Upton Village

South Oxfordshire

Minutes of Meeting 17th November 2015

UPTON PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Meeting of Upton Parish Council, Upton Village Hall, Meeting room, Tuesday 17th November 2015 at 8.00 pm

PRESENT: Dr R Lott (Chair), Mr S Fraser, Mr S Norman, Mr R Traynor, Mrs K Marshall, Cllr R Waite, Mr H Venners (Town Planner for the developer), Mrs A Hoy (Clerk) and six Members of the public.

  1. Apologies for Absence: Cllr S Lilley, Cllr J Shelley, Mrs K Fletcher
  1. 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. None declared.

  1. Adoption of minutes of meeting: 15th September, having been previously circulated, were agreed to be a true record and were signed by the Chairman of that meeting.
  1. Reports
    • County Councillor’s Report – none received
    • District Councillor’s Report – Cllr Waite reported that the recent planning application for  14 houses near the Horse & Harrow pub had been withdrawn prior to determination. A further application had been received at Owlscote Manor Farm (for discussion this evening) for which the consultation period ended on 18th November; problems with water courses and flooding had been highlighted. Cllr Waite also advised that Stage 2 of the Vale’s Local Plan would be examined in February at the Beacon in Wantage, and further details would be on the Vale website later this week. It was hoped the Plan would be approved so that the Vale would have power over planning applications by mid 2016. Cllr Waite was pleased to announce there would free parking over the build up to Christmas in Abingdon, Faringdon and Wantage. He requested any instances of poor public service should be reported to the Vale, following the recent prosecution of a taxi driver for refusing to take a guide dog in his cab. Finally he thanked Upton residents for cooperating in waste recycling, leading to the Vale coming second behind South Oxfordshire for the second year running in the whole country for recycling waste.
    • PCSO’s report (no PCSO in post at present)
  1. Public Forum : Owlscote Manor Farm –. Concerns were expressed at potential privacy and light problems, with single storey buildings being replaced by two storey ones. Mr Venner explained that the proposed new houses were sited in an elevated position so as to be above flood areas.. It was queried whether the new development would be outside the village boundary, thereby setting a precedent. However, Mr Fraser had spoken to the planning officer about this and been assured no precedent would be set as no further building would be allowed on the other side of the notional line marking the edge of the village built area. There was a general acceptance that the estate should/would be developed and that the preference would be for fewer properties. Mr Venners stated that the plan for only 3 houses was a compromise to lessen potential traffic issues. There was concern expressed that more houses in Church Street would exacerbate existing drainage issues with significant risk of flooding. The owner of the Manor House asked why all the exits would now go past his gate? Mr Venner said this was to give better visibility at the junction of High Street and Church Street. Mr Fraser pointed out that the plans were inconsistent with the flood assessment in how much of the culvert would be opened up; Mr Venner apologised and said this was an error that he would correct. POST MEETING NOTE: This has now been submitted. Other local residents emphasised the on-going problems they had with the stream getting blocked and causing their properties to flood during periods of heavy rain. All agreed opening up the up culvert made sense but emphasised that the stream would need to be kept clear, perhaps by inserting a deed of covenant to enforce riparian liability. It might require a clause in the deeds or a property management company to regulate this. Concern was also expressed at the loss of views from surrounding properties, with the new houses being considerably higher than the existing barns. Mr Venner said the aim was for the buildings to appear “barn like” but he would consider whether reducing their height was feasible. Mr Traynor mentioned the draft Parish Plan, recently analysed, which clearly showed that few villagers wanted more big houses, whereas most wanted smaller two bed properties; this new development would go against the canvassed wishes of the village. However it was also noted that the site did suit fewer large houses than many smaller ones. In support of the application, it was generally agreed that a lot of thought and care had gone into the plans and only three houses instead of many more was appreciated. Mr Venner was asked to confirm where the essential services would be connected to the existing drains and agreed to provide this information, as this was a crucial element in avoiding future sewage problems for the neighbours’ houses.

A417 Pedestrian Crossing: An 11 year old resident described the problems she had crossing the A417 in the mornings to get to the bus stop in Station Road, which would get worse in the dark winter months, and wanted to know what the PC proposed to do to improve this situation for all pedestrians having to cross this busy road. Dr Lott confirmed that the PC had requested a pedestrian crossing on many occasions, which so far had always been refused, as the A417 was a trunk road on which crossings were not permitted. However, there were now crossings in other places, notably East Hendred, where money came from developers of a new housing estate. Dr Lott advised there was a long list of improvements to be achieved in upgrading the A417, including a crossing, although this particular item would not be covered in the current round of works. All agreed it was essential to make the road safer before a fatal accident happened, although the actual siting of a crossing was difficult because of proximities to junctions etc. Dr Lott promised to bring the matter to Highways again at the next A417 meeting taking place on 3rd December at County Hall in Oxford and would report back. Public Forum was then closed and the meeting resumed.

  1. Matters arising:

Parish Council Meeting on 15th September:

  1. Emergency Planning update – Mr Traynor reported he had met Ian Ross and would now write an Emergency Plan based on the Oxfordshire guide. RT
  2. Concrete bags in Stream Road and Damage to verges caused by refuse collections – an email response had been received from Biffa, which promised that in future the driver would take more care not to encroach on grass verges and avoid damaging the concrete bags in upper Stream Road.
  3. Japanese Knotweed in Frog Alley – Mr Fraser reported that the weed had twice been treated and was dying off. However, he would check again in the spring in case it re-occurred.                                                                                                 SF
  4. Parish plan update – Mr Traynor reported that the analysis of responses to questionnaire had been completed and now needed presenting to the Village. There would be a cost incurred in printing a hard copy for each household. As in previous Parish Plans, this one would be presented in the village hall, possibly at the AGM in March and also on the website. Printing costs to be assessed. RT
  5. ROSPA Report: Mr Traynor and Dr Lott confirmed that the necessary repairs had been completed to the recreation area. Dr Lott reported sighting a wasp nest in the play area near the zip wire, but it was not thought this would cause a problem as they would be dying with the advent of winter. Dr Lott agreed to arrange a meeting with Ms Marshall to hand over supervision of the play area inspections. RL/KM
  6. Business to be transacted:
  7. Adopt Recreation Ground Rules: A document modelled on Harwell’s was circulated and the text agreed. Clerk agreed to circulate it to UVHAT and Graham de Wilde for wider consultation.                                                                                                 RL/Clerk
  8. Data Storage: Decide on appropriate replacement of current “cloud” provider (Alfresco) as free service is to cease and proposed charges were excessive. It was agreed to defer any decision awaiting further research. RL
  9. Possible creation of “false footway” in Prospect Road to enable footpath surface standards to be maintained. Dr Lott had been advised this would cost £650 for painting a white line down one side of the road; no-one could see any advantage in this suggestion and it was agreed to continue asking for resurfacing of the whole road surface. Dr Lott to pursue.                                                             RL
  10. Appointment of Mike Brown to update PC pages on the Upton Village website. After discussion it was agreed to accept Mr Brown’s offer; the Clerk was requested to send him a copy of the Model Publication document, which would be the basis on which documents should be uploaded, in Pdf format.                                                 Clerk
  11. Use of the Recreation Field by New U9 youth football team – on Wednesday evenings (daylight permitting). It was agreed to approve this request and the Clerk was requested to advise them and suggest a cost of £20 week, not including use of the hall. Clerk
  12. Post Office Outreach – Blewbury Post Office’s draft proposal (circulated) was based on 4 hours a week in the Village Hall, with refreshments being served and possibly combined with IT sessions, as already takes place in Aston Tirrold on a monthly basis. It was agreed this would be a desirable addition to Upton’s facilities. As Post Office Limited would required evidence of public demand the Clerk was requested to formulate a questionaire and pass to Mike Brown for next edition of Upton News.             Clerk
  1. Planning:
  • P15/V2406/FUL Owlcotes Manor Farm, High Street – removal of non historic buildings, conversion of listed former granary to single dwelling, remove modern additions to existing dwelling, erection of 3 new dwellings with access, gardens and garaging. After Public Forum and further discussion, it was unanimously agreed to object to the application on the grounds that the flood alleviation measures shown on the plans were not consistent with the measures in the risk assessment; the proposed two-storey houses were excessively tall (9+m) and considered overbearing; no on-going plan for maintenance of the restored stream was proposed which would be essential to avoid future flooding of surrounding properties; the foul water drainage arrangements for the new properties were not covered in the plan and needed to be specified. However, much of the application was considered praiseworthy. The Clerk was requested to forward the response to the Vale. NOTE: full text of the response attached to these minutes.                                                                                                                                                 Clerk

