Parish Council Minutes - Tuesday, 19th July 2016

1

Apologies:  Cllr Williams and the RFO.

2

Declaration of Acceptance of Office, Declarations of Interest & Reminder of the Code of Conduct:  Cllr Comyn declared an interest in item 3d) as he conducts work for Thames Water.

3

Minutes of the Sparsholt Parish Council Meeting held on Tuesday 21^st June 2016:  Proposed as a true record by Cllr Comyn, seconded Cllr Brown and agreed unanimously.

4

Matters Arising: 

a)     Defibrillator update:  Cllr Comyn returned the grant acceptance form to SSE and the Parish Council are now awaiting the grant of £1,908.00.

b)    B4507 50mph speed restriction:  It was suggested that the sensible section of the B4507 to be proposed for a new 50mph limit would have to be the section from Ashbury to Wantage, which would be consistent with other comparable roads in the vicinity.  Over the County boundary the road is already restricted to 50mph.  It is considered the third most dangerous road in Oxfordshire.

c)     Spring water flow in Stoney Track:  Cllr Brown is monitoring this and has volunteered to send a letter to the Environment Agency and Thames Water.

d)    Oxfordshire History photographs have been received and Nick will add them to the website soon.

Cllr Brown

Nick Price

5

Finance:

a)     Finance Report from June: proposed by Cllr Comyn, seconded by Cllr Brown and agreed unanimously.

b)    Payments for approval:  £300 for Christian Randall’s report, proposed Cllr Comyn, seconded by Cllr Brown and agreed unanimously.

6

Planning: 

a)     P16/V0274/FUL Church Way, Sparsholt, OX12 9PX Revised application for proposed 4 no. new dwellings and works thereto.  The revised drainage report has been received.

b)     P15/V2600/PAR Westcot Farm, Westcot OX12 9QA Conversion of agricultural buildings to form three no. C3 dwelling houses.  Cllr Comyn asked DC & CC Constance requesting the information of both the name of the Structural engineer and their qualifications.  DC & CC Constance repeated her information that had been previously sent by email in response to Cllr Comyn’s questions, conversion of agricultural buildings fall under permitted development and this does not warrant a Structural engineers report.  Cllr Comyn proposed that he applied for a freedom of information request, seconded by Cllr Downie and agreed unanimously.  Cllr Comyn quoted the wording from the DCLG Planning Practise Guidance paragraph 105 Ref:  ID 13-105-20150305 which states:

“It is not the intention of the permitted development right to include the construction of new structural elements for the building. Therefore it is only where the existing building is structurally strong enough to take the loading which comes with the external works to provide for the residential use that the building would be considered to have the permitted development right”.

c)     Christian Randall RIBA has completed his report and Cllr Comyn read out the conclusions.  This report will be sent to the Planning Officer of the Church way development in support of the Parish Councils objections, proposed by Cllr Comyn, seconded by Cllr Brown and agreed unanimously.  Revised plans are expected to be submitted for this development.

d)    VOWHDC Proposed changes to constitution (restrictions on Parish Councils right to appear before Vale Planning Committee):  The suggestion is for smaller sites, less than 10 houses, being agreed by the Planning Officer.  The parish Council would have no right to force an application before the Planning Committee giving the Parish Council no opportunity to make a case. The Parish Council could only object through their Ward Councillor, who would not necessarily have to agree with the Parish Council but would have to agree to let the application be discussed before the Planning Committee.  Cllr Comyn has responded on behalf of the Parish Council an objection to this proposal and is surprised that only 14 responses have been sent by Parish Councils.  Cllr Comyn proposed that he attend the consultation and voice the objections on behalf of the Parish Council, seconded by Cllr Brown and agreed unanimously.

Cllr Comyn

Cllr Comyn

Cllr Comyn

7

Highways:

a)     OCC have no funds for Highway repairs.

b)    The Oxfordshire Together initiative for Parish Councils to take over grass cutting was too late to be organised for this year.  OCC were too slow producing the correct information and draft contracts.  To be looked into for next year.  OCC will continue to cut the dangerous corners and junction splays but will only do one rural cut this year.

8

Cemetery:

a)     Cllr Comyn to reserve the cemetery plot for Mr Hook.

b)    The beech hedge needs to be cut, Cllr Brown agreed to obtain the tenders.

Cllr Comyn

Cllr Brown

9

Correspondence List – 13^th June to 17^th July 2016:  None

10

AOB: 

a)     No update on a Unitary Council due to the Government changes.

b)    The UBW (Uffington, Baulking and Woolstone) Community Bus has agreed to come through Sparsholt and Westcot on route to Wantage on a Wednesday and Friday.  Nick will publish full details on the website.

Nick Price

11

Next Parish Council Meeting Date: Sparsholt Parish Council Meeting Tuesday 13^th September starting at 7.30pm at the Griffin Memorial Hall.

The Parish Council may need to change these dates as necessary.