Category: Thame news

THE leader of Oxfordshire County Council has branded Gordon Brown’s much heralded housing plans as ‘simplistic’ and says that they will not have the effect of helping people on to the housing ladder.
The Prime Minister today announced plans to build three million new homes by 2020 with 25-year fixed-rate affordable mortgages and a Homes Agency to oversee new developments.

Cllr Keith Mitchell, who is also chair of the South East England Regional Assembly, said he was pleased to hear assurances that the Green Belt would be unaffected but added that he was far from convinced that this would prove to be the case.
Councillor Mitchell said: “There has been a lot of talk but little detail from the Prime Minister. It is all very simplistic. We have a national stock of 22 million homes. Building 150,000, 200,000 or 300,000 new homes per year will have a very limited impact on housing prices.
“There needs to be a far broader approach with a range of carefully thought out measures to deliver the affordable homes that people want and desperately need.
“All of these measures need the government to make housing and infrastructure investment the top priority – something it has not been to date. Affordable homes must be built, social housing must be taken seriously and new schools, roads and other key infrastructure work must accompany this.
“In Oxfordshire and the South East, simply upping housing numbers without infrastructure will leave people unable to access school places, secure health care or even move freely on our road and rail network.

WHAT HAS MR BROWN ACTUALLY ANNOUNCED?
Here is an extract:
“In two eras of the last century – the interwar years and the 1950s onwards – Britain made new housebuilding a national priority. Now through this decade and right up to 2020 I want us – in environmentally friendly ways using principally brownfield land and building eco towns and villages – to meet housing need by building over a quarter of a million more homes than previously planned, a total by 2020 of 3 million new homes for families across the country.
“So for England we will raise the annual housebuilding target for 2016 from 200,000 to 240,000 new homes a year.
“We propose a new Housing Bill which will support and encourage initiatives on the ground by local authorities and other authorities and to do this will bring together English Partnerships with the Housing Corporation to create a new homes agency charged with bringing surplus public land into housing use to deliver more social and affordable housing and support regeneration. This will include new partnerships with local authorities, health authorities and the private and voluntary sectors to build more housing made affordable by shared equity schemes and more social housing responsive to individual needs.
“The Planning Bill will implement the Eddington and Barker reports to speed up the development of the major infrastructure projects that Britain needs to facilitate economic and housing growth, and to speed up planning generally.
“The Planning Gain Supplement Bill – to ensure the public receive benefit from planning gain – is provisional because if prior to the Pre-Budget Report a better way is identified of ensuring local communities receive significantly more of the benefit planning gain to invest in necessary infrastructure including transport – and it is demonstrated that these are a better alternative – the Government will be prepared to defer next session’s legislation.”
READ THE FULL SPEECH HERE

ON Friday, July, 6, between 14:55hrs and 15:10hrs, a property in Church Road, Thame, was burgled.
Unknown offender(s) entered the property via an insecure rear door, whilst the aggrieved was in the garage and stole a wallet.
Anyone with any information should contact Thames Valley Police on 0800 555111, quoting URN 867 of 06/07/07.

FOLLOWING a planning application, currently with the district council, to move Thame’s cattle market, the possible closure of Winslow Cattle Market, in Buckinghamshire, could make the relocation and enlargement of Thame even more important.
See:
Link

THAME police are appealing for information about three cars which have been broken into in the town since the end of June.
On June 24, at around 1.30am, a blue Nissan car was broken into in the Spread Eagle car park and an amplifier was stolen.

On July 4, between 12.15 ? 12.25pm. a red escort was broken into and a CD player was stolen, in the High Street.

Also on July 4, between 09.00 – 1700, a red mondeo was broken into and a CD/Radio was stolen, Priest End, Thame.

Lesley Nesbitt Crime Redcution Advisor said: “Two of the cars have been broken into during daylight hours and car radios and CD players were stolen. Please remember, if your have a removable car radio then take it with you even if you are only leaving your vehicle for a few minutes and always try to park your car in an area where there is a designated car park or where there are going to be a lot of people so that there is less opportunity for the car to be broken into.
“Keep all valuables out of sight in your car and don?t forget to close all your windows and lock the doors, especially during the summer months when it is very tempting to leave your window open when you leave your car for a short while.?