For noting:

  • P14/V2550/FUL The Gate House, Reading Road – additional planning permission, no objection; Vale – application granted
  • P15/V1649/0 – Fourteen houses next to Horse & Harrow pub, PC objected; application withdrawn before determination.

Correspondence

  • Didcot Youth Team – unauthorised use of recreation ground (email)
  • OCC Entry to Primary or Infant School September 2016 + poster
  • Lloyds Bank – confirmation of electronic banking facility for S Fraser and S Norman
  • Oxfordshire Assn for the Blind request for donation – advised added to list for March
  • Code of Conduct Training, Chairman and Clerk attended 10th Clerk was requested to ask for case studies for circulation to other councillors. Clerk
  • Oxfordshire Together launch meeting (email circulated); K Fletcher attended but unfortunately had now resigned from the Council and was unable to present a report.
  • Vale of White Horse – invitation to attend Autumn Town and Country Forum on Monday 16th November, Mr Fraser attended. Discussion on Vale Local Plan which all hoped would be approved soon, perhaps in part if not the whole. POST MEETING NOTE: Mr Fraser circulated a link to the meeting report.
  • Email from Mike Brown concerning works to be carried out on Chilton Road. The Clerk was requested to advise Mr Brown that decisions had already been taken and work was underway.
  • Chilton Road and Hagbourne Hill – update letter from Highways (circulated).

Receipts since last meeting

  • Bank interest, Sept 15p, Oct 33p

Angela Hoy, Clerk

Tel: 01235 851726

19th November 2015

Appendix A – Schedule of payments

Description Amount
Mrs A Hoy – number plate for John Deere mower 13.69
Mrs A Hoy, salary Sept/Oct by BACS 399.20
HMRC PAYE/BACS 122.20
TOTAL £235.09

Appendix B  COMMENTS ON PLANNING APPLICATION P15/V2407/ LB & P15/V2406/FUL
OWLSCOTE MANOR FARM, HIGH STREET, UPTON OX11 9JE
UPTON PARISH COUNCIL objects to this application on the following grounds:
1. The application includes a flood alleviation plan involving the removal of the culvert currently used to convey the stream through the site. This plan and its predicted reduction in flood zones is based on the culvert being open up in Plot 2, Plot 3 and the Owlscote Manor Farm plot. However the plans before us clearly show the culvert remaining within Owlscote Manor Farm plot. The flood alleviation plan is therefore not relevant to the application. This may well be a mistake with the submitted plans but we can only make a decision on the plans before us.
2. The proposed houses are considered to be overbearing to the environs of the plot. Currently the plot contains a collection of single storey buildings estimated to be between 3-4 meters in height. Most of these sit in lower portions of the site. The proposed buildings are in excess of 9 meters in height which seems needlessly excessive for two story dwellings. In addition they are to be situated in the higher portions for the plot (up to 2 meters higher) which accentuates their overbearing nature. It is accepted that the higher positions are necessary given the potential and frequency of flooding that this site experiences. However we feel much could be done to minimise the height of the buildings themselves.
3. No ongoing plan for the maintenance of the stream has been proposed. It is our local experience that open streams on private land are not adequately maintained in all cases. Any flood risk improvement seen from opening up the culvert could be short lived if the stream is allowed to be become blocked or is encroached by garden planting or natural vegetation. We believe it is essential that controls are put in place to guarantee the capacity of the stream as neglect on the part of plots 2 & 3 could cause flooding for Netherbrook, Owlscote Manor Farm and The Manor House.
4. No foul water drainage plan is evident. The local sewer system has constant problems and it should be clear that any new properties will enter the sewer system “downstream” from existing properties. This can be easily achieved but should be specified as a condition.
Upton Parish Council do applaud the effort and sensitivity evident in much of the application and do not object to the proposals with regards to:
1. Restoring the stream / culvert removal;
2. The Grain Barn restoration;
3. Owlscote Manor Farm modifications;
4. No. of proposed properties.
There are reservations regarding the extension of the “village line” but in this case we regard the development more as infill, given the position of surrounding properties and the fact that there are many building already on the site. However we would not want to see any development on this site as setting any precedent for other developments on the edge of Upton.

Aims and Objectives 2015-2016

Aims and Objectives 2015-16

Administration:

  • Fill the two member vacancies as a priority;
  • Ensure adherence to the agreed document storage and archiving procedure;
  • Review Clerk’s salary to ensure it is commensurate with the duties undertaken.

Finance:

  • Produce clear and accurate documents that effectively communicate our financial situation;
  • Set a precept and budget that ensures the on-going work and commitments undertaken by the council are adequately resourced and insured;
  • Ensure proper practices are followed at all times, in accordance with the adopted financial regulations.

Training:

  • We will encourage the development of all councillors and clerk through attendance of appropriate training courses when available.

Planning:

  • Seek to maintain the village character as a small village in a rural setting, through proper understanding and use of the planning system;
  • Continue to work with OCC Highways to ensure safety improvements on Chilton Road and within the rest of the Village.

Parish Plan:

  • Continue work on developing the Parish Plan, with a suitable questionnaire to be published ASAP.

