MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF BERINSFIELD PARISH COUNCIL held on Monday 6th December, 2010 at Mount Farm Community Education Centre, Wimblestraw Road, Berinsfield.

PRESENT : Councillor K. Hall Chairman

Councillor E. Croft,

Councillor Mrs. P. Collins

Councillor Ms. J. Dance

Councillor G. Denslow

Councillor J. Eccles

Councillor D. Eldridge

Councillor B. Harris

Councillor L. Pomeroy

Councillor Mrs. N. Sutton

1. Items raised by Members of the Public.

a) Oxfordshire County Council, Highways Department. The Chairman welcomed Mr. Keith Stenning, Area Steward from Oxfordshire County Council, Highways Department. Mr. Stenning explained that his Department’s budget would be reduced in the next financial year by 50% in capital funding and 40% in revenue funding, which will have an impact on maintenance carried out to highways. The Highways Department will continue to concentrate on repairing defects which could cause harm to people. Mr. Stenning explained why road defects are marked out prior to being repaired and also explained that there was currently a backlog of repairs waiting to be carried out.

Councillors reported several poor road surfaces and potholes to Mr. Stenning and he agreed to liaise with the Clerk to arrange an appointment to meet with a representative from the Parish Council to carry out an inspection of the roads in the village. He emphasized that road repairs in all towns and villages in his area would treated in the same way and no area would be singled out for preferential treatment.

Councillor Eldridge asked if Mr. Stenning could let the Parish Council know what was happening with regard to the request made for a safe crossing and a speed limit on the A 4074 in Berinsfield. Mr. Stenning informed the meeting that this was a road safety matter and he would as his colleague at the County Council to respond to the Parish Council.

b) Berinsfield Library. The Chairman welcomed Simon, Lay, Customer Services Manager, South West Group, Oxfordshire County Council Library Service. Mr. Lay explained that he manages 12 libraries in the county located between Berinsfield to Burford. He outlined the County Council’s proposal to save around £155,000,000 by 2015 and one of the proposals is to cease funding 20 of the 43 libraries in the county. He explained that there is a fund of £200,000 being set up to which local communities can bid for funds to help them take responsibility for any library that the council is seeking to end funding. Such a scheme would require the community to provide premises, but they would be able to take over the current book stock, access the central book stock and use the computer booking system. The meeting was informed that it costs approximately £50,000. per annum to run Berinsfield Library in its current premises, which does not include paying rent or rates for the premises.

The meeting was informed that there would be a briefing for Oxfordshire County Councillors on 13th December, after which further information should be available. The County Council will consider its budget in February 2011 and then there would probably be a period of consultation regarding the Libraries, which should mean that no final decision would be available until May/June 2011.

The Chairman thanked Mr. Lay for attending the meeting and for the information he had provided. The Chairman also thanked County Councillor Lindsay-Gale for notifying him about the proposals with regard to the Library.

c) Motorcycles Lee Conway informed the meeting that he was still working with Neil Owen to try and provide a motorcycle track in Berinsfield. The Chairman thanked Lee for the information and asked that the Council be kept informed as to how the scheme was proceeding.

2. Apologies for absence were received from Councillor R. Harwood and Councillor Mrs. Stockford.

3. To approve and sign the Minutes and Confidential Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 1st November, 2010. The Minutes and Confidential Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 1st November, 2010 were APPROVED and signed by the Chairman.

4. District Councillor’s Report.

i) Core Strategy. District Councillor Cotton informed the meeting that the South Oxfordshire District Council Proposed Submission Core Strategy was out for consultation until 21st January, 2011. He referred to a possible review of the green belt, and mentioned that it might be useful to publicise this through the Berinsfield Action Group meetings.

ii) Mayor/Strong Leader. District Councillor Cotton informed the meeting that many people voted to have a Mayor, but the District Council have decided to have a Strong Leader.

iii) SODC budget 2011/12. District Councillor Cotton said the District Council’s budget would be frozen and there would be no increase in the District Council’s portion of the council tax.

5. County Councillor’s Report.

County Councillor Lorraine Lindsay-Gale informed the meeting that Oxfordshire County Council had carried out a review and the number of Councillors will be reduced from 74 to 60, which should save approximately £1,000,000 per annum.

