Minutes of Fritwell Parish Council Meeting held on Monday 21st March 2016 at 7.30pm in the Village Hall.

  1. Present: Councillors Ultsch, Foster, Reeves, Rooth, Stillgoe, Barlow and the Clerk.

Residents: Jenny Paviour, Rachel Clark, Robin England, Colin Smith, Helen Metcalfe, Karl Grimsey, Kathy Steer, Alex Steer, Glynis Lowdon, Anju Lazenby.

Apologies: County Councillor Arash Fatemian, Clive Shepherd, Rosemary Dockrey.

  1. Declarations of Interest:Councillor Ultsch ~ Village Hall / George and Dragon site,

Councillor Barlow ~ 10/12 The Lane, Mower, William Hicock charity;

  1. Public Participation: Jenny Paviour ~ Buses; Helen Metcalfe ~ Pond / Council Tax; Alex and Kathy Steer ~ George and Dragon site; Rachel Clark ~ Expressed thanks to the Parish Council for the MCNP Engagement Meetings and bus negotiations.
  1. Minutes of the Meeting held on 18th January 2016:

These were read, agreed and signed by the Chair as a true record; proposed Councillor Barlow and seconded by Councillor Stillgoe.

  1. Matters Arising from the Minutes:
  • Hunters Lodge: Despite several emails to CDC, requesting updates, nothing further has been heard. Action: Clerk to email District Councillor Kerford-Byrnes for assistance on all issues still outstanding with CDC.
  • FR016: Nothing further to report. Action:Clerk to email responses on development from MCNP Engagement Meetings to OCC and request update on this site.
  • Verge erosion in North Street: Some reseeding has been done by SSE, following damage by their activities and this appears to be surviving well. The Fritwell Conservation Area Appraisal notes the importance of the unkerbed verges in North Street and East Street to maintain the rural character of the village.
  • Bus routes: Councillors Foster and Reeves attended a recent meeting with Heyfordian Travel; it is understood that the current Saturday service will terminate in October 2016. All the current Fritwell services are subsidised by OCC and in view of the imminent cuts to these subsidies, there may be further alterations by the bus company. Residents have expressed a preference for a Friday service if the village is reduced to one route.Action: Councillor Reeves to contact Heyfordian Travel for further updates and clarification of the current situation.It was noted that the school transport provider has recently changed from Greyline to Heyfordian Travel. The use of empty school buses by the public on the return trip after dropping the children, has been raised with bus companies. Councillor Foster suggested setting up a working group to develop this issue. Action: Councillor Foster to progress the setting up of this group.
  • Community Speedwatch: The Clerk reported that Ardley Parish Council have requested repossession of the jointly owned equipment and also suggested that the shared ownership is organised on the basis of a bimonthly exchange. This was agreed. Action: Clerk to email Ardley PC to confirm this arrangement.
  1. Financial Matters:

Councillor Barlow presented and explained the Financial Report.

  • Council Tax: Helen Metcalfe queried the apparent 20.2% increase in the Fritwell Parish Council Precept noted on her Council Tax bill. This increase was also noted by many others present. Councillor Ultsch explained that the PC have not increased the precept for 2016-17 at all. Action: Clerk to query this increase with CDC.
  • Audit Costs: No further information currently available.
  • End of Year Accounts:Action: RFO Councillor Barlow and the Clerk to meet shortly to draw up the required documents.
  1. Planning Matters:
  • MCNP: Councillor Ultsch confirmed that the Constitution had been approved and that the AGM was held in early March.
  • MCNP Engagement Meetings: These were held on 2nd and 5th March when a total of 55 residents attended, along with Parish Councillors. Councillor Foster has collated the feedback. This is summarised below:-

Top issues listed in order of importance

1. Maintaining rural aspects, green spaces and natural environments in villages and MCNP area

2. Concern about increasing traffic and lack of public transport – and more cycle and footpaths wanted

3. Mix of affordable housing wanted to suit local needs (elderly, young people and families)

4. Maintaining viability of villages and local services (local shop/post office and primary school in Fritwell)

5. Local control of new development

6. Infrastructure and facilities across MCNP – including sports and recreation, health services, sewerage, phone and broadband

7. Community building and village enhancements e.g. allotments,community orchard/garden, village “walk”

Councillor Ultsch thanked Councillor Foster for her hard work in collating the responses.

Action: Clerk to place copies of the full documents on the website.

  • Oxford City’s Unmet Housing Needs: Sites for 3,500 new homes have been requested in the Cherwell District. A robust response was composed by Councillor Ultsch on behalf on Fritwell and submitted to CDC. It was noted that despite a letter from the Clerk on behalf of Fritwell PC, and representation by other local groups, requesting an extension, the deadline for responses to this consultation was not extended. Action: Clerk to place this document on the website and set up a file to be placed in Wrighton’s containing this and other recent documents for access by those who do not use the internet. An electronic copy will also be attached to the minutes emailed to residents.
  • Local Plan Part 2 Consultation: Councillor Foster has prepared and submitted a response on behalf of Fritwell PC and noted that there were 94 questions on the consultation which required consideration. Colin Smith expressed concern about perceived lack of transparency from CDC when applying planning rules and guidelines. Councillor Foster explained the legal protection that being part of the MCNP provides to Fritwell.

