UPTON PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of Meeting of Upton Parish Council in the Village Hall on Tuesday 18th March 2014 at 8.00 pm

Attendees: Dr R Lott (Chairman), Mr S Fraser, Mrs L Shaw, Mr R Traynor, Mrs A Hoy (Clerk), Cllr S Lilly (part time)

1. Apologies were received from Mr S Norman, Mr B Shaw, Mrs J Shelley, PCSO M Clayden

2. Declarations of Interest

Members are asked to declare any personal interest and the nature of that interest which they may have in any of the items under consideration at this meeting. Any Member arriving after the start of the meeting is asked to declare personal interests as necessary as soon as practicable after their arrival even if the item in question has been considered. There were no declarations of interest.

3. Minutes of meetings held on 21st January and 11th February 2014 having been previously circulated were agreed to be a true record and signed by the Chairman.

4. Matters arising

(i) Insurance for ride-on mower (BS) – In Mr Shaw’s absence, Mr Fraser agreed to deal with insuring the ride-on mower for its occasional use on the public road SF

(ii) Review of Standing Orders (all) – All present confirmed they had now read the Standing Orders. ACH

(iii) Remaining repairs to playgrounds/gate (RL) – Mr Traynor reported the gate is now dry enough to be worked on. RT

(iv) Parish Plan Questionnaire (BS) – No progress since last meeting; Mr Fraser suggested setting up a working party to move this forward. RL pointed out that this was reported to have happened in November.

(v) Table tennis table and marquee purchase (RT/MT) – Information from Mike Tibbetts on the table tennis table (TTT) had been circulated; he had obtained quotes and had suggested the most reasonable and attractive model would cost £1,750, plus £935 for a playing surface of binding gravel to be prepared in the locality of the existing grass mounds. Mrs Shaw asked if the nearest neighbour had been consulted and Mr Traynor offered to visit them to explain the details. The costs of this amenity would be borne by a donation from Uptonogood. Subject to consultation with the nearest neighbour, it was proposed and seconded that this project should go ahead. Mr Traynor would advise Mike Tibbetts accordingly. It was noted that volunteers would be required to help with the installation of the table. No progress had been made on the acquisition of a marquee; this matter was postponed until a later meeting. RT

(vi) Electronic Archiving (RL) – Dr Lott had originally suggested the use of the Alfresco “communities” package which is free to use and would be held in the name of the parish council rather than any one individual. It was acknowledged that Brian Rippon had voiced the concern that Alfresco did not produce documents in Adobe for downloading by interested parishioners. However since the main purpose of the exercise was to adopt a “cloud” archive, this facility was not considered essential/necessary. Indeed from the beginning it was agreed that the village website would remain the principle source of UPC documents. Office 365 was proposed as an alternative at a cost of £4/month per user. After discussion it was unanimously agreed to adopt the Alfresco system on the basis of not wishing to add any additional pressures on the PCs budget. Dr Lott agreed to inform Mr Rippon of the council’s decision. The Clerk agreed to commence uploading documents to the Alfresco site for safe-keeping. RL/ACH

(vii) Pump Track Signage – The draft sign produced by Keith Evans of Shoretrax was considered by the council and all agreed it accurately conveyed the rules necessary for the safe use of the Pump Track and complied with the RoSPA guidelines. However, several councillors thought it would be improved by the deletion of the phrase “suitable for all ages and abilities” and the insertion of the words “unsupervised, to be used at own risk” to avoid exposing the council to possible litigation. This was unanimously agreed. Dr Lott to progress. RL

(viii) Replacement of self-propelled mower – A letter from Mike Brown had been circulated advising that the mower would probably only last another season before needing to be replaced. Mr Traynor agreed to discuss a suitable replacement with Mr Brown, seeking advice from the firm that serviced the existing machine. Clerk/Mr Norman to note this forthcoming expenditure in the budget. RT/ACH/SN

(x) Report on A417 improvements – Dr Lott had attended Cllr Lilly’s February meeting in Oxford called to discuss the forthcoming changes to the road network surrounding Chilton/A34, and produced a report which had been posted on the Upton News. The headline aim was to provide a pedestrian and cycleway along the entire length of the A417 from Wantage to Blewbury, approximately 2 metres wide, to be installed in stages. Highways had advised that they already owned most of the land required but would purchase more where necessary. This had been decided to take account of employees at the Science Park wishing to cycle to and from work and the new housing estates. However, because of the announcement by the Vale of a huge increase in new housing, the highways designs would now have to be reviewed. Comments were made about the difficulty of getting out of Station Road in the “rush hour”, which had been exacerbated recently when both Chilton Road and Hagbourne Hill had been closed for several days due to a coring exercise being carried out by Highways at the Chilton roundabout. It was suggested that the Clerk should write a letter to Cllr Lilly advising him of the difficulty that would arise when Chilton Road was closed to through traffic and that some traffic calming measures should be considered for its junction with the A417, such as a pedestrian crossing with lights which would allow local traffic to exit onto the A417. ACH

5. PCSO’s report: No report had been received from Michael Claydon.

6. County Councillor’s Report: Cllr Lilly advised that OCC had raised the council tax by 1.99%, the maximum that it could raise it without having to hold a referendum. This amounted to 43p increase on an average Band D house. This would provide the council with an additional £5m additional income which he assured the meeting would be spent wisely for the benefit of ratepayers, such as care of the elderly (home visits to be doubled in length) and would bring resident nurses into all schools (except academies) from next September. Cllr Lilly reported that OCC had had no advance knowledge of the Vale’s Local Plan but they would have to be consulted because the proposed new housing would have a radical effect on highways improvements already planned. He advised that work had already started on the Milton interchange, which could take up to a year. He reported that he would be having a meeting with the local Member of Parliament Ed Vaizey to discuss hospital provisions which were already inadequate, taking into account the unpredictability of traffic into Oxford on the A34, and which would become impossible when the new housing was built. He would be recommending the use of S.106 contributions from developers to help forward-fund improvements in NHS provisions for the whole area. Cllr Lilly reported that the recent Flood Forum was very well attended and advised that £150m was being provided to deal with flood problems around Oxford. Dr Lott asked for maps and plans from the February A417 meeting, and Cllr Lilly promised to send these as soon as they were available.

7. District Councillor’s Report: in Mrs Shelley’s absence there was no report.

8. Villagers’ Forum: No members of the public present.

9. Planning:

(i) Vale of White Horse – Draft Local Plan 2031: the Chairman outlined the main points and also the response from the CPRE that the proposed increases in housing were unsustainable. It was agreed that there was insufficient time to give this matter the due consideration required at the meeting and that all councillors should consider the report carefully and submit any comments in time for a response by the deadline of 4th April. Clerk

(ii) CPRE Campaign to challenge Oxfordshire SHMA in the Vale (email circulated) – as above.

(iii) MW.0021/14 Chilton Waste Retrospective Planning Application (circulated): No objections. Clerk to advise Vale accordingly. ACH

(iv) P13/V2721/HH Amendment to earlier application (Sunnybank) – ratification of decision advised to VoWH of NO STRONG VIEWS on this application and accepts that VoWH will determine as it considers appropriate.

10. Reports from Councillors on areas of responsibility:

(i) Roads and Footpaths: work required to make good path to the Cemetery. Although the Police had carried out some reinstatement, it was agreed that it would be an improvement to install a gravel path from the gate to the churchyard. It was suggested that this work could be carried out with the binding gravel purchased at the same time as the installation of the Table Tennis Table. Mr Fraser and Mr Traynor to organise. SF/RT

(ii) Young Parishioners – no report

(iii) Village Hall – (a) request for donation towards kitchen refurbishment: Advice received from ORCC made it clear that a donation from UPC to UVHAT would be counter-productive from a VAT perspective. It was agreed to ring fence a £1000 contribution to the kitchen project. On the following provisos:

1) Confirmation from Stuart Norman (not present) that current funds allowed for this;

2) Should total secured funds negate the need for some or all of the £1000, these funds would be retained by UPC. SN

b) UVHAT to advise whether UPC to pay hall hire charge (LS): No request received. UPC requested to be consulted prior to any decision. LS

iv) Communications – nothing to report

(iv) Volunteer Group – litter pick: due to an error in the advertised date for this event, there had been a poor turnout. However those that did attend managed to complete the job.

(vi) N.A.G. – no report

(vii) UKAEA Stakeholders Committee – no report

(viii) Parish Transport Rep – no report

(ix) Amenities – Pump Track Repairs/maintenance contract: Dr Lott advised that he had received a quote from Shoretrax for £500 to cover four visits per year to keep it in ‘nearly new’ condition. However, its current state was such that it would need a further £350 spending on it to bring it back into a good enough condition to permit the start of a maintenance contract. Uptonogood had kindly agreed to fund this maintenance contract, as long as the event continued to run. It was proposed to accept this offer and enter into a maintenance contract with Shoretrax, unanimously agreed. It was also agreed that the Clerk should write to Uptonogood to thank them for their kind donation. RL/ACH

11. Finance:

(a) Review the effectiveness of internal controls as part of the forthcoming audit: The Clerk advised that this document had been updated to cover various changes and that it should be signed by the Chairman at the next meeting. It was proposed that Mr Simon Powell should be re-appointed as the internal auditor, subject to his agreement to serve, all agreed. Clerk to ascertain. ACH

(b) Financial Statement – This item was deferred as Mr Norman was unable to be present.

