Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of Upton Parish Council

Upton Village Hall, Monday 14th May 2018 at 7.30 pm 

Present:- Stuart Fraser (Chair/SCF), Liz Cooper (Clerk/EC), Stuart Norman (SN), Karen Marshall (KM),

Brendan Heneghan (BH), Jo Fidgen (JF)

1. Apologies for Absence

            None. 

2. Election of Chairman

            Mr Stuart was duly re-elected as Chair.

3. Declarations of Interest

Members are asked to declare any personal interest and the nature of that interest which they may have in any items under consideration at this meeting. Members were reminded that it is a criminal offence if, without a reasonable excuse, you fail to declare your Disclosable Pecuniary Interests (DPI) either for inclusion on the register or to amend the register, or when you become aware of a DPI which is not recorded, but which relates to a matter to be discussed at a meeting where you are present.

No declarations of interest were made.

4. Acceptance of Office – All Members

SCF, SN, KM, BH all agreed to remain as members of the parish council and duly completed their Declaration of Office forms.

5. Co-opt New Councillor

            Jo Fidgen was co-opted as a new parish councillor and completed the appropriate forms. 

6. Election of Vice-Chairman

            SN was duly elected as vice-chair. 

7. Adoption of minutes of previous meetings

The following minutes were all adopted without change:-

22nd May 2017 (AGM),

16^th April 2018 (APM)

5^th April 2018 UPCX

19^th March 2018 UPC

8. Matters arising:

There were no matters arising from the minutes adopted above.

9. Public Forum

            There were no members of the public present at the meeting.

10. Business to be transacted:

10.1    The Annual Governance Statement part of the annual audit was completed, ratified and

                   Signed.

10.2    UPCs Aims and Objectives for 2018/19 were agreed and adopted.

10.3     UPCs Standing Orders were agreed and adopted as they stand. Potential amendments to

             be discussed further between SCF & EC for sign off at the July meeting.

10.4    The Clerk’s salary for FY 2018-19 was agreed. SCF to amend the Clerk’s contract

                   accordingly for signature.

10.5    UPC agreed to accept and adopt the accounts for 2017-2018, which had been circulated

                   in advance.

10.6     The Clerk handed over all documentation for the completion of accounts to SN. SCF, SN &

             EC agreed to meet on 22 May to finalise documents and arrange internal audit, for

completion by 14 June. Notice of accounts for inspection to commence on or around 15

June for a period of 30 days to include the first 10 days of July, as per regulations.

10.7    To discuss potential items of expenditure / project work for 2018/19 as per the budget:-

1. Garage door repairs

G DeW & Rob Trainor are looking in to this. This is included in the budget.

1. Defibrillator installation & training

The council agreed to review previous quotes for the installation of the defib unit in the absence of funding for same.  A budget was set at £1250 ex. VAT.

iii. Pump Track resurface

BH agreed to investigate this & contact existing supplier (Shoretrack). It was acknowledged this was an expensive job and alternatives should be looked at.

1. Play area surface bark

SCF to investigate costs and volume & then pass to JF. BH to confirm if he has equipment suitable to aid distribution of bark.

1. Tree Work

Ashdown agreed to hold previous quote. All agreed to go ahead. SCF to organise.

10.8    To discuss the situation with the deterioration of the concrete bales in Stream Road

SCF gave update. Confirmed that the upper part of Stream Road was a ‘BOAT’/byway

open to all traffic. Had negotiated with Gordon Kaleman to replace concrete bales with

more major work and was looking at quotes.  The DC has money to do this, but no

resource to carry it out. Ongoing.

10.9    To discuss IT policy update

UPC agreed to use Microsoft Office 365 Gov for PC work at c£3.70pm. Email addresses

are still needed to carry out PC work (i.e. parish.councillor@uptonvillage.co.uk with

additional identifier for each councillor). B. Rippon has agreed to assist in the transfer of

data from the roundcube email system to Microsoft. ‘uptonvillage.co.uk will be taken over

by the PC at a cost of £15pa. The PC agreed to pay for BR’s time in transferring the data

(details TBC, but a budget of £100 was set). If costs are more, then will be deferred to next

meeting for discussion. SCF to discuss with BR. BR also confirmed a software set up cost of

£54.

11. Planning

            To discuss planning application P18/V0551/HH – further amendment to lack of headroom in first

floor bedroom extension. Deadline 12 noon 17.5.18.

The council voted ‘No Strong Views’ on this application.

12. Correspondence

            EC confirmed that an email had been received stating the car boot sale originally planned for the

9^th or 10^th of June had been cancelled.

13. Financial Business Considerations were all agreed:-

13.1  Summary of receipts in previous financial year

• Total Payments 2017-18 = £9573
• Total Receipts 2017-18 = £11465
• Lloyds Bank Gross Interest 2017-18 £6.35 (compared to the previous year of £2.17)

13.2  To accept/reject the Schedule of Payments (see Appendix A below)

           The council accepted all payments as listed in Appendix A of the agenda.

13.3  Receipts to date this financial year:-

• VOWH – precept £4587.50 (April 2018)
• Bank interest April 55p, May 55p.

14. AOB

            KM raised the issue of rubbish left on the Upton Rec, including disposable BBQ trays which had

also burnt the grass. Increased signage was suggested, with JF suggesting something written by a

child, then laminated and placed around the rec. JF to investigate. Also to be added to July’s

agenda for further discussion. KM also to look at the use of Facebook for raising/dealing with

such issues.

15. Date of next AGM

Monday 20th May 2019 7.30pm.

The meeting concluded at 9.25pm. 

Liz Cooper

Clerk to Upton Parish Council

23rd May 2018

Minutes of an extraordinary meeting of Upton Parish Council held on Wednesday 20th June 2018 in the Upton village hall meeting room.

Present: Stuart Fraser (SCF/Chair), Liz Cooper (EC/Clerk), Karen Marshall (KM), Stuart Norman (SN), Jo Fidgen (JF)

1. Apologies for absence

Brendan Heneghan.

2. Declarations of interest

None.

3. To ratify the purchase and ownership of the modular stage system (purchased in April

2017 & delivered in May 2017).

UPC ratified the purchase and agreed to confirm ownership to UVHAT. Clerk to email

Brian Rippon accordingly.

4. To ratify invoice for tree work recently carried out (Ashdown Tree Management,

£1500) paid online. (Clerk’s note:- paid on 21.6.18).

UPC ratified this payment, noting the invoice was £80 less than the quote.

5. UPC Annual audit

SCF expressed his thanks on behalf of the council to the Clerk and SN for their part in

completing the audit. He also formally extended the thanks of the council to Ros Caffyn,

who had comprehensively completed the internal audit. Clerk to record all

improvements to practice & send to UPC councillors.

The following were also actioned:-

5.1 The checklist for UPC’s Annual Return was completed by SCF.

5.2 UPC agreed that the annual return was now complete, following an internal audit.

5.3 UPC agreed to the submission of Certificate of Exemption to the external auditor.

Clerk to action.

5.4 UPC agreed to the Period for the Exercise of Public Rights notification as follows:-

Period to commence Monday 25^th June 2018 for a period of 30 days, ending on

Monday 23^rd July, thus incorporating the required first 10 days of July. Clerk to email

details to Brian Rippon.

6. To consider the following planning applications:-

6.1 P18/V1214/HH

Winterbourne, Stream Road, Upton. Proposed single story side & rear extensions. New roof construction to provide first floor accommodation. Deadline 12noon on 21^st June 2018.

UPC voted ‘No Objections’ to this application.

6.2 P18/V1321/HH

White Cottage, Fieldside, Upton. Proposed two storey extension. Deadline 12 noon on 6^th July 2018.

UPC voted ‘No Objections’ to this application.

      6.3 P18/V1354/HH

Fernwood, High Street, Upton. Creation of 2 box dormers at rear first floor, 3 box

dormers at front first floor, replacement of plastic windows with wooden casements &

raising of eves & ridge height by 800mm. Deadline 12 noon on 6^th July 2018.

UPC voted ‘No Objections’ to this application.

7. UPC agreed to the use of Upton rec by Didcot Health Centre on Friday 29^th June (in

conjunction with their use of the village hall). Clerk to inform their contact.

8. UPC agreed to the introduction of a ‘UPC Donation Receipt’ form. This will be used to

record and acknowledge any donations made to the council. Clerk to copy form to all.

9. AOB

      Note:- No decisions can be made under AOB. This is for information only or items for the

next meeting.

