Parish Council | The Parish Council meets on the second Tuesday of every month except August and December at 7.30 p.m. Members of the public are always welcome. |
CHAIRMAN'S REPORT from the 2009 AGMWhen I reported last year on the Council's progress, or lack of it, I listed five apparently insoluble problems faced by Islip. What now can we do? Do we have to tolerate over-weight lorries cutting through Islip? No we don't. Any resident is now able to report details to the County Council on 01865-815290. Do we have to tolerate dog mess on our paths and playing field? No we don't. If you see anyone walking away from their dog's mess call the District Dog Warden on 01295-221621. Do we have to tolerate litter on our streets? Not if you remind offenders to take their rubbish home or use one of the several bins distributed around the village. Do we have to tolerate parking on pavements? Not if we remind drivers that pavements are for people. Do we have to drive over grass verges? Not if we value these green strips which, if squashed out, are gone forever. Do we have to display our wheelie bins at times other than on pickup days? Not if we have regard to the appearance of our village. Individuals might find it embarrassing, even frightening, to take the initiative in stopping such behaviour. But mere moaning is not enough and reporting an event to a Councillor days after it occurred will likely be too late to stop further abuse in our village. Last year I described an even more serious threat to our well being, namely a proposal by the Church Commissioners to sell up to 4 large plots of land surrounding Islip for development. I am pleased to report that Cherwell District Council, our planning authority, ruled out such expansion of Islip on account of its location in the Oxford Green Belt. We have also received an assurance from the Church Commissioners that they will not appeal against that decision. Not withstanding this good news the Parish Council is aware of the desire to have an additional number of low-cost homes and possibly a sheltered accommodation provision within the village. The Council will examine ways and means of meeting these possibilities following the District Council's final decision on development sites throughout its area. The threat posed by a developer's proposal to build a new eco-town of 15,000 houses on a mainly green-field site stretching from Weston-on-the-Green airfield southwards into the Green belt has not gone away despite its being the only one of several similar proposals to receive the low category C marking by Central Government. Such a vast housing estate at Weston would cause an intolerable increase in traffic through Islip as well as encourage the eventual urbanisation of the Bicester-Kidlington arc north of Oxford. We support the campaign organised by Weston Front, that aims to defeat the proposal (www.westonfront.com). Both Oxfordshire County Council and Cherwell District Council oppose the scheme and Cherwell DC now proposes an alternative 5,000-house site conforming to eco standards on the northwest edge of Bicester, an established town with many existing services and amenities. Central Government is expected to recommend one or other of these sites in early summer. The Parish Council is currently examining the options put forward by Chiltern Railways to provide a new service from Oxford through Bicester to London Marylebone (www.chiltern-evergreen3.co.uk). It would involve doubling the track to Bicester, constructing new stations at Water Eaton and Islip and introducing 100 mph trains. The Council has already declared an interest in the Islip Crossing and made clear that closure to road traffic would be preferable to an automatic barrier and that pedestrian access, probably via a bridge, is essential to maintain a circular route around the village for walkers. We continue to work with the Village Hall Committee and shop, both of which would find it nigh impossible to operate without the enthusiasm of volunteers. And once again I thank the invaluable work of volunteers in keeping our notice boards and website (www.islip.org.uk ) up to date, our Neighbourhood Watch alert, our Litter Collectors effective and our Parish Allotments well managed. The work of volunteers in planting 4,000 daffodil bulbs at the entrances to Islip is clearly a long-term investment. What a wonderful show they have been in their first and second years and, no doubt, for many years to come. Judging the Best-kept Garden Frontage Competition this year will take place somewhat later than in the past to encourage planting for late summer flowering. Over the years the Parish Council has deliberately accumulated a respectable reserve fund in order to meet unexpected financial demands, or for ring-fencing sums to support future projects. To help relieve family hardships following the loss of jobs or savings income the Council decided to declare a precept "holiday" for the coming financial year. No precept will be collected from householders but, by drawing on our reserves, no Parish-funded services should suffer. All householders will be, on average, £46 better off this coming year. The Village Hall Audio-Visual system, paid for from our reserves, is a great asset. It is available for users of the main Hall and the Parish Council provides a monthly Film Night free to all. These facilities and all aspects of our village life can now be seen on the village website. I have, thus far, refrained from mentioning the work of individual volunteers; such a list would inevitably be incomplete. But before I end I must pay tribute to one Councillor for his unstinting professionalism in creating the new Islip Play Area. I refer, of course, to Councillor Richard Venables. Richard, single handed, consulted over what was required in a completely new play area. He alone chose the equipment and designed the layout. He convinced funding agencies of the merits of our case for new equipment and he appointed the contractor and supervised the construction. At no point during the progress and completion of the project did he seek any reward for himself. He is an example to us all. Richard, thank you. We are a diverse mix of residents. Most of us in Islip have particular talents. Many of us have skills and professional experience that could be used to maintain or improve the common services available in the village. And I invite every able-bodied person to become aware of what skills are required to support the community and to offer their own to the Council with little more than their expenses in return. To paraphrase the words of a much-mourned President of the USA:
"Ask not what our community can do for you - ask what you can do for our community." John Sargent
15th April 2009
PARISH COUNCILLORSMr John Sargent (Chairman. Transport, Highways) - 01865 373853
Mr Keith Milner (Vice chairman. Security, Sport, Village Hall) - 01865 372283
Mr Jeremy Colebrook (Environment) - 01865 372203
Mr Mike Coleman (Education, Health) - 01865 375559
Mrs Eileen Henebery (Planning) - 01865 376341
Mrs Johanna Stephenson (Church liaison) - 01865 848331
Mr Richard Venables(Parish Property) - 01865 373296
Mr Michael Wilkinson (Parish Clerk) - 01865 378831 | 
