Minutes of a meeting of the Parish Council held in the meeting room at the Upton village hall on Tuesday 19^th July 2022 at 7.00 pm.

In attendance:- Cllr Ben Shaw            (BS)                                                     Chairman

Cllr Peter McLaughlin (PM)

Cllr Neil Thorp (NT)                                                           Vice-Chairman

Cllr David Beckles (DB)

Cllr Brendan Heneghan (BH)

County Cllr Sally Povolotsky (SP)

Miss E Cooper                                                                     Clerk/RFO

 

1. To receive apologies for absence

        District Cllr S Medley.         

 

2. To record any declarations of interests relating to this meeting

BS – any Nature Garden discussion relating to his adjoining fence.  Also any discussion on a new bin

collection proposal.

 

3. To receive the County Councillor’s report (see Appendix B below)

        In addition to the report, SP added:-

1. Chilton Road dates to be confirmed. Last day of work 18^th October. A TRO is expected & traffic lights

will be in place during the work.  A letter of confirmation is imminent.

2. Coffin Way – a letter to the landowners is imminent from the Upton & Blewbury Chairmen. Intention

to follow with a meeting inc SP, with the objective of re-designating to a Bridle Way.

3. NT asked about ‘Litter Mapping’? SP explained mapping branded litter will help address the problem, in

proving where the litter is found & addressing with brands, but also local establishments. NT asked that

this information be included in initial notifications in future.

4. SP will provide a more comprehensive update on waste recycling in November.

 

4. To receive District Councillor’s report (see Appendix C below)

 

5. To receive a report from the PCSO 

        ‘Very much like the Blewbury in terms of crimes of note for the village, nothing to report.

Slightly wider afield there are no real concerns to report on either. Please let me know if anything comes

up that you think I should be aware of’. PCSO G Kirby 18.07.22

 

6. Open Forum

No members of the public were present.

 

7. To hear an update from the PCC

        Paul Batho on behalf of the PCC reported via email that having received a generous offer of a donation

towards the proposed works, there may be a final appeal for funds, before a revised plan is submitted.

 

8. To hear an update from UVHAT representative(s) on village hall operations

        No UVHAT representative was present or had produced a report. From a UVHAT meeting held on 4^th July,

BS & BH reported that UVHAT representatives contacted regarding UPC meetings were not receiving such

emails. EC to provide copies of emails & send to BS.

 

9. To hear an update from the Nature Garden representative(s) on progress

        Report received in advance of the meeting, but no Nature Garden representatives were present.

The Council considers the following requests from the information provided:-

9.1 Installation of water butts. Further information required. If the water butts are to run off the VH

downpipes, the guttering & downpipes would need to be repaired first.

9.2 The Council agreed in principle to the purchase of an A2 oak lectern. It was not clear which supplier

was the best value, based on the cost of the lectern & the application of the artwork panel. KF to

please confirm.

9.3 The Council was unable to approve the artwork for the panel & had the following queries:-

9.3.1 ‘Welcome to Upton Nature Garden’ para. Last line ‘The chemicals that come from dog food will

contaminate the soil.’ If you mean dog poo or faeces, please say so.

9.3.2  ‘In the hedge’ para. The Council was very concerned by the second para ‘For hungry humans’. Of

particular concern is the ‘rugosa rose for hips’ (esp. small hairs irritating the digestive system),

but also the encouragement of the eating of any items in situ, without any further information

or disclaimer. It was felt this left the Council vulnerable & should be addressed. The same would

also apply to ‘In the Glade’.

9.3.3  The Council felt that the bottom right hand list should be preceded by ‘With special thanks to’

or something similar, with UPC listed first, TOE second & OCC third.

9.3.4  The Council noted that despite a request & agreement at the May UPC meeting for the compost

area to be removed from alongside a resident’s fence, this had not happened by the time of the

July meeting (8 weeks later). The Council noted on the NG schedule, ‘re-site compost heap to

behind garage’ in August. The Council did not agree to anything from the NG being deposited

around the garage, & another area (not on the recreation ground & not next to any resident’s

fence), must be found without further delay.

