The meeting on 17 March 2020 was cancelled due to the Covid-19 crisis.

All Parish Council meetings are open to the public and are held twice a month; the first Monday (unless it is a bank holiday, then it is the following week) and either the third Tuesday or Wednesday.  Both meetings include consideration of planning applications. These meetings are also forums for residents to raise issues of concern.  There will only be one Parish Council meeting in April, August and December 2020.

Due to the Covid-19 crisis, the Parish Council will be holding virtual meetings.  Agendas will be available on the PC web site as usual and the Clerk should be contacted for further details, including attendance at the virtual meeting.

• 20/00843/AGN, Land North of Bloxham Road, Milcombe – The Parish Council had no objections to an application for the erection of an agricultural building for machinery and hay/silage storage.
• 20/00912/F, 11 South Newington Road, Bloxham – The Parish Council objected to an application for a two storey side extension, a single storey rear extension and new a garage because the application is contrary to the Bloxham Neighbourhood Development Plan Policy BL9 (a), in that the application does not ensure that the living conditions of neighbouring residents are not materially harmed, due to the loss of light to the neighbours and the over development of the site.  The Parish Council also has concerns that it appears the neighbours at number 12 South Newington Road have not been consulted.
• 20/00691/F, Bloxham Service Station, South Newington Road, Bloxham – The Parish Council objected to a retrospective application for the erection of an Amazon click and collect locker with fluorescent lighting over the locker because it is contrary to the Bloxham Neighbourhood Development Plan Policy BL9 (a), in that the application does not ensure that the living conditions of neighbouring residents are not materially harmed, due to the additional light, noise and vehicle movements which approval of this application will entail.  The Parish Council also has concerns that the application form has not been completed accurately and the measurements on the plans are incorrect.
• The Parish Council made comments on the Bloxham Conservation Area Re-Appraisal and these would be submitted to Cherwell District Council as part of their review.

Planning applications and comments could be viewed at https://www.cherwell.gov.uk/info/115/planning/443/see-or-comment-on-a-planning-application23as

• Potholes and street lighting issues can be reported by residents at https://fixmystreet.oxfordshire.gov.uk/  When reporting on this site, photographs are useful.
• Please could drivers park their vehicles safely and considerately in all areas of the village and be aware that Thames Valley Police are continuing to carry out patrols and will issue parking fines to drivers who park their cars dangerously or cause an obstruction on the footpaths.
• Residents are reminded that grit bins are not to be used for throwing away general rubbish and dog waste.
• A new fence would be erected between the Miller Homes Country Park and The Slade.  The Slade should only be accessed through Bloxham Recreation Ground.  Millers Homes should have been erecting this fencing some time ago, however it had not been completed and therefore to protect The Slade, the Parish Council would be covering the cost, with a view to being reimbursed by Miller Homes.
• The Parish Council had asked Miller Homes if it could install a new dog waste bin near to the new Country Park on Tadmarton Road, covering the cost of the emptying of the bin too, but the request had been refused, despite Miller Homes being aware that people are using the litter bin in the play park instead.  Therefore, please could the Parish Council encourage people to continue to pick up after their dogs and that they take the waste home to dispose of it.
• Despite all the warnings and polite requests, which had not made any difference, some of those using the Circular Walk still showed no respect for the farmers or the Countryside.  Therefore the Parish Council is sorry to announce that this section of the short Circular Walk by The Ridgeway, is now CLOSED and the Parish Council fully supports this decision by the land owners.  The PC will now be assessing how this impacts on the Walk as a whole and will update residents in due course.  The minority had sadly ruined it for the majority.
• Two trees, one of which had fallen, which were on the boundary of The Slade and the Miller Homes Country Park, would be removed because they were unsafe.  Warning signs advising users of The Slade about the condition of the trees had been erected.

• Section 106 funds from Cherwell District Council were continuing to be released for the project at Jubilee Hall.

• Liaison with the residents of Queen Street was on-going with regard to improvements to the two areas of land.
• The transfer of a small area of land in Gascoigne Way from Kibswell to the Parish Council was nearly complete.

• Follow Bloxham Parish Council on Facebook.
• Visit the Parish Councillors at the ‘Drop-In and Chat’ from 10.30 am to 11.30 am on the second Saturday of every month at the Ex-Servicemen’s Hall.  The sessions were cancelled until further notice due to the Covid-19 crisis.
• Contact the Clerk, Theresa Goss, on 01295 710965, during normal office hours or email bloxhamparishcouncil@gmail.com
• If any residents needed support during the Covid-19 outbreak and did not know where to find it, they should contact the Parish Council in the first instance and they would then be put in touch with the appropriate body to help them.