TIDDINGTON WITH ALBURY PARISH COUNCIL

Monthly Meeting

Monday 2 February, 2004, 8.00pm – at Tiddington Village Hall

MINUTES

Present: Mr J Nowell-Smith (Chairman and District Councillor), Mr R Boughton, Mr K Field, Mr A Stratton, Mrs J Willis, Mrs A Purse (County Councillor) and two members of the public.

1. Apologies

Mr W Tremayne.

2. Approval of previously circulated minutes

Previously circulated minutes were approved and signed.

3. Matters arising from previous minutes

a. OCC Highway matters – Mrs Purse reported that an officer from OCC had indicated that a sign at the Waterstock Turn was not needed. Mrs Purse will lobby hard again and Mr Field reported that he had been seeing two or three lorries a day making the turn in the village during the last few weeks while working at no. 2 South View. The Clerk had emailed Gordon Hunt about flooding problems between North Close and Brookside Close and problems outside The Fox. The overgrown hedge at the Waterstock/Ickford Road turn had been trimmed. The letter requesting a street light in the vicinity of the bus shelter had been acknowledged; a reply is awaited. A request for speed-reactive signs has been noted and may be considered later, following the apparent success of the trial scheme. The installation will depend on budgets and accident statistics.

b. Milton Common notice board – this has been delivered and will be erected shortly.

c. Electricity cables and overgrown trees – Mr Boughton to investigate further contacts.

d. Public Rights of Way improvement planning – the walking group had completed the survey of all the designated footpaths in the Parish and the Clerk had completed the survey forms and a list of the maintenance problems encountered. Mr Clark of the Ramblers Association had also reported the problems and OCC had entered them on its database for follow-up later.

e. English Nature conservation video – all Councillors agreed that the video was not well produced and did not inspire any commitment to a Parish Plan.

f. North Close parking – a letter from a resident highlighted problems still being encountered. It was agreed to put a further note in the next Newsletter stating that the Police would be informed if the situation did not improve.

4. Planning matters

a. P04/W0039 14 Brookside Close, Tiddington – erection of new two bedroom house.

Decision: no strong views but commented: too crowded for site, likely parking problems, ensure side boundary is kept intact to keep adjacent shared footpath clear and location plan inaccurate (no 51 missing)

b. P04/W0055/RET Holmlea, Sandy Lane, Milton Common – single storey conservatory at the rear of the house (retrospective)

Decision: approved.

5. Correspondence

a. SODC/Monson Watercourse Survey, Tiddington – Monson, consultant engineers for SODC, are to survey the Brook and watercourses running from The Fox to the Brook. Clerk notified addresses of the owners of the land involved and also mentioned the problems being experienced with flooding. Also indicated that Mr Field or Clerk could be available when the survey is done to discuss the problems.

b. Periodic Electoral Review of OCC: draft recommendations from Boundary Committee for England – the Great Milton ward would be moved to the Chalgrove division, an area of eleven small rural parishes with one County Councillor. It was agreed that the representative might be sympathetic to the needs of rural areas and less caught up with the demands of larger urban parishes. However, with a large number of parishes, it could be difficult for the Councillor to attend Parish Council meetings, an essential way of keeping contact.

c. Oxfordshire Community Partnership: draft strategy – agreed to place this in the wallet.

d. Best Kept Village Competition – agreed not to enter.

e. SODC Comprehensive Performance Assessment – the Audit Commission will undertake an inspection at the end of February.

f. SODC Recycling Survey – there will be a door-to-door survey of households during February asking for opinions on recycling and waste minimisation.

g. Code of Conduct: Register of Interests – the Standards Board has advised that membership of Freemasons should be registered.

6. Financial matters

a. Grasscutting contract 2004 – Robinson Garden Care is happy to continue the contract at the same charges as 2003. This was accepted.

b. East Oxfordshire Education Business Partnership – it was agreed not to make a donation this year.

c. A donation of £30.00 to the Oxfordshire Association for the Blind was proposed by Mr Stratton, seconded by Mrs Willis.

d. Payment of £142.56 to Parchment (Oxford) Ltd for Newsletter printing Feb/Mar 2004 proposed by Mrs Willis, seconded by Mr Stratton.

e. Payment of £661.42 to Filcris Ltd for the Milton Common notice board proposed by Mr Field, seconded by Mr Boughton.

f. Payment of £52.88 to MediaLane International for on-going website maintenance proposed by Mrs Willis, seconded by Mr Field. Mr Stratton declared an interest.

7. Open discussion

a. Mrs Willis reported that a resident had commented on the rubbish behind the layby beyond the MSA and asked who was responsible for clearance. SODC clears rubbish on behalf of OCC but Mrs Purse was pressing for OCC to make a special effort to clear black spots.

b. Mr Stratton reported that Band of Two would be performing on Saturday in the Hall.

c. Mr Prior of 4 Ickford Road expressed concern about the state of the oak tree outside his property. No one appeared to be claiming responsibility for it, including SOHA. Mr Field to contact the Forestry Officer at SODC for advice.

d. Mrs Purse reported that OCC was having further meetings on transport policy, organised by Halcrow and the Council was urged to attend. Mr Nowell-Smith had attended previous meetings and found them useful.

8. Date of next meeting

Monday, 1 March 2004 at 8.00pm.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 10.05pm.