 

Clerk’s note:- Apologies from K Fletcher received post meeting.

 

10. To approve the minutes of the Annual Parish Council meeting held on:-

       UPC Annual Meeting 17^th May 2022

Unanimously agreed as a true record.

 

11. Planning

11.1 To agree / ratify the council’s response to the following consultations

There are no outstanding planning consultations since the last meeting.

11.2 To note planning permissions received during the month

11.2.1 P22/V0802/HH Winterset, Newmans Close, Upton

Planning permission 15.6.22

11.2.2 P22/V0168/HH Rowlands, Church Rd, Upton

Planning permission 24.5.22

 

12. Finance & Administration

12.1 To receive an update on the Audit 2021-2022.

12.1.1 Internal audit

12.1.1.1 To hear feedback from the internal auditor, IAC

The Clerk reported on the IA’s findings & all minor issues had been addressed.

Further issues are covered below.

12.1.1.2 To ratify that both the Accounting Statements & Annual Governance Statements for

2020-21 were agreed by Council & duly signed (highlighted by internal audit 21-22),

albeit during an virtual meeting held on 2nd June 2021. Council duly ratified.

12.1.1.3 To ratify that both the Accounting Statements & Annual Governance Statements for

21-22 were agreed & signed at the meeting held on 8^th May 2022. Council duly

ratified.

12.1.1.4 To confirm the period for the exercise of public rights

Published on 9.6.22, to commence on 10.6.22 & end on 21.7.22.

12.1.2 To receive an update on the external audit

No report had yet been received from the external auditor.

12.3 To agree the authoriser for this month’s payments.

PM.

12.4 To approve payments to be made noted spending powers and within budgeted amounts

 

DATE	Description /Payee	Amount
28.6.22 / 28.7.22	Clerk’s salary since last meeting [LGA1972 s112(2)]	Not publicly disclosed
18.5.22 – 19.7.22	Clerk’s expenses	£5.40
28.6.22 / 28.7.22	HMRC PAYE (June £77.20, July TBC)	£154.40
27.6.22 / 2775.22	Microsoft subscription [LGA1972 s111]	£7.60
10.06.22	IAC internal audit (paid to be ratified)	£342.00
06.06.22	BH Expenses – Community Speed Watch Starter Kit (paid to be ratified)	£575.98
16.06.22	Sign Wizzard – Speed Watch signs (paid to be ratified)	£287.56
30.05.22	B. Lott Petrol for mowers expenses	£34.76
Total		£1407.70 (plus salary above)

 

Receipts	Description	Amount
TOE	Remaining Nature Garden funding	£1223.84
Lloyds	Interest (June/July)	.22
Total		£.1224.06

 

12.5 To sign off bank reconciliation to end June

Provided in advance of the meeting & signed at meeting

12.6 To hear / agree on any other financial or administration updates

16.6.1 Treasurers Account balance at 30.06.22 £3386.69

Business bank instant balance at 30.06.22 £13,074.09

Total funds held as at 30.06.22 £16,460.78

12.6.2 To hear confirmation of Upton Parish Council’s VAT deregistration

Letter of confirmation received from HMRC dated 15.6.22.

12.6.3 2022/23 UPC Budget

12.6.3.1 To consider if a review of the budget is necessary due to economic circumstances

Council to consider further in September after 2^nd half of precept received & figures to

end August produced.

12.6.3.2 To hear an update on the end of Q1 budget

Council agreed that all was on track, with the only outstanding payment being for

Kompan. However, this payment is expected to be revised by Kompan before being

re-presented for payment to Council.

 

 

12.7 Lloyds Bank Mandates

12.7.1 To complete a mandate to update signatories on the account (remove Clerk as signatory & add

Cllr NT as signatory).

