Category: Community bulletin board

THE Thame and Wheatley Neighbourhood Policing Team has recently welcomed Sergeant Neil Anns. Neil is the newly appointed Sergeant for the team whilst Sgt Hoskins was on maternity leave.

PSCO Graham Davey is now the PCSO for Chinnor and Watlington. Graham has come from the Henley Neighbourhood team to support the Thame and Wheatley team.

Police Officers’ report in person to Thame towb Councillors

On February 27, SGT Anns had presented an update to Thame Town Councillors, the main points of interest being the following:

• South Oxfordshire and Vale of the White Horse area has lost 14 police officers and 10 staff due to ‘austerity’ cuts, and the number of local neighbourhood police officers overall have been reduced, though there were also a number of vacancies for PCSOs awaiting recruitment.
• Currently there are two PCSOs and two PCs covering the Thame area (104 sq. miles) plus an additional PSCO based in Chinnor / Watlington.

  

• The team’s current focus was primarily on rural crime – Rural crime was also up 56%, this was in part due to the way rural crime was recorded and reports received, and the work by the police with the rural community encouraging them to report crime.
• The anti-social behaviour around Southern Road Recreation Ground and Elms Park had received a firm response from the police and a number of convictions had taken place. This had resulted in a drop off in the number of calls reporting ASB in these areas. The Neighbourhood team was making good use of civil remedies to reduce crime around the town.
• PSCOs had carried out parking enforcement in the town on a Tuesday recently, and issued 29 tickets. Sgt Anns explained that the enforcement involved a large amount of police time as vehicles had to be seen in-situ for two hours before a ticket was issued. The Neighbourhood team would, he told councillors, look at what could be done in the longer term about parking enforement.
• Crime figures for burglary to dwellings was down 10% and burglary to non-dwellings (i.e. sheds, garages) down by 28%. Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) crime was also down by 6%.
• The not so good news was that violence against the person was up 46%, a rise thought to be largely associated with a large number of anti-social behaviour incidents which occurred in the spring and summer of last year. The incidents had been dealt with positively and a number of people had gone through the criminal justice system, it was reported.

Sgt Anns concluded that the Neighbourhood team appreciated that there was a general need for the public to see a police presence, but with two PCSOs and two PCs, the team was ‘thin on the ground with plenty of work to do’.

Witness appeal

THAMES Valley Police are appealing for witnesses following the theft of a Land Rover Defender in Chinnor, between 5.40pm ON Monday (5/3) and 7.33am on Tuesday (6/3).

Witness appeal, drug-dealing suspect charged, and more – latest Community newsletter

Thieves stole a red Land Rover Defender, index N***XCT from a driveway in Mill Lane, Chinnor. If you have seen any suspicious looking people or vehicles in the area or have any information relating to this message, you are asked to call the Police via the 24 hour non-emergency telephone number 101, and quote ref 43180068365.

Also included in this month’s Neighbourhood policing newsletter, is a report of a male who is believed to have been involved in supplying drugs in the Thame/Wheatley area being arrested in Oxford in February for possession with intent to supply Class A drugs. He has since been charged and remanded for court.

The Thame neighbourhood team ran an operation in Thame on Monday, March 12. Three suspicious vehicles were stop checked. One vehicle had no tax, another contained a male in possession of cannabis and another vehicle was on false plates. Enquiries are under way with the vehicle on false plates.

You can read the whole of the latest Neighbourhood Policing newsletter HERE – including dates for ‘Have your say’ meetings with officers in Thame

THE hospital trust that runs Thame community Hospital, want local people to let them know how they feel the new way they are running services from The hospital are working for its users, services aimed at bringing healthcare closer to home.

In 2016, the Trust ran a programme of events asking the public what they wanted from healthcare closer to home. This, says Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, helped them shape and develop the community hubs now running at Marlow and Thame Community Hospitals. Community hubs are all about providing a range of services to help people stay healthy and independent and to avoid having to be admitted to hospital.

