Minutes of the meeting of the Parish Council 25.06.2025

UPTON PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting
Date: Wednesday, 25th June 2025
Time: 19:00
Venue: Small Meeting Room, Upton Village Hall

Present

Chair: Françoise Yates – FY
Councillors: Emma Watts-Lay – EWL, Chris Seelig – CS Brendan Heneghan – BH, Matthew Talbot – MT
Clerk: Benjamin Shaw
Apologies: David Beckles – DB,

District Councillors: Hayleigh Gascoigne, Debra Dewhurst

County Councillor: Rebecca Fletcher

Members of the Public

 

 

1. To receive apologies for absence
   Outcome: Apologies were received from DB. BH was noted as being late.

 

2. To record any declarations of interests relating to this meeting
   Outcome: No declarations of interest were made by those present

 

3. Vote on the Co-option of New Councillor to replace Cllr Benjamin Shaw – Proposed candidate Matthew Talbot (MT)
   Outcome: Matthew Talbot (MT) was unanimously co-opted as a new councillor, proposed by FY Seconded by EWL.

 

• New councillor MT appointed as Parish Council Treasurer.
• Training on council-specific financial practices will be made available.

 

1. To approve the minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 28th May 2025
   Outcome: Proposed by Cllr EWL, seconded by Cllr FY, that the minutes of the previous meeting be approved as a true and accurate record.
   All councillors present were in agreement.
   Resolved: Minutes approved.
2. Open Forum
   To receive representations from members of the public (max 15 minutes, 3 minutes per person)

Residents raised a number of serious concerns regarding activities at a site known locally as Cottage Farm (also referred to as Wattle Farm), situated behind the George public house.

Key issues highlighted included:

• Burning of waste materials: The resident reported frequent open fires at the site, allegedly involving plastic and other domestic waste. These activities were described as detrimental to local air quality and potentially in breach of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
• Unauthorised residential use: It was stated that four wooden chalet-style structures had been constructed and appeared to be in use for residential purposes, despite previous planning consent having been granted solely for equine-related facilities.
• Planning history: The resident expressed concern that the landowner may not have adhered to the original planning permissions and that the site is now subject to a retrospective planning application.
• Flood risk: The location was noted to fall within Flood Zone 3, and the suitability of permanent or semi-permanent structures in this area was questioned.
• Environmental impact: The site lies within a nationally designated landscape (formerly Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) and is adjacent to a Local Wildlife Site. Concerns were expressed regarding potential damage to the local environment and biodiversity.
• Access and safety issues: Reports were made of challenges with site access, as well as risks to pedestrians and road users, particularly relating to the movement of horses and vehicles.
• Planning transparency: The resident raised concerns over the clarity and completeness of the submitted planning application documents, including the apparent omission of existing structures and site activity.

Response from District Councillors:
District councillors in attendance acknowledged the seriousness of the issues raised. They advised the following:

• The planning application would be formally called in to be considered by the Planning Committee, rather than determined by officers under delegated powers.
• They would consult with both the planning and enforcement teams at the district council to gain further clarity on the site’s history, current use, and any ongoing investigations.
• An extension to the public consultation period (originally closing 17 July) would be supported to allow adequate time for residents to comment.
• Emphasis was placed on the importance of making planning-based representations, referring to relevant local and national planning policies, including those related to flood risk, landscape designation, access, and service provision.

Next Steps:

• The residents who raised the concerns offered to collate relevant planning considerations and share these with the district councillors to assist with the call-in process.
• The resident also offered to circulate information within the village to ensure the wider community is aware of the application and encouraged to respond individually via the planning portal.
• The Parish Council agreed to hold an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) in the coming week to consult with residents prior to submitting its formal response.
• The Council will notify neighbouring parish councils, where appropriate, to ensure they are informed and able to consider potential cross-boundary impacts.

Environmental Health:

• It was noted that formal complaints have been submitted to the Vale of White Horse District Council’s Environmental Health department concerning smoke and odour nuisance.
• Residents are actively maintaining diary records to document the impact of smoke emissions.
• Concerns were also raised regarding potential commercial activity operating from the site without appropriate waste management licensing. The matter is understood to be under review by the relevant district council officers.
• A request was made for the district council to consider statutory nuisance enforcement and, if appropriate, the issuing of an abatement notice under the Environmental Protection Act.

The Parish Council thanked the resident for their detailed input and confirmed that all points raised would be duly considered ahead of submitting the Council’s formal response to the planning authority.

