Category: Thame news

TWO Thame District Councillors, who sat next to each other in primary school, have today kept their seats for the Thame South Ward, in the District Council elections.
David Dodds (Cons) took 868 votes (29.78%), and Ann Midwinter (Indep) took 768 (26.35%).
Votes for the other contenders were as follows:

Euan Aitkin (Labour) 232 7.96%
David Laver (Lib Dem) 579 19.86%
Peter Cockayne (Lib Dem) 468 16.05%

In her acceptance speech, Ann Midwinter said:”It is very appropriate that I should be standing here today as it is the Centenary of ladies standing for local government, and I am honoured to have been elected.”

THAME South Ward has, as from this afternoon, got three brand new town councillors.
They are Mike Dyer (Cons)and Mr and Mrs Richard and Clare Walker (Cons).
The full results are as follows:

David Dodds (Cons) 1,011
David Laver (Lib Dems)902
Clare Walker 876
Owen Davies (Lib Dem) 858
Mike Dyer (Cons) 845
Richard Walker 840
Beatrice Dobie (Ind) 615
Adam Buckland (Lab) 465

Unelected
Eric Crouch (Lab) 418

Photo: New Thame Town Councillor Mike Dyer and Clare and Richard Walker

VOTING in Thame started slowly at 7am on a grey and chilly morning today, with the trickle turning into a steady stream as the day brightened.
This evening is expected to be the busiest time as people pop in to their local polling station on their way home from work and after their evening meal.
Voting stops at 10pm and the count will begin at the district council’s offices in Crowmarsh, around 9am tomorrow.
The results are expected to be revealed around 1pm.
ThameNews.Net has a ‘hot line’ to the count and will bring you the results five minutes after they are announced.

Photo: Candidates from all parties chat outside the Polling station at Barley Hill school around lunchtime today.
L to R: Don Butler (Cons), Lionel Morbey (Independent), Mary Stiles (Lab) and new-comer to Thame’s political scene, Jeanette Green (Lib Dems)

TODAY is your last chance to make up your mind about who you are going to vote for in the Local Elections for both Town and District Councils, tomorrow.
So, whether you want to support those councillors seeking re-election, or go for a ‘clean sweep’, tomorrow is YOUR chance to make a difference by using your vote.
In the last of our series, where ThameNews.Net brings you details of all the candidates standing in both Thame North and Thame South Wards, here are details of the candidates standing on behalf of the Labour Party and the two Independent candidates:
LABOUR
THAME NORTH

Mary Stiles retired in March from a career in education, most recently in the Oxfordshire Adult Learning service as Curriculum Manager for Languages. She has lived in Thame for 38 years and worked here for more than 20 years. Her two grown up daughters were educated at John Hampden and Lord Williams?s schools. Mary has always been actively involved in the community and previously served as a Town Councillor for 12 years and a District Councillor for 8 years. She chaired several committees, including the Town Council?s Parks and Recreation committee and the Northern Area Planning Committee at SODC. She is a governor of John Hampden School, a trustee of Thame CAB and is a member of the steering committee and the community working group of 21st Century Thame, which is currently concentrating on facilities for young people. She is also a volunteer leader for Thame Health Walks. Mary is standing in both District and Town elections.

Andy Gunn has lived and worked in Thame for the past twenty eight years and has three children who all attended Lord Williams?s School. He was a lecturer at Rycotewood College for twenty years and continues to lecture on history, architecture and design for the WEA, the Women?s Institute and history groups. He was formerly a District councillor for four years and a Town councillor for eight years (1995 to 2003), chairing the Town Council Policy and Resources committee. He currently chairs the Environment Group of ?21st Century Thame? which recently organised a successful Swop Shop event at the Town Hall. Andy is standing for the Town Council.

THAME SOUTH

Euan Aitken has lived in Towersey since 1980 and is retired from a senior position in retailing; for a time he ran bed & breakfast accommodation on his smallholding in Towersey, where previously he had farmed sheep and free-range poultry. He is a strong family man, with 5 grown-up children and 9 grandchildren. His particular interests are in obtaining better provision for the elderly and improved supply and availability of affordable housing. He has been active in local politics for many years; he is Treasurer of Henley Constituency Labour Party and Vice-Chair of the Thame & Chinnor Branch and he has acted as the constituency party agent at general elections. Euan is standing in the District election.

