HORSPATH PARISH COUNCIL Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 7th December 2010 At 8pm in HORSPATH VILLAGE HALL. Present: Mr D Horsley, Mr M Harris, Ms S Apologies Mr P Dobson, Mr C Henderson, Mrs Gray, Mrs A Julian, Mrs H Palmer, Mr J Carr, (District Councillor), Mr A S Turnbull, Mrs S Woodcock, Mrs H Hodgson, (District Councillor), Mrs Kogel – Clerk. A Purse, (County Councillor). Public: 6 211/10 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE – Apologies were made on behalf of Mr Dobson, Mr Henderson, Mrs Carr, Mr Hodgson and Mrs Purse. 212/10 MINUTES FOR APPROVAL - Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 2nd November 2010 were amended on Item 196/10 Planning Applications to read: P10/W1138/LD - Ways Farm, Gidley Way, Horspath. Extension to the side of Ways Farm to provide accommodation for disabled shower room and carer facility. – Certificate of Lawful Use or Development Granted. Item 197/10 Mrs A Purse (County Councillor) to read: With regards to the proposed wind turbine, the new current system seems to have taken planning advice away from OCC, but Mrs Purse will support the Parish Council in opposing any proposals for development in the Green Belt. Item 204/10 Chicanes – Cuddesdon Road to read: Councillors all agreed to support this decision on condition that the signage and lighting in this area is properly maintained and improved. Item 205/10 Correspondence (i) to read: Mr Harris advised Mr Ewart that SODC recommend using Boddingtons for turf stabilisation grids as Mr Ewart wants to cover the Green outside his house so that his car doesn't churn it up. The minutes were then agreed and signed by the Chairman. The minutes from the Open Forum held on 7th December 2010 were amended on page 1 to read: Mr Ronald stated that as budgets have been halved his proposal is the only option. And on page 2 to read: Mr Morton stated that the chicanes should be replaced with speed humps. Councillors all agreed to support this decision on condition that the signage and lighting in this area is improved and maintained. The minutes were then agreed and signed by the Chairman. 213/10 MATTERS ARISING – There were no matters arising that are not already listed on the agenda. 214/10 PLANNING APPLICATIONS. P10/W1755 2 Spring Lane, Horspath (Other) Single storey extension to rear. – Councillors voted to recommend approval on this application. P10/W1760/ 2 Spring Lane, Horspath (Listed Building Consent) LB Single storey extension to rear. – Councillors voted to recommend approval on this application. P10/W1780 93 Old Road, Wheatley. (Other) Single storey side extension and alterations to existing side windows. Erection of roof canopy. – Councillors agreed that there are No Strong Views on this application and will leave to SODC to determine. P10/W1255/ 137 Cuddesdon Road, Horspath LD Proposed erection of timber brick and clad stable building on concrete hard standing (as amplified by additional information received 12th November 2010). – Councillors voted unanimously to recommend refusal on this application on the grounds that there has only ever been 1 building on this site so a certificate of lawful development is completely inappropriate. This is an over-development of the site and will affect the openness of the Green Belt. SODC will also be asked to refer to all previous correspondence from Horspath Parish Council relating to planning applications at this site. PLANNING PERMISSIONS/REFUSALS/APPEALS. P10/W1508/ 137 Cuddesdon Road, Horspath LD Single storey side extensions. – The proposed extensions are considered permitted development within the terms of Schedule 2, Part 1, Class A of the Town & Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Amendment) (No 2) (England) Order 2008. P10/W1421 11 Manor Farm Road, Horspath (Other) Replacement garage. – Granted. P10/W1402/ Manor Farm, Horspath (Retrospective) RET Use of part of redundant agricultural building as administrative base for utilities business. Use of part of adjoining yard for the siting of storage containers as secure storage for compressors for utilities business. – this application has been withdrawn by the applicant. 215/10 COUNTY & DISTRICT COUNCILLORS. – No reports available. 