MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF RADLEY PARISH COUNCIL HELD on THURSDAY 28th March 2024 at 7.30pm in the CHURCH ROOM, RADLEY
PRESENT: Councillors Crowley (Chair), Barnfather, Henderson Cook, Frank, Johnston, McDermott, Moggridge, Sparks and Tannahill.
IN ATTENDANCE: Five members of the public. The Lengthsman, Clerk and Assistant Clerk.
30/24 | APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE:
Crs Frank and Henderson. District Councillors Cox and Lugova were unable to attend the meeting. |
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31/24 | DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST:
RECEIVED: Cr McDermott – North Radley Community Room (Trustee of the North Radley Room CIO) Cr Johnston – Radley Village Hall (Trustee) Cr Crowley – Radley Lakes Trust (Trustee) |
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32/24 | DISPENSATIONS: None | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
33/24 | MATTERS RAISED BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC:
· The Radley Newsletter is getting a refresh. It has changed publishers, will start to become digitally recorded and content will include more news and issues within Radley. · Radley News team would Radley Parish Council to help spread the word that they would like new volunteers to be involved to help with desktop publishing, covering various issues around the community, get in advertising and look after the accounts. · RESOLVED that Radley Parish Council would consider how to help increase awareness of the newsletter. Future editions will be archived on the website. |
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34/24 | MINUTES: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
· RESOLVED that the minutes of the February 2024 Parish Council meeting were an accurate account of that meeting. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
35/24 | POLICE MATTERS: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
· Noted that the next ‘Have Your Say’ event is planned for the 3rd May. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
36/24 | PLANNING MATTERS: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(a) | CIL PROJECTS:
1. RECEIVED the minutes of the Development Steering Group meeting held on the 14th March. 2. RECEIVED the CIL finance update. 3. CIL Projects: i. Gooseacre: i. Agreed that the project team should proceed to seeking quotes for the preferred heating option. ii. Lawns Community Building: i. The Council considered Rotunda’s updated quote and noted that the cost will be fixed once the quote is accepted. ii. Noted that the kitchen works has been removed and the Rotunda group are taking on funding the kitchen, and some small details are to be worked through. iii. Noted that there is no contingency in the budget and it is currently estimated that the project will have a 30k shortfall in funding due to inflation. If there are any costs to these it will be brought to the Parish Council meeting for approval. iv. RESOLVED for the Clerk to include information of items funded and not currently funded within the budget updates, along with details of agreed ownership for funding items (trustees or Radley Parish Council). v. APPROVED to sign the Rotunda contract subject to addressing the potential 30k deficit in the budget. vi. Noted that interest due is on deposit and will come through on maturity at set dates in 2024, the Radley Parish Council will need to discuss and agree which CIL projects the interest earned will be allocated to. vii. Noted that with the contract being signed and the deposit paid that Rotunda will be ready to commence the build on site in the middle of August 2024. viii. Noted that the Terms of Lease is still to be worked through. ix. Noted that the Clerk is expecting an update on the approval of the S106 artist funding on the 6th April. iii. Cemetery extension: i. APPROVED for the Clerk to advise the District Council that the Council is unable to provide extra cemetery space in Radley. iv. Radley Lakes: i. APPROVED Radley Lakes Trust application for a grant of £18,657.94 for two upcoming projects. Cr Crowley had declared an interest as a Trustee of Radley Lakes Trust and abstained from voting on this item. a. An arial survey at Holmes Field near the rail line to investigate if a footpath can be added with minimal damage to the trees. b. Footpath improvements. |
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(b) | STRATEGIC SITES:
1. NW Radley (Church Farm): i. Noted that a meeting is being held with several Radley Parish Councillors and Pye on the 5th April. ii. Noted that some dead trees on the site have been replaced, and the work is still ongoing. 2. North Abingdon: None 3. The Lawns: i. Noted that the Redrow had confirmed that the footpath would be closed until July 2024, as it is an active construction site. ii. Redrow had confirmed that they would be happy to join the meeting with Kennington parish, the District and County Councils regarding flooding under the rail bridge on Sandford Lane. |
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(c) | THRUPP LANE:
1) Old Coalyard: i. RESOLVED that Radley Parish Council will respond to the additional information added to the application. 2) ROMP: None 3) Terra Firma: i. Noted the emails from the County and the District Council. |
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(d) | SEWERAGE in Lower Radley:
i. RESOLVED for the Clerk to contact Thames Water and the Layla Moran MP regarding residents’ concerns of sewerage in Lower Radley. ii. Standing Orders were suspended to allow a resident to share information regarding sewerage in Lower Radley: i. Sewage backing up in residents’ gardens. ii. Flooding correlates with high ground water levels. iii. Tankers emptying day and night, with much disruption. iv. No thorough investigation has been carried out by Thames Water. v. Thames Water created a report back in 2022 but has not been followed up on. vi. Of the opinion that it could help if Radley Parish Council add their “voice” to the matter. |
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(e) | INFORMATION:
· Noted the notes of the quarterly catch up with Radley College. |
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37/24 | FINANCIAL MATTERS: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(a) | ACCOUNTS:
· RESOLVED: to confirm scrutiny and acceptance of the bank statements and reconciliation. The chairman Cr Crowley confirmed this by signing the statements and reconciliation. |
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(b) | BUDGET:
