DRAYTON ST LEONARD PARISH COUNCIL

DRAYTON ST LEONARD PARISH COUNCIL

CHAIRMAN	CLERK
Mr Simon Richards Manor Farm Cottage Drayton St Leonard Wallingford Oxon (01865) 891717 simon.richards@draytonstleonard.co.uk	Mrs Lucy Cook The Old Cottage High Street Drayton St Leonard Wallingford, Oxon (01865) 891660 lucy.cook@draytonstleonard.co.uk

Minutes of the Parish Meeting held at 8.00pm on Tuesday,

10^th February 2004 in the Village Hall

Present: Simon Richards (Chairman), Charles Dickerson (Vice-Chairman),
David Watkin, George Farrant and Anne Speirs. The following members of the public also attended: David Wiblin and Angus Herron.

1/04	Apologies Apologies were received from the District Councillor, John Cotton. The position of County Councillor is currently vacant.
2/04	Declaration of interests in matters arising in the agenda Item 7: Simon Richards declared that he is a Director and Shareholder of the company which supplied the Public Access PC.
3/04	Minutes of the previous meeting for approval The minutes of the previous meeting held on Friday 21^st November 2003 were signed as correct.
4/04	Report on actions outstanding from the previous meeting Minute 15/03: Flooding Lucy Cook reported that the SODC contractors, Monson, had been in touch to arrange the survey of all ditches and culverts in the village susceptible to flooding. Minute 23/03: Renovation of village signpost Lucy Cook reported that Forge Ahead Ironworks apologised for the delay in supplying a new ‘polomint’ top for the signpost. Original patterns had been of unacceptable quality, but a new pattern maker had been identified and the work was scheduled for completion by May 2004.
5/04 Action	Finance Receipts and Payments account for year to date (attached) The receipts and payments account was presented for inspection. It was agreed by all present that sufficient funds are available to meet the remaining financial commitments for the year. Accounts for year end 31^st March 2003 The external auditors report was presented for inspection. It concluded that that the annual return was in accordance with the Audit Commission’s requirements and that no matters gave cause for concern that relevant legislation and regulatory requirements had not been met. The auditors commented on the lack of documentation showing that salaries to employees were paid in accordance with PAYE and NI requirements. Lucy Cook to provide the relevant documentation for the following financial year. Approved Payments:
	To whom paid Smith –Woolley BT HLV AV Audit L Cook	Services Play Area ground rent Public Access PC call charges & line rental Audit Fees (y/e Mar03) Clerks salary	Cheque no. 176 177 178 179	Cost £100.00* £51.62* £58.75 £220.00
	*Due to 30 day settlement periods, these payments had already been made.
6/04	Report from District Councillor, Mr John Cotton. A report was not available.
7/04 Action Action	Promoting Internet Access for all Simon Richards explained that the Parish Council were willing to support any project that promoted high-speed access to the internet for residents of the village. In recent years this has been achieved by the provision of a public access PC in the Catherine Wheel. Whilst initially successful, the usage of the public access PC has recently declined. It was also clear that the location of the public access PC excluded some residents of the village from using it. Simon then invited David Wiblin and Angus Herron to join the discussion about two alternative ways to support the initiative: Terrestrial Broadband provided by British Telecom: BT have pledged to provide terrestrial broadband access to rural communities that register enough interest in the service. The Stadhampton exchange is close to achieving the set target of 450 and, once achieved, typical waiting times for upgrade of the exchange are around six months. Anyone wishing to have wi-fi (wireless-free) roaming access within their own property would be able to install the necessary hardware at their own telephone line point. Satellite Wi-Fi Broadband provided by a community organisation: David Wiblin has trialled the installation of satellite wi-fi to the village in recent months. The results are promising, with significantly improved data handling speeds over terrestrial broadband. In order to provide coverage to the whole village, a number of nodes would need to be installed, each covering a radius of approximately 200metres. Cost Comparisons: Monthly payments per household are predicted to be similar for either technology, although there would be an installation fee for the satellite service to the village. The installation cost would be split between all users, with the possibility of a significant grant from the Parish Council to reduce the burden. Risk: All risks for terrestrial broadband would be carried by BT. However, a satellite provision for Drayton St Leonard would require the formation of a limited company to handle subscription charges, repairs and upgrades to the satellite hardware. Financial risk would be spread across all subscribers. In Summary: It was agreed by all present that both technologies would offer improved access to the internet, with little cost difference to the end user. Whilst the terrestrial broadband service by BT would require no financial investment or long term commitment to maintain the service, there is no guaranteed date for upgrade of the Stadhampton exchange. If a significant number of residents wish to see the installation of a faster satellite service, then they are invited to put forward a comprehensive business plan for consideration by the Parish Council. Funds are available to contribute towards the latter project. Public Access PC: With no current interest in use of the public access PC and the exhaustion of grant funds to maintain the service, it was agreed by all present to withdraw the service. Charles Dickerson to arrange for the computer to be offered as a raffle prize at the village fete. Lucy Cook to arrange termination of BT line rental.
8/04 Action	Planning Planning Decisions No planning decisions had been made by SODC since the last meeting. Caravan at Thatched Cottage, The Osiers At the request of residents, the Parish Council invited a planning enforcement officer to comment on the installation of a caravan in the grounds of Thatched Cottage. The officer found no breach of planning guidelines. Work at Ford Cottage At the request of residents, the Parish Council invited a planning enforcement officer to comment on the work underway at Ford Cottage. The officer found no breach of planning guidelines to date and a formal planning application is expected to be lodged in the near future. It was agreed by all present that the Parish Council had a responsibility to protect the public amenity of the riverbank immediately adjacent to the right of way across the ford. Lucy Cook to establish legal ownership of the riverbank adjacent to the ford.
9/04	Items for next agenda Simon Richards proposed that the refurbishment of the village hall and the Parish Council’s assistance in the funding of the project be discussed at the next meeting on 11^th May 2004.