Adam Buckland has been a Town Councillor for the last four years and; he serves on two council committees and is vice-chair of the open spaces group. He has become involved with a number of community groups including the Thame Football partnership, Thame in Bloom and he is on the Youth Centre council. He is married with two young children (one just started at St. Joseph?s Primary School); he lives in Thame and has run a successful local business for 12 years. Recently he has made use of his artistic talents by designing the improvements to the War Memorial and the Pearce memorial gardens and he is currently working on a design for the adjoining garden. Adam is standing for re-election to the Town Council.

Eric Crouch was brought up in Abingdon and moved to Thame from Didcot in 1982. He retired in 2003 from full time practice as an NHS consultant and medical manager and now works part time for the health service. He is interested in sport (he is a long standing member of Thame Runners) and the arts (he runs a music web site) and served for a time as a local councillor in Didcot. He is currently secretary of Thame & Chinnor Branch Labour Party and minute secretary of Henley Constituency Labour Party. He is married with two grown up children who attended John Hampden and Lord Williams?s Schools. Eric is standing for the Town Council.

INDEPENDENT -South Ward
Ann Midwinter has lived in Thame for most of her life and is married with two daughters and three grandchildren who all reside in Thame. She represented the Ward on the town council for eight years (1986-93)and was Mayor of Thame in 1990-91. Ann has been a District councillor since 1999 and is seeking re-election. She is a member of the district council’s Planning, Standards, Audit Corporate Governance and Corporate Scrutiny Committees.
She is associated with Thame Welfare Trust, is a Director of Thame Show and Chair of the Thame Housing Association. Ann also represents SODC on Thame Sports and Leisure and on the Thames Valley Local Area Policing Board.

Beatrice Dobie was born in, and has lived most of her life in Thame and served as a town councillor since 1987 where she has served on all three main committees. She has twice been Deputy Mayor. She is currently Vice Chair of the Planning and Policy Resources committees, as well as a member of the Cuttlebrook Management Committee. Beatrice was the council representative on the, soon to be relaunched as the Neighbourhood Action Group, Community Safety Committee and is a Nominated Trustee of the Thame Museum Trust. Two years ago, she was involved with a working party set up to organise the Council’s Christmas Tea Party for the senior citizens of Thame, and also in 2005, took over the organising of the Community Network Bi-monthly lunches.
Beatrice is a member of the Trefoil Guild of Guiding and is Vice Chair of the League of Friends of Thame Community Hospital, and is an active supporter of Thame Players, helping with front of house.

NORTH WARD

Lionel Morbey has lived in Thame for 42 years and served on the town council for 8 years on various committees including Planning and Traffic Advisory.
His hobbies include renovating old cars, DIY and cycling, a passion he has brought to the Thame Walking and Cycling group.

REMINDER: Polling stations in Thame (listed on your polling card) will be open from 7am until 10pm.

As soon as the results are declared, they will be placed on the District Council web site: www.southoxon.gov.uk, probably around late morning on Friday, May 4.

Photo: From top left: Adam Buckland, Mary Stiles, Eric Crouch; From bottom left: Euan Aitken, Beatrice Dobie, Lionel Morbey and Ann Midwinter.

WITH only three days to go before the local elections for Thame Town and South Oxfordshire District Councillors, ThameNews.Net brings together information about all the candidates, in one place, to help you make up your mind who YOU would like to be represented by.
Today we focus on the Liberal Democrats who are putting forward the following candidates:

JEANETTE GREEN (Thame North District Candidate)
Jeannette teaches information technology and business studies in Oxford and is the Assistant Principal Examiner for ICT with Edexcel.
She has worked in developing countries on World Bank and United Nations projects.
She studied architecture at university and worked in town planning and urban design for 25 years. She has worked as planning officer for a local authority.
Locally, Jeannette is a member of the Thame Partnership, which brings together local businesses and community groups. She is chairperson of the Transport Working Group, which is looking at the problems of parking in the town centre.
She is Secretary of the Thame Twinning Association, helping to organise events with our partners in Montesson, France. Jeannette is a member of a local Thame choir.
JEANNETTE SAYS
?My interests include website design and photography. I also belong to a group which meets at the Oxford Union and the Friends Meeting House striving toward world peace.?
?With my background in town planning, I am particularly concerned with planning and environmental issues and I am keen to help preserve our historic market town and to promote its future as a vibrant and flourishing centre serving the whole community?.

