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2025 June Minutes

EPC Minutes Uploaded on July 6, 2025
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D R A F T   M I N U T E S

ENSTONE PARISH COUNCIL

Held in Enstone Parish Hall on Thursday 26th June 2025 at 7.00 pm

PRESENT: PCs. N. Knott, P. Shaw, J. Ferguson-Davie, D. Robottom, C. Millar and DC Andrew Beaney

APOLOGIES:  PCs. H. Bourne-Taylor, C. Glendinning, N. Peart & A. Ward, DC A. Wilson & CC G. Saul

IN ATTENDANCE: Mrs. Beth Sinclair, Clerk and Mr. Bob James

VICE-CHAIR’S DECLARATION OF OFFICE FORM – Following the Annual Council meeting, PC. Shaw completed his Declaration of Office form.

CO-OPTION OF MR. BOB JAMES TO ENSTONE PARISH COUNCIL:-

PC. N. Knott welcomed Mr. James to the meeting – Mr. James had attended two previous meetings and, following these, wished to be considered for Co-option onto the Parish Council. He explained that he has lived in Enstone for 26 years with his family and has expertise in the marketing sector.  Now that his family has grown up and he has more time, he would like to become a Parish Councillor to find out what residents need and want and use his marketing skills for this purpose.

Mr. James left the room, and after the discussion, the Parish Council unanimously voted in favour of Mr. James joining the Parish Council.   PC. James completed his Declaration of Office form, and the clerk will forward him details of the Council’s Standing Orders, Financial Regulations, Handbook and details of training organised by the OALC.  She will also contact the Monitoring Officer at WODC.

PC. James was welcomed onto the Parish Council.

57. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST AND MEMBERS’ REGISTER OF INTERESTS:

None

58. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS:

  • The minutes of the Annual Council Meeting held on Thursday 22nd May 2025 and Parish Council Meeting held on Thursday 22nd May 2025 were circulated, adopted and signed by Cllr. Knott.

59. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: –

  • None

60. MATTERS ARISING:-

  • S106 monies for sports & recreation – Enstone Sports & Social Club has completed the necessary paperwork for the Football Foundation monies, which will cover 75 % of the CAPEX for a storage container, tractor and cutting deck.  The remaining 25 % will be funded by the S106 monies, to be agreed by WODC.  Information from the planning department is awaited as to whether planning permission is required for a temporary structure, not connected to mains utilities.  As the landowner, the Parish Council needs to confirm with ESSC that permission is given for a 20 ft or 40 ft storage container to be sited on the property in place of the current prefabricated garage.  It was resolved that the clerk will confirm this with ESSC.
  • The Marshall Fountain – The recent works undertaken were inconclusive – ongoing
  • Dog/litter bin at Church Enstone – Ongoing
  • PC’s biodiversity plan for 2025 – Awaiting report from PC Hannah Bourne-Taylor
  • Lidstone – This item will now be taken off the agenda
  • Highways’ issues – The PC thanked PC Glendinning for all her work reporting these onto FixMyStreet
  • Cracks on new noticeboard glass panel – The company has agreed to send replacement panel – PC Millar offered to help replacing the cracked panel.
  • Caravan – Bicester Road/Little Tew Road – No further action required
  • Temporary Preservation Order of 150 year old cedar tree Church Enstone – awaiting update from WODC
  • The Old Garage, Springfield, Bicester Road – awaiting update from Planning Officer at WODC.
  • Clerk’s appraisal – To be undertaken in July/August
  • Draft Standing Orders – The clerk will resend these to all members for comment.

61. ITEMS TO REPORT:

a) School Fete – Saturday 5th July 12.00 pm to 4.00 pm – Many members of the PC are attending

b) Questionnaire from Charlie Luxton Design concerning Land to the north of Enstone Airfield; proposed new rural settlement – It was resolved not to complete the questionnaire but to ask Mr. Luxton to access the parish website for previous minutes of meetings and to read the parish questionnaire.

c) Enstone Business Park Public Consultation held on Monday 16th June – Many members of the PC did not receive the questionnaire through the post.  PC Glendinning was thanked for attending the public consultation.

d) The Mullin Project – Work starts in 2026 – there was great concern on how much construction traffic will be involved with The Mullin Project and the proposed works at Enstone Airfield and Business Park – the planning applications for the latter two sites are awaited.   

d) OCC Consultation on “Part-Night Lighting” – It was resolved to put details of this onto the website, FB page, WhatsApp groups and the Ensign magazine

62. County Councillor’s Report:-

  • None

63. District Councillor’s report:-

  • DC Beaney confirmed that the consultation on the forthcoming Local Plan has been published.  It was resolved that the clerk will arrange for this information to be put onto the website, FB page, WhatsApp Page and the Ensign magazine.

