Minutes from meeting held on: Thursday 22 February, 2018

Present: Bruce Tremayne (BT), Bryn Walker (BW), Terry Pollard (TP), Dawn Channon (DC), Lynne Roberts (LR), Christine Herbert (CH), Samantha Hatwell – clerk (SH). Claire Mitchell – Conservation Officer.

C Harris & D Han.

Apologies

Jack Pearson JP.

Declaration of Interest

None given.

Public Comments/Notices

D Han asked if the swing seat had been fixed; BW confirmed that it had. She also gave a suggestion for the SSE deficit being spent on speed restriction signs. SH to look at costs. Christine Herbert’s suggested that the sign should be one of the items given consideration by the village. SH to investigate other ideas, ie: grit bins, white speed gateways, first aid classes and distribute around the village to see which one would be the most popular. BT proposed something for the school, but BW stated that the money has to spent on a community project, not just one group.

Approval of the minutes from the meeting held on 11th January 2018.

The minutes were approved and signed by the chairman.

Matters arising from the meeting 11th January 2018.

a) Allotments: SH had visited the allotments and taken some photos of the plots, paths and hedges. They showed that one of the paths has been cut away, making it impossible to walk on. Some of the allotments are in a poor state and are in need of attention. Unfortunately, R Lambert is unable to rotavate the plots as he does not have the equipment. It was decided to ask if anyone else is able to carry out the work before the start of the season. The hedge at the top of the allotments needs cutting back. SH to ask if R Lambert is able to do this. It was decided that we will ask all the current plot holders to attend the next meeting to make sure they are aware of their responsibilities, sign the tenancy agreement and pay for the new season.

b) Dates for the parish council meetings had been confirmed and SH had sent a letter to the school requesting to book the hall.

Claire Mitchell – Conservation officer

BW welcomed Claire to the meeting. Claire gave us a talk on the new appraisal for the proposed Conservation area of Charlton On Otmoor. Cherwell District Council currently has 60 conservation areas and they have a duty to ascribe the review, our last one having taken place in 1996. The appraisal will help with future planning and to keep unique places of interest, special in the village.

Claire stated that they are going to set up a meeting for a presentation to the village for their views on the proposed conservation area. Claire will book the hall and confirm with SH so that the PC can inform the village with a leaflet drop, stating the date.

BW thanked her for attending the meeting and we look forward to seeing her again soon.

Finance

Payments for R Lambert – maintenance of the new burial ground £1146.00 and the clerks salary/expenses were approved and cheques were signed.

OLD:- TP had looked at the gate and informed us that it needed some attention. BW confirmed that he had received an email from JP stating that he had also looked at the gate and it was now ok. DC noted that whenever she had passed, the gate had been shut.

NEW: BW had visited the burial grounds and noted that the hedge is satisfactory at the moment. A quote has been received from R Lambert to cut the hedge for this year at a cost of £480.00.

Playing field/ground

BW confirmed that the swing seat has been replaced.

Planning

a) Network Rail – DC stated that she had chased up her letter.

b) Code of conduct – SH signed the document and stated that she will send it onto Cherwell District Council.

Items for further discussions

a) Local airspace development consultation notice. The document was discussed and found that fortunately it will not affect us.

b) Express carriage way Oxford-Cambridge – Christine Herbert is putting the communication received from CPRE on our website.

c) BT stated that information on the history and current position of the Halton Trust field had been publicised in the February edition of the Otmoor Review. SH confirmed that she has received a copy of the rental agreement between the Halton trust Trustees and members of the Otmoor Meadow Group covering the next three years. The usual annual auction renting out the field will not therefore take place as long as this agreement is in place.

d) Christine Herbert stated that she will be resigning from the Parish Council as from next month, but she is happy to keep helping the clerk with the website. Christine is to continue with the ongoing work on the Village Hall and will still be the contact for Islip Surgery. Christine is interested in finding out from the village whether they want to receive communication from the PC by email. BW thanked Christine for contribution to the PC since 2014 and especially her work on setting up the website.

Being no further business, the meeting closed at 9.05pm. The next meeting will be the meeting of the Parish on 22nd March 2018 in the Percy Collet room of the Community Hall at 7.00pm where among other items the allotment rents will be taken.