PC Minutes December 2020

PARISH COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES 8th DECEMBER 2020, 19:30

Present were:

Nicky Brooks (Chair)
Mark Walker (Deputy Chair)
Lyse=e Nicholls (Parish Councillor)
Mar>n Wilson (Parish Councillor)
Graham Soame (Parish Councillor)
Eileen Mawle (Parish Councillor)
Charles Mathew (County Councillor)
Gary Nicholls (on behalf of the Conserva>on Area group) Mar>n Spurrier (to update on South Leigh Forest Restora>on) Dick Pears (to update on Mobile Phone Signal)
Jus>n and Will Bull from Just Cartridges
Tammy Heavens (Clerk to Parish Council)

The mee>ng was held via ZOOM – four addi>onal members of the public joined.

1. Apologies: Carl Ryle= (District Councillor) Dan Levy (District Councillor)
2. DeclaraGons of interest: Eileen Mawle – Shores Green Mark Walker – Shores Green
3. The minutes from the previous mee>ng were approved.
4. MaJers of concern from Parishioners: See AOB
5. MaJers of concern from County Council or District Council: None.
6. MaJers arising from previous minutes not covered elsewhere: None.
7. ConsGtuGonal maJers: Mark Walker has the loan of the spare Parish Council Clerk’s laptop.
8. Payments to approve: Clerk’s salary and associated costs for income tax, grass cu^ng for the village green and grass cu^ng for the church.
9. ConservaGon Area: The Clerk advised the result of the village poll conducted between noon on Tuesday, 24 November and 11:00pm Monday, 30th November 2020. The ques>on asked was: Do you agree, disagree, or remain uncommi=ed to a proposal that the Campaign Group should prepare a drab applica>on for Conserva>on Area status (with op>ons, e.g. boundaries etc.) for the Parish of South Leigh including High Cogges, for considera>on by the Parish Council and Parish residents and to be voted on by residents in due course?

   The number of people who polled is shown in the table below.

•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

With this evidence to hand and aber some further discussion, the Chair proposed the following Resolu>on.

To authorise the group to proceed to commission and fund a report on the exact terms and area of the proposed Conserva>on Area and present the the Parish Council for their approval.

This Resolu>on was passed unanimously.

The Chair acknowledged that during the lead up to the poll, feelings had run high throughout the Parish and stated that any behaviours that could be seen as an>-democra>c in any way will not be tolerated by the Parish Council. Genuine mistakes had been made, including by herself, and that they had hopefully been learned from.

To avoid any similar difficul>es in the future, the Chair outlined the suggested forward plan which was agreed by all:

PC to approve the experts commissioning document prepared by the CA group.
The CA Group will be responsible for raising any monies needed for the produc>on of the independents expert’s report.
To avoid any misunderstandings and in the interest of transparency, the CA Group will be free to organise their own affairs, a nominated Parish Councillor will a=end mee>ngs and be copied in on all relevant correspondence. At this point the group will be a fact-finding group.
Once the final copy of the report is available, another consulta>ve poll of residents will be undertaken and then reviewed and voted on by the PC.
Two weeks preceding the poll, and again to avoid any misunderstandings, the PC member will resign from the group and the group will be free to campaign for the passing of the poll.
If the PC approves the resolu>on, the report will be sent by the PC to WODC for their approval.

It was agreed that Mar>n Wilson would be the ini>al Parish Council representa>ve and that Graham Soame would act as informa>on point. This was to be reviewed if Mar>n finds that the commitment is too great.

10. Mobile Phone Signal: Dick Pears advised that Robert Courts, MP had a posi>ve mee>ng with members of Vodaphone headquarters and that ongoing inves>ga>ons would con>nue. Dick and Nicky are due to meet again with Robert in March 2021. Robert is conduc>ng a survey into mobile phone signal in the area. To par>cipate, the survey can be found here:

h#ps://www.robertcourts.co.uk/mobilesurvey

11. The Lymbrook:

1. a)  Flooding: Lyse=e advised there has not been a substan>al amount of heavy rain since

   the last mee>ng, so nothing to report, except that Graham has jet washed the gullys, but

   they could do with further assistance. Mark Walker to take a look.

