EXETER HALL
OXFORD ROAD, KIDLINGTON OXFORD OX5 1AB
Tel: 01865 373691
REGULAR ACTIVITIES
MONDAY – FRIDAY / 9am - 12 Noon / Kidlington Nursery Groupfor details phone Mrs Holstead 01865 376481
TUESDAY &
THURSDAY / 10.00am – 3.00pm / Kidlington Information Centre
01865 378479
TUESDAY / 7.30pm / Kidlington Charity BINGO
WEDNESDAY / 2.00pm
10.00am – 1.00pm / Evergreen Club
once a fortnight
Citizens Advice Bureau
THURSDAY / 10.30am - 1.30pm
7.00pm
7.30pm
7.30pm / Kidlington Day Centre and Lunch Club
NKA Karate - 01865 831538
Parish Council Meetings
CEROC (Jive)
SATURDAY / 10.30am - 12 noon / Kidlington Labour Surgery
First Saturday in month
Kidlington Lib/Dem Surgery
Fourth Saturday in month
List of Parish Councillors (15)
Cllr D Atsoparthis 39 Cromwell Way, Kidlington EXETER 379587
Cllr D Betts 62 The Moors, Kidlington ST MARY’S 375613
Cllr S Colverson 116 Mill Street, Kidlington ORCHARD 376052
Cllr P Evans 1 Stanley Close, Kidlington ROUNDHAM 843408
Cllr J Garlick 3 Winston Close, Kidlington ROUNDHAM 372591
Cllr A Graham 107 High Street, Kidlington ST MARY’S 460834
* Cllr R W Laynes 34 Maple Avenue, Kidlington DOGWOOD 377824
* Cllr S W Laynes 34 Maple Avenue, Kidlington DOGWOOD 377824
Cllr A Moss 14 Croft Avenue, Kidlington ORCHARD 372399
Cllr Carole Pack 13 Mead Way, Kidlington ROUNDHAM 377539
* Cllr Chris Pack 13 Mead Way, Kidlington ST MARY’S 07885 835283
Cllr D Rae 42 Maple Avenue, Kidlington EXETER 379037
Cllr C V Robins 33 Foxdown Close, Kidlington EXETER 371760
Cllr J Ruiz 61 Waverley Avenue, Kidlington ORCHARD 371717
* Cllr J Stansby 37 Lyne Road, Kidlington DOGWOOD 379953
Chair: Cllr Alan Graham Vice Chair: Cllr Chris Pack
* Denotes members of Cherwell District Council who also attend meetings of that Council
Denotes member of Oxfordshire County Council who also attend meeting of that Council
STAFF
Clerk of the Council Mrs P Redpath
Assistant Clerk (Finance) Mr L Reynolds
Administrative Assistant Mrs M Warland
Secretarial Assistant (part time) Miss N Marsh
Secretarial Assistant (part time) Mrs T Smethurst
Exeter Hall (Supervisor) Mr H Gardiner
Exeter Hall Assistant Mr D Bourton
Exeter Hall Assistant (part-time) Mrs M Sawyer
Catering Assistant (part-time) Mrs T Maskell
General Assistant (part-time) Mr B Horseman
General Assistant (part time) Mr Martin Burch
Ground staff Mr D Wooll/Mr R Preston
Parish Rangers Mrs J Hancox/Mr L Hancox
CHERWELL DISTRICT COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES
Kidlington: North and West Cllr Chris Pack and Cllr J Wyse
Kidlington: South and East Cllr R Laynes, Cllr J Stansby and Cllr A Hornsby-Smith
COUNTY COUNCILLORS
Kidlington: North Cllr C Witcher 4 Evans Court, Kidlington
Kidlington: South Cllr C Robins 33 Foxdown Close, Kidlington
LOCAL MP Dr Evan Harris 27 Park End Street, Oxford, OX1 1HU
DISTRICT COUNCIL ELECTIONS
DO NOT FORGET TO USE YOUR VOTES ON THURSDAY 10 JUNE 2004
SPRING REPORT 2004
Introduction by Chair of Kidlington Parish Council
Councillor Alan Graham
In 2003 there were several changes to the membership of the Parish Council, with all of the Parish Council up for re-election in May.
