September 2006
This is the first 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
What Is a Parish Council?
What does Old Marston Parish Council do?
Recent matters discussed
A Profile of two members of the Parish Council
Contact details of your Parish Councillors
What is a Parish Council?
Parish Councils represent small geographical areas. There are 234 Parish Councils in Oxfordshire, 4 of which are within the City boundary
A parish or town council is democratically elected once every four years and comprises, on average, 12 councillors. Parish and town councils can raise a precept (a local rate) which is collected by the district council as part of the council tax. Parish and town councils play an important role in the local community and are a vital link to City and county councils and other agencies on local issues.
What does Old Marston Parish Council do?
Old Marston Council meets on the first Tuesday of each month (except August) at 7.30pm at Mortimer Hall. Members of the public are welcome to attend but are only permitted to speak if invited to do so.
Old Marston Parish Council owns
·Boults Lane Recreation Ground
·Football Pavilion
·The land the Scout Hut stands on.
·Mortimer Hall Recreation Ground
·The land Mortimer Hall stands on.
·Mill Lane Allotments
·Cemetery
Most of Boults Lane recreation ground and all of Mortimer Hall recreation ground form a Charity of which the Parish Councillors are trustees.
The Parish Council is responsible for the upkeep of these facilities which includes ensuring the facilities are safe and paying for maintenance and replacement of equipment. They also ensure that adequate insurance is in place.
The land which Mortimer Hall stands on is leased to the Mortimer Hall Management Committee for a peppercorn rent of 5p per year. The land which the Scout Hut stands on is leased to the Scouts for £5 a year. The Allotments are managed by the Allotments Association.
The Parish Council makes small grants to local organisations. This year grants were given to
Mortimer Hall Pre-school £200
OXSRAD £300
Marston Times (St Nicholas PCC) £250
Toddler Group £200
Old Marston Allotments Ass £100
Old Marston Over 50’s Club £150
Friends of St Nicholas School £300
Marston Saints Football Club £260
Grants are considered at the November meeting. Grant application forms are available from the Clerk.
Presentation to Christine Stone
At the July meeting Christine Stone was presented with a set of glasses in recognition and thanks for the 33 years she had served on the Parish Council, 6 years of which were as Vice Chairman. Thank you Christine.
What Happens at a Parish Council meeting?
John Batey is the representative to the City Council North East Area Committee.
John reports back any discussions regarding the Parish.
Copies of planning applications are discussed and comments sent to the City Council Planning Department.
The football pavilion at Boults Lane no longer meets today’s standards and four representatives of the Parish Council form a Steering Committee with Marston Saints football club to discuss its replacement and the drainage of the recreation ground.
Any maintenance required to footpaths and road in the area are passed to the appropriate City or County Council.
The Burial Ground maintenance upkeep is discussed. At the present time Peter Cox, a Parish Councillor, has taken on the mowing and general upkeep on a voluntary basis. Further details in the next issue.
Recently Discussed Items
The May meeting was the first meeting of this Parish Council. An election did not take place as only 9 people stood to take the 12 places. The 3 remaining places were declared as vacant to be filled by co-option. At the June meeting five people stood for co-option. Voting took place and the three places were filled by Dr Graham Swift, Michael Cadd and Hugh Deam.
Consideration has been given to employing a minutes secretary to assist the Clerk and discussions continue.
PC Wizard attended the June meeting and reported that the crime was currently low in the area. Councillors requested that he pay attention to youths riding unlicensed motorbikes on open spaces and cars parked on verges especially in Oxford Road and Mortimer Drive.
Mr Manson, the Local Auditor, attended the meeting and reported on the satisfactory content and presentation of accounts for the Parish Council for 2005/06.
A Tree Consultant’s report was received which recommended felling about 30 trees plus other work in the Parish. Three contractors would be approached for quotations for this work.
RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) will be inspecting the playground equipment in July.
It was agreed by members of the Parish Council that it would not consider selling the allotment land or any other Parish land or property in the future.
The steering group continue to meet to discuss the drainage to the recreation ground. An application has now been submitted to the Football Foundation for a grant towards the costs. At the July meeting it was agreed that £8100 over 3 years would be allocated for ongoing maintenance once the drainage had been laid.
Plans for the football pavilion were approved by Parish Councillors. The Architect has now been instructed to prepare a planning application. Once this has been approved grant applications can be made.
Peter Cox reported that flowers had been taken from the Burial Ground during the evenings. Therefore it was agreed to lock the gates at night.
Profile of the Chairman and
Vice Chairman
Charlie Haynes - Chairman
Many generations of my family have lived in Old Marston. The Haynes family owned farms; the land has now been used for housing such as Horseman Close estate. Haynes Road and Raymund Road are named after my Uncle. My Father was a Parish Councillor for 20 years.
I have lived in Old Marston all my life. I am married with two grown up children. I attended local schools and on leaving I was employed in the retail trade for 32 years. In 2001 I took early retirement. I am a volunteer at Oxford Police Station assisting in the property department one day a week.
For 22 years I have been a member of the Old Marston Parish Council and in 2000 I was elected as Chairman prior to which I was Vice Chairman. In 1984 I was elected on to the Mortimer Hall Management Committee and was involved in the fundraising for the refurbishment that took place, I am now Vice Chairman. I am also Chairman of the Old Marston Charities, Vice Chairman of OXSRAD. Recently I have been appointed as Governor of St Nicholas School.
Being involved in many local organisations over the years has given me the opportunity to have an impact on local issues making Marston a better place for us to live .
John Batey - Vice Chairman
Born in Durham in 1937, I came to Oxford in 1957 following National Service in the RAF.
I served in Oxford City Police for 12 years, working latterly in the detective department. My wife Margaret and I had two young sons and bought our own house in Horseman Close, Old Marston in 1968.
I resigned from the police service in 1969 following amalgamation into Thames Valley Police.
During the next two years I studied at Culham College and entered the teaching profession in 1971.
I spent the next 25 years in education in Oxford City and County. I served in 6 different schools - the last two as a Headteacher.
After retiring in 1996 I worked at the Said Business School at Oxford University for a year and then retired completely.
Around that time I was asked to be a Governor at Milham Ford School and was later Chair of Governors during the fight to save it from closure.
I also became a Governor at St. Joseph’s School, Headley Way and have been Chair of Governors there for the last 5 years.
I joined the Parish Council in 1997/8 and became Vice-Chairman this year. I have been a member for the past 4 years of the City Council’s Standards Committee, where I represent the four parishes in Oxford. I also represent the Parish Council on the city’s North East Area Committee.
We have a ‘new’ parish council now for 4 years and we know already that there is a good deal for us to do!
Who are your 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 13th November. 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.