9.1 JF updated the council on obtaining quotes for wood chipping for the surface of the

play area. Further quotes will be obtained, with quantities and costs to be agreed at the

next meeting.

9.2 JF is also organising the lamination of children’s drawings for display around the rec,

designed to discourage people from leaving detritus on the rec.

9.3 SCF reported that he had repaired the rope ladder in the play area.

9.4 SCF also said that he is confirming details for a defib cabinet and will update

further at the next meeting.

    The meeting finished at 8pm.

     Date of next meeting:-

     Parish Council Meeting, Monday 16^th July 2018, 7.00pm in the village hall meeting

     room.

Minutes of an extraordinary meeting of Upton Parish Council held on Wednesday 2^nd May 2018 in the Upton village hall meeting room.

Present: Stuart Fraser (SCF/Chair), Liz Cooper (EC/Clerk), Karen Marshall (KM), Stuart Norman (SN), Graham de Wilde (GdeW) (joined the meeting for item 3) 

1. Apologies for absence

Brendan Heneghan in advance.

2. Declarations of interest

None.

3. To discuss the requests for use of the rec.

The PC discussed the applications for use of the village rec for events and agreed the

following:-

• Car Boot sale 9^th or 10^th June
• Upton Wine Club 30^th June
• Bike Night 10^th July
• Upton Fete 1^st Sept.

The Caravan club’s request for October 2019 is to be referred to UVHAT for discussion.

It was noted that these may all be weather dependent and are all subject to the rec

ground rules.

4. To discuss the upkeep of Upton Village rec and play areas.

GdeW had previously reported at the APM and via email the poor state of the rec in

general and requested the hire of a motor roller (last used 5 or 6 years ago) to even out

the ground. The council approved the hire at a cost of c£219.60. GdeW to ensure an

invoice is sent to the clerk’s email address to be paid directly.

The following suggestions were also made during the discussion of the upkeep of the

rec:-

• Consideration to be given to additional parking
• Consideration to be given to purchase a smaller ride on mower with grass cutter
• Not to cut the grass of the burial ground this year. Potential to use animals to keep grass short?
• Create ‘wild grass/flower area’ to the rear of the village hall in the corner of the rec, which would reduce the amount of cutting. Wild flower seeds c£40 per bag?
• Creation of ‘village alert’ system of calling for volunteers for grounds work at short notice (would require someone other than GdeW to organise).

5. To consider the following planning application:-

P18/V0831/HH

Thistledome, Stream Road, Upton. Two storey side extension in place of conservatory, & front extension to create porch. Deadline 12noon on 9^th May 2018.

The council voted ‘No Objections’ to this application.

6. AOB

Note:- No decisions can be made under AOB. This is for information only or items for the next meeting.

SCF confirmed that the two new toddler swings were now in place.

SCF asked for the cost of insurance for the motor mower to be included in the next meeting (AGM).

SCF asked that the tree quotes previously received be reviewed in order for a decision to be made.

EC asked if the marquees were fit for hire due to reported issues from Brian Rippon as to their state of repair. SCF said that the next time they are in use, an examination of the repairs needed would be taken.

EC to contact Reg Waite re defib installation funding. 

The meeting closed at 8.20pm.

Date of next meeting:-

Annual General Meeting, Monday 14^th May 2018, 7.30pm in the village hall meeting room.

Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting held in the Village Hall on Monday 16th April 2018 at 7.30 p.m.

Present:- Brendan Heneghan (Temp Chair/BH), Liz cooper (Clerk/EC). Karen Marshall (KM), Stuart Norman (SN), Mr & Mrs de Wilde (GdeW. RdeW), Mike Brown (MB), Jessie West (JW)

1. Apologies for absence Stuart Fraser, Brian Rippon, Michael Fox-Davies, Liz Hardy, Marion Mills, Jo Fidgen

2. Welcome and opening remarks BH read the Chair’s Statement 2018 (see copy below).

3. To Present Annual Reports Parish Council Finance – read by the Clerk (see copy below).

All other reports were made available for perusal at the meeting and are included within these minutes:- United Charities Blewbury School St. Mary’s Church UKAEA Stakeholders Meeting UVHAT

An update on Parish Footpaths and the village recreational grounds was given verbally by Graham de Wilde and Mike Brown, with highlights as follows:-

GdeW remarked there was a team of 16 volunteers who all helped to keep the green spaces neat and tidy. RdeW remarked that only recently there was broken glass and other rubbish left on the rec. This led to a discussion regarding the use of the rec by people from within and outside of the village. Also access to the rec from the bottom corner which leads on to the old railway line. Although this is private land, people use this route to access the rec, both on foot and bicycle. It was suggested that a sign be put up by the land owner informing people that this was private land and is used at their own risk. This can be discussed at a future PC meeting. 4. Open Forum In addition to Jessie West’s Church Warden update, JW remarked that St Mary’s church is nearly 1000 years old. Maintenance issues are mentioned in the report, however, Jessie is setting up a ‘Friends of St Mary’s’ group to help with the maintenance of the church. JW is also looking at applying for grants and other support for the refurbishments required. JW explained they would be requesting permission to add a toilet and kitchen facilities to the vestry, and asked if the PC would support such a planning application, which the PC would in principle.

JW also mentioned the new bus timetable and gave out copies. As there is no longer a school bus, a regular bus now takes children to the boys & girls schools in Didcot.

There was a discussion about the state of the A417 through Upton and some roads within the village (ie Stream Road), as the state of these roads is now beyond ‘just potholes’. MB wanted to know what the PC was doing about it? The PC and members of the public remarked that the Highways Department had run out of money for 2017/18 and had limited funds for 2018/19 and would only fill in potholes on major roads and those which caused harm to the public. MB said the PC should physically visit the Highways Department in Drayton with MB and put the problem forward.

Action agreed: a. The PC suggested a coordinated approach. b. MB, GdeW and BH to meet the Highways Dept in Drayton c. PC suggested that members of the public continue to use ‘Fix My Street’ to report the problems and to bring these issues forward and apply Pressure for action.

JW remarked that photographs should be taken of the state of the road (where safe to do so).

JW thanked all in the PC and others for all the work they do.

6. Chairman’s Closing Remarks The Chair thanked everyone for coming to the meeting.

The meeting closed at 8.45pm.

