in operation.

 

The Chairman invited Leslie Nesbitt to comment upon the recent survey that had taken place in respect of the Youth Shelter. She highlighted that a youth shelter would be a focus for youth activity and that may attract youths from outside the village. She commented upon the value of CCTV and stated that the Council needed to be clear on what it wanted to achieve from it. She highlighted three possible reasons:

·         To act as a deterrent

·         To identify people in the area being monitored by CCTV

·         To be evidence used in any prosecution

 

She stated that CCTV was not the sole answer in tackling anti-social behaviour. She advised the Council to think through its requirements before approaching any CCTV companies for a quotation but she stressed the need for the Council to set up the proper processes in place to administer any scheme and to register any agreed CCTV set up.

The Chairman thanked Leslie Nesbitt for her input.

 

 

05/06/07     Matters Arising.

 

OCC Highways

Mr David Turner briefed the meeting on the outstanding issues following a discussion that he had had with Mr Peter Ronald of OCC Highways .

 

The speed survey/traffic count outside Willowbrook Cottage has been ordered

 

To mark the Haseley Road with a slow marking as well as a red circled 30 marking as it is entered from Rofford has been ordered.

 

Subject to ownership cut back any overhanging vegetation that restricts the visibility of the 30 mph signs as you approach the road from Rofford.

 

The speed survey adjacent to Doctor’s House on the High Street has been ordered.

 

Repairs to the area surrounding drain on the High Street, opposite the Lamb have been carried out. There is still an outstanding issue in respect of a drain on the Haseley Road

 

The preliminary cost of installing the appropriate posts on the slip road from Haseley Road into Gold Street is £4,000. Mr David Turner was asked to approach OCC Highways to consider meeting 50% of the cost before the Parish Council make any decision. (Action Mr David Turner )

 

The hatching on the build-out from Great Milton has not been corrected. This matter will be brought to the attention of OCC Highways (Action Clerk)

 

Model contract of Employment for Clerk

Mr Barry Coward reported that he had looked at the recent revisions to the Model Contract issued by the National Association of Local Councils and would advise the Council of any changes that needed to be made to the existing contract for the Clerk.(Action Mr Barry Coward)

 

Quality Parish Council

The Chairman briefed the Council on the six tests that the Council required to pass to achieve Quality Council Status. The Council agreed that it should apply for accreditation as a Quality Parish Council. (Action Clerk)

 

06/06/07     A329 Advisory Group

 

The Clerk advised the meeting that he had spoken with Mr Mark Platts in respect of need to review the future role of the A329 advisory committee. It was unclear as to whether he would be able to attend the July meeting due to holiday commitments.

     

07/06/07     Youth Shelter

 

The Council members considered how they wished to take the matter forward. The discussion that took place was not conclusive as to whether to progress the youth shelter but there was a desire to explore other options to engage the youth of the village. Mr David Turner suggested that the OCC Youth Officer should be approached for advice. The Council agreed that this was a sensible way forward. (Action Clerk)

               

08/06/07     Recreation Ground

 

The Chairman read out a report from Mr Mark Willis. The report highlighted the recent vandalism that had taken place in the MUGA and expressed the concern that unless the perpetrators of the damage are stopped then there is a real risk that the excellent facility will be destroyed. The Council did not agree on any action but felt that it was part of the wider issue that was discussed under the youth shelter.

 

 

09/06/07     Finance

 

                    The Council approved the following expenditure:

                                    Colourplus -          May Newsletter 2007                                                                           £234.43

                                    Colourplus – June Newsletter 2007                                                                                   £219.08

                                    Isis Accord – Grass cutting April                                                                                     £73.79

                                    Isis Accord – Grass cutting May                                                                                      £73.79

                                    Smith of Derby – 5 year service charge                                                                            £814.28

                                    Society of Local Council Clerks – Regional conference                                                       £47.00

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:-

   

                                    Lee & Pemberton – Rent for Post Office April – September 2007                                        £150.00

 

The Chairman read out a letter from Mr Ian Dennis , the Council’s internal auditor, in which he requested that the Council request from Domesco Ltd confirmation of any monies that the Council owe Domesco as the Annual Accounts included an accrual that had been carried forward from 2005-06. Otherwise there were no other issues and that he had signed the accounts.

 

The Council passed a resolution approving the Annual accounts for 2006-07 as well as the Annual governance statement for the year ended 31st March 2007.

                                                                                           

10/06/07     Planning

 

      P07/W0419: The Thatched House; garden room to ancillary accommodation

This planning application was granted by South Oxfordshire District Council.

 

P07/W0274 – Lark Rise Blenheim Road – single storey extension

This planning application was granted by South Oxfordshire District Council.

