Minutes of the Drayton Parish Council Meeting
held on 10th August 2021 at 7:30pm in the Caudwell Day Centre
Councillors Present: Patricia Athawes (Vice Chairperson), Richard Wade (Vice Chairperson), Susan Harris, Shane McAleavey, Graham Webb.
Councillors Not Present: Tamsin Crane (Chairperson), Pervin Shahin.
In attendance: Christopher Price (Deputy Clerk), Andrew Cooke (VWHDC).
Public: 1 member of the public was present.
Richard Wade assumed the chair as Tamsin Crane was not present.
117/2021 Apologies for Absence. Tamsin Crane (Chairperson), Pervin Shahin, Lorraine Watling (Clerk and RFO).
118/2021 Declarations of Interest, Dispensations or Use of Delegated Powers. Susan Harris has a general interest in the Manor Farm development as she lives on this development. Richard Wade has a general interest in the Millennium Green because he is a member of the Millennium Green Trust Committee, and in the Allotments site as his wife rents an allotment. Graham Webb declared a general interest in the allotment site as he lives near the allotments.
119/2021 Cllr Vacancies. It was noted that no one had stood for election. Graham Webb will invite residents to join the Parish Council in his next Chronicle report.
[Clerk’s note: Drayton is entitled to 11 Parish Councillors so there are currently 4vacancies.]
120/2021 Report from OCC Councillor. Richard Webber was not present.
121/2021 Report from VWHDC Councillor (Adrian Cooke).
a) Waste Collection. It was noted that garden waste collections have been suspended due to Covid.
b) Walnut Meadow Sports Field Unauthorised Raising of Levels by Miller Homes. It was noted that Miller Homes have submitted the following planning application:
| P21/V1924/FUL. Hybrid Planning application: Formation of sports pitches with associated ground works, drainage and landscaping (Full application) and sports pavilion with associated car parking and access (outline application with all matters reserved except access). Land West of Abingdon Road Drayton. |
It is unclear from the planning application what the change in levels will be.
[Clerk’s note: It had been agreed in the proceeding planning meeting for Graham Webb to arrange a meeting with VWHDC Planning Enforcement and Adrian Cooke (VWHDC).]
ACTION: Adrian Cooke to find out how VWHDC Planning Enforcement intends to respond to this planning application.
c) Covid. It wasnoted that the latest Covid statistics for the VoWHDC looked fairly stable at 40 per day. 60 per day had been recorded in Oxford City, 40 per day in South Oxfordshire, 50 per day in Cherwell (so numbers slowly climbing), and 30 recorded in West Oxfordshire (so numbers there also slowly climbing). Hospital admissions in Oxford were fairly stable at approximately 5 per day. There were 36 people in hospital, 2 of whom were on ventilators. The most recent vaccination numbers recorded that 101,731 people had had a first dose of the vaccine (87.1% of adults), and 86,523 a second dose (74% of adults). Although the ratio looked a little lower than the average for England, this was due to demographics and locally the take-up per age band was fractionally higher than average.
d) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). It was noted that the latest report (the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report, published two days ago) was against the proposed reservoir as it would be on a flood plain.
122/2021 Public Participation. None.
123/2021 Minutes of the Previous Parish Council Meeting. The minutes of the previous Parish Council meetings were approved and signed by the Chairperson.
Proposed: Patricia Athawes Seconded: Shane McAleavey Resolved: Unanimous
124/2021 Action Checklist from the Previous Meeting was reviewed and updated, and the additional point was noted.
Traffic Calming. It was noted that Richard Webber mentioned at the last meeting that OCC is proposing to introduce 20mph speed limits within towns and villages as “Twenty is plenty”.
ACTION: Richard Webber to find out if Drayton’s speed limit will be reduced to 20mph.
125/2021 Finance and Personnel Committee (Patricia Athawes). See Appendix A.
a) Payments.
- The list of payments had been circulated prior to the meeting and was noted.
- The payments to be made following the meeting were approved.
- The two councillors authorised by the Council to approve the online payments this month were Patricia Athawes and Shane McAleavey. They were also authorised to approve the payments that are required to be made before the next meeting.
b) Bank Statement and Reconciliation. Had been circulated prior to the meeting and was noted.
c) Disposition of Council Funds had been circulated prior to the meeting and was noted.
d) Draft Minutes from the Finance and Personnel Committee Meeting held on 27/07/21 were noted.
126/2021 Planning Committee (Graham Webb). See Appendix B.
Great Western Park. It was noted that a development of 3,300 homes located in Didcot is being built.
127/2021 Public Art. Pervin Shahin was not present but had submitted the following report:
a) Walnuts Shaped Bollards on the Village Green. Pervin Shahin had made contact with the Abingdon Landscape company and they are all set to go, whenever the PC instructs them to do so. They will prepare the ground in advance, and plant the day after, with plants mutually agreed that will do well in shade.
b) Entrance Gate Signs. Pervin Shahin is chasing the police, and hopes to have some news at the next meeting.
128/2021 Neighbourhood Development Plan working group. The membership was resolved: Graham Webb (Chairperson), Patricia Athawes, Richard Wade, Shane McAleavey, Tamsin Crane, Colin Arnold.