Amenities:

  • Support UVHAT in the upkeep of the village hall and enhancement of its facilities;
  • Seek to retain the Methodist Chapel/Site as an “amenity” for the benefit of the village as a whole;
  • Support the continuation of services at St. Mary’s Church and it’s upkeep;
  • Maintain the recreation ground and playground equipment to a high standard;
  • Ensure routine safety inspections of the playgrounds;
  • With the support of the Volunteer Group, improve and maintain communal village areas.

Services:

  • Continue financial support for printing of the Upton News, ensuring the continuation of the hardcopy circulation.
  • Ensure the Parish Council pages on the village website are complete and correct.

Roads and Footpaths:

  • With the support of the Volunteer Group, continue cut the grass on village footpaths;
  • Lobby to ensure our roads are maintained and as safe as possible. Specifically lobby for a pedestrian crossing on the A417;
  • Continue efforts to establish a cycle route to Blewbury, which satisfies the requirements of all interested parties.

Dr. Robert Lott
Chairman Upton Parish Council
19th May 2015

Minutes of Meeting 15th Sept 2015

UPTON PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Meeting of Upton Parish Council

Upton Village Hall, Tuesday 15th September 2015 at 8.00 pm

PRESENT: Mr S Fraser (Acting Chair), Mr S Norman, Mr R Traynor, Mrs K Fletcher, Ms K Marshall, Cllr S Lilley, Mrs A Hoy (Clerk)

  1. Apologies for Absence : Dr R Lott, Mrs J Shelley
  1. 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. None declared

  1. Adoption of minutes of meeting(s) on: 27th July and 1st September, having been previously circulated were agreed to be a true record and were signed by the Chairman.
  1. Reports
    • County Councillor’s Report: Cllr Lilley reported that work on both Chilton Road and Hagbourne Hill had started. He confirmed that the original suggestions of one chicane and realignment of the junction at the bottom of Chilton Road would be installed, together with the new roundabout at the bottom of Hagbourne Hill.   Chilton slip roads were also underway but 10 months late due to unavoidable legal delays. Milton interchange work was also six weeks behind. A further complication at Milton was the finding of an old nuclear pipe under a footpath between Milton and Didcot. The footpath cannot be reopened until the pipe has been removed.
    • Cllr Lilley described the enormous savings that have already been made in the Council’s budget; the Council was not allowed to put up council tax but there were no more easy savings to be made. It was imperative to retain the care budget, and at present there were double the normal asylum applications. He described the cuts that had to be made in household waste recycling and bus services, and encouraged the PC to respond to the consultations on these subjects. He also stressed the importance of a representative of the PC attending the County meeting on 21st September to discuss the future delivery of local services. Cllr Lilley also discussed the need to save £8m from the Children’s centres, which were going to be changed from three age groups into family centres, which would not be popular. He also reported that our local Bus service was at medium risk of losing its subsidy, and hoped we had responded to the consultation. Cllr Lilley described the difficulties in getting contributions from developers for essential services, resulting in more cuts, but they had managed to keep the fire service going. The Clerk queried the absence of a PCSO for Upton and Cllr Lilley suggested speaking to Supt Boyd at Abingdon as he had been unaware of this and was surprised.
    • He closed by saying that the next two years would be very difficult. He would like to see a unitary authority instead of five districts and one County, which would cut down duplications on administrative budgets and save money which could be put to better use. He also suggested the possible combining of Parish Councils, food for thought.
  • District Councillor’s Report: not present
  1. Public Forum:. none.
  1. Matters arising:

Parish Council Meeting on 27th July:

  1. Annual Community Emergency Planning Survey 2014/15 : Mr Traynor agreed to contact Ian Ross to progress this matter. RT
  2. Parish plan questionnaire: Mr Traynor reported he had received 75 responses, 150 individuals, approximately 50% of the households. At least four people had volunteered to help with the Analysis, which was the next step. RT
  3. Japanese Knotweed in Frog Alley: Despite numerous emails to the tenant’s agent, the problem persisted, and Mr Fraser reported that it grown tenfold since he originally inspected it. POST MEETING NOTE: The tenant’s agent advised that an initial spraying had been carried out and a further one would be done within a month of the original treatment, but anticipated it would take several to get it under control.
  4. Damage to verges caused by refuse collections – no further response from Biffa, despite a reminder. Concrete bags in Stream Road: It was agreed to postpone this matter until it could be ascertained whether Highways or the local residents were prepared to pay for a sign to be erected advising drivers that there was no turning space beyond the sign. RL ?

Extraordinary Parish Council Meeting 1st September (taken under planning)

  1. Business to be transacted:
  2. Co-option of new councillor (Karen Marshall) – Ms Marshall signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office and passed the completed Register of Members Interests to the Clerk for onward transmission to the Vale. The Clerk advised that Ms Marshall had been booked on the next available training course.                                                                                     Clerk
  3. Councillors’ Roles and Responsibilities: Mrs Fletcher agreed to take on communications, including assembling articles for Upton News, as well as ensuring the website documentation was kept up to date and consultations were responded to in a timely manner . Ms Marshall agreed to assist Mr Fraser with planning, including visiting applicants and neighbours. She also agreed to take on inspection of the Play areas after discussions and a handover with Dr Lott.                                                             KF/RL/KM
  4. ROSPA Report: Review and agree appropriate actions: after discussion the following immediate actions were agreed: Small play area: replace fencing, fix steel band to split wooden post and adjust gate to create a 12 mm gap all round (RT); tighten bolts on swing and re-tension the zip wire (SF/ RL). Replace missing sections of fence and prune overhanging branches (GW). It was not thought necessary to amend the current pump track directions, which were considered adequate if people behaved sensibly.   Dr Lott to go through the check list with Mrs Marshall.                                                 SF/RT/RL/KM
  5. Adoption of Audited Accounts: these were unanimously adopted.
  6. For noting:

            Lloyds Bank arrangements: Mr Fraser confirmed he had given his details to the Bank to enable him to process electronic transactions on the UPC account; he passed relevant details to Mr Traynor who agreed to follow suit.                                                                          SN/RL/RT

            Planning:

  • P14/V2550/FUL The Gate House, Reading Road – planning permission granted 17/7 with conditions; subsequent application P15/V1772/FUL for larger building, no objections.
  • P15/V1649/O 14 Houses next to Horse & Harrow; UPC objected (as also did WHPC) on grounds of unsustainability and lack of infrastructure, as well as a potential increase in dangerous traffic.

