UPTON PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of Upton Parish Council, Upton Village Hall, held on Tuesday 14th May 2019 at 7.00 pm
Present:- Cllrs Mr S Norman (SN), Mr I Sykes (IS), Miss E Cooper/Clerk (EC). Cllr Mr M Fox-Davies, Cllrs S Medley & H Gascoigne. Mr P McLaughlin. Cllr B Heneghan joined the meeting at 7.30pm.
- Apologies for Absence
Cllr J Fidgen (JF), PCSO G Kirby
- Election of Chairman and Vice-Chairman
Mr S Norman was proposed and seconded as Chair. The council also agreed to rotate the chair
from meeting to meeting, in order for others to gain experience. No vice-chair was elected.
- Acceptance of Office – All Members
All members present completed their Acceptance of Office form and handed these to the Clerk.
- Register of Interests – All Members
All members present completed their Register of Interests forms and handed these to the Clerk.
- Co-option of New Councillor
Mr Peter McLaughlin was co-opted as a new councillor and duly completed his Acceptance of Office and Register of Interests forms, which were handed to the Clerk.
- Declarations of Interest
Members are asked to declare any personal interest and the nature of that interest which they may have in any items under consideration at this meeting.
No declarations of interest were made.
- Adoption of minutes of previous meetings:–
14th May 2018 (AGM)
29th April 2019 (APM)
16th April 2019 UPCX
21st March 2019 UPC
The above minutes were signed by the chair and adopted as read, with the exception of the APM
minutes, which were deferred to the next meeting.
- Matters arising:
8.1 Annual General Meeting on 14th May 2018
8.2 Annual Parish Meeting on 29th April 2019*
8.3 16th April 2019 UPCX
8.4 21st March 2019 UPC
There were no matters arising from the above minutes, except for the APM 2019.
*8.2.1 The problem of mowing in and around trees and shrubs could be alleviated by creating either a bark chipping floor or planting specific weed reducing plants.
*8.2.1 The PC acknowledged that new footpath wardens would need to be found following the resignation of two footpath wardens at the APM.
- Public Forum (maximum 15 mins, 3mins per person)
No members of the public were present.
Cllr MF-D presented his OCC report (see Appendix B below).
Cllrs Medley & Gascoigne introduced themselves as new District Councillors and answered questions from the PC.
- Business to be transacted:
10.1 To discuss completion of Annual Governance Statement
This item was deferred to a UPCX meeting for audit documentation to be held in early June (tba).
10.2 To discuss Aims and Objectives for 2019/20
SN agreed to review the Aims and Objectives for the PC.
10.3 To note Standing Orders review July 2019
Clerk to forward Standing Orders to all for review prior to July meeting, with a view to agreeing any changes at the July meeting.
10.4 To note Financial Regulations review July 2019
Clerk to forward Financial Regulations to all for review prior to July meeting, with a view to
agreeing any changes at the July meeting.
10.5 To agree Clerk’s salary for FY 2019-20
The Clerk was asked to leave the meeting whilst this discussion took place. BH to review Clerk’s
hourly rate & report back to PC. The Clerk was asked to record her hours wef 14th May.
10.6 To accept/reject Adoption of Accounts (2018-2019 circulated in advance)
The Parish Council accounts for 2018-19 were accepted as a true and accurate record of the
transactions that took place.
10.7 To agree timetable for completion of 2018/2019 audit
This item was deferred to a UPCX meeting for audit documentation to be held in early June (tba).
10.8 To discuss potential items of expenditure / project work for 2019/20 as per the budget:-
- Garage door repairs
- Defibrillator training
iii. Pump Track resurface
- New / old toddler play area
- Overflow car parking
The above items were deferred to the July UPC meeting.
10.9 To discuss PC future IT policy
Deferred to the UPC July meeting.
10.10 To discuss and formalise the Roles and Responsibilities of the new PC.
- Recreation ground signage (take over from SCF) – deferred to July meeting.
- Play area inspections – IS had previously agreed to take this over and would draft a new process to improve the system of reporting and coordinating work required.
iii. Financial scrutiny, VAT, pay – SN
BH agreed to be added as a signatory/authoriser on the PC bank account. SN to arrange.
