Minutes of a meeting of the STANFORD IN THE VALE PARISH COUNCIL held on Wednesday 9th January 2008 in the Millennium Hall Stanford in the Vale.

 

There were no questions from Parishioners

 

Present:          Cllr.P.G.McMorrow(Chair)                           Cllr.S.Bambury(Dep.Chair)

                        Cllr.G.Hughes                                                Cllr.B.Burls(Senior Cllr)

                        Cllr.P.Gill                                                        Cllr.Mrs.G.McMorrow

                        Cllr.M.Isaacs                                                 Cllr.D.Monahan Smith

                        Cllr.M.Vallis

 

                        Cllr.M.Tilley(County Cllr.)                Cllr.R.Sharp(District Cllr.)                D.M.Dew(Clerk)

                        Ms H.Grylls(Parish Footpaths Rep.)

 

1/01/08            Apologies     Nil

 

2/01/08            Declaration of Interest by Councillors on any agenda item

 

                        Cllr Gill – Correspondence, Chairmans report and items arising from Recreation and Leisure

                        report that concerned mowing of churchyard.

 

3/01/08            Minutes of previous meeting 14th November 2007 to be received and signed as a true record

 

                        Item 2/11/07  Delete Cllr P.G. McMoorow insert Cllr P.G.McMorrow

                        Item 6/11/07  Point 7 Delete Churhyard insert Churchyard

 

                        ON THE RESOLUTION OF Cllr.BAMBURY

                        SECONDED BY Cllr.ISAACS

                        IT WAS RESOLVED that following these changes the minutes be approved

 

4/01/08            Report of County Councillor

 

                        A waste incinerator is to be built at a site as yet unknown, project “Heat from Waste”

                        A lorry park is to be constructed to alleviate A34 traffic again site unknown

                        Budget discussions are ongoing although Govt finance for social care and highways has been

                        drastically cut.

 

5/01/08            Footpaths Representative

 

                        An extremely detailed report was received from Ms Grylls who focused at this time on the areas of

                        the River Walk – Horsecroft and Park Lane

 

  1. Legal Responsibility – What is the responsibility of County Council, District Council and the Landowner. County are responsible for the surface but not overgrowth. It is established that the path to Goosey is a “Coffin Path” and therefore the responsibility of the District Council. The names of the riparian  owners should be established and the flooding of path areas must be eased by ditches being cleared to take water.

 

 

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  1. Abuse – Motor Bikes, pushchairs, mountain bikes – vehicular traffic is not allowed
  2. Improvements – 2 new stiles 1 on river walk while the other is dangerous and described as a joke. There is a national standard for design and materials and owners replacing stiles and conforming to these standards qualify for a 20% grant
  3. River Walk – Field crossings are dangerous due to cattle making deep holes and flooding. Chairman and Cllr Isaacs had inspected this area and agreed that work needed to be carried out in the interests of safety.  It was also considered that due to the flooding and state of stiles/gates in the Horsecroft area that this be given priority. Clerk informed Council of the legal aspect Highways Act 1980 s 43 & s146 which states that councils may repair only if they have the owners permission and if the right of way would become inoperative without repair. The view of the OALC is the County Council should be involved.

Chairman, seconded by Cllr Isaacs proposed a vote of thanks to Ms Grylls for the detailed report which she had presented to Council.

 

6/01/08        Report of Clerk

 

                    Informed Council that he had been asked to act as a locum advisor for OALC to which he agreed.

                    Graffitti – 3 areas had been cleared by Vale Housing and County Council. Highly abusive and police had been informed and made enquiries

                    Reported meeting with Rev.Wenham regarding the mowing of churchyard (Item 6/11/07) and read letter received from the Vicar after that meeting. Not being happy to tell volunteers that they were no longer needed he asked that the council reconsider their decision. Under LG Act this is not possible ie no further discussion for 6 months. Chairman suggested that Council’s petrol mower could be classed as surplus to requirements and could be sold to the PCC for  a figure of £1750 and a suggestion that they applied to the Public Purposes Charity for a grant. Cllr Isaacs said that he would talk to the Vicar about this proposal, otherwise the resolution stands.