(c) Invoices for payment:

(i) Clerk’s monthly salary (Feb and Mar) – Gross £160.56, less PAYE £32.00 net £128.56

(ii) HMRC – PAYE (Feb & Mar) £64.00

(iii) OALC Subscription invoice £133.07

(iv) Mike Brown, grass cutting expenses (awaiting mower servicing invoice)

(v) Administrative expenses (postage £6, + stationery £3.99)

(vi) Churn Churches – printing of Upton News – £60

(vii) SLCC Membership Renewal invoice – £64

(viii) ORCC subscription – decided not to subscribe for the time being

(d) Receipts since last meeting:

(i) Bank interest: Jan 37p; Feb 38p

(ii) HMRC repayment of VAT: £129.03

(iii) OCC – footpath cutting: £337.50

(iv) Wallingford Rugby Club pitch fees, £48 + £28

The above receipts were noted.

(e) After discussion the following donations were agreed:

• St Mary’s Church (upkeep of burial ground) – £200

• South & Vale Carers – £75

• Home Start, South Oxfordshire – £25

• Oxford Assn for the Blind – £25

(f) Review Financial Regulations regarding repeal of S.150(5) on cheque signatures; electronic payments; and also accounting for Council tax support grant (all in circulated email): Both Mr Norman and the Chairman were happy to continue with the current system of cheques with two signatures for paying bills. After discussion, it was agreed not to change Financial Regulations at this time. The Clerk agreed to investigate the Council Tax support Grant matter. ACH

12. Correspondence:

(a) Letter from Vale’s Planning Policy section enclosing the Local Plan 2031 (circulated): Already discussed; the Chairman expressed his view that new housing should not be visible from the A417.

(b) White Horse Harriers AC – Half Marathon being run 6th April (reminder) – noted.

13. Next Meeting Dates: Annual Parish Meeting – Monday 14th April – 7.15 for 7.30 p.m.

Parish Council Meeting – Tuesday 20th May – 8.00 p.m.

Angela Hoy, Clerk
Tel: 01235 851726
24th March 2014

Attendees: Dr R Lott (Chairman), Mr S Fraser, Mr S Norman, Mrs L Shaw, Mr B Shaw, Mr R Traynor, Mrs A Hoy (clerk), 19 parishioners

1. Apologies None

2. Declarations of Interest

Members are asked to declare any personal interest and the nature of that interest which they may have in any of the items under consideration at this meeting. Any Member arriving after the start of the meeting is asked to declare personal interests as necessary as soon as practicable after their arrival even if the item in question has been considered. None registered

3. P14/V0164/HH Proposed Conservatory: 1 Church Corner Cottages Upton OX11 9HZ: Mr Fraser had spoken to the neighbours, none of whom had any objections. It was unanimously agreed to advise the Vale that there were no objections to this application. Clerk

4. P14/V0224/HH Proposed erection of new front porch, single storey side extension and single storey rear extension: Pointers Corner, Chilton Road, OX11 9JL: No objections had been received from the neighbour, although the applicant relayed concerns regarding light pollution from the recreation room and proximity to a septic tank for which building regulation should be observed. The applicant assured the Council that these matters would be considered carefully and proper procedures followed; he said he would look at ways of shielding the light from the recreation room. It was unanimously agreed to advise the Vale that there were no objections to this application. Clerk

5. Chilton Road – Options for Discussion (previously circulated): Dr Lott reported that he would be attending Cllr Lilly’s consultation meeting at OCC on 21st February and that it was important for Upton to put forward its preferred proposal so that it could be considered by OCC and Highways at this meeting; because of the shortness of time, it had not been possible to consult the whole village but efforts had been made via Upton News and this meeting to contact as many parishioners as possible, giving three alternative suggestions for Chilton Road, Option A, installation of a chicane; Option B, implementation of a one way system uphill only; Option C, road closure beyond the village limits to motor vehicles.

Dr Lott declared Open Forum so that the parishioners present could express their views. It was noted that various letters had been received from parishioners and also HarBUG, giving their views on the proposals. On a show of hands, two parishioners advised they were against the proposal to close Chilton Road, because this would seriously inconvenience farm vehicles at certain times of the year, and installation of a chicane would also be impassable by large farm vehicles so was not a viable option; the one way option would not be any use to long vehicles as they would be unable to negotiate the bend at the top of Chilton Road. Dr Lott responded by advising that Highways would be consulting all local landowners before any decision was taken to amend the road layout or use. However, one solution would be to close the road with gates, which could be opened to allow farm vehicles, together with a notice stating “Farm Vehicles only”. Cyclists and horse riders would continue to be able to use the road in both directions. This would also accommodate the need to use Chilton Road in the event of any temporary closure of the A417, as happened during the recent flooding.

Dr Lott explained that before any amendment was made to the junction, it would be necessary for Highways to improve Hagbourne Hill and it was his understanding that their intention was to straighten out the bends, widen and decrease the steepness of the road, and install a roundabout at the junction with the A417. This would have the added benefit of slowing traffic coming into Upton. Another parishioner had attended a recent meeting organized by Chilton Parish Council, where the transport authorities had agreed that Chilton Road ought to be closed because of the incidence of frequent accidents. A further concern was expressed that the Council and Highways might run out of money after the Chilton junction interchange work and not be able to afford improvements further down the road. Mr Fraser commented that the new interchange might initially decrease traffic on the A417 but the planned new housing developments would inevitably increase it. It was suggested that any improvements to Hagbourne Hill would lessen the strain on Chilton Road; discussion took place on the merits of dedicated cycle lanes at either side of Chilton Road but it was agreed the road was too narrow to allow this. Highways had already contacted HarBUG for their views. Further discussion ensued on the current dangers of speeding traffic to local residents, children walking down to the bus stop in Station Road, and commuting cyclists, on a narrow road without pavements. Another potential improvement would be to install a pedestrian crossing at the junction of Chilton Road and Station Road, across the A417.

Dr Lott then re-opened the meeting and summed up the discussion; he suggested advising OCC that the village of Upton had agreed to the option to close Chilton Road but only after the suggested improvements had been made to Hagbourne Hill, including a roundabout (or traffic lights) at its junction with the A417. He pointed out that all the concerned parishes would be present at the meeting on 21st and all their opinions would need to be taken into account, so the Upton desire to close Chilton Road might not be agreeable to neighbouring parishes, even though the additional mileage would only amount to 0.8m for a return journey. It was unanimously agreed to submit these proposals to OCC in time for the meeting on 21st February. Dr Lott to draft. RL

6. Upton Village Hall – Memorandum of Understanding: This document, having been previously circulated, was unanimously adopted by the Council and signed by the Chairman on behalf of UPC. Mrs Shaw agreed to have the document signed by Mrs J West, on behalf of UVHAT and the signed agreement would be kept with the official UPC documents. LS/Clerk

7. Cheques for signature: OALC Training Course, Chairmanship £78.00. Clerk was instructed to forward payment to OALC for this course. Clerk

Members of the public left the meeting.

There being no further business, the meeting closed.

Angela Hoy, Clerk
Tel: 01235 851726
13th February 2014

UPTON PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of Meeting of Upton Parish Council in the Village Hall

On Tuesday 21st January 2014 at 8.00 pm

Attendees: Dr R Lott (Chairman), Mr S Fraser, Mr S Norman (from 9pm), Mrs L Shaw, Mrs A Hoy (clerk). Part time: Councillor S Lilly (from 8.20pm), Mr R Farrell (BPC), 11 members of the public

1. Apologies – Mr B Shaw, Councillor J Shelley, PCSO M. Clayden

2. Declarations of Interest

Members are asked to declare any personal interest and the nature of that interest which they may have in any of the items under consideration at this meeting. Any Member arriving after the start of the meeting is asked to declare personal interests as necessary as soon as practicable after their arrival even if the item in question has been considered. Mrs Shaw declared an interest relating to the suggested shed application for the Village Hall as its likely location would be adjoining her boundary.

3. Minutes of meetings held on 18th November, 9th December 2013: the minutes having been previously circulated were agreed to be a true record and signed by the Chairman. The Minutes of 6th January 2014 were also agreed but it was noted that councillors should have signed a Declaration of Interest relating to Item 5 Budgets & Precept Setting; each councillor (with the exception of Mr B Shaw) signed the Declaration of Interest sheet.

4. Matters arising (18th November)

(i) Gap analysis of financial regulations (SN/AH): after slight amendments were made to the draft document, it was agreed that the Financial Regulations be adopted and placed on the council website. Clerk

(ii) Alternative insurance quotes for ride-on mower (BS): postponed, discuss at next meeting.