Council unanimously agreed to this change to the signatories on the account. Lloyds Bank had

incorrectly set the Clerk as a signatory as well as administrator & the new mandate would

correct this error.

12.7.2 To complete a mandate for the application for a debit card on the account. This replaces the

mandate originally completed in January 2021, which Lloyds Bank failed to fulfil.

Council unanimously agreed to the new debit card application for two members of the

Council.

12.8 To formally agree to adopt the Oxfordshire Councils’ Councillor Code of Conduct 2022

              Council unanimously agreed to adopt the Code of Conduct 2022 with immediate effect.

Clerk to send the new Register of Interests form to all Councillors for completion as this now includes

the Code of conduct.

 

13. To hear an update on any aspect of the recreation ground play areas

13.1 Toddler play area          ) To hear an update on discussions with Kompan regarding their inadequacies

13.2 Adventure play area    ) following inspections & minor remedial work in 2021/22.

• A meeting was held with a Kompan representative & members of the Council on 12^th The

meeting was held because the previous year’s inspection reports were found to be inadequate &

some remedial work included on an invoice had not been carried out. The Kompan representative

agreed to come back asap & complete the remedial work. He also agreed that he would be the only

person to carry out work on the Upton play areas.

Clerk’s note:- All remedial work has since been completed.

• BS was already in discussions with a Kompan manager regarding the inadequate reports &

attention to remedial works. Council agreed that if Kompan are unable to issue a satisfactory invoice

following completion of the works, & offer suitable terms for a further year’s inspections, Council

agreed unanimously to invite a different play area inspector to carry out the inspections.

• Clerk to update inspection report & issue to Council to implement new rota of weekly inspections.
• Council also unanimously agreed to remain with Kompan for repairs, under supervision, & until a new contractor is found if necessary.

13.3 Pump track

13.3.1 Keeping stinging nettles under control

This will continue to be carried out as & when needed by volunteers.

13.3.2 Any other update on the pump track

None.

 

14. To hear any updates on the maintenance of the recreation ground

       14.1 New bin provision

BS explained the situation regarding the difficulties now faced with waste collections where unless a

bin is sited on the roadside, it will not be picked up by the District Council’s contractor. This also

applies to bin bags,  which will also not be collected if they are not in a bin. This requires a re-think of

the Council’s proposal to buy a multi-bin for the recreation ground, as this may also not be collected.

14.2 To discuss the new bin collection proposal

A bin collection proposal had been received from a new company ‘Organised Grime’, which is owned

by the Chairman, B Shaw. This proposal was in response to the waste collection problems already

being experienced in the village. Council asked Mr Shaw to demonstrate his research in to the

problem & it’s potential solution by producing a formal case for further consideration by the Council.

14.3 Current maintenance activity

Currently only the grass on the recreation is mowed by volunteers. Excessive nettles in & around the

play areas are removed, again by volunteers, as needs be. Council acknowledged a more

comprehensive solution to the management of the whole of the recreation ground was needed.

14.4 Any other updates on the recreation ground

                No other updates.

 

15. To hear an update on Speed Watch Activities from BH

       BH confirmed that Speed Watch village signs & a starter pack had been received.  He would update

further when Speed Watch activities are able to start.

 

16. To hear an update on UPC IT from PM

       PM to send out details of task management software for potential use by the Council. All to feedback to

PM.

 

17. Risk Management

17.1 To receive an update on Compliance & GDPR

No update this month.

17.2 To receive any other updates relating to risk

No further updates this month.

 

18. To hear an update on the future formats of Upton News – NT

18.1 Current usage analysis NT / PM

NT expressed concern about the lack of contributions to Upton News, suggesting that it had been

supplanted by other formats such as Facebook. However PM advised that usage analysis showed that

it was still frequently accessed by villagers

18.2 Proposed future Upton News format(s)

Council agreed Upton News wold continue in its online format only for the time being, but only one

reminder would be sent to potential contributors.

