Category: Letters to the Editor

THE following was received this morning from a Thame ex-pat:

Dear SirMadam, I lived in Thame for 30 years until moving to Australia in 2001. I was sitting at my computer when I thought I would see if I could read up on Thame. To my surprise, I found that I could and have just finnished reading about all the happenings and going ons over the past twelve months in Thame.

I quiet often ask my family to send me over copies of the Thame Gazette but rarely get them as it is so expensive to send them. Now I have found this site I have no need to ask them, so I can now catch up on the local news anytime I wish to.

Keep up the good work as this site will keep me in touch with my home town.

Yours
David Hillman jnr.

Dear Editor
Having just got my rubbish and recycling bags ready for collection tomorrow I would simply say that I have lived in Thame for seven years and nowhere, repeat nowhere, in the several parts of England that we have lived, have I known a service as reliable, thorough, swift and courteous as has been provided by Grundon. As reported on your site and elsewhere I see that changes in the system are coming. My view is that if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

Norman Brand, 6 Fanshawe Road, Thame

Dear Sir / madam,
I have lived in Thame for over 12 years but the dog mess problem is getting worse. Thame never used to have this problem!
I would encourage all dog owners who do not pick up there dog’s mess to remember the following:

1. It only takes a few seconds to pick up, and bio-degradable poo bags are widely available.
2. Dog mess is a health hazard, for any body of any age.
3. There are plenty of dog mess disposal bins around the town, however if we believe we need more then lets raise it with our council.
4. The only people who will clean up your dog mess for FREE is YOU, as its your responsibility. If you expect someone else to do it then expect to be charged for the service at some point for it.
5. Not clearing up your dog’s mess, can result in a large fine.
6. Leaving your dog’s mess on someone else’s property, can result in a fine and criminal record.

Lets make 2009 ‘clean streets’ for all.

Thanks
JK. (Full name and address supplied)

Dear Editor, I am writing to you to congratulate the Town council for a wonderful Christmas event. I also think that the lights in the town look excellent and really give you that Christmas feeling when you are shopping in the town. This can only be a good thing. I understand why Swan walk and Greyhound walk have no lights, as

Dear Editor
All the people of Thame who came to the aid of a friend of mine one blustery day recently should be publicly thanked. I haven’t their names so am writing to you.
My friend was on his way to the bank to deposit quite a large sum of money on behalf of the charity of which he is an official, when the bag broke and bank notes blew around the road and pavement. Some of
them were run over by cars.

All those who saw the incident rallied round and chased the cash as it fluttered about in the wind. They brought it back to my friend.

Later he checked it. All the money had been retrieved. He is not as young as he was and could not have done it alone. He has asked me not to name him but he, his friends and all the people he serves will be grateful to the people of our town.

Yours sincerely
Norman Brand

hi there

my name is james from manchester… i am a member of the robin gibb website and i was the one who started out the conversation regarding robin selling his house in oxfordshire… as i stated on his forum to my fellow friends i do hope this is just a rumour.. i mean he is so passionate about this place… i dont think anyone could look after this place like robin does…

james

THE following letter has come from a ThameNews.Net reader in response to the on-going battle of words between Andy Ford and Oxfordshire County Council’s Highways department and their contractor.
“Dear Editor
I have to agree with Mr ford’s opinion; the roads are dangerous with the chippings and rifts.
I’ve already had my car window chipped as have many people I know, along with chips of paint.
“They mentioned 10mph signs – I’ve seen no sign of them; maybe for the first day but now the signs are gone, but the stones are still there.”

Paul Nicholas

WHAT good, comprehensive coverage of Elizabeth Spriggs’s funeral. It gave a real sense of the occasion and of the lady herself. I’ve bored people when saying this before but this is what local newspaper coverage ought to be like and was, when I worked on them in various places many years ago.
Good also to use the space you have available to you to give generous (but not unnecessarily lavish) coverage of the speeches. Keep the flag of journalism flying.
Norman Brand, Thame

A THAME constituent, Owen Davies, who is a Liberal Democrat, has written to his local paper, questioning the fairness of its coverage of the recent Henley by-election.
Here is what he wrote:

Dear Sir
I refer to the articles in the Thame Gazette of July 4, By-election Special and wonder on what criteria you gave such disproportionate coverage (60%) to 4 of the minority parties, BNP, Independents, Loony and UKIP who polled between them a total of little more than 7% of all the votes cast – compare 5% of the space accorded to Lib Dems who polled just under 30% of the total votes cast.
I note that this is your second article in recent weeks on the BNP who polled under 4%, hardly warranting such prominence by any argument, I would suggest.
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Owen Davies later added up the scc’s (single column centimetres) and worked out approximate percentages as follows:

Independents 30scc’s; approx 15%

Tories 51scc’s in 2 articles; c30%

BNP 30 scc’s; c15%

Loonies 24scc’s; c14%

UKIP 20scc’s; c12%

LibDem 9scc’s; c5%

general 9scc’s
Total 173 scc’s-no reference to greens or Labour or others.

Sir,
I wish to thank all of your readers who voted for me
in the recent parliamentary by-election for the Henley
constituency.
We came a creditable third in what was portrayed as a
two horse race. Thank you to everyone who had the
courage to vote for a Green future.
Many householders were pleased that we did not
inundate them with leaflets and were happy to talk
with us at meetings, hustings or on the door step if
they wanted to know more.
I will continue to campaign for a Greener and more
sustainable South Oxfordshire and would be happy to
hear from any readers who would like to help. Contact
me on mark@greenoxford.com or 07946891826.