Minutes of the Drayton Parish Council Meeting
held on 5th December 2023 at 7:00pm in the Caudwell Day Centre
Present: Richard Wade (Chairperson), Graham Webb (Vice-Chairperson), Patricia Athawes (Vice-Chairperson), Pervin Shahin (arrived at 7:01pm), Elaine Wade, Adrian Cooke (left at 8:29pm).
Not Present: Susan Harris.
In attendance: Dianne Rickaby (Locum Clerk, joined the meeting remotely), Christopher Price (Deputy Clerk), Jonathan Fowler (Programme Manager), Richard Webber (OCC).
Public: 2 members of the public were present.
237/2023 Apologies for Absence. Susan Harris.
238/2023 Declarations of Interest, Dispensations or Use of Delegated Powers. None.
Pervin Shahin arrived at 7:01pm.
239/2023 Public Participation.
a) Football Club Insurance. Fred Stevens (Village Hall, Chairperson) reported that the Village Hall committee will look at their records to see if the Parish Council agreed to pay for the Football Club’s building insurance. Matter continued under item 243/2023.
b) Village Hall Car Park. Fred Stevens (Village Hall, Chairperson) reported that the Village Hall car park has pot holes and needs repair.
ACTION: Deputy Clerk to look at the Village Hall deeds to see if it mentions car park repair work.
240/2023 Chairperson’s Report (Richard Wade).
a) Burial Ground New Hedge. It was noted that 2 local residents kindly planted the new beech plants to replace the ones that died.
ACTION: Deputy Clerk to thank the 2 local residents that kindly planted the new beech plants.
b) Church Lane and High Street Junction. It was noted that construction vehicles from Halls Close are parking dangerously along the High Street.
ACTION: Adrian Cooke to inform the VWHDC parking enforcement of the dangerous parking.
c) 20mph Speed Limit. It was noted that there are a few places where 20mph speed limit signs are missing. Matter continued under item 241/2023 b).
d) The Abingdon DAMASCUS Youth Project. It was noted that our budget should include an automatic, annual grant to this organisation. Matter continued under item 245/2023 d).
e) Rental of Access Area off Allotment Land Church Lane. It was noted that Richard Wade has sent a letter to the home owners of 28 and 30 Church Lane offering the agreements made at the November 2023 meeting, item 236/2023.
241/2023 Report from OCC Councillor Richard Webber.
a) High Street Vehicle Activated Signs (VAS). It was noted that there is funding available to repair the broken VAS from Richard Webber’s Cllr Priority fund.
ACTION: Deputy Clerk to send an email to Richard Webber requesting that he uses his Cllr Priority fund to repair the broken VAS.
b) 20mph Speed Limit. It was noted that the 20mph speed limit signs are up.
c) Walnut Meadow Road Adoption. It was noted that the Sports Facility can not progress until Chestnut Drive is adopted by OCC Highways. It was also noted that there will be a meeting with OCC Highways in January 2024.
242/2023 Report from VWHDC Councillor Adrian Cooke.
a) Monitoring Officer. It was noted that the Monitoring Officer has passed away.
b) BW3 to Marcham. It was noted that the bridge is now open again but access is a problem due to flooding.
c) Reservoir. It was noted that the VWHDC has requested a meeting with the Secretary of State.
d) Local Plan. Adrian Cooke’s report was noted.
243/2023 Minutes of the Last Parish Council Meeting. It was resolved to approved the minutes of the last meeting with 1 amendment: 215/2023 Apologies for Absence. Adrian Cooke.
Proposed: Patricia Athawes Seconded: Elaine Wade Resolved: 5 for and 1 abstention
244/2023 Action Checklist. See Appendix A for this month’s action list. The following actions were updated:
| Football Club Insurance. It was noted that the Deputy Clerk can not find any record in the minutes that the Parish Council agreed to pay for the Football Club’s insurance. ACTION: Clerk to look at the finance minutes to see if the Parish Council agreed to pay for the Football Club’s insurance. |
| Burial Ground New Hedge. Matter discussed under item 240/2023 a). Action completed and removed. |
| Defibrillator. It was noted that the Deputy Clerk received a quotation from ‘London Hearts’ for a defibrillator and cabinet to the sum of £1,453.20. It was resolved to purchase a defibrillator and cabinet + installation and maintenance costs, subject to a formal agreement from the Red Lion pub and installation costs. Proposed: Patricia Athawes Seconded: Pervin Shahin Resolved: Unanimous ACTION: Deputy Clerk to formally ask the Red Lion Pub if a defibrillator can be installed on their building. |
| New street name for the development of 22 new dwellings south of Hall Close. It was noted that the Clerk submitted our suggestion to the VWHDC: Bisby Close, after Harry Bisby who started writing the Drayton Chronicle in January 1978. Action completed and removed. |
| Clerk Replacement. Matter discussed later in the meeting under item 256/2023. Action completed and removed. |
| Rental of Access Area off Allotment Land Church Lane. Matter discussed under item 240/2023 e). Action completed and removed. |
245/2023 Finance and Personnel Committee (Patricia Athawes). See Appendix B.