18.3 Agree content for next edition of Upton News

Council agreed topics for the Council update. Council also agreed that adverts would be excluded with

immediate effect.

 

19. To set the date and venue of the next full council meeting & next year’s AGM.

19.1 Full council meeting Tuesday 20^th September at 7.00pm, meeting room in the village hall

19.2 UPC Annual Meeting Tuesday 16^th May 2023 in the meeting room of the village hall (confirmed)

 

The meeting finished at 10pm.

 

Appendix A

 

No.	Actions from this meeting	By when
1.	EC to provide copies of UVHAT emails to BS.	Actioned
2.	KF to confirm best option for lectern & artwork	September meet
3.	KF to confirm other NG actions highlighted have been addressed (compost area, water butt, artwork amends)
4.	EC to send mandates to Lloyds Bank	Actioned
5.	EC to update play area inspection report & implement new rota for weekly inspections.	September meet
6.	BS to report back on Kompan discussions re invoice & future inspections	ASAP
7.	BS (as Organised Grime) to produce formal case waste collection for further consideration by Council	September meet
8.	BH to update on Speed Watch activity start dates	ASAP
9.	All to feedback to PM on task management software	ASAP

No.	Actions from May meeting	By when
1.	KF to arrange removal of NG compost area to elsewhere on the site away from neighbour’s fences.	ASAP
3.	BS & EC to work on Clerk in Training Lengthman job descriptions & ads	In progress
4.	PM to organise fitting of nets to goal posts	June
No.	Actions from March meeting	By when
3.	KF to produce Nature Garden maintenance plan.	Actione4d
7.	BH to provide quote for rec ground posts & chain.	ASAP
8.	BS to invite Commissioner of Police for photo op following funding for new nets & wheels on goal posts.	ASAP post installation
No.	Actions November meeting	By when
7.	BS to 1. put together a welcome pack proposal & 2. look at ways of engaging volunteers. Also spk PM & NT re technical options.	Ongoing

  

 

 

 Appendix B – County Councillor Report

Climate Action Oxfordshire website to launch

Thank you to everyone who completed the Oxfordshire climate change survey a few months ago. Working from what we discovered, we’re excited to launch a new website offering practical advice for people in the county who want to reduce their carbon footprint.

Climate Action Oxfordshire lists measures people can take and rates them according to effort, impact, and cost. It also gives people an idea of what financial savings they can make and includes tips and links on how to get started – from large projects such as home insulation to simple things like turning off lights when not in use.

The website is part of a collaboration between all of Oxfordshire’s councils, as well as Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP), to help Oxfordshire fulfil its commitment to reach net zero carbon emissions before 2050.

The site launches officially this coming TODAY (11 July). Please let your friends, colleagues and other networks know about it by sharing our announcement on our social media channels, which will go out at 11am on TODAY.

We have also created a Climate Action Oxfordshire communications toolkit for you with messages and graphics all ready to be posted on social media.

Additionally, if you know of content which could make the site even better, please email antonio.ferrara@oxfordshire.gov.uk with your thoughts.

Our plant-based food initiative showcased as best practice

The Climate Change Committee has highlighted our decision to serve plant-based food at councillor catered events (page 309) as an example of local authorities developing their own policy in the absence of central government guidance relating to dietary shifts to low-carbon alternatives. The committee is an independent statutory body made up of internationally recognised climate scientists and sector specialists who advise the government on tackling climate change. It’s a huge achievement to be recognised by the committee and in such a high-profile report.

Recognition from Michael Gove for our partnerships

Last week, Michael Gove singled us out as an example of local government ‘service at its best’ during a speech at the Local Government Association’s annual conference. It was in recognition of our work during the pandemic to pool resource between us and the district councils to establish a comprehensive system, which ensured a coherent and holistic approach to COVID-19 compliance and enforcement. You can read the speech in full online.

