December 2006
This is the second newsletter from the Old Marston Parish Council and it is intended to produce this quarterly to give you information about your Parish Council
In this Issue
Recent matters discussed
Burial Ground
Boults Lane Pavilion
A Profile of two Parish Council members
Contact details of your Parish Councillors
Comments from September edition
Correction. 6 people stood for co-option not 5 as stated in the last newsletter
In the last edition it was stated that a Tree Consultant’s report had been received which recommended felling about 30 trees. The Parish Council would like to point out that this work is necessary due to the trees being unsafe.
The Parish Council would like to assure people that The Parish Bulletin will not replace the Marston Times. The Parish Council will continue to financially support the Marston Times and place articles in each edition.
Thank you to those who contacted the Editor stating their appreciation of the
First edition of the Old Marston Parish Bulletin
Recently Discussed Items
The Parish Council is to employ a Minutes Secretary to assist the Clerk.
John Batey attends the North East Area Committee - the main City Council forum affecting Old Marston -
£50,000 Section 106 money was available from the White Hart development.£45,000 has been spent on a pelican crossing on Cherwell Drive. £5,000 remains which The Parish Council will try and make application for facilities in Old Marston.
Street Wardens will now be patrolling Old Marston 8am to 10pm Monday to Friday and Saturday mornings. They will be wearing uniform. Areas of responsibility will include litter, lampposts, flyposting, low-level crime, antisocial behaviour, calling police to target areas, reporting incidents and keeping a higher profile during the evenings. Street Wardens can be contacted on 01865 401456.
Steve Kilsby from CANAcT (Crime & Nuisance Action Team) gave a presentation at the November meeting.
This is a team that has been formed to deal with neighbours who cause disturbance with excessive noise or intimidating and aggressive behaviour. For further information contact 01865 252969
Mortimer Hall has been successful in obtaining a Premises Licence.
There have been 21 planning applications ranging from developers’
advertising boards, house extensions to building of 3 houses. Comments have been made as felt appropriate. Full details are available in the Parish Council Minutes. Planning applications and
comments can be viewed on
www.oxford.gov.uk then go to ‘planning’
then ‘weekly list’.
The Parish Council Burial Ground
The Burial Ground site is situated on the right side of the Elsfield Road leaving Old Marston Village and is not to be confused with the church of St Nicholas Cemetery nearby.
Dating from c1923 the Burial Ground is Parish owned and all administrative details regarding the burials and burial records come under the wing of the Parish Clerk, Roy Garner. Maintenance and upkeep are on a strictly voluntary basis, so any extra help is always welcome. Much more work needs to be done during the spring and summer months.
Relatives tending graves come from areas such as Essex, Gloucester, Banbury and Newbury, so The Parish must provide a Cemetery of which to be proud.
For those wishing to have relatives cremated, an area is to be set aside for the scattering of ashes and the placement of small memorial plaques.
Many residents, especially those new to the area, do not know the site exists. Please pop in and spend a few minutes; looking around. A memorial bench is in place for those wishing to rest awhile.
Unavoidably, due to theft of flowers and now fly-tipping the Parish Council has taken the decision to secure the main gate during the hours of darkness.
Please note! Due to a repeatedly burst pipe, the water tap inside the main gate will be turned off in extreme cold weather. Any suggestions on improvements or alterations to the Burial Ground will be welcomed. More updates will follow in due course.
Peter Cox
Editor’s Note
For many years the Parish Council paid someone to maintain the Burial Ground When this person gave up the work we were unable to find anyone interested in maintaining it to the standard we required and consequently there were many complaints. In 2005 Councillor Peter Cox agreed to take on the maintenance on a voluntary basis assisted by other volunteers. The Parish Council would like to thank Peter and volunteers for their hard work.
Parish Council Pavilion, Boults Lane.
The Boults Lane Development Project has two phases, phase 1 is the work needed to upgrade the drainage of the field, phase 2 is the replacement of the old pavilion. Both the field and the football pavilion belong to the Parish Council therefore a Steering Committee of Council/Marston Saints FC. members is responsible for driving the project. We are currently awaiting news of a grant for phase 1.
The pavilion was built 32 years ago in the manner of a garage ie. prefabricated panel walls, single-skinned with no damp course. It has been in heavy, consistent use for football and Marston Saints have spent much time and money on fruitless maintenance due to excessive condensation. There is evidence of subsidence in the building and it has had a critical Health and Safety report.
