MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF BERINSFIELD PARISH COUNCIL held on Monday 5th October 2015 in the School Hall, Abbey Woods Academy, Wimblestraw Road, Berinsfield, Wallingford, Oxon.

PRESENT : Councillor K. Hall Chairman

Councillor E. Croft

Councillor J. Eccles

Councillor D. Eldridge

Councillor Ms. J. Garvey

Councillor Mrs. A. Jones

Councillor Mrs. E. McMenemy

Councillor S. Scott-Ely

Councillor F. Workman

1. Items raised by Members of the Public

a) Thames Valley Police. The Chairman welcomed PCSO Sue Harris and PCSO Clare Beale to the meeting. Sue and Clare informed the meeting that Berinsfield had been quiet apart from some problems with abandoned cars and vandalism on the recreation ground. They informed the Council that the accident close to the entrance to Abbey Woods Academy was as a result of a medical episode and there were no casualties. An Officer will be visiting Abbey Woods Academy prior to Halloween on 31st October to speak to the children to give advice about keeping themselves and the residents of Berinsfield safe. PCSO Sue Harris will be collecting items for hampers for elderly people at Christmas. The Parish Council was asked to provide information about elderly people who may benefit from receiving a hamper and if no names are put forward, the items will be left at the Day Centre for distribution. PCSO Harris will be assisted by children from the school when she visits the Day Centre prior to Christmas.

The PCSO’s issued advice about keeping bicycles locked up and to be extra vigilant with bicycles and other personal possessions during the run up to Christmas. They also mentioned that the Police do have some bicycles that have been abandoned and possibly stolen stored at Wallingford and Didcot Police Stations and that residents should contact the Police if they have had a bicycle stolen recently as it may be at one of the Police Stations.

A resident present at the meeting asked for advice from the Police about cutting back some barbed wire that was hanging over the rear yard to the shops at the junction of Chiltern Close. He considered this to be dangerous. The Police advised him that if he did cut it he should return it to the owner.

Councillor Hall thanked PCSO’s Harris and Beale for attending the meeting.

b) Fence around Abbey Woods Academy School Playing Field. A resident enquired why the school had been allowed to erect a fence around the open space. A resident who lives in a property close to the new fence had received a letter from The Governors of Abbey Woods Academy and had provided a copy to the Parish Council for information. The Chairman, Councillor Hall read out the following paragraphs from the letter :-

“Abbey Woods Academy was recently inspected by Ofsted who, before issuing their report, alerted us to the requirement for immediate action to be taken to improve site safety. The field forms part of the school’s space and in order to address these safeguarding concerns and the frequent occurrences of broken glass, cans, rubbish, drug paraphernalia, as well as dog fouling on the field, it was decided to install a fence around the school’s playing field and the rest of the site. On account of the need to respond promptly to these concerns and take action before the school re-opened after the summer break, regrettably there was not the usual opportunity for consultation with neighbours and other stakeholders.”

“We are aware of suggestions that the installation of the fence is part of CfBT’s long term plan to sell off the field for building, but would like to make it clear that there are no plans to do so; our concern is solely to protect the safety of the children in the school.”

The members of the public present at the meeting asked what the arrangement was with regard to the transfer of the land from Oxfordshire County Council to Abbey Woods Academy and the Parish Council AGREED to contact Oxfordshire County Council to request the information.

c) Litter bins outside shops at the junction of Chiltern Close and Fane Drive. A resident informed the Parish Council that litter was being blown from the litter bins outside the shops. The Parish Council has supplied one bin in this location with a lid on it, the other bin was provided by South Oxfordshire District Council. The Parish Council will monitor the situation prior for the time being.

d) Dog Trainer looking for premises in Berinsfield. The Chairman informed the Parish Council that he had been approached by a Dog Trainer who was looking for a hall in Berinsfield in which to run her dog training classes. The Parish Council did not know of anywhere suitable, but agreed to minute the request.

e) Lorries delivering to the supermarket at the junction of Chiltern Close and Fane Drive. As resident informed the Parish Council that there had been problems with HGV’s delivering to the supermarket, but that the situation had now been resolved.

2. Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Mrs. Stockford

3. Declarations of Interests. Councillor Scott-Ely declared an interest in item 12 (i) on the supplementary agenda relating to an article in Your Village Voice and did not take part in any discussion on the item.

4. To approve and sign the Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 7th September, 2015. The Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 7th September, 2015 were APPROVED by the Council and signed by the Chairman.

5. To approve and sign the Minutes of the Allotments, Playing Fields, Open Spaces, Burial Ground and Skateboard Committee meeting held on 28th September, 2015. The Minutes of the Allotments, Playing Fields, Open Spaces, Burial Ground and Skateboard Committee were APPROVED by the Council.

a) Matters Arising.

i) Defibrilator. The Parish Council noted that defibrillators are available at the Sports Centre and Health Centre in Berinsfield. A suggestion was made that the Parish Council should find out if it was possible to purchase a telephone box in which to house a defibrillator. The Parish Council will discuss this matter when further information is available.

6. To approve and sign the Minutes of the Neighbourhood Development Plan Steering Group meeting held on 28th September, 2015. The Minutes of the Neighbourhood Development Plan Steering Group meeting held on 28th September, 2015 were APPROVED by the Parish Council.

a) Report from Chairman of the Neighbourhood Development Plan Steering Group. The Chairman, Councillor Scott-Ely referred to the decision, now approved by the Parish Council, that the Berinsfield Neighbourhood Development Plan should be submitted to South Oxfordshire District Council for examination well before 2017. Councillor Scott-Ely informed the Parish Council that the District Council had still not published the Green Belt Study despite informing the Parish Council that it was available. The Parish Council is currently waiting for a reply to a letter written to Mr. Adrian Duffield, Head of Planning Service by the Chairman of the Parish Council, Councillor K. Hall.

Councillor Scott-Ely informed the meeting that he had attended, as a representative of the Parish Council, a Westminster briefing meeting in London on 29th September. There were several very good speakers and the main theme was localism. Most of the delegates were from District Councils. Councillor Scott-Ely was asked by the Parish Council to contact, by e.mail, one of the Solicitors who spoke at the meeting to ask if it was within his remit to advise Parish Council’s who are preparing Neighbourhood Development Plans. Councillor Scott-Ely will report back to the Neighbourhood Development Plan Steering Group and the Parish Council on this matter.

7. County Councillor’s Report. County Councillor Lorraine Lindsay-Gale had provided a written report and this had been circulated to Members of the Parish Council.

a) Children’s Centre and Early Intervention Changes. Members discussed this item, which was included in County Councillor Lindsay-Gale’s report. The Chairman, Councillor Hall, informed the meeting that he and the Vice-Chairman, Councillor Scott-Ely, had been invited to attend a meeting in Abingdon arranged by County Councillor Mark Gray, Member for Benson and Cholsey. Further meetings will be arranged by County Councillor Mark Gray who has indicated he would like to see the Berinsfield Children’s Centre retained. The Parish Council will be kept informed of progress.

b) Minerals & Waste Local Plan : Part 1 Core Strategy. Councillor Ms. Garvey asked why the Parish Council was objecting to the possibility of gravel extraction in the area as she considered gravel extraction would provide jobs in the area. A brief history of why the Parish Council had joined PAGE (Parishes Against Gravel Extraction) was given for the benefit of new Members of the Parish Council. The Parish Council noted the information provided in County Councillor Lindsay-Gale’s report.

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

a) Planning application. P15/S3223/HH Erection of single storey front and rear extensions and replacement of existing garage and former garden studio with a new three-bay garage. Mount Farm Cottage, Dorchester on Thames, OX10 7PG. It was AGREED that South Oxfordshire District Council should be informed that this application should be approved and that the District Council should refer to the Berinsfield Neighbourhood Development Plan.

b) Withdrawn application. P15/S2457/HH Demolition of garage and front boundary well and erection of 1.85m high wall along front and side boundary and creation of hardstanding on front driveway with vehicular access and drop curb. (as amended by Garden Design Drawing accompanying e.mail from applicant received 8 September 2015). The Parish Council noted that the application referred to above has been withdrawn by the applicant.

c) Planning decision. P15/S2486/FUL Construction and operation of a solar photovoltaic farm including perimeter fencing, inverter and transformer stations, below ground cabling, CCTV, substation, internal access road and landscaping/biodiversity enhancements. As clarified by Agent emails dated 7 and 18 September 2015 detailing community benefits and information about grid connection point. The Parish Council noted that planning permission has been granted.

9. Correspondence and Items for Information

a) Community Infrastructure Levy. The Parish Council noted that at the public hearing held on 29th July, 2015, the Examiner requested further information from South Oxfordshire District Council to explain/support some of the Community Infrastructure Levy matters/proposals. A response has been published and comments can be made by 5 p.m. on 19th October, 2015. Full details of the consultation including the CIL examination library and evidence base is on the South Oxfordshire District Council website, www.southoxon.gov.uk/cil.

b) Annual General Meeting. Trustees of Citizens’ Advice Bureau South Oxfordshire and the Vale. Tuesday 13th October at 7.30 p.m. It was AGREED that Councillor David Eldridge would represent the Parish Council at the meeting.

c) Oxfordshire Playing Fields Association AGM, Thursday 15th October at 2 p.m. at the Victory War Memorial Hall and Playing Fields, Middle Barton. Members noted the date and time of the Annual General meeting and if possible, Members will attend the meeting.

d) Shop premises at the junction of Chiltern Close and Fane Drive. The Parish Council noted that South Oxfordshire District Council has, at the request of the Parish Council, appointed another Enforcement Officer to visit the site and make an initial assessment. At short notice, the Clerk was informed that the Officer, Tom Crowe, would visit the site on Thursday 17th September, but could not specify a time. In order not to miss the opportunity for a representative of the Parish Council to be present during his visit, the Clerk asked the Vice-Chairman, Councillor Scott-Ely, if he could liaise with Tom Crowe and meet him when he arrived at the site. The South Oxfordshire District Council Enforcement Team will report back to the Parish Council following its investigations.

e) Meeting with Localities Team of Oxfordshire County Council on Monday 21st September, 2015. The Chairman, Councillor Hall and the Vice-Chairman, Councillor Scott-Ely attended a meeting with Mr. Ian Hudspeth and the Localities Team of Oxfordshire County Council on Monday 21st September, 2015. The meeting was called with a view to giving communities greater control over local services. The Chairman and Vice-Chairman have indicated that the Parish Council may be interested in taking over, on an agency basis, some of the services currently provided in the village by Oxfordshire County Council, possibly grass and hedge cutting, sign maintenance, footpath maintenance and minor road repairs, subject to funding being made available to the Parish Council by Oxfordshire County Council. The Parish Council noted that it will be asked to discuss this matter in detail when the County Council has collated the financial offers that will be attributed to the funded services over the next few weeks.

f) Spinney Area at between Abbey Woods Close and Abbey Woods Academy. Following complaints from residents living in Abbey Woods Close about the condition of the trees and fires being lit in the area, the Clerk contacted Oxfordshire County Council Education Department to ask for assistance in inspecting the trees and clearing rubbish from the Spinney Area. The area of land is still owned by Oxfordshire County Council but managed by Carillion and Capita. An Officer from Capita met with the Clerk and upon inspecting the area found that there was litter and the area was very overgrown, but there were no large items, i.e. sofas, pallets etc. that could be used to light fires. The Officer from Capita was going to check with Oxfordshire County Council if arrangements could be made for the trees to be inspected and for the area to be litter picked and possibly strimmed on a regular basis. The Parish Council considered that it was important for the area to be kept free of litter and if Oxfordshire County Council is not able to carry out the works, it was AGREED that the Parish Council’s contractors should be asked to litter pick on a regular basis and that the area should be included on the Parish Council’s schedule of works for the year 2016-17.