Minutes of a meeting of the STANFORD IN THE VALE PARISH COUNCIL held on Wednesday 7th September 2005 in the URC Millennium Hall.

 

There were no questions /comments from Parishioners

 

Before the meeting opened the Council’s Internal Auditor M/s C.White briefed the Council regarding the situation regarding the accounts 1997 – 2001 and the meeting , accompanied by the Chairman, with The Audit Commission. There had been a problems due to lack of filing, missing invoices and missing minutes especially 1998/99. Accounts will be or have been reworked and will be submitted for approval. Audit Commission will issue “ Limitation of Scope” for 1998/99, 2000 accounts are OK and 2001 will be lodged with the auditors. The Senior Auditor has been informed of the four Parish Councillors voted for the approval of the original accounts despite the errors in compilation. The Audit Commission are not concerned about VAT and are not concerned with apportioning blame She felt that Councillors should inspect and be satisfied with the new accounts and to this end suggested a meeting of Council to inspect the new accounts. This was set for 21st September 2005 7.30pm Millennium Hall.

On a sad note M/s White felt that she should resign as Internal Auditor. There was a conflict of interests as she should not be preparing and auditing the same accounts. The Council was very sorry to lose her and the entire Council offered the very grateful thanks for all the extremely hard work which she had done on their and the villages behalf

 

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

                        Cllr.G.Hughes(Snr.Cllr)                     Cllr.P.Gill

                        Cllr.B.Burls                                        Cllr.M.Isaacs

                        Cllr.Mrs.G.McMorrow                     Cllr.Mrs.F.Shires

 

                        Cllr.M.Tilley( County Councillor      Cllr.R.Sharp(District Councillor)

                        D.M.Dew (Clerk)                               1 Parishioner

 

1/09/05            Apologies:      Cllr.M.Mullen( Family)             Cllr.L Miles( Ill)

 

2/09/05            Declarations of Interest by Councillors on any Agenda Item

 

                        Nil

 

3/09/05            Minutes of meeting 6th July 2005 to be received and signed as a true record

 

                        Add C to Ouncil in title Following this addition

 

                        ON THE RESOLUTION OF Cllr.Mrs McMORROW

                        SECONDED BY Cllr.BAMBURY

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

 

4/09/05            Report of Clerk

 

                        3 Earth Anchors litter bins have been ordered and it is hoped that this will stop bin damage.

                        Mowing grant, cleaning grant and PPC play area grant have been received and banked

                        There had been several complaints regarding an aggressive dog in Huntersfield – District

 

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                        Council environmental had issued a written warning – there have been no further complaints

                        Further to the Ransomes Mower which had been sold when the Clerk enquired – Clerk is still

                        looking. R.Sharp also still looking.

 

5/09/05            Report of Chairman

 

Chairman related details of the fire Church Green thatched cottages.He described the actions of

                        Sgt. E.Young who raised the alarm and rescued people from the burning cottages. The council

                        agreed that the Clerk should write to Sgt.Young’s commanding officer at Dalton Barracks

                        commending his bravery, leadership and resolve. It was also agreed that letters of thanks be

                        sent to Fire and Ambulance Authority, Thames Valley Police and Red Cross. Cllr.Shires said

                        we should not forget village youth who moved furniture and debris. Rainbow have collected

                        removed furniture for renovation. Chairman said that local MP Ed Vaizey had offered any

                        support he could give and this was echoed by the County and District Councillors. There was a

                        possibility that building renovation could take a year and this caused Council concern due to

                        closed road. Cllr. Gill said that turning buses were damaging the green , especially the tree

                        roots and drivers were removing the protective barriers. Cllr.Isaacs thought that this was an

                        ideal time to introduce a weight limit as an emergency measure. The road was closed due to

                        scaffold across half the road . Clerk to follow up this suggestion – Council to consider bollards

                        on this corner. Thanks were recorded to the Chair for his continued success in obtaining grants

                        Chairman had talked to Rev Wenham regarding trees in the churchyard and he had asked for

                        Support in principle for grant aid.

