Category: Missed a ThameNews story?

THAME Rewards Club – Shop OX9, and Thame Town Council have launched Lockdown Love Awards to recognise and celebrate some of the incredible work that has been going on in the town sine the outbreak of Covid-19.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the Thame community has sprung into action, with Neighbours connecting and looking out for each other more than usual; informal support groups
organising to support people in need with things like prescription collection; charities and volunteer groups. Businesses, churches and many others have all rallied together to support the town and it’s residents, working together, Now local residents are invited to nominate someone for a Lockdown Love Award, in one – or all – of the following categories:

• Community Champions: an individual or group who you feel has gone above and beyond to support you or other members of the community during lockdown. 
• Local Business: a local business that has helped support you, or those you know, during lockdown.
• Charity: Each year Thame Rewards Club donates 20% from funds raised from the sale of membership cards. This year there is an award of £500 up for grabs! Is there a local charity that has risen to support the community during lockdown that you feel deserves recognision?

Nominations should include comments/stories to celebrate and thank your nominee(s) as this is all about sharing the LOVE! Let your nominees know loudly and clearly how much they are appreciated. Although there are no specific prizes, each nominee will receive a certificate with these comments included. 

Thame Town Council and Thame Rewards Club are also planning to create a visual display within the town centre using your words to showcase how our community has pulled together.

Nominations can be made through a form on Thame Rewards Club’s website 31, 2020, and awards will be distributed at the start of September.

So get involved in sharing some Lockdown Love by nominating today!

Another way you can ‘show some love’ locally is by shopping as much as you can at local businesses, and help Thame town centre remain strong and vibrant during this challenging time. 

To find out more about local businesses and their current opening times visit https://www.shopox9.com/

ANGRY residents demonstrated against a proposed major development in the Green Belt at Culham, as Inspector Jonathan Bore completed his investigations into South Oxfordshire’s emerging Local Plan with a visit to Culham Science Centre today, Wednesday, August 12. 

The Local Plan 2034 includes a proposal to build 3,500 houses on Green Belt Land at Culham, Oxfordshire, between the Europa School and the railway. The campaigners assert that the development would be the equivalent to a new town the size of Wallingford. Access to the site is limited on roads that are already saturated, they say. The village of Culham currently has 450 habitants and  this project would change a small village into a town of 9,000 people.

The protesters also say that there would be no investment in infrastructure before the first 750 houses are built which would put a strain on already busy roads and junctions at Clifton-Hampden and into Abingdon where very long queues and delays occur every day.

They also fear that as drop off and pick up at the Europa School is a real challenge as things stand, an increase in traffic would be safety concern.

Green Party District Councillor, Sam Casey-Rerhaye, who accompanied Mr Bore on the visit in her capacity as a Culham Parish Councillor, said: “The Plan was written under the former Conservative administration and is being forced through by a Conservative government. Six of the seven ‘strategic sites’ are in the Green Belt – land that is protected and should only be built on in exceptional circumstances, including environmentally sensitive land close to the Thames at Culham. 

“The wishes of local voters were ignored when Secretary of State Robert Jenrick issued a legal order to force the plan through to Examination, and it appears that our local Conservative MP John Howell’s claim that substantial changes could be made at the Examination stage was unfounded.” 

A Green Party Spokesperson said: “Green Councillors stood with local residents at the local plan hearings, the first ever to be conducted online, and spent a combined 45 hours making the case for changes, including reduced overall numbers, removal of Green Belt and unsustainable sites from the plan, and more social and affordable housing. During last Friday’s “wash-up” session of the inspector’s initial conclusions, some Green amendments were accepted, such as prioritisation of walking and cycling on new developments, community-led housing and enhanced climate change policies. 

“However, the contentious elements of the plan, including the major Green Belt site allocations, look set to pass relatively unchanged, a real kick in the teeth for local residents who spent a great deal of time and effort to make incredibly powerful arguments during the examination.

“Perhaps a taste of things to come under Mr Jenrick’s planning ‘reforms’ which will further erode democratic input into what is built locally.”

During the Examination sessions, the main promoters of the Green Belt sites allocated in the plan were the large housing developers, Oxford City Council who felt the housing sites to meet Oxford’s housing needs, should be close to the city, and some of the Oxford colleges who own large tracts of green belt land. For such sites to be acceptable in the Plan, the Inspector will need to be satisfied that no alternative sites would have been better suited for development, or in planning terms, ‘sustainable’.

The ‘Examination in Public’ of the emerging Local Plan 2034, is the first ever to have been carried out in Public. Following the close of the Hearings, the Inspector will identify the main modifications he requires in order to make the Plan sound and legally compliant should that prove possible. Main modifications will require further consultation, prior to the conclusion of the Inspector’s Examination.

THAMES Valley Police is appealing for witnesses following an assault on a garage worker in Thame.

At around 1am on Saturday (1/8), the victim, a man in his thirties, was working at the ESSO services on Thame Road when he was assaulted by another man.

Following an altercation at the night pay window, the offender slammed the hatch drawer onto the victim’s hand, causing a deep cut which was treated by officers at the scene but did not require any further treatment.

The offender is described as a white man with an average build and around 5ft 9ins tall. He had short hair, was clean shaven and was wearing a white t-shirt. He was driving a silver five door Seat Leon.

Investigating officer PC Daniel Mitchell, based at Abingdon police station said: “There may have been others near the garage at this time who could have witnessed this incident, or drivers in the area who may have dash-cam footage of the vehicle described.