64. CORRESPONDENCE:-

  • To Discuss Housing Needs Survey in conjunction with Community First Oxfordshire – PC Ferguson-Davie explained that PC Ward has contacted a resident in Tackley to find out whether Tackley PC would have asked any additional questions with its housing needs survey.   A response is still awaited.  Ongoing
  • To consider correspondence from “4th Corner Landscaping” concerning biodiversity – It was resolved to keep the details on file.
  • To respond to WODC’s invitation on “Five councils launch two-unitary proposal for Oxfordshire and West Berkshire” – After discussion it was resolved the PCs Robottom and James will attend the engagement event on Thursday 10th July in Witney.  The information on the public consultation will be put onto the website, FB page, WhatsApp group and Ensign magazine.  The public consultation closes on 16th July.
  • To note updated report on WODC’s Local Plan – Under the Government’s new standard method for assessing housing need, West Oxfordshire is required to provide around 905 new homes each year from April 2025 to March 2041 (totalling 14,480 new homes) – to ensure this target is met, WODC is proposing an extra 10 %, increasing the number to 16,000.  This will reduce the risk of the District Council falling short of generating the five-year housing land supply that is required to give the Plan full weight in planning decisions.   This equates to 6,500 additional new homes as well as those already agreed.
  • OALC – To note May’s update – Noted
  • OALC – To note Local Government Reorganisation proposals and the axing of Government funding for Neighbourhood Plans – it was resolved that PC Millar will sign the petition concerning the axing of funding on behalf of the PC.
  • NALC – Local Councils’ Award Scheme – The clerk reported that she had attended an on-line training session regarding this and is keen that the Parish Council undertakes the Bronze Standard.  As the clerk does not have the CilCa qualification (Certificate in Local Council Administration), the Silver & Gold Standards are not an option.   The PC agreed to this proposal and it was resolved that the clerk will obtain further information for July’s meeting.

65. Planning Applications:-

  • Honister, Chapel Lane, Enstone, 25/01261/HHD – Erection of single storey extension to west elevation and two storey extension to east elevation, together with associated works – No objection
  • Taillards Barn, Gagingwell, 25/01342/HHD – Formation of swimming pool with hydraulic cover – No objection

Decisions Received:-

  • Chalford Cottage, Oxford Road, Old Chalford, 25/00872/HHD – Replacement of outbuilding – Approved
  • Lidstone House, Lidstone, 25/00987/S73 – Variation of condition 2 of PP 22/03003/HHD to reflect changes implemented during the construction of the building including the new pool changing room, WC/shower & new attic store over the workshop/bike store/plant room for storage and non-habitable use only (retrospective) – Approved
  • 12 Litchfield Close, Enstone, 25/00994/HHD – Erection of single storey rear extension – Approved
  • Whiteways Technical Centre, Enstone, 25/00967/ADV – Erection of internally illuminated totem signage – Approved

66. Finance:-

a) To agree on the following accounts for payment:-

  • Clerk’s salary Personal
  • NEST Pension Scheme (er) Personal
  • NEST Pension Scheme (ee) Personal
  • Vodaphone £32.70 (price increase) – it was resolved that the clerk will review cheaper options, due to this significant price increase in the monthly charges
  • Backpay, Vodaphone £58.86
  • Quarterly Office Expenses £78.00
  • Webmaster Honorarium £500.00
  • Friends of Enstone School £250.00
  • Complete Weed Control £380.40
  • Scribe £42.00
  • Signway (Gagingwell signage) £2275.10 (OCC had funded £1K towards this)

Received;-

  • Enstone Parochial Church Council £350.00

b) Scribe Software – The clerk had entered the financial information for April and May onto the new financial software and had circulated the report.   The clerk is undergoing online training on how to reconcile the monthly figures and produce various reports.   The clerk was thanked for all her work on this.

Dates of Next Meetings:-

  • Thursday 24th July (change of date)
  • Thursday 21st August
  • Thursday 18th September

The meeting finished at 8.15 pm and Cllr. Knott thanked everyone for attending