Correspondence

  • DVLA re registration of John Deere mower – DVLA confirmed vehicle now registered and Log Book had been received. Clerk to obtain appropriate license plates.             Clerk
  • Oxfordshire County Council was hosting a town and parish council event to discuss the future delivery of local services in Oxfordshire at the Kassam Stadium on Monday 21st September; it was agreed that Mr Norman and Mrs Fletcher would attend. SN/KF
  • Vale Consultation on Waste Recycling site – the Vale advised they had to reduce the number of sites from five to three due to financial restraints. A consultation document was available on their website and the Clerk was requested to complete this, citing the PCs strong feeling that Drayton should be one of the three retained as it served both Didcot and Abingdon.                                                                         Clerk
  • Consultation from the Vale on subsidised bus services; unfortunately this had now closed.Vale consultation on recreation grounds – the Clerk agreed to respond to the query, confirming that the sketch shown was in essence correct, but adding information about the pump track to make it more complete.                         Clerk
  • Vale – Chairman’s Community Awards – After discussion it a candidate was agreed uponto be nominated or this year’s awards. Clerk agreed to complete the form. Clerk

Receipts since last meeting

  • Bank interest July 03p, August 33p
  • VOWH Precept £4000

Angela Hoy, Clerk

Tel: 01235 851726

16th September 2015

Appendix A – Schedule of payments

Description Amount
UVHAT hall hire Q3 40.00
G de Wilde, fence repairs + fuel costs 97.60
Mrs A Hoy, salary July/Aug by BACS 399.20
BDO LLP, Audit costs 162.00
Churn Benefice, printing of PP Q’aire 36.00
TOTAL £734.80

 

Meeting Dates 2015-2016

UPTON PARISH COUNCIL

Meeting Dates 2015 – 2016
2015 Annual Parish Meeting – Monday 20th April, 7.15 for 7.30pm
Parish Council Meeting – Tuesday 19th May, 8pm
Parish Council Meeting – Tuesday 21st July, 8pm
Parish Council Meeting – Tuesday 15th September, 8pm
Parish Council Meeting – Tuesday 17th November, 8pm
2016
Parish Council Meeting – Tuesday 19th January, 8pm
Parish Council Meeting – Tuesday 15th March, 8pm
2016 Annual Parish Meeting – Monday 18th April, 7.15 for 7.30pm

Meetings are normally held 3rd Tuesday bi-monthly in the Village Hall, commencing at 8pm

Minutes of Extraordinary Meeting 1st September 2015

UPTON PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Extraordinary Meeting of Upton Parish Council

Upton Village Hall, Tuesday 1st September 2015 at 8.00 pm

PRESENT:  Dr R Lott (Chairman), Mr S Fraser, Mr S Norman, Mr R Traynor, Mrs Kathryn Fletcher, Mr Michael Butler and Mr Michael Telford (West Hagbourne PC), Mrs A Hoy (Clerk), Mr H Venners (Consultant) and 12 members of the public

1. Apologies for Absence

2. 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.  None received

3. Public Forum – The Chairman welcomed the representatives from West Hagbourne Parish Council and also the Town Planning Agent on behalf of the applicants, who gave a summation of the application.  He advised that as this was an outline application, the number and design of houses was only a suggestion and would doubtless change if a full application was submitted.  Also the 15% of open space shown on the plan and the points of access  (2 shown) were subject to change. So far the application had received some letters of concern and one of support on the website.  Mr Venners confirmed that the Jenssen brothers only owned the one field in the application, measuring some 2 acres.  West Hagbourne PC members were then invited to give their opinion, and although in principle they did not object to some houses being built on the site, were adamant that 14 was far too many for a small village like West Hagbourne, especially at the very edge of existing settlements and technically in Upton parish.  Mr Venners emphasised that the brothers had no intention of developing the rest of the field, although the mention of photovoltaic cells on the plan was noted.  Mr Venners confirmed that within the 14 houses, 40% would have to be affordable, being split between rental and shared ownership. The remaining 8 being open market houses.  If the number was to be below 4, there was no need to provide affordable housing.  There was general disquiet that developing this field was the “thin edge of the wedge” and that the remaining fields between West Hagbourne and Upton would quickly become a target for developers.  It was generally accepted that the current local plan (now superceded by the proposed 2031 version) had not provided enough houses and that there was a shortfall both nationally and locally.  An email objection received from a local resident was read out as she was unable to attend the meeting but wishes her views to be heard. Several residents commented on the lack of shops, school places, adequate footpaths connecting the villages, drainage issues and the additional traffic that would be generated if the plan was approved. Concern was expressed that the development was outside the settlement boundary of both villages and ignored the separate identities which had been in existence for a very long time.  Mr Venners confirmed that he had not so far had any meetings with the Vale planners; he stated that the 2031 plan was  awaiting approval by ministers and as such the Nation Planning Framework document took precedent at this time.    If the Vale were to grant permission the developer could provide extra facilities such as public open space, play equipment or another contribution.   The Chairman encouraged residents to make their own comments on the planning website, and closed the Public Forum.

4. Planning Application:

P15/V1649/O – Residential Development south of Horse & Harrow, West Hagbourne – 14 houses.  The Chairman asked the Councillors for their views.  The lack of nearby shops, inadequate footpaths, an increase in vehicle traffic near a dangerous corners and overcrowded local schools were all cited as reasons for objecting to the application. The need for extra housing in Upton was queried when so many large estates were being developed nearby, and it had been reported that some of these were not selling.  The Chairman added that there was a serious danger that the local bus route would lose its subsidy because of budget cuts that would make the proposed houses even more isolated.  Additionally the new estate would be visible from the AONB, and it had been noted that the drainage was inadequate on the site.  It was then proposed that the application be refused on the grounds of sustainability, which was passed  unanimously.  Clerk to advise the Vale. Clerk

Members of the public left the meeting.

5. P15/V1772/FUL – The Gate House, Reading Road – replacement of existing family dwelling with single family dwelling.  (Earlier application P14/V2550/FUL was approved by the Vale on July 17th).  After discussion and perusal of both sets of plans, it was agreed unanimously not to object to the application.   Clerk to advise the Vale. Clerk

6. Emergency Planning – grants available for resilience funding:  Councilors were encouraged to email Mr Fraser with suggestions for emergency equipment which could be useful to Upton. ALL/SF

7. Repairs to Galvanised Fence  – Mr de Wilde’s email concerning vital repairs to the fence at the entrance to the village hall car park was discussed, and it was agreed unanimously to request him to purchase the necessary equipment and proceed with the repairs.  Clerk to write.

8. Parish Plan questionnaire – Mr Traynor reported that the Parish Plan questionnaire had been distributed to almost every house in the village and many responses had already been received.  It was agreed to extend the deadline for another two weeks and then commence analysis. RT

Appendix A – Schedule of payments

Description Amount
ROSPA (Playsafety Ltd) playground inspection 192.00
KOMPAN Ltd, replacement parts for play equipment 36.02
Uncontested Election fee 100.00
OALC Training Course, Mrs K Marshall 78.00
  406.02

Angela Hoy, Clerk
Tel:  01235 851726
11th September 2015

Minutes of Meeting 27th July 2015

UPTON PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Meeting of Upton Parish Council

Upton Village Hall, Monday 27th July 2015 at 8.00 pm

PRESENT:  Dr R Lott, Mr S Fraser, Mr S Norman, Mr R Traynor, Cllr J Shelley, Cllr R Waite, Mrs K Fletcher, Cllr S Lilley, Mrs A Hoy (Clerk)

1. Apologies for Absence:  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 items under consideration at this meeting. None declared

3. Adoption of minutes of meeting(s) on: 19th May, 15th June, and 13th July having been previously circulated were agreed to be a true record and were signed by the Chairman.