7. Date of next APM meeting – Monday 15th April 2019

Chairman’s Statement 2018
Good evening everyone and thank you for coming to the 71st Annual Parish Council Meeting.
First of all I would like to apologise for my absence this evening and thank Brendan Heneghan for standing in at the last minute.
We will be changing the format of this evening’s proceedings. Rather than reading out individual contributors’ reports after the Chairman’s Statement, we have arranged for copies of these reports to be available here tonight for your perusal, and copies will also be available on the Upton Village website.
The reason for this change is to recognise the real purpose of tonight’s event, which is to celebrate the work of all the clubs and services within the village and the people that make it all happen. Therefore, this year we will start with this Chairman’s Statement followed by the Parish Council’s financial report, presented by Liz, our Parish Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer. We will then have a quick Q and A session. After that, we invite you to mingle with us and with each other, sharing any thoughts or suggestions you may have on all aspects of village life, while enjoying nibbles and a glass of wine or a soft drink.
Moving on to the Chairman’s Statement proper…
This year has seen more changes on the Parish Council, with both Duncan Reid and Carl Pettman stepping down from their roles as Councillors at the end of March. I would like to extend both my thanks and, I’m sure, that of the village for all their hard work during their tenure.
I would like to welcome Brendan on to the Parish Council and announce that Jo Fidgen will be joining us in May. Both of these individuals will bring great knowledge and skills to the PC.
I would also like to thank Karen Marshall and Stuart Norman for their continued service, support, work and time. A special mention and thanks go to Liz, our Parish Clerk, who has now completed a full Council calendar year in her role, and who has organised this evening. Thank you.
I will be stepping down this year, which will create a vacancy; however, I will not leave until the vacancy is filled. I will be leaving in the knowledge that the Parish Council is in a strong position and in secure hands.
Filling positions on the Parish Council is not an easy task. We are a small village with a limited number of people to fill all the roles required by the clubs and associations we are fortunate to have in the village. May I ask you to either express an interest yourself, talk to your friends and neighbours to see if they would be interested, or let us know if you are aware of anyone that would like to help our community and serve on the Parish Council.
This seems an appropriate time to thank all the people involved in running the various clubs and associations in the village, and to those who represent and attend the various groups outside of the village, all of which make our village so special: from UVHAT, wine club, drop in, film club, skittles club, Friends of St Mary’s, transport representatives, Harwell Stakeholders group, Upton News and, last but not least, the volunteer group who keep the village looking so good. Thank you all. If I have missed anyone out please forgive me, but accept that our thanks go to you as well.
Talking of the village looking good, I would like to single out Graham De-Wilde and Rob Traynor for all their work in and around the village over the last year. Their varied work ranges from chopping trees to other maintenance projects.
One of the most common duties of the Parish Council is to comment on planning applications. Over the last year, we discussed a total of 25 planning applications. While some we were able to discuss in normal planned meetings, the balance had to be discussed by laying on an extra 8 planning meetings. My thanks go to the Councillors and Clerk for their time at these extra meetings. When the Parish Council receives a planning application, we make every endeavour to send a Councillor to visit the applicant/site and the neighbours so that we can have a better understanding of the application and therefore a more meaningful conversation. In turn, this allows us to comment fairly on the application. I believe as a Parish Council we are unique in this approach. If a planning application is to be discussed by the Parish Council, we will display an agenda on the noticeboard and on the village website; we will also try to inform the applicants and neighbours.
This year, Duncan and I held meetings with the District Council, the owner and tenant of Wattle Farm, and two of the neighbours in the hope that an agreement could be made on a mutually agreeable way forward for the Wattle Farm site. Whilst perhaps not one hundred percent successful, the meetings did lead to meaningful conversations, and there is now a dialogue and understanding in place that had not existed before.
An ongoing cause for concern for all in the village is the speed of traffic on the A417. We continue to put forward the village’s frustration at every opportunity with the District and County Councils, and with the Police, but this appears to be an uphill struggle as there are currently no resources or funds available to alleviate the problem.
On a more positive note, the Parish Council is in discussion with the County drainage team with regards to the crumbling concrete sand bags and wooden railing at the top of Stream Road. At a meeting last Thursday, it was agreed that the County drainage team will put together a quote for the removal of the concrete sand bags and wooden railing, and to extend the current drainage pipework. It is hoped that the County will bear a majority, if not all of, the cost for this work.
Finally, I am pleased to continue the positive news by adding that the update of documents held on the village website on behalf of the Parish Council went ahead as planned. There will be further updates to the IT side of the Parish Council this year which we will update you on in the coming months.
I am now going to hand over to Liz, who will give you an update on the financial report, a copy of which is available for your perusal.
Upton Parish Council – Annual Parish Meeting – Finance Report The Parish Council funds remain in a healthy state, following the receipt of the first half of this year’s precept. Total funds held are approximately £21,300. The emphasis in the past year has been on the continued maintenance of the play areas and the green areas in the village, following the major purchase of the stage early on in the last financial year. This maintenance has included:- service and maintenance of the mower and the purchase of other gardening equipment, continued maintenance of the larger play area, and replacement swings in the toddler’s play area. The village is fortunate that whilst materials and items such as the swings must be paid for, all the labour is provided free of charge by villagers. The parish council has also purchased a new salt bin late last year, but the defib unit is still outstanding, due to the unsuccessful application for some funding towards the cost of the cabinet and installation. This will be sorted out in the coming months. The Parish Council was however successful in obtaining a grant towards the costs of ensuring the PC meets all Transparency Guidelines. This means that costs incurred in meeting guidelines are covered, including the necessity to purchase a laptop and printer solely for the Clerk’s use for Parish Council business. The Parish Council is also grateful for the donations from Upton News, via Mike Brown, which helps to pay for the printing of the Upton News. This year, more substantial work may be needed and will require a proper assessment before any work is carried out. For example, the re-surfacing of the pump track and wood chips for the play area surface. There is also work needing to be carried out on various trees in the village, including some in Stream Road and the toddler play area. The PC remains mindful of the need to be prepared for larger expenditure, such as a new mower, as and when required. ClerkUPCAPM2018

The United Charities of the Ancient Parish of Blewbury, Upton and Aston Upthorpe

The two main functions of the charity are firstly to help people of all ages who live in the parish and who may need financial help and/or may have fallen on hard times and secondly to be responsible for the maintenance of the two almshouses in Blewbury. We have undertaken significant work on Alms-house no 2 due to severe flooding in 2016 and soon work to extend the property will commence. This will make it a suitable size for current living standards.

Anyone needing help or who knows of someone in need should contact the trustees. All applications are treated in confidence and are also discretionary. We are able to give financial gifts to more people than currently request help. As well as monetary gifts at Christmas the charity is able to help in other circumstances such as assisting with transport costs for frequent hospital visits, breaks for carers, items to help cope with disability and other instances where people are having difficulties paying for essential items such as school uniform. All applications are at the trustees’ discretion and looked at on a case by case basis. Current trustees are:

Blewbury: Sheila Loy (Chairman), Mark Palethorpe (Vice Chairman), Ann Dendy, Jill Willison and Jackie Maguire

Upton: Elizabeth Hardy Aston Upthorpe: Louise Brimacombe Clerk: Sarah Donne: sarahdonne@btinternet.com

Upton Parish Council Monday 16th April 2018 Blewbury Primary School Again this has been a very varied year which has seen an increase in numbers up to 166, with several families choosing to join us from outside of Blewbury as well as from within our local community. Many are attracted by our global outlook and our holistic approach to the curriculum which is designed to really engage children in their learning and to link various sources of information together. Miss Sequeros who was with us last academic year has stayed in England but moved to London, Miss McDonald was able to stay with us in order to complete her NQT year and after Christmas moved to a school in Bicester, much closer to where she lives. Both Mrs Willmott and Mrs White have now returned from maternity leave and last September Mrs Lewis joined us as an NQT, she is working very hard to establish herself in Year 1. Miss Costello and myself continue as co–headteachers. The global and international elements of our curriculum are really flourishing. Since the last report eight children have travelled to Siikajoki in Finland , where we found wide open space, snow in May and night times that were never dark. Last October it was the turn of the Spanish school in Caceres to host and here we produced a newspaper, visited a radio station, met the mayor and enjoyed the sunshine. Next week eight more children travel to Siegburg in Germany where we will be developing a ‘Friendship and Peace celebration’, cooking and eating together and again meeting the mayor as well as visiting Cologne cathedral. We have also been visited by teachers from several different countries; they choose our school to compete job shadowing funded by the European Union. We have hosted an Italian teacher for three weeks, three different Spanish teachers, all from various regions. Four Italian teachers from the ‘Trieste’ region of Italy who came for a week to look at our use of ICT and most recently two teachers from Ibiza. We still have two Dutch teachers and an American teacher to visit this year. We have also been travelling to observe in different countries and at February half term break three teachers travelled to a Nursery School just north of Nice, whilst three more of us went to Zwolle in the Netherlands at the same time. There is always so much to learn and think about. Our Global Learning Network continued to operate until Christmas, with Blewbury being able to offer training to neighbouring schools. We have also succeeded in winning a bid for additional money to be able to provide a day involving children from at least six local schools which will involve dance, music and storytelling but emphasise the Sustainable Development Goals. This year we have also been recording our International emphasis in order to provide evidence for our seventh International School Award which we hope to achieve this summer. One example would be some work that took place this last term. Our overriding them for the year is ‘Innovation’, last term we emphasised the innovations that various civilisations had made which have had an influence on us now. Out of this came a lot of work around the transportation and storage of water. The children then began to question the lack of water in some areas of the world and linked it back to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. They considered Clean Water and Sanitation and then looked at films produced by Water Aid as well as examples from Malawi and Chennai. The work on water then went on to become our lent challenge introduced during our church service in February and the children collected coins which were presented and blessed at our Easter service. We are hoping the Thames Water will match our monies raised and the donation will be targeted towards some villages in Malawi. One of the families who were briefly at Blewbury school and lived in the village returned to Malawi this summer. On World Book Day we shared some stories from different countries and the children have produced written work to create their own special books to send to either Malawi or Chennai. The children and adults also shared across the school their favourite books. We are really fortunate to have several volunteers from the village community who come into school to share reading activities with the children, this is an invaluable asset and has a really positive effect on the young people and hopefully also on the volunteers themselves.
We are very proud of our pupils in Class 6 who were challenged by Mike Evans, one of our governors, to take part in the BBC – 500 words challenge. You may have seen our winning entry published in the bulletin. We have yet to see if any of the stories will receive acclaim in the National arena. We continue to have an emphasis on both first hand experiential learning and outdoor adventure. The younger children have been to Cogges Farm, Birdland, Winchester Mill and Steventon as well as Savages. Key stage two have visited Didcot Sewage Works and Year 6 have taken part in the Injury Minimisation programme as well as Junior Citizens. Last autumn 83 children aged between 7 and 11, took part in an Outdoor Activities long weekend, Friday morning to Monday afternoon, on the Isle of Wight. In the summer last year Year 3 spent three nights on the Ridgeway at Court Hill, Year 4 and 5 went to Cheddar and Year 6 completed an activity week at Minehead. This year we are off to Hill End near Oxford, Much Wenlock in Shropshire and Wilderhope Manor again in Shropshire, for the different age groups. These residential experiences really help to promote resilience, self- reliance and confidence. As well as the more physical activities that these trips can provide we continue to support and encourage competitive sport as well as developing physical skills for everyone. We have again taken part in both mixed and girl’s football leagues and tournaments, with our girl’s being runners up in a six aside ‘Vale of White Horse Tournament’ just before Easter. Some of our runners continue to achieve well at Cross Country Events; and just before Easter we also had a cricket taster day organised through Wallingford and Blewbury Cricket Club and we are pleased to promote this link. We are about to start regular coaching for the oldest three classes in the school, hopefully this will encourage more Blewbury Cricket. Similarly, we have a tennis taster organised through the Blewbury Club. Our link with local groups continues to develop through our biodome and garden and Sustainable Blewbury. We are most grateful for both the practical support of Jo Lakeland but also the group’s financial support towards soil and seeds. Hopefully produce will again be on sale in the summer and our young people will begin to learn some valuable gardening skills. We continue to facilitate cornet lessons for the Year 4 children through Blewbury Brass Band, children can also learn key boards, guitar and drums at school. From Year 2 the children also take part in about eighteen sessions of African Drumming a year. A group of children represented the school at Voice in a Million, held at Wembley Arena; this event supports the fostering and adopting of children. This is an amazing experience for the children to take part in. This year we have deployed one of our TAs to be an ELSA – Emotional Literacy Support Assistant, supportive work is carried out with both individuals and groups and our special room – our octagonal cedar building, provided by the PTA, provides a friendly base at lunch time for those children who find this time more challenging. We are finding that more and more children are needing emotional support in school and we are very aware that mental health has to be high on our agenda.
This spring we hosted the first in a series of opportunities for adults to talk to Key Stage 2 about their job. Whether they had to plan to achieve a goal, chose particular subjects at school, what they enjoy about their life style etc. Our first person to talk about their ‘Career’ was Mrs Sally Lewis who is a mum and a GP. Sally is also the Chair of the PTA who work really hard to provide events for the children, there are five Friday nights in the year, the Christmas and Summer Fairs and a cake stall for each class. ‘Community’ is one of our Christian values and this is something we hope that the children really ‘Appreciate’. – You can be part of this if you join us for our Colour Fun Run in May. We are really pleased to be part of such a strong community and are always glad to be the hosts of Blewfest and the Santa Fun Run. Yet again the children enjoyed helping clear the leaves. We thank everyone for their support and wish our Year 6 good luck when they sit their SATS next month. We hope that the few government tweaks help these tests to be challenging but fair. Marion Mills

