The major discussion was the funding of the Playbuilder project and the half year budget monitoring report. In order to incorporate all the ideas agreed by the Play Area Working Group there was a shortfall in the budget of about £8,000. The members of the Parish Council decided to take this sum from the earmarked reserves. There was also to be an application for further funding from the County Council. However if this was not successful it might mean that there would be an increase in the Parish Precept in following years to rebuild the balances.
Following investigation by a group of members it was agreed to put together a basic emergency plan. This would be based on the template designed by Oxfordshire County Council. The Chairman, Vice-chairman and Clerk would be preparing a draft.
The Chairman, Vice-chairman and Clerk met an engineer from Oxfordshire Highways on 27th August to discuss the installation of posts in the highway verges along The Avenue near St. Swithun’s School. He gave approval for the posts to be installed in the highway verges and suggested using cheaper recycled plastic posts at a cost of £19.02 each plus installation. The Clerk had been in touch with the company recommended to do the work. They were preparing a quotation for the installation of 40 posts. This number would protect the verge nearest the school on three sides at a distance of 1700mm apart.
The Clerk had confirmation that the two largest post boxes in the village in Kennington Road at the corner of Kenville Road and at the Post Office had been programmed for re-painting by the relevant department of the Royal Mail.
The Clerk wrote to Oxfordshire Highways about the problem of surface water run-off in Poplar Grove opposite Manor Grove and other parts of the village. She has had acknowledgement that the matter will be investigated.
The Clerk had applied for a road closure for the parade for Remembrance Day on 8th November. She had written to Dalton Barracks inviting the soldiers to the parade.
It was reported that there was another successful Best Kept Garden competition held on 11th July. The winner of the Geoffrey Blackman Cup was 33 Sandford Lane. It was agreed to review the effectiveness of the competition and the members of the Parish Council would welcome your suggestions for improvement.
The following organisations received grant aid: £100 for the Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre, £50 for Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary Action, £150 for Friends of St. Swithun’s School and £15 for Rainbows.