i. Noted the budget updates in the file. ii. Noted the summary budget update as of 1st March. |
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(c) | ACCOUNTS FOR PAYMENT:
i. The Council acknowledged scrutiny of the invoices for payment in March 2024. Cr Crowley confirmed this by signing the cashbook. ii. RESOLVED that the accounts as itemised on the monthly cashbook for March should be paid. |
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(d) | PENSIONS:
· APPROVED the Employer Pension Discretions statement. |
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(e) | ALLOTMENTS:
· APPROVED the works and quote received to move the allotment tap from the centre of the allotments to the boundary wall. |
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(f) | GRASS CUTTING:
i. APPROVED the increased quote for grass cutting, and noted this does not include the work to cut verges due to high insurance costs. ii. Noted that the Clerk is looking for a gardener and quotes to carry out the work to maintain the verges. |
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(g) | PAVILION:
· RESOLVED for the clerk to come back to the Parish Council meeting with quotes for electrical installation, legionella testing equipment and fire risk assessments for the pavilion. |
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(h) | WEBSITE:
· Noted that the current Radley Village website does not comply with the current accessibility requirements, and it is recommended the Council should start investigating moving to a new website and .gov email addresses. |
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(i) | INFORMATION:
1. The Clerk had granted permission for the Good Friday Walk banner to be temporarily placed on the Church Road car park railings due to being removed after the event. 2. The insurance renewal quotes have been started. 3. That the excess on the insurance claim for the Radley station Oxford direction bus shelter has been refunded. |
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38/24 | REPORTS OF THE COUNTY AND DISTRICT COUNCILLORS: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(a) | COUNTY: Cr Johnston reported:
1. I do not have much to report this month following the settlement of the County budget in February. However, I have now been told that following the recent floods they are going to adopt a much more risk based approach and concentrate resources on areas which have proved problematic in the most recent episode. This will mainly revolve around more jetting of the drainage pipes and cleaning out the gulley pots more regularly. They will also be working with landowners to try to ensure that ditches away from the highways, but which contributed to the problem can be kept clear in future. Having said that a key factor was the sheer volume of the rain during what has proved to be the wettest winter in over 250 years which overwhelmed the ditches and water courses into which the highway drains would normally flow. |
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(b) | DISTRICT: Councillors Lugova and Cox reported:
1. Changes in Garden Waste collection scheme will be introduced from April 2025 Garden waste scheme changes – Vale of White Horse District Council (whitehorsedc.gov.uk). From 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025, we will have transition arrangements in place which mean that when we take your direct debit payment, we will only take payment for the period between your current renewal date and 31 March 2025 when the new permit scheme starts. |
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39/24 | HIGHWAY MATTERS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(a) | FIX MY STREET:
1. RECEIVED the report of the highway problems for submission on Fix My Street. 2. NOTED a request had been made to the contractor to remove mud and detritus dumped on the verge at Woodlands, and the complaint on the condition of Whites Lane outside the Church Farm entrance sent to Pye. |
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(b) | CONSULTATION:
· Noted OCCs proposal for a disabled parking access to be installed in Church Road outside the Church entrance. |
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(c) | LENGTHSMAN REPORT:
· Noted the Lengthman’s report on activities carried out this month and praise for the work being carried out by the Radley College boys. |
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40/24 | CONSERVATION: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(a) | GARDEN COMPETITION:
i. The Radley Environment Groups proposed that the bio-diversity competition proposal should be focused on engaging children within the community and having three under 18 categories and/or a child community group, with prizes to be given at the Radley School summer fete. ii. Noted that Radley Environment Group has no funds to provide prizes, and volunteers will be needed. iii. Agreed that the Bio-diversity competition to be a joint venture between Radley Environment Group and Radley Parish Council. iv. RESOLVED that Cr Moggridge will bring budget proposals to April’s Radley Council meeting. |
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(b) | BANNER:
· APPROVED the request for PCC to hang a “Messy Church” banner each month on the pond railings for the week beforehand. |
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(c) | SPRING LITTER PICK:
· Noted the success of the litter pick with 50 bags of litter collected by volunteers. |
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(d) | INFORMATION: None | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
41/24 | ITEMS FOR THE NEXT AGENDA: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1. Biodiversity Competition and Prizes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2. Radley Newsletter | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3. Annual Parish Meeting | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
42/24 | CORRESPONDENCE: The following were noted: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1. OALC Newsletter February 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2. CPRE March Newsletter | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
43/24 | DATES OF FUTURE MEETINGS:
· Planning committee: Thursday 26th April at 7pm (if needed). · Ordinary Parish Council meeting: Thursday 25th April at 7.30pm All to be held in the Church Room. · Annual Parish Meeting 18th May at 10.30am at The Bowyers. · Noted the full list of dates of meetings for 2024. |