Sibford Gower Parish Council Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held in Sibford Gower Endowed Primary School on 15th January 2016

Present
Parish Cllrs Peter Abbott, Mrs Susan Bannister, Oswyn Murray (Chairman), Alan Parkin and Mrs Gilian Soden, County & District Councillor George Reynolds, Nine Local Residents and the Clerk (Peter Hardman).

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

Minutes of the previous Meeting
Proposed by Cllr Abbott and seconded by Cllr Parkin, the Minutes of the Meeting on 5th October 2015 were approved and signed by the Chairman.

Matters arising
Bishop Blaize: The Chairman reported that the Bishop Blaize was for sale as a pub but unlikely to be bought at the present asking price. Now that it is stated to be a pub, the Parish Council has applied for it to be declared an Asset of Community Value and a decision from Cherwell District Council is awaited.

Broadband: The Chairman brought the Meeting up to date with the current Broadband situation.

Other matters arising were attended to under the various agenda items.

Chairman’s Report
Public Transport: In the light of OCC’s expected decision to remove subsidies from all bus routes, it is likely that we will lose the 50A bus service. Sibford Ferris Parish Cllr Tim Huckvale is shortly to attend a meeting arranged by the County Council in this regard and more will be leaned from this.

Rural Community Energy Fund: Sibford School had been awarded a grant to investigate energy saving measures. The meeting wished to be associated with this initiative.

Financial Matters
Precept: £6,400 (same as this year) was agreed for the coming financial year.

It was agreed to make the following payments:-
£400 to the Village Hall.
£150 to Sibford Scene.
£100 to Sibford Gower Endowed Primary School.

Transparency Code: To comply with the requirements of the Transparency Code, the following items are to be exhibited on the Parish Council’s website in addition to those already shown:-
End of year accounts, Annual Governance Statement, Internal Audit Report and Assets Register

Cheques issued since the previous Parish Council Meeting are given in Appendix A 

Review of Councillors’ Interests
The Parish Councillors’ Interests remain unchanged.

Village 2016 Spring Clean
It was decided to hold this on Saturday, 5th March 2016 and this will be advertised in the usual way.

Planning Matters
Since the previous Meeting the planning applications set out in Appendix B were considered. 

The following decisions set out in Appendix A had been received from Cherwell District Council

Village Hall
Mr David Allen, present at the Meeting, spoke on behalf of the Village Hall Committee. He is now involved in the application for grants and he thanked the Parish Council for increasing this year’s grant to £400. There are enhancements to the Village Hall currently in the pipeline and some funding is forthcoming. He will keep the Parish Council fully informed.

Miriam Tebbs’ Land
The Chairman brought the Meeting up to date with regard to this land. He has spent considerable time taking matters forward and had been successful in obtaining a grant of £870 from TOE2 towards clearing the area and planting an orchard. The centre of the land will be left to encourage wildlife; clearance work will begin soon, and apple trees will be planted in the spring.

Highway Matters
Ms O’Sullivan (Head Teacher, Sibford Gower Endowed Primary School) was not able to be present at the Meeting. However, Mr Julian Ransom, present at the Meeting, spoke regarding the parking problems on the road adjacent to the school. There is no funding for a lollipop lady and the Keep Clear signs are not enforceable (although this may change in March). The Governors are very concerned about children’s safety and the matter has been discussed with the County Council. Attempts to improve the situation will be discussed at the next Governors’ Meeting.

No other Highway matters were raised at this point of the Meeting

Footpaths
Cllr Bannister keeps a watchful eye on the state of the footpaths and reports to the appropriate authority when some remedial attention is needed.

Any Other Business

Village Pond: The Clerk reported that on Sunday, 10th January a working party of four local residents spent the afternoon clearing the pond of weed and overgrown plants. This resulted in very clear water and an attractive appearance.

First Response: Cllr Soden reported that the Sibfords have one trained member who has been called upon twice in the last six months, two who are starting training later this month and one awaiting an interview. It would be good if we could get more members for this and if anyone would like details, please phone 01295 780543 for more information.

Queen’s 90th Birthday: There have been discussions about this event, so watch the Sibford Scene to see what may be planned; offers of help will be gratefully received. The PC agreed to give a grant if one was requested.

Public Participation
Mr Fred Inns, present at the Meeting, raised the following matters:- 1)Gate of a property in Burdrop Hill swings open onto the highway. 2)Poor drainage in The Colony and Acre Ditch. The Clerk was instructed to look into these matters.

Mrs Mollie Mulley, present at the Meeting, again referred to the subject of making parking spaces available in the front of the Old Rectory in the village pond area. The chairman explained that the matter is outside the Parish Council’s authority, and Oxfordshire County Council had consistently since 1994 declined to revisit the question.

The subject of cars parked on the bend from Acre Ditch towards Burdrop which create visual problems for passing motorists was raised and will have the Parish Council’s attention.

A letter had been received from a local resident concerning overhanging branches, shrubs etc in Hawkes Lane. The Clerk was instructed to contact Oxfordshire Highways to ask for cutting back to be undertaken.

Date of Next Meeting: This will be the Annual Parish Meeting on Monday, 11th April 2016 to take place in Sibford Village Hall starting at 7.30pm.

There being no further business to discuss, the Chairman thanked all for attending and closed the Meeting at 9.30pm.

Appx A to Minutes of PC Meeting

Cheques issued

Chq No. 232 £319.82 dated 27.07.15 payable to HM Revenue & Customs –
Outstanding tax due re Clerk’s salary. (Respecively)

Chq No. 233 £247.20 dated 31.07.15 payable to Thomas Fox Landscaping –
Maintenance of Churchyard and Burial Ground (Respectively)

Chq No. 234 £33.50 dated 17.08.15 payable to Sibford Ferris PC –
Half monies received from J & M Humphris Ltd re headstone for grave of June Locke (dec’d)

Chq No. 235 £247.20 dated 12.09.15 payable to Thomas Fox Landscaping –
Maintenance of Churchyard and Burial Ground (Respectively)

Chq No. 236 £247.20 dated 05.10.15 payable to Thomas Fox Landscaping –
Maintenance of Churchyard and Burial Ground (Respectively)

Chq No. 237 £200.00 dated 08.10.15 payable to Holy Trinity Church –
Grant re Church Clock (Respectively)

Chq No. 238 £1500.00 dated 21.10.15 payable to Electro Supplies Ltd –
Stage Lighting Kit for Village Hall (Retrospectively)

Chq No. 239 £210.79 dated 31.10.15 payable to P B Hardman –
Reimbursement of Clerk’s expenses (Retrospectively)

Chq No. 240 £247.20 dated 31.10.15 payable to Thomas Fox Landscaping –
Maintenance of Churchyard and Burial Ground (Respectively)

Chq No. 241 £796.80 dated 22.12.15 payable to Thomas Fox Landscaping –
Maintenance of Churchyard and Burial Ground (Respectively)

Chq No. 242 £31.12 dated 13.01.16 payable to Sibford Ferris PC –
Donation re payment to Zen Internet for the ‘Sub-domain’ for the Sibfords website

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Appx B to Minutes of PC Meeting –

Planning Applications

Since the previous Meeting, the following planning applications had been considered:-

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