Launton Parish Council Meeting 2 May 2024 held in The School Hall

Councillors present Mr Andrew Briant, Mrs Abigail Dowman, Mr Ed Sanders (Vice Chairman), Mrs Lesley Thompson, Mr Simon Turner (Chairman), Mrs Jaqueline Webber

Apologies Mr Richard Walker

In attendance The Clerk, Mrs Jane Olds; 8 members of the public.

Election of Chairman and Vice Chairman

Councillor Turner was elected as Chairman and Councillor Sanders was elected as Vice Chairman.

East / West Rail

No report had been received. If anyone has any queries, please get in contact directly at publicinformation@ewralliance.co.ukor call the 24 hour helpline on 03457 11 41 41.

Report from District and County Councillors

No report had been received from either District or County Councillors.

Finance

The Finance Report is available on the Parish Council website together with the financial year end Annual Governance and Accountability Return (or AGAR for short).

The Council is obliged to complete the AGAR and ensure that it is sent to the External Auditor by 30 June each year. All the information about the 2023/24 finance is available on the Council website at https://www.launton-pc.gov.uk/financial-information/accounts2023-24/ and anyone wishing to see the draft accounts (they are unaudited until the External Auditor - Moore- have completed their inspection) should contact the Clerk to make an appointment.

The official “Electors’ Rights” dates will be from 3 June to 12 July.

Planning

All planning applications, which include the links to Cherwell’s Planning Portal, are put on the Parish Council website when they are received (www.launton-pc.gov.uk in the Agenda and Minutes section).

If a villager has concerns or comments about a planning application, they are welcome to come along to Parish Council meetings to bring them to the attention of the meeting. Villagers are also welcome to contact Councillors or the Clerk to make comments.

Guidance on how the Parish Council is able to respond to planning applications is available on the Parish Council website at https://www.launton-pc.gov.uk/planning-applications/

Village Matters

Parish Hall

The Management Committee is slowly taking shape but still needs more members! If you use the hall, have used the hall in the past or may like to use it in the future, come and join the committee to help run it.

With the redevelopment costs expanding and the funding shrinking, the project may need to be completed in sections.

Highway and Traffic Issues

We are still waiting for a date for the Bicester Road resurfacing but we have been assured that it is scheduled for this year. However,

other works on the local road network and the need to ensure that any works do not conflict with school access need to be taken into account.

The Speed Indicator Devices are now fully operational. However, we do realise that there are still some impatient drivers out there, and if you have any dashcam footage of anti-social driving or overtaking through the village you can report it to Thames Valley Police at https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/ then selecting ‘Report’ and ‘Road Traffic Incident’?; there is even the facility to upload your footage.

Speedwatch

There were only three sessions in April, partly due to a shortage of volunteers following the events in March, but also due to the continuous wet weather.

There has been a slight increase in the observed speeds of vehicles passing through the village, but it’s hoped that with better weather on its way, there will be more frequent sessions. If you’d like to help out please contact speedwatch@launton-pc.gov.uk

Agenda items and dates of the next meetings

The next meeting will be on Thursday 6 June in the Parish Hall starting at 7.30pm. If you’d like to chat with a Councillor, do come along after 7.15pm.

Suggestions for agenda items for the 4 July meeting need to be with the Clerk by 20 June and items for the 7 August meeting by 23 July.

Note that the July meeting will be held in the School Hall, following the announcement of the General Election on 4 July when the Parish Hall will be the Polling Station for the village.

If you’re not signed up to our mailing list to receive news from the Parish Council, you can find a signup form at the bottom left hand menu of the Parish Council website at www.launton-pc.gov.uk/