Besides the changes in membership we also had changes in the electoral ward boundaries, which has resulted in a reduction to 15 members of the Council.
There are six new members of the Parish Council and they have all worked to ensure continuity with the work of the previous Parish Council.
One of the major areas of concern for the Parish Council over the last year has been the future of the market. With planning permission in place for the redevelopment of the market site there was a concerted effort from all involved to ensure that the market should continue to operate (albeit a permanent solution has yet to be found). That has been achieved and the Parish Council is now looking further into the future to take on a leading role in developing a strategy for the central area and has commenced work on setting up a Management Group.
The project for improved facilities at Park Hill, which includes a new building, has been completed thanks to partnership work with the Recreational Trust. The entire scheme did not include all the facilities we originally envisaged, but it represents a significant improvement for the area.
Members of staff of the Parish Council (and other numerous invaluable helpers) have worked on several ‘community events’ during the year and have included the Gala Day, the Bonfire Night fireworks event at Stratfield Brake and the ‘turning-on’ of the Christmas lights. The importance of these events to the community is reflected in the high number of residents who turned up to attend.
Inevitably, there are many others committed to all sorts of activities, in which the Parish Council is involved, which rely on voluntary help to keep going. These include the work on the conservation project at St Mary’s Fields, the members of the sports clubs at Stratfield Brake and those involved in providing entertainment at the New Year’s Eve function at Exeter Hall.
Some of the work of the Parish Council is more mundane, such as working on ‘best value’ reviews, but these are fundamental to our work to ensure that we keep under control the charges made through the Parish Council Tax precept for the services provided.
Members of the Parish Council continue to participate in a number of groups that go beyond the day-to-day work of the Parish Council. This includes work on transport issues and various environmental issues such as the project at Cherwell Green. The effort put in by members of the Parish Council to outside bodies is all part of ensuring that our community thrives.
Most of the work of the Parish Council relies on partnership and many of the projects the Council is currently working on and those for the future will operate on that basis, whether it be with voluntary help in the community and or with other authorities such as Cherwell District Council or Oxfordshire County Council.
Finally, the Parish Council relies completely upon its staff to function effectively and I thank them for their continuing work, serving the community.
Finance & Policy Committee
From Councillor D Rae
Policy Committee
Once again, another busy year, but before writing about this past year, I would like to make a comment on the CCTV mentioned in last year’s report. After publication of the Spring Report a decision was taken by Cherwell District Council to fund a static camera rather than the anticipated mobile unit. The Policy Committee has this year decided to look at a mobile unit again.
Over the past three or four years, the Parish Council has looked at different ways of distributing the Spring Report more efficiently. For example, with free newspapers, but the Spring Report was not delivered to those addresses declining to receive the free papers. The Committee also looked at Post Office delivery, but the company is unable to select postcodes relevant to Kidlington only, which means distribution to areas outside the Parish.
The decision was, therefore, taken to have councillor/council distribution whereby councillors and employees of the council delivered as many as possible. Two members of the public volunteered their services and without their effort, we would not have had the distribution achieved. I would just like to say thank you to John Norridge and Barry Carter for their time and enthusiasm in making these deliveries. If anyone has any idea for future delivery of the Spring Report that is efficient and cost-effective, I would ask you to contact Exeter Hall.
One of the most important matters concerning Kidlington last year was the re-siting of the market. The Parish Council feel that the market is an important part of Kidlington and this reflected in the tremendous amount of work put in by the Parish Clerk, Trish Redpath. Whilst the present site for the market may be unsatisfactory to some people, Councillors felt that the service provided by the market could not be lost to the village centre.
The Council has formed a Village Centre Working Group and together with traders and some members of the public we will be looking at improvements to the village centre to attract new business as well as encouraging existing traders to continue. This matter will be discussed at the Annual Parish meeting on 11 March. Please come along to listen to the progress.
The Policy Committee has asked a small working party to look into setting up a community website to help make the Council more accessible to the public. The Council will publish more details as they become available.