6. Finance & Administration

The Clerk presented the financial report as of 31st May 2025, summarising the balances in the Council’s accounts as follows:

Community Account (formerly the Treasurer’s Account): £16,516.93

Commercial Instant Access Account (formerly the Business Instant Account): £29,434.95

• 2: Approval and authorisation of payments for May 2025 within budgeted amounts.

• • Proposed: FY
  • Seconded: MT
  • Outcome: Unanimously approved

 

 

• 6.3: Approval and authorisation of next month’s payments
  • Proposed: FY
  • Seconded: MT
  • Outcome: Unanimously approved
• 6.4: Approval of bank reconciliation to the end of May
  • Proposed: MT
  • Seconded: FY
  • Outcome: Unanimously approved

• 5 To review financial reserves and earmarked funds

Planned expenditures include:

Posts around the recreation ground car park

Installation of a storage container

These planned works are not expected to exceed the available £7,000.

Resolution:

• It was proposed by Cllr. EWL, seconded by Cllr. FY to transfer £3,000 from the Reserve Account to the Community Account.
• Outcome: Unanimously approved.

 

• 6 Administration Review – Councillor Responsiveness and Procedural Timeliness

The Clerk raised concerns about delays in publishing draft minutes and other council business due to lack of email responses from councillors.

A quorum of three councillor responses is required to take actions between meetings.

Councillors were reminded:

Responses must be via email to ensure a formal audit trail; WhatsApp messages are not acceptable for decision-making.

 

• Update on post installation for the car park – Cllr EWL to liaise with builders on post solution.

Next Steps:

• Cllr. EWL to circulate all three quotations to councillors and the Clerk.
• Councillors to conduct independent due diligence (e.g. Checkatrade reviews, past work references).
• Wood sourcing was discussed; Webbs Wood was suggested for high-quality materials if Beard is selected.
• A final decision will be made via email vote once due diligence is completed and will be ratified at the next public meeting.

Resolution:

• It was unanimously agreed to defer the selection of contractor pending further review of quotes and references.

Camping Request – Up to No Good Event

Risk Assessment Non-Compliance:

• It was reported that no risk assessment was submitted in advance of the Up to No Good event, despite this being clearly requested in writing and in person as a condition of use for the recreation ground.
• The event went ahead regardless. While no camping ultimately took place, the requirement remained unmet.
• The Clerk advised that for audit and insurance compliance, a copy of the risk assessment is still required post-event, and Cllr. FY is tasked with obtaining this from the organisers (Bob Lott & Mike Tibbets).

Clerk’s Guidance:

• The Clerk reiterated that any event requiring closure of the recreation ground for private or charitable hire must provide a suitable risk assessment before approval, in accordance with council insurance requirements.
• If no risk assessment is on file, and an injury or incident occurs, the Council could be held liable.
• The Clerk noted that the organiser is likely to have a valid risk assessment (given the size of the event, presence of medical services, etc.) but failed to submit it in time.

Council Resolution:

• It was agreed that no future events will be permitted to proceed without prior submission of a risk assessment.
• The Clerk reminded councillors that they must be prepared to deny event access if documentation is not received in advance, to protect both the Council and public liability coverage.

 

Playground Safety, Maintenance and Weekly Inspections

ROSPA Inspection and Swing Issue:

• The most recent ROSPA quarterly inspection of the playground reported no major issues.
• However, during the Up to No Good event, a councillor identified that one of the wooden support beams on the twin swings was unsafe:
  • A suspected loose screw was found to be due to rotten timber rather than hardware failure.
  • One swing has since been removed for safety, and the other is deemed safe until winter, pending monitoring.
• The Council acknowledged the need to source a replacement beam and consider wider equipment maintenance planning.

Replacement Parts and Supplier Issues:

• It was suggested that replacement parts may be purchased from Kompan, the original equipment supplier.
• The Council was reminded that a historic dispute with Kompan resulted in an unresolved invoice dispute. While Kompan has not pursued the debt, there is concern they may refuse to sell replacement parts directly.
• The Council has previously used ARD as an intermediary to source parts, avoiding direct dealings with Kompan.
• It was agreed to review current suppliers and source prices for the replacement beam and other parts.

Legal and Insurance Considerations:

• The Clerk advised that repair or installation work should be carried out only by appropriately qualified professionals, in line with OALC recommendations and public liability insurance standards.
• While historically volunteers undertook repairs, under modern health and safety law, such actions pose legal and insurance risks unless qualifications and risk assessments can be demonstrated.