4. Reports

  • County Councillor’s Report:  Cllr Lilly reported he had received a letter from Mrs Mary Hancock regarding the Methodist Chapel explaining the present situation and expressing a wish to put in an application for sheltered housing.  Cllr Lilly reported that subsequent to the recent consultation on bus routes, the 94/95 bus route would be in danger as it was having to be subsidised by £80k/annum, so residents should make use of it.  Cllr Lilly reported that he was still receiving letters from Chilton Rd residents about the proposed improvements; he would be attending an infrastructure meeting on 29th July at Science Vale at 3pm.  Dr Lott commented that the PC had requested alternative solutions and considered the proposed traffic island at the bottom of Chilton Rd did not solve the problem; Cllr Lilly advised he would discuss this at the meeting and asked for the PC’s comments on the consultation to be sent to him.  He reported that progress had been made at the Milton interchange, with the landowner having signed the compulsory purchase order; work would be commencing in September.  Harwell Link Rd Phase 2 (Hagbourne Hill) was also due to commence in September, with the installation of a roundabout on A417.  All works discussed with Patrick Mulvihill had been agreed, tendered and costed and were going ahead.  He reported that Milton was running six weeks late, due to the discovery of contamination on the land. The land required for the Chilton slips also required a Compulsory Purchase Order.  Cllr Lilly reported that the Orchard Centre wanted to remove the existing bus service from the shopping centre and was in disagreement with SODC.  Cllr Lilly reported on Oxfordshire children at risk, who the Council were obligated to take into care; they had a good unit running now but more and more children were coming forward for help, and had to be given priority when distributing funding. Clerk
  • District Councillor’s Report:  Cllr Shelley introduced Cllr Reg Waite, her colleague at the Vale.  Cllr Waite had sent a report by email (appended to these minutes) and briefly discussed the contents.  On the speculative planning application for 14 houses south of the Horse & Harrow in West Hagbourne, Cllr Shelley confirmed that papers had gone out today and regretted the delay in advising the PC.  Cllr Waite reported that the Wantage Advice Centre was in need of more drivers and funds; Dr Lott suggested this could be publicised in Upton News and would be added to the donations list for discussion next March. Clerk

5. Public Forum: Mr Fraser, speaking as a parishioner, was concerned about the speculative planning application for 14 houses to the south of the Horse & Harrow in West Hagbourne, adjoining the site of the old pumping station recently given full planning permission, in that it could extend the village envelope and therefore lay it open for further speculative applications between Upton and this site. Cllr Shelley commented that the Local Plan showed the need for more housing, and each application would be taken on its own merits; there was no cap on the number of houses. Consultation on the Local Plan would begin in September.  Mr Fraser asked how big Upton needed to be before it lost its small village status, and also queried the size of boundaries between villages. It was agreed that the PC needed to discuss the matter with West Hagbourne PC before making a decision.  Dr Lott agreed to contact West Hagbourne PC and suggest a joint meeting. RL

6. Matters arising:

Parish Council Meeting on 19th May:

a) Annual Community Emergency Planning Survey 2014/15:  Mr Traynor spoken to Mr Fraser with details of forthcoming meetings.  He had spoken to Ian Ross who had confirmed he would be able offer advice and recommendations but was not able to write the plan itself.  Mr Fraser agreed to confirm the survey was up to date as he had made the original submission.  Mr Reid would be asked to provide the unfinished draft plan which Mr Traynor would complete.  Dr Lott and Mr Fraser would remain as key contacts in the event of any emergency. SF/RT

b) Damage to verges caused by refuse collections: The Clerk had written to Biffa and received a reply stating that they already used smaller vehicles in the narrow roads.  The Clerk was asked to further enquire which particular roads were receiving the service from smaller vehicles. Clerk

c) Parish plan:  Mr Traynor reported he had obtained a quote from the Churn Benefice of 18p/copy to print the Parish Plan questionnaire costs. It was agreed he should give instructions for this to be printed straight away, Mr Traynor to arrange distribution, with the request for completed booklets to be either collected or returned by 3rd week in August. RT

Extraordinary Parish Council Meeting on 15th June:

a) Chilton Road traffic calming measures: response sent to OCC both by post and online, with subsequent query also responded to by email.

Extraordinary Parish Council Meeting 15th June (taken under planning)

7. Business to be transacted:

a) Co-option of new councillor:  Mrs Kathryn Fletcher was welcomed by the PC and joined the meeting after having signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office and the Register of Members’ Interests.  The Clerk agreed to organize new councillor training on the next available OALC course. Clerk

b)  Japanese Knotweed in Frog Alley:  The Clerk reported she had written twice to Henry Bucknell, the tenant of Frog Alley Farm, but not received a response.  It was agreed Dr Lott would try and ascertain the identity of the actual landowner. POST MEETING NOTE: The Clerk had received an email from the agent acting for Mr Bucknell enquiring as to the exact whereabouts of the weed; Mr Fraser agreed to assist. SF

c) To agree Membership renewal of ORCC:  Mr Rippon had advised that UVHAT was currently a member of ORCC and received regular newsletters; it was thought that the PC also received newsletters.  After discussion, it was agreed not to renew membership of ORCC for the time being.

d) Concrete bags in Stream Road: Dr Lott had received an email from a resident of Stream Road describing the damage which had been caused to the concrete sandbags intended to be a barrier to flood water at the top end of Stream Road, presumably by delivery and bin lorries.  The resident had suggested a sign stating “Access only to house names…” and advising there is no turning area.  It was noted that there was already a No Through Road sign at the junction with Orchard Close.  It was agreed to reply stating that that this part of Stream Road is unadopted and any sign would require permission. No decision was made on how any sign should be funded. RL

8. For noting:

Lloyds Bank arrangements:  It was confirmed that Standing orders for the Clerk’s salary/PAYE had been set up and cheque signatories updated.  Individual councillors were requested to provide their personal details to the Lloyds Business Banking website; Clerk to provide bank account details. Clerk

Planning:

  • P15/V1405/HH Upton Fruit Farm – Vale was advised no objections; permission granted.
  • P14/V2550/FUL The Gate House, Reading Road – planning permission granted 17/7 with conditions
  • P15/V1649/O Speculative development for fourteen houses next to Horse & Harrow pub as advised by Cllr R Waite but no official details received by time of this meeting.  POST MEETING NOTE – details received 29th July and circulated.