Rector’s Report for 2018
This report covers the calendar year 2017. This has been a year of stability in the Benefice. I am, as always, most grateful to the members of the clergy team for all that they do; Revd John Clarke, Revd Louise Butler, Revd Jen Brown, and Revd Clive Holmes. This year the staff team has been joined by Mrs Jenny Loder, who is serving in our Benefice as a Licensed Lay Minister. It is a joy to welcome Jenny in this official role.
I would also like to put on record my thanks to all the others who undertake and support ministry in our Benefice. In particular, I should like to thank our Churchwardens, PCC members, our Benefice Treasurer, and our Benefice Administrator. Thank you, one and all!
Our Science Mission project continues, in partnership with the Ian Ramsey Centre at the University of Oxford. The current phase of the project, together with the current funding, comes to an end in December 2018. I very much wish the project to continue after this date, and so I am currently exploring options for the future, together with their attendant funding possibilities.
Our two Church primary schools, Blewbury Endowed Church of England Primary School and Hagbourne Church of England Primary School, continue to thrive. Although these are Church schools and very much part of the Benefice, it is important to note that they serve children of all faiths and none. Our schools continue to seek to provide the highest possible quality of education for the children of our communities. This is a challenge in the constantly changing world of education.
Our new bishop, Bishop Steven, continues to explore the values which should lie at the heart of our life as a Diocese. After extensive prayer and consultation, three key values have emerged; Contemplation, Compassion and Courage. Bishop Steven would like these values to be part of the life of the Diocese at all levels. We are beginning to think about what these values – “The 3 C’s”- might mean for us in our Benefice.
Perhaps the most challenging, and most interesting, is Courage. Christian Courage is not to be confused with recklessness. It is a distinct virtue, intimately connected to faith in God, and trust in God’s plans for our present and our future. I wonder what might it mean for us to be Courageous in our life together during the year ahead? All thoughts gratefully received!
The Revd Jason St John Nicolle, Rector, 28th March 2018

Church Wardens Report 2018

There are one or two outstanding issues which need to be addressed i.e.
The cedar roof tiles around the bell tower, estimates for the work are required.
The gates at the entrance, the main entrance door, both need sanding and re-oiling. A wood panel in the porch will be replaced when the weather becomes more favourable and the timbers have had time to dry out.
The proposed new extension and refurbishment of the vestry are ongoing. Architect’s plans have been produced and the quantity surveyor’s cost estimate is awaited. Once this is received we will begin fund raising. An application will be made to the Heritage Lottery Fund and local organisations who may be able to offer support. An appeal will be set up to fund the balance of the costs. It is difficult to be certain of timings at present but it is hoped that substantial progress will be made towards obtaining the funding by the end of the summer.
We now have the approved faculty for landscaping works in the cemetery. A working party has been arranged for Saturday, 21 April to remove dead trees, tidy the vegetation and repair the fence.
The bench in the churchyard has been refurbished, the work kindly undertaken by an Upton resident.
The spotlights have been replaced where required, however due to the age of the fittings it is unlikely that further lamps will be available so new updated fittings will be needed in the future.
It was agreed at a PCC meeting that a new noticeboard at the gate would be beneficial. Before size and ordering can take place it would be helpful to know how much information other than the weekly notices would go on the board and then have a consensus of opinion as to it’s placement.
We are fortunate that the building generally remains in good condition.

Jessie West & Paul Batho

Harwell Stakeholders’ Committee

There have not been items of particular interest to Upton PC this year.
Progress has continued to decommission the nuclear site and to return it to the state where the land can be used for other uses. Construction on the new Intermediate Level Store has started.
The new initiatives on the site continue to expand and more buildings are planned and being built which will lead to considerably more employment (and traffic!).
As far as I am aware, the socio-economic programme is still in place and contributions invited for financial support from local bodies.
I am happy to continue to represent the parish if that is the wish of the Parish Council and will advise them of anything which may be of interest.
Derek Whitmell, 29.3.18

Upton Village Hall Amenities Trust, Report to the Annual Parish Meeting, 16th April 2018

Trustees I would like to thank all our Trustees who continue to help with the smooth running of the village hall and its administration. Finances Thanks to the ever-increasing popularity of the hall as a venue, the finances of the trust remain strong and the trustees can maintain an adequate reserve. Full accounts will be prepared for the UVHAT AGM in May. John Haworth and Kieron Humphrey continue to perform an excellent task looking after the day to day finances. Bookings The hall is more popular than ever as a venue for parties for young and old, with enthusiastic feedback received from hirers. The District Council recently arranged a taster activity day, and this has resulted in the creation of a period of exercise classes for the over 60s, while our local yoga instructor has expanded her usage of the hall. The provision of Internet and WiFi in the hall makes it a good location for commercial bookings such as Planning Inquiries, taking advantage of otherwise quieter times for the hall during the week. We are frequently consulted by other village halls about our facilities, particularly the WiFi and the new kitchen. Film Club continues to be popular and successful. We say goodbye to one of our Brownie groups which has moved to Harwell where most of its members reside; as a result, Tuesday evenings will be freed upon a regular basis for potential new activities which it is hoped will be of benefit to the village.

Fundraising We are grateful to Lesley Shaw and her volunteers for organising the Upton 50 Club and maintaining its popularity. The 50 Club remains popular and is a valuable source of additional funding. Proceeds from the village fete were this year split between St Mary’s and UVHAT, and the trustees are considering the most appropriate use of these funds in the interests of those villagers who supported the fete as a result.