“If you did witness anything, or have any information that might help our investigation, please get in touch.

“You can make a report online or by calling 101 and quoting reference 43200236524.

“Alternatively, if you wish to remain 100% anonymous you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

THAMES Valley Police is appealing for witnesses following an assault in Chinnor, last Thursday, July 30, 2020.

At around 12.50am on Thursday (30/7), the victim, a man in his thirties, was assaulted outside his address in Springfield Gardens.

The victim was at home with a friend when they heard a vehicle outside his property. After going outside to investigate and ask them to leave he was approached by two men which led to an altercation.

One of the men hit the victim, and the other assaulted the victim by hitting him over the head and knocking him to the ground. The two men and a woman then got back in the vehicle, a silver or grey hatchback, and left the scene.

The victim sustained serious head injuries including a fractured skull and swelling to the brain and is being treated at the John Radcliffe Hospital.

Investigating officer Craig Gibson from Abingdon police station said: “I am appealing for any witnesses or anyone who has any information relating to this incident to please get in touch.

“This is a quiet area at this time of night, so if you saw or heard anything suspicious, or have CCTV or dash-cam footage from the area at the time, please come forward.

“You can make a report online or by calling 101 and quoting reference 43200234245.

“Alternatively, if you wish to remain 100% anonymous you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

Two men aged 24 and 30 from Chinnor, and a woman aged 24, from Thame, were arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of an offensive weapon in a public space and have since been released under investigation.

THE public examination of the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2034 enters its fourth and final week today, with discussions set to focus mostly on the district’s three market towns, including Thame, and Didcot Garden Town.

This afternoon the discussion will focus on Thame, with Graeme Markland, Thame Town Council’s Neighbourhood Plan Continuity Officer, speaking on behalf of Thame Council.

The Thame discussion will start at around 2pm. Follow this link to view the session:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqkWzwYllfc

Shortage of Employment Land in Thame

At an earlier session of the hearing, Graeme Markland addressed the Inspector, Mr Bore, on the matter of the amount of Employment Land designated in the plan for Thame. Mr Markland said that he welcomed an increase in the amount of employment land given to Thame in the plan from 1.6ha to 3.5ha, but explained that it remains inadequate given the loss of job opportunities across Thame in recent years (estimated to be over 690) much because of Permitted Development (where offices etc can be turned into flats without planning permission, such as the Angus Fire Armour building) and an increase in out-commuting. He said that the evidence was that Thame would need 10 hectares of similar employment land as that at Rycote Lane, to take the town back to where it was in 2012.

Potential jobs for Thame lost

Cllr Mike Dyer spoke about how various businesses had moved out of Thame, taking jobs with them, because they could find no where to expand into, and other businesses had wanted to come to Thame, but no suitable premises were available.

Sustainable access to neighbouring Haddenham ‘pulled’

Graeme Markland also raised the problem of the Local Plan building in an imbalance between employment and housing land in Thame.  He pointed out that the Aylesbury – Oxford bus, much talked up by developers and the District was not a panacea, that sustainable access to Haddenham Parkway had just been put in doubt by the pulling of funding for the Greenway, and that is was not a route for anything other than hardened utility riders with a high level of fitness.

You can view Graeme Markland’s presentation, followed on by Cllr Mike Dyer – at around 4.45, HERE

THAMES Valley Police has released a CCTV image of a person officers would like to speak to regarding incidents of theft and fraud which took place in Thame, on June 28.

A bank card belonging to a 76-year-old woman was stolen, and then later fraudulently used at a Co-op store in High Street, Thame.

Officers are releasing the following CCTV image, as it is believed the person pictured may have vital information about the incident.

Investigating officer, PC Andrew Harding, based at Abingdon police station, said: “I am releasing this CCTV footage to the public as I need to speak with the person pictured.

“If you recognise this person, or you believe this is you, please get in touch with Thames Valley Police by calling 101, or making a report online. Please quote reference 43200175276 when contacting us.

“Alternatively, you can remain anonymous by calling independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

DM

THE family of 19-year-old Joshua Harling, from Oxford, who sadly died following an incident in Chinnor Road, Thame, on Wednesday (22/7) have paid tribute to him.

“The impact Josh had on so many people’s lives is unforgettable. He is an irreplaceable son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin, friend and well-loved colleague.

“We do not know how to sum up in just a few sentences how much he meant to so many people. He touched so many lives. He felt it was his duty to protect, he had courage and bravery, and was full of kindness, love and energy. He was a compassionate soul with a fierce and generous love and loyalty to his family and his friends.

“He had the ability to light up any room he walked into with just one cheeky smile. He was charismatic, selfless and had a contagious laugh along with his jokes. He made sure everyone around him was happy. A lovable lad that wore his heart on his sleeve. He had the world at his feet, with his every growing ambition to succeed in every aspect of his life. Striving to be the best he could be in his profession in the finance industry.

“His job, his music, family and friends were his life. He was admirable with an angelic heart, always giving and never wanting in return. No matter what, Josh was devoted to helping others and making sure those around him were happy, safe and secure.

“We will all carry that spirit on with us for eternity. His pure soul and personality shines so brightly it could never be dimmed.

“We can find comfort in the fact he loved deeply and was so so loved in return. With such passion and positivity, he will always continue to inspire those who were lucky enough to be touched by his life.

“Our protector, our rock, our shining star.”

The family have asked that their privacy be respected at this most difficult time.