Agenda and minutes

Councillor Ann Midwinter reported that, together with the chairman of Vale of White Horse District Council, she was proud to support the 'Lights Out event between 10pm and 11pm on 4 August 2014 – a nationwide event marking the hour that Britain entered World War I one hundred years ago.  She encouraged councillors to mark this significant historical event by arranging for at least one prominent building in their ward to switch off all of its lights between 10pm and 11pm on 4 August and place a candle or lamp in one room to be visible from the outside.   

She congratulated Mrs Helen Stewart, Thame Town Clerk, on the award of the British Empire Medal for her work on the Thame Neighbourhood Plan. She also thanked Rev’d A Paterson and Mrs B Guiver for their work.

On behalf of Council she wished Jennifer Thompson well in her new job at Oxford City Council and thanked her work and support for councillors during her time at the council.

On behalf of the council she wished Mrs Ann Ducker, Leader of the council, well with her treatment.

            Councillor Bernard Stone, representative of Wallingford Town Council, addressed Council in support of the community governance review proposal in CGR4 to use the Wallingford by-pass to define the southern and western boundaries of Wallingford parish to provide a well defined boundary settlement.

            Councillor David Rickeard, Chairman of East Hagbourne Parish Council, addressed Council in objection to the community governance review proposal in CGR9 to move that part of the Millbrook estate currently in East Hagbourne parish to Didcot parish. He referred to market research commissioned by East Hagbourne Parish Council of the residents of Millbrook which indicated that of the 98 properties that responded 89 indicated a preference to stay in East Hagbourne parish. 

            Councillor Jane Bowen, Chairman of Mapledurham Parish Council, and Mr Whittaker, a Mapledurham resident, addressed Council in objection to the community governance review proposal in CGR12 to move the hamlet of Nuney Green from Mapledurham parish into Goring Heath parish. Such a move would not provide more convenient local government at the parish level and would upset long standing and historical ties.

         Mr Roger Templeman, clerk of South Moreton Parish Council, addressed Council in objection to the community governance review proposal in CGR16 to move land currently in South Moreton parish either side of Dunsomer Hill into North Moreton. Such a move would upset historical ties between the residents and North Moreton parish.

         Ms Ros Templeman, Chairman of North Moreton Parish Council, addressed Council in support of the community governance review proposal in CGR16 to move land currently in South Moreton parish either side of Dunsomer Hill into North Moreton. The houses on Dunsomer Hill were contiguous with houses in North Moreton yet separated from South Moreton by fields. The proposed boundary would provide a strong boundary.

         Mr David Hammond, Chairman of Rotherfield Peppard Parish Council, addressed Council in support of the community governance review proposal in CGR20 to make no change to the boundary between Rotherfield Peppard and Sonning Common parishes. Any change would have a negative impact on historic geographical ties, jeopardise the viability of Rotherfield Peppard Parish Council and were not supported by the majority of local residents who would be affected by any change.

Mr Douglas Kedge, Chairman of Sonning Common Parish Council addressed Council in objection to the community governance review proposal in CGR20 to make no change to the boundary between Rotherfield Peppard and Sonning Common parishes. The properties north of the current boundary form part of a continuous housing development and the inclusion of these within Sonning Common parish would facilitate better governance arrangements. He also expressed the view that the working group had given too much weight to the views of residents and not enough to the other review criteria.

Ms Biggs, Chairman of  Kidmore End Parish Council, and  Mr Douglas Kedge, Chairman of Sonning Common Parish Council, addressed Council in objection to the community governance review proposal in CGR22 to the transfer of the school playing fields from Kidmore End parish into  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.

Question from Mr Neville Harris to Reverend Angie Paterson. 

Making Provision for Housing and its Actual Delivery

The Local Strategic Housing Market Assessment did more than highlight the need for more housing in the District.  It also emphasised  the vast difference between making provision for housing and its actual delivery.

An example of this is the development earmarked for Didcot (Ladygrove) East where there are many of the elements of provision in place.  These include: an identified site for 640 plus houses and associated provision for educational, social and transport infrastructure. 

Despite the positive provision made for the housing, outlined above, there has been an unbelievably long and continuing wait for the delivery of this housing.  A delay that can now be counted in decades, a Ladygrove resident asked me if the delay could reach half a century? Hence this question, which in the absence of being able to seek guidance from Solomon or Zeus I am asking you. 

In addition to the originally identified need for this housing there are other vital measures needed now, such as the completion of the Didcot Northern Perimeter Road, that remain frozen in limbo, seemingly dependent on funding that will be forthcoming on completion of part or all of the housing development in question. 

I am aware that SODC has loaned a significant amount of money to the South Oxfordshire Housing Association which in part was aimed at aiding delivery of housing in the District.  The challenges posed by the Private Sectors understandably need to take commercial considerations into account you will doubtless cover in your reply. 

Could you please outline the reasons for the delay in delivery and detail the options that are available to SODC to influence and achieve the actual delivery of the housing cited in this example (Didcot (Ladygrove) East)?  Of these options please give details of those that have been used in furtherance of attempts to speed up its commencement and achieve its long awaited delivery? 

Answer

As a result on the additional housing need figure identified in the SHMA we are reviewing our existing plan so it looks ahead to 2031. We have just started the process with our current consultation on the issues and scope of the Local Plan 2031.  Once we have an agreed a housing target we will need to identify potential development sites

In parallel to this the Joint Projects Team has been set up (covering the two councils - Science Vale Area) who are developing an Area Action Plan which will help with the delivery of housing and co-ordinate delivery of infrastructure across this area, eg the Ladygrove site.  The council are taking active steps to assist in the delivery of housing and infrastructure.

When the planning application for Ladygrove was submitted (1997 & 2000 - additional land) the intention was that this site would predominantly be responsible for providing NPR3 - the last section in the Didcot Northern Perimeter Road.  Given the changes to infrastructure costs and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.