Sibford Gower Parish Council Minutes of the Annual Parish Council Meeting held in Sibford Gower Endowed Primary School on 9th June 2014

Present
Parish Cllrs Peter Abbott, Mrs Susan Bannister, Oswyn Murray (Chairman), Alan Parkin and Mrs Gilian Soden,
County and District Cllr George Reynolds, Seven Local Electors and the Clerk.
Mr Maurice Sheehan (Area Steward, Oxfordshire Highways)

Apologies
Apologies were received from Ms Jane O’Sullivan (Headteacher, Sibford Gower Endowed Primary School)

Election of Chairman and Vice Chairman Proposed by Cllr Susan Bannister and seconded by Cllr Peter Abbott, it was resolved that Cllr Oswyn Murray be re-elected at Chairman. Proposed by Cllr Gilian Soden and seconded by Cllr Alan Parkin it was resolved that Cllr Peter Abbott be re-elected as Vice Chairman.

Minutes
It was proposed by Cllr Peter Abbott and seconded by Cllr Gilian Soden that the Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 27th January 2014 be approved as a correct record and they were then signed by the Chairman.

Matters Arising
There were no matters arising that were not discussed during the course of the Meeting.

Chairman’s Report
The Chairman welcomed Mr Maurice Sheehan (Area Steward, Oxfordshire Highways)..

Defibrillator:
The acquisition of a defibrillator is ongoing and further information will be provided in due course.

Signs at Temple Mill:
The meeting agreed that the PC would support Sibford Ferris PC in a request for signs at Temple Mill indicating vehicle priority and that the road was single-track.

Parking problems in Main Street, Sibford Gower around the Pond:
Debate has continued about this problem for more than twenty five years. The present Parish Council generally takes the same view as that agreed by its predecessors in 1994, that there is no immediate solution, although in the long term alternative off-street parking might be found. It has been decided not to discuss this topic again for the next three years.

Sibfords Community Plan:
Two aspects of the Plan were carried forward by the Parish Council. The first concerned the provision of allotments where minor interest by residents had been expressed but nobody has so far come forward to organise a management group to take control. It was agreed to join with Sibford Ferris PC if their appeal for volunteers produced results, otherwise to abandon the scheme. The second concerned the formation of a Walking Group and this was formed, albeit small in number, and regular walks currently take place .

Verge in front of Bishops End (formerly The Bishop Blaize):
The PC expressed its opposition to any form of obstruction on the verge, in the belief that there was an agricultural right of access to the adjoining field. They noted that half of this access had already been obstructed by a new fence and hedge, and asked Oxfordshire Highways to report on this apparent infringement of the rights of neighbouring owners to cross the verge in order to access their properties.

The Chairman said that other matters upon which he wished to report would be covered as they occurred later in the agenda.

Clerk’s Report
Notification had been received from Cherwell District Council that Bishop’s End (formerly The Bishop Blaize) had been nominated by The Bishop Blaize Support Group for listing as an Asset of Community Value and this is to receive consideration. A letter had been received from the Information Commissioner’s Office following its receipt of a complaint from a local resident that information about her and her property held by the Parish Council was being withheld from her. This was strongly refuted. The IFO will now take no further action.

Annual Financial Return
The Members of the Parish Council approved the Annual Financial Return for the year ended 31st March 2014 for submission to the External Auditor and the Receipts & Payments Account for the same period. Thanks were expressed to Mr David Soden for carrying out the internal audit.

The Members of the Parish Council acknowledged their responsibility for ensuring that there is a sound system of internal control and that this was exercised during the financial year. Proposed by Cllr Oswyn Murray and seconded by Cllr Gilian Soden it was resolved that cheques set out in Appx A, all duly signed at the time of issue, be given retrospective sanction.

Planning Matters
Since the previous Parish Council Meeting, five planning applications had been considered and five decisions received from Cherwell District Council. These are set out in Appx B.

Highway Matters
Oxfordshire Highways is to be requested to mark a Keep Clear sign on the road opposite the phone box in Main Street because anyone parking there blocks the essential access for the milk lorry and tractors to the farm at Rye Hill. At the same time the refreshing of other Keep Clear signs in Main Street would be welcomed. Oxfordshire Highways has been asked to provide a map of the Parish and, when received, the drains that tend to flood and give cause for complaints will be marked, and Oxfordshire Highways requested to carry out such remedial work as may be necessary to prevent future problems.

Footpath Matters
Cllr Susan Bannister, who leads the Walking Group, said that generally the footpaths appear to be in good order.

Cllr Gilian Soden raised the matter of the path that leads from Hawkes Lane towards the road to the Doctors Surgery in respect of which complaints had been received from some elderly residents that part of it is slippery and something of a potential hazard. The Parish Council is currently in discussion with Oxfordshire County Council with regard to this matter.

Village Pond
The Chairman informed the Meeting that the Parish Council’s application to register the Pond as a town or village green under section 15(2) of the Commons Act 2006 is still awaiting consideration by Oxford County Council’s solicitor.

Public Participation
Mrs Mulley stated that she wished it recorded that her views were not as represented in a recent letter to the Sibford Scene.

Date of Next Meeting
The next Meeting will be on Monday, 22nd September 2014 starting at 8pm in the Staff Room of Sibford Gower Endowed Primary School,

There being no further business to discuss, the Chairman thanked all present for attending and closed the Meeting at 9.15pm.

The Appendices are available on request from the Clerk (780391)