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Launton Parish Council Reports
Launton Parish Council Meeting Thursday 5 October 2023 at 7:30pm in Launton Parish Hall
Councillors present Mr Andrew Briant; Mr Ed Sanders (Vice Chairman); Mrs Lesley Thompson; Mr Simon Turner (Chairman); Mr Richard Walker; Mrs Jaqueline Webber
Apologies Mrs Abigail Dowman,
In attendance The Clerk, Mrs Jane Olds; District Councillor Gemma Coton; 3 members of the public
East West Rail
Ms Sa’id sent a written report regarding the A1 Compound. It was currently being used as a base for the track team while the track construction and signalling works were being carried out; the compound will remain until next year, but it is unclear when it will be dismantled.
If anyone has any queries, please contact East West Rail directly at publicinformation@ewralliance.co.uk or at the 24 hour helpline at 03457 11 41 41
Reports from District and County Councillors
Councillor Coton reported that the Local Plan consultation had been launched and would continue until 3 November. CDC was awaiting an update from EWR about the London Road railway crossing. No report had been received from Councillor Corkin, but the Clerk had attended a meeting with him to discuss traffic calming issues.
Governance
The Parish’s fixed assets, including the dog bins, benches, rubbish bins and bus shelters are currently being inspected by the Councillors.
Finance
The Finance Report is available on the Parish Council website together with the quarterly budget monitoring report.
Planning
All planning applications, which include the links to Cherwell’s Planning Portal, are put on the Parish Council website when received (www.launton-pc.gov.ukin 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 can respond is on the Parish Council website: www.launton-pc.gov.uk/planning-applications
Parish Hall
The Council is still awaiting the Lease document for signing. An application to the CDC Village and Rural Community Halls - Rural England Prosperity Fund will be submitted shortly and a business plan is being prepared for this and other grants - including the national Community Ownership Fund.
Gigaclear has made an appointment to install broadband in the Hall on 24 October. More information about how to access the internet in the Hall will be available in due course.
Highway and Traffic Issues
The pavement on Bicester Road by the entrance to The Glades has now been swept by the CDC street sweeper as it was covered in gravel residues from the Thames Water issues earlier in the summer.
The locations for new speed indicator devices are being considered. One will be sited at the entrance to the village on Bicester Road (where the EWR portable sign was placed earlier in the summer), one will be on Blackthorn Road outside the Mulberry / Timbers development and it is hoped that one will be sited on Station Road, but we are still waiting to confirm that location.
Speedwatch
The team made four one-hour outings in September and recorded 38 vehicles exceeding the speed limit (including 25 between 4pm and 5pm on 19 September on Bicester Road by The Spinney). However, one of the main purposes of Speedwatch is to deter drivers from speeding through the village, and the monitoring, with the team in their hi-vis jackets, is definitely having an effect. The team will continue to highlight the new speed limit in the next few weeks.
Our Speedwatch Co-ordinator would love to hear from you if you are able to help - don’t complain about the speed - come and join the team! Contact speedwatch@launton-pc.gov.ukfor more information.
Possible New Defibrillator
The Department of Health and Social Care recently advertised for funding for defibrillators.The Council has agreed to apply to the fund for a new one for the Parish Hall.
Agenda items and dates of the next meetings
The next meeting will be on Thursday 2 November in the Parish Hall, starting at 7.30pm. If you’dl ike to chat with a Councillor, do come along after 7.15pm.
We are trying to reduce our printing and paper use, so if you would like hard copies of the agenda or any of the meeting papers, please let the Clerk know well before the meeting. The agenda and papers will be available to view via the data projector during the meeting.
Suggestions for agenda items for the 7 December meeting need to be with the Clerk by 23 November and items for the 4 January 2024 meeting by 19 December 2023.
If you’re not signed up to our mailing list to receive news from the Parish Council, you can find a sign up form at the bottom left hand menu of the Parish Council website at www.launton-pc.gov.uk/
