MINUTES – October 2024

The following were noted:

·       Councillor Frank, Henderson, Johnston and McDermott

·       District Councillor Cox was unable to attend and sent his apologies.

RECEIVED: None

·       None

1.     Lawns Community Building:

i.         Noted Land Transfer completed 15^th October.

ii.         RESOLVED to authorise the Clerk to pay fee for the Building Regulations submission. Amount unknown but estimated to be around £2,000 – £3,000.

iii.         RESOLVED to accept quote for ground investigations from Ground Investigations Southern Ltd for £1,430.00.

iv.         RESOLVED to pay Matthew Day’s (artist) invoice 1064 for £3750.00 and to accept his quotation for phase 2.

v.         Agreed that the Council was not in a position to pay for Matthew Day’s second invoice or to agree a programme until Rotunda’s programme was fixed.

vi.         Noted that VoWH was withholding the S106 arts funds until the Council could demonstrate ownership of the land. The Clerk had sent over the paperwork.

2.     Gooseacre: None.

3.     Cemetery extension:

i.         Noted background document.

ii.         Noted the Lower churchyard should be known as the Lower Cemetery.

iii.         RESOLVED for the Clerk to clarify with PCC that church wardens will continue the grave wobble test on all cemeteries in Radley Parish.

iv.         RESOLVED that the Clerk will write to the PCC, to request them to locate burial records of all the graveyards.

v.         Noted that no local authority has a legal obligation to provide burial space, and PCC need to investigate if Radley residents can be buried in Abingdon.

vi.         RESOLVED to go forward with recommendations:

i.     To write to the PCC to confirm if they would desire a garden of remembrance.

ii.     The Clerk to write to PCC to confirm the land next to the upper cemetery is unsuitable for burials and to create a joint statement to be made to the parish.

iii.     The Clerk to write to PCC to request an update on progress of the review of unused grave spaces.

vii.         RESOLVED to communicate the maintenance plan for the Lower Churchyard

4.     Radley Lakes: None

1.     Church Farm:

i.         Noted Church Farm residents have agreed with Pye tree replanting proposals which would be actioned before the end of 2024.

ii.          Noted Church Farm residents have agreed with Pye the redesign of the play area.

2.     North Abingdon: None

3.     The Lawns: None

1.     Old Coalyard:

i.         RESOLVED that Cr Tannahill to investigate the history regarding the land ownership of Audlett Drive.

ii.          RESOLVED that the Clerk will report the concrete spill as a pollution event to the County Council.

2.     ROMP:  None

3.     Terra Firma:

i.         RESOLVED for the Clerk to just chase for a response monthly.

ii.          RESOLVED that the Clerk to write a direct letter of complaint to the Vale of the Chief Executive, and if no response then to report to the Ombudsman.

i.         Noted the updates.

ii.         RESOLVED Clerk to write to Thames Water to refuse the case to be closed, as no sufficient response has been received.

iii.         RESOLVED for the Clerk also to contact the Vale Planning Clinic to understand the housing and infrastructure phasing planning conditions.

iv.         RESOLVED that if required for the Clerk to escalate to the Thames Water CEO via Lyla Moran MP.

RESOLVED Cr Sparks would invite Radley College estates bursar to present at the Development Steering Group meeting on 9th January 2025.

Noted that it was not within Environmental Health’s remit but Building Control were investigating under their dangerous structure remit.

Sovereign had replied to say that clearance by the Contractor AA Woods will take approximately 5 weeks, including 2 weeks notification to Health and Safety Executive due to presence of asbestos and drug paraphernalia, followed by clearance of the site.

i.         ACKNOWLEDGED and APPROVED the scrutiny and acceptance of the bank statements and reconciliation for the month of October. Cr Barnfather confirmed this by signing the reconciliation.

ii.         Received the budget update.

iii.         Noted the finance report.

i.         The Council acknowledged scrutiny of the invoices for payment in October 2024. Cr Barnfather confirmed this by signing the cashbook.

ii.         RESOLVED that the accounts as itemised on the monthly cashbook for October should be paid.

·       RESOLVED to adopt the updated financial regulations as drafted.

·       RESOLVED for the Assistant Clerk to advertise the new website via social media, notice boards, newsletter and known village whats app groups

·        APPROVED to accept Bowood Tree Care quote for the bi-annual tree risk assessment.

