MINUTES – September 2023

District Councillor Cox was unable to attend.

RECEIVED: None

·       RESOLVED to defer voting on co-option until the October meeting.

1.     Residents of Woodlands mobile home park requested support to install a defibrillator on site. The closest available defibrillator is located at Pebble Hill which had been timed as a 12 minute journey.

·       RESOLVED that the Council will research the feasibility of gaining a grant through the British Heart Foundation for a defibrillator and add to the budget review agenda in November. Investigations needed to understand the logistics/ practicalities such as electricity source, ownership etc to set up a defibrillator at Woodlands Park.

2.     Requested that the residential area of Church Lane off Oxford Road to be reduced from 60mph to 30mph, along with the upkeep of shrubbery and fencing on the corner on the strip of woodland towards the new junction.

·       RESOLVED that the Council will put forward the request for the change in speed limit to OCC (this falls out of the remit of OCCs 20mph scheme). To note the Lengthsman is unable to manage the land as requested due to it being private land and owned by Radley College. Cr Sparks to raise with the college.

3.     Members of Friends of Radley Station noted that the response the Clerk received from GWR regarding Radley not being a priority to gain step free access.

·       RESOLVED that there may be another opportunity to request funding from GWR in 2024. Radley Council will emphasize that the population of Radley is increasing.

1.     RECEIVED the Development Steering Group minutes.

2.     Gooseacre:

i.         RESOLVED to accept the Quanity Surveyor’s quote of £675 to update his cost plan.

ii.         NOTED the Clerk planned to meet a group member to update of the grant applications.

3.     Lawns Community Building:

i.         NOTED that planning permission had not yet been approved as the planting scheme needs to be agreed beforehand and this was still in progress.

ii.         RESOLVED: That the CIO should have ownership on what the Community Arts Fund S106 application.

iii.         NOTED that anything that is attached to the Community Building such as a porch funded by the Arts Fund will be in the Council’s ownership.

iv.         RESOLVED that a zoom call to be organised by the Clerk between Rotunda CEO and Crs Crowley, Cook.

4.     Cemetery extension:

i.         NOTED that is it becoming urgent to resolve the cemetery extension issue. The current options are:

1)          Glebe Land – Noted that this option was unlikely, as the Diocese had previously considered selling this land development.

2)          Re-using Graves – Action: Clerk to obtain an estimate of costs and who would be responsible for the costs and bring to the Council meeting in October.

3)          Extend the Upper Cemetery – RESOLVED The clerk should seek quotes for getting reports produced to make sure the land is suitable and bring to the Council meeting in November. NOTED that the monitoring would take a full year to complete.

5.     Road safety around the school: None

6.     Radley Lakes:  Update in the file.

7.     Drainage issues Lower Radley: No report

8.     Welcome Leaflets: A request for more copies to be produced would go to the November Development Steering Group meeting.

NW Radley (Church Farm):

1.     The OCC response on the junction in the file that landship issues were being worked through.

·       RESOLVED To ask Pye for a progress update.

2.     Noted that the OCC officer is mistaken with the belief the S106 agreement to provide 4 bus shelters is for Kennington, but it is clearly stated it belongs to Radley.

3.     RESOLVED that the Clerk is to speak to OCC to resolve this.

South Kennington (The Lawns):

·       Noted Kennington Parish Council actions regarding flooding in Sandford Lane.

Old Coalyard:

·       OCC gathering information regarding the application.

·        RESOLVED Assistant Clerk to forward cost estimates to Cr Lugova.

·       RESOLVED: Scrutiny and acceptance of the bank statements and reconciliation were confirmed. The chairman confirmed this by signing the reconciliation

·       Noted the budget updates.

·       The Council acknowledged scrutiny of the invoices for payment in August and September. Proposed by Cr Cook and seconded by Cr Barnfather. The chairman confirmed this by signing the cashbook.

·       RESOLVED that the accounts as itemised on the monthly cashbook for August and September should be paid.

·       RESOLVED to arrange the defibrillator training at the cost of £140+VAT. Proposed by Cr Sparks, seconded by Cr Barnfather.

·       ACKNOWLEDGED the review of the Standing Orders and Financial Regulations.

·       CONFIRMED the appointment of blue Skies Accounting as Internal Auditor for the year 2023-24.

1.     That the two benches at Lower Radley have been replaced.

2.     That the accounting system has been moved to Income and Expenditure, and the Assistant Clerk will upload monitoring reports on the shared drive each month and reported with the agenda.

3.     That a webpage has been built and is now available to be seen on the website to adhere to the Transparency Code requirement.

4.     The insurance company has moved to court action against the

owner of the Amazon delivery van who damaged the Radley Station Bus shelter beyond economic repair. There was no further action for the Council.

5.     That the defibrillator cabinet located outside of the Village Shop overheated and it tripped the village shop fridges. The defibrillator was due to be serviced, but a bigger cost was likely be incurred due to the overheating issue.

