412. PRESENT
Councillors:
- Mr M McNulty (Mayor)
- Mrs M Davies
- Mr T Harbour
- Mrs D McNulty
- Mrs E Hards
- Capt J Flood
- Dr N Hards
- Mr R Jeffreys
- Mr P Read
- Mr J Goff
- Mrs A Service
- Mr C Daukes
- Mr A Thompson
- Mrs M Turner
- Mr I Townsend
- Dr D Giaretta
- Ms C Newberry
Officers:
- Mr D Stapleton (Town Clerk)
- Mr A Tubb (Deputy Town Clerk)
413. APOLOGIES
Councillors Mr B Cooper (personal), Miss M Gordon (work) and Ms A O’Brien (personal).
414. DECLARATIONS OF INTERESTS
Councillor Mr A Thompson declared a personal interest in Planning and Development Committee Minutes 404 and 405 and a prejudicial interest in Minute 419, all concerning First Great Western Trains. Councillor Thompson is employed by First Great Western.
415. MAYOR’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
| 23/11/06 | Chairman’s Reception at West Oxfordshire DC Offices, Witney | Mayor and Escort |
| 28/11/06 | Oxfordshire County Council Chairman’s reception | Mayor and Escort |
| 30/11/06 | Didcot Street Fair | Mayor |
| 5/12/06 | Christmas Reception Town Hall, Oxford |
Mayor & Escort |
| 8/12/06 | Kumon Maths | Mayor |
416. MINUTES
RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 13th November 2006 be approved and signed as a true and correct record.
CARRIED
Arising therefrom:
(a) Minute 369. – Distribution of Travel Tokens
In response to a question, it was noted that a response had not been received from South Oxfordshire District Council relating to the consultation on the method of distributing travel tokens.
(b) Minute 371.(c) – Questions to the Leader
In response to a question, it was noted that there was currently no policy of this Council relating to highway improvements for the A4130 link road, the matter was not on this agenda and could therefore not be debated further.
RESOLVED that the minutes of the special (budget) meeting held on 4th December 2006 be approved and signed as a true and correct record.
CARRIED
417. COMMITTEE REPORTS
(a) Planning and Development Committee – 15th November 2006
RESOLVED that the report and recommendations contained therein be approved.
UNANIMOUS
(b) Planning and Development Committee – 29th November 2006
RESOLVED that the report and recommendations contained therein be approved.
UNANIMOUS
418. FINANCIAL STATEMENT
(a) RESOLVED that the payment of bills for December 2006 amounting to £16,068.37 be authorised for payment.
UNANIMOUS
(b) RESOLVED that the payment of bills made since the last monthly meeting of Council on 13th November 2006 amounting to £24,371.58 be authorised.
UNANIMOUS
(c) RESOLVED that the payment of bills made by direct payment, manual cheque, direct debit or Standing Order since the last monthly meeting of Council on 13th November 2006 amounting to £30,508.74 be authorised.
UNANIMOUS
Councillor Mr A Thompson left the meeting.
419. FIRST GREAT WESTERN – DECEMBER 2006 TIMETABLE
RESOLVED that the Planning and Development Committee be given delegated authority to respond direct to the consultation before the deadline of Friday 15th December 2006.
UNANIMOUS
Note:
The draft response will be circulated to all members of the Council and considered at the Planning and Development Committee meeting to be held on 13th December 2006.
Councillor Mr A Thompson returned to the meeting.
420. Update on the south east plan examination in public
The Leader reported that she and Councillor Dr N Hards had attended the examination in public into the South East Plan Issue 2A The Spatial Strategy, on 7th December at Woking. It was noted at the examination that the Regional Spatial Strategy, Regional Transport Strategy and Regional Economic Strategy were not well linked to support the proposed development at Didcot. Councillor Hards who spoke at the examination gave, as an example, the Highways Agency report dated 5th December which stated that the A34 between Oxford and Didcot was ‘predicted to experience extremely high stress levels, which are the highest in the sub-region and one of the highest levels in the whole of the SE Region’.
The timetable for the examination in public was noted as follows:
- 13th December – Meeting with our planning consultant.
- 18th December – Further questions on higher housing levels.
- 22nd January – Deadline for submission on Central Oxfordshire.
- 23rd February – Deadline for submission on higher housing levels.
- 28th February – Issue 8E Central Oxfordshire – Housing and Green Belt at Reading Town Hall (Didcot Town Council has been asked to contribute).
- 29th March – Spatial Strategy revisited to consider revised housing levels.
- July 2007 – Panel is due to report.
NOTED
Clerk’s Note:
Details of reports are available for members in the Office.
421. CORRESPONDENCE
(a) South Oxfordshire District Council
CCTV Update
NOTED
Note:
The Clerk is to write to South Oxfordshire District Council outlining the concerns of the Town Council relating to the CCTV maintenance contract.
(b) UKAEA
Head of Site Report to the Local Stakeholder Group – November 2006
NOTED
422. QUESTIONS TO THE LEADER
None.
The Meeting commenced at 7.30pm and closed at 8.14pm
Mayor