Correspondence

  • Land at Warren Piece:  An email was received from a parishioner who owned land near Chilton, reporting the presence of a caravan next to her land; she had been advised to contact the Vale Planning Department, but Cllr Waite had investigated and advised that the land, south east of Downs Lane, near Chilton, was now subject to an alleged breach without planning permission of the material change of use of land from agriculture to residential use.  An enforcement order had been raised to prevent further occurrences.  An earlier planning application in 2002 for change of use to tourism had been rejected.  The Clerk was asked to convey this information to the landowner. Clerk
  • Neighbourhood Planning Conference – letter from Vale confirming rearranged for 2 Sept 2015 at Cornerstone in Didcot. Noted.
  • Kalehurst re registration of John Deere mower – Letter received advising that since the machine had been sold to the PC October 2014, it was now considered a used vehicle.  Clerk to pursue registration of the vehicle. Clerk

Receipts since last meeting

  • Vale Grant £5000 for Village Hall kitchen refurbishment, to be paid to the contractor
  • Bank interest May 38p, June 19p
  • VAT refund £3177 June

Angela Hoy, Clerk
Tel:  01235 851726
31st  July 2015

Appendix A – Schedule of payments

Description Amount
HMRC PAYE (standing order) – 3 months to July £112.20
Inside Out Developments (UVHAT refurbishment) £5000.00
TOTAL £5112.20

Minutes of Extraordinary Meeting 13th July 2015

UPTON PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Extraordinary Meeting of Upton Parish Council

Upton Village Hall Meeting Room, Monday 13th July 2015 at 8.00 pm

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

1. Apologies for Absence:  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 items under consideration at this meeting.  None received.

3. Public Forum: No members of the public present

4. Planning Application:

 P15/V1405/HH Upton Fruit Farm, High Street – proposed single storey extension.  Mr Fraser had surveyed the site and noted that the proposed kitchen extension was unlikely to cause any problem with near neighbours.  After a brief discussion, it was unanimously agreed to advise the Vale Planning Department that the Parish Council had no objection to this application. Clerk

5. Upton Parish Plan Questionnaire, Final Draft (Version 4):  Mr Traynor having incorporated final amendments into the Plan, it was agreed that he should now pass the document to the Churn Benefice for printing in A5 format.  Mr Traynor confirmed he would personally arrange for delivery of all the booklets.  He suggested advising parishioners to return completed booklets to up to 6 addresses around the village and give them a deadline, which would also be advertised in the Upton News and on the website.  This suggestion was unanimously agreed. RT

Angela Hoy
Tel:  01235 851726
14th July 2015

Appendix A – Schedule of payments

Description Amount
UVHAT – hall hire 30.00
Shoretrax 150.00
A Hoy (June Salary) 149.60
A Hoy (expenses) 15.00
G de Wilde (amenity maintenance) 118.25
TOTAL £312.85

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting 19th May 2015

UPTON PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of Upton Parish Council

Upton Village Hall, Tuesday 19th May 2015 at 8.00 pm

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

1. Election of Chairman: Having expressed his wish for others to stand, it was proposed and seconded that Dr Robert Lott be re- elected as Chairman of Upton Parish Council, carried unanimously.

2. Apologies for Absence: Cllr J Shelley, Cllr S Lilly

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.  None recorded.

4. Election of Vice-Chairman:  Having expressed his willingness to stand, it was proposed and seconded that Mr S Fraser be re- elected as Vice Chairman of Upton Parish Council, carried unanimously.

5.  Acceptance of Office – Dr Lott , Mr Fraser. Mr Norman and Mr Traynor were duly re-elected as Members of the Parish Council and all signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.  The Clerk was requested to write to the representatives who sit on various local committees, thanking them for their past service and requesting confirmation that they were willing to continue with those duties.  Clerk

6. Adoption of minutes of meeting(s) on: 17th March, and the Annual Parish Meeting on 20th April having been previously circulated were agreed to be a true record and were signed by the Chairman.

7. Reports: No reports were presented.

8. Public Forum:  no members of the public were present

9. Matters arising:

Parish Council Meeting on 17th March:

a) Chilton Road traffic calming measures:  Dr Lott had received confirmation from Patrick Mulvihill of Highways regarding the proposed consultation on traffic calming measures, which would start at the end of May,

b) Annual Community Emergency Planning Survey 2014/15 – Mr Reid was due to report on this but as he had resigned from the Council, Mr Traynor agreed to ask Ian Ross, who had been helping Mr Traynor, to finalise the report. RT

Annual Parish Meeting on 14th April

a) Revisiting parish plan: Mr Traynor confirmed that Version 4 had been completed and would be circulated to the PC for review with a view to gaining approval at the next PC meeting. Distribution to the village would now be by hand in A5 format (costs would be similar to Upton News), instead of the earlier proposed online survey.  He requested help with proof reading. Brian Rippon had offered to put a pdf version on Upton News. RT/ALL

b) Co-option of Councillor:  The Clerk had prepared a notice to be posted for two vacancies for parish councillor, following the recent retirement of Mrs Shaw and Mr Reid; all councillors were requested to consider whether anyone they knew in the village might be willing to take on the role. Clerk to contact OCC to advise them of the vacancies and post the Notice. ALL/Clerk

c) Methodist Chapel – further correspondence had been received from the Methodist Church expressing their intention to apply for change of use with a view to building several small housing units for elderly people.  It was agreed that this was a planning application that UPC would actively support.

d) Damage to grass verges caused by Refuse Collection Vehicles – Further to the complaint raised at the Annual Parish Meeting, the Clerk was requested to write a letter to the Vale             suggesting that smaller vehicles be used for rubbish collections in the village. Clerk

10. Business to be transacted:

a) Ratification of Annual Governance Statement:  the document was read out and after discussion was duly signed by the Chairman and the Clerk.

b) Adoption of accounts: the 2014-15 accounts, having been previously circulated, were adopted unanimously. Revaluation of assets in last year’s accounts from £79k to 83k was not accepted by the External Auditors BDO, who had requested that they be reversed; this was agreed.

c) Aims and Objectives: these were adopted unanimously.  Clerk to pass to Webmaster and upload to data file.

d) Standing Orders:  a minor change to January 2015 document was suggested, which was adopted unanimously.  Clerk to pass to Webmaster and upload to data file.

e) Financial Regulations: these were reviewed and minor alterations made, after which they were unanimously adopted.  Clerk to pass to Webmaster and upload to data file.

f) Risk Assessment; this was reviewed and after discussion was adopted unanimously.

g) Asset Register: this had been recently reviewed and was adopted unanimously.

h) Clerks salary for FY 2015-16 : Clerk to check contract conditions and advice PC if an increase in salary was appropriate. To be reviewed before next meeting. Clerk also agreed to check the standing order mandate relating to salary with Lloyds.

i) Renewal of annual insurance with Came & Co: UPC was in Year 2 of a 3 year contract.

j) Membership renewal of ORCC: Mr Traynor, as the Council’s new representative on UVHAT, to query whether a joint membership of ORCC was feasible.

k) Schedule of Payments:  all payments agreed and cheques signed.  It was agreed to adopt the budget at the next meeting.

l) Japanese Knotweed:  Mr Fraser had investigated this reported sighting and taken photographs of the plant, which appeared to be on private land (Frogalley Farm).  The Clerk was requested to write a letter to the landowner asking him to seek professional advice on removing this invasive plant.