a) Payments.
i) The list of payments was received and approved.
ii) The payments to be made following the meeting were approved.
iii) The two Councillors authorised to make the on-line payments between this and the next Parish Council meeting were Graham Webb and Patricia Athawes.
b) Bank Statements and Reconciliation. The bank reconciliation was signed and the bank statements for last month was noted.
c) Disposition of Council Funds. The disposition of council funds were received and noted.
Proposed: Adrian Cooke Seconded: Graham Webb Resolved: Unanimous
d) The Abingdon DAMASCUS Youth Project Grant Application. It was resolved to approve the grant application to the sum of £4,000.00.
Proposed: Graham Webb Seconded: Richard Wade Resolved: Unanimous
e) Budget Working Group update. It was noted that we have a balanced budget and there will be another budget meeting in January.
f) Any Other Urgent Financial Matters Arising. It was noted that ‘Home Start’ have requested a grant application.
246/2023 Planning Committee. See Appendix C. Graham Webb’s report was noted.
247/2023 Neighbourhood Development Plan Working Group. (Graham Webb).
a) Programme Managers Report. Jonathan Fowler’s report was noted.
Walnut Meadow Sports Facility. The work to undertake the excavation of the MUGA, which was due to commence on 20th November, has been delayed due to: 1. Miller Homes did not submit a Watching Brief report to the County Archaeologist when they undertook the re-levelling work which they were supposed to do as per the planning condition. The County Archaeologist was not willing to authorize the excavation of the MUGA until the report had been submitted. A report has now been submitted. 2. Miller Homes will not give us permission to access the site to undertake the excavation.
The MUGA excavation is now planned to take place in January but will be dependent upon the legal transfer of the land having taken place. The sports pitch consultant engaged by the Parish Council to produce a feasibility report has commenced work and discovered the drainage scheme approved as part of the Hybrid planning application will not work, or will be very costly to install, as it recommends excess water is drained into attenuation points in the North West corner of the site, which is contrary to the natural fall across the site. The Parish Council will likely need to submit an amendment to the approved planning application. Jonathan Fowler has undertaken further work on the Business Plan and is awaiting the sports pitch consultant report and information on the budget for 2024/25 being finalising a first draft.
248/2023 Rights of Way & Conservation Working Group (Richard Wade).
FP18 19 and 20. It was noted that these footpaths are obstructed.
ACTION: Deputy Clerk to photograph and report footpath obstructions to the landowner.
249/2023 Landscape Management Plan Working Group (Richard Wade).
Grass Cutting and Village Caretaker Contracts. It was noted that the Grass Cutting and Village Caretaker contracts are being updated.
250/2023Public Art Working Group. Pervin Shahin’s report was noted.
251/2023 Defibrillator. Matter discussed under item 243/2023.
252/2023 2024 Meeting Dates. The 2024 meeting dates were approved.253/2024 The Dovecote. It was noted that the Clerk received an email from Bloor Homes stating that they are exploring the possibility of off-setting part of their biodiversity commitments from within the ‘Dovecote’ site to the wider parish area. This would involve making available to the Parish Council a large number of high quality bird nest boxes. It was noted that planting new hedging and reinstating hedging on the Dovecote site, as per the planning conditions, might be more beneficial to birds than putting up bird boxes. ACTION: Richard Wade, Patricia Athawes, Pervin Shahin and Elaine Wade to meet and discuss biodiversity with Bloor Homes.
254/2023 Items to be noted from Parish Councillors. None.
255/2023 Date of the next Meeting. 9th January 2024.
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).
256/2023 Clerk Replacement. It was noted that 2 people were interviewed for the job and an offer has been made that has been accepted with a start date in January 2024. it was agreed to endorse the offer.
Adrian Cooke left at 8:29pm.
257/2023 Walnut Meadow Land Transfer. Item deferred to the next meeting.
258/2024 Rental of Access Area off Allotment Land Church Lane. Matter discussed under item 240/2023 e)
End of Reserved Business.
The Chairperson declared the meeting closed at 8:32pm.