Development Projects The trustees still hope to refurbish the main hall and meeting room, with the hope of creating a more contemporary environment and better ambience in these areas. The work in the main hall may be significant, and will probably involve major works to the floor, walls, lighting, improvements to the acoustics, and overhaul of the meeting room. This work will require significant external funding. Meanwhile we would like to continue expansion of our facilities to complement our stage and existing AV equipment which would make it easier to stage village music events etc.

Caretaking The aim of the trustees is to present the hall to users in a state which — as much as possible—leads them to feel that they are the first to use the amenity. Our regular cleaner continues to do an excellent job in ensuring that the hall is brought up to a high standard of hygiene once a week. During the year a wide range of maintenance tasks have been undertaken, and we would like to thank Graham de Wilde, Rob Traynor and others for their assistance.

Conclusion The village hall and the recreation ground in which it stands continue to be valuable assets to Upton and as a small village we can be proud to boast an amenity that attracts so much praise. Brian Rippon Chair, UVHAT

Minutes of an extraordinary meeting of Upton Parish Council held on Thursday 5th April 2018 in the Upton village hall meeting room.
Present: Stuart Fraser (SCF/Chair), Liz Cooper (EC/Clerk), Brendan Heneghan (BH), Karen Marshall (KM), Stuart Norman (SN)

1. Apologies for absence None.

2. Declarations of interest None.

3. Planning Summary BH gave a brief summary on how planning currently works for the benefit of the council.

4. The following planning applications were considered:-
4.1 P18/V0610/HH
Fernwood, High Street, Upton. Creation of 2 box dormers at rear first floor, 3 box dormer windows at front first floor, replacement of existing plastic windows with wooden casements & creation of new single storey extension.

The council voted No Objections to this application.

4.2 P18/V0551/HH Cherry Cottage, Chilton Road, Upton. Amendment to P17/V0252/HH. New bedroom at front of house does not have enough headroom.
The council voted No Objections to this application.

5. AOB None.

Dates of forthcoming meetings:-

Annual Parish Meeting, Monday 16th April 2018, 7.15 for 7.30pm in the village hall.

Annual General Meeting, Monday 14thg May 2018, 7.30pm in the village hall meeting room.

Minutes of the meeting of Upton Parish Council (UPC) held at 6pm on Monday 19th March 2018 in the village hall meeting room.
Present:- Duncan Reid (Vice Chair/DR), Liz Cooper (Clerk/EC), Stuart Norman (SN), Carl Pettman (CP), Cllr R Waite (RW), Brendan Heneghan (BH), PCSOs Gary Kirby & Chris Radcliffe

1. Apologies for absence Stuart Fraser, Karen Marshall, Cllr Fox-Davies in advance.

2. To hear here a brief explanation on the Ryde Brief from Hamish Blythe Unfortunately Mr Blythe was delayed in London so was unable to attend the meeting.

3. To receive a report from the PCSO A verbal report was given my PCSO Gary Kirby and included:- 2018 to date there are no crimes of note to report. There continues to be some rural crime such as hare coursing and thefts from outbuildings/vehicles. PCSO Kirby also advised parishioners to feel free to report anything out of place by calling ‘101’, and if there is any perceived risk or crime not to hesitate in calling ‘999’.

4. To receive reports from District & County Councillors R. Waite – written report (circulated prior to meeting and included at end of minutes). RW agreed to send a monthly report to the Clerk for circulation to the PC. ACTION RW Regarding the Gate House build, RW to report to PC when outstanding reports are concluded. DR to write a letter concerning the Gate House build to RW, with a copy to the Head of Planning. ACTION DR RW reported that UPC would receive no money from the Community Grant. RW to investigate other donations for the installation of a defib cabinet at the village hall. He also noted other applications for community grants and grant application advice training sessions (see RW notes below). SN to look at potential for new grant applications and attending an advice session. ACTION SN RW also highlighted upcoming charity fundraising events detailed at the end of his report (see below) where all are welcome to attend.

M Fox-Davies – written report (circulated prior to meeting and included at end of minutes)

5. To record declarations of interest from councillors regarding items on the agenda No declarations of interest were made.

6. To approve the minutes of previous meetings:- The minutes for meetings held on 15.01.18 and 06.03.18 were signed off. There were no matters arising and the following action points were noted:- RW to forward details to the PC of local brown field sites. ACTION RW Clerk/SCF to speak to Brian Rippon regarding the PCs IT requirements. ACTION Clerk/SCF

7. To hear representations from the public Mike Brown handed over a cash donation of £25 on behalf of Upton News. He also noted that Footpath 21 was in use again after fences had been erected on both sides. MB also stated that a village litter pick had been organised for Sunday 25th March. The PC will discuss next year’s litter pick at the meeting in January 2019.

9. To hear Clerk’s Financial Report 9.1 The updated and reconciled cashbook to 16.03.18 was distributed prior to the meeting. 9.2 The presented Budget for 2018/19 (distributed prior to meeting) was agreed and the following was noted: Due to the costs for the resurfacing of the pump track and potential costs for repairs and/or replacement of play equipment, the PC agreed to consider a village wide consultation as to the play area facilities and use in general. 9.3 The clerk reported that a VAT rebate of £634 had been received in to the PCs bank account. 9.4 The clerk confirmed the External Auditor for the PC is Moore Stevens and that audit paperwork was yet to be received. 9.5 The clerk reported that the PC had been successful in it’s application for Transparency Grant funding in the sum of £1014.96.

10. To hear an update on the provision and installation of a defib cabinet to the village hall See RW note above. DR reported that if there was no progress in two months, the PC would need to make a decision on how to proceed in funding this work. It was noted that electrical work quotes would also have to be renewed.

11. To hear an update on the Recreation Ground Inspection Rota DR reported that the inspection rota included nine volunteers and would currently run to the end of 2018. DR to send an email regarding someone taking over the running of the rota as he was stepping down. SN reported that the base of the toddler slide needed looking at in terms of health & safety, even though the last RoSPA report identified the risk level as ‘low’. SN to take photos and report back to the PC. ACTION SN

12. To hear an update on the situation in Stream Road with regards to the concrete bails. DR (on behalf of SCF) reported that SCF was meeting with Gordon Kelman of OCC to discuss a possible solution to the problem noting that OCC have no formal responsibility. CP reported that further damage had recently been caused to the bails.

13. To discuss the use of the recreational ground for Under 14s Rugby The PC agreed to grant permission. EC to email accordingly. ACTION Clerk

14. To discuss any involvement of the PC in the Local Airspace Development consultation CP agreed to take a closer look at the requirements of the consultation and report back to the PC. ACTION CP

15. To approve expenditure 15.1 Expenses & Invoices The following items were agreed/signed off:- Clerk expenses for the period 16.01.18 to 19.03.18 Total £19.86 OALC Annual Subscription £112.55 + VAT OALC Clerk Job Evaluation invoice £60.00 OALC Roles & Responsibilities Course £80 + VAT GDPR Membership £35.00 – Clerk’s note: awaiting confirmation from OALC as to status for applying for membership.

15.2 To discuss donation requests The PC agreed to donate £25 to Home Start. ACTION Clerk to arrange

16. AOB The Clerk noted that a new planning application had been received and therefore a planning meeting would be arranged before the deadline of 12 noon on 7th April.

The meeting closed at 7.27pm

Date of upcoming meetings:-

Annual Parish Meeting, Monday 16th April 2018, 7.15 for 7.30pm pm in the village hall.

Annual General Meeting, date TBC in May 2018 in the village hall meeting room.

Regular Parish Council meeting, Monday 16th July 2018 in the village hall meeting room.

MINUTES OF A MEETING OF UPTON PARISH COUNCIL (UPC)

Time/Date: 6pm on Monday 15th January 2018

Location: Village hall meeting room

Present: Stuart Fraser (Chairman) Duncan Reid (Vice Chairman) Brendan Heneghan Stuart Norman Carl Pettman  SCF DR BH SN CP

In attendance: Cllr R Waite Cllr M Fox-Davies Liz Cooper (Clerk)   RW MF-D EC
Apologies for absence: Karen Marshall

Preliminary: The Chairman reported that due notice of the meeting had been given and that a quorum was present. Accordingly, he declared the meeting open.

Business: Item Action 1 Apologies for absence

1.1 Apologies for absence were received from Karen Marshall. It was recorded that neither Janet Shelley nor the PCSO were present.

