June 2022 Minutes

Cllr Rogers, Cllr Mills, Cllr Metcalf, Cllr Thompson, Cllr Levy, Cllr Rylett & Clerk (Mrs T Cameron) & 1 member of the public.

Cllr King, Cllr Goodwin

Cllr Metcalf has agreed to for this month

The Parish Council has made the public aware that the meeting is recorded for the clerk to type up the minutes later at home.

The meeting is recorded by the Clerk to enable her to type up the minutes later but is then deleted.

The minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 12^th May 2022 were approved.

a)     Thames Valley Police –

b) Report from the Clerk on actions from the last meeting

·        Horsemere Lane/Cassington Lights – Tracey has been in contact with OCC and has been advised that they will be in contact with regards to a bio-diversity meeting.

·        Neighbourhood Plan – Cllr Rogers is in the process of re-wording a report which will be brought before the Parish Council in July.

·        Thames Water – Gullys by Yarnton (fix my street) – re sewerage write again. Cllr Rogers to put a notice on the facebook page for people to contact the clerk if they

·        ROSPA Inspection – This has now been book

·        Dog Waste Bin on the Recreation Ground – The dog waste bin has been installed and the recycling bin has been moved to the middle of the playarea

PLANNING

APPROVED APPLICATIONS

New Planning Applications:

County Councillor –

People changes:

At the start of the new local government year, there have been a few changes to cabinet positions at County Hall.  Cllr Tim Bearder moves to Adult Social Care (formerly in charge of Highways Maintenance), while Cllr Andrew Gant joins the cabinet taking on the Highways portfolio. Cllr Neil Fawcett stepped down from cabinet, with Cllr Jenny Hannaby taking on the Community Services position (which includes libraries, fire & rescue, and Gypsy & traveller services). Cllr Liz Leffman remains leader of the Council.

As Andrew Gant has become a Cabinet member, he has stopped being cycling champion.  I am pleased to say that I have become Cycling, Walking and Active Travel Champion.  One of my key tasks is to ensure that places outside the city get their fair share of attention when it comes to improving active travel facilities.   Among other things I will now chair the Vision Zero group which brings together highways officers and activists to design danger out of our roads – it was set up after the recent tragic fatalities in Oxford.

Food strategy to tackle food poverty:

A new Oxfordshire food strategy has been drawn up, focusing on fair access to good quality, sustainably produced food. 9-14% of Oxfordshire residents experience food insecurity. Because of this, priority areas for action include, reducing food poverty and diet ill-health, strengthening local food supply chains, and improving institutional (e.g., schools) catering.   We know that even in apparently affluent area, including this part of West Oxfordshire, there are pockets of deep poverty.

Climate:

Cabinet has approved plans which could see its own carbon emissions almost halved by 2024/25. Cabinet also approved a plan to decarbonize OCC’s estate and operations by 2030, and transition Oxfordshire as a county to net zero ahead of the national target of 2050. One of the main projects to cut emissions is the conversion of Oxfordshire’s streetlights to low-energy LED lighting. Nearly half have so far been changed as part of a £40 million project which will save council taxpayers £77m over a 20-year period.

Active travel:

Oxfordshire County Council has won another government bid. This time £10.4 million for active travel schemes. This brings the total brought in by the Oxfordshire Fair Deal Alliance to over £55 million for bus and active travel schemes.    The £10.4m includes a large chunk to improve Witney High Street, and enough to progress a design study for the B4044.   Clearly a lot more money is needed, and there is some frustration that central government has dictated what the money has to be used for, rather than leaving it to local knowledge.

Warning on adult social care:

Oxfordshire County Council has called on the government properly to fund adult social care, rather than pushing yet more costs onto local taxpayers. Changes brought in by the government could double the number of people eligible for financial support. Lib Dem finance cabinet member, Cllr Calum Miller has said money from government ‘doesn’t even come close’. When the government demands councils spend more money on adult social care, without funding, it means rates rise, and money needs is be diverted from roads or libraries

A40:  

Still no date for the planning meeting.  It can’t be far off.  The bulk of the design work has been done, though there may still be some minor amendments, for instance to manage traffic noise better.

I visited the Oxford North section of the A40 with the Cabinet member for Travel and Development Strategy, and the local County Councillors and key officers, and there will be improvements to the cycle tracks there, to make it safer and more direct.

Transport Policy is being developed at pace.   The new Local Transport and Connectivity Plan will be issued for consultations soon, and a new Freight Strategy will follow, which will endeavour to keep HGVs out of most residential areas, where feasible.

WODC

As you will be aware, there were elections for new district councillors on 5 May, and Charlie Maynard is your new District Councillor.   I look forward to working with Charlie and Lysette.

Although I am not your District Councillor, can I take the opportunity to make a few points about the District Council.

There is a new administration which has which has the same political membership as at the County Council, ie an alliance of Liberal Democrats, Labour and Greens.   The Leader of the Council is Andy Graham.  I have the privilege and challenge of being the Cabinet Member for Finance.  We are keen to make a quick start in improving the services delivered to residents and working more effectively with partners, including other councils and community groups.

District Councillors –

New cabinet has been formed.  CIL which is a flat rate.  The percentage is depending on the number of properties.  WODC have not had CIL, but they are looking at pushing if forward.  Cllr Rylett will be looking at the local plan the process should be completed by next year.

There is a government incentive with regards to the Council Tax.  The Parish Council decided that something with regards to the Council Tax Grant should go into CAWN so that people who didn’t fall in the A-D banding would still be able to get help.

The latest report it held as 5.3% for housing in the Local Plan.  The strategic sites are not being built fast enough. So WODC are being told that they have not built enough houses.

Parish Councillors –

Cllr Thompson wanted to thank the Sports and Social for the fantastic job that they did over the Jubilee weekend.

a) Neighbourhood Watch –

Please can people remember to things on fix my street on the WODC website.

Speed watch –

Parish Council agreed that they would take over the maintenance of the all the play equipment.

Lawrence to be asked if the grass on The Green can be cut on the green before bike night

Payments to be approved:

Income:

Balance of Unity Bank as of Sunday 5^th June – £12,334.96

a)     Trees – It was raised by a few members of the village if there was any chance that there are going to be more trees planted in the village – PC decided that they would look to identify any other areas.

b)     Wall in The Old Burial Ground/Ivy House – It was decided that we would need to look at any grants and also a report from Ian Finlay – Tracey to speak to other Parish Council who have dry stone walls what their policy is around repair.

c)      Church & Pound Lane – The Parish Council would like to look into being able to register Church and Pound Lane as property of the Parish Council so that the road can be adopted by OCC.

Mid Monthly Planning Meeting – No Meeting Needed

Date of the next Parish Council Meeting – Thursday 14^th July 2022