- Toddler play area(s) – JF
- Car park overflow area – JF
- Asset and risk register responsibility – SN
- Planning
There were no planning applications to discuss.
BH agreed to take on responsibility to co-ordinate Planning for the PC. This would include:-
- Meeting to discuss planning applications if possible
- If no meeting possible, agree response to planning application by email & forward decision to Clerk
- BH also urged all other councillors to attend the Planning training.
- Correspondence
To discuss any correspondence received prior to the issue of the agenda.
- Home Start response to donation. The Clerk read out a letter from Home Start thanking the PC for their donation of £25.
- OALC Nominations to stand for executive committee. The PC did not put forward any nominations.
- OCC Annual Community Emergency Planning Survey. This was carried forward to the July meeting.
- To discuss Financial Business Considerations:-
13.1 Summary of receipts in previous financial year
- Total Payments 2018-19 = £9782.95
- Total Receipts 2018-19 = £17069.99
- Lloyds Bank Gross Interest 2018-19 £6.55 (compared to the previous year of £6.35)
The PC acknowledged the summary above and were mindful of future costs of potential work to be carried out on the play areas and the recreation ground itself.
13.2 To accept/reject the Schedule of Payments (see Appendix A below)
All payments were accepted. Clerk to raise payments online for SN to authorise.
13.3 Receipts to date this financial year:-
- VOWH precept £4688.00 (April 2019)
- HMRC VAT repay £48.28 (April 2019)
- Bank interest April .52p
- Donation from Upton News £75.00
The PC acknowledged the Receipts to date this year.
13.4 To discuss training for Councillors
The PC asked the Clerk to forward details of upcoming training courses for this year to the councillors.
- Date of next AGM
TBC Monday 18th May 2020 7pm.
The meeting concluded at 9.30pm.
Action points from this meeting:-
| No. | Description | When by |
| 1 | Clerk to arrange UPCS meeting to finalise Audit documentation.
Clerk’s note:- Arranged for Monday 10th June 7pm |
Early June |
| 2 | All Cllrs to review Standing Orders prior to July meeting | Prior to July meeting |
| 3 | All Cllrs to review Financial Regulations prior to July meeting | Prior to July meeting |
| 4 | BH to review Clerk’s hourly rate following meeting discussion | July meeting |
| 5 | IS to draft new process for play area and rec ground inspections | July meeting |
| 6 | SN to add BH as a signatory and authoriser on PC bank account | July meeting |
| 7 | All councillors to consider Planning training course and arrange with Clerk | ASAP |
| 8 | Clerk to forward details of training courses to PC | Actioned |
| 9 | Clerk to arrange online payments for authorisation as per Appendix A below | Actioned |
Action points from March meeting:-
| No. | Description | When by |
| 1 | BH to investigate krystal.co.uk | ASAP |
| 2 | BH to spk GdeW re new mower spec. | ASAP |
| 3 | Rec ground signage discussion – all (details from SCF) | Post elections |
Appendix A – Schedule of Payments
| Description | Amount |
| SCF APM Expenses (auth sig required) | £65.21 |
| Andrews Computing Ltd – IT support for PC laptop (paid to be ratified) | 25.00
|
| Motor Mower Insurance came&co (expired 30.4.19). Paid to be ratified. | £147.00 |
| Microsoft April 2019 | £3.80 |
| PC liability insurance due for renewal 1.6.19. (last year £625.57, 3rd year of 3-year deal). | £644.34 |
| Clerk expenses 22.3.19 – 14.5.19 (tbc see submitted expenses sheet) | £33.00 |
| Clerk salary & HMRC PAYE paid monthly by SO. | Not publically disclosed. |
| Kalehurst invoices x 2 services & repairs
£347.47 / £85.11 |
£432.58 |
| TOTAL | £1325.93 |
Appendix B – from Cllr M Fox-Davies
REPORT TO UPTON PARISH COUNCIL MAY 2019 FROM CLLR MIKE FOX-DAVIES
GENERAL OCC REPORT
DISTRICT COUNCIL ELECTION RESULTS
Remains under Conservative control.
South Oxfordshire
Moved from Conservative to No Overall Control; Liberal Democrat/Green coalition likely.