2 Declarations of Interest

2.1 BH handed the Clerk his signed Declaration of Interest form.
BH declared his interest in the planning application for Alden Farmhouse, and stated that he would neither take part in the UPC’s discussion nor vote on the matter.

3 Minutes of the meetings of 27 November 2017 and 7 December 2017

3.1 The minutes of meetings of 27 November and 7 December 2017 were taken as read and were approved for signature by the Chairman as accurate records of the meetings.

4 Matters arising and actions from previous minutes

4.1 All action points were either cleared or on the agenda, with the exception of the play area items requiring attention. DR / SCF to report further at the next meeting.

DR/SCF
5 Planning applications

5.1 Two planning applications were discussed, as follows.

5.1.1 P17/V3341/FUL Willows, Stream Road, Upton – change of use of land to residential curtilage to willows and the erection of a garage/workshop including the erection of a 1.8m high boundary fence.

The council voted ‘No Objections’ to this application.

5.1.2 P17/V3081/FUL Alden Farmhouse, Aldens Lane, Upton – construction of equestrian facilities, including stable building, ménage, horse walker, hay storage barn and associated landscaping including access track; conversion of existing stables to form ancillary accommodation.

The UPC voted to OBJECT to this application as the proposed scale of the development was too large – the equestrian site appeared to be more in keeping with a commercial equestrian centre rather than residential. Were the application to be granted, UPC requested that a condition that the equestrian site not be run as a commercial enterprise, be imposed.
UPC was also concerned about the safety aspect of additional traffic from stabling potentially ten horses plus on site. It was noted that access to and from the site was via a small single-lane, private road with a public footpath running along its centre, with only two passing places and that there had been near-misses of accidents in the past between walkers and traffic. It was further noted that the road then led onto the A417 on a notorious, blind bend, which would make access to and from the A417 hazardous to all parties. If the site were to become commercial, this would obviously increase the risks to an unacceptable level.
It was recorded that while UPC was not opposed in principle to a residential equestrian centre at this site, it was strongly opposed to any commercial venture there for the safety reasons given above.

6 Representations from the public

6.1 No members of the public were present and no representations had been received.

7 Reports from District & County Councillors [Clerk’s note: this item had been taken earlier in the meeting.]
7.1 RW presented his report (appendix A).
RW reported that the Vale had published details of brown field sites that may be suitable to receive planning applications. RW would send a copy of this to the Clerk when available.                RW
7.2 MF-D presented his report (appendix B).
MF-D also reported that the council had been undergoing a separation process with Carillion, as their poor delivery on projects had been recognised.
MF-D further reported that a cross-party Cabinet Advisory Group was looking at many things including the Oxford-Cambridge Expressway. Information would continue to be provided when it was available.

8 Receive reports from the PCSO

8.1 None received.

9 Clerk’s financial report

9.1 Updated cash book report – the updated and reconciled cashbook had been circulated in advance of the meeting. SN asked that the VAT be reclaimed. EC agreed to speak to SN regarding this.        EC
9.2 Precept Application – agreement and sign-off – the Precept application form was completed with a figure of £9,175 and signed by the Chair. It was agreed that this could now be submitted.            EC
9.3 Draft budget for 2018/19 – agreement and sign-off – a further draft of the budget for 2018/19 was circulated prior to the meeting. Two further amendments were requested:
• £2000 for tree maintenance; and • £2500 new bark for play area.                                                   EC
9.4 Transparency Fund Application – the Transparency Fund application had been updated. It was agreed that this be completed and submitted.                                                                                          EC
9.5 Notifications of external auditor for UPC – EC informed the meeting that the auditor for this year’s external audit would be Moore Stephens. SCF confirmed that an external audit would be required.

10 To agree roles and responsibilities

10.1 It was agreed to postpone allocating roles and responsibilities to a future meeting. Three Councillors, Stuart Fraser (Chairman), Duncan Reid (Vice Chair) and Carl Pettman confirmed their intentions to step down as Parish Councillors at the end of this financial year. SCF said that he would continue to support the UPC until new councillors were on board.

11 Discussions on IT facilities

11.1 Microsoft Office update – it was agreed to cancel the subscription to Office 365 at the end of January.                                                                                                                                                            EC
11.2 Purchase of laptop and printer for use by Clerk on behalf of UPC – a grant application had been completed and submitted, with a decision due by the end of February. If successful, UPC would purchase a laptop, software and printer for use by the clerk on behalf of UPC. All data relating to UPC would be held on the laptop and on a cloud server.
11.3 Software /email account /single points of failure – it was agreed to hold a meeting with Brian Rippon to discuss UPC’s requirements and obtain further training.                                                        EC

12 and 13
Potential use of Communities Fund & Communities Grant Fund in Upton including defib cabinet [Clerk’s note: items 12 and 13 of the agenda were taken together.]
SN and SCF had submitted application forms to fund the supply and fitting of a defibrillator cabinet and to carry out tree surgery work required in the village. It was hoped that UPC would receive a decision from the fund organisers in March.

14 Update on siting of WW1 Memorial

14.1 SCF reported that St Mary’s PCC had agreed in principle that the memorial plaque would be relocated to the vestry as part of the proposed future refurbishment works.

15 Approval of expenditure

15.1 Clerk expenses for the period 28.11.17 to 15.01.18 – total £12.80 signed off by SCF.

Data Protection course (OALC / Didcot) 14.2.18 – £48.00 (paid through bank 13.12.17).

Village Hall Hire (2/10, 12/10, 27/11 @£10 each) – £30.00.

Tree cutting in Stream road and the Toddler playground – £2070 + vat. Quote received, awaiting grant approval.

Purchase of two replacement toddler swings – approved at previous meeting – £84.95 each. It was agreed that EC would order the swings.

It was agreed that the End of Year Accounts course (OALC / Burford) was not required. It was noted that no expenses had been incurred in relation to Grounds upkeep.                                                      EC

16 Any other business and next meeting

16.1 A brief discussion took place concerning the pump track. The UPC agreed to look into whether to resurface the pump track in the new financial year.                                                                                      All
16.2 Next meeting: Monday 19th March 2018, 6pm in the village hall meeting room. There being no further business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 7:45pm.

Stuart Fraser Chairman

APPENDIX A

Upton Parish Council District Notes for Parish Councillors on Monday, 15th January 2018 from Cllr Janet Shelley & Cllr Reg Waite

Enforcement Investigations:

VE17/496 – The Gate House, Reading Road, Upton OX11 9HP Reported: 24 August 2017 Alleged breach: Breach of conditions 3 & 5 on planning application P16/V1903/FUL (tree protection and turning area). Case Officer: Zoe Spring Site visits: 21 September 17 and 5 October 17 6 week target date – 5 October 17. 12 week target date – 16 November 17. Still under investigation.

VE17/279 – The Gate House, Reading Road, Upton OX11 9HP Reported: 22 May 2017 Alleged breach: Landscaping not in accordance with the approved plans for P16/V1903/FUL. Case Officer: Clare Merritt Site visited: 12 June 2017. Case now closed. Decision: No breach.

VE17/160 – Plot 29, Warren Place, Upton Reported: 30 March 2017 Alleged breach: Without planning permission the material change of use of land for residential purposes. Case Officer: Susannah Mangion Site visited: 5 April 2017 and 1 May 2017. 6 week target date – 11 May 2017. 12 week target date – 22 May 2017. In early December, it was reported to Enforcement Officer that the gate to the site was unlocked; children and young people had visited creating increased rubbish; considered to be health and safety issue. Matters were then reported to Community Safety team. The owners had promised to clear the site by the end of 2017. Enforcement officer visited last week which confirmed no action had been taken. Matters now being discussed with Senior Officer to consider prosecution and/or direct action.

1. PERMANENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE APPOINTED
South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils have appointed Mark Stone as their permanent Chief Executive. Mark has spent a successful six months as Acting Chief Executive. His appointment was approved by councillors at Vale of White Horse District Council’s full council meeting on 13 December and South Oxfordshire District Council’s full council meeting on 14 December, following a rigorous interview process with the two councils’ Joint Staff Committee.

