Apologies for absence:
No apologies for absence were received.
To approve minutes of the meeting held on the 24th November 2004:
The minutes were approved and signed by the Chairman.
Declarations of interest in items on the agenda
No declarations of interest in items on the agenda were made.
Football Club Update
Cllr Williams reported that Mike Ody was due to meet the Oxfordshire FA
funding committee next month and would thus attend February’s Parish Council
meeting.
Local transport
Allan Field from Oxfordshire County Council attended the meeting. Cllr
Crick explained that funding had been made available for a Saturday service
between Leafield and Witney. However, when he had advertised for volunteers to
help within the village he had had no response. Mr. Field explained that
tenders had been invited for such a service and one had been received from RH
Transport of Finstock. This company had submitted a timetable based on the
price of said tender.
Cllr Digby commented that the Saturday service would need to be extensively
advertised. It was agreed by all that the service would
start the week before Easter.
Anti-social behaviour / vandalism
Cllr Croft explained that he had been contacted by Aston Parish Council
chairman and directed towards a Mr. Adrian Coles – an anti-social behaviour
officer. Mr. Coles had explained a scheme that had been launched in West
Oxfordshire that allowed members of the public to record incidents of
vandalism and anti-social behaviour on forms and submit these to a local
collection point. The Village Shop has agreed to be a collection point for
such a scheme.
If reports are submitted regarding a specific individual, officers will
meet with the parents of the youth and can get the family to sign an
acceptable behaviour contract. Breach of this contract can lead to an
anti-social behaviour order being made on the individual responsible for the
behaviour. It was agreed by the Parish Council that such a scheme should be
implemented in the village. Cllr Hoare suggested that the copies of the forms
be placed on the village website. It was also agreed that it was an excellent
way of showing that the Parish Council is committed to stamping out vandalism
within the village. The forms and an explanation on how to fill them in would
be distributed with the March newsletter.
On the same subject, Cllr Hoare reported that he had been to see the vicar
to communicate the Parish Council’s view that the gang of youths should not
be allowed to gather in the church porch. The youths have since been banned
from the church porch after they damaged one of the gravestones in the
churchyard.
Lady Reade Charity
Cllr Croft reported that he had been to the latest meeting of the Lady
Reade Charity Committee. He reported that, despite the extensive advertising
within the village, no applications for grants had been received from
residents of Leafield.
War memorial/lych-gate funding
Cllr Kenny reported that he had finally received a grant from the War
Memorials Trust. This was £300 but not as much as initially anticipated. Cllr
Croft had reported that Peter MacGregor had stated that the gate was not
completely repaired. Thus, Cllr Kenny was to discuss the outstanding work on
the gate before the Parish Council pays Gary Billows for his work.
Cllr Kenny
Cllr Roscoe is to speak to Ann Arkell regarding the church floodlights
which appear to be shorting out whenever there is heavy rainfall.
Cllr Roscoe
Village Sports facility
Cllr Kenny reported that the skate park project was progressing nicely. An
auction of promises was to be held on Friday 4th February at Leafield Village
Hall. The list of promises was on the village website and was updated on a
daily basis.
Cllr Croft stated that several people had asked him why they never saw
anyone skateboarding in the village. However, several people at the meeting
explained that they had seen children on skateboards. It was also highlighted
that the skate park can also be used by people on roller blades or BMX’s
County/District Council report
Cllr Hoare reported that the rubbish collectors were changing the days that
they collect rubbish for some areas. He had also highlighted to environmental
health officers that when the paper recycling van was collecting, paper was
blowing everywhere and getting stuck in hedgerows. Cllr Hoare finally
commented that Leafield Parish Council had made the headlines for having the
largest increase in precept per head of population.
Cllr Rose explained that the county contribution to Council tax was due to
be decided on February 14th. He stated that it will go up by 4.5% over 3 years
Leafield Youth Club
Cllr Williams reported that Leafield youth club was still going strong and
a questionnaire had been sent out asking the children what future trips or
activities they would be interested in doing. The Youth Club were also sorting
out a rota for helpers for future youth club nights.
Correspondence for viewing
An update from the Public Works Loan Board on the loan repayment schedule
for the pavilion. The current balance outstanding is £5595.17.
A cheque for £200 from the Village Hall Committee
towards the cost of tidying the village hall car park.
A cheque for £285.43 from Margaret Cochrane of Leafield Woodlands Ltd.
This money came from grants which were received towards the purchase of trees
for the new burial ground within the village.
A note from Ian Prentice explaining that he will charge an extra £200 for
the year (£20 a cut) for cutting the grass in the new burial ground in
addition to cutting the village greens and playing fields.
A letter sent from, Ivor Camplin, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
for Defence to David Cameron, the local MP, explaining that the low-flying
helicopters going over the village at night are from RAF Benson and use a
field complex located within Wychwood Forest. The use of the Cornbury Park is
with the consent of the landowner. Mr. Camplin asked that if people remain
concerned about the low-flying activity they should contact the Directorate of
Air Staff with the details of the times the aircraft fly over.
A letter from David Hillman, the Parish Council’s solicitor, explaining
that the purchasers of Chester Cottage have asked for a Deed of Easement. This
Deed has been signed by two Parish Councillors and returned to Mr. Hillman.
Cheques for signing
