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MINUTES OF ASTON, COTE, SHIFFORD & CHIMNEY PARISH COUNCIL MEETING
HELD ON THURSDAY 14th JANUARY IN THE
MEETING ROOM, VILLAGE HALL, ASTON AT 7.00 PM
 

1. Members John Little (Chairman)
Present:
John Ordish
Gill Long
Roy Williams
Bob Jones
Jane West

In Attendance: Helen Sandhu – Clerk

Brenda Smith – West Oxfordshire District Councillor

1 member of the public

 

2. Members’ Apologies: Fanny Sedman
 
 

3. Minutes of previous meeting - 3 December 2009 - previously circulated to all members were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman. Proposed by Roy Williams, seconded by Bob Jones.

 

4. Parish Councillors - Disclosure of interests on agenda items

None.

 

5. Open session for public debate

The member of the public present asked whether it would be possible to put salt/grit bins in the village.  Councillors noted that a key location for a bin would be Woodbridge Close, given the steepness of the slope at the entrance to the Close.  There has historically been a bin at this location.  The Clerk informed the Parish Council that there had been some discussion on the liability issues relating to salting and gritting roads on the Clerks’ e-Forum recently, and the Society of Local Council Clerk’s legal advisor had produced a summary of the issues to consider.  This would be circulated in the folder for February’s meeting.  It was agreed that the Parish Council would look into this suggestion further.

 

6. OCC/WODC items

None

 

7. Matters Arising from Previous Meetings

a) Bus stop locations

Roy Williams reported that Oxfordshire County Council had sent consultation letters to the residents of the top end of

Cote Road
near the proposed new bus stop positions.   One resident has objected and suggests that the stop for buses going to Oxford should be moved nearer to the close on
Cote Road
– he considers this to be a safer location, given the proximity of the location currently proposed to the bend.  Bob Jones and Gill Long noted that putting a stop near the close on
Cote Road
had been suggested before

but hadn’t been progressed as residents near the location had objected strongly.  However, they noted that this was when it was proposed to also put a bus shelter at the location, not just a stop.  After some discussion about the best position for a new bus stop a majority of the Parish Council agreed with the local resident’s view that the stop should be put nearer the close on

Cote Road
.  Roy Williams to advise the County Council accordingly. 

 

b) Cote Chapel

John Little informed the Parish Council that he had received a reply from Sir Alan Beith to the email he sent in November.  The Trustees of Historic Chapels Trust have now appointed Michael St. John Parker as honorary Custodian of Cote Chapel.  It was agreed that John Little would reply to say that the Parish Council believes this to be good news and to ask when it will be possible for the Parish Council to meet with

Mr St. John Parker. 

 

c) Request for new road signage into Chimney

No update – Clerk will continue to chase.

 

d) Oxfordshire County Council’s proposed new river crossing at Newbridge

The County Council has responded to the letter from the Parish Council – the Parish Council’s views and concerns will be included in the exhibition report to the County Council Cabinet.

The County Council has sent a further report to the Parish Council entitled – “Newbridge Long-Term Management Strategy” which contains correspondence with English Heritage indicating that they would not approve of strengthening work being carried out on the existing bridge. 

Copy of letter and report put in folder for circulation.

 

e) Future of Cote red telephone kiosk

It was decided that a request to English Heritage to list the kiosk would not be pursued at this point in time as BT has said that the kiosk will be left with a working telephone in it for the time being. 

 

f) Oxfordshire County Council consultation on Oxfordshire Fire Authority’s Integrated

Risk Management Consultation Action Plan 2010-11 

It was decided that the Parish Council would not respond to this consultation.

 

g) Anti Social Behaviour

None.

 

 

8. Correspondence sent

Listed in the Clerk’s Briefing Notes previously circulated to all Councillors.

 

 

9. New Business

a) Repair to Cote bus shelter

One of the panes of glass in the bus shelter was broken in the beginning of December.  Oddjobs cleared the broken glass up.  Abacus, the company who supplied the bus shelter originally has submitted a quotation for a replacement pane - £234.40 plus £110 for carriage.  They do not do installations.  It was decided that the Clerk should request two other quotations – one from McLeans Glass and one from the company who fitted the replacement panel in the High Street bus shelter previously.

 

b) Oxfordshire County Council informal consultation with Parish Councils on their developing Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Development Framework

The consultation meeting is on Tuesday 2 March at 7.30pm in Standlake Village Hall, with only one representative from each Parish Council invited.  Jane West said that as she and Fanny Sedman had been involved in the previous gravel meetings one or both of them should attend.  Clerk to check whether both can attend; if not Mrs Sedman and Mrs West to decide which of them will attend.

 

c) Temporary closure of

B4449 Cote Road

The Clerk reported that the Parish Council has been advised that

Cote Road
between its junction with Southlands and Foxwood will be closed on Monday 15 and Tuesday 16 February for carriageway resurfacing and road marking works.

 

 

10. Community Trust 

Order for replacement windows/French door placed – should be carried out in mid February.

John Ordish said that he had nothing further to report as there was no meeting in December.

 

 

11. Parish Infrastructure

a) Great Brook

No response received to Parish Council letters concerning work required on the Great Brook sent to the riparian landowners and the Environment Agency.  It was decided that the Clerk would report the lack of response from the landowners to the Environment Agency.

 

b)  Lengthsman

Nothing further heard by Clerk.

 

 

12. PLANNING

NEW PLANNING APPLICATIONS GRANTED:

09/1551/P/FP    2 Home Farm Cottages,

Back Lane
, Aston

Erection of single and two storey rear extensions

No comments

 

09/1576/P/FP    18 Waites Close, Aston

Erection of rear conservatory

No comments

 

 

13. FINANCE

a)  Account Balances – circulated in the Clerk’s Briefing Notes

Balance on Current Account at 31 December 2009                      £  9,631.29

Balance on Investment with WODC at 31 December 2009            £15,400.00

Total Cash Holding at 31 December 2009                                   £25,031.29

 

b) Income and Expenditure account for 9 months to 31 December 2009

Circulated in the Clerk’s Briefing Notes – contents noted.

 

c) Draft budget for 2010/11

The Clerk informed the Parish Council that a revised draft would be presented at the February meeting.  She asked the Councillors to decide which projects should be included in the budget.  It was decided that one bus shelter should be included (either a replacement one for North Street or a new one on Cote Road) and work on cleaning the war memorial.  Replacing the three remaining streetlights with sodium lamps could be spent from the contingency budget, should it be decided to proceed with that work.

 

d) DECEMBER INVOICES

Office Rent for January 2010– already paid by Direct Debit

25.00

LGA 1972, s111

      PRESENTED FOR APROVAL AND PAYMENT AT 14 JANUARY 2010 MEETING

 

 

Statute

Clerk’s salary     - H Sandhu

294.00

LGA 1972, s112

WODC – dog bin emptying for December 2009

15.82

Litter Act 1983

Clerk’s expenses: mobile phone calls, – travel and childcare costs associated with training course on 3 December (50% share – other 50% paid by Ducklington Parish Council)

30.92

LGA 1972, s111

Margaret Johnson Ltd – photocopying of street light surveys

31.63

LGA 1972, s111

Total

£372.37

 

 

It was resolved to make the above payments – proposed by John Ordish, seconded by Roy Williams.  The cheques were signed by John Little and Roy Williams.

 

 

14. Parish Councillors’ reports from meetings attended since last meeting

None

 

15. FOLDER – Jane West

 

16. Date of next meeting:

THURSDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2010 – Monthly Parish Council Meeting