Minutes of the Meeting of Kidlington Parish Council
Held at Exeter Hall, Oxford Road, Kidlington on Thursday 9th May 2013
Present:Cllr D Bett (Chair)
Cllr M Billington
Cllr T.Emptage
Cllr A Graham
Cllr L Gray-Wright
Cllr A Hornsby-Smith
Cllr Chris Pack
Cllr Carole Pack
Cllr N Prestidge
Cllr S Rhodes
Cllr D Robey
Cllr C Robins
Cllr R Truman
District Cllr D Williamson
County Cllr A Gearing (arrived at 8.00pm)
1.APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRMAN AND DECLARATION OF ACCEPTANCE
It was proposed by Cllr Emptage and seconded by Cllr Robey and RESOLVED that Cllr David Betts be appointed Chairman for 2013/14.
Cllr Betts signed a declaration of acceptance of the office of Chairman in the presence of the Clerk.
2. DECLARATION OF INTEREST
None
3.APPOINTMENT OF VICE CHAIR
It was proposed by Cllr Betts and seconded by Cllr Pack and RESOLVEDthat Cllr David Robey be appointed as vice chair for 2012/13.
4.APPOINTING OF STANDING COMMITTEES
It was resolved that the following standing committees be appointed:
FINANCE & POLICY COMMITTEE (7 MEMBERS)
Cllr A Graham, Cllr T Emptage, Cllr D Betts, Cllr A Hornsby-Smith, Cllr D Robey, Cllr C Robins, Cllr R Truman.
PERSONNEL SUB-COMMITTEE
Chair and Vice Chair of Council
COMMUNITY COMMITTEE (9 MEMBERS)
Cllr D Robey, Cllr Chris Pack, Cllr J Claxton, Cllr T Emptage, Cllr L Gray-Wright, Cllr N Prestige, Cllr R Truman, Cllr S Rhodes, Cllr T Wyse
LAND REVIEW SUB COMMITTEE (6 MEMBERS)
Cllr D Betts, Cllr M Billington, Cllr A Graham, Cllr T Emptage, Cllr Carole Pack, Cllr Chris Pack
PLANNING COMMITTEE (9 MEMBERS)
Cllr T Wyse, Cllr L Gray-Wright, Cllr M Billington, Cllr A Graham, Cllr A Hornsby-Smith, Cllr Carole Pack, Cllr Chris Pack, Cllr Sandra Rhodes, Cllr N Prestidge
5.APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEE CHAIRS
The committees RESOLVED to appoint the following:
Community Committee –
Proposed, seconded and RESOLVED to appoint Cllr David Robey Chair of Community Committee
Policy and Finance Committee –
Proposed ,seconded and RESOLVED to appoint Cllr Alan Graham as Chair of Policy and Finance Committee.
Planning Committee -
Proposed, seconded and RESOLVED to appoint Cllr Tracy Wyse as Chair of Planning Committee.
6.APPOINTMENT TO OTHER BODIES
Allotments Committee:Cllr Carole Pack
Emergency Liaison working Group: Cllrs D Betts and Cllr M Billington
Events working Group: Cllrs C Robins, S Rhodes, N Prestige
Kaleidoscope Childrens Centre: Cllr S Rhodes
Kidlington in Bloom working group: Cllrs Carole Packand S Rhodes
Kidlington Recreational Trust: Cllr N Prestige
Kidlington Voice: Cllrs A Graham, D Betts, Chris Pack, C Robins, L Gray-Wright
NAG: Cllrs A Graham, A Hornsby-Smith, S Rhodes
Oxford Airport Consultative Committee (2): Cllrs C Robins and T Emptage
Oxfordshire Association of Local Councils: Cllr A Graham
Parish Transport Representative: Cllr C Robins
St Marys Field Working Group: Cllr Carole Pack
Stratfield Brake Management Committee (3): Cllrs J Claxton, A Graham, R Truman
Thornbury House Liaison Group: Cllr A Graham, Chris Robins
Traffic Advisory Committee (2): Cllrs J Claxton and Chris Robins
Sub Groups;
Youth Provision: Cllrs S Rhodes and D Robey
Vision:Cllrs D Betts, D Robey, A Hornsby-Smith, R Truman, Chris Pack, A Graham, and T Emptage.
7.MINUTES
Theminutes of the meeting held on 21st March 2012 were agreed and signed a true record with the following amendments:
-Minute 71– Police– 5th paragraph amended to read “insufficient evidence to arrest….”
-Some typographical errors.
8.REPORT ON CURRENT MATTERS
i)Rising Bollard (Minute 72(b))
It was reported that Cllr Emptage had spoken to representatives of Cherwell District Council and it had now been confirmed that Kidlington Parish Council would pay 50% of the £3,000 as requested prior to the budget set and agreed by the parish council. However, this was only an interim measure as Cherwell District Council was reviewing its cost recovery policy The District Council would advise in time for the next year’s budget process.
Cllr Emptage was thanked for his intervention.
9. COMMITTEES
The Council considered the minutes of the following committees
Policy and Finance Committee 4th April 2013
The Council was presented with a recommended calendar of meetings for 2013/14 and AGREED the committee recommendations whilst noting that there may be a need to revisit the calendar later in the year when the date of the 2014 elections were known.
Planning Committee 11th April 2013
Community Committee 25th April 2013
(Community Cttee Minute 48)The Council noted that the committee had agreed that the Portas funding should be put towards improvements to the piazza to make it more welcoming and improve the general environment with improved signage including an interactive notice boar.
