Category: Thame news

THE Chief Executive of South Oxfordshire District Council has expressed doubts about the suitability of the site proposed for a new Thame cattle market.
Answering questions put to him by Thame Town Councillors last night, David Buckle, Chief Executive for SODC, said: “We are in serious dialogue with the Farmers’ Co-operative but there are still some policy issues that are unresolved and it is questionable whether it is an appropriate site for a cattle market. Therefore it is unlikely that we are going to be able to give planning permission for the alternative site.
“But there is on-going dialogue between us and them and if the proposal does get planning permission, we will be quite active in starting a dialogue in ernest and active in making it happen.”
Mr Buckle also said that there was the issue of how much money the Developer might take from the cattle market.

Developer and cattle market support, Bob Williams, whose company has submitted the plan to move the cattle market to the Thame Show site, told ThameNews.Net today: “As far as we are concerned, Planning policy and the Structure Plan for the district allows for agricultural use of this rural area. We will certainly be making representation of our case at the Planning meeting at SODC on August 11.”

A LOCAL Environmentalist, and member of Thame and Chinnor Friends of the Earth, has submitted the following letter to Thamenews.net, entitled ‘Flooding gets nearer’.
“We all feel great sympathy with all those affected by the recent floods, in Yorkshire, the Midlands, Worcester and now Oxfordshire, and maybe we are wondering how we would have coped, (if we have not already been flooded).
The Met Office call it ?A notable weather event?, and there are already theories being put forward.
Yet scientists have been warning us for years that Climate Change is expected to make extreme weather more common in Britain. The science is simple. As the oceans become warmer, more water evaporates to be carried and dropped by clouds as rain, in greater quantities.
There are going to be many who will deny it ? that’s human nature when faced with something that we find too hard to deal with.
But even if you say it was simply the British weather, almost daily we read or hear that Climate Change is implicated in yet another broken weather statistic; Polar ice caps are melting at a rapid rate; typhoons are are more frequent and powerful; habitats are changing.
And so must we, the Government too. We should be hearing a clear and simple message from politicians, that ?This notable weather event? is just an example of what lies ahead for us all, if we and others all around the world do not change our ways and reduce our impact on this unwanted Climate Change.
How many of us are prepared to give up some car journeys, walk the children to school instead of driving, reconsider that cheap flight holiday, turn down our thermostats in winter and try to cool our houses naturally in the summer, for example by keeping doors closed and curtains drawn instead of turning on another fan to cool down.
We can all support Green Energy by switching to a Green Energy company such as GOOD ENERGY, or invest in Solar Panels if you can afford to do so.
But are we prepared to make changes, and some sacrifices too?
It could be our turn next time. How would you cope if the floods reached you?”
Maureen Dyroff.

Photo: Local boys enjoy the flooding by the bridge at Shabbington, whilst a car struggles to get through. Could this become a more common sight as global warming continues?

WHILST Thame itself has largly escaped serious flooding, thanks to the water meadows on the outskirts of the town that have absorbed much of the recent extreme rainfull, a Flood Warning has been issued.
The Environment Agency confirmed an official Flood Warning for the River Thame and its tributaries from Long Marston to Thame, including Astrope, Aston Clinton, Quarrendon, Aylesbury, Cuddington, Chearsley and Towersey, at 15.00 hrs today, on July 23.

The ‘Flood warning’ status means that ..”flooding is expected affecting homes, businesses and main roads. Act now! “

For further updates and advise visit the Environment Agency’s website LINK

Also,lots of advise available from Oxfordshire County Council’s website.

Photo: Vehicles travelling through Shabbington yesterday (Sunday) hit flood waters almost two feet deep.

A FORMER District councillor has accused South Oxfordshire District Council of treating Thame in ‘a cavalier fashion’ following its rejection of a plan to move the town’s cattle market to a new site, adjacent to the Thame Show Ground.

Mr Mike Welply, who is also an ex Thame Town Councillor, told ThameNews.Net that he was barred from speaking about the application at the planning authority’s meeting to consider the application, despite having his application verbally accepted by the Committee Secretary. He realises that, as a former Councillor he should have known the procedure and filled in the appropriate form.

Mr Welply explained:”On the Wednesday morning I was telephoned by an officer of SODC to be informed that as I had not filled in a form, I was barred from speaking. I attended the meeting, and watched proceedings. It was interesting to see that local land owner, Chubb Castle had two representatives from Rectory Homes to speak, supporting refusal, and putting forward an alternative site – on Chubb Castles land!
“The District Councillor for the North Ward, David Bretherton spoke and was supposed to be supported by the other District Councillor, Richard Walker, who did not show up, although he was down to speak, allegedly supporting the application. The vote was tied and the Chairman Pearl Slatter?s casting vote, supporting the officer recommendation for refusal, won the day for SODC.”

Mr Welply continued: “Yet again we, the people of Thame have been treated in a cavalier fashion by SODC. The District Council, whilst professing to support the Market Towns like Thame, has little concept of what a true market town really is. The loss of the outline planning request to relocate the Thame Livestock market to a place adjacent to the Thame Show ground may, I believe lead to the closure of the livestock market in Thame.
“The long term future of the Thame Show is also problematic as there are new Health & Safety and bio- security regulations which require livestock to be stood on hard standing ground, because grassland is almost impossible to decontaminate. If both of these disappear, Thame would barely count as a true market town. Moreover, the SODC planning decision does not in any way support the rural economy, which the Council is always stressing it supports.”

The application was previously recommended for approval by Thame Town Council’s own Planning committee, with a proviso that a solution be found to the perceived problems that increased traffic movements on Thame by-pass, could effect the egress of the residents of Lea Park.