Vale of White Horse
Moved from Conservative to Liberal Democrat control.
West Oxfordshire
Remains under Conservative control.
SIX RECYCLING CENTRES SET FOR SPRING CLEAN IN MAY
During May six of OCC’s Household Waste Recycling Centres will be closing for two days to carry out a deep clean and essential maintenance at the sites. This is part of the council’s planned approach to maintenance, and is designed to keep sites safe, looking clean and fresh and helping improve the customer experience when using these much valued facilities. Only one site will be closed at any one time and all other sites will be open on those days. Residents are asked to plan ahead for these closures, ideally holding on to your waste until the site reopens or if that is not possible visiting one of the neighbouring sites. Site Closure Dates:
- Alkerton – Wednesday 8th & Thursday 9th May
- Ardley – Tuesday 14th & Wednesday 15th May
- Drayton – Thursday 16th & Friday 17th May
- Stanford – Tuesday 21st & Wednesday 22nd May
- Oakley Wood- Thursday 23rd & Friday 24th May
- Redbridge – Wednesday 29th & Thursday 30th May
For those residents with permits, please note that these can be used at any of the sites.
MORE THAN 93 PER CENT GET THEIR FIRST CHOICE OF PRIMARY SCHOOL FOR 2019
More than nine out of ten parents whose children are set to enter the classroom for the first time this September have been offered their first choice of primary school in Oxfordshire. A total of 93.39 per cent of the 7,125 applicants have received their first choice – above all recent national averages across the UK. The consistent high number of first choices achieved in Oxfordshire is due to the county council’s careful forward planning to make sure the right numbers of school places exist – since 2010 the council has created more than 10,000 new primary school places. That means that since 2010 the number of primary school places in Oxfordshire has risen by 22 per cent. About a fifth of that has been achieved via the building and opening of new schools and the rest through expansions of existing schools – new buildings, making better use of existing accommodation, or marginal increases in admission numbers. This year’s figure of 93.39 per cent for first preference offers compares with the 2018 figure of 92.77 per cent. Although the national average for 2019 will not be published for some time, Oxfordshire remains ahead of the averages for 2018 (91 per cent) and 2017 (90 per cent).
AMBITIOUS NEW OXFORDSHIRE PARTNERSHIP IS BREAKING NEW GROUND
Residents in Oxfordshire are already benefiting from the impact of an ambitious and innovative new partnership between two councils – with plans being explored to develop closer working over coming months. Cherwell District Council and Oxfordshire County Council set up a joint working partnership in October 2018 – it is one of a very small number of examples of a district and county council sharing staff and services in the whole of the country. The county council’s cabinet approved the continuation of the partnership at its meeting on April 23.
HENLEY-ON-THAMES REVEALED AS START LOCATION FOR WOMEN’S CYCLING RACE
Henley-on-Thames will be the start location for stage three of the OVO Energy Women’s Tour professional cycling race. Full details of the Oxfordshire route were revealed at a ceremony at the town’s Leander Club – home to rowing greats like Sir Steve Redgrave CBE and Rebecca Romero – on Monday 15 April. The famous South Oxfordshire town will host a Big Bike Breakfast on the morning of the race, Wednesday 12 June. Crowds will line the streets, cheering off participants on the 145 kilometre-leg that will finish outside Blenheim Palace in West Oxfordshire. Elite cyclist Sophie Wright announced that Oxfordshire’s race section will start from Market Place in the centre of Henley. Oxfordshire’s county, city and district councils announced last month that a stage of the OVO Energy Women’s Tour, the UK’s most prestigious women’s cycle race, had been agreed to race through the county for the next three years, in partnership with event organisers SweetSpot Group. From Henley, stage three will traverse the Chilterns via Pishill to Watlington, before returning via the climb of Britwell Hill to Sonning Common and Goring. Crossing the River Thames at Wallingford, the route will pass through Didcot, Harwell and Wantage, crossing the Vale of White Horse to Faringdon, before looping through the West Oxfordshire towns of Burford, Charlbury and finally Woodstock in the closing kilometres. Oxfordshire is expecting economic and health benefits from hosting the prestigious event, with cycling fans expected to visit the county to watch the race, generating additional business for restaurants, bars, hotels, B&Bs and shops.