(iii) Model publication scheme for UPC website (RT): it was agreed these be adopted and placed on the website once the various links had been updated RT/Clerk

(iv) Time-keeping/Standing orders/reporting between meetings (ALL): Dr Lott requested all councillors to read the Standing Orders before the next meeting ALL

(v) Improvements to playgrounds arising out of ROSPA report (RL/RT): all required improvements had been completed except the gate [to the small playground?] and the “shrinkage of the rubber mat”; Dr Lott stated that on inspection, the gap appeared to be due to land slippage rather than rubber shrinkage. It was agreed to fill the gap in any event. RL

(vi) Parish Plan Questionnaire (BS): Yet to be circulated to and reviewed by all councillors. BS / ALL

(vii) Risk Assessment (SN/LS): after discussion and a few minor amendments, it was agreed that the Risk Assessment should be adopted and posted on the website Clerk

(vii) Smart Water equipment marking system (RT): Mr Traynor to pass invoice to Clerk RT

(viii) Table tennis table and marquee purchase (RT and MT): postpone to next meeting; site yet to be determined, possibly near the old humps.

(ix) OALC training course for Mr Traynor: forthcoming one is already full; Clerk to investigate when the next one will be held and reserve a place for Mr Traynor. Clerk

Matters arising (9th December)

(i) Electronic Archiving : Dr Lott was still investigating alternatives which will be acceptable to both UPC and Webmaster. He requested all to look at Microsoft Office 365, which would give 25GB of storage at a cost of £3.40 per month per person, but would belong to UPC. The council could also have its own domain and website if needed. An alternative suggestion was Alfresco, which was free to use. To be discussed at next meeting. ALL

5. PCSO’s report – Michael Clayden had sent a report in view of his likely absence. He reported on the recent tragic murder of Jayden Parkinson and advised that he was on duty in the village during the police investigation. Complaints had been received about the state of the footpath near the Church after the Police had left; this was being investigated and would be put right. A tree fell on the A417 and Highways were unable to attend for three hours; two Police Officers controlled the traffic until the tree was cleared. There was also a minor RTA at the junction of High Street and the A417 between two vehicles and a motorcycle; fortunately no injuries were sustained. The PCSO would be holding a Have Your Say meeting in the Village Hall meeting room on 15th February between 3-4pm.

6. County Councillor’s Report – Cllr Lilly expressed his concern about central government cutting back hard on county council’s budgets, with the result that Oxfordshire were considering putting up council tax by 1.99%, below the legislative threshold of 2% at which point a referendum is required. The Minister for Local Government Eric Pickles wanted this threshold reduced to 1%; a referendum would cost £650k but would result in several millions raised in taxes which would help towards the £65m cuts that were in the pipeline, resulting in a 30% decrease in spending. Cllr Lilly reported that the budgets would be announced on 11th February 2014. Many subsidies were likely to be cut in 2014/15, including care for the elderly, children in care, bus services etc. Dr Lott remarked that the local bus route 94/95 to and from Didcot was close to being commercially viable, and added that if the school bus to Blewbury was axed, it was possible that the children could go there on the 94/95 with some timetable alterations.

7. District Councillor’s Report: in the absence of Mrs Shelley, there was no report from the District Council.

8. Villagers’ Forum: 11 members of the public were present to hear what Cllr Lilly had to say about the ongoing discussions regarding improvements to the A417/Chilton roads and until his arrival, various parishioners expressed their disquiet at the ever increasing traffic on Chilton Road. Dr Lott thanked Professor H. Gutfreund for his letter explaining his view that the proposed interchange at the A34 would double the traffic on Chilton Road, and several parishioners reported accidents or near accidents caused by cars attempting to overtake them when they were turning into their drives. Another parishioner expressed his concern at the excessive speed of motorists driving on the A417 when passing through Upton, despite the new VAS signs at both ends of the village. It was also noted that Chilton Road was part of the Sustrans Network but is very dangerous to cyclists with the existing amount of vehicle traffic. Several parishioners suggested that the best solution was to make Chilton Road a cul-de-sac by closing it off at the top where it meets Hagbourne Hill, and were even willing to contribute money if required to bring this about. Another problem was the building works to the new reservoir being carried out by Thames Water, which was causing an increase in heavy vehicle traffic up Chilton Road; however, it was agreed that this was a short term problem and would soon pass. However, Cllr Lilly requested that he be advised if the traffic problems persisted.

Dr Lott introduced Cllr Lilly to the meeting, who was able to reassure the parishioners that it was also his view that Chilton Road should be closed off at its junction with Hagbourne Hill; however, he advised that all matters pertaining to the proposed road alterations would be discussed at the meeting he was arranging on 21st February, to which all twelve relevant parish councils had been invited. Dr Lott would attend on behalf of Upton PC. Cllr Lilly stressed the importance of all the councils appreciating each other’s points of view, as what was good for one would not necessarily be good for the others, and a consensus was needed on how best to spend the available funding. He also pointed out that during the construction phase life would get more difficult. Cllr Lilly expressed his willingness to receive email or telephone communications from concerned residents and gave out his contact details, which he suggested could also be put on the Council website. Cllr Lilly was pleased to advise that Chilton Council had come round to the idea of the slip roads and was now in favour of the present design. It was suggested that as an interim measure, the existing signpost to Reading/Wallingford at the Chilton Road junction with Hagbourne Hill be removed; Cllr Lilly approved of this idea and it was agreed that the Clerk would write to him suggesting this action. POST MEETING NOTE: the signpost had already been removed. Clerk

Members of the public left the meeting.

Mr Richard Farrell from Blewbury Parish Council was also present to discuss the Blewbury Neighbour-hood Development Plan (BNDP), which had recently been commenced. Dr Lott had requested that Upton be considered for inclusion in the BNDP if it was not too late to amend the boundaries; he explained that both villages had similar views, had interests in common such as Coffin Way footpath, the school, Post Office etc. Mr Farrell explained that Blewbury was going down the neighbourhood plan route because a Parish Plan had less influence with the District Council when it came to planning matters and as Blewbury was a large village it was likely to have to absorb another 80-100 houses in the medium term and would prefer to be able to say where these should be situated. Mr Farrell had been impressed with the number and calibre of local residents who had volunteered to work on the BNDP. A housing needs survey would have to be undertaken, and one requirement of this would be that neighbours would need to be consulted, including Upton and a part of Chilton. At a recent BNDP meeting the view had been expressed that they should stick to the Blewbury boundaries. However, this did not rule out amending the boundaries of the BNDP at a later date. Mr Fraser expressed the view that planning decisions on the Blewbury/Upton border could impact on Blewbury as well. Mr Farrell stressed that Upton PC were very welcome to attend any of the public events which were being planned (the first being 8th March) and to keep in regular touch. On the subject of costs, these had diminished since the first neighbourhood plans were enacted, now that quite a few had been brought to fruition. Dr Lott remarked that Upton could contribute pro rata, adding that Upton would prefer to plan its future rather than having outside imposition. Mr Farrell left the meeting. Dr Lott suggested that a question about the BNDP be included in the Parish Plan questionnaire and make a decision at the next meeting whether to request formal inclusion in the BNDP.

9. Planning:

P13/V2721/HH Sunnybank High Street 
 Proposed ground floor rear and side extension, proposed garage extension and conversion. Proposed detached garage to front. Proposed timber cladding and rendered finish to existing facing brickwork. Mr Fraser had visited the site and reported the neighbours had suggested that the carport should be sited further back as it would obstruct their view in its planned position at the front of the block. It was agreed unanimously that the council would not object to the application but suggested that the carport be sited further back to lessen its impact on the immediate area. Clerk to advise the Vale accordingly. Clerk

P13/V0702/FUL – Livery Stables , Wattle Cottage Farm. Rejected 02/08/13; appeal lodged 26/09/13, hearing date set for 13th May 2014 at 10am in Wantage

10. Reports from Councillors on areas of responsibility:

(i) Roads and Footpath: Mr Norman reported that an invoice for £337.50 had been raised for OCC in respect of cutting footpaths for the year 2013/14. The Clerk was requested to ascertain whether this arrangement would continue for the year 2014/15. Clerk

A letter had been received from Oxfordshire Area Ramblers asking for volunteers to be appointed Parish Path Wardens; the Clerk was instructed to advice the Ramblers that Upton’s Parish Path Wardens would be Graham de Wilde and Mike Brown. Clerk

(ii) Young Parishioners – no report

(iii) Village Hall

(a) Car Parking: Dr Lott had put a map up in the hall showing where visitors can park; he advised that it was not practical to mark the ground and stakes were not suitable. It was suggested that hirers of the hall could deploy traffic cones to indicate parking areas, which UVHAT could provide;

(b) UVHAT had requested that planning permission be sought for a shed to house the outside chairs; after discussion it was agreed that there was plenty of space in the tractor shed and that further storage space was not required at this time;

(c) A letter had been received from Mrs J West requesting a donation of £1k to UVHAT for the planned kitchen refurbishment, which was likely to cost £25-30k; it was agreed this should be discussed at the March meeting when charitable donations are usually considered. The Clerk was instructed to reply to Mrs West to this effect. Clerk

(d) Mrs Shaw was requested to advise UVHAT to give a minimum of a fortnight’s notice of requests in future, to allow for discussion to take place prior to meetings. LS

(e) Mrs Shaw advised that The Memorandum of Understanding between UVHAT and UPC was being redrafted, for further discussion at next meeting.