Three people have been charged in connection with the murder of 94 year-old Thea Zaudy, whose burned remains was found just outside Thame, at Milton Common.
A Polish cleaner was remanded in custody today, Saturday, after appearing in court charged with murdering the 94-year-old German refugee.
Jolanta Kalinowska, 41, of Cavendish Avenue, Ealing, west London, is accused of killing Thea Zaudy, of Notting Hill, London.
Kalinowska’s son, 23-year-old Adrian Ryszard Laz, and his girlfriend Monika Sienkiewicz, 19, both of the same Ealing address, also appeared before magistrates in Oxford charged with assisting an offender in the commission of murder.
They were also remanded in custody to appear at Oxford Crown Court on July 27.
A 38-year-old man has been released without charge.

THAME Police are appealing for witnesses after a burglary in the town between Monday night (16/07) and Tuesday morning (17/07).
Thieves gained entry to a property in Beech Road after forcing a rear ground floor window. They stole a plasma TV, an entertainment system and a silver bracelet.

Using keys taken from the property, the offenders also stole golf clubs from the boot of a vehicle parked outside the property.

Anyone with information can contact PC David Edwards via the Police Enquiry Centre on 0845 8 505 505.

If you don?t want to speak to police and don?t want to leave your name, contact the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.

THE family of Mrs Thea Zaudy, whose burned remains were found in a field near Thame, have released the following tribute to her:
“Thea fled Germany in 1939 and came to Britain where she met and married her husband, Karl. She helped him run a carpet shop which she continued to run by herself after his death. She then worked for another 13 years at a large department store in London, finally retiring at the age of 74.
“She enjoyed walking, travelling and continued playing bridge on a regular basis up to the time of her death. She was well respected by everyone she came into contact with and will be very much missed.”

Four people have been arrested in London by Thames Valley Police officers and are currently in custody where they are being questioned in connection with the murder of Mrs Zaudy.

One line of enquiry is that Mrs Zaudy’s murder may be related to robbery.

POLICE officers investigating the murder of the elderly woman whose burned body was found near Thame a week ago, have been given until tomorrow night (Saturday) to question a man arrested in connection with the incident.
Two other men and a woman arrested in connection with the murder of the woman, Thea Zaudy, must be charged or released by 11pm this evening.

THE woman who?s body was found in Milton Common, near Thame last Friday, July 13, has been identified as 94-year-old Thea Zaudy from Knightsbridge, in London.
A 23-year-old man has today been arrested on suspicion of murder bringing the total number of arrests to four.
All those arrested remain in police custody.

It is understood that Mrs Zaudy, a British citizen, had lived alone since the death of her husband in the 1960s, and that none of her relatives live in the UK

Photo: The victim, Thea Zaudy from Knightsbridge, London

AS part of this year’s celebrations to mark 1000 years of Oxfordshire, a Thame-based balloon company has honoured the first ever flight by an Englishman, over 200 years ago, by recreating James Sadler?s balloon flight ? in full period dress – from Christ Church Meadows in Oxford.
The Altitude Balloon Company paid tribute to Oxford?s very own, born and bred, James Sadler, who was the first Englishman to fly and possibly Oxfordshire?s bravest man.

On October 4, 1784, Sadler took off in his home-made hot air balloon, made of silk and paper, lifted by a fire on an open grate, from Christ Church Meadows in central Oxford and ?ascended into the atmosphere?. He climbed to an altitude three quarters of a mile high, flew for half an hour before landing six miles to the north, at the village of Woodeaton. At the time it was considered to be nothing short of a miracle, and drew crowds of many thousands to witness the ‘impossible’ event.

The flight was easily visible from Thame, as well as from Bicester, Didcot, Banbury, Witney, Wantage and Wallingford, and people from all of those towns would have been present for the occasion. This early balloon flight would have caused great consternation amongst those who witnessed it, since there is much evidence that early balloon flights were mistaken for devils and demons coming to earth.

Sadler?s exploits didn?t end there. He was nearly drowned trying to be the first person ever to fly between Ireland and England. He broke airspeed records, was a great celebrity of his time, and was much admired by King George III.

As we celebrate 1000 years of Oxford?s history, we can ask the question: ?Was James Sadler Oxfordshire?s Bravest Man??

Ian Woodmansey, Director of the Altitude Balloon Company said: ?James Sadler is one of the great Oxfordshire heroes of the last 1000 years, and possibly the bravest man in our county?s history. He broke all the barriers of his time, and showed enormous determination and daring to become the first Englishman ever to fly. He flew a home-made balloon, and had numerous brushes with death in his early flying career. He is a man to be celebrated and remembered. I?m just glad that modern ballooning does not rely on the same technology as that used by Sadler.?

Catherine Nightingale of Oxford Inspires said: ?Oxfordshire?s millennium year turns the spotlight on the county, its people and its achievements ? and James Sadler exemplifies the spirit of creativity, inspiration and imagination that we are celebrating today.?

Stuart Skinner, a balloon pilot who lives in Thame and who was assisting at the launch said:
?Men like Sadler are a great inspiration to us all. They dreamt big and then went out and acted on those dreams. Without Sadler, England could have been left behind in the aviation race that developed in Europe in the 1780s?.

Amazingly, James Sadler died peacefully of old age in his Oxford house in George Lane, at the age of 75. There is a plaque next to Merton fields commemorating his first ever flight, and he is buried in the churchyard at St. Peter in the East, which is now part of St. Edmund Hall, Oxford.

He was truly one of the great Oxonians.