 

P07/W 0073 - Revelmead: Amendment to original application to create a family room within existing barn and conservatory

This planning application was recommended for approval by South Oxfordshire District Council.

 

Mr Stuart McGill informed the meeting that he had received an e-mail from Street Eite Associates who are the agents for Punch Taverns in connection with the planning application for The Lamb. The e-mail afforded the Parish Council the opportunity to specify the materials that they would prefer Punch Tavern to use. In terms of the roof the Council would ideally like reclaimed red clay tiles to match the roofs of the adjacent High Street properties of Old Belchers, the Thatched House and the Doctors House It was reassuring that the rendering was not a pebble-dash rendering and suggested that it matched the existing rendering. The colour would need to complement the overall design. The Council felt that their concerns had been addressed and that they would be in a position to support a re-submitted application.

 

11/06/07     Adoption of Revised Code of Conduct

 

The Clerk informed the meeting of the Revised Code of Conduct issued by the Standards Board for England . A letter from South Oxfordshire District Council recommended that the code be adopted to take effect from 1st July 2007. The Council resolved “That

(a)     the mandatory provisions in the Model Code of Conduct set out in Statutory Instrument 2007/1159 be adopted as the Little Milton Parish Council Code of Conduct, to be effective from 1st July 2007, subject to (i) the inclusion of the “general principles” as an Annex to the Code, with a footnote to explain that it is not part of the Code but is included as an Annex because of the requirement in paragraph 1 (2) of the Code for members to have regard to the principles; and (ii) the addition of paragraph 12 (2) of the Model Code, but excluding the words in brackets; each as recommended by the Standards Board for England and South Oxfordshire District Council; and that the Clerk be requested to notify the Monitoring Officer of South Oxfordshire District Council of the passing of the above resolution”. (Action Clerk)

 

 

12/06/07     Correspondence

 

OCC – Minerals and Waste Consultation

The Clerk informed the meeting that he had sent a response to OCC in respect of the Minerals and Waste Consultation document. The Clerk had expressed concern about any possible increases in vehicle movements if the sites at Chalgrove or Stadhampton were developed. At this stage there has been no recommendation made as to preferred sites.

 

13/06/07     Village Hall

 

The Chairman informed the meeting that the Village Hall Management Committee Chairman and Secretary were Mr David Ponting and Mrs Sarah Sadler respectively. The Clerk suggested a variation to the letter submitted by the Village Hall Management applying for permission to extend the village hall. The Council accepted the words “for purposes consistent with the use of the Premises permitted under the Lease” rather than “for purposes to be determined by the Village Hall Management Committee”

 

Mr Barry Coward expressed his concern that there was a need to review the lease with the village hall with a view to re-negotiate its terms to meet the needs of both parties. He offered that he would prepare a document detailing the areas that required to be considered by the Council. He also suggested that representatives of all interested parties including the Orchard Pre School should work together before any solicitors are instructed.

 

14/06/07     Village Shop/Post Office

 

Mr Stuart McGill briefed the meeting on the visit by the South Oxfordshire District Council Grants Committee (SODC) to inspect the proposed site on Friday 8th June 2007. He then informed the meeting that he had made a presentation to the SODC supporting the grant application on behalf of the Village Hall Management Committee on Tuesday 12th June. A question was raised by SODC as to whether the Parish Council would be making any financial contribution to the project. Mr Stuart McGill explained that the Parish Council had no specific powers to make a financial contribution to a village shop/post office as had been advised by OALC following a meeting in December 2006. The Clerk clarified that it could make a financial contribution within its Section 137 powers. The Clerk reported a conversation that he had with Mrs Jan Gossett of OALC following the SODC meeting that had taken place on Tuesday 12th June to which she referred to the meeting that had taken place on December 12th 2006 with representatives of OALC, ORCC and the Parish Council. It had been agreed at that meeting that to enable the Parish Council to use its specific powers in respect of supporting Village Halls the project should be viewed as two projects. Mr John Nowell Smith asked if he could make a statement as the ward member to the committee that the Parish Council would make a financial commitment in support of the current grant application. The Council agreed without determining a specific amount that it would do so within its legal powers. Mr John Nowell Smith was asked to speak to the grants officer at the District Council to ensure that she understood the Council’s position.

 

15/06/07     Any Other Business

 

Mrs Mabel Wood highlighted that the Skinny Horner footpath was restricted by excessive undergrowth. The Clerk agreed that he would raise the matter with OCC Highways . (Action Clerk)

 

16/06/07    Date of Next Meeting

 

The Parish Council will meet on Wednesday 11th July 2007 at 8.00 p.m. in The Pine Lodge Little Milton unless there is a need to convene any planning or other meetings.

 

The meeting finished at 11.00 p.m.

 

                Parish Forum

                There were no matters raised