SOUTH LEIGH AND HIGH COGGES PARISH COUNCIL MEETING
Minutes
Thursday 29th June 2023
7.30 pm in the Village Hall
Councillors Present
Lysette Nicholls (Deputy Chair)(LN)
David Auger (DA)
Peter Grant (PG)
Rita Sawrey-Woodwards (R S-W)
Dick Pears (DP)
- Apologies from Nicky Brooks (NB) and from County and District Councillors who had been advised that their attendance was not necessary however Cllr Levy had sent a report as a county councillor that will be summarised below.
- Declarations of interest – none.
- To approve the minutes of the previous meeting as being a true record of the proceedings. 4 minor amendments were made and the amended minutes were approved.
- Opportunity for any parishioner to raise a matter of concern. At this point there were two issues raised by parishioners (1) potential counter terrorism requirements and (2) dog walking by commercial dogwalkers on the playing field and along the non-permissive path along former railway track. It was agreed that (2) would be an item at the next PC meeting, whereas (1) would be looked at again if there was a need in the light of any relevant or applicable government legislation.
There was an update from Martin Spurrier to tell the PC of the submission to the King and Queen of a letter with the newsletter, the flyer and a 58 page childrens’ book of congratulations from Busminster Abbey telling them of the Coronation celebrations in the village. He also indicated that a full report had gone to the National lottery detailing the expenditure from their grant. A Schedule is attached as Schedule 1.
- Payments to approve. A schedule of payments had been circulated in advance to the councillors and is attached as Schedule 2. It was proposed, seconded and carried that those payments should be approved
- Opportunity for any County Councillor and / or District Councillor to update the Parish Council on any matter of relevance or concern. Cllr Levy in his report dated 29th June drew attention to the proposed Carterton to Oxford Railway and the commissioning of a feasibility study by OCC of the proposal in general and the plan to have stations in Carterton, Witney and Eynsham. He also drew attention to continuing problems with railways and roads (1) Botley Road remaining closed at the railway bridge (2) the E1 bus route into Oxford (3) the rerouted S1 (4) the closure of Oxford Railway Station from 23rd July for two weeks (5) and in relation to A40 and Shores Green said as follows
“We are expecting the latest iteration of the A40 plans to be drafted this month, and go to Cabinet in July and again in September. More news when I get it. The Shores Green junction improvements were approved by the County Council planning committee last week. This will make the easterly A40 Witney junction four way. South Leigh PC have ensured a set of interventions to try to discourage the use of South Leigh as a rat run. It will be interesting to see what effect the new junction has both to the south of the A40 and to Witney town centre. And the effect on South Leigh and High Cogges will be monitored to ensure that the rat-running interventions are sufficient. The Park and Ride is taking shape. There was a find of an Iron Age settlement, which is apparently very interesting”
- Review of actions or discussions from last meeting. These were (1) Parking at Church Green (2) Thames Water, (3) the land at the level crossing, (4) broad band speeds and (5) a meeting with the Church. As to (1) there had been problems only on two weekends when there also happened to be a church service as well as a village hall booking. It was felt that because the bigger occasions at the village hall used the field owned by Rachel, who rented the field in return for a charitable donation, the PC would review the situation again in November if there was a recurrence of the same issue (2) dealt with below (3) the PC through DP would draft an email to seek information (4) DP would send out emails inquiring if there were continuing problems, (5) LN on behalf of the PC would seek a meeting with the vicar, preferably at a weekend.
- Planning – pending applications including the AD with an update and Church Farm Church End South Leigh Witney Oxfordshire OX29 6UR No: 23/01278/FUL. LN indicated that the AD was not likely to come to committee before August and it might not be before September or even later. A draft of the PC’s submission re 23/01278/FUL had been circulated and it was agreed that it should be submitted and in essence the PC was agreeing to the application subject to conditions.
- Shores Green – See above in extract from Cllr Levy and in addition the PC were meeting the planners on site in the Village at 10am on 3rd July to discuss further planning for the traffic calming scheme.
- Thames Water – R S-W had analysed the water in Limb Brook for contaminants at the usual 4 places on 21st June and found the level of phosphates 21-29 times higher than acceptable throughout the village but 104 times higher down stream of the water treatment plant. DP had written to Thames Water and indicated that the problem needed to be solved before the general election and there had been an instant response with Thames Water agreeing to look into the possible supply of alternative water testing equipment and confirming their intention to install phosphate stripping.
- Update on conservation area application and next stages. WODC had communicated to say they had started to do assessment visits in the village. The PC will seek further information after the next PC meeting.
- St James and a meeting between Vicar and PC – see above at 7.
- Broadband speeds in the village – see above at 7.
- Long term Storage or abandonment of cars and other material on land in the village – DP would contact Cottsway re the Discovery outside the garages in Lymbrook Close and DP would draft a letter re the car parked outside Lymbrook Cottages.
- Date of next meeting – 27th July
- Report on the liaison between the Parish and the Parishes of Stanton/Harcourt, Sutton, Standlake and Eynsham PC – there was no report to consider
SLHCPC 1st July 2023
Schedule 1
Coronation Celebrations budget reconciliation 20th June 2023 prepared by Martin Spurrier
Bus hire from the Bus Business 400.00 Face Painting 150.00 Church donation 50.00 Bell Fund donation 50.00 Tent hire form Boy Scouts 310.00 Drinks for Shire Promotions mobile bar 585.50 Fish ‘n’ Chips for Codfather 1550.00 PA System form Silverbird Promotions 400.00 Band form Silverbird Promotions 520.00 Portaloos 228.00 Voucher printing 48.00 Paint for hut mural 100.00 Food etc. to Village Hall 885.07 Other purchases: Games medals 18.97 Flags 6.98 Clock for Busminster Abby 19.95 Evenlode DIY 20.40, 6.99, 16.85, 44.24
EXPENDITURE by MBS 5,366.71 Adjustment to be absorbed by MBS (13.64) TOTAL EXPENDITURE 5,353.07
National Lottery Grant paid to Parish Council 4,534.00 Excess of expenditure over Grant income 819.07 Already reimbursed to MBS by Parish Council 819.07
GRANT MONEY to be reimbursed to MBS 4,534.00
Martin Spurrier
Coronation Celebrations Co-ordinator
Schedule 2
Schedule of Payments to date 28th June
Wed, 28 Jun 23
UBICO LTD Grass Cutting
-£150.48
Wed, 28 Jun 23
M.B. SPURRIER Newsletter
-£312.00
Wed, 28 Jun 23
UBICO LTD Grass Cutting
-£337.08
Mon, 12 Jun 23
AJGIBL GBP CLIENT Insurance
-£511.52
Mon, 12 Jun 23
THE BROKER NETWORK
Insurance
-£201.90