The council met in early November and was well attended mainly by those
coming to listen to the discussion about planning applications.
PLANNING APPLICATIONS
Unusually, there were three planning applications on the agenda. All three
had been carefully considered by the members of the planning committee
who had visited all three sites and talked both to the applicants and
neighbours. The planning committee made detailed recommendations to the meeting.
The applications for 2 Malthouse in Mill Lane and 70 Castle road were
supported, but a strong objection has been submitted to the proposed
building in the garden of Holly Cottage, next to the church.
WOODSTOCK SURGERY
The council has been sent a progress report from the working group chaired
by Calum Miller MP which is coordinating the work to secure a new site for the surgery. A copy is on the village notice board and also on our website.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT REORGANISATION
Yes – this is still apparently being worked on. (Whether we want them or
not) we will have a elected ‘super-mayor’ for the Thames Valley and a new
structure of single tier councils replacing the existing well-established county and district councils.
There are three options for this single tier: one for the whole of Oxfordshire; two (1=Oxford+West Oxon+Cherwell – 2=South+Vale+WBerks)); or three: 1 ‘Big Oxford’ (to include Kidlington and Yarnton) + 2 South/Vale/WBerks + 3 Cherwell/WestOxon.
There will be a public consultation next year but it is clear the Government is not going to risk asking whether we want the existing structure to remain. So apart from trying to cope with inadequate resources, councils will also have to cope with reorganising everything.
REMEMBRANCE
A well-attended service of Remembrance was held in Wootton church on 9
November to honour those from the three villages who lost their lives in the
two World Wars and subsequent conflicts. And Armistice Day itself – 11
November – was marked by an Act of Remembrance in the Memorial garden in front of Wootton church where a wreath was laid by the Parish Council on behalf of our community.
NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of the council will be on Monday 12 January in the village hall.
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