Oxfordshire County Council will continue to support the Youth Centre in Berinsfield which will be controlled from one of the seven hubs in the County.

6. Berinsfield Library

Councillor N. Sutton declared an interest in this item and did not take part in the discussion.

County Councillor Lindsay-Gale stated that she was sorry about the proposal to close the Library, but she did not feel it was a realistic option to try to fight to keep the library open as it is now, but more realistic to try and research ways of running it as a community project with the assistance of volunteers.

Members of the Parish Council were not convinced that the Library could be run by volunteers alone and that it might be necessary to have a paid member of staff. Councillors also felt that many residents of Berinsfield and the surrounding villages would not be able to get to other libraries in the county if Berinsfield was to close entirely.

There was also some discussion about the current library building, its value, whether it would be granted planning permission and the possibility of it being sold on the open market. District Councillor Cotton agreed to ask South Oxfordshire District Council to check ownership of the land on which the library building stands.

It was felt that a public consultation meeting should be organised and that the following Parish Councils should be informed about it and asked to publicise it :-

Dorchester on Thames Nuneham Courtenay

Drayton St. Leonard Warborough and Shillingford

Clifton Hampden and Burcot Chislehampton

The Baldons Stadhampton

It was AGREED that the meeting should be held on Saturday 15th January, 2011 at 11 a.m in the School Hall, Berinsfield C. P. Primary School, and that Members of the Parish Council should be asked to assist with publicising the meeting by distributing leaflets.

7. To receive the Minutes of the meeting of the Finance Committee held on 15th November, 2010. It was AGREED that :-

i) the Minutes of the Finance and General Purposes Committee meeting held on Monday 15th November, 2010 and the recommendations made therein, should be approved.

ii) the budget, a copy of which had been circulated to Members and is filed in the Minute book, should be approved and that South Oxfordshire District Council should be informed that the sum of £114,000 will be required as the precept for the year 2011/12.

8. To consider planning applications and decisions received to date:-

a) Planning Decision P10/W1390 Replacement of residential dwelling known as Lakeside View, Queenford Lake, Berinsfield OX10 6SL

Lakeside View, Queenford Lake, Berinsfield, OX10 7PQ. The Parish Council noted that this application has been refused.

b) Local Government (Misc. Provisions) Act 1982. Street Trading in South Oxfordshire

Application for Street Trading Consent.

Application : Mobile trader selling hot and cold food and drink

Location : A 4074 layby opposite shops at Berinsfield/Abingdon/Oxford roundabout

Hours : Sunday to Thursday 1700 – 0100

Friday and Saturday 1700 – 0200

The Parish Council considered this application and it was AGREED that South Oxfordshire District Council should be informed that it should be refused on the following grounds :-

i) There is already a permanent café, located near to the proposed site, serving hot and cold food and drink, which is already open during the evening.

ii) Residents from Berinsfield would have to cross the busy A4074 to reach the mobile trader.

iii) The mobile trader and customers would not have any toilet facilities available to them at the proposed location and this could cause problems for proprietors of the shops and café in the area. Litter could also be a problem as it would have to be cleared by the proprietors of the shops each morning if they wished to keep the area clean.

iv) The proposed location of the mobile trader could possibly cause an obstruction for other road users.

9. Correspondence and Items for Information.

a) 2011 Census. The Parish Council noted that the Census would take place in March 2011 and that questionnaires would be distributed in the post to every household for completion prior to 27th March, 2011.

b) Core Strategy. The Parish Council noted that a copy of the Core Strategy was available for inspection from the Clerk and that the consultation period would end on Friday 21st January, 2011.

c) Revocation of Tree Preservation Order No. 15/1988 (Berinsfield Area).

New Tree Preservation Order No. 114/2009

The Parish Council noted that Tree Preservation Order issued in respect of the trees located near to the Family Centre, in front of Abbey Woods Close and on the corner of the open space near to the War Memorial had been revoked and a new Tree Preservation Order No. 114/2009 issued.

10. Statement of Accounts for payment in December. It was AGREED that the statement of accounts for payment in December in the sum of £14,263.69 should be approved.

11. Date of next meeting – 10th January, 2011

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