15 May 2008 - PARISH COUNCIL MEETINGS

ANNUAL PARISH MEETING                   

 

The Shenington with Alkerton Parish Annual Meeting on May 14 was attended by all six councillors and 14 members of the parish with Keith Hainsworth as chairman. The minutes were taken by the Parish Clerk Wendi Court.

 

The chairman opened the meeting with tributes to the late Dr. William Boyd and Mr. Conrad Harvey, long standing members of the village who had both died recently.

 

 

The minutes of the previous Annual Parish Meeting were approved..

 

 

Tim Dowdeswell presented the draft accounts for the year ending 31 March 2008. There had been expenditure of £4,481 out of receipts of £5,230, the main expenditure being the clerk’s remuneration and a grant to the Village Hall Management Trust. Cash in the bank at the year-end was £7,575 and the Council’s major assets include the bus shelter, stone trough, notice boards and mowers. He noted that the annual precept has now been cut from £5,000 to £4,000. In conclusion he thanked John Evans for continuing to act as Finance Officer. A member of the public questioned the low rate of interest being obtained on the Council’s invested funds.

 

 

Keith Hainsworth, in a lengthy annual report, noted the Standards Board had received three complaints concerning the conduct of Parish Council business by himself and Tim Dowdeswell. Following a detailed investigation the appointed inspector found that Messrs. Hainsworth and Dowdeswell had not behaved improperly.

 

 

Keith’s review of the year covered:

 

·         The stone pit, the stone from one of its walls now being available for sale

 

·         The Local Development Plan for which a report is expected in September

 

·         Alkerton Tip where the litter and fly tipping continues to give concern

 

·         Highways where the County’s Highways Department are being pressurised to give a much higher level of service than in the past.

 

·         Kart Club, the activities and annual programme of which are monitored.

 

·         Conservation, specifically care of the Green by David Smith and Neil Brooks and the clearance of ivy and weed trees from Shenington churchyard by volunteers.

 

·         Repairs to Alkerton War Memorial by Court Developments that should start soon.

 

·         Conservation status where Cherwell District Council is about to carry out an appraisal of the parish.

 

·         The development of a Parish Plan for which a group of volunteers has been assembled and to which all members of the community are asked to contribute.

 

·         He thanked members of the village who had contributed to the development of all those activities which make a village. He particularly mentioned Nick de Silva, now leaving the village, who had rendered valuable service as a Parish Councillor.

 

 

He concluded that he wished to resign as chairman and considered that Stuart Mitchell would do an excellent job as his successor.

 

Matters raised in the open discussion included the need for a more specific survey of vehicle speeds through the village, the position with the rights of way investigation concerning  “The Jitty”, the narrowing of the road on Shenington Hill due to soil and grass incursion and dog fouling on the Green by a small number of dogs.

 

The Annual Parish Meeting closed at 8.30 pm and was followed by a meeting of the Parish Council at which all 14 members of the public remained in attendance.

 

PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

 

 

Stuart Mitchell was elected chairman and the vice-chairman Tim Dowdeswell and the Responsible Finance Officer John Evans re-elected.

 

 

In the discussion on the minutes the following points were made:

 

·         Precepts should be set at a formal meeting of the Council and not as was actually done by consultation using email.

 

·         The papers clarifying the appointment of the Parish Clerk have not been circulated to members.

 

·         The conservation appraisal by Cherwell District Council will be submitted to the Parish Council for its approval. It will not be imposed on them.

 

 

The chairman will consult with members on the allocation of portfolios and agree any changes at the next meeting.

 

 

On finance, Tim Dowdeswell reported on his risk assessment for the year. He commented that all cheques have to be raised by the Responsible Finance Officer before being signed by two approved signatories and assured the Council that the grants it makes are wholly proper.

 

 

No offers have been received for the stone from the Stone Pit walls.

 

 

There were no objections to planning applications to remove the leylandii hedge at Long Acre and for the temporary use of land for car parking opposite the Long Acre development for 21 days (retrospective).

 

 

Keith Adams reported on the traffic and highways portfolio. Pig Market Lane has been resurfaced and arrangements have been made to remove the stones from around the bus shelter. Following further discussions with the County Highways Department he reported that it may be desirable to erect bollards in front of the new houses at Long Acre and that the Highways Department are aware of the need to repair the retaining wall alongside Lower Farm.

 

 

Following the resignation of Ivan Young, Tom Harrington is taking over as Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator.

 

 

The steering group of the Parish Plan has met and is sending a note describing its planned activities to all members of the parish.

 

 

At the end of the meeting, Stuart Mitchell thanked Keith Hainsworth for his work over recent years as chairman of the Parish Council.

 

 

The meeting closed at 9.40 pm.