Signed: Date: 9th January 2024
Name: Richard Wade
Appendix A
Actions Checklist
| Burial Ground Hedge Clearance. Village Caretaker to try and remove the stumps from the ground. |
| Football Club Insurance. Clerk to look at the finance minutes to see if the Parish Council agreed to pay for the Football Club’s insurance. |
| Grass Cutting and Village Caretaker Contracts. Richard Wade to discuss contracts with the Clerk. |
| Burial Ground New Hedge. Deputy Clerk to thank the 2 local residents that kindly planted the new beech plants. |
| Defibrillator. Deputy Clerk to formally ask the Red Lion Pub if a defibrillator can be installed on their building. |
| FP18 19 and 20. Deputy Clerk to photograph and report footpath obstruction to the landowner. |
| Village Hall Car Park. Deputy Clerk to look at the Village Hall deeds to see if it mentions car park repair work. |
| Church Lane and High Street Junction. Adrian Cooke to inform the VWHDC parking enforcement of the dangerous parking. |
| High Street Vehicle Activated Signs (VAS). Deputy Clerk to send an email to Richard Webber requesting that he uses his Cllr Priority fund to repair the broken VAS. |
| The Dovecote. Richard Wade, Patricia Athawes, Pervin Shahin and Elaine Wade to meet and discuss biodiversity with Bloor Homes. |
Appendix B
Finance
| Payments for Council meeting 5th December 2023 (1st Nov – 30 Nov) | ||||
| 30-Nov-23 | BASICMONTHLYSALARY | -698.28 | 265358.59 | |
| 30-Nov-23 | BASIC SALARY | -962.59 | 266056.87 | |
| 27-Nov-23 | B/P to: Tactical Facilitie | GRAVEYARD HEDGE RM | -842.40 | 267019.46 |
| 20-Nov-23 | B/P to: DAMASCUS PCC | CHURCHYARDMAINTAIN | -2250.00 | 267861.86 |
| 20-Nov-23 | B/P to: TheLandscapeGroup | GROUNDSMAINT OCT | -1192.08 | 270111.86 |
| 20-Nov-23 | B/P to: Dianne Rickaby | EXPENSES (INK) | -33.93 | 271303.94 |
| 17-Nov-23 | TONKS BR LTD SW | INTER PAULINE TAYL | 200.00 | 271337.87 |
| 17-Nov-23 | CASTLE WATER LTD | TW1281321123 | -7.12 | 271137.87 |
| 15-Nov-23 | B/P to: LGRC | LOCUM SERVICES OCT | -4404.72 | 271144.99 |
| 06-Nov-23 | B/P to: OCC Pension Fund | DRAYTON PC 210 | -507.08 | 275549.71 |
| 02-Nov-23 | OVERTIME SEPT 23 | -26.86 | 276056.79 | |
| 02-Nov-23 | EXPENSESSEPT23&RSA | -111.84 | 276083.65 | |
| 02-Nov-23 | B/P to: Mr C J Price | EXP | -1201.50 | 276195.49 |
| 02-Nov-23 | B/P to: ChrisWilmott-Smith | CARETAKINGOCT 23 | -393.00 | 277396.99 |
| 02-Nov-23 | B/P to: LGRC | LOCUM INV 1662 | -270.00 | 277789.99 |
| Income received | 200.00 | |||
| Expenditure | -12901.40 | |||
| Bank balances as at : | ||||
| Current account | 265358.59 | |||
| NDP Project Account | 15543.18 | |||
| NS& I account | 20508.70 | |||
| 301410.47 |
Appendix C
Planning Applications
| P22/V1917/LDO. Milton Park Milton Abingdon Grid Ref : 449180191788 Re. LOCAL DEVELOPMENT ORDER – Draft for Public Consultation. PC: Support: See October 2022’s Minutes for details. VWHDC: Pending. |
| P23/V2251/LB. Alterations to a chimney pot. The Old Pound 3 High Street Drayton Abingdon OX14 4JL. PC: Noted. VWHDC: Listed Building Consent on 16th November 2023. |
| P23/V2338/FUL. New dwelling house to rear of site. 11 Crabtree Lane Drayton Abingdon OX14 4HS. PC: Objection: This is “backland” development with the following result: 1. Insufficient parking/delivery space in a narrow road. 2. Overlooks gardens of adjoining houses. 3. Increased density behind Meads Close and Crabtree. VWHDC: Pending. |
| P23/V2380/S73. Variation of conditions 2 (Approved plans), 3 (Drainage Details (Surface Water)), 4 (Drainage Details (Foul Water)), 5 (Contaminated Land), 8 (Materials) on application P22/V2919/FUL (New dwellinghouse). Magpie Cottage 30 High Street Drayton Abingdon OX14 4JW. PC: Noted. VWHDC: Pending. |
| P23/V2636/HH. Demolition of conservatory. Two storey rear extension with associated works. 1 High Street Drayton Abingdon OX14 4JL. PC: Noted. VWHDC: Pending. |