Oakford Parish Council Minutes: 13th July 2026
The minutes of a meeting of Oakford Parish Council held in the Committee Room at Oakford Village Hall at 7.30pm on Monday 13th July
Present: Cllr’s J Levick (Chair), G Baylis, J Cridland, F Cross, T Davies, J Mayer and
V Stevens.
In attendance: Two members of the public.
29/07/26. To receive apologies for absence. Apologies were accepted from Cllr L Gould. Apologies were received from County Cllr S Lodge and District Cllr’s C Adcock and M Stratton.
30/07/26. Declarations of Interest. Cllr Mayer declared a personal and prejudicial interest regarding Spurway Barton (Item 34/07/26d) as she does some work for the owners
31/07/26. Public Forum. Two members of the public updated the Parish Council regarding enforcement action at Oakfordbridge. They received a phone call from the Environment Agency in early July to say work was going to start on removing eighty-one lorry loads of soil from the site. From hearsay it is believed two hundred and fifty lorry loads of approx. twenty tonnes each were tipped onto the field. A digger is on site and lorries are going in. The ‘red’ contaminated soil is being pushed into a heap from the area that the EA considers is the most important and is being removed first. The members of the public have tried to contact Heather Nesbitt, MDDC Planning Enforcement without success. The Clerk will ask for an update. Councillors felt it was embarrassing when they do not know as much as members of the public know.
The members of the public asked for an update on plans to resolve the line of Footpath 5a within a field members of their family are renting. It was explained that work to grade part of the field is due to start in the next few weeks. They said it has been too hot for them to use the field for their horses at present.
Action: the Clerk to contact Heather Nesbitt for an update on planning enforcement at Oakfordbridge.
The members of the public left the meeting.
32/07/26. To agree the minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 8th June 2026 as an accurate record of the meeting. The minutes were agreed as an accurate record of the meeting and were duly signed by the Chair.
33/07/26. Matters arising from the minutes, not covered elsewhere on the agenda. Mr Cridland and Cllr Davies have completed their online Highways Safety training and they will be booked onto the next Signing, Lighting and Guarding training course to enable them to work as Road Wardens. Cllr Stevens will complete the online training so he can be booked onto the training as well.
Action: Cllr Stevens to complete the online Highways Safety training. The Clerk to book places on the Signing, lighting and Guarding training.
Cllr Baylis needs a link to be able to offer some photos of Oakford for the Visit Mid Devon website.
Action: the Clerk to send Cllr Baylis a link.
34/07/26. Planning
a) To comment on any planning applications received before the meeting. No applications.
b) To note any planning decisions made by MDDC. No decisions received.
c) Update on action being taken regarding the dumping of soil and associated works at Oakfordbridge. Covered under item 31/07/26.
d) Update on alleged planning breaches. No update from MDDC. The Yurt in the field crossed by Footpath 5a was removed a few days before the meeting on 10th June.
e) Any other planning matters.
35/07/26. Highways:
a) Any matters to note or report. There has been quite a lot of damage caused by lorries turning at junctions during the very hot weather. Hamslade Hill is getting very overgrown because a landowner hasn’t cut back the vegetation for some time. SWW has shut this road to repair a leak. An overgrown verge is blocking visibility for drivers turning right at Black cat to go towards Oakfordbridge. Bracken in the hedge along the road from the Village Hall to the Police House is collapsing and needs cutting back. Vegetation also needs cutting back on Rookery Hill, Cross Park Hill and Warbrightsley Hill.
b) Update on flooding issues/blocked drains. No update as the weather has been very dry.
c) Update on improvements to the fingerpost signs. No further improvements have been carried out. Suggestions for which fingerpost to work on next are needed.
d) Any other highways matters. There was concern about the owners of plots in the wood lighting fires as this is a real risk during the very dry weather. It was suggested a warning could be put on Facebook about the hot weather and the damage it can do.
36/07/26. Footpaths
a) To report on the meeting held to discuss the line of Footpath 5a. At the meeting held on 10th June 2026 DCC agreed to pay for a digger to grade the area of the path to make it easier to walk. Until the work is done it is difficult to know how good this will be. Once the work is completed local walkers will be asked to use it. It will be down to residents to say whether they want the Parish Council to continue with the application for a Definitive Map Modification Order. DCC has made the decision that the path has got to be in the place shown on the map. Following the meeting Stuart Howell, DCC Public Rights of Way Warden, wrote some notes and sent them to Mr Cridland, Oakford Footpath Warden. These were circulated to Councillors by email. These notes are included with the minutes as Appendix A.
b) To discuss whether to continue with the application for a Definitive Map Modification Order (DMMO) under Section 53 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 for Footpath 5a. The application was made on behalf of the parish and the decision on whether to withdraw it needs to be made by parishioners and not the Parish Council.
c) Any other footpath matters. The bridge at the end of Footpath 5a at Hutswell Farm has been replaced and this is now a good walk.