(iv) Communications – Dr Lott reported that agreement had been made to pay the Church Office bi-annually for the printing of the Upton News. The first invoice would be requested in March so that any one-year’s printing costs will fall within that financial year.

(v) Volunteer Group – Mr Traynor reported he was pleased with the response for help to undertake the various jobs around the recreation field. With the exception of the gate and rubber “shrinkage” (above), all other jobs were completed. These included: Rotavation of the bark surface in the new play area; removal of concrete and bricks left over from the village hall extension, that had been dumped in the old bike jumps and removed again during the pump track development; Jet washing the area under the old slide; removal of grass growth over the rubber matting below the cargo net.

(vi) N.A.G. – nothing to report.

(vii) UKAEA Stakeholders Committee – nothing to report

(viii) Parish Transport Rep – nothing to report.

11. Finance:

(a) Invoices for payment:

(i) Clerk’s monthly salary: £160.56 less PAYE £32.00 paid by BACS (ii) Burial Ground loan payment – £412.91 by direct debit

(b) Receipts since last meeting:

(i) Bank interest: Nov 39p; Dec 33p;

(ii) HMRC repayment of VAT: none

(iii) OCC invoice raised for 2013 footpath cutting (£ 337.50)

12. Correspondence:

(a) Copy letter received by email from Mike Brown to Cllr Lilly regarding the A417/Chilton Road; together with a reply from Cllr Lilly.

13. Next Meeting Date: 18th March 2014; Annual Parish Meeting Monday 13th April 2014

Angela Hoy, Clerk
Tel: 01235 851726
28th January 2014

UPTON PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of Extraordinary Meeting of Upton Parish Council in the Village Hall Meeting Room, Monday 6th January 2014 at 8.00 pm

Attendees: Dr R Lott (Chairman), Mr S Fraser, Mr S Norman, Mr R Traynor, Mrs A Hoy (clerk), 3 parishioners

1. Apologies were received from Mrs Shaw and Mr Shaw

2. Declarations of Interest

Members are asked to declare any personal interest and the nature of that interest which they may have in any of the items under consideration at this meeting. Any Member arriving after the start of the meeting is asked to declare personal interests as necessary as soon as practicable after their arrival even if the item in question has been considered. None registered

3. Planning Application P13/V2684/HH (Householder) – Downleigh, Newmans Close, Upton. Applicant Mr Mark Hoey. Proposal Single storey garage extension; raising front gable and conversion of loftspace; two storey rear extension.

Mr Fraser advised that he had spoken to the applicant and visited the neighbour at Winterset who was not objecting to the proposal. A parishioner was present on behalf of the Sunnyside resident. In Public Forum, the parishioner had expressed concern about increased pressure on the waste water with the additional facilities being proposed; this was not considered a problem once the facilities were being used on a regular basis but it was pointed out that any potential blockage should be attended to quickly to avoid build up of waste matter.

It was noted that the applicant’s existing garage extended right to the boundary of the plot and concern was raised about how the builders would gain access to erect the second storey, as well as the ability to maintain the gable end of the building in the future. Also it would appear more dominant from the neighbour’s side, who uses the side passage to access her house. In addition the extra height of the extension would shade the neighbour’s garden, infringing her right to light and privacy.

The meeting reconvened, and it was AGREED to advise the Vale that the Council would not object to the application but had the following comments:

– the rise in height of the new gable end from 2m to 6m would cause shading in the neighbour’s garden;

– access to the site should not be unreasonably withheld but the builders should be considerate in their use of the passageway so as not to inconvenience the neighbour.

The Clerk was requested to convey these comments to the VoWH Planning Department. CLERK

The parishioner was recommended to express the views of the neighbour on the Vale’s website.

4. Planning Application P13/V2648/HH (Householder) – Barn Acre, Stream Road Upton. Applicants Mr & Mrs I Langley. Proposal: Two storey front extension, single storey side and rear extension.

It was noted that this development was to a modern build next to one of the oldest houses in the village, Stocks, which has listed status. The owner of Stocks was invited to voice her objections to the plan. These were (a) the proposed lantern roof on the single storey extension would be visible from her garden and at the very least she would request that screening in the form of 4 ft high trellis be erected on top of the existing fence; and (b) she objected to the closeness of the new build to her boundary, at one point being only 1.6m away and thus having a deleterious effect on the character of the street in general.

The owner also feared that at some future date there might be an attempt to put a second storey on the proposed single storey extension, further eroding the view from her house.

It was explained that the Parish Council was not able to make such requests but that as the new build was next to a listed building, the Vale Planning Department would consider seriously the impact on the character of the area.

The meeting reconvened; it was AGREED that the Vale should be advised that the Council did not object to the application but suggested that the applicant be asked to install the suggested screening to lessen the impact on Stocks. The Clerk was requested to convey these comments to the VoWH Planning Department. CLERK

The parishioner was recommended to express her views to the Vale via the website.

Members of the public left the meeting.

5. Budgets and Precepts 2013/14 – Mr Norman had prepared a spreadsheet showing expenditure in the current year and how it would impact in the following year. It was noted that there would be increased costs in insurance, salaries and maintenance/inspection of additional equipment. No increases had been made in the precept for many years but in the light of these additional costs it was considered unavoidable to increase the precept for the forthcoming year. After discussion it was agreed to demand the sum of £7500, an increase of £250. The Clerk was instructed to send the signed demand to the Vale. CLERK

There being no further business, the meeting closed.

Angela Hoy, Clerk
Tel: 01235 851726
7th January 2014

Minutes of Extraordinary Meeting of Upton Parish Council in the Village Hall Meeting Room, Monday 9th December 2013 at 6.00 pm

Attendees: Dr R Lott (Chairman), Mr S Fraser, Mr S Norman, Mr R Traynor, Mrs A Hoy (Clerk)

1. Apologies were received from Mrs Shaw; none received from Mr Shaw

2. Declarations of Interest

Members are asked to declare any personal interest and the nature of that interest which they may have in any of the items under consideration at this meeting. Any Member arriving after the start of the meeting is asked to declare personal interests as necessary as soon as practicable after their arrival even if the item in question has been considered. None registered

3. Bus Shelter Insurance: Dr Lott had spoken to Came & Co., insurers to UPC, who had advised that the bus shelter was classed as street furniture as it did not have a door; to rebuild the shelter would cost in the region of £2000, whereas to add it to the insurance policy would cost an additional £8 approx. Dr Lott proposed the shelter be added to the policy, AGREED unanimously. No new documents would be issued until renewal in June, at which time the premium would also be adjusted.

4. Aims and Objectives: Having been previously circulated, it was proposed and AGREED unanimously that the final version of the Aims and Objectives for 2013-14 (appended to these minutes) be adopted by the Council and posted on the website.

5. Document Storage /Record Management: Dr Lott had investigated the various possibilities for achieving a permanent and accessible record of the Council’s activities electronically. However, he felt that more research was needed before a decision was made. This item would be added to the agenda of the January meeting.

6. Cheques for signature:

• Kingdom Signs – adhesive labels for dog bins £18
• Mrs A Hoy – printer ink and stamps £15.23
• Mr R Traynor – Smart Water system for marking property £15

There being no further business, the meeting closed.

Angela Hoy (Clerk)

Tel: 01235 851726

12th December 2013

Minutes of Meeting of Upton Parish Council held in Upton Village Hall on Tuesday 18th November 2013 at 8.00 pm

Attendees: Dr R Lott (Chairman), Mr S Fraser, Mr S Norman, Mr B Shaw, Ms L Shaw

Part time: Councillor S Lilley, Councillor J Shelley, PCSO M Clayden, Mr B Rippon (Items 4(vii),11(iv) ) Mr B Tibbetts (Public Forum)

1. Apologies – none received

2. Declarations of Interest

Members are asked to declare any personal interest and the nature of that interest which they may have in any of the items under consideration at this meeting. Any Member arriving after the start of the meeting is asked to declare personal interests as necessary as soon as practicable after their arrival even if the item in question has been considered. Mrs Shaw declared an interest in item 8 Public Forum as the area indicated for the table tennis table would be immediately alongside her boundary fence.

3. Minutes of meeting held on 10th September and the extraordinary meeting held on 30th September 2013, having been previously circulated were agreed to be a true record and signed by Dr Lott.