Face mask guidance updated at Oxford University Hospitals (OUH)

From 6 July 2022, the guidance around wearing face masks at OUH has changed. Patients must wear masks in the following areas and under certain conditions:

• if you have symptoms of COVID-19, or have tested positive for COVID-19
• if you have symptoms of a respiratory illness
• in clinical areas, such as on wards.

You do not have to wear masks in other areas, but you are encouraged you to do so, and you will be supported if that is your choice. Visitors must wear masks in all clinical areas.

Further information can be found on the OUH website.

Consultations

We are currently running one major consultation for residents on east Oxford low traffic

neighbourhoods (until 30 November). Please encourage your constituents to have their

say by sharing the link. For details of all other live consultations, visit Let’s Talk Oxfordshire.

A round up of useful links to help you:

• COVID-19 dashboard
• Current roadworks around the county
• External news

 

Signposting

A reminder, you can direct general Ukraine queries to:

• Website: oxfordshire.gov.uk/ukraine
• Oxfordshire Ukraine helpline: +44 1865 966444 / 01865 966 444 (opening hours:
• 45am – 5pm, Monday to Friday. Closed weekends and bank holidays)
• Email: ukraineresponse@oxfordshire.gov.uk

 

 

Local Roundup

 

Fairly slow week, I am chasing / working on the following;

1. Dates on when Harwell new scheme goes to consultation, and final designs
2. Chilton Road / Upton / Cycle Network – updating chair.
3. Additional speed / traffic surveys on Hanney Road (Rowstock is in now!)
4. Managed to help out East Hanney, so their 20mph scheme now the same time as West (anticipated end of 2022 completed)
5. HEG Community larder moving from 18^th July to Snells Hall, East Hendred due to size / demand (thanks to all who have helped make this happen)
6. Rowstock Relief, next steps / new timeline
7. Steventon bridge update given at Parish Council, full report by end summer for Steventon, but no changes any time soon!

 

 

Appendix C – District Councillor Report

 

Monday 11^th July 2022 Monthly Parish Update

Vale of White Horse District Councillors

Cllr Hayleigh Gascoigne and Cllr Sarah Medley

 

Hello! This month we were delighted to attend the official opening of the District Community Centre on Great Western Park. It was great to see all the local groups offering activities and classes at the centre, and to meet some of the fantastic young people at Didcot TRAIN.

The event included a ceremony awarding three former district councillors the honorary title of Aldermen, in recognition of the service they provided to the council and the district. Congratulations to Jerry Patterson, Jim Halliday and Reg Waite for receiving this honour.

It was great to see the progress being made on the new Extra Care facility next door to the community centre. It is just over a year since construction started for these 80 new affordable extra care homes, funded with support from the District Council.

The Extra Care building is directly opposite the allocated site for the long-awaited GWP Health Centre. Representatives from NHS Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (OCCG) and Woodlands Medical Centre attended the Great Western Park Residents’ Association public meeting on Monday 13th June to provide an update. We have summarised the key points in our report, and the good news is that progress is being made at last! Hayleigh is asking for a further update on the GP surgery from the cabinet member for development and infrastructure at the next Vale Full Council meeting on Wednesday 13^th July.

We use these monthly updates to keep you updated on our activities, general council news and any COVID-19 developments. We also post regularly on our councillor Facebook Page: Cllrs Hayleigh Gascoigne & Sarah Medley Please do not hesitate to get in touch with any issues or concerns, either via Facebook message or email: hayleigh.gascoigne@whitehorsedc.gov.uk and sarah.medley@whitehorsedc.gov.uk.  

 

Community Support

The Council Community Support Hub

The Community Support Hub, originally set up by the council in 2020 in response to the pandemic, is still available for anyone in need of help: if you have COVID-19, or if you are struggling financially due to the cost of living crisis, or if you are just finding life difficult due to the pandemic. Whether it’s practical support or just advice, get in touch. Call: 01235 422 600 (Mon to Thurs 8.30-5pm and Fridays 8.30-4.30pm) or visit www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/communityhub.