11. For noting:

Correspondence

  • OCC confirmed there were no funds to pay UPC to continue to cut footpaths as all areas were privately owned.
  • ORCC annual subscription – investigate joint membership with UVHAT
  • Email letter from UVHAT re payment for improvements to Village Hall
  • WREN grant consultation – response required.  UVHAT/UPC to collaborate on reply.

Receipts since last meeting

  • VOWH – precept £4065 April;
  • Lloyds Bank Gross Interest 2014-15 £4.33
  • Bank interest March .34p, April 36p

Angela Hoy, Clerk
Tel:  01235 851726
3rd June 2015

Appendix A – Schedule of payments

Description Amount
Mrs A Hoy (salary, April, May @ £149.60 net per month) cheque payment £299.20
HMRC PAYE (standing order) – 3 months £112.20
The Broker Network  (insurance renewal) £558.37
      Inside Out Developments  (Village Hall improvements) £4695.00
VAT payment on above £2939.00
      Giffords – Cushionfall (by BACS transfer) £1428.00
DVLA Road Tax (replacement for outdated cheque) £55.00
TOTAL £10086.77

Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting 20th April 2015

UPTON PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting of Upton

Held on Monday 20th April 2015 at 7.30pm in the Village Hall

Present: Dr B Lott (Chairman), Mrs L Shaw, Mr R Traynor, Mr S Norman, Mrs A Hoy, Mr S Fraser and 8 members of the public.

Apologies for Absence:  Cllr S Lilley, Cllr J Shelley, Mr D Reid, PCSO.

1. Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting held on 14th April 2014 were agreed to be a true record and were signed by the Chairman.

2.  Annual Reports

(a) Parish Council Chairman: Dr Lott expressed the thanks of the Parish Council to all those who gave their time and energy towards the upkeep of Upton Village. In addition he thanked those who acted on behalf of the Parish Council:

  • John Lightfoot – Neighbourhood Action Group (now relinquished)
  • Jessie West – Transport Rep and UVHAT
  • Derek Whitmell – Harwell Stakeholders /committee
  • Simon Powell – Internal Auditor
  • Brian Rippon – Upton News Editor
  • Mike Brown and Graham de Wilde – Parish Path Wardens

During the year 19 planning applications were discussed, adding to the normal workload of seven meetings per year, and the Chairman expressed his thanks to the Parish councillors and clerk for their hard work.

The Chairman thanked Duncan Reid and Lesley Shaw for their time on the council and noted that at the forthcoming elections only four of the current Parish Councillors had put themselves up for re-election.  The Chairman invited any member of the parish to apply for the two councillor vacancies.

It was explained that the Parish Council had decided to increase the precept by £500 to help cover the cost of replacing maintenance machinery and maintaining the park.  Other matters mentioned in the report were the Upton Parish Plan, the Methodist Chapel, flood prevention in Stream Road and Chilton Road traffic calming.  The Chairman’s report appears in full at the end of these minutes.

(b) Parish Council Finance: Mr Norman presented the Income and Expenditure Report for 2014/2015 which recorded that the precept would be increased from £7,500 to £8,000, in addition to which substantial donations from Uptonogood had been received which had been used to pay for various items including two new marquees (for village events and available for private hire), as well as maintenance of the recreation play equipment and a contribution towards the new mower.  An amount of £1600 had been received from Oxford County Council for flood prevention measures in Stream Road.  This left £12,000 in the account at the beginning of the financial year but this had been largely allocated to Village Hall improvements, garden machinery, playground upkeep, and an election reserve.  This left only £2000 in reserve.  Mr Norman’s full report is attached to these minutes.

(c) District Council: nothing was reported due to Cllr Shelley’ s absence..

(d) County Council: Cllr Lilly had sent his apologies.

(e) PCSO: PCSO Michael Clayden having been moved to other duties, PCSO Sarah Merritt sent a report on reported crime in Upton during the year, which included burglaries and thefts, minor assaults and a dangerous dog incident.  A representative to serve on the NAG was requested and this had now been filled by Mrs Lesley Shaw.  In the absence of a dedicated PCSO, parishioners were encouraged to contact the Thames Valley Police in Wantage.  The full report was attached.

(f) Parish Transport Representative: Mrs West advised there was not much to report, with the 94/95 bus route still threatened with early morning and late evening cuts; confirmation should be received by May/June.  Some of the 2018 savings may be brought forward to this year.  However, there would be a pooled budget for all transport services, meaning cuts would be better proportioned across all transport areas.  There would be a need to look more carefully at subsidised bus routes.  Mrs West’s full report was attached to these minutes.

(g) UVHAT:  Mr B Rippon, new Chairman of UVHAT, had distributed his report to those present.  Thanks were given to Mrs West and also Ros Caffyn for their work over the years as Chair and Treasurer of UVHAT, and he welcomed John Haworth as new Treasurer.  Mrs Clare Lightfoot had also stepped down as a Trustee and a volunteer was needed to fill her role.  He reported that sizeable grants having been obtained, the improvement works on the Village Hall were going very well and should be completed on time and on budget.  Additionally a grant for AV equipment was successful and fibre internet and Wifi were to be installed at the hall, hopefully by the end of May 2015.  His full report was attached to these minutes.

(h) United Charities: Mrs Elizabeth Hardy in her role of Trustee to the Charity advised that five Upton villagers had received Christmas gifts from the Charity, and the Charity was happy to be notified of anyone else in need.

(i) Blewbury Primary School: Ms Marion Mills had circulated her report, highlights of which were a slight drop in numbers to 145 pupils and the departure of two teachers, followed by the appointment of a new one.  Building work had finally been completed on the new classroom.  Other subjects covered were the Comenius project, the new Prayer Space and better links with Sustainable Blewbury.  Ms Mills full report is attached to these minutes.

(j) Neighbourhood Action Group: Mr John Lightfoot had now resigned but Mrs Lesley Shaw had expressed her willingness to take over the role.  The Chairman offered thanks for Mr Lightfoot for his past years in the role and also to Mrs Shaw for offering to take it on.

(k) St Mary’s Church:  Mrs West was pleased to report the very successful launching of Friends of St Mary’s in 2014 with substantial donations being made to the Friend’s Scheme, which it was hoped would be used to improve the Church’s facilities, including a toilet and upgrading the vestry.  Services would remain unchanged apart from the fourth Sunday in the month.  The full report was attached.

(l) Harwell Site Stakeholder Group (formerly UKAEA):  Dr Derek Whitmell reported that decommissioning of the old research site had been reorganised, with a new parent body and a new operating company. The decontamination plant continued to work well and contamination levels continued to fall, although some chlorohydrocarbon contamination remained in Upton groundwater, within safe limits.  Several new buildings were being planned, including catering and sports facilities open to the public.  Dr Whitmell reported that there would be an open day in July.  There would continue to be 3 meetings a year. He reiterated that there were no concerns about the site, but there would be new employment in the area as well as new housing; this would exacerbate traffic problems as workers were now driving, whereas previously they had travelled to work on the bus.   Dr Whitmell’s report is attached to these minutes.

