Monthly Meeting
Monday 3 September, 2007, 8.00pm – at Tiddington Village
Hall
Present: Mr
J Nowell-Smith (Chairman and District Councillor), Mr K Field, Mrs E Horne, Mrs Z Knight, Mrs J Stoker (Clerk), Mrs J
Willis, Mr F Dixon (Planning Consultant) and 4 members of the public.
Before
the start of the meeting, Mr Nowell-Smith announced with sadness the death of
Councillor Roy Boughton. All present
expressed their deep sympathy to his family and their appreciation of his hard
work and dedication as Councillor during his tenure.
1.
Apologies
Apologies
were received from Mr D Turner (
2.
Declarations
of Interest
Mrs
Willis declared an interest in planning application P07/W0992 as the owner of a
neighbouring property.
Mr
Field declared an interest in planning application P07/W0969/70LB as a near
relation to the applicant.
Mr
Nowell-Smith declared an interest in the request for a donation to the Thame
and District Citizens Advice Bureau in his role as an adviser.
3.
Approval
of previously circulated minutes
The
minutes were approved and signed.
4.
Matters
arising from previous minutes
a.
OCC Highways matters. Electronic 30mph sign – the Clerk has sent a
reminder to Mr Peter Ronald for the request for a speed survey. A works order has been made to refurbish the
remaining three gates on the A418. There
is no further information about the A329/M40 bridge closure.
b.
Affordable housing – a meeting has been
held with Marita Coles, OCHA, Helen Scullard, SODC, Anna Kennedy, ORCC, and
colleagues, in order to resolve the various outstanding concerns raised by
councillors on behalf of the parish.
Following this meeting, the Parish Council had to decide whether or not
to support the scheme as it stands, and to form a view on the specific design
of the development. Comments from
members of the public attending the meeting were also considered. The Parish Council voted not to approve the
building of affordable houses in the Station Yard on the lines presented to the
Council by OCHA. The main concerns of
affordability, allocation policy and appropriate size and composition of the
dwellings were felt to have been inadequately addressed. The clerk is to draft a letter advising the
various organisations of the decision.
5.
Planning
matters
a.
P07/W0958 Lantern Service Station: Demolition
of service station and erection of four dwellings. Mr Dixon, Planning Consultant for the
development, explained the outcome of recent planning committee discussions of
applications for the site. Planning
policy dictates that brown field sites within the green belt may only be
developed for further commercial use unless other material considerations
apply, and planning officers are of the opinion that the site should be
marketed more aggressively. The current
use of the site, however, is unsatisfactory, and Mr Dixon has had
correspondence from the Highways department outlining damage and safety issues
on the site. Mrs Horne has shown the
plans of the proposed development to local residents who are in support of the
application subject to planning conditions being applied to fencing,
landscaping and decontamination of the site.
Decision – approved provided appropriate planning conditions are in place
as described above.
b.
P07/W0969/70LB – Manor Farmhouse: Demolition
of existing conservatory and erection of single storey extension and cart shed
and listed building consent. Decision –
approved.
c.
P07/W0992 – Land facing Albury View,
6.
Correspondence
No
correspondence was received for discussion
7.
Financial
matters
a.
Audit – the audit has been
completed. It has been agreed in prior
years that the Parish Council considers that the standard cover for fidelity
guarantee insurance is sufficient. However, the clerk is to check the cost of
the increased guarantee for the decision to be ratified.
b.
Thame and District Citizens Advice
Bureau – a donation was made for £75 proposed by Mrs Knight and seconded by Mrs
Willis.
c.
d.
Payment of £27.00 for the 3 Villages
Car Service, Mrs F Hughes, was proposed by Mrs Willis and seconded by Mr Field.
e.
A bank withdrawal for £10.00 by Mrs
Stoker for petty cash was proposed by Mr Nowell-Smith and seconded by Mrs
Horne.
f.
Payment of £188.00 to BDO Stoy Hayward
LLP for carrying out the audit was proposed by Mrs Knight and seconded by Mr
Field.
g.
Payment of £76.38 to Robinsons Garden
Care for mowing the playing field was proposed by Mrs Willis and seconded by
Mrs Knight.
h.
Payment of £129.25 to Robinsons Garden
Care for mowing the church yard was proposed by Mrs Horne and seconded by Mr
Field.
i.
Payment of £1656.75 to Robinsons Garden
Care for village hall refurbishment was proposed by Mrs Knight and seconded by
Mrs Horne.
8.
Open
discussion
a.
Mrs Knight reminded all present that
the deadline for the newsletter is 20th September. Mr
Nowell-Smith will write a few words to be published in memory of Mr
Boughton.
b.
Neighbourhood Watch – the clerk is to
compose an advertisement for a co-ordinator for Tiddington.
c.
Mrs Willis asked if the overhanging
vegetation growing around the stream at the back of the cricket club could be
cleared. It is not known who owns the
land and the clerk is to enquire. Mrs
Willis also commented that she had received reports of garden waste being
dumped in the ditches around North Close and Brookside Close. A notice is to go in the newsletter asking
that garden waste is disposed of responsibly.
d.
Mrs Horne advised that road signs on
the A40 are obscured by vegetation. The
clerk will report this.
e.
Dog waste bins – the clerk has
contacted the various utility companies as required by OCC and is awaiting
response. Mr Nowell-Smith is to place a
reminder via the newsletter that until these are in place dog owners should
clear up after their dogs. Dog fouling
is a particular nuisance along the pavement between the A418 and the playing
field.
9.
Date
of next meeting
Thursday,
4 October 2007 at 8.00pm
There
being no further business the meeting closed at 9.50pm.