 

Council tax rebate
As of the end of June, more than 90 per cent of households (around 35,000 in Vale) who are eligible for the Council tax energy rebate have now either received their £150 payment or have already applied.
Everyone else who is eligible, if they pass the verification checks, will receive their payment by 4 July.

Financial Support Helplines

With rising energy prices and the cost of living increasing, it is a difficult time for many residents. Anyone who is struggling financially can contact Citizens Advice on 0808 278 7907, Vale Community Impact on 01235 765348 or the council’s own community support hub – details below.

Ukraine

Here’s the latest system-wide response to the government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme.

 

Unaccompanied children

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has written to local authorities confirming that the Homes for Ukraine scheme will begin processing existing applications from unaccompanied children.

 

Scheme outline for unaccompanied children

The scheme will allow eligible children and minors under the age of 18, who have already applied for a visa and who are not travelling with or joining a parent or legal guardian, to come to the UK in carefully defined circumstances.

 

Sponsors will be asked to commit to hosting the child for up to three years, or until they are aged 18 (and the sponsorship placement has lasted for a minimum of six months) – whichever is soonest. This is in recognition of the need to provide greater security to these children.

There will be a crucial role for local authorities to ensure that robust safeguarding processes are put in place and to undertake extensive checks prior to any visa being granted. DBS checks must be completed on the sponsor and adults in the sponsor household, before any visa is issued by the Home Office.

 

Funding and support payments

Families hosting a child under the Homes for Ukraine scheme will be offered £350 a month as a thank you payment, for as long as the guest remains in their accommodation for up to three years. Oxfordshire County Council will continue to administer these payments as it does under current arrangements for the scheme and the government has confirmed it will allocate additional funding to councils for this. As outlined above, this payment can only be made when all checks have been completed. The DBS checks are currently taking time to be processed by government, which can slow things down a little.

Better Leisure support for refugees

Our leisure provider, GLL, is offering refugees a free three month Better Health Centre membership, or a subscription to a course or lesson. More on their website.

 

For more information

General Ukraine queries:

• www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/ukraine
• Oxfordshire Ukraine helpline: +44 1865 966444 / 01865 966 444 (opening hours: 8.45am – 5pm, Monday to Friday. Closed weekends and bank holidays).
• Email: ukraineresponse@oxfordshire.gov.uk

For housing and community support in South and Vale:

• www.southoxon.gov.uk/ukraine
• www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/ukraine
• South and Vale helpline: +44 1235 422600 / 01235 422600 (press option one). Opening hours: 8.30am-5pm Monday to Thursday, 8.30am-4.30pm Fridays, Closed weekends and bank holidays.

Email: communitysupport@southandvale.gov.uk

 

 

Local News

Didcot & Villages Healthcare Update

Representatives from NHS Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (OCCG) and Woodlands Medical Centre attended the Great Western Park Residents’ Association public meeting on Monday 13th June to provide an update on the long-awaited GP surgery planned for the site next to the pharmacy. The good news is that progress is being made at last! We have summarised the key points below.

Woodlands Medical Centre will be operating the new building as a new branch surgery. The new surgery will serve the Didcot Primary Care Network – this covers Didcot and the surrounding villages, and includes Blewbury, Harwell, Chilton and Upton. Woodlands have identified an appropriate medical developer for the new building and they have submitted for pre-application planning advice. Dr Alex Hart from Woodlands showed us all some designs of the building – great to see what it will look like!

Next steps are to apply for planning permission, the value for money to be determined by the government-appointed District Valuer, and then the affordability to be determined by the new Integrated Care Board (Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire – BOB).