DAVE BRETHERTON (Thame North District Candidate)
Dave is a down to earth Lancastrian who 23 years ago with his wife Margaret chose to make Thame his home. He has three children who attended local schools and now has grandchildren who also attend school in Thame.
He has been successfully involved in the local community for many years, including the Scouts and Thame Festival. Dave has recently retired from the Civil Service and currently serves as:
? District Councillor for Thame North for 4
years
? Thame Town Councillor and Deputy Mayor
? Chairman of Thame Museum Trust
? Governor at Barley Hill School

DAVE SAYS
“My reasons for being a Councillor are?:
? Lack of housing in the town that local people
can afford. New housing development sites
should be on “brownfield sites” but must be
in keeping with the size of the town and
local facilities. I want houses built that
people can afford.
? Provision of community facilities on the
cattle market site. I will press for the
inclusion of an arts theatre in the plans.
This will be a superb opportunity for a new
civic and community centre that will serve
the town for generations.
? Continued success of Thame Museum that will
preserve and record our heritage and will
attract visitors to the area.
? Continued support for the Citizens Advice
Bureau.
“I care about the local community and will continue to work hard to ensure that Thame gets the “value-for-money” services that it merits, whilst maintaining its historic and architectural integrity.”

DAVID LAVER (Thame South District Candidate)
David has lived in Thame for 32 years. He is married to Norma, a teaching assistant, who also co-owns ?A Piece Of Cake?. They have two daughters who attended Thame Schools.
Now retired from his job as medical researcher at Oxford University, he has more time to devote to his interests, including local politics, nature conservation, walking, cycling and recycling. David?s record includes:
? Town Councillor for the last 8 years, serving
as Mayor twice. Elected to County Council
2004-2005.
? Chairperson of the Culture, Leisure and
Recreation committee in Thame.
? Thame Museum Trustee, Leisure Centre
Management and Town Twinning committees
? Governor of John Hampden School
? An active Cuttlebrook Volunteer
? Member 21st Century Thame Environment Group
DAVID SAYS:
?My objectives as Councillor are to campaign for improvements to the environment, employment and business opportunities and also community facilities within Thame. I would like to see a sensitively designed development on the Cattle Market site which benefits the community as a whole.
?Present youth facilities are inadequate. I support provision of a central meeting space for young people.
?I am keen to preserve the present historic Market Town character of Thame which originally attracted me to come here. It needs, though, to remain a thriving community with opportunities for young people to live and work locally.
?I will campaign to retain our community hospital and for improved local health facilities. I am also passionate about road safety and would like to see safer cycle walking and cycling routes within and between the Town and surrounding villages.?

PETER COCKAYNE (Thame South District Candidate)
Peter has lived in Thame for 29 years. Married to Val with two grown-up children, who were both educated at John Hampden and Lord Williams? schools.
? Works for National Trust
? Thame Town Councillor since 1999
? Culture and Recreation committee 2003-2007
(Chair and Vice Chair) and Policy and
Resources Committee
? 21st Century Thame Partnership Committee
? SUSTRANS Supporter.
ON COMMUNITY NEEDS, Peter says:
?I support the proposals for the popular Phoenix cycling trail to link up with the surrounding villages of Chinnor, Long Crendon and the train station at Haddenham.
?We need a decent size adaptable community building for the many voluntary groups that serve the town so well. The Thame Farmers that run the cattle market want to move to the Showground to allow them to expand; this would enable the old site to be redeveloped to include facilities for the young and not so young with more parking for the increasing number of visitors to the town.?
ON HOUSING NEEDS, Peter says:
?MP?s receive more letters on housing needs than almost anything else.
?Thame needs realistic affordable housing to allow local young people to get on the property ladder and be able to stay in the area. More single young people in their 20?s and 30?s have to stay put in their parents? home because of the lack of real affordable accommodation.
?South Oxfordshire District Council has the resources to do so much more to help the local housing crisis.?

PETE BARKER
Pete has two young children who attend Barley Hill School and manages the computing department for a large financial company.
PETE SAYS:
?My reasons for being a Town Councillor are to ensure that the youth centre is maintained in the town and that the new football partnership achieves its ambitions.?
?My wife Liz works in the Health Service and we are keen to protect our health services and maintain the status of Thame Community Hospital?.