The Parish Council noted that in LP2, the Glebe Land behind numbers 1-5 East Street, has been identified as a SHLAA site. It had been assumed that following last year’s communications with Oxford Diocese, this land was no longer available to CDC’s land bank. It was also noted that some of this land is under private ownership, which could further complicate transparency in the planning process.

  • Identification of Green Spaces: A letter was sent to CDC on 11th March 2016, requesting that Mancetter’s Field and the land to the back of Forge Place be designated a Green Space by CDC. The outcome is awaited. Karl Grimsey inquired who had decided on the exact area for this application. Councillor Ultsch replied that this was a Parish Council decision, based on new legislation, linked to the Conservation Area Appraisal and reflecting concerns of residents expressed at the recent Engagement meetings. Action: Clerk to place a copy of this letter in the file at Wrighton’s and on the website.
  • 10/12 The Lane: CDC have given a Split Decision on some aspects of the plans, relating to drainage and access.
  • George and Dragon / Village Hall Sites: Councillor Ultsch handed the Chair over to Councillor Rooth for this section (see declarations of Interest). Following a split decision on the previous sets of plans submitted to CDC on the basis of materials and landscaping, new plans have now been put forward. These include the addition of chimneys to the houses and a change to the materials used for cladding of the new Village Hall. The Parish Council have submitted a robust response to this application (21.3.16 by email) expressing concern that the proposed soft wood cladding would require too much maintenance and stating a preference for stone cladding but failing this, hardwood cladding, in keeping with that used on the school building.

Alex Steer confirmed that the Village Hall committee had not been notified of these changes separately and indeed would not be aware of them, had it not been Councillor Foster who alerted them. He explained that the VH Committee had approved a rendered construction and will not sign any agreement until they are happy with the design and materials proposed.

  1. Oxfordshire Together Initiative:

Councillor Ultsch drew attention to the fact that due to the funding crisis at OCC, many services previously provided by them are being devolved to Parish Councils. She advised extreme caution when deciding which services to take responsibility for, due to escalating costs, and recommended that any new services are identified in the budget and costed appropriately.

  1. Footpath Ardley to Fritwell: It had been hoped that Clive Shepherd would be able to inform the PC of progress but since his was unable to attend in person, he will email a report to the Clerk for circulation.
  1. Willian Hicock Charity: It has been agreed informally that the Parochial Church Council will take this over and appoint new trustees. However, Helen Metcalfe (PCC Secretary) expressed surprise that she was hitherto unaware of this issue. Action: Councillor Barlow to liaise with the PCC.
  1. Cemetery:

A request has been received by the Clerk from a stonemason in Powys, submitting a design for a headstone, planned to mark a recent grave in the Cemetery. The applicant was informed of the regulations regarding the dimensions of memorials allowed by the PC and it was explained that this application fell outside the permitted size. However, the applicant wished the PC to consider waiving the rules in this case. Following discussion, it was unanimously agreed that, in view of the need for consistency when dealing with such applications, a refusal be sent to the applicant, inviting her to resubmit within the specifications established. Action: Clerk to write to applicant.Mower:Councillor Foster suggested establishing a ‘Memo of Understanding’ to enhance transparency regarding usage of the mower. She also proposed updating the risk assessment and creating a Log Book to be completed after each period of use by the volunteer user.

Action: Clerk to check insurance and Councillor Rooth to put together a proposal and liaise with the PCC.

  1. Village Spring Clean: Everyone is welcome to attend on Saturday 16th April 2016 10.30am. Free bacon butties will be served at the Scout Hut after the event. Action: Councillors Ultsch, Stillgoe and the Clerk to order and prepare these.
  1. Correspondence:
  • Colin Smith expressed a wish by email, that previous minutes (December 2014 under MCNP) be clarified. These state that there were no objections raised to the consultation in October 2014.

He wished to make it known that he wrote a letter at the time on behalf of 10 other residents, objecting to the allocation of SHLAA sites in the document circulated to residents. Robin England also wished to record the fact that he, too, wrote a letter of objection at the time.

  • Need not Greed: A letter from this organisation, linked with CPRE and other Oxfordshire Local Councils, was brought forward by Councillor Foster, although the Clerk has not yet received a copy addressed to Fritwell PC. This group of local bodies is challenging the housing numbers allocated to Oxfordshire in the current Local Plans and PCs are also asked to support a motion linking housing numbers with the LEP / SEP (Local Economic Plan / Strategic Economic Plan) for our area.Action: Once letter to Fritwell PC received, this will be circulated by the Clerk.

14: AOB

  • Councillor Foster had noted a recent article in the Bicester Advertiser, regarding funding for Parish and Town Councils to tackle emergencies. Action: Clerk to investigate and link with previous paperwork on Resilience Funding.
  • Councillor Ultsch has removed the litter bin from the bus shelter opposite her house as she was running out of space in her own bins for the rubbish. This has not resulted in an accumulation of litter in the bus shelter and appears to have been successful in encouraging dog owners to use the dog bins provided.
  • Helen Metcalfe asked if there were plans to replace some of the plants removed by recent silt dredging from the pond. Councillor Ultsch promised that the PC would consider replacing some plants in containers but at the North Street end of the pond to prevent blockage of the inlet.

Date of AGM and Annual Parish Meeting: Monday 16th May 2016 7.30pm in the Village Hall. Please note change of date.

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