Another scheme in which the Policy Committee has become involved is the Quality Parish status. The Quality Parish award is designed for Parish Councils to take a more active role within local communities. To achieve the attainment mark, the Parish Council must meet certain minimum standards, as the Parish Council may be able to take on more responsibility from principal local authorities. There are seven tests for the Parish Council to meet and already it meets six out of the seven tests.
The Council is busy collecting all the information required to reach the goal of the seventh test and to collate the documents required for proof of qualification. Once achieved, the Quality Status Mark is awarded for four years.
I would also like to mention the events arranged and funded by Kidlington Parish Council, namely the Gala Day, Fireworks Display and Christmas Lights Switch-on.
The Gala Day 2003 was the most successful Gala Day yet. Thanks to Jayne and Lee Hancox (Kidlington Parish Rangers) and Councillors Joyce Ruiz and Jackie Garlick for all their assistance in arranging this fun day for all the family. As I have said before, for something to appear so effortless takes time and considerable effort. Thanks must also be expressed to Jane Carey and Re-Create. The group ran workshops in the weeks leading up to the Gala Day and produced some fantastic masks, hats and costumes from re-cycleable materials. The parade along Kidlington High Street was extraordinary and I know that Jane and her colleagues are hoping to do the same this year.
Another success was the Fireworks Display at Stratfield Brake. This year the small Committee decided to ask children from local schools to come along and “detonate” the first fireworks. The children last year were from Thomas More School and for this year another school will be nominated so that all primary schools in Kidlington will be invited to nominate pupils.
Thanks should be extended to Councillor Andrew Moss who oversaw all the preparations, to all the Councillors and members of Gosford All Blacks Rugby Club who helped steward, to Garden City Football Club for providing refreshments and to the Council staff for all their assistance.
The one event the Parish Council did not expect to have to arrange was the Christmas light switch-on. This was normally arranged by Cherwell District Council, but due to lack of resources Cherwell agreed to arrange to put up the lights, but the evening switch-on festivities were left to the Parish Council to arrange. With the help of BBC Radio Oxford, we were able to promote the evening, attracting more people and also more community stalls.
Kidlington Parish Council continued to provide grant support on an annual basis to some local organisations for example Luncheon Club. This year the Council also supported Kidlington Calendar, artwork for the new library, as well as a “team-building” exercise for a year group from Gosford Hill School at Stratfield Brake.
Finally, residents of Kidlington may be interested to know that Kidlington Parish Council has voted against receiving Members’ Allowances of £653 per member, although it has kept travel expenses. The old regulations allowed Parish Councillors to claim travel expenses whilst on official Parish Council duties outside the Parish. However, Councillors have seldom made these claims. And in the future, members of the public may inspect the expenses claimed by Councillors.
Finance
The Council has contested the service and amount paid to Cherwell District Council for the grass cutting and litter picking. The contract is up for renewal in the next couple of years and a working group is investigating the various options open to the Parish Council. Jeremy Sacha from Cherwell District Council will be attending the Annual Parish meeting on 11 March to speak about the existing arrangements.
The main expense this past year has been on Park Hill development in partnership with Kidlington Recreational Trust and Cherwell District Council. More money has been put aside for a new burial ground once a suitable area of land has been identified. The Council does not yet know how much a new burial ground will cost, but not so long ago one near Witney cost approximately £500,000. Kidlington Parish Council may have to obtain a loan from the Public Works Loan Board to raise the difference in money put aside and actual cost.
At the precept meeting the Parish Council decided to pay off two of the smaller loans from years ago saving over £6,000 with early repayment. The Council also set the coming year’s precept at 0.5% or an extra 40 pence on a Band D property.
Areas to benefit over the coming year will be Ron Groves’ Park, in partnership with Kidlington Recreational Trust and also money to be put aside for the planned alterations to the pavilion in Exeter Close and its environs.
This year has seen the completion of the Park Hill project to provide improved facilities for this area. The project that has taken quite a long time to come to fruition, but now there is a new building and other improvements to the area. Some further work is needed to tidy up the general environment of Park Hill and the Parish Council has established a firm working relationship with the Recreational Trust to ensure that the area is given further attention.