Category: Thame news

YOU can now find out about Thame’s Famous People by using an interactive database which is freely available at Thame museum.
The latest online update to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography was published this week, and it includes the life of Henry Boddington, a native of Thame who became the celebrated proprietor of the famous Manchester Brewery.
The stories of over 400 other notable people of Thame are included in the data base at the museum.

The Oxford DNB is freely available in public libraries in Thame and across Oxfordshire, many of which offer ‘remote access’ so that library members can enjoy the entire dictionary at home.
To find out more about Oxfordshire Libraries visit the County Council web site at: www.oxfordshire.gov.uk.
For further details about the online dictionary, visit www.oxforddnb.com

THE Kerb-side collection of both glass and waste food is likely to be part of a new contract for the future disposal of Thame’s waste.
One of Thame’s District Councillors, David Dodds, set out details of SODC’s plans, in a report last night to fellow town councillors.
He explained that an invitation to new tenderers will be published next week, and that the new arrangements should be in place by April 2009.
He said: “We are well aware that a large amount of glass finds its way into rubbish sack and landfill.”
Cllr Dodds added that latest figures show that re-cycling and composting in the South Oxfordshire District are both up, and that last month, the total amount of waste collected went down by 200 tonnes.
“The figures show that overall, we are winning the fight,” he concluded.

Photo: Cllr David Dodds

THE Thames Valley Police Authority has today responded to criticisms following a poor performance assessment by the independent Audit Commission.
Thames Valley Police Authority Chair, Christine Weston has supported the efforts of Thames Valley Police following the publication of the Force?s performance assessment for 2007, and pledged to work with the force to improve the one headline area where the force was found to be performing poorly – local priorities.
She said: ?I am disappointed by our rating of poor in local priorities. I feel it fails to recognise the work we have done on neighbourhood policing.
?This was the first year this area has been assessed and following advice from the Home Office, we set ourselves extremely tough targets.
?Along with ten other forces, Thames Valley Police failed to hit those targets, but we have already started work to ensure we will improve in this area next year.
?However, it is a mark of our success that despite an ever-changing population and the increasing financial pressures this brings, residents? perception of police performance continues to be rated as good/excellent.?

Mrs Weston welcomed good ratings in the areas of public protection, dealing with serious crime and managing resources and efficiency.
She said: ?I am pleased to see our excellent performance in bringing offenders to justice and sanction detections.
?The performance assessment reflects a recent independent survey by the Audit Commission in which Thames Valley Police were among the UK?s best forces for recording crime data.
?That is reflected in our excellent performance in recording incidents of domestic violence.
?However, a good performance in recording crime does impact on our crime statistics and that has resulted in a deterioration of our performance in tackling crime.
?Thames Valley Police Authority is monitoring this situation closely and we have been pleased to see that crime has fallen in Thames Valley this year.?

Thames Valley Police scored seven points out of a possible 21 points scored across the spectrum of police forces. The government’s Police Performance Assessments rates the 43 UK forces in seven different categories, with a rating given of excellent, good, fair or poor.
The categories were tackling crime, resources and efficiency, serious crime and public protection, protecting vulnerable people, satisfaction and fairness, implementation of neighbourhood policing and local priorities.

Although Ministers have argued that it is “erroneous” to compile a national league table from the statistics, which compare similar forces rather than all forces as a national group,” using the points system – three points for an “excellent” rating, two for “good”, one for “fair” and minus-one for “poor”, Thame Valley came second from bottom, with Bedfordshire appearing to be the worst performing force.

Photo: Thames Valley Police Authority Chair, Christine Weston

THAME Farmers Mart Ltd, which runs Thame Cattlemarket, is currently lobbying Boris Johnson MP, other local MPs to change the restrictions currently in place because of foot and mouth and blue tongue desease among farm animals, which it says is crippling the farming industry.
Currently no farm-to-farm movements of livestock are allowed throughout Oxfordshire and the other home counties, and no animals are being sold at Thame.
A letter sent out this week by Simon Draper,
Auctioneer/Director at TFM Ltd, reads:
“Dear Sir
We e-mailed your office last week to impress upon you the problems that are arising over the Foot and Mouth disease controls and the Bluetongue Protection Zone that are in place in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.
“The new restrictions put in place a week ago are making it virtually impossible to sell cattle and sheep for slaughter with the Bluetongue Protection Zone. The Meat Hygiene Service state there is slaughter capacity for 2500 cattle and 8000 sheep within the 150km PZ per week, which is not even 25% of the capacity required.
“Over the next few weeks the cattle and sheep industry will grind to a standstill in these areas and huge welfare problems similar or worse to the 2001 FMD outbreak will be seen and with no welfare destruction scheme put in place by government, farmers are open to huge loses and possible prosecution.
“A lifeline to all farmers within the Bluetongue Protection Zone would be to allow cattle and sheep to travel direct to slaughter to abattoirs outside the PZ which are only too willing to take stock. These movements should be either direct from farm or through a market collection centre.
“There are only two markets in the immediate area, one in Oxfordshire (Thame) operating 1 day a week as a collection centre and one in Buckinghamshire (Winslow) which is temporarily closed, we as market operators cannot continue in such light for too long, access to these abattoirs would ease some of our problems and ease greatly the welfare issues described earlier.
“I would ask you to use any influence you may have to assist in the easing of our burden as soon as possible.”
TFM Ltd said:”We are doing everything possible to lobby government to get these regulations altered and have the full support of:

►The Livestock Auctioneers Association
►The National Beef Association
►The National Sheep Association
►British Meat Producers Association
►Assured British Meat
►Reading Animal Health
►Bucks & Oxon Trading Standards

THIS YEAR’s Thame October Fair will be arriving in the Upper High Street car park, on Thursday evening, October 11, and will be open to the public on Friday and Saturday, October 12 and 13.
The Upper High Street Car Park will therefore be closed to all vehicles from 8am on Thursday (11/10) until 12 noon on Sunday, October 14.

This year’s Thame fairs are being watched very closely by Thame Town Council and Environmental Health officials, who have come up with new agreements with the Showmen’s Guild about noise levels and other anti-social complaints from residents in the town centre.
The current agreement runs out in two years time and there is pressure from some quarters to have the fair, which has grown over the years, to be moved to an edge of town site.

THAMES Valley Police Force is aiming to cut down the number of ?Horrible happenings? on Halloween night with a publicity campaign.

A ?ghoulish? poster will be distributed to police stations, libraries and community centres across the force area.

It will show anyone out on Halloween night which houses will not answer a knock on the door.

Thames Valley Police is asking that anyone displaying a ?Sorry, no trick or treat here? sign should have their privacy respected, and festive callers should leave them alone.

The initiative, which has been successful in previous years, aims to reduce fear among elderly and vulnerable households.

It can also make Halloween more enjoyable and safer for young trick or treaters by making it easier and more obvious for them to see where they will not be welcome.

Parents can get some hints and tips on how to make the evening as safe as possible for their children by downloading a special Halloween leaflet (see below).

Steve Smith, Force Crime Reduction Manager for Thames Valley Police, said: ?The idea behind the campaign is to make Halloween as enjoyable as possible for those who want to celebrate the occasion.

?We don?t want to stop anyone from enjoying themselves, but we do want to try, as far as possible, to reduce incidence of behaviour that may leave people frightened, or which puts people in danger or at a disadvantage.

The campaign has been run by both the Hampshire Constabulary and Thames Valley Police Force, and is part of a new system of collaboration between the two forces.

To get a download a copy of the poster and leaflet, log on to www.thamesvalley.police.uk/reduction/saferhomes/safehome/safe6.htm or visit your local police station.

RESIDENTS and visitors to South Oxfordshire can now gain an insight into the history of the district through a new ?history and heritage? microsite on South Oxfordshire District Council?s history website.

Filled with a wealth of historic information, the site contains details of the district?s role in the civil war, its literary past, Roman and Saxon influences, places of historical interest, myths and legends and its museums. It also provides links to relevant attractions and sites.

Visitors can learn about the historic town of Wallingford – the second largest town built by King Alfred (Winchester is larger), the way Henley changed from a port to the home of the Royal Regatta and about Channel 4?s Time Team digs at Wittenham Clumps.

Cabinet member for tourism, Cllr John Cotton, said:”?South Oxfordshire has a fascinating heritage and story to tell. The microsite is a great way of giving visitors a taste of the district?s varied past before visiting and experiencing it in person.”

THE Police are appealing for witnesses following a fatal collision on the M40 in the early hours of yesterday morning (3/10).
At around 3.20am police received a report of a lorry on its side in a field on the M40 motorway between Junction 9 an 8A.
The lorry was travelling south when it left the carriageway.
The driver was ejected from the cab and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Anyone who witnessed the crash should contact PC Mick Barrett via the Police Enquiry Centre 0845 8 505 505. If you do not wish to speak to police or give your name you can cal the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.

SEVERAL speeding motorists were caught on a busy road near Thame this morning, in a road safety event run by Thames Valley Police and Oxfordshire County Council.
Police and Road Safety Officers carried out speed checks for two hours this morning (3/10) on the A329 between the Stadhampton and Little Milton.
Between 8.30am and 10.30am, 14 motorists were pulled over for driving at excess speed along the 50mph road. All were issued with a fixed penalty ticket of

THAMENEWS.NET exclusive !!
Thame’s Member of Parliament, Boris Johnson, has finally decided that he will step down as MP for the Henley Constituency, if he is elected to become Mayor of London in May.
In answer to a direct question about Boris’s intentions, an emailed reply from a member of his staff said: “If elected as Mayor of London next May, it would be likely that he would step down as MP for Henley.”