OWEN DAVIES
Owen has lived in Thame since 1987, is married to Sally and has two children about to finish at University, following an excellent education at John Hampden and Lord Williams? schools. He trained originally as a chemical engineer but spent most of his working life in HR and is currently Personnel Adviser to the Zambesi Mission.
? before moving to Thame, he lived in North Kensington and was actively involved in the community including many years as a youth leader and helping start the first Notting Hill Carnival;
? is Treasurer of Thame Amnesty, drives for the Day Centre and has taken teams from St Mary?s to experience life in Calcutta;
? as Town Councillor for the past 4 years, he represents the Council on Age Concern, Citizens Advice Bureau, Leisure Centre and Welfare Trust, encouraging volunteering and youth facilities;
? wishes to play rugby for Wales.

To read the Lib Dems’ manifesto, visit Link

Photo: Top Left -Pete Barker, Peter Cockayne, Owen Davies; Bottom Left – Jeanette Green, David Laver, Dave Bretherton.

THAME Conservatives are fielding eight candidates for the Town Council elections on Thursday, May 3, four of them being current Town Councillors who are seeking re-election and four fresh faces.
In the North Ward, the four Conservative candidates are:
? Don Butler, a local businessman who was first
elected onto the Town Council in 1989 and has been
Mayor three times since then. He is currently
Chairman of the town?s Planning Committee and is
active in several other bodies including Thame
Barns Centre and Thame Housing Association. He is
also President of Thame?s Evergreen Club.
? Nigel Champken-Woods, who has been a Town
Councillor since 2003, and has served as the town?s
Mayor during the past year. He is Chairman of the
Open Spaces Group which was responsible for the
implementation recently of improvements to the
Memorial Gardens, and is currently Chair of
the Traffic Advisory Committee.
? Nichola Dixon, a young mother of two daughters. She
and her husband Simon live and work in Thame, and
she hopes to represent, in particular, the
interests of other young families in the town.
? Robert Parker, a local businessman who lives in the
town with his wife Amanda and three young
daughters. He is an active member of Thame &
District Round Table, where he was Chairman in 2001.

In the South Ward, the four Conservative candidates are:
? David Dodds, a retired headteacher who was first
elected to the Thame Urban District Council in 1967
and he has served in rhe town as a Councillor ever
since. Last year he was made an ?Honoured Citizen?
of Thame. He has been Mayor on five occasions, and
four years ago he was elected as one of Thame?s
District Councillors. David is also seeking re-
election to that post on Thursday in Thame South
Ward.
? Richard Walker, who was born and brought up in
Thame, and his family have been involved in the
town?s business community for more than 100 years.
He is the landlord of the Star & Garter pub in
Thame and has been a Town Councillor for three
years since winning a by-election. Richard is also
standing for District Council in Thame North Ward.
? Claire Walker, who is married to Richard, and runs
the Star and Garter with him. Having supported her
husband in his role as a Town Councillor for the
last three years, she feels that her outlook as a
young mother could be a beneficial influence on the
Council?s affairs.
? Mike Dyer, whose interest in local government
arises from his involvement with the community
group, The 21st Century Thame Partnership, with
whom he has been looking at potential solutions for
the town?s parking problems. He is a local
businessman and, with two sons at local schools, he
has served as a parent-governor at John Hampden
School.
* District Cllr Mike Welply is standing for re-
election in Thame North Ward. Resident of Thame
since 1978. Thame Town Councillor 199-2003; elected
to District Council, representing Thame North Ward
in 2003; active member of Scrutiny, Audit;
Planning; Licensing and General Purposes
Committees, currently is Vice Chairman of the
District Council.

TOMORROW: Your Labour Party and Independent Candidates

THAME FOOTBALL PARTNERSHIP – HOPES AND ASPIRATIONS – The FA (Football Association) is currently working with the newly formed Thame Football Partnership, to help secure the future of homeless, Thame United, one of the oldest football clubs in Oxfordshire.
Speaking at the annual Thame Town Meeting on Tuesday(24/07), Nigel Hargreaves, the FA?s Head of Strategic Development, explained that Thame United lost its ground in July 2005 and now wants to work towards building a Community Football club and facilities modelled on those of other towns like Oxford City.
He emphasised that a priority of the Partnership would be to build links with youth projects in the town. Nigel explained that as well as the senior team having to play ?home? games at Wallingford, the Girls and Boys teams had to play at Lewknor.

THE ‘HEART BEAT OF ALL SPORTS’

The vision, he said, was for the football partnership to become not only the hub for football in the town, but ?the heartbeat of all sports,? along the Holland/Germany model where all the town?s sports are in one place.
?As well as being financially sustainable,? he said, ?the priority of the new facility must be relevant to the community and we would like Thame to