                    Cllr.Gill had enquiries about use of floodlit MUGA and asked about charges. Clerk said that Tilsley Park in Abingdon charged £35 an hour but recommended that the charge for organisations from this parish be free and for outside organisations £10 per hour

                        ON THE RESOLUTION OF Cllr. HUGHES

                        SECONDED BY Cllr Mrs McMORROW

                        IT WAS RESOLVED that the fee for outside organisations use of floodlights be £10 p. hour

 

7/01/08        Report of Chairman

 

1.      War Memorial – Received an offer from PPC to erect a War Memorial. Council fully in favour – Item to newsletter regarding site, design  and construction

2.      Bow Road ditches due to be dredged to help ease flooding problems

3.      Millennium Green ownership due to be transferred to Parish Council

4.      In answering District Councils assessment Chairman had pointed out Shortage of Rec Land, Sewage, Water Pressure, Flooding, Grass cutting by DC, and quarry works within A417 area always affected Stanford in the Vale through vehicle movements

 

8/01/08        Correspondence

 

  1. Play England – Seminar – Noted
  2. Vale of White Horse DC – Cleaning Grants - £980 applied for
  3. Rev M.Wenham – Re Mowing as previously discussed

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9/01/08        Planning

 

                    STA/17357/1 7 Sheards Lane  - Erection of removable swimming pool cover – Supported

                    STA/20351 25 Spencers Close – Addition of front dormer window – Supported

                    STA/10864/1 27a Huntersfield – Erection of 6’ garden fence to replace existing – Supported

                    STA/2237/10-LB The Manor House Church Green – Single storey annex to west side of barn to

                                                                                      provide living accommodation for staff - Supported

 

                    ON THE RESOLUTION OF Cllr. BAMBURY

                    SECONDED BY Cllr. VALLIS

                    IT WAS RESOLVED that these decisions be approved

 

10/01/08      Environment

 

                    Cllr.Isaacs to liaise with Ms Grylls regarding stiles, footpaths inc costs and Horsecroft to be a priority due to flooding problems

 

11/01/08      Parking Laybys

 

                    To be considered at a separate meeting

 

12/01/08      Report of District Councillor

 

                    Old Goal has been sold new owners not yet announced – Budget discussions were ongoing but there was a large deficit – Representations had been made regarding complaints of bright white lights from the Timbet area of the business park

 

13/01/08      To approve monthly statement of accounts

 

                    ON THE RESOLUTION OF Cllr.ISAACS

                    SECONDED BY Cllr Mrs McMORROW

                    IT WAS RESOLVED that the monthly statement of accounts be approved

 

14/01/08      To authorise accounts for payment

 

                    D.M.Dew                         Salary and Expenses                                         1390.17

                    Viking Direct                                Office supplies                                          72.17

                    Easyspace                                    Web Hosting & name                                         114.57

 

                    ON THE RESOLUTION OF Cllr ISAACS

                    SECONDED BY Cllr VALLIS

                    IT WAS RESOLVED that the accounts be paid

 

15/01/08      To approve Planning and Finance(Bills) Committee decisions December 2007

 

                    ON THE RESOLUTION OF Cllr.Mrs McMORROW

                    SECONDED BY Cllr ISAACS

                    IT WAS RESOLVED that the decisions be approved

 

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16/01/08      Recreation and Leisure report inc tenders for proposed play equipt

 

Projects:

 

·        Mark Isaacs will share  recommendations re Pyramid Climbing Frames and Picnic Tables

 

 

Maintenance:

 

·         Higher fence issue at Football Club still to be agreed

 

  • Gate and timber rails have been placed (Some still to complete) at Huntersfield side of Village Park Fencing to improve entrance / exit from park and Village Hall. The intention to discourage climbing and further breakages. (D.Rolls)

 

  • Health & Safety work needed on two concrete posts and some fencing at the recreation ground. We have a quote for the job but Darren Rolls has still to complete.

 

 

  • Is the street and litter collection still working well?

 

  • The Grass verges on the A417 have still to be levelled after utility work. The Inspector concerned says it will be rectified. The saga continues.
  • It will be good to get the new trailer collecting all debris from cuttings and taken to be re-cycled .Darren will complete ASAP.
  • Graffiti –issue Dec.2007

 

Cllr Isaacs reported that from 12 contractors there had been 7 responses and that the favoured tender was from Cotswold Playgrounds at approx £13,000 for net, benches and surface.

The plaque will be placed at the skate park as previously agreed

Cllr Vallis reported that the climbing wall would not be available until Easter for which he will book it if possible

 

ON THE RESOLUTION OF Cllr ISAACS

SECONDED BY Cllr VALLIS

IT WAS RESOLVED that the report be accepted

 

17/01/08            Date of next meeting

 

                          5th March 2008

 

 

 

 

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