4. Matters arising:

Parish Council Meeting on 10th September

(i) Angela Hoy gave a brief summary of the recent SODC Finance training course she had attended with Mr Norman, and agreed to download the pdf document “Governance and Accountability for Local Councils, A practitioners Guide” which formed the basis of the course. Mrs Hoy reported that it was good practice to review the Budget frequently and definitely at a halfway point in the year, i.e., the October/November meeting. Dr Lott requested that Mrs Hoy and Mr Norman review the UPC Financial Regulations document from 2007 and provide a gap analysis for the next meeting. AH/SN

(ii) John Deer Ride on Mower: it was noted that the mower currently had a SORN declaration and therefore could not be driven on the public road. After discussion it was AGREED that in order to comply with the law the Council should tax and insure the machine. However, it would only be necessary to instigate such insurance and tax for the limited period that the mower would be in use. Mr Shaw agreed to investigate alternative insurance quotes and advise by next meeting. BS

(iii) Roles and Responsibilities: Dr Lott had circulated an email, requesting councillors to state their current duties. Dr Lott expressed his concern that the UPC website was currently incomplete and there were various documents under the Model Publications Scheme which needed to be added. Mr Traynor agreed to take on the coordination of the Volunteer Group and also help with the electronic side of the website. Other councillors’ roles would be maintained, as detailed on the website.

(iv) Time Keeping: Dr Lott requested all councillors to read the UPC Standing Orders. He emphasised that councillors needed to review their roles between meetings and report items in advance of meetings to cut down on excessively long meetings. This item to be reviewed at next meeting. ALL

(v) ROSPA Report: Mr Fraser read out the key points from this report; in the ‘old’ playground the gate was considered an entrapment risk and should be altered, and the matting under the climbing frame should be improved. In addition the slide did not meet current standards. Mrs Shaw reported that only £500 per year was set aside for repairs. In the large playground ROSPA had advised that the pump track did not meet current standards as no recommended route direction is displayed Dr Lott agreed to draw up a list of improvements with costings to bring the playgrounds up to standard, including inspecting the matting. Mr Traynor agreed to organise the volunteers and source materials and also speak to Mike Brown regarding the gate. RL/RT

(vi) Parish Plan Questionnaire: Mr Shaw advised that subsequent to a long meeting with Derek Whitmell, he had reworked the 2004 Parish Plan questionnaires, one for adult residents and one for the youth of the village. He still needed to speak to John Dickens for his input. Mr Shaw agreed to circulate the questionnaires by email for councillors to study and comment by next meeting. ALL

(vii) Electronic Archiving: After discussion, it was agreed to form a small committee to find the best way to organise electronic archiving, probably using Cloud storage on the Web; Dr Lott, Mr Rippon and Mrs Hoy would liaise and report in the next two weeks. RL/BR/Clerk

(viii) Labelling of Dog/Litter Bins: Dr Lott reported that the label proposed in September’s meeting had been misplaced by the county council and therefore in the meantime he advocated using a “Keep Britain Tidy” label, for which the artwork was free. The alternative “Tidyman” logo was not high enough resolution and printing would cost £17 for two. Mrs Hoy offered to speak to Blewbury Parish Clerk to ascertain where they had sourced their bin labels. Clerk

(ix) Risk Register Review: Mrs Shaw had circulated the Risk Register with her email of 16th October, with two outstanding items; in addition the question of riding the John Deere mower on the road needed to be added. Mr Norman reported that there were inconsistencies in the register when compared with Came & Co’s items of value. Dr Lott also queried the value of the bus shelter which did not appear to be insured, although it was a low risk. Mr Norman agreed to establish the cost of insurance. It was agreed that any valuable items not already security-marked should be marked as soon as possible, Mr Traynor agreed to arrange. It was noted that the gate to the recreation ground was not being locked as prescribed, to prevent cars being driven onto the ground. However, this was not considered a significant risk and it was agreed that the wording should be changed to allow vehicles during special events. Mr Norman and Mrs Shaw agreed to finalise the Risk Register as soon as possible. SN/LS

There were no matters arising from the extraordinary meeting held on 30th September.

5. PCSO’s report: PCSO M Clayden apologised for his previous lack of attendance, due largely to changing shift patterns, but advised he was happy to attend in his own time when possible. He reported that action had been taken to apprehend those participating in hare coursing in Cholsey, South Moreton and Blewbury, but none had been reported in Upton; he was grateful to members of the public who had notified the Police of such incidents. He was keen for articles to be published in Upton News and to be put up on Noticeboards around the village. The latest campaign was the “Bright Idea” poster, recommending residents leave a light on when out, to discourage burglars. He had also recently undertaken speed checks on the A417. Out of 83 motorists tested, only one was speeding, although he agreed that this small rate of transgression might be due to motorists warning each other. Dr Lott asked about postcode-marking the new Stihl strimmer and PCSO Clayden recommended the SmartWater system which cost £15 but could be used on many items; Mr Traynor agreed to follow up with PCSO Clayden and purchase said SmartWater system. RT

6. County Councillor’s Report: Councillor Lilley referred to Dr Lott’s query from a previous meeting about school buses from Upton to Blewbury, and remarked that the whole question of school buses was being reviewed at present. He would report when he had news. Cllr Lilley reported that Lisa Michelson was the Council’s Broadband Communications Engagement Officer who would bring councils up to date with BT’s progress in getting Broadband to 90% of the population by 2015. Cllr Lilley also advised that electrification of the rail line to Swansea would commence in 2014, with new trains coming on track in 2016/17. There would be a delay in the dismantling and re-erection of Steventon Bridge (a listed Brunel building), now commencing in October 2014 during which time the road would be closed. The whole electrification project was due for completion by the end of 2016. Cllr Lilley reported that he would be inviting councils to attend a meeting in February in County Hall Oxford to hear the latest progress on the A417 proposals. Mr Norman had attended the meeting called by Chilton Parish Council to discuss their concerns at the proposed plans, particularly in relation to Hagbourne Hill (Mr Norman advised he would attend the February meeting); Cllr Lilley thought these worries were unnecessary as this particular option was unlikely to happen. Mr Norman also queried whether there was any progress in providing a safe road crossing in Upton; Cllr Lilley promised to review when the budget had been finalised. Cllr Lilley was pleased to report £1.3m income in the first year of use of the incinerator at Ardley processing domestic waste, which had resulted in a saving on landfill costs of £10m.

7. District Councillor’s Report:

Councillor Shelley reminded the meeting that although the Vale was responsible for planning policy, they had no control over the provision of highways associated with planning permissions, which was the OCC’s responsibility. Cllr Shelley mentioned the Thames Valley Alerts, which this month noted that Land Rovers were car thieves’ current favourite vehicle. She advised that parking would be free in the Council’s car parks in Abingdon on 30th November, and on 7th December in Wantage for Christmas shopping. Cllr Shelley reported that the Vale is in consultation with OCC as they wish to rent the two upper floors of the District Offices at Abbey House, Abingdon. This would mean that some but not all Vale departments would relocate to the SODC offices at Crowmarsh Gifford.

Councillors Lilley and Shelley left the meeting.

8. Villagers’ Forum:

Mike Tibbetts had been in discussion with Dr Lott over the provision of a concrete table tennis table on the recreation ground, to be paid for by Uptonogood funds after having given grants to various good causes including UVHAT and the school (a summary could be found on the website). Mr Tibbetts reported that there were various options to be discussed between UPC and UVHAT, including the location of the proposed table. Mrs Shaw expressed her concern at a possible proposed option whose location was adjacent to her boundary fence. Mr Tibbetts handed over a plan and described the installation, which would require a maximum 9m x 5m playing area which should be hard standing; the cost would be £2k which included delivery and installation, in addition to which some provision should be made for landscaping, benches for spectators etc. It was AGREED that a small committee be formed to evaluate the proposal, to report in 2-4 months. Mr Tibbetts agreed to chair the group and Mr Traynor volunteered to assist, having had experience of such tables at his school where they had been very popular. An additional person, preferably from UVHAT, would be useful. It was also AGREED that this committee would investigate the purchase of two marquees using a further £1200 from Uptonongood, as UVHAT had previously declined the option of ownership. Mr Tibbetts left the meeting. RT

9. Planning

(i) P13/V1034/FUL – 3 Fieldside, erection of new 3 bed dwelling – withdrawn 29/10.

(ii) P13/V1606/HH – Flett Cottage, High Street – proposed side extension comprising utility, front bedroom + en-suite – permission granted

(iii) P13/V0702/FUL – Wattle Cottage Farm – appeal lodged 26/9, appeal start date 24th October. Vale to advise when a date for the hearing has been arranged. Noted.

10. Finance:

(a) Invoices for payment:

(i) Clerk’s monthly salary: £160.56 less PAYE £32.00 paid by BACS

(ii) HMRC PAYE Clerk’s Salary (3 months) £96.00

(b) Receipts since last meeting:

(i) Bank interest Sept 22p, Oct 36p

(ii) VoWH precept £3,625.00 Sept

(c) Budget 2013/2014 – half yearly review. Due to time pressure, it was agreed to defer this item. Mr Norman and Mrs Hoy to liaise and report whether the council was on budget. SN/Clerk

11. Reports from Councillors on areas of responsibility:

(i) Roads and Footpath: Mr Norman to issue invoice to Vale to cover cost of grass cutting. SN

(ii) Young Parishioners: nothing to report

(iii) Village Hall: It was noted that the new hand-driers had been installed and were working well. Dr Lott had amended a draft Memorandum of Understanding between UPC and UVHAT. After discussion on the subject of allowing bouncy castles (a known risk), it was recommended that the wording be amended to show that the hirer of the bouncy castle should be responsible for taking out liability insurance; Dr Lott agreed to send the amended version of the MOU to Mrs Shaw who would discuss it with UVHAT for their comments.