37/07/26. Reports:
a) District Cllr Report. A written report was circulated by email prior to the meeting Cllr Adcock and Cllr Stratton were unable to attend the meeting and there was no update.
b) County Cllr Report. A written report was circulated by email prior to the meeting. Cllr Lodge was unable to attend the meeting and there was no update.
38/07/26. Community Area
a) Any points to note from the regular inspections of community area. Cllr Levick has emailed his report to the Clerk. Nick Hampton has told Cllr Levick that he is busy with outside work at present and will do the work to line the inside of the pavilion in September.
Cllr Stevens was thanked for applying the product to remove specific weeds from the pétanque area and for laying the grit to top it up.
b) Update on the ordering of picnic tables. Two picnic tables have been ordered, one of which is wheelchair accessible. Cllr Baylis has some patio slabs which can be laid to stand them on. A plaque will be mounted on one of them to recognise the work that Mr & Mrs Northcott did for the footpaths in the parish when they were the Footpath Wardens. The actual wording is to be considered.
A dark green tarpaulin sheet to fully cover the pétanque area will be ordered in time to be ready for September/October when it will be needed. Holes will be needed on either side to fasten it down. Cllr Stevens will make a pole to use to roll the tarpaulin up when it needs to be removed and he will get it galvanised.
Action: Cllr Stevens to order the tarpaulin sheet from Adams Tarpaulins, Wiveliscombe and to make a pole to use to roll it up and get it galvanised. galvanised.
c) To decide which fitness equipment would be suitable for the community area so that an application can be made for S106 funding. Cllr Gould had sent her recommendations. Cllr Cross will arrange some site visits from suppliers of fitness equipment and will circulate the dates so that other councillors can attend if they are available. Once there are three quotes the Clerk will be able to apply for S106 funding.
Action: Cllr Cross to arrange site visits and circulate the dates to other councillors.
d) Any matters to note.
39/07/26. Finance
a) To approve any invoices or expense claims presented for payment. It was resolved to make the following payment:
Hampton Maintenance - £189.00 grass cutting (Payment ref: 2627/15)
Since the last meeting a payment of £1,428.91 has been paid to Gate Huts Ltd for two recycled plastic picnic tables (Payment reference no 2627/14).
A service charge of £7.00 was taken from the current account at the end of June. A service charge of £7.00 will be taken from the account at the end of July. Internal transfers will be made to return the balance to £500.00.
b) To note any receipts since the last meeting and the bank balance. A cheque for £28.49 for a wayleave has been banked since the last meeting. Bank interest of £72.13 has been received since the last meeting.
The Current Account balance is £774.67 and the Instant Access Account balance is £15,466.44.
c) Bank reconciliation 30.06.26. The bank reconciliation was checked and signed by Cllr Stevens.
d) Internal Audit Report. The Clerk is answering queries from the internal auditor.
40/07/26. To discuss whether to arrange a screening of ‘The People's Emergency Briefing, a recently released documentary presented by Chris Packham that explores the potential impacts of climate and nature change on communities across the UK. Bampton Town Council has agreed to organise a screening at the Riverside Hall. Bampton. Once details are known they will be advertised on the Parish Council’s Facebook page and Oakford Village Massive.
41/07/26. To continue to discuss the replacement of the Oakford website before April 2028 when MDDC will no longer provide the service. MDDC use Umbraco for the current website but have not updated the version for some time Cllr Baylis has arranged to speak to someone from Umbraco to find out if it would be possible for the Parish Council to use this and just move the website content across.
42/07/26. Correspondence. The following correspondence was noted:
DALC Newsletters
MDDC press releases
43/07/26. To confirm the date of the next meeting. Monday 10th August 2026. Cllr Cridland gave her apologies.
The meeting closed at 9.00pm.
Appendix A
Summary of Site meeting Re: Oakford Footpath 5a held on 10/6/26
Attendees
Simon Houghton DCC PROW Area North Manager.
Stuart Howell. DCC PROW Warden
Lee Cridland Oakford P3 and FP warden,
Oakford Parish Council representatives
Field grazier tenants Danny & Lorna and representative
Mrs P....... (Landowner)
Mrs C....... (Landowner)
1. Introductions & Background to issues. Open discussions.
2. Definitions of status (S Howell, S Houghton), Unofficial Route. Definitive legal route.
3. Schedule 14 application. definition of.
4. Definitive PROW map and statement shown, Digitised PROW map shown. Maps interpreted.
5. Group walk/discussions following potential proposed route along existing fenceline. outcomes/actions of Meeting
a) DCC to landscape/grade a simple improvement to the surface slope by means of small excavator from pedestrian gate (Rookery Hill) to the kissing gate on west boundary of Mrs Childs field.
b) Tenant’s wish to fence line of path to minimum approx. 2-3 metres for stocking purposes.
c) DCC to install new signpost at kissing gate directing users towards and along excavated line. Surface material ie planings to be introduced as necessary.
d) Parish Council approached by landowner/tenants to withdraw Schedule 14 application. Please could the Parish Council confirm this.
e) If the general feedback following initial works on the ground is positive, DCC to pursue legal diversion order for section of path from Rookery Hill to the water tap.
Notes supplied by Stuart Howell.