Proposed: Richard Wade Seconded: Patricia Athawes Resolved: Unanimous
Reserved Business. Exclusion of the Public and Press. In view of the nature of the business to be transacted any members of the public and press were temporarily excluded from the meeting (Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 s.1).
129/2021 Burial Ground. An update about the covenant was noted.
130/2021 Programme Manager. The recommendation of the Finance and Personnel Committee interview panel were noted. It was resolved to ratify they appointment of Jonathan Fowler.
Proposed: Susan Harris Seconded: Shane McAleavey Resolved: Unanimous
131/2021 Funeral Director Debt. It was noted that the Parish Council is still owed money for an interment despite the Clerk writing to the funeral director stating that there will be a late payment fee applied. It was agreed to send another letter stating that there is now an additional interest charge of 8% under the Late Payment of Debts Act 1998 and that we will go to the small claims court if not paid.
ACTION: Clerk to write to the funeral director again stating that there is now an interest charge of 8% and that the PC will take this matter to the small claims court if the debt is not paid.
End of Reserved Business.
132/2021 Items to be noted from Parish Councillors. None.
133/2021 Date of the next Meetings. 14th September 2021.
The Chairperson declared the meeting closed at 9:27pm
Signed: Date:
Name:
Appendix A
Finance & Personnel Committee
Payments of £500 or more since the last meeting
£
Staff salaries 1,466.20
Village Caretaker 655.00
A McKeown – 1st Instalment – Walnuts art project 4,200.00
The Landscape Group – grass cutting 1,116.00
Disposition of Council Funds as at 01st August 2021
ACCOUNT REF BALANCE INTEREST RATE ACCOUNT TYPE
Unity Bank 674 £261,047.51 0% Current Acct
NS&I 779 £20,487.64 0.01% Savings Acct
Unity Bank 554 £15,185.52 0.10% Projects Acct
Total £296,720.67
Appendix B
Planning Committee Applications
| P20/V2741/HH. Front & Side Single Storey Extension. The Hollies Barrow Road Drayton Oxfordshire OX14 4SU. PC: Noted. VWHDC: Pending. |
| P20/V3357/HH. Two storey side extension. 226 Steventon Road Drayton Abingdon OX13 6RN. PC: Objection: The Parish Council is concerned about the size of the extension and the loss of light to the neighbouring house. VWHDC: Planning Permission on 30th July 2021. |
| P21/V0643/HH. Erect single storey rear extension, single storey front extension and apply external cladding and render. 50 Hilliat Fields Drayton Abingdon OX14 4JF. PC: Objection. The proposed cladding is out of character with the rest of the estate of some 60 houses, all of with are rendered and painted, none of them have cladding. The design and appearance would clearly be out of character with the Hilliat Fields area. VWHDC: Pending. |
| P20/V3357/HH Amendment: No. 1 – dated 17th May 2021. Two storey side extension (sunlight and overshadowing assessment received 3 March 2021 and amended plan received 17 May 2021). 226 Steventon Road Drayton Abingdon OX13 6RN. PC: Noted. VWHDC: Planning Permission on 30th July 2021. |
| P21/V1240/FUL. Retrospective application for 1 bedroom dwelling used in conjunction with existing garden machinery business. Retrospective consent for existing open fronted garden machinery (building C) and workshop/office/showroom (building B and reduced workshop (building D). Remove structure E 9open store) and canopy to building D. Retrospective consent for existing decking – amenity area for building A. Apply new timber (tapered boarding) cladding to existing structures. 1A Milton Road Drayton Abingdon OX14 4EZ. PC: Response: The Parish Council have, over the years, considered a number of planning applications and change of use applications for this site. In one case this was supported by the attendance of the applicant to make his case as a local business. We recall that the first change of use to a dwelling was (like the current one) retrospective and we were not entirely happy. It subsequently reverted to commercial, and this is another retrospective application. It may just be the random changes for a growing business, but we are concerned about any drift towards Residential Use, which will eventually support the building of a house. While we have no specific objection to the application we do believe that the limits on development of the site, which lies well outside the built-up area of the village should be made clear. VWHDC: Pending. |
| P21/V1611/HH. Demolition of porch, conservatory and single storey front gable. Proposed single storey rear extension and loft conversion with dormers – including raising roof. Proposed single storey porch extension. 7 East Way Drayton Abingdon OX14 4JZ. PC: Noted. VWHDC: Planning Permission on 27th July 2021. |
| P21/V1727/HH. Single storey rear extension. 240 Steventon Road Drayton Abingdon Oxfordshire OX13 6RN. PC: Support. VWHDC: Pending. |
| P21/V1785/HH. Construction of rear conservatory. 109 Abingdon Road Drayton Abingdon OX14 4HL. PC: Noted. VWHDC: Pending. |
| P21/V1900/HH. Two storey rear extension, single storey side extension and erection of new detached garage with annexe above. October House 64 High Street Drayton Abingdon OX14 4JR. PC: Noted. VWHDC: Pending. |
| P21/V1924/FUL. Hybrid Planning application: Formation of sports pitches with associated ground works, drainage and landscaping (Full application) and sports pavilion with associated car parking and access (outline application with all matters reserved except access). Land West of Abingdon Road Drayton. Deadline 18th August. It was agreed to have a meeting and discuss this planning application with VWHDC Planning Enforcement. PC: Pending. VWHDC: Pending. |