(iv) Communications: Pursuant to the resignation of Sarah Sayer as Editor of Upton News, Mr B Rippon had offered to act as Editor as well as continuing as Webmaster until another Editor could be found. It was suggested that an advertisement could be placed in the Upton News, perhaps suggesting that someone representing the views of the younger residents of the village might apply. The issue of printing hard copies for approximately 90 households was discussed and it was AGREED that this should continue; Clare Lightfoot had advised that the Parish Church Office had offered to print these copies at a cost of £20 per month and, after further discussion, Dr Lott proposed this offer should be accepted, seconded by Mr Shaw. Mr Rippon requested the council provide more news for the publication, in addition to what could be could be gleaned from the Minutes. Mr Shaw and Mrs Hoy were asked to provide this. Mr Rippon was thanked for his assistance and left the meeting. Clerk/BS

(v) Volunteer Group: Mr Traynor agreed to take over the organising of this group.

(vi) N.A.G. – nothing to report

(vii) UKAEA Stakeholders Committee – nothing to report

(viii) Parish Transport Rep – nothing to report

12. Correspondence:

a) Resignation and appointment of Trustee for United Charities – noted

b) CAB Abingdon, request for donation – review March 2014

c) OAB Oxford, request for donation – review March 2014

d) OCC School Admissions (circulated and notice posted)

e) OCC Consultation on Home to School Transport (notice posted)

f) Chiltern Sports Contractors – offer of services, keep on file

g) CPRE – letter re Vale’s Five ~Year Housing Land Supply Statement (circulated)

h) Dog’s Trust – free micro-chipping in the community offer – Mrs West advised re Village Fair

i) A34 College Farm Bridge Beedon improvements (notice posted)

j) OALC Training Course – Roles and Responsibilities (Feb 2014) – Mrs Hoy passed details of this course to Mr Traynor. Invoice to be brought to next meeting and course booked. RT/Clerk

13. Next Meeting Date: Tuesday 21st January 2014

Angela Hoy, Clerk

Tel: 01235 851826

27th November 2013

UPTON PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of Extraordinary Meeting of Upton Parish Council in the Village Hall

Monday 30th September at 8.00 pm

Attendees: Dr R Lott (Chairman), Mr S Fraser, Mrs L Shaw, Mr S Norman, Mr R Traynor, Mrs A Hoy (clerk), 7 parishioners

1. Apologies were received from Mr Shaw

2. Declarations of Interest

Members are asked to declare any personal interest and the nature of that interest which they may have in any of the items under consideration at this meeting. Any Member arriving after the start of the meeting is asked to declare personal interests as necessary as soon as practicable after their arrival even if the item in question has been considered. None registered

3. Planning Application P13/V1034/FUL – 3 Fieldside, Upton. Applicant Mr Kieran O’Donoghue. Proposal: erection of new 3-bedroom dwelling at rear of property and widened access to the site to serve both properties.

As a preamble to the discussion, Dr Lott read out the list of material planning considerations from the Vale of White Horse planning website, and noted that the recent publication of the National Planning Policy Framework had superseded a number of previous policies. He reminded the meeting that a previous application had been made in November 2010 which was withdrawn in February 2011. At that time the Parish Council’s response was that the application would set a precedent not beneficial to the character of the village and would be detrimental to surrounding properties; loss of light, overshadowing and loss of privacy to neighbouring properties would be caused, and there was concern regarding the over-dominance of the property on the plot, traffic generation, car parking provision and noise disturbance.

Dr Lott then invited the members of the public present to comment on the application. Most of the comments were similar to the original objections. Concern was raised over parking as the new plans showed a reduction of parking area from two to just one vehicle with no turning area so vehicles would have to reverse up the entire drive and back onto Fieldside. It was pointed out that the proposed dwelling had three double bedrooms and a single, therefore the potential to generate three additional motor vehicles, leading to an increase in on-street parking. The observation was made that the applicant currently keeps a skip, a car, a large van and a horse box at the property, the concern being that the loss of the property’s drive would further increase on-street parking. Great concern was voiced at the increase in parking on the street caused by lack of proper parking places, with the result that the emergency services may have difficulty manoeuvring their vehicles down the street when necessary. The lack of pavements in Upton aggravated the situation, causing residents to walk down the middle of the road.

It was also pointed out that the proposed building would be right up to the boundary of the property, thus accentuating the earlier objections of over-dominance. The loss of privacy for neighbouring gardens and the increase in noise and light disturbance was also raised as a concern. It was noted that the application is for a four bedroom detached property which is in conflict with the applicant’s stated aim to provide a home for his elderly mother. Concern was also voiced that this was a back-land development, not an infill, out of keeping with any existing building line, and if allowed, would set a precedent for other occupants of Fieldside with the potential of a whole new row of houses, conflicting with the housing density of the village. The claim of the applicant that a precedent had already been set (Hitherto / Jasmine) was thought to be unfounded as these houses were side by side in keeping with existing building lines and had separate entrances. Several residents advised that they had already objected to the application on the Council website. It was also noted that two further objections had been posted from residents not in attendance. In his absence, Mrs Shaw reported that Mr B Shaw had also requested that his objections be noted. Two letters of objection had also been received and would be added to the file.

Dr Lott then brought the Public Forum to a close and recommended that the following objections be communicated to the VOWDC Planning Department:

i. The development was in conflict with paragraph 53 of the National Planning Framework and would alter the nature of Upton as a small village and in conflict with the Draft Local Plan 2029, Core Policy 3;

ii. The development was a cramped back-land development which would set a precedent and did not meet local needs;

iii. Parking was considered inadequate for both houses and would result in increased parking on the street, causing problems for emergency vehicles and pedestrians;

iv. There would be an increase in noise disturbance and light pollution;

v. The proposed house would be over-dominant and the two gables were right on the boundary line;

vi. The resulting housing density would be out of character with the rest of the village.

The Clerk was requested to convey these objections to the VoWH Planning Department. CLERK

Members of the public left the meeting.

4. Emergency Contact List: Mr Fraser had completed this task which he had circulated and also sent to the Emergency Planning Unit. It was AGREED that an additional set of Village Hall keys would be cut and given to Dr Lott and Mr Fraser so that one of them would always have access in case the need for emergency use of the hall should arise. RL/SF

5. Dog Bin labelling and emptying: Dr Lott confirmed that he had spoken to the Administration Team Leader at South and Vale who had recommended rebranding the existing bins (sample template circulated) so they could take both general litter and bagged dog waste. It was AGREED that this was a good solution to the problem which would not involve the Parish Council in additional costs and would maintain the current emptying schedule. Dr Lott agreed to obtain quotes for adhesive (all weather) labels to be applied to both bins from Kingdom Signs. Dr Lott advised that bin liners were now stored underneath the new bin. RL

There being no further business, the meeting closed.

Angela Hoy, Clerk

Tel: 01235 851726

1st October 2013

Minutes of a Meeting of Upton Parish Council in the Village Hall on Tuesday 10th September 2013 at 8.00 pm

Present: Dr R Lott (Chairman), Mr S Norman, Mr S Fraser, Mr B Shaw, Mrs L Shaw, Mr R Traynor, Mrs A Hoy (Clerk)

Part time: Cllr S Lilly

1. Apologies were received from Cllr Janet Shelley, Mr Michael Clayden

2. Declarations of Interest

Members are asked to declare any personal interest and the nature of that interest which they may have in any of the items under consideration at this meeting. Any Member arriving after the start of the meeting is asked to declare personal interests as necessary as soon as practicable after their arrival even if the item in question has been considered. None received.

3. Minutes of meeting held on 16th July and 12th August 2013. The Minutes were agreed to be a true record and signed by the Chairman,

4. Matters arising:

Parish Council Meeting on 30th May:

(i) Co-option of Mr Robert Traynor as Councillor on Upton Parish Council; in the absence of any requests from electors for an election and having received approval from Vale of White Horse District Council, Mr Traynor was unanimously co-opted as Councillor until formal elections in 2015. The Chairman welcomed Mr Traynor to the Council. Mr Traynor had completed the required Declaration of Acceptance of Office and Register of Members’ Interests forms, which the Clerk was instructed to file and advise the Monitoring Office at VoWHDC. ACH

(ii) Update on footpath and cycle path to Blewbury: Richard Farrell from Blewbury Parish Council had advised that Mark Shayler, another Councillor, had been in touch with the Blewbury landowners in May 2013 and thought it was too soon to raise the matter again, despite the land having changed hands recently. After discussion it was agreed that the topic would most likely form part of the revised Parish Plan for Upton, and as such should be pursued again on publication.