1. I am assured that the mitigating traffic calming measures have now been finalised and will be implemented probably starting in February following the issuing of the decision notice on the Lodge Hill slips.
2. The enforcement notice in respect of the Old Coal Yard is progressing and you have an Officers name to chase.
3. The Officers inform me that a planning application in respect of the replacement bridge over the railway on the by-pass will be submitted shortly.  The plan is to build the replacement alongside the present one and then slide it into place over a weekend on completion, disruption should be minimal.
4. Botley Road will now stay shut until October 2024.  The delay was largely caused by the discovery of a huge Victorian brick arch which was not on any maps.

1.     Community Hall Planning Application. It looks like it’s almost finalised and planning officer asked for extension till 2nd Oct to prepare the report which will be signed off.

2.     A new Oxfordshire air quality interactive website launched Air Quality Information for Oxfordshire (oxonair.uk) instead of which provide current data and forecast from air quality sensors placed in Oxfordshire.

3.     Vale Climate and Biodiversity Team will run online forum for residents about energy efficiency upgrades to homes. It will take place online Tuesday 14 November at 6-7.15pm. The link to register will follow.

·       Reported that there are several potholes needing attention on Whites Lane. RESOLVED that the Lengthsman as a Fix My Street super user will review the potholes and report them if they meet the threshold for repair.

The majority of survey responses had been in favour of some 20mph areas in the parish.  My a very narrow margin, the most common of those had been for Option 4: Kennington Road, Whites Lane, Church Road and Foxborough Road should remain 30mph. Roads off Church Road and Foxborough Road including Lower Radley and also Thrupp Lane and Sugworth Lane should become 20mph.

1.     RESOLVED that the Council agreed to support the 20mph survey feedback from the community and to forward the full report to OCC.

2.     RESOLVED that the full survey results and report would be posted on the Radley Village website.

3.     RESOLVED that additional matters raised in the survey comments would be reviewed in Octobers Council meeting.

–        Usual checks, inspections, and litter picks.

–        Marked up footpaths at triangles for repair and potholes in roadways. FMS reports. Review of FMS repairs.

–        Receipt of benches, unboxing, building, marking up for anchors and bagging waste. Lining out and weeding pavement for benches. Bench anchor prep. Benches installed – concrete drilled and benches anchored in place. Clean down and litter pick of area.

–        Tree inspections. Cemetery check after tree work. Disposed of bagged hanging food matter in oak tree.

–        Meter readings.

–        Air swept playground. Washed junior multi-play (lager had been poured over the play equipment).

–        Air swept bus shelters and pavement at Pebble Hill. Litter picked around bus shelters and pavement. Litter pick of PC car park, school path, Whites Lane (part), Kennington Road (part).

–        Cleaned bus shelters.

–        Grit bins checked.

–        Allotment water checks and TW work.

–        Extraction of SID data, report building and summary.

–        Graffiti removal from college bus shelter, lamppost, and bench.

–        Pruned overgrowth & brambles in playground & village hall grounds, and brambles overhanging pavement.

Biffa were scheduled to complete an annual deep clean of the Parish. No special requests had been made to Biffa to focus on any areas.

1.     Noted that the car park and the area in front are the Parish Councils responsibility as they lease the land from Radley College.

2.     RESOLVED that the Clerk will get 2 quotes to get the vegetation cut back and removed from the front of the car park and bring back to Octobers Council meeting.

3.     RESOLVED that Cr Moggridge to cost up any shrubs/ hedges /plants that may want to be planted in the front area of the car park and bring to the Clerk by October along with details of what it would achieve, to be discussed as part of November’s budget review.

4.     RESOLVED that Cr Sparks will discuss who owns the fencing opposite the car park with Radley College.

Request for budget to purchase spring bulbs to extend the flowering season within the Parish.

1.     RESOLVED that £500 from the Conservation budget can go towards this.

2.     RESOLVED that Cr Sparks and the Lengthsman would discuss whether Radley College might be able to support purchasing extra bulbs for the Parish.

3.     RESOLVED Cr Moggridge with the support of Cr Crowley to discuss the plants at the entrance to Shaws Copse with the residents who maintain the area.

1.     A report of low water pressure first reported to Thames Water on 9^th June had still not been resolved and was still being pursued with them.

2.     The allotment renewals are due from 1^st October. Two plots have not been maintained and the Council will advise them that they won’t be offered a renewal contract.

3.     Noted damage to the brick wall at the entrance of the allotments. Proposals to fix the damage will be brought to Octobers Council meeting.

1.     Invitation to OCCs Town and Parish Council Charter Summit – 26th October.

2.     A new bin has been requested at the end of the ash road off Lower Radley.

3.     Marking war graves – will go to Radley PCC’s September meeting.

4.     Two residents have raised concerns regarding the person living in a tent at Radley Station. It has been raised with the Police and GWR, both have no interest to move the individual.

5.     The PCSO had advised that the police can’t help with the noise of the motorbikes at Radley Lakes.

·       Cemetery – Quotes to produce reports.

·       Bus shelters – S106 funding

·       Conservation – Review quotes for clearing vegetation at the car park, and costs for hedges.

·       Allotment wall – Review actions on damaged wall.

• Planning committee: Thursday 26th October at 7.30pm in the Church Room (if required)
• Ordinary Parish Council: Thursday 26^th October at 7.30pm in the Church Room