3. Open Forum:  The Chairman then closed the meeting to allow for those present to express their concerns.

Damage caused by Waste Collections:  A resident of 28 years raised the damage being caused by the large Biffa lorries eroding the verges of streets in the village.  Branches of trees were also being broken off. A similar problem had arisen in Blewbury, which after complaints, had resulted in smaller vehicles being used. The parishioner asked if Upton could do the same? Could a complaint be made to Biffa or the Council?  It was noted that this problem seemed to have got worse since the Vale and SODC had combined refuse collections (presumably to save money) and were using larger vehicles that were unsuitable in small village streets.  The Chairman agreed to investigate.  However, it was noted that there now more large cars parked on roads, which caused problems for bin lorries.  Mrs Shaw reported a similar earlier problem with Beeching Close but that it was usually a good service.

Village Plan – The Parish Plan versus a Neighbourhood plan was discussed and the Chairman explained that the purpose of the Parish Plan was for the village to give direction to the Parish Council’s decision making and policies, whereas a Neighbourhood Plan had an influence on the Vale’s Planning policy; it was felt that Upton was too small for such a plan and the expense of it would be difficult to justify. Also Upton’s classification in the Vale’s Local Plan as a Small Village afforded Upton sufficient protection from unwelcome housing developments. Mr Rippon asked whether the next phase of the Vale’s Local Plan would look at small villages but the Chairman replied that this was not his understanding.

Methodist Chapel: Mr Rippon expressed the unease in the village about the future of chapel.  The Chairman explained that although the Methodist Church wanted to sell it for housing and would like to be able to collaborate with a possible village purchase plan, they were constricted by the current D1 Community Use grading.  If it were to be sold to the Plymouth Brethren (who had expressed an interest) for use as a prayer room, it would be lost to the village as a community facility.  The Vale planning authority would not give change of use while community use was still a viable option. Much interest was expressed in using it as a community hall but there was the obvious problem of funding.  Mrs Hardy on behalf of the United Charities advised that the Charity was looking to buy one almshouse in each of the three villages, but only to house one person.  The Chairman explained the problems of funding the property, restoring it to use, running it and maintaining it for public use which would be very difficult unless it was self-sustaining, such as for a crèche or nursery facility. Blewbury Brass band had expressed an interest in using it for rehearsals.  It was noted that Chilton Village had two halls and they manage to make ends meet. However, time was of the essence.  He suggested starting a register of interested parties.

Schools and New Housing:  Ms Mills reported that there would be intense pressure on roads and schools with planned new housing developments, with little sign of new schools.  Eight families in Chilton have been unable to place their children in their local school, and expanding schools lost their individuality.  However, Schools must keep up with housing needs, which was where the District and County Councils were at odds.  New schools were now either academies or private, and not funded by OCC.  The Chairman replied that the Science Vale action plan attempted to deal with amenity issues that needed to be addressed and that the whole area was set for change; central Government was investing in the road network and there was a strong desire to improve transport means other than cars with a new focus on bus transport to cater for the new developments in Harwell.

Recreation Ground:  Mr Rippon asked whether the closing of the recreation ground at night in summer would be repeated or was there any need to continue it?  It was agreed that having the gate padlocked caused more problems than it cured and ideally a new caretaker was needed to open and close the gate.  After discussion it was agreed to try just closing the gate so that potential trespassers would assume it was locked and to ask hall users to close it after the last car left.

Mr Whitmell gave a vote of thanks to the Parish Council for all their hard work for the village of Upton during the past year.

4.  Closing Remarks

The Chairman thanked everyone for attending and for their contributions; he also expressed his thanks to those volunteers who had been unable to be present.

5.  Date of Next Annual General Meeting:  Monday 18th April 2016.

6.  There being no further business, the meeting closed at 9.25pm

Mrs Angela Hoy
Parish Clerk
20th April 2015

Minutes of Extraordinary Meeting 3rd March 2015

UPTON PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of Extraordinary Meeting of Upton Parish Council

Upton Village Hall Meeting Room, Tuesday 3rd March 2015

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

1. Apologies for Absence – Mr D Reid, Mr R Traynor

2. 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.  None received.

3. Matters arising:

Parish Council Meeting on 27th January 2015

a) Parish plan questionnaire. Review of questions proposed.  Dr Lott had circulated a list of questions he thought should be included in the questionnaire; after discussion it was agreed that the Chilton Road closure, Bus Service, Cemetery, Methodist Church site and need for more volunteers should be added to the questionnaire.  Any other ideas should be communicated to Mr Traynor immediately as it was imperative the questionnaire should be circulated to the village without further delay. ALL

b) Update on works in Stream Road – Dr Lott reported that the cement sandbags had been laid alongside the stream, which should protect the fence. However, it was thought the “sleeping policeman” was not large enough; this had been reported to the contractor who had agreed to lay more tarmac at the earliest opportunity.  In the meantime an invoice would be sent to the OCC for the agreed amount.  It was suggested and agreed that a photograph of the finished work should be taken and sent to OCC.

Planning: 

a) P15/V0241/HH – Elmsgate, Fieldside, Upton OX11 9HY – proposed single storey extension and internal alterations.  The application was discussed and the plans checked; Mr Fraser had visited the property but could not see any issues.  After discussed, it was AGREED that the Vale should be advised that UPC had no objections to the application, and the Clerk was instructed to advise the Vale accordingly. Clerk

b) P14/V2550/FUL – The Gate House Reading Road Upton OX11 9HP – replacement of existing dwelling with single family dwelling. Revised plans submitted 12th January.  Further revision received 21st February.  The plans having been circulated were discussed and it was noted that the dwelling had now been moved back to the original building line.  In view of this it was AGREED that the former objection would be withdrawn and the Vale advised that the Council had no strong views on it.  However, the owner of the adjoining property had advised he would still be objecting because in his view the large balcony would still overlook his property and impinge on his privacy. It was agreed that a note to this effect would be sent to the Vale. Clerk

5. Correspondence: Update on Chilton Road – Patrick Mulvihill had been advised that the No Right Turn suggestion at the top of Chilton Road was not acceptable to the Police Safety Officer.  Dr Lott had spoken to the PSO who had concurred.  Suitable alternative solutions were being investigated.  Dr Lott had replied to a further email from Mike Brown acknowledging the concerns of the Chilton Road residents.

Appendix A – Schedule of payments

Description Amount
Mrs A Hoy  – refund of SLCC annual subscription 77.00
OALC – Mr S Fraser, Training Course 04/03/15 78.00
TOTAL £155.00

Angela Hoy, Clerk
Tel:  01235 851726
5th March 2015