(iii) Parish Plan (PP): Mr Shaw had discussed the Plan with Mr Dickens and between them they had drawn up a set of questions to put to the Village. Mr Derek Whitmell had also offered his help, having worked on the last PP with Will Betts. Mr Shaw agreed to process the raw data gathered and compare with the last Plan so that a final set of questions could be formulated; a decision would then be made how to disseminate the questions. Mr Shaw requested those present to advise him of any items they wanted included in the PP. Dr Lott asked if there was an electronic version of the previous PP, Mr Shaw agreed to source. BS

(iv) Risk Register: Mrs Shaw apologised for not having had time to complete this task, which she assured the Chairman would be completed by the November meeting. The related subject of document storage was raised and it was decided to add this to November’s agenda and invite Brian Ripon for advice. LS

(v) New litter bin: Dr Lott had been advised by VoWH that they would not empty the new bin because it was not on “relevant land”, i.e., private land. UPC was advised to empty the new bin into the existing general waste bin near the Village Hall, to which Jessie West (UVHAT) had no objection. This would involve the volunteer rota emptying the bin and keeping a supply of black sacks under the new bin. A letter had also been received from VoWH advising of an increase in the cost of emptying from 0.68 per bin to £4.03 plus a 15% administration fee, a total of £4.63 per bin per week! VoWH suggested that as the public could now put bagged dog waste into ordinary refuse bins, purchasing two new bins at an approximate cost of £125 each and installing them in place of the existing dog waste bins would not require any extra emptying. Mr Fraser reported that bins could be pre-printed with a message such as “bagged dog waste may be placed in this bin”. After discussion it was proposed and agreed to purchase two replacement bins. Mr Fraser agreed to source the bins and Dr Lott agreed to speak to the Council to arrange regular collections. RL/SF

5. PCSO’s report – although unable to attend, Michael Claydon had sent a report outlining the various initiatives he and his team were involved in, including a crime prevention article to local bulletins and promotion by Thames Valley Police of Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators; anyone interested should contact Carol Rudd on 01235 556937. The next Police Have Your Say meting will be held in Upton Village Hall between 15-16:00 on 28th September.

6. County Councillor’s Report: Cllr Lilly had sent a report of the meeting he chaired on 13th August, attended among many others by Dr Lott, regarding key issues raised by the Parishes on the A417 both present and proposed. He reported that he had a lot of feedback on these notes, with the main concern being Hagbourne Hill. He discussed the proposed four-way junction at Chilton which was going into capital progression and MP Ed Vaizey had requested to be kept informed of actions in this regard. Dr Lott asked whether the proposed four-way interchange would lessen the strain on Hagbourne Hill; Cllr Lilly advised that this was only one of the ideas being discussed. “Ready for Winter” planning meetings were being held throughout the district to help the parishes prepared for winter with supplies of salt etc. He commented that the Council was providing Home/School transport for more than just their own schools, but this was under review and provision likely to be cut. Dr Lott reminded Cllr Lilly that when Upton School closed, the village was promised a school bus to ferry children from Upton to Blewbury; Cllr Lilly promised to look into this. BT Broadband was on track to provide high-speed broadband to 55-66,000 homes, proximity to the Science Park UK no doubt helpful in this regard. He advised that the Thornhill Park and Ride facility was being doubled in size with new charges being applied. Regarding public transport within the region, he noted that gantries ready to electrify the railway from Paddington to Cardiff were already in place, but noted that modifying Steventon Bridge (a listed building) would cost millions and cause the road to be closed for weeks.

Cllr Lilly left the meeting. Dr Lott advised that he would be unable to attend the meeting organised by Chilton Parish Council to discuss the A417 and the ramifications for Chilton of the proposed 4-way interchange; Mr Norman agreed to attend in his place. Clerk to advise Chilton of change of representative. ACH

7. District Councillor’s Report: Mrs Shelley had sent her apologies.

8. Villagers’ Forum: No members of the public present.

9. Planning

(i) P13/V1019/HH – The Gatehouse, Reading Road – granted.

(ii) P13/V1606/HH Application for proposed alterations at Flett Cottage, High Street – outcome awaited.

(iii) Wattle Cottage Farm P13/V0702: Decision – Refusal of Planning Permission on 2nd August 2013. No appeal lodged.

10. Reports from Councillors on areas of responsibility:

(i) Roads and Footpaths: Nothing to report.

(ii) Young Parishioners: Nothing to report.

(iii) Village Hall: Caravan Meet requested for September 2014. Mrs West had no objections with the request. Mr Shaw queried whether the problems with drainage had been resolved ; after discussion it was noted that Thames Water are dealing with blockages as they occurr and it was not a concern for the PC. Mrs Shaw raised several other matters relating to the VH, including better signage for the car park and the matted area in the field; Dr Lott agreed to arrange for a photograph/plan of the approved area to be erected in the hall. RL

In addition, the question of public liability for the adjoining grassed area was raised in the context of a hall hiree utilising it for additional space (e.g. for a bouncy castle). Mrs Shaw agreed to check where the PC stood with our insurers. LS

It was noted that the number of people in the VH was limited by the number of toilet facilities. The Clerk was asked to confirm to UVHAT that their request for a donation would be dealt with in March 2014. ACH

(iv) Communications: Nothing to report.

(v) Volunteer Group: Dr Lott advised that he had sent a note of thanks to the Volunteer Group for their sterling work in clearing the weeds around the VH.

(vi) N.A.G.: No report received

(vii) UKAEA Stakeholders Committee: nothing to report

(viii) Parish Transport Rep: No report received

11. Finance:

(a) Adoption of audited accounts: It was unanimously agreed that the accounts should be adopted.

(b) Invoices for payment:

(i) Clerk’s salary: £160.56 less PAYE £32.00 paid by BACS

(ii) Glasdon UK Ltd. – new litter bin £203.83*

(iii) BDO LLP – audit costs £120.00*

(iv) Dr Lott – Noticeboard expenses £19.94*

(v) ROSPA – inspection of old playground £96.00

(vi) OALC – Finance Training Course (2) £144.00*

(vii) Mr Fraser – Recreation ground maintenance £15.17*

(viii) Mrs Hoy – Local Council Admin book; postage, £66.00

(ix) Mike Brown, fuel and equipment repairs, £203.90

*paid since last meeting

(c) Receipts since last meeting:

(i) Bank interest July 37p + August 32p

(ii) HMRC repayment of VAT £1,100.47

(ii) 2nd Half Precept £3625 (to be received October)

(d) HMRC had written confirming the appointment of Mr S Norman as agent for the PC for submission of VAT returns – noted.

(e) Date for next audit: letter from BDO advising dates available for next audit. Clerk to liaise with Mr Norman and confirm to BDO date selected. ACH/SN

12. Correspondence: The following items were noted.

• VoWHDC – email request to participate in consultation on Council Tax (poster on noticeboard)
• VoWHDC – Chairman’s Community Awards Lunch, 19th October/Nominations: deadline is 13th September; it was agreed to nominate Mike Brown and Jessie West, Clerk to send form. ACH
• VoWHDC – Council Tax Briefings, 15th or 21st October – attendance requested but meeting will be videoed and made available on YouTube.
• VoWHDC – Awards for Young People – poster displayed on Noticeboard
• Community Emergency Planning Survey 2013/14: Mr Fraser is dealing and will report at next meeting. SF
• VoWHDC – Byelaws to Regulate Skin Piercing – circulated; for noting and keeping with byelaws

13. Next Meeting Date: Tuesday 19th November 2013

Angela Hoy, Clerk

Tel: 01235 851726

12th September 2013

UPTON PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of Extraordinary Meeting of Upton Parish Council in the Village Hall, on Monday 12th August 2013 at 8.00 pm

Present: (Dr R Lott Chairman), Mr S Fraser, Mr S Norman, Mrs L Shaw, Mr B Shaw
Mrs A Hoy (clerk)

1. Apologies – none

2. Declarations of Interest

Members are asked to declare any personal interest and the nature of that interest which they may have in any of the items under consideration at this meeting. Any Member arriving after the start of the meeting is asked to declare personal interests as necessary as soon as practicable after their arrival even if the item in question has been considered. None declared.

3. Planning Applications

(i) P13/V1606/HH Application for proposed side extension comprising utility room and enlarged front bedroom with en-suite shower room at Flett Cottage, High Street.

The plans, having been previously circulated, were discussed. The Parish Council agreed to respond that it had no objections or comments. Clerk to advise the Vale of White Horse DC accordingly. Clerk

4. Items for noting

(i) Having made good its promise of completing the outstanding items on the recreation ground equipment, it was agreed the final payment could be released to Kompan.

(ii) An inspection report on both playgrounds had been received from Rospa, which would be studied and discussed at the next meeting of the Parish Council.

Angela Hoy

Clerk/Upton Parish Council

17th August 2013

Minutes of Meeting of Upton Parish Council on Tuesday 16th July 2013 at 8.00 pm in the Village Hall

Present: Dr R Lott (Chairman), Mr S Fraser, Mr S Norman, Mrs L Shaw, Mr B Shaw, Mrs A Hoy (clerk)

Part time: Mr Richard Farrell, Blewbury Parish Council

1. Apologies – were received subsequent to the meeting from Janet Shelley DCC and Michael Claydon PCSO.

2. Declarations of Interest

Members are asked to declare any personal interest and the nature of that interest which they may have in any of the items under consideration at this meeting. Any Member arriving after the start of the meeting is asked to declare personal interests as necessary as soon as practicable after their arrival even if the item in question has been considered. None recorded

3. Minutes of meeting on 30th May 2013, having been circulated, were agreed to be a true record and signed by the Chairman.