Fundraising and Grant Applications:

• The Council discussed the need for fundraising to support upcoming playground repairs and improvements.
• Cllrs. MT and the FY volunteered to assist with identifying and applying for grants, including community and environmental funds.
• Councillors noted that local residents with children may be willing to contribute or fundraise if approached.

 

Weekly Playground Inspections – Legal Requirement:

• The Clerk reminded the Council that weekly inspections are a statutory requirement, separate from quarterly professional reports.
• Cllr. FY currently inspects the equipment informally while visiting with her granddaughter.
• The Council agreed to implement a formalised system:
  • A Google Sheet will be created to log weekly inspections with dates and initials of the inspecting councillor.
  • This process will ensure a clear audit trail for insurance and legal compliance.

Action Points:

• Cllr. FY to register a Google account for the parish and set up the shared inspection log.
• Cllrs. FY and CS to coordinate the weekly inspection rota, beginning immediately.
• Clerk reiterated the urgency: the weekly inspection schedule must begin this week.

 

7.2 Storage Container Update

Cllr. FY shared information received about lorry bodies for sale in

These are fully metal units and may serve as an affordable alternative to a shipping container.

She agreed to investigate further and report back at a future meeting.

 

7.3 Nature Garden

• No activity reported for the nature garden this month due to commitments during the Up to No Good event.
• An update will be provided next month.

 

7.4   IT and Website Migration

Clerk Email Migration to .gov:

• The Clerk’s email address is in the process of being migrated to a .gov domain as per statutory requirements.
• The migration process has faced some technical challenges but is now underway and operational.

Website Transition to .gov Domain:

• The Parish website is also transitioning from the .co.uk domain to the .gov.uk domain.
• Cllr. Chris had previously been managing this task, but due to delays and the need to meet statutory deadlines, Peter was asked to take over as a matter of urgency.
• The current site will include a redirect message from the old domain to the new .gov.uk site.
• The Council noted this transition is required by central government by the end of the year.

Calendar Integration:

• Integration of the Google Calendar with the new website is ongoing.
• There is a current mismatch in systems between Alan (Upton News) and Peter. Alan appears to be screenshotting the calendar rather than using a synced version.
• Work is underway to migrate Upton News to a shared Google Calendar, which will allow automated updates to the village website.

 

7.5 Emergency Plan & First Aid

• The Council reviewed how other villages structure their emergency plans, noting that many maintain informal lists of local individuals with past or current first aid experience.
• It was confirmed that Upton Parish Council does not need to formally train or register first aiders, which would otherwise place individuals on national deployment lists.
• The aim is instead to maintain a non-binding contact list of residents who have previously undertaken:
  • First aid training (e.g. through work, teaching, gymnastics)
  • Mental health first aid
  • Medical experience (e.g. retired nurses or doctors)

Agreed Action:

• Councillors and Clerk to begin collecting names of willing individuals with prior training, for inclusion in the emergency plan contact list.

 

7.6 Village Survey

• The original contact found by Cllr. BJHS has withdrawn due to ill health.
• A new volunteer from the Annual Parish Meeting—a village resident with experience in survey design—has agreed to assist.
• She is professionally qualified and has access to a network of colleagues to support the work.
• The volunteer is unavailable in June, but has committed to begin work in July, with the intent of designing and distributing the survey using village volunteers, ensuring no cost to the Council.

Next Steps:

• Cllr. FY to liaise with the volunteer and provide further details and context in the coming weeks.
• Survey development is expected to begin in earnest in mid-July.

 

7.7 Neighbourhood Speed Watch

• A response has been sent to Mr and Mrs Dawes regarding their Speed Watch initiative.

Background and Status:

• The Speed Watch programme was started several years ago but did not progress due to lack of volunteers.
• The Council already owns speed monitoring equipment (e.g. signs, speed gun), which is securely stored.

Liaison Role and Responsibilities:

• Cllr. MT agreed to act as council liaison for the Speed Watch group, replacing Cllr. BH, who is resigning.
• The liaison role is administrative only, not operational – Cllr MT is not expected to participate in roadside monitoring.
• Cllr. BH will conduct a handover to brief Cllr. MT on equipment access, required forms, and procedural guidance.

Volunteer Requirement:

• A minimum of six trained volunteers is required for the group to operate.
• The Council agreed to facilitate communication and promote the call for volunteers, but not to manage the group.
• Cllr. EWL suggested a public call for volunteers, which can be shared via parish channels.

 

7.8 Overflow Parking and UVAT Communication

Background:

• The Clerk and Chair recommended proceeding with installation of boundary posts before formally addressing the issue of hirers parking on the recreation ground grass following previous requests to UVAT, to demonstrate proactive resolution.

