Category: Thame news

A THAME recreation ground, described as ?just mush? and ?unusable? by Thame mothers, is unlikely to be improved in the short term, says Thame Town Council because of insufficient Officer time and a lack of funding.
Following representation by Sally Britnall and Alsion O?Riley to the council?s Culture, Leisure and Recreation committee last night, the two mums were told that the Southern Road Recreation ground, which, apart from general wear and tear had suffered considerable vandalism, was a priority of the Open Spaces Working group but that there was ?no quick fix.?
Money given to the district council by the government to improve recreational facilities had already been allocated for this year, reported Cllr David Bretherton, and so funding would have to be applied for next year, by June 2008.
Additionally, the Clerk explained, the project would have to go out to public consultation once the Open Spaces group had looked at it, and then it would have to go through a tendering process once the town council itself had agreed match funding. She added that there was no officer time available to look into funding, and suggested that the council employ someone on a temporary basis to look into funding.

?Everyone we know,? said Alison O?Riley, ?takes their children to the park at Chinnor which is the best one in the area.
?At Southern Road, there are no signs showing liability, or indication of who is responsible for the facility or who to contact if there were an accident. There is no indication as to what age group is allowed to use it, for example are teenagers allowed?
?There is no access for wheelchairs ? they would just get stuck in the mush and less able adults cannot get in to supervise their children. Where can the children from the First Steps Nursery play and where will children from the new Rycotewood development play? And what about all this talk of obesity? We are talking about the future generation of Thame here.?

In answer to a question by Cllr Owen Davies about what sort of equipment the two women would like to see, they mentioned the park in Marlow, which apparently, some members of the committee had visited.

The two mums did have praise for the Elms Park play area on the other side of Thame, where unfortunately, a

Something For Everyone At Thame Festival –
THE organisers of this year’s Thame Festival week, culminating in a grand fete on the Southern Road Recreation ground, have today issued details of the exciting events they have lined up for all the family.
The celebrations begin on Saturday, June 9, at Thame Leisure Centre, with a Rock Event featuring:
TonightisGoodbye, MediumDave, Simple Reason, Touching Lips, Dr Slaggleberry, Flammable Jam, The Youngs Plan, Prolieum, Under City Lights and more bands to be confirmed.
Tickets are

THAME’S MP, Boris Johnson, has been helping to campaign against the abolition of Ancient History A Level – by dressing up in a Toga.
See full story

Photo: Courtesy of BBC.Co.UK

THE Police have praised the example of a pensioner who closed the door on a man who tried to con his way into his home.
The potential thief came to the door of his victim?s home on Thursday last week (10/5) and said he needed to check the water in the bathroom.
When he was unable to produce any identification, the 73-year-old Tiddington resident closed the front door and the man left.

Supt Andy Murray, LPA commander for South Oxfordshire, said: “This gentleman did exactly the right thing in not letting the alleged tradesman into his house and asking for identification first.
“Sadly we hear of too many incidents where offenders have been allowed into a home under a ruse and stolen property once inside.
“I hope people will follow this man?s example if they ever are approached by someone without an appointment asking to be allowed into their home.
“I hope too that people will remind elderly relatives to take a few simple steps to guard against criminals such as this.”

If someone comes to your door remember:

? Always ask for and check identification
? Always put the door on the chain before opening it wide.
? If you are unsure ask them to come back later when someone can be with you.
? A genuine caller will always wait.

The elderly victim remembered the man having a dirty face and curly hair. He spoke with an Irish accent. There is no further description.

Anyone with information, or who has been approached under similar circumstances, should call PC Emma Birch, of Thame Police, on 0845 8 505 505 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

THAME?S Citizen?s Advice Bureau, which has recently grown both physically and in the number of advisers available, has a new manager ? a man determined to up-date the image of the service.
Originally from Scotland, Tom Fox has lived in Oxfordshire for 30 years and spent most of his working life in business IT and Marketing, but in the last couple of years he has worked in the voluntary section at the Carers Centre in Didcot and for the British Red Cross in Abingdon.
Tom told ThameNews.Net: ?One of my main aims is to market the bureau to reach out to more people in the out-lying areas of Thame as well, and to develop relationships with local organisations in the Thame area like the WI, church groups, clubs and societies like the British Legion.
?Word of mouth is so important,? he added.
?I want people to know that although the bureau is in this wonderful old, historic building, what we offer on the inside is up-to-date information by properly trained advisors.

Tom explained that the main areas of advice being sort by local people in an apparently, affluent market town are advice about state benefits, debt or employment advice ? particularly for people not in full-time work; housing issues particularly those faced by people in rented accommodation, and advice sought by frail and disabled people. Many of these are referred to Tom and his team by local GPs.