4. Matters arising:

Parish Council Meeting on 30th May

(i) Election of Councillor to replace Mr Dickens: Two expressions of interests have been received by Mrs Shaw and Dr Lott respectively but no confirmation of interest had been received. Both councillors agreed to pursue with a view to avoiding a contest if possible to avoid extra cost. Mrs Hoy agreed to confirm the maximum number of councillors permitted. It was noted that the term of office for this co-opted councillor would be two years, after which all councillors were up for re-election. LS /BL AH

(ii) Dr Lott agreed to write a formal letter to Mrs Hoy on her appointment as Parish Clerk. RL

(iii) Footpath and Cycle path to Blewbury: the meeting welcomed Mr Richard Farrell, Chair of Blewbury Parish Council (BPC), to the meeting. The question of upgrading the existing footpath to include cyclists had been a subject of debate in Blewbury and Upton for the past 20 years and both councils would like to see progress. Mr Farrell agreed to discuss the recent past history with Mrs Abi Barclay-Watt who had done a lot of research when she was on BPC some years ago. At that time Sustrans (Sustainable Transport) had given a presentation but unfortunately there was no money forthcoming. A local landowner, Mr Chris Kauntz, had offered a strip of land alongside the A417 as a cycle way but this had been rejected as being too dangerous for children and in any case, would only go up to the White House on the Upton boundary. Since the most recent approach to the landowners (2011/12) two sections of land had changed hands and it was thought worth investigating whether the new owners might be more favourably inclined. The path was discussed in the most recent Upton Parish Plan at point 6.4 and given first priority in the list of Aims. It was noted that there was considerable enthusiasm for the path to be upgraded and many local residents stated they would use it on a regular basis for walking, pushchairs and cycles if the surface was more even and better maintained. The potential problem of motorcycles using it was not considered significant. It was suggested that it could be upgraded to a bridleway, which would open its use to horses as well as cycles. After discussion, it was suggested that a joint meeting of both parish councils as well as the local landowners should be convened. However, to avoid over-facing the landowners, it was agreed they should be contacted first. Mr Farrell suggested also approaching Harwell parish council to lend moral support and also expand the cycling agenda. Mr Farrell agreed to email Dr Lott with suggestions as to the best way forward. Mr Farrell left the meeting.

(iv) Revisiting Parish Plan: Mr Shaw had agreed to review at the most recent Plan and suggest what still needed to be achieved. It was suggested that a list of achievements could be circulated via the Upton News, asking the population what they felt was needed. Mr Shaw to progress. To be added to the next meeting Agenda and the public to be invited to attend. BS

(v) Asset Register: Mrs Shaw advised this had been updated and communicated to the Auditors. Although the value of our assets had increased, the insurers had agreed not to increase the cost of insurance at this renewal; however, there would be an increase next year. With regard to the Risk Register, Mrs Shaw advised that she would complete her review of this in time for the next meeting.

(vi) Aims & Objectives: after brief discussion it was resolved to adopt the Aims and Objectives as circulated.

(vii) Litter Bin: It was agreed at the last meeting that an additional litter bin should be purchased for the children’s play area; Mr Fraser brought to the meeting information on a new design of bin which he thought would appeal to the younger users of the recreation ground called a Topsy 2000, which comes complete with a concrete fixing kit. Cost £169.86 + VAT. It was resolved that Mr Fraser should order this item and arrange for its installation as soon as possible. SF

5. PCSO’s report: no report received

6. County Councillor’s Report

No report received and Cllr Lilly not present, but Cllr Lilly had circulated an email request for a representative of each of his parish councils (as well as Milton) to attend a meeting on Tuesday 13th August at 10am in County Hall Oxford to discuss the improvements being planned for the A417 corridor. Dr Lott agreed to attend, Mr Norman agreed to stand in in case he was not able to make it. RL/SN

7. District Councillor’s Report: no report received

8. Villagers’ Forum: no discussion took place

9. Planning

(i) P13/V1019HH – The Gatehouse, Reading Road renewal of planning permission PO4/V0708, proposed extensions and adaptation of existing house. The plans having been previously circulated were discussed and it was noted that the plans had been changed extensively since the original application. The council had no strong objections but expressed concern about access by builders, which would need to be carefully managed. The clerk was requested to advise the Vale planning department accordingly. AH

10. Reports from Councillors on areas of responsibility:

(i) Roads and Footpaths

A letter was received from a resident regarding overgrown brambles and hedges in Upper Stream Road, requesting the council to take remedial action with the owners of the properties. Mr Shaw agreed to speak to the relevant householders and request their cooperation in keeping their hedges from encroaching on rights of way. BS

(ii) Young Parishioners: nothing to report

(iii) Village Hall: Mrs West was keen to purchase hand dryers for the toilets and requested the PC to purchase these, which could be paid for by fund raising. Mrs Shaw agreed to speak to the supplier and purchase the units, and would send the invoice to the Parish Clerk for reimbursement. LS Resolved to proceed with this course of action. Dr Lott advised that £2k had been set aside towards improvements to the kitchen; Mrs Shaw wondered whether it would be possible to get a grant for this and it was noted that Brian Rippon had offered his help.

(iv) Communications: It was noted with regret that Sarah Sayers had expressed a wish to step down as Editor of Upton News, although was prepared to stay on until a successor was found.

(v) Volunteer Group: the grass was being cut and the playground rota had been circulated. The playground was being inspected. It was noted that the goal posts needed re-fixing. RL/SF

(vi) N.A.G.: no report received.

(vii) UKAEA Stakeholders Committee: Dr Whitmell had attended a meeting on 4th July and advised that an election had been held for the Chairman and Deputy chairman for the next five years, results not yet known. A report on groundwater in Upton Parish was given, the level of contaminants continues to fall. Decommission of the site is on target.

(viii) Parish Transport Rep: No report received.

Dr Whitmell had also asked whether he should continue to represent Upton at the UKAEA Stakeholders committee; it was resolved that he should be formally asked to continue, the Clerk to write an appropriate letter. Letters should also be sent to Mrs J West and Mr J Lightfoot asking if they wished to continue their various roles. AH

11. Finance:

(a) Invoices for payment:

(i) Clerk’s monthly salary: Gross £160.56, less PAYE £32.00 = £128.56

It was resolved that in future the salary payment would be carried out electronically. However, because of the “sweep” between the two bank accounts, there had not been sufficient funds in the current account to make the June salary payment. It was resolved to remove the sweep and to keep a reasonable amount in the current account to cover payments. The loss of the bank interest each month was not considered important.

(ii) HMRC payment of PAYE £64.20 (May)*; again, future payments would be made by standing order directly from the bank account. Mrs Shaw and Mr Norman agreed to sign a letter to the Lloyds Bank with this instruction. LS/SN

(iii) Public Works Loan repayment (direct debit) £412.91

(iv) Final Invoice for New Playground – KOMPAN – £2875.55. Mr Fraser confirmed he had spoken to Russell Dyer and had obtained his undertaking to install the remaining equipment and carry out repairs to the faulty piece of equipment on Friday 19th July. He had also reached agreement with Rospa for separate inspections of the recreation ground and children’s play area, KOMPAN to pay for the former and send the report to the Clerk on completion. Above cheque to be released upon completion of these arrangements. SF

(v) Came & Co. (PC Insurance) £534.73*

(vi) OALC – Data Protection Training Course – £78.00

*cheques issued since last meeting

(b) Receipts since last meeting:

(i) Bank interest May 68p, June 74p

(ii) Donation from Uptonogood – £2000; thanks were offered to Dr Lott.

Mr Norman reported that there would be a refund of VAT in the region of £1000 relating to the bike humps payment.

(c) The Clerk reported on the OALC training course she had recently attended on Meetings and Minutes. She had found it extremely useful and pertinent and would put the knowledge gained to good use.

12. Correspondence

(i) Training Course “Getting to Grips with Local Council Finance”– 22nd October. The council recommended that Mrs Hoy should attend this course. Mr Norman was also interested and would advise the Clerk if he wished to attend. Clerk to confirm attendance. AH/SN

(ii) Winter preparedness – OCC. As there were still more than adequate supplies of salt in the garage, it was resolved not to take up this offer.

(iii) Tree Surgeon – Steve Young had offered his services. Clerk to reply stating UPC has no need of his services as most trees were owned by District Council or dealt with by councillors themselves. AH

(iv) Chatsworth Buccaneers FC, Didcot: request to use recreation ground for Sunday morning football; After discussion, it was resolved that the Clerk should write and advise they would be permitted to use the ground but could not use the hall for changing or showering; limited use of the toilets (no muddy boots) would be allowed. AH

(v) Purchase of latest edition of Local Council Administration (yellow book) at a cost of £60. Agreed. Clerk to order. AH

13. Next Meeting is scheduled for September 17th 2013

Angela Hoy, Clerk
Tel: 01235 851726
23rd July 2013