Clearly this is a long process, and the OCCG could not specify exact timescales, but they emphasised that both they and the Vale of White Horse District Council are committed to delivering the healthcare centre as soon as possible. Dr Alex Hart stated 2025 as a viable target, especially as the construction of the 3300th home on GWP triggers a two-year deadline for the developer funding.

OCCG recognise the existing pressure on Woodlands and the other GPs in Didcot, and highlighted that the Oak Tree Health Centre on Ladygrove has now converted some of its facility into additional consultation spaces – see the news story from South Oxfordshire District Council.

In the meantime, the OCCG are working with Woodlands and the Vale to determine how to accommodate the current demand. They are exploring the use of an area of the new District Centre on GWP, determining the cost and viability of this being adapted to a suitable clinical grade. The OCCG confirmed that any temporary solution will not impact the plans for the permanent new healthcare centre.

The new GWP centre is expected to meet the projected local demand in the Didcot Primary Care Network by 2027. This will inevitably include some initial residents from Valley Park, although please note that there is an entirely separate healthcare funding agreement with the developers for Valley Park. As a reminder – the Valley Park legal agreement states that the developers are to provide either £3.2 million towards local healthcare provision in the area surrounding Valley Park, or a dedicated 0.25 hectares of land for a new GP health centre on Valley Park with £2.8 million towards its construction. The new Integrated Care Board needs to decide which of these options to pursue, but in any case the legal agreement specifies that all funding is to be ringfenced for healthcare provision in the local area around Didcot only.

Residents can take immediate practical steps to assist the existing Didcot GP surgeries. Firstly, reduce pressure on GPs by choosing the right NHS service. Secondly, join the Patient Participation Group (PPG) at your GP – this is an invaluable way to provide input into the new health centre and to shape the future of healthcare in the Didcot area.

As your district councillors, we know how frustrated everyone has been with the delay in this much-needed facility. We have been pushing on this issue for the past few years, working with the GWPRA and PPGs to put pressure on the OCCG, and inviting them to provide public updates. We are very encouraged to see that there is now an open dialogue between the OCCG and the council and that they are working very closely together on delivering the new healthcare centre on Great Western Park.

Thank you to the GWPRA for your hard work on keeping the community informed via the public meetings. The full recording of the meeting can be accessed via this link. Please keep an eye on the GWPRA website and Facebook Page for information about future meetings with further healthcare updates. We will of course also publish any further healthcare updates we become aware of via our Facebook Page and parish council reports.

Valley Park Update

There are currently several live planning applications for Valley Park, following on from outline planning permission being granted last year. However, permission for these additional applications cannot be granted until the Strategic Design Code for the site is approved. The application containing the Strategic Design Code was rejected by planning officers on 4^th July 2022 – see the list of reasons on the Vale planning portal.

Below is the list of current planning applications for Valley Park. Some of these are ‘discharge’ applications, as they contain detailed information on how the planned development will discharge (satisfy) one or more conditions from the outline planning permission. There are also ‘reserved matters’ planning applications, which give additional detail not provided in the outline planning permission – for example the appearance and layout of the specific parcels of housing. The initial consultation for these reserved matters applications has closed, however they will all be re-opened for consultation once a Strategic Design Code is agreed.

As the development of Valley Park progresses over the coming years, there will be an increasing number of planning applications relating to the development. We always endeavour to keep you updated with the key news relating to Valley Park, including highlighting opportunities to comment on the applications. In the meantime, valleypark.uk is an excellent informal resource, listing all of the information and planning applications relating to the development. Thank you to David Marsh from Harwell village for putting together such a useful website!