?I am looking forward to the challenge of the job,? concluded Tom, ?and raising the profile of this place which has perhaps been taken for granted over recent years.?

Photo: Tom Fox, the new Manager of Thame Citezens Advice Bureau, (Right) with the Chair of the Bureau’s Trustees, Peter Todd.

IF you are looking for somewhere to live and can help out an older or disabled person in return for rent-free accommodation, Oxfordshire County Council wants to hear from you.
The council is piloting a national Homeshare scheme that matches older and disabled people who need companionship or help with basic tasks, such as gardening or shopping, with people looking for a place to live.
The council is working in conjunction with NAAPS, the National Association of Adult Placement Services.

Who is Homeshare aimed at?
The Homeshare scheme is aimed particularly at students and key workers, such as nurses and police officers, but applications from anyone who has a genuine interest in Homeshare will be warmly welcomed.

Everyone will need to be police-checked before they can move in, and householders and people looking to move in will be carefully matched by the council?s Homeshare Co-ordinator.

How long will the scheme last?
The pilot, which is being funded by the Department of Health, will run until December 2008 and the scheme may be extended after that.

Oxfordshire county councillor Jim Couchman, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, said: ?This is an excellent scheme, that will enable householders to stay in their own homes rather than go into a care home, while helping to solve the housing shortage problem many people on lower incomes face in this very expensive county.?

To find out more about Homeshare, please contact Victoria Harwood on tel 07889 002 526; email Victoria.harwood@oxfordshire.gov.uk

FOLLOWING the local town council elections, Thame has a new Mayor.
Cllr David Bretherton, who is a district councillor for Thame, as well as a town councillor, was elected by his fellow town councillors at last night?s Annual General Meeting.
The Mayor told ThameNews.Net: ?I am honoured and delighted to have been elected as Mayor of Thame or 2007/8. I shall carry out the duties diligently and am looking forward to representing the town at events around Oxfordshire
?Whilst maintaining the traditional role of Mayor, I would like during my year to engage fully with the local community. I will therefore, over the coming months, be paying visits to the youth and community groups in the town.
?Traditionally the Mayor has elected two charities for particular support. This year I have chosen the Citizens Advice Bureau, a group that does sterling work in the community, and appropriately in the 100th year of scouting, Thame Scout Group.?

The Mayor?s Deputy is the out-going Mayor, Nigel Champken-Woods.

The new Chairs of the three main Standing Committees are:
PLANNING- Chair, Don Butler, Vice, Beatrice Dobie.
CULTURE, LEISURE & RECREATION ? Chair, David Laver, Vice, Lionel Morbey
POLICY & RESOURCES ? Chair, David Dodds, Vice, Jeannette Green

OXFORDSHIRE TRADING Standards have been alerted that two young women are going from door to door throughout Oxfordshire, asking for donations for the Farmoor Reservoir Pontoon Project.
There is such a project, but a trustee has said that they are not collecting door to door. This is noted on their website www.pontoonproject.com

One of the women is described as being in her late teens/early 20’s, of large build and wearing very small glasses.

If you receive a call from these women, please call the police on 08458 505 505 and quote URN 1226 of 25/04/07 and try to provide as much information as possible.
Trading Standards are also very interested in receiving further information and can be contacted on 0845 051 0845.

THAME has four new town councillors in the North Ward.
They are Jeanette Matelot-Green (Lib Dem), Peter Barker Lib Dem), Nicola Dixon (Cons) and Rob Parker (Cons.
The Full results are as follows:

David Bretherton (Lib Dems) 843
Don Butler (Cons) 836
Peiter Barker (Lib Dems) 792
Jeanette Green (Lib Dems) 781
Nigel Champken-Woods (Con) 733
Nicola Dixon (Cons) 718
Rob Parker (Cons) 687
Lionel Morbey (Independent) 646

Unelected

Mary Stiles (Labour) 369
Andy Gunn 335

Photo: L to R (top) Jeanette Green Peiter Barker
L to R (btm) Nicola Dixon Rob Parker

A THAME publican has become a District Councillor for the Thame North Ward – roundly beating his Conservative colleague who has held the post for the past four years.
Richard Walker, who runs the Star and Garter pub in Thame, gained 675 (23.57%)votes, 25 votes behind the leader, David Bretherton – 700 votes, (24.44%), representing the Liberal Democrats, who was duly re-elected. Mike Welply lost his seat.
The votes for the other Contenders were:
Mike Welply (Cons) 634 22.14%
Jeanette Green (Lib Dem) 633 22.1 %
Mary Stiles (Labour) 222 7.75%