“We would now like to invite you to come and hear about how those community hubs are progressing. We also want to tell you our plans for bringing care closer to home and give you the opportunity to develop these plans further,” explained Amarjit Kau, Head of Engagement and Involvement at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust.

“We are very keen to listen to local people to hear a range of ideas and suggestions about how we might best deliver care closer to home for the future,” Amarjit continued.

The programme of up-coming sessions is listed above. To book onto one of the events, or if you have any questions, contact Dee Irvin on 01494 734149 or email dee.irvin@buckshealthcare.nhs.uk

YOUR Christmas waste and recycling collections: Visit the SODC webpage for full details and timetable: LINK HERE

HOW much Thame Town Council spends each year is published in its annual budget, and this year it is going one step further and is holding a drop-in session for the public to go and view the draft Budget, and hear views and suggestions for how the money should be spent next year. The council has today published the following statement and invitation:

“In preparing its budget for 2018-19, Thame Town Council has again looked hard at where it can make savings (both in terms of cuts and further efficiencies), while at the same time providing the projects, functions and services that the community of Thame expect to be delivered.

“While always publicising the budgeting process, this year, the Town Council is going one step further in its transparency and community involvement, by hosting a drop-in session at the Town Hall from 5:30pm till 8pm on the evening of Tuesday, December 12, 2017. This will provide an opportunity for any resident of Thame to discuss the draft budget in detail with the Town Clerk and members of the Budget Working Group. There is potential then for the Budget Working Group to refine the budget still further, in response to feedback from the community of Thame.”

You can read the full statement on Thame Town Council’s website HERE

THAMES GP practices have been working with Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (OCCG) and patient representatives on plans for the future of GP and primary care services in Oxfordshire.

Throughout the summer Thame’s GP practices have joined others in Oxfordshire to talk about how they currently work, what problems they regularly face and how they could work better. OCCG have also been talking to Patient Participation Groups to find out more about the patient experience, listening to what patients feel is important and their ideas for change.

OCCG are holding a workshop-style event for each locality in Oxfordshire to enable residents to have their say on the future of GP services in their area. The workshop for Thame will take place on Tuesday 28 November at the George Hotel in Wallingford between 6:30pm and 8pm. To book your place and get more information please call 01865 334638 or email cscsu.talkinghealth@nhs.net.

A YOUNG man from Thame, who has himself experience of depression, is organising a ‘Mental Wellbeing Meet-up’ in Thame.

Dominic Stanway Williams explained: “There is nothing currently to support people who are struggling with Mental Health issues in Thame, and I’m really keen to get something up and nrunning and reach out to as many in the local area as possible.”

The first meet-up is this Tuesday, October 10, at 7:30pm, in the upstairs function room of the Cross Keys pub in Thame. More information can be found on the Facebook page: http://bit.ly/2xU7ihE

FOLLOWING the Prime Minister’s call for a snap General Election to be held on June, 8, the Liberal Democrat candidate for the Henley constituency, is telling voters why they should vote for her.

Laura Coyle, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Henley, said in a statement today: “The Liberal Democrats are standing on a clear platform to prevent a hard Brexit by staying in the Single Market, and to give the British people the final say on the Brexit deal through a referendum.”

She continued: “This election is a huge opportunity for voters in Henley to change the direction of our country and prevent a disastrous hard Brexit. People in the Henley constituency voted decisively to remain in the EU, and certainly did not vote for the extreme form of Brexit that Theresa May has imposed on us after being backed by Labour.

“For all those who want to protect our local economy by staying in the Single Market and ensure the people have the final say over what comes next, this is your chance.

“The Liberal Democrats are the real opposition to the Conservative Brexit Government and the only party fighting for a Britain that is open, tolerant and united,” she concluded.

No announcement has yet been made by any other political party as to who their candidates for the General Election on June 8, will be.

Theresa May is expected to win parliamentary support for calling the election.