2. b)  Nature: Graham Soame reported on the quality of the water in the Lymbrook. Graham has been and will con>nue to collect samples from the Lymbrook for tes>ng. The levels

   of phosphates in the water was so high that it was not measurable. This will affect the type of nature that is able to live in the Lymbrook. Graham will con>nue to take samples and record the results, also from addi>onal loca>ons along the Lymbrook. Graham advised that Lucy Stoddart, BBOWT bio-diversity officer, visited and surveyed one point on the Lymbrook recently. She is about to carry out further surveys along the Lymbrook in South Leigh in the next month. There is already clear evidence from her detailed study, that water voles have returned to the Lymbrook in the village, which is really exci>ng news.

• •

•

• •

•

12. South Leigh Forest RestoraGon: Mar>n Spurrier reported that they have planted the eleven trees along the north hedgerow of Chapel Road. Many thanks to those who helped and those who supported them. As tbey are now in the plan>ng season (un>l February / March) they shall press on with the other two approved sites as soon as they hear if they have been successful in their grant applica>on to TOE (Trust for Oxfordshire Environment). They expect to hear this month. On 2nd December, long->me resident of South Leigh, Mrs. Phyllis Broome (and author of South Leigh Remembered) dedicated a tree to mark her 89th birthday. She dedicated the oak nearest to Wayside Co=ages, where she lived from childhood, to past members of her wider Harris and Tipping families. A small plaque now marks this dedica>on. A second dedicated tree will be planted at Wayside Co=age for

    Mrs. Broome soon.

13. Shores Green: There is no further update. Nicky Brooks has been advised that informa>on will be sent early in 2021. Charles Mathew advised he has wri=en to Yvonne Constance to ask that all op>ons are discussed with the Parish Council before decisions are made. Nicky has also made this request.
14. A40 Eynsham to Oxford update: Nicky Brooks advised that works are being pushed forward to start works earlier than planned, but no dates to date. Charles Mathew confirmed that the projects are being considered as on large project instead of individual projects in order to carryout works in succession.
15. Tree Safety: The chestnut tree opposite the entrance to the church has been pollarded by the local council, but it’s felt not enough has been removed. Nicky Brooks will ask for it to be looked at further.
16. Low Carbon Hub: Nicky Brooks has joined the Green T group in Eynsham, that is looking at the Eynsham Garden Village, and its substa>on, and looking at innova>ve ways and ideas for energy reduc>on.
17. Village Christmas Tree and Santa’s GroJo: Nicky Brooks wanted everyone in the village to be able to enjoy some fes>vi>es aber a tough year and the con>nuing pandemic. She noted that these were not under the Parish Councils aegis.
18. Traffic:
    a) Just Cartridges: Nicky Brooks has wri=en to the haulier company that makes frequent deliveries to Just Cartridges to ask that they consider using smaller vehicles where possible to reduce the number of ar>culated lorries that travel through the village. Will Bull from Just Cartridges advised that they have looked at ways to reduce the number of ar>culated lorries, and that they would con>nue to keep on top of this, currently only once or twice a week.
    b) Traffic flow through the village: Lyse=e Nicholls is regularly checking in to see when Speed Watch can recommence.
    c) Traffic signage: Lyse=e Nicholls advised that following her mee>ng last year, almost all signs have been replaced; we are just awai>ng new passing place signs. Lyse=e will con>nue to chase these.
19. FaciliGes updates:

    a) Village hall
    b) Village green
    c) Playground – Co=sway drab lease. It was agreed that the terms of this lease (previously circulated to councillors) were acceptable. It was noted that this would commit the PC to paying £150 p.a. but it would also make it even clearer that the PC insurance policies would cover this area. Eileen Mawle advised she has received some posi>ve comment from children who have used the new equipment in the playground.
    d) Football pitch.
    e) Bus shelter.
    f) Postboxes.

20. Responses to Planning ApplicaGons: Shu=les Co=age have lodged an applica>on to appeal to the Secretary of State with regard to their planning applica>on.

21. Items to Note: Supplementary Planning Decision: The policy is available for review.

22. Any other Business: A special mee>ng will be held to discuss the three items as listed here in Any other business.

a. Precept
b. Parish Public Rights of Way
c. Resolu>on to Agree the Signing of the Playground Lease

23. Date for the next meeGng: 5th January 2021 at 19:30 The mee>ng closed at 20:54