Reserved Matters Applications

• P22/V0539/RM – Taylor Wimpey’s first housing phase – 246 dwellings
• P22/V0907/RM – Persimmons first housing phase – 161 dwellings
• P22/V0604/RM – infrastructure details for the first phases of development

‘Discharge’ of conditions:

• P22/V0643/DIS –– surface water and foul drainage details for Taylor Wimpey’s (TW) first phase
• P22/V0796/DIS – Framework plan for TW’s first phase
• P22/V0868/DIS – Strategic Design Code, phasing plan, housing delivery document and noise

• P22/V1208/DIS – framework plan, construction environmental management plan, landscaping, tree protection, foul and surface water drainage and ecological construction plan for Persimmon’s first housing phase
• P22/V1482/DIS – community employment plan

Getting families active

The councils have just just launched YouMove – a new initiative providing low-cost or free activities for children and families who receive benefits-related free school meals in Oxfordshire.

Activities available so far include cricket, swimming and badminton. More on our websites at southoxon.gov.uk/youmove and whitehorsedc.gov.uk/youmove

The Big Screen at The Beacon

Cinema returns to The Beacon this summer with a variety of popular award-winning movies for all ages.
In July don’t miss ‘The Duke’ starring Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren.

For children, Monkey Mayhem, our pre-school stay-and-play session, is on every Monday 9.30–11.30am (excluding bank holidays) with bouncy castles, a ball pit and lots of toys for under 5’s to enjoy.
To find out more visit beaconwantage.co.uk.

Climate & Environment News

Litter pickers urged to join the councils’ litter mapping project

Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire district councils have launched a joint litter mapping project aimed at identifying where and what type of items are littered, this information will then be used to target those areas.

Climate Emergency Advisory Committee

The most recent meeting was held on 11^th July, the agenda and minutes are on the Vale website, and the recording of the meeting is on our YouTube channel. If you have any questions regarding something on the agenda, or another climate related topic, please reach out to Hayleigh, who is the chair of the committee. Remember, that any member of the public is also permitted to speak at public council meetings (virtually or in person, where applicable) and just needs to register by emailing Democratic Services at democratic.services@southandvale.gov.uk

Council News

Government pledges £100,000 of support for two local garden villages

The government has allocated £100,000 for two garden communities based in South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse districts. Berinsfield Garden Village will be receiving £50,000 towards the costs of work to help develop the village. The other £50,000 will go to Dalton Barracks Garden Village to help put together a masterplan for a new community to be built that includes a variety of new homes, shops and business buildings, community facilities and green spaces that will help to enhance local wildlife.

Alderman honour awarded to three ex-councillors

Three former Vale of White Horse councillors who served the district for a combined total of 52 years have been honoured as Aldermen. Jim Halliday, Jerry Patterson and Reg Waite were awarded the title at a recent special Council meeting in recognition of the service they provided to the council and the district.

More help for people to pay food and energy bills

More help is on the way for people who are struggling to pay their food, energy and other related bills. Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire district councils have opened a voucher scheme to support households who can’t afford to pay for life’s essentials.

Revised focus for Didcot Garden Town 

Revised plans to help improve the lives of residents living in and around Didcot Garden Town have been approved at two Cabinet meetings. South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils have approved a renewed, ambitious delivery plan for Didcot Garden Town. It will focus on providing community benefits, a special retail recovery strategy, encourage healthy lifestyles and help to tackle climate change.

The Didcot Garden Town Advisory Board worked together to simplify priorities, which will bring significant community and environmental benefits to the area. While reprioritising the delivery plan, the advisory board also took into consideration feedback received from their Residents, Business and Parishes Sounding boards.

Work can now progress on looking at what improvements can be made to existing community open spaces and public walkways to create more attractive areas using plants and public art. A cycling network plan will be delivered to build more connections between various existing routes and to look at where new paths can be built. This will help reduce congestion and make residents feel safer while travelling between home, the town centre, business parks and surrounding villages.

New Design Guide website adopted to help create high-quality, sustainable development

An online guide that helps create high-quality and sustainable development in South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse has been improved and extended following feedback from users. The Joint Design Guide is an up-to-date, innovative, concise, engaging and interactive document that acts as a tool for anyone undertaking a development to ensure it fits with the character of the local area.