 

                        ON THE RESOLUTION OF Cllr.HUGHES

                        SECONDED BY Cllr.Mrs.McMORROW

                        IT WAS RESOLVED that the application be supported in principle

 

6/09/05            Correspondence

 

  • Public Purposes Charity – Grant 3/2005 – Received with thanks
  • Public Purposes Charity   - Documents held by PC
  • Vale of WHDC – Licensing application - Noted
  •  VWHDC   - Cleaning grant and next years forecast - Noted
  •   VWHDC  -  Parish review – Noted
  • ORCC – Rural social and community programme – Noted
  • OCC – Scrutiny programme – County councillor explained why they had powers to

scrutinise subjects which they did not normally control ie Police

·     Wiltshire CC – Regional spatial strategy – Noted

·      Young parishioner -  funding to floral decorate traffic roundabouts – Clerk to reply

 

7/09/05            County Councillor – District Councillor

 

                        Cllr. Tilley said she was happy to be here for her first meeting with the PC and hoped to

                        attend all meetings when available. She further explained the scrutiny duties LGA 2000

                        giving them the power to scrutinise anything they wanted too but no resources. She took

                        note of the weight limit request and would talk to highways. Chairman said that he was

                        delighted to see the County Councillor.

 

 

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Cllr.Sharp said that the west area had be given a larger proportion of money for grants so

there was a possibility that a cleaning grant might be available. He had received a complaint

about the new wireway noise but took the chairman’s point that the noise was less than a passing car

 

8/09/05            Planning applications

 

                        STA/19247      40 Van Diemans. Demolish side extension and outbuildings. Erection of two

                                                                             Storey side extension

 

                        ON THE RESOLUTION OF Cllr.GILL

                        SECONDED BY Cllr.ISAACS

                        IT WAS RESOLVED that there were no objections but that the issue of garage access via

                                                             the lay-by be given consideration.

 

9/09/05            To approve monthly statement of accounts

 

                        ON THE RESOLUTION OF Cllr. Mrs. SHIRES

                        SECONDED BY Cllr.BURLS

                        IT WAS RESOLVED that the Monthly Statement of Accounts be approved

 

10/09/05          To authorise accounts for payment

 

                        D.M.Dew                                 Salary & expenses                                            786.49

                        J.Northcote                              Salary                                                               124.80

                        D.Rolls                         Salary                                                               219.38

                        Playground Management           RoSPA Inspection                                            191.53

                        Buildbase                                 Materials                                                            48.20

 

                        ON THE RESOLUTION OF Cllr.BURLS

                        SECONDED BY Cllr.Mrs.SHIRES

                        IT WAS RESOLVED that the accounts be paid

 

11/09/05          To receive and approve minutes of Planning and Finance(Bills) Committee 17/08/05

                        (Att)

                        The Chairman commended the minutes to Council

 

                        ON THE RESOLUTION OF Cllr.BAMBURY

                        SECONDED BY Cllr.BURLS

                        IT WAS RESOLVED that the minutes be accepted and approved

 

12/09/05          Recreation and Leisure                        

 

 

·                         Dog Fouling and Dog Warden. The new Act-The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 will give this Parish Council powers to take addresses and fine parishioners for dog fouling

 

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and dropping litter. It was agreed an item in the next newsletter        inviting people to offer themselves as wardens would be a good start.

·        Recreation Ground is in good condition at present and the perimeter of the MUGA was cleaned and weeded by Councillors Burls and Gill in July. Some more cutting / weeding will be needed this September Bolts on fence still need attention.

·        Regular checks by all councillors to ensure all areas of the village are in good order.

·        Tennis and tennis nets. A thank you to Jim Thornicroft for putting up the tennis nets during August. Mike Mullen will continue again in September.

·        The Skate Ramps have been painted by a group of young people and we should be very appreciative of their efforts. The Chair commented that in future the Clerk could arrange  paint sponsored by  Abingdon Paint Finishes  and this certainly would help with maintenance costs.

·        Fearless Ramps have been contacted and will be sending us further quotes for another ramp. 

·        The floodlights would be functioning again for evening activities.

·        One other activity we could consider for next year could be Petanque. Perhaps we could construct gravelled areas in both the Village Hall Play Area and the Recreation Ground.

 

Comments from Parishioners

 

Mrs J.Greenwood thanked the Council for nominating her for “Community Champion” .She was pleased to say that she had received a certificate from the organisers. She mentioned the village flower boxes which had not been planted with bulbs although they had been provided. She also asked that the littet bin be removed from the village hall boiler room

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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