·       Noted a VAT 126 claim has been submitted for refund between 1st April to 30th September.

1)    As reported in the media preliminary work in respect of the Lodge Hill slips continues with closure of the A4183at the site for various periods in the coming weeks and months, details are on the County website. This includes work on archaeology, drainage and so forth. Work on the slips is now expected to commence in 2025 and take about 12 months.

2)    Work on mitigation measures will proceed in the meantime with St Swithuns Road in Kennington being resurfaced at the end of the month prior to the installation of a pedestrian crossing adjacent to the Avenue. During the works the road will be closed. After lobbying by myself and others Old Bagley Wood Road (which is a narrow single track road) will now not be used as a diversion with in effect Sugworth Lane forming part of the same.

3)    There have been reports in the Oxford Mail of a £13.9 million pound shortfall in the County’s budget for 2024/25. This in recent years has been a common feature of the budget process at this stage and I am confident that as in other years this will have been addressed by the time of the actual budget setting in February.

4)    I have asked the Highway Officers to investigate the flow of water under the access to the Redrow cycle path and beyond with a camera to ensure that there is nothing impeding the flow of water.

1)    Joint Local Plan (JLP) was published after publication was approved by the Council on special Council meeting on 18^th September 2024. You can find it here JLP – Join the conversation – South Oxfordshire & Vale of White Horse – Citizen Space (southandvale.gov.uk) Please kindly consider to

provide your feedback.

2)    Planning training aka “refresher” for Town and Parish Cllrs took place on 3rdand 8^th Oct – slides and answers will be sent to the clerk shortly. There are monthly Planning surgeries for members and 15-min slot can be booked in advance online Town and Parish Council Planning Drop-ins.

3)    Vale of White Horse District Council’s Climate Action Fund. In total, 21 local organisations have been offered support with their climate-friendly projects. They included parish councils, community groups, two churches, a pre-school, a museum and a tennis club. They were collectively offered just over £141,000 to help with a wide variety of projects which aimed to save energy and resources, help nature recovery or educate residents on how they can help make sustainable choices.

4)    Halloween fun this October half-term. Children and their families can enjoy free and low-cost entertainment and Halloween themed activities during the upcoming half-term holiday, from 27 October to 1 November. Halloween Xplorer navigation challenge will take place in Benson and Wantage, active

indoors with pickleball in Abingdon and Born to Move fitness classes and Family Yoga in Didcot.

5)    Old Coalyard Appeal outcome. We are still waiting for update from OCC if there are any legal options left after very disappointing inspector decision. Vale is in contact with OCC team, and we will keep you updated.

·       Noted Whites Lane road gullies cleared, and part of Foxborough Road.

·       Received Footpath report. Councillors thanked the Footpaths Warden for the very comprehensive report.

i.         Noted the Radley Boys had cleaned the bus shelters and completed some edging work, and ground staff are removing any green waste.

ii.         RESOLVED for Cr Sparks to request the Radley boys to help with leaf clearing at Gooseacre and Lower Radley corner.

·       Noted road work closure of Lodge Hill/Oxford Road 27^th October to 2^nd November.

·       Noted Thames Water were due to carry out cleaning of the foul drains in Whites Lane 10th October.

1.     Noted where OCC tree map can be located.

2.     Noted annual allotment rental renewal completed.

3.     Noted resident comment on verge cutting.

·       Finance and Administration Committee: Thursday 14th November at 7.30pm.

·       Development Steering Group: Thursday 21st November at 7pm.

·       Planning committee: Thursday 28th November at 7pm (if needed).

·       Ordinary Parish Council meeting: Thursday 28th November at 7.30pm.

·       Planning committee: Thursday 12th December at 7pm (if needed).

·       Ordinary Parish Council meeting: Thursday 12th December at 7.30pm (if needed).

·       Development Steering Group: Thursday 9th January at 7pm.

·       Planning committee: Thursday 23rd January at 7.15pm (if needed).

·       Ordinary Parish Council meeting: Thursday 23rd January at 7.30pm.

·       Planning committee: Thursday 27th February at 7.15pm (if needed).

·       Ordinary Parish Council meeting: Thursday 27th February at 7.30pm.

·       Planning committee: Thursday 27th March at 7.15pm (if needed).

·       Ordinary Parish Council meeting: Thursday 27th March at 7.30pm.

All to be held in the Church Room.