216/10 CLERK’S UPDATE. Trees – An application has been made to SODC for permission to carry out the works on the trees on the Village Green that are covered by a TPO. The Forestry Officer will need to visit the site for which there is an 8-week consultation period. Mr McGregor has provisionally arranged to carry out all of the tree work on 14th December 2010. Bollards on the Village Green – Photographs of the damaged bollards have now been sent to DVLA. Property at Copcot Place – Closing date was 29th November 2010, ERHA has received 6 applications for the property, 2 of which have been rejected. The remaining 4 applicants will be interviewed in the near future and then ERHA will contact the Parish Council to confirm the applicant’s connections with Horspath. Chequers Inn Car Park – A cheque for £4787.50 for outstanding rent has now been received. Internal Audit 2010/2011 – Councillors agreed to re-appoint Mr Hood to carry out the Internal Audit for 2010/2011. Affordable Housing – Mrs Palmer reported that she had received an inquiry from a person who was born in Horspath regarding affordable housing. All details of how to register for affordable housing are listed on the Parish Council website. Fallen Tree at Manor Road – Mrs Woodcock reported that British Rail arranged for contractors to remove the tree, which has now been done. Barclays Bank – Mr Horsley recommended that a separate bank account is opened for Village Green funds. Complaints – Mr Turnbull stated that any future complaints received by the Clerk should be passed onto either the Chairman or to a Councillor. 217/10 REPORTS/UPDATES. Wildlife Conservation Area – All the large cut vegetation has now been removed from the wildflower meadow and piled onto the compost heap, so that this grass area dry and unobstructed by debris and is now awaiting a reasonably close cut by the Parish Council mover before any new growth starts. The cuttings may need to be raked off after mowing if they are considerable. The seasonal autumn leaf fall from the trees is still only partial, so a final volunteer group effort to rake the deep piles of leaves off the main paths will be postponed until most of the leaves are down on the ground, otherwise the job will need to be done twice. This will hopefully be achieved this month, so that some addition of gravel to the path, wherever necessary, can be started. The frog pond has been given its annual clear-out and the aromatic weed cut back to let more light into a larger part of the shallow end of the pond, where other pond plants will flourish in the spring and where some open water is needed to allow sunlight to penetrate into the bottom mud, favouring the development of various larvae, the freshwater shrimps, water beetles, and where the young tadpoles will swim almost exclusively in the shallow sunny and warmer part of the pond during their first few weeks of life in the spring. The monitoring of the bats already hibernating in the tunnel will be re-started by the Oxfordshire Bat Group later in December. HVHMC – A report from Mr Stobart was not available. Mrs Woodcock reported that the grass cutting will be discussed at the next meeting. 218/10 WIND TURBINE Letters have been received from residents in the village who are against the proposed wind turbine. Until a planning application for the wind turbine has been submitted then no further action can be taken. Councillors approved the draft flyer produced by Mr Harris and Mr Horsley to be circulated to residents to raise awareness of the proposals as well as details of the residents meeting to be held on 10th January 2011. A working group has been formed to include members from other organisations. Councillors agreed to follow the recommendation made by Mr Harris that Horspath Parish Council should join together with other organisations to be part of a larger campaign against the proposals. CPRE has offered to make a donation of 50% of the cost of the balloon that will be flown at the end of the Bowley Field (date to be confirmed depending on the weather). Councillors agreed that Mr Harris will be appointed as the spokesperson for the Parish Council to deal with media relations. Councillors agreed for Mr Harris to go ahead and purchase a video data projector (approx £500.00), using the funds allocated to the Parish Plan. The residents meeting will start at 7.30pm on Monday 10th January 2011. 219/10 OXFORD CITY’S JUST PUBLISHED NEW PROPOSALS FOR DEVELOPMENT SITES. Mr Harris reported that the proposed site numbered '82' on the East map is the City Council owned Green Belt site to the south of Oxford Road Horspath currently proposed for the giant wind turbine, which is also designated as Development Site 34 in the adopted Local Plan 2001-2016, for which that Plan states as policy: "Planning Permission will be given for the development of outdoor sports facilities." This designation takes account of the proposal to move the Rover Sports & Social Club onto this site if and when BMW will wish to expand in future onto the present Rover sports ground. Mr Harris suggested that Horspath Parish Council and SODC ought to send in a response supporting this proposed sports development, and clarifying that this site should NOT therefore be used for the location of a giant wind turbine whose presence would invalidate the use of the rest of the site for serious competitive sport, as well as interfering with established use of the Green Belt land in South Oxfordshire on the north side of Oxford Road.