The Parish Council feel that it has reached the end of its serviceable life and must be replaced as it serves a vital function in the provision of sports facilities (not solely football) in Old Marston. The football club is developing junior and girls football and many families in this area are involved in these activities.
The Steering Committee has been working with an architect on plans for a new pavilion. After several drafts a plan has now been drawn up, accepted by Parish Council and presented to planning officers for their consideration with a view to obtaining planning consent.
Assuming this is obtained, the Council will arrange a (public) Parish Meeting to discuss going ahead with the project.
Of course it will not be cheap, as this time it needs to be built to last and to cater for girls changing/shower areas and disabled use. It may cost £350K.(no firm figure is available at present) and, as with the drainage, grants will have to be applied for. Local fund-raising will be organised by the football club and the whole process may take us well into 2008, the target date.
To enable you to find out more about your Parish Council in each edition there will be profiles on two Parish Councillors
Peter Cox
Born in Weston –Super-Mare, Somerset, I moved to Oxford in 1952 when my late father Wing Commander John Cox, was posted to Kidlington Airfield.
I was educated at Salesian College Grammar School in Cowley and on leaving I took up an editorial position with Pergamon Press in Headington.
In 1974 I had a change of direction and joined W. Lucy, an electrical engineering firm in Jericho, here I had two spells of employment ending in 1996.
Settling in the village of Old Marston in 1980 has been the best ever move for me.
I was accepted onto the Parish Council in 2003 and, if allowed to, I would like to carry on a good while longer.
Gill Cox
Born in 1949 in the village of Kencott, Oxfordshire I moved to Oxford in 1968 on joining the Thames Valley Police. In 1972 I married Wally (also a Parish Councillor) and moved to Old Marston.
In 1977 I left the police on the birth of our daughter Jane. In 1979 our son Ian was born.
In 1987 I called a meeting to save the closure of Mortimer Hall Pre-school. I joined the staff of the pre-schooI and stayed until 2002. During this time I also worked at a Vietnamese Refugee crèche, and at St Nicholas school.
I now work for the Pre-school Learning Alliance who provide support to pre-schools in Oxfordshire.
I was motivated to join the Parish Council, as I wanted to see the play areas at Mortimer Hall and Bolts Lane recreation grounds improved. I was elected to the Parish Council in 1987. I achieved my aim and both recreation grounds were refurbished. Consideration is now being given to both being refurbished again.
I am Secretary of Mortimer Hall Management Committee, on the committees of Mortimer Hall Pre-school and the Oxford Sports Council. As a Parish Councillor I am a Trustee of the Old Marston Charities and a member of the Marston Saints Football Club steering group. I am also editor of the Parish Bulletin.
NB. Peter is not related ( as far as we are aware) to Gill and Wally.
Please keep this page for future reference.
Parish Councillors
Telephone E-mail
Chairman
Charlie Haynes 247906 haynesenclave@aol.com
Vice Chairman
John Batey 765311 johncbatey@hotmail.com
Members
Nils Bartleet 722773
Michael Cadd 792197
Gill Cox 245154 gill.e.cox@talk21.com
Peter Cox 241951
Wally Cox 245154 wally.cox@talk21.com
Hughie Deam 247574
Duncan Hatfield 07706998224 duncan@oldmarston-pc.gov.uk
John Mc Ginn 240312 jmcginn100@aol.com
Dr Graham Swift 243904
Angie Tiwari 242757 ati@cheneysch.oxon.uk
To support the Parish Council a Clerk is employed
Roy Garner 241888
Parish Council Auditor
Mr D Manson 247871
City and County Councillors are invited to attend the Parish Council meetings but do not have a vote
City Councillors
Mary Clarkson 751538 mary.clarkson@dsl.pipex.com
Caroline van Zyl 245646 carolinevanzyl@hotmail.com
(All of the above telephone number are Oxford numbers)
County Councillor
Mohamed Altaf-Khan 07931345554 altaf-kahn@oxfordshire.gov.uk
Comments on this newsletter are welcomed, plus any contributions for the next newsletter, the deadline date will be 14th February. Future editions will be in March, June and September. Please contact the editor Gill Cox.
If you have any items regarding the Parish that you would like brought to the attention of the Parish Council please contact The Clerk or one of the above Councillors
Minutes of Parish Council meetings are displayed in the notice boards at Mortimer Hall and the Jack Russell Public House . Parish Council meetings are held on the first Tuesday of the month (except August) at Mortimer Hall, Oxford Road, Old Marston.