Waste has never bin so easy with a new smartphone app:
Waste collection information is now just a screen tap away in South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse. The two district councils have launched a brand-new smartphone app, which is available free of charge for iPhone and Android phones right now.
The app is called Binzone – by simply tapping their postcode in and selecting their address, residents can find out which bin is being emptied this week, and what day it’s being emptied.
The app will also send users a notification if their waste collection day changes due to a bank holiday – very handy for keeping track of what day bins will be emptied over Bank Holiday periods.
It will also let residents know if collections are disrupted by snow or icy conditions.
That’s not all though – residents can also use Binzone to look up what bin their rubbish goes in. Ever been confused as to what bin an empty aerosol can goes in? Not any more – residents can simply search for it in Binzone and find out. It’s the green recycling wheelie bin, by the way.
The app is so easy to navigate and will save residents time by having all the information needed right at their fingertips, especially the changes to collection days around bank holidays.
If the weather worsens again this winter the Binzone app will come into its own by keeping our residents informed on what is happening to their collections. It is very handy to have the information in one place.
Binzone is available to download free of charge on the iPhone Appstore and the Google Play Store.

Council support for Syrian refugee families highlighted
In September 2015 the Government committed to resettling up to 20,000 Syrian refugees in the UK. We pledged to resettle six families in the Vale.
Any refugee family arriving in the UK requires intensive support from the moment they get here. They have no possessions or financial resources and many also do not speak English.
To ensure families moving to the Vale were able to quickly settle here we worked with the British Red Cross to provide a suitable environment with access to a support network.
Last month a BBC Sunday Politics featured the story of one family who have settled in Abingdon.
Cllr Matthew Barber, Leader of Vale of White Horse District Council said: “When a family arrives in the UK, it is vital that they are resettled into a suitable environment and with the support they need to adapt to life here. That means finding appropriate private rented accommodation, arranging health and education, and providing translation and language services as well as ongoing support. However, it is often the little things, the tasks that people take for granted, such as organising bus passes to ensure the family can get to local services, which are most important.
“I’m very proud of the support that we and British Red Cross have provided for the families. Voluntary groups and residents across the Vale have also been very supportive, offering donations and welcoming the families to the local area and helping to make them feel a part of the Vale community.”
Rose Haines, operations manager for refugee support at the Red Cross said: “We are proud to be working alongside the South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils and our voluntary sector partners to welcome refugees to the area and help them settle into their new home. With more displaced people in the world than at any point since the Second World War, we welcome the fact that the UK is playing its part in offering a place of safety to those fleeing the conflict in Syria.”

Helping residents keep warm and healthy this winter
Residents in southern Oxfordshire concerned about keeping warm and managing their energy bills are being encouraged to contact an advice service for help.
The Better Housing Better Health service, funded by South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils alongside the county’s other district councils and Oxfordshire County Council, helps people who are vulnerable to the effects of living in cold homes over the winter period.
The advice service offers free, impartial advice on staying warm and managing energy bills. Residents can find out if they qualify for a grant to install energy saving improvements to their homes or a free home energy visit to look at ways to save energy to bring their bills down.
The service is run by the Affordable Warmth Network, which all local councils are part of. It offers direct referrals to a growing network of support organisations, including the fire service, falls prevention service and befriending and advice services. All of which aims to ease the pressure on other health services during the winter months.
With increasing energy costs, it is a worrying time for some and we would encourage anyone concerned to make the most of the service. Pick up the phone or visit the website today and find out about the help and support you, or someone you know, can receive immediately.”
Cold weather and homes can directly affect people’s health and we are proud to help fund this advice service which widens the support we already provide for our residents who are in most need.
If you or someone you know is struggling to keep warm and well this winter call the free BHBH hotline on 0800 107 0044 or visit the website www.bhbh.org.uk

Put your real tree to good use after Christmas – recycle it!
Now the festivities are all done, residents in the Vale are being encouraged to make sure their real Christmas trees are put to good use by recycling them.
Garden waste customers simply need to leave their real tree next to their brown bins on their usual collection day: • week commencing Monday 9 January in Vale of White Horse
However, residents do not have to be signed up to garden waste collections to recycle their real trees. They simply need to take it along to one of the drop-off points being set up by Vale of White Horse District Councils.
Details of the drop-off locations are available on the councils’ website here.
Last year a total of 2,384 real Christmas trees were collected and recycled from the various drop off points in Southern Oxfordshire. This is in addition to the trees that were left next to the brown garden waste bins.
Householders can obviously compost their real Christmas trees at home but we understand not everyone will want, or have a garden, to do this. We’re very pleased to give all householders the chance to recycle their trees and hope as many people as possible take advantage of this.
The drop-off locations for real Christmas trees are:
Before Tuesday 9 January • Buckland Village Hall • Childrey playing field • East Challow Village Hall Car Park
Before Friday 12 January • Kennington – Forest Side and Playfield Road playing fields car park
Before Sunday 14 January • Frilford – Millets Farm Garden Centre • Hinksey – The Oxford Garden Centre • Wantage – Charlton Park Garden Centre

2. OVER £100,000 AWARDED IN THE VALE OF WHITE HORSE AREA
Communities from Hinksey to Hendred and Botley to Blewbury have benefited from over £107,000 in grants awarded by Vale of White Horse District Council this month. Out of the total amount, the district council has given £55,306 to communities close to where new homes have been built.
We are delighted to be able to give so much support to local community groups, parish councils and clubs throughout the district – it’s particularly important that we’re supporting communities that are growing due to new developments in the Vale. £10,833 was awarded to Stanford in the Vale Parish Council towards removing a large electricity pylon from a 19-acre site so they can start using the space as a recreation area. There are plans to build a new community building, sports pitches and play areas for the whole community to enjoy. Grants totalling £6,050 have been awarded to refurbish the Royal British Legion clubs in Abingdon and East Challow – a popular venue for lots of community events for residents. A spokesperson from Challow Royal British Legion said, “Being awarded this grant will allow the committee to agree the necessary roof repairs sooner than expected. This well-used hall is a social hub for the area and the improvements to the club will be appreciated by all club users.” Kennington Parish Council received £4,750 to help them to forge ahead with new plans and designs for a brand-new pavilion, a much-needed facility which will be used by local clubs for sports and recreational activities. Other donations include:
• St Peter and Paul Church in North Hinksey who were given £4,088 to improve the heating, toilets and windows for community use, • Snells Hall in East Hendred received just over £1,000 to help upgrade their lighting, • Botley Bridges were awarded £1,518 to support three ten-week family improvement courses and, • Blewbury Parish Council had £6,257 for installing a ‘trim trail’ – a range of equipment offering physical activity for the whole community on their recreation ground. • Watchfield Parish Council received £11,146 to improve their play area and to buy a defibrillator to be placed nearby.
The cash came from two funds, both of which are available to not-for-profit organisations for one-off projects that benefit the wider local community. The district council also provides financial support for community festivals and events happening in the local area. For more information on all the grants the district council offer, visit www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/grants.

Oxfordshire getting physical to support people with diabetes
Oxfordshire has a new county-wide project to support people with diabetes into physical activity.
The project is being delivered by five district councils, including South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils and Oxfordshire Sport and Physical Activity and is funded by the Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning group.
Adults with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes can sign up to receive motivational coaching sessions, subsidised activities and ongoing telephone support and advice on managing their diabetes. They can also sign up to take part in 12 week StepWatchers programmes where they receive free pedometers and motivation to increase their step count.
There are currently more than 28,000 people registered as having diabetes in Oxfordshire and about 2,200 are newly diagnosed each year.
With type 2 diabetes, physical activity is an important component of your treatment plan. Not only does exercise affect your heart health and lower your blood glucose levels, but it can improve your confidence and sleep quality.
We are very pleased to be able to help deliver Go Active, Get Healthy which is a programme targeted specifically for people with diabetes and aims to help motivate and support those who need it to become more physically active.
We hope that through this programme, those who need the help will take advantage of the free coaching sessions, long term support and access to a range of great classes and opportunities.
Ed Nicholas, Physical Activity and Sport Manager at Oxfordshire Sport and Physical Activity added: “The prevalence of diabetes amongst the population of Oxfordshire means that it is time to provide interventions to support them with their condition.”
“I am delighted that we are in place to support people into activity. I am also delighted to see all the districts across Oxfordshire continue to support their respective residents. We hope that residents welcome this scheme and take sustainable physical activity into their lives.”
If you are interested in this scheme, simply complete our Diabetes Survey here https://www.getoxfordshireactive.org and a member of our team will be in touch. Alternatively, you can call us on 01235 422226 or email us hendriette.knouwds@southandvale.gov.uk.
Call to action. Go Active Get Healthy is a programme designed to support people with diabetes with physical activity interventions. Please visit the scheme website for further information and to self-refer onto the programme and find out more about activities taking place across the county. https://www.getoxfordshireactive.org/. Please also follow the scheme on social media-https://www.facebook.com/goactivesouth/ , https://www.facebook.com/goactive.vale/