Action Agreed:

• Once a contractor is confirmed and final costs are known, the Council will send a letter to UVAT requesting a 50% contribution toward the boundary post project, given UVHAT significant use of the parking space.
• Clerk to draft and issue the letter, and Chair to speak with Rob Traynor Chairman of UVAT in person.

Temporary Measures:

• Cllr. FY had previously volunteered to produce temporary no-parking signage but did not proceed due to lack of appropriate attachment points and the short-term nature of the issue. No further action required at this stage.

 

7.9 To approve the Purchase of Upton Parish Council WhatsApp

• The Clerk proposed installing WhatsApp on the official Parish Council mobile phone to:
  • Ensure messages sent appear as from Upton Parish Council, not individual councillors.
  • Improve consistency and continuity in official messaging.

Cost and Device Control:

• There may be a small one-time fee (a few pounds) for setting up WhatsApp on a new device.
• Access would be restricted to the official council laptop and mobile phone, ensuring continuity for future clerks or when cover is needed (e.g. during holidays).

Resolution:

• The Council approved the installation of WhatsApp on the parish council phone for official use.

 

7.10 Approval of Purchase – Upton Parish Council Printer/Scanner

• The Clerk requested permission to purchase a printer-scanner, citing significant inefficiencies in manually scanning large volumes of council documentation.
• Due to legal and archiving requirements (e.g. AGAR reports, signed minutes), wet-ink signatures and physical scans are still mandatory for many council documents.
• Laser printers were recommended for lower cost-per-page and better longevity than inkjets.
• The proposed budget range is £300–£500, covered by the Council’s transparency/IT reserve, not impacting other funds.

Resolution:

• Proposed: MT
• Seconded: FY
• Outcome: Unanimously approved
• Clerk to proceed with purchase.

8. Planning

8.1 The Council received a planning application link referencing the Old Workshop on Church Street, but the associated link pointed to an unrelated Brewery Lane application.

8.2 Councillors attempted to locate the correct application via the planning portal but were unable to find it due to the website malfunctioning.

Next Steps:

• It was agreed to hold an extraordinary meeting due to planning deadlines once the correct application is available, to allow residents to review and comment.
• Proposed Date: Thursday next week (exact date TBD based on venue availability)
• If the Village Hall is unavailable, the Church will be used as an alternative venue.
• Clerk to confirm venue and ensure Alan includes the meeting notice in the Upton News.

 

9. 9. Correspondence and Resident Matters

9.1 Formal letter to UVHAT re parking policy enforcement – Clerk & FY

It was agreed that the Clerk would not send a formal  letter to UVAT at this stage.

Instead, the Council will proceed with securing the boundary and request a donation from UVAT for 50% of the total cost.

Once a supplier is confirmed, the Clerk will write to UVAC formally requesting the contribution.

Cllr. FY did not produce signage, citing lack of a suitable attachment location and the fact that the issue has not escalated further.

Council agreed no further action required at this time.

9.2 Resident concerns over burning and health hazards – report to Environmental Health

• A resident contacted the Council regarding burning of waste and resulting smoke.
• The Clerk responded, providing links to the appropriate complaint and planning enforcement portals.

Advice to Councillors:

• If approached by residents on similar issues, councillors should direct them to the relevant reporting links rather than offering opinion or advice.

 

10. Grants & Funding

Clerk confirmed submission of an SSEN grant application for solar panels and battery storage at the Village Hall.

Research into County and District energy funding is ongoing, and a second grant application is expected to be submitted before the end of the month.

 

11 – Councillor Vacancy

• Following Cllr. Brendan’s formal resignation, the Council now has one vacancy.
• The Clerk was instructed to notify the Vale of White Horse District Council to begin the official vacancy process.

Next Steps:

1. Clerk informs Democratic Services.
2. A 14-day notice period follows, during which 10 electors can call for an election.
3. If no election is called, Council may co-opt a new councillor.

Resolution:

• Proposed: FY
• Seconded: EWL
• Unanimous vote to advertise the vacancy.

 

12. Contributions to Upton News

• Upton News Summary
  Cllr. EWL agreed to draft a summary of the meeting for Upton News.

 

13. Date of Next Meeting

• Wednesday 23rd July 2025 at 19.00
• Extraordinary Planning Meeting:
  Scheduled for Thursday, 3rd July 2025 at 7:00 PM. Clerk to confirm and book St Mary’s Church due to Hall unavailability. Public notice to be issued via email, Facebook, and WhatsApp.