Any infroamtion to Thames Valley Police 08458 505505
Or Crimestoppers (which is anonymous) 0800 555 111.

FOLLOWING the recent terrorist incidents in London and Glasgow, Thames Valley Police has, along with other forces, increased police patrols in areas which may be vulnerable. These include places such as busy railway stations, shopping centres, bars and clubs.
in a recent statement, the force said: “There is no information that suggests any part of Thames Valley is a specific target and we would urge people to go about their daily business as usual.
“We would, however, ask the public to be vigilant. We need local communities to help us defeat terrorism. Suspicious activity can be reported to the Anti-Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789321 or direct to Thames Valley Police on 0845 8 505 505. If you don’t want to leave your name, you can call the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.

IN yesterday’s report: Town Council Rejects Community Centre Proposal, it was stated that Cllr David Laver voted in favour of the proposal. Cllr Laver is not a member of the Policy and Resources committee, and although he spoke in favour of the proposition, he was unable to vote.

POLICE and their partners are continuing Operation Mend to reduce vandalism in South Oxfordshire, and have made several arrests in the area already.
A sergeant and six officers have been assigned to the operation and are patrolling hotspot areas that have been identified as suffering from vandalism.
Officers and police staff have been visiting schools to explain to children the consequences of vandalism and graffiti. Damaging property is a criminal offence and can lead to arrest, a fine, a court appearance and even a prison sentence.
Damage to vehicles and buildings accounts for the bulk of all reported crime in South Oxfordshire and affects the quality of life of many people. Such damage can impact on a community and make people feel unsafe. Anti-social behaviour is also an issue which affects people?s daily lives and leads to fear of crime.

Supt Andy Murray, LPA Commander for South Oxfordshire, said: ?This is an excellent start to the campaign and I am pleased with the results so far. I would like to thank the public for calling up and reporting incidents so that we can deal with them.
?I urge people to keep calling in as it helps us focus patrols and in some cases directly intervene and arrest offenders.
?We will continue to fine, arrest and actively pursue those who cause damage in our district.?

If you have information about someone who has damaged property then please contact the police on 0845 8 505 505. If you don?t want to give your name you can call crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

If you see a crime in progress or it is an emergency then dial 999.

THE roof of a house in Haddenham was destroyed on Tuesday, when it was struck by lightening during storms that hit the area during the afternoon.
Two fire crews from Aylesbury Fire Station brought the fire under control, and prevented the fire from spreading to the ground floor of the house, which is in Slave Hill, Haddenham.

THERE has been a possible Distraction Burglary this morning, Wednesday July 4, at approx. 8:40hrs, in Cotmore Gardens, Thame.
Two white males with Irish accents, both aged 30-40 yrs, called at properties, asking residents if they wanted their soffits looking at. They had no ID and when asked to go away, made off towards the Chinnor Road.

Male one is described as white, stocky build, 5’10”, Short Dark Hair, and was wearing a Dark Jacket and Jeans.

Male two is described as white, stocky build, Light Brown Hair and was wearing a Beige Jacket.

Please be extra vigilant and keep a look out for any elderly vulnerable people in your area.

If you have any information relating to this message, please call the police on 08458 505 505 and quote URN 306 of 04/07/07.

A 23-year-old man and a 14-year old boy were arrested yesterday, (03/07) in connection with the arson at Lord Williams’s Lower School in Thame on Saturday (30/6).
They were both released yesterday on police bail until August 13.

A 22-year-old man arrested and bailed soon after the incident has now been recalled to prison. He was released on licence last month as part of a sentence for burglary and assault.

Det Sgt Alan Clements of Thame CID said: ?We would like to take this opportunity to re-appeal for any witnesses to come forward.
?We have viewed the CCTV from the incident. There?s a strong possibility of further suspects being involved in this arson, and we need the public?s help to identify who they are.?

Sgt Clements told Thamenews.net: “This incident of part of the school going up in flames has really effected the community and people have come forward wanting to help. But we still need anyone with information to contact us.”
Sgt Clements emphasised that he did not believe that the man recalled to prison had not been released early as part of the Government initiative to release some prisoners early to free up space in the country’s overcrowded prisons.

Photo: By H. Slater