Minutes of the meeting of Nuneham Courtenay Parish Council on Tuesday 7th November 2017 at 19:30PM in Nuneham Courtenay Village Hall
Agenda
Present: Parish Councillors – Madhvi Saini, John Peters, Sue Lawson & Mandy Rigault.
Also, Present: County Councillor – Lorraine Lindsay-Gale & 3 representatives of SSE. Unfortunately, there were no members of the parish present.
- Parishioners’ issues – None
- Declaration of Interest – None
- Apologies – Jenny Ballam
- Minutes of the 05 September 2017 meeting were accepted & signed.
5. Vulnerability Register SSE.
A professional & illuminating presentation was given by Chelsie Bickford; Simon Olliffe & Lucy Anderson from SSE on how to get extra support during power cuts. A Register for Priority Services is readily available for people who might consider themselves at risk, [because of their young children; through illness, disability or age, etc.], in an emergency. It is hoped that members of the public will complete the attached form to register for extra advice & services, all of which is free of charge. It was stressed that the completed information will not be shared with any other agencies. It was noted that a PDF version of the form was available on the SSE website for those wishing to sign up on line. The current village issues with the Low Voltage Network were also addressed by SSE, explaining how the system was being upgraded to overcome recent faults & how extra protection devices were being fitted to help prevent any recurrences. The tree cutting programme was also discussed in the expectation of preventing further problems with the overhead network.
6. Matters arising & brought forward.
Council to meet SODC Conservation Officer to explain & preserve the uniqueness of the village. Councillor Sue Lawson will follow this up to re-establish a standard. Street lighting seems to be an important element with Highways Department in establishing a zebra crossing. Questionnaire needs to be produced & distributed to establish the current views of parishioners on this issue. Much misunderstanding & hearsay was raised regarding the possible funding of a crossing by a local developer. Clerk to review previous minutes to establish if any funding had been promised. Regarding inadequate village car parking Councillor Sue Lawson suggested approaching SODC about support from Community funds. This is exactly the type of project that could attract funding. Village & Neighbourhood Plans were discussed & while important for planning purposes & for retaining a village identity no quick fixes were readily available, just major consultative processes. Councillor Lorraine Lindsay-Gale offered to assist with issues relating to trees on the main street & in clarifying the misunderstanding about the repairs & maintenance of the culvert.
7. District & County Councillor’s reports – were discussed with much time devoted to the exciting Culham Science Village development & any possible impact of extra traffic through Nuneham Courtenay. All villagers are advised to read the development plans & make their views known. It was also noted that community funding might be available to improve the village hall facilities, including disabled access & toilets.
8. Nuneham Courtenay Sports & Playing Fields Association [SPFA] advised that the Lease to the Playing Fields is still with a local solicitor but it is hoped that this will be made available soon. The Council needs to agree to take over the lease, & legal responsibility, at an annual peppercorn rent &, after adoption, fund raising can begin in earnest, with the support of the whole community.
9. Finance. The PC was reminded that the recent Audit report required the appointment of an Internal Auditor as soon as possible to independently review the ongoing financial processes.
The following financial commitments were paid on 7th November 2017 –
- Zurich Insurance £257.60 – for insurance cover until 01 November 2018.
- Nuneham Courtenay Village Hall – £00 – rental to
- Parish Clerk – £20.07– expenses for 7th November 2017
- Parish Clerk – £300.00– salary for September, October & November 2017
These payments were Proposed by Councillor Rigault & seconded by Councillor Peters
The Financial Accounts for 7 months ended 31st October, excluding the above payments, were presented by the Finance Officer & noted by the Parish Council
- Any other business. Clerk to obtain 3 quotes for a defibrillator to be sited outside Village Hall.
Councillor Lindsay-Gale enjoyed the meeting & asked to be copied into future agendas. Stewart Deakin is moving outside Oxfordshire so has offered his resignation as Parish Clerk. Anyone interested in this remunerated role should contact Madhvi Saini directly for details.
A vacancy also still exists for an internal Auditor.
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Date of next meeting: Tuesday 9 January 2018 at 7.30pm in the Village Hall.
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The 1st Earl Harcourt inherited the ideal situation for a villa, “… advantageous and delicious as can be desired, being seated on a hillock of most easy ascent, at the foot of which lies a navigable river and on the other side surrounded by several hills that seem to form an amphitheatre.”
The 2nd Earl inherited a formal Palladian villa with classical gardens, and immediately hired Capability Brown to improve the landscape and make alterations to the house. William Mason laid out a picturesque flower garden and Brown created a series of views over the water meadows to the spires of Oxford as the house was completely remodelled.
Fanny Burney accompanied George III and Queen Charlotte on a visit. The King called Nuneham, “the most enjoyable place I know,” but Miss Burney described the house as a “straggling, half-new, half-old, half-comfortable, half-forlorn mansion.”
Queen Victoria stayed at Nuneham shortly after her wedding, and wrote, “This is a most lovely place; pleasure grounds in the style of Claremont, only much larger, and with the Thames winding along beneath them, and Oxford in the distance; a beautiful flower garden and kitchen garden, and all kept up in perfect order.”
Nuneham Park served as the setting for several chapters of ‘Through The Looking Glass’ by Revd. Charles Dodgson, also known to the world as Lewis Carroll. Alice Liddell (the real Alice) later recalled, “Most of Mr Dodgson’s stories were told to us on river expeditions to Nuneham and Godstow.”
Sir William Harcourt, who as Chancellor of the Exchequer had introduced death duties in 1894, unexpectedly inherited Nuneham (by then rather dilapidated). “I appear to have inherited a bankrupt estate,” he remarked. To which the agent replied, “And whose fault do you think that is, Sir William?” He died shortly afterwards and his son, Lewis, again remodelled the house and also created a terraced garden.
The house and gardens were leased to Rothmans International and one year was spent on a programme of complete restoration and renovation; the exterior was cleaned and refaced; the great central staircase restored and, while preserving the beauty and shape of the original mansion, the residential areas were completely rebuilt.
