Minutes of a meeting of the STANFORD IN THE VALE PARISH COUNCIL held on Wednesday 5th September 2007 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(Snr.Cllr)             Cllr.P.Gill                                            Cllr.M.Isaacs

                        Cllr.Mrs.G.McMorrow                     Cllr.M.Vallis

 

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

                        Rev.Michael Wenham

 

1/09/07            .Apologies       Nil

 

2/09/07            Declarations of Interest by Councillors on any agenda item          Nil

 

3/09/07            Minutes of previous meeting 4th July 2007 to be received and signed as a true record

 

                        ON THE RESOLUTION OF Cllr.HUGHES

                        SECONDED BY Cllr.ISAACS

                        IT WAS RESOLVED that the minutes be approved and signed as a true record

 

4/09/07            Report of County Councillor

 

                        Cllr Tilley asked that thanks be passed to the people of Stanford in the Vale for the messages of condolence that had received following the recent family bereavement, thank you to you all.

                        GCSE and A level results were again better – Everyone who suffered from flooding was

                        eligible for a £250 grant, a list is being prepared for a meeting 12th Sept. A new bridge is

                        being discussed for Newbridge but there are restrictions due to being an historical site.

                        Cllr.Gill asked about situation regarding weed control – Cllr to investigate

                        Chairman asked about land promised by OCC 26 years ago for recreational purposes and

                        asked that any land for sale could be offered to the Parish Council – Cllr to enquire

 

5/09/07            Report of Clerk

 

·        Reminded Council there was still a vacancy for 1 Councillor

·        Following damage to the recreation field after the fair top soil (cost £92) had been used to fill dangerous holes in kiddies football pitch. It was decided that in future a surcharge would be made upon Scarrotts Fair to cover damage if necessary

·     Trailer – had arrived as a flat pack and needs to be assembled asap

 

6/09/07            Report of Chairman inc items for next agenda

 

·    Apologies for Ms C.White internal auditor who had been due to explain accounts. Chairman said that she was using the accruals system which she recommended as  being safer and Chair explain the system. Councillors accepted this but the Clerk stated that the Governments “ Lighter Touch” system considered that “Receipts & Payments system was sufficient for a parish of this size and that was all that the external auditors   were expecting. He further explained that the producers of the present finance software  were no longer in business and if things went wrong then maybe that would be the time

    for change

·    The new Honours Board was shown to Council – Cllr Bambury declared an              .    interest  It is to be erected in the village hall.The cost was £550 and a vote of      thanks was given to Cllr Bambury for arranging the board.

·    Re-charging fire ext. following playarea arson £20

·            The village hall has lost its broadband access – Clerk to enquire about cheapest                            finance from PPC or PC ?

·     Flooding Hatford/Frogmore Brooks – concern shown by authorities regarding no

 access to village even in emergencies although they would not finance a solution.   

 It was resolved that the brooks be cleared in Bow Road by the Council handymen

 And that the owner be contacted regarding payment for the work carried out and

 future maintenance

·    Skatepark – a potential explosive situation had arisen regarding the preferred

    Contractor, Maverick and their previous Company GBH which resulted in legal

    action into which an attempt was made to involve the Council. The injunction was

    found in favour of Maverick and the work had now been almost completed. It was

    stressed that the contract was with the Youth Club not the PC and Maverick was

    selected as GBH could not provide equipment and siting as reported by Cllr.Gill

    Confusion over VAT arose when the Clerk discovered that Maverick were not

    VAT registered, which subsequently they have now done. Regarding a plaque ,

    Chairman pointed out that there had been villagers disquiet reported by a Cllr.

    At a previous meeting and ruled  that the six month rule (Non discussion for 6

    Months ) should apply dated from January’s 2007 meeting.

 

7/09/07        Financial Provision for Bad Debts

 

                    ON THE RESOLUTION OF Cllr.ISAACS

                    SECONDED BY Cllr Mrs.McMORROW

                    IT WAS RESOLVED that £1000 be placed in reserve to cover potential bad debts

 

8/09/07        Correspondence

 

a)      Various letters from Youth Club re Skatepark as discussed at 7/09/07

b)      Rev. Michael Wenham regarding Church attitude to suicide following reports to PC that some villagers were unhappy that the Church condoned suicide. Rev Wenham states that the Church now regards suicide  “ ..as more akin to sickness” and he regards his involvement as an expression of friendship rather than a celebration, a way of achieving something out of a horrible negative event.

c)      Parishioner – Congratulations regarding the flower boxes on village edges

d)      Village Hall Management Committee Stanford Forum 3rd Nov 07 – Noted

e)      Vale of White Horse DC  Review of Polling Districts and Places – Noted

f)        RoSPA Play area Safety Inspection Report – Noted

 

9/08/07            Planning applications

 

                        STA/