APPENDIX B

REPORT TO UPTON PARISH COUNCIL JANUARY 2018 FROM CLLR MIKE FOX-DAVIES

GENERAL OCC REPORT

COUNCIL PROPOSES FUTURE BUDGET FROM A RESILIENT POSITION

OCC is planning to set a new budget having made difficult choices in previous years to manage a combination of squeezed budgets and the fact that more people need council services. Since 2010 the council has managed reductions in finances available at the same time as rises in demand for services – especially in children’s social care and adult social care. At the same time the council has in recent years been involving communities ever more in services for their locality – ranging from support for older people and those with learning disabilities to library volunteers. The net result is that the council’s finances are in a resilient position looking ahead to the 2018/19 financial year and planning for years up to 2022. The council has used its agreed vision for the future – supporting thriving people, a thriving economy and thriving communities – as the basis on which proposals have been made for the 2018/19 financial year and the plan for the three financial years which follow. Although proposed budget changes are not as extensive as in many previous years since 2010, like any organisation the council still has rising financial pressures that need to be matched by new savings so that a balanced budget can be proposed. At the time of writing, plans are based on a Council Tax rise of 4.99% (1.99% referendum limit plus 3% social care precept). However, in December, Central Government announced councils could add an additional 1%, should they so choose. This is currently under consideration. The Budget has to be approved by Cabinet, then Full Council on February 13th. The Budget consultation can be found here: https://consultations.oxfordshire.gov.uk/consult.ti/Budget_1819/consultationHome

CRIMINALS TARGET PUBS AND CLUBS TO PEDDLE ILLEGAL TOBACCO

Trading Standards are warning licensees and pub-goers to be on-the-look-out for criminals selling smuggled and counterfeit cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco. The call for vigilance follows recent research revealing that nearly half (43%) of illegal tobacco customers use pubs and clubs as their main source of supply. Cheap illegal tobacco is attractive to some smokers because it is often sold at half the price of the legal equivalent but its availability helps children to start smoking, brings communities into contact with organised criminals and undermines legitimate local businesses. In October HMRC released figures showing illegal tobacco made up 15% of all cigarettes and 28% of hand-rolling tobacco smoked in the UK. Taxpayers lost around £2.5 billion from the illicit trade in 2016-17. This money, for example, could be used to fund over 50,000 new NHS nurses for a year. Anyone with information relating to illegal tobacco being bought or sold, can report this to Trading Standards by anonymously via the Illegal Tobacco Hotline, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 0300 999 6 999 or online at http://www.stopillegal-tobacco.co.uk/

ONE MILLION TONNES OF RUBBISH TRANSFORMED INTO ENERGY AT ARDLEY PLANT

OCC and its partner Viridor have marked the one millionth tonne of residual waste received at Ardley during December. The Ardley plant converts waste into electricity, rather than burying it in landfill. It produces enough energy to power 38,000 homes and can export up to 27MW per hour of electricity to the grid.

SNOW GUIDE
December saw substantial snowfall across the county. OCC has produced a useful guide for snow clearance and a copy is attached to this report.

JS & RWW 15 January 201

Minutes of an extraordinary meeting of Upton Parish Council held on 6th March 2018
In attendance:- Stuart Fraser (SCF/Chair), Duncan Reid (Vice-Chair/DR), Liz Cooper (Clerk/EC), Stuart Norman (SN)

1. Apologies for absence received and accepted from Brendan Heneghan (BH) and Karen Marshall (KM) in advance of the meeting. No apologies were received from Carl Pettman.

2. Declarations of interest in the items on the agenda. No declarations of interest were made.

3. Minutes from previous meetings
The following minutes were signed off at this meeting:-
UPCX 6 February 2018
UPCX 20 February 2018

4. The following planning application was considered:-

P18/V0347/FUL Dene Hollow Stables, Dene Hollow, Chilton. Variation of condition 2 – change of use from domestic equestrian to commercial. Construction of 9 stables, wash box, wc, tack room, mechanical exercise enclosure, new timber entrance gates, temporary mobile home accommodation. Deadline 12 noon 8th March 2018

The council voted ‘No Objections’ to this application.
5. AOB
SN enquired if information had been received as yet from the new auditor. EC responded that email information had been received, but the package of information was expected before the end of the month and details would be shared as soon as it was received.

The meeting finished at 6.10pm.

Date of next meeting:- Monday 19th March 2018, 6pm in the village hall meeting room.

In attendance:- Duncan Reid (Vice-Chair/DR), Liz Cooper (Clerk/EC), Stuart Norman (SN), Karen Marshall (KM), Brendan Heneghan (BH)

1. Apologies for absence received and accepted from Stuart Fraser, Carl Pettman, prior to meeting.

2. Declarations of interest in the items on the agenda. No declarations of interest were made.

3. To consider the following planning applications:-

3.1 P18/V0230/FUL Gatehouse Garage. Variation of condition 1 (approved plans) of Planning Permission P17/V1059/FUL re-position the garage by 3.5 metres to the south of approved location and increase the height by 1.5 metres. Deadline 12noon on 26th February 2018

The council OBJECTED to this application on the following grounds:-

– The resulting building will be too large, overbearing and entirely negates all the original mitigating factors (such as burying the lower storey) in the original design statement. – This amendment represents a very different proposal to the original (P17/V1059/FUL) and now proposes a two storey, high roofed, fully above ground, second property on the site. This exacerbates the overbearing development on the whole site. – Insufficient attention and detail has been given to the following extremely important factors:- – Flood risk and run off. Rain water run off already affects the access drive and causes standing water on the main road. – Foul water drainage. There is no scheme of foul water drainage provided with this application. – Tree protection. Tree protection on the site is already a major concern and does not appear as a consideration for this application. – The planning history of this site to date indicates that very close attention should be paid to changes to the developments on this site. – Upton Parish Council is concerned that the proposed garage building would be converted to a full dwelling in the future.
The council agreed that a letter should also be written to the Planning Enforcement Officer and Head of Planning regarding the whole development. ACTION DR

3.2 P18/V0347/FUL Dene Hollow Stables, Dene Hollow, Chilton. Variation of condition 2 – change of use from domestic equestrian to commercial. Construction of 9 stables, wash box, wc, tack room, mechanical exercise enclosure, new timber entrance gates, temporary mobile home accommodation.

Deadline 12 noon 8th March 2018

The council needed more time to consider this development more closely and therefore postponed a decision to a further meeting.

4. Planning Application Changes:-

4.1 P17/V3081/FUL Alden Farmhouse / Equestrian Facilities development Letter from Sally Appleyard dated 8.2.18 refers. No response required. Planning permission granted. 4.2 P16/V0580/FUL Land adjacent & to the rear of the George & Dragon. Engineering works pertaining to land clearance and provision of training school/menage. Planning permission granted.

5. AOB 5.1 The councillors briefly discussed the garage door situation and were aware of the need to take a good look at the garage and fully assess any modifications required.

5.2 The councillors briefly discussed the importance of recruiting of new councillors in light of recent resignations.

The meeting concluded at 6.40pm.

Date of next meeting:- Monday 19th March 2018, 6pm in the village hall meeting room

Upton Parish Council

 

MINUTES OF AN EXTRAORDINARY MEETING OF UPTON PARISH COUNCIL (UPC)
Time/Date:          6pm Monday		6th February 2018
Location:             Village hall		meeting room
Present:	Stuart Fraser (Chairman) Duncan Reid (Vice Chairman) Brendan Heneghan Stuart Norman Karen Marshall		SCF DR BH SN KM
In attendance:	Liz Cooper (Clerk)		EC
Apologies for absence:   Carl Pettman (not received)
Preliminary:
The Chairman reported that due notice of the meeting had been given and that a quorum was present. Accordingly, he declared the meeting open.
Business:                          Action
Item
1  To discuss planning application P17/S4097/FUL Retention of public house (Use Class A4) and largest outbuilding, demolition of remaining outbuildings and reconfiguration of parking. Construction of 3 no. dwellings (Use Class C3) together with associated access, parking, refuse/cycle storage and landscaping (as amplified and amended by drawings and information received 24 January 2018). The council voted ‘No Strong views’ on this application, with the following note:- ‘The Parish Council remains concerned about the turning circle given to each of the new houses and the potential hazard if backing out on to the main road. The council also appreciates that this is probably a concern on this road throughout the village.’ There was no other business to discuss and the meeting concluded at 6.15pm. The date of the next regular Parish council meeting is Monday 19th March at 6pm.