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| April 2002 |
Minutes
of a meeting of the STANFORD IN THE VALE PARISH COUNCIL held on Wednesday 3
April 2002 at Stanford Village Hall.
At this time the Council and Parishioners stood for a
minutes silence in memory of H.M. The Queen Mother.
Questions/Comments from Parishioners
Mr.Wentworth commented on the condition of the recreation field,stones thrown about making grass cutting hazardous and the cycle track area which looked a mess and should it not be filled in.He felt that the removing the brambles/roots was a big job not to be finished by a couple of hours on a Saturday morning.Chairman stated that Mr.Gill should be involved before the work suggested by Mr.Wentworth was started.Mr.Williams said he had received complaints regarding glass/bottles in that area.Mr.Sandels asked about seats in the recreation area and possibly manufactured ramps for the cyclists.Council asked was the cycle area getting any use to substantiate money for a ramp(s).Mr.Wentworth commented on the need for top soil between the cottage road.footpath and the football club to aid grass growing/cutting.
Mr.A.Bungay
Mr.S.Bambury
Mr.G.Hughes
Mr.B.Burls
1/04/02
Apologies
Mrs.R.Packer Mr.P.Gill Mrs.A.Fitzgerald-O’Connor
2/04/02
Minutes of meeting 6 March 2002
Page 6/6 delete Mr.Axton,insert Dr.Axford.Proposed by Mr.Bambury seconded by Mr.Bungay that after these amendments minutes be approved – Carried.
3/04/02
Matters arising
Clerk asked that approval be given for Mr.Grimes be authorised to repair the Bus Shelter at £65 + VAT and that he be asked to permanently fix the new dog signs to the recreation gates.
Proposed Mr.Hughes seconded Mr.Bambury – Carried
5/03/02 County Councillor had no success with her complaints regarding the closure of the A417
15/03/02 Recreation & Leisure – Chairman reported on seating in remembrance of Mrs.Sandels and the purchase of 3 benches would allow placement in the rec.field although
they would need to be sturdy and anchored and maybe security stamped.
4/04/02 Report of District Councillor (read by Clerk)
1.The District Council’s Chief Executive undertook to
speak to the County Council’s Chief Executive about all the problems connected
with the A417 road closure.I outlined to him all the difficulties associated
with traffic from the White Horse Business Park;school buses and
farm access as well as with other business users and private motorists.I have been unable to check any response – he acted while he was actually on leave and is due back next week.
2.Tonight I am at a meeting of the Faringdon Healthcheck Steering Group.One item on the agenda is particularly important to us;”The Hinterland and involving the Villages”.There will be an Exhibition in the Corn Exchange Faringdon on April 6th beginning at 10.30am.
3.The new Leisure Centre at Abingdon is now open.There is a bus servicefrom Abingdon Town Centre for their residents(FREE) but unfortunately the rest of the Vale has been forgotten!
4.The next Area Meeting for the West is on April 23rd.any grant applications should be with the District Council well before that date.
5.There has been ‘fly-tipping’ along the Bridleway adjacent to Cottage Road and A417.Could we request notices to be posted and that area to be cleared ?
5/04/02 Report of County Councillor
Chairman detailed County Councillors thoughts – There are major concerns regarding the Social Services budget.Next Tuesday following suitable remembrance for HM The Queen Mother the Council will debate the Social services problem.Representations regarding the closure of the A417 had been made without success.
6/04/02 Report of Clerk
As with the County and District Councillors the Clerk had no success regarding the A417 and was unhappy that the County Highways had treated the problem so humorously.He had received no reply regarding the agreement between District Council and D.W.Homes.He had checked with HM Customs and OALC regarding reclaiming VAT on behalf of the Village Hall and this was in order.In the course of this enquiry he had found that the RCC at Jericho Farm had a specialist Village Hall Officer and offered this information to the Hall Management Committee.The new Audit regulations were turning out not be such a light touch and there were some worrying aspects about the new instructions.Clerk detailed new charges and compared them with previous years and although cheaper, any objections from parishioners could result in heavy surcharges.The internal auditors position was ludicrous in that they could be held legally responsible for any mistakes or fraud and at the moment there was no way of indemnifying the light touch,anyone not connected to the Council,internal auditor.The Audit Commission have also forbidden clerks from differing Parishes auditing each others accounts.
The NALC has been charged with completing a training course within the month and to that end the OALC has organised theirs,proposed by Mr.Hughes seconded by Mr.Bungay that the Chairman attend(Clerk being unavailable) at a cost of £11.75 – Carried.Clerk explained the need for a new planning records and that it would be easier to have a database to provide this
Facility.Reported that the insurance quote for the Kubota mower was £125.78 last year being £77,the reason for increase being quoted as Sept 11th(New York terrorist attack).He contacted our main insurers,Cornhill and has obtained a quote of £71.22 which he has accepted
7/04/02 Casual Vacancy – Election/cooption of
Councillor
Clerk read letter from Returning Officer – No request for an election had been received and therefore we were to proceed with co-option.
Two parishioners had applied – Mr.G.Sandels and unnamed
parishioner who had withdrawn
when he learned that Mr.Sandels was seeking to fill the vacancy.It was proposed by Mr.Bambury seconded by Mr.Williams that Mr.Sandels be co-opted – Carried.Mr.Sandels thanked the Council and said that he was honoured and felt that it would be a hard act to follow.He then joined the meeting.At this time the Chairman asked that two further vacancies be filled:
Vice-Chairman – Mr.Bambury Proposed Mr.Bungay seconded Mr.Hughes - Carried
Senior Councillor – Mr.Hughes Proposed Mr.Bungay seconded Mr.Burls - Carried
8/04/02 Correspondence
a)Oxfordshire County Scout Council – thanks for £50 donation
b)Oxford City Council – Code of conduct meeting 23 May – Chair/Clerk to attend
c)Vale of White Horse DC – Faringdon Healthcheck April 6th Community event
d)******************** - Standards Committee meeting – Noted
e)OALC – Meeting ‘Lighter touch’Audit – Chairman to attend
f)SIV FC – Payment of rent £1 – Held pending
g)CPRE – Membership pack – Circulation
h)Audit Commission – details of new Audit arrangements/charges – Noted
i)BR Consulting Ltd.- Offer of internal audit services – Noted
j)DEFRA – Grading/status of Councils – Noted
k)Highways Agency – Detrunking of A40,A420 – Noted
l)SLCC – Terms & conditions of Employment for Clerks – Noted
At this time Chairman wished for standing orders to be suspended because of the order that all correspondence must be dealt with by the Clerk.this was not always possible.Clerk repeated that because of close ties with local football he hoped to have as little as possible to do with the Football Club correspondence,but confirmed when questioned by Mr.Williams that he held correspondence regarding the Disputes Committee.Chairman also stated that at times the Clerk was not in a position to answer or comment on items that had been before his appointment.It was proposed by the Chairman seconded by Mr.Williams that the standing orders be suspended – Carried.
9/04/02 Planning applications
STA/17357 – 7 Sheards Lane – Approved subject to use of matching materials
STA/1324/2 – 59 High St. – Approved
STA/14568/1 – 10 Huntersfield – Approved
Decisions by District Council – 10 Chapel Rd – Permit :Cox’s Hall – Permit
Cromwell House – Permit : Hill Farm Gainfield – Refuse
27 Chapel Road – refuse
10/04/02 Monthly statement of accounts
Mr.Williams objected to the accounts.Proposed by Mr.Bambury seconded by Mr.Hughes the accounts be approved – Carried..1 against(Mr.Williams)1 abstension(Mr.Sandels)
11/04/02 Accounts for payment
D.M.Dew Salary & Expenses £322.77
J.Northcote Salary £ 99.60
Portwell Press Signs(Dog) £ 11.75
Impact Planning software £ 75.00
Cornhill Insurance Kubota Insurance £ 71.22
Proposed by Mr.Burls seconded by Mr.Hughes the accounts be paid – Carried
12/04/02 Grant application – Village Hall
Clerk said that he had searched the accounts as requested for money to enable the grant to be made but as the grants applied for by the Parish council had not yet been approved or received it was hard to put a definite figure on what was available.Mr. Williams asked about the £1000 budgeted for an election but not used.Clerk explained that this had to be carried forward to this year and could not be precepted for again and therefore forms part of this years budget.Mr. Sandels,while having sympathy with the Village Hall felt that the Rec.Area project should not be jeopardised.Mr.Williams said that it had been stated that there would be money available for other projects.Chairman said that this was meant as PC projects not other village organisations.Mr.Williams said that he was happy that the matter would be discussed at the next meeting and that in the meantime he asked that a letter be drafted to the Hall Management Committee that the PC would support them regarding the VAT and also will consider in principle a financial donation – approved
13/04/02 Newsletter
Report of efforts on A417 closure to be recorded
14/04/02 Playarea
Awaiting grant application information.New equipment to include whirlybird and slide.
15/04/02 Recreation & Leisure
Clerk read report from Mr.Gill – Reported future meeting with DW Homes and JCB availability for 6 April
Homezones – Council decided not to proceed with this item
16/04/02 Date of Annual Parish Meeting
Proposed by Mr.Burls seconded by Mr.Williams the date be confirmed as 15 May 2002 Carried
Chairman stated that the Village Hall could be used every Wednesday and that the 1 a month booking from the PC was stopping that and perhaps the Councillors should consider changing the venue of meetings to the Millennium hall.
Proposed by Mr.Bungay seconded by Mr.Williams that the
meeting be closed – Carried
Mr.Wentworth confirmed that the large roller was of no use and should be buried.His dumper was available to take top soil to Cottage road as previously mentioned.He explained the PPC position regarding the late payment to the URC. He welcomed the compulsory signing of the Code of Conduct declarations and also considered that the new audit regulations were not a worry.Mrs Greenwood talked about the Hall and permanent weekly bookings.
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