10. AUTHORISATION OF CHEQUES
The Council ratified the authorisation of all cheques signed between 1st March 2013 and 30thMarch 2013
Cooperative Bank PLC (Current Account) £118,697.38
Wages and Salaries £15,794.90
11. QUESTIONS
No questions to the Chair had been received.
12. REPORTS OF DISTRICT / COUNTY COUNCILLORS
i)Cllr Gearing
The Chairman welcome Cllr Gearing as the newly elected county councillor for Kidlington North (with Kirtlington). Cllr Gearing reported that the county council was now a “hung” with no single party in overall control though the Conservatives were the largest group. There had however been extensive meetings during the previous week and he was able to report that there would shortly be an announcement that there was to be a stable council.
One issue that the Conservative group had recognised was that there was a problem with communication and he explained that the Parish Council would in future receive a monthly written report.
He asked if there were outstanding issues relating to the Kidlington north ward and the chairman asked if he would look into the issue relating to a table on the main road to aid connectivity with the village centre.
Cllr Chris Pack also stated that there was to be a master plan for Kidlington and that this would include a reliance on the County Council pertaining to highway issues.
The clerk would send Cllr Gearing a copy of the Parish Council agreed “vision” statement.
(Cllr Graham left at 8.15pm)
13.REPORTS OF PARISH COUNCILLORS
i) Website –
Cllr Chris Pack reported that he had met with the web designer to discuss development of the site to keep it up to date.
He had also met with the office staff and Cllr Pack reported that the newly appointed admin assistant was keen to assist.
The Council gave a broad indication of support for the development and agreed that both Community and Policy & Finance committees should consider this issue and make recommendations on the development to Council.
Cllr Robey asked that as part of the discussion, consideration be given to other forms of social media.
ii) Subsidised bus services–
Cllr Robins reported that there were changes to the subsidised services for Banbury and Bicester but that these did not affect Kidlington.
However, he reported that there had been consideration of the cancellation of an existing off peak service from Bicester through the villages that had included Woodstock, due to the fact that the take up for Woodstock had been low. Cllr Robins had persuaded the County Council to instead bring the bus to Kidlington giving an access for the local villages into Kidlington. This service would remain for the next three years.
The Council welcomedthis and wanted to ensure that it was well advertised and should be placed on the website.
iii) Kidlington in Bloom –
Cllr Carole Pack reported that at a recent meeting of the “in Bloom” group she had learned of a proposal by Cherwell District Council to replace the flower beds in High Street with grasses, and to have fishes intertwined to give the appearance of them swimming through reeds. The funding of the fishes was to be from the funds given by developers of the Bowood House site for a public art project.
Cllr Emptage had been looking for a suitable art project with this money but had been constrained by the amount available – being only £2,000. He was frustrated to learn that with this scheme there was now talk of additional funding which would have helped his search.
The Council wanted to be fully involved in this proposal and the clerk would arrange a meeting with the landscape officers.
iv) Alderman Wise awards–
The chairman reported that he had the previous evening attended the alderman Wise award. The awards had been presented by Martin Keown.
The chairman stressed that this was a KPC sponsored event and he felt that there should be parish councillor presence. He advised that the new format of the presentation had improved and that it had been an uplifting evening.
vi) Guides –
Cllr Billington reported that the guides had almost decided not to pursue the option of a new building at Park Hill because they sensed difficulties with the Trust but he had persuaded them to hold off until the meeting between Trust and Council representatives had taken place.
14.BICESTER ROAD ALLOTMENTS
It was noted that the Community Committee had agreed to defer progress on the Bicester Road allotments following the failure to secure grant funding.
Since the Community committee meeting the Parish Council had received an undertaking from Gosford & Water Eaton Parish Council to contribute towards the costs of the allotments. Cllr Billington – as chairman of Gosford & Water Eaton Parish Council – confirmed that this could be iro £3,000.
This would leave an estimated shortfall of £2,500 and the Council RESOLVED to find the additional funding of £2,500 from reserves in order to complete this project.
The Community Committee would consider the detail of the project within the revised budget constraints.
15.MASTER PLAN
The Council received an oral report of a meeting that had taken place immediately prior to the Council meeting with Adrian Colwell – Head of Planning Policy at Cherwell DistrictCouncil.
The Parish Council representatives at that meeting had been asked to express a preference between twosubmissionsto carry out the consultancy work.In the event Mr Colwell had recommended a company and was to appoint it the following day.
There would be a further meeting of the strategy group on 30th May to meet with the consultant to flesh out issues and to suggest key stakeholders.
It appeared that the plan was scheduled to be completed mid-summer and it was noted that it could be used towards a neighbourhood plan if wanted or it could be a Development Plan Document (DPD ) to the local plan.
Mr Colwell had stressed that KPC was a key tothe process.
The Council was assured that regular information wouldbe passed to all members.
16.LAND TO NORTH OF KIDLINGTON
There was to be a meeting of the Land Review sub Committee on 3rd June and the planningconsultant would update the Council at its next meeting on 28th June.
17.ANY OTHER BUSINESS
i)Local plan
The due date for comments on the amendments of the local plan was 23rd May.Cllrs Robey, Hornsby-Smith and Emptage would consider a response which would be circulated to all members prior for comment to submission
(The meeting closed at 8.50pm)
Chair
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