Minutes of a meeting of the STANFORD IN THE VALE PARISH COUNCIL held on Wednesday 3 October 2001 at Stanford Village Hall.

Present:            Mr.P.G.McMorrow(Chair)                            Mrs.M.Sandels

                        Mr.M.Williams                                              Mr.P.Gill

                        Mr.S.Bambury                                                Mr.A.Bungay

                        Mr.G.Hughes

                        Mrs A.Fitzgerald-O’Connor(County Cllr)

1/10/01            Apologies:Mrs.R.Packer

2/10/01                Chairman proposed that a letter of condolence be sent to the Ambassador of  USA from the village of  Stanford this being the first meeting since the tragedy seconded by Mr.Hughes and carried.

3/10/01            Minutes of meeting 5 September 2001

Proposed by Mr.Bungay seconded by Mr.Williams that the minutes be approved – Carried

4/10/01            Matters arising

9/9/01 (a) Time table changes delayed to end of October

5/10/01            Report of District Councillor (Read by Clerk)

1.A very successful Youth Forum was held yesterday.The next Youth Forum is to be about Farmers Markets and organic food as well as other topics. 2.The first meetings of the Executive Committee and the other committees have now taken place. Items from committees have to be referred to the Executive for approval & implementation.

3.The first meeting of the Area Committee for the West of the Vale is on Oct 10^th.

4.The large new White Horse Leisure Centre with good indoor tennis facilities is due to open in Spring 2002.

5.The Economic & Tourism Committee is supporting a conference at Oxford Brookes Univ Farming & Food – A new Future.This takes place in November.

6.The Council is part-funding the post of the Oxfordshire Rural Community Council’s

Rural Transport Worker.

7.I am very concerned to learn that the cost of installing gas to households in the village, by Transco,is likely to be over £1700 for the initial 179 houses.I hope that the Parish Council can negotiate with Transco for a better deal.

6/10/01            Report of  County Councillor

During the last month much background work has been completed at the County Council in order to reach the target dates for the new administration.The date set for ‘kickoff’ is 5^th November – hopefully without any fireworks! The make-up of the various scrutiny Committees has been drafted.I am on two scrutiny committees, Community Safety(Youth offending,drugs and alcohol awareness, fireservice, consumer protection, emergency planning) and Social and Health Care(care for older people,adult care,disability support, community care and health issues).There are several seminars planned for October/Nov to help familiarize councillors with the meaning of scrutiny and the scrutiny function. Social Services – at a committee meeting of Social Services yesterday,there was much debate on the lack of adequate funding for Oxfordshire and the need to cut back on expenditure and therefore some services would need to be trimmed.Nobody liked the thought of vulnerable people suffering and not being able to obtain the services they required. It is planned to have a meeting with all local MP’s,so that they in turn could lobby Central Government.

I have also taken up a position on a long term adoption panel which involves hours of

reading and longer panel sessions than the short term panel which I was on previously.

We are always in need of short and long term foster parents and respite carers- do let me know if anyone is interested,it can be very rewarding.

7/10/01            Planning applications

STA/8837/7 Change of use for Faurecia Automotive Seating UK Ltd – Supported subject restatement of routing agreement,size and vehicular flow and contents.

Clerk provided details of recent permits and the application for a feed/machinery store in Bow road will be discussed 8^th Oct.Chairman to attendClerk to investigate new steel

building Cold Arbour farm.

8/10/01            Monthly statement of accounts

Mr.Williams objected to the accounts due to the payment of £20000 to the PPC.The Chair reminded Mr.Williams that he had previously declared an interest and his remarks would be ignored. Senior Councillor Mrs.Sandels reminded Mr.Williams that the Disputes Committee  is acting as the Council.Chairman stated that if Mr.Williams insisted in commenting about this item he would request a censure motion.Proposed by Mr.Gill seconded by Mrs.Sandels accounts be approved – carried with 1 abstention.(Mr.Williams) At this time there was discussion regarding grass cutting at Ock Meadow – Chairman to contact Berkley Homes regarding one off payment of £12000 to cut grass plus transfer of ownership area to PC plus legal fees.Proposed Mr.Williams seconded Mr.Gill – Carried

9/10/01            Accounts for payment

                        D.M.Dew                                 Salary & Expenses

                        J.Northcote                              Salary

                        P.G.McMorrow                       Inner Tubes Play area tractor  £ 25.39

                        Millenium Green Trust            Insurance Mower (12/13ths)            £136.66

                        Proposed Mr.Bungay seconded Mr.Hughes these be paid – Carried

10/10/01            Correspondence

a)Oxfordshire County Council – Funding of Transport Coordinator – No comments

                        b)Oxfordshire County Council – Speedwatch – This PC has now joined

                        c)Oxfordshire County Council – Bus timetables – Noted

                        d)Oxfordshire County Council – Street lighting plan DW Homes site – Noted

                        e)Vale of WH DC – Meeting West Area Forum 10/10 – Noted

                        f)ORCC – AGM 23/10 Sandford on Thames – Chairman to attend

g)Transco – Mains gas to Village Cost approx £1700 Clerk to     investigate negotiations

11/10/01            Leisure & recreation report and  Playarea

Mr.Gill gave an update on the cycle track.He had spoken to the site manager at the David

Wilsons Homes site who had intimated that he was prepared to allow a digger to help on the track.Mr.Gill said that he would be looking for money if this arrangement fell through With regards to the surrounds,tree felling was complete and most of the hedging work was done,some brambles remain leaving the way clear for the fencing contractor whose new estimate to include self-closing gates was £8000.There would hopefully be a grant from the District Council and further applications are to be made for grants to help with the kickwall and youth shelter.Mr.Gill hoped to build further links with David Wilson Homes for machinery help on excavations etc.and produced copies of a letter he had composed to the Managing Director of the company and wished to include the Council plans as agreed 2000/2001 Council thanked Mr.Gill for his report.It was proposed by Mr.Gill seconded Mrs. Sandels that the report be approved,the letter and enclosures sent to DW Homes and that money be made available for a digger if required - Carried Playarea – Wooden fencing needs replacing and a 9” concrete strip to help strimming The ROSPA inspection had revealed several items that were not in accordance with the new EU directives.Although these would be retrospective modifications Clerk to check with Insurance Co.regarding cover.

12/10/01            Football Club Lease

Messrs Bungay & Williams declared an interest and left the meeting.FC Solicitor had

apologized for his lateness for not resolving this. Mrs Chater to meet with Council to clarify points and says that we are at a stage where it must be resolved quickly even if it means going to law.Proposed by Mrs Sandels seconded by Mr.Gill that Mr.McMorrow  represents the Council legally if required - Carried.Council were unhappy that the FC are offering a ‘peppercorn’ rent.Mr.Bungay and Mr.Williams returned to the meeting.

13/10/01            Casual Vacancy – Election/Co-option

Clerk reported information from District Council meant no election.One person had

expressed an interest and a letter from this person Mr.B.H.Burls was read. It was

proposed by Mr.Hughes seconded by Mr.Bungay that Mr.Burls be co-opted until the

normal time of retirement of this Council – Carried.

14/10/01            Stanford Primary School – PC Representative to Board of Governors

Mr.McMorrow declared an interest and left the meeting,Mrs Sandels taking the Chair.

There were twoapplicants and letters were read from both.Chairman asked each

Councillor for their thoughts and after detailed discussions it was decided to ask Mrs

McMorrow to be the PC representative.Mr.McMorrow returned to the meeting as chair.

15/10/01            Any other business

There was discussion regarding vehicular access to many parts of the village restricted

due to residents parking on roads – Council can only suggest contact the Police.

Chairman gave details of both litter and dog bins soon to be placed in the village,some

which will need to be paid for.Village Hall notice board vandalised again – Clerk to contact Village Hall regarding moving the board.Several footpath signs have been damaged Clerk to contact C.C. Clerk reported available E- Mail Address, Proposed by Mr.Bungay seconded by Mr.Williams meeting be closed – Carried.

Parishioners questions/comments

Mr.Sandels asked if people could walk through the proposed ‘wild life’ corridor in the

recreation field – Yes,but no dogs – signs to that effect. Mr.Sandels also asked if the

proposed extra grass cutting would not be done by  contractor services.This was being

ooked at as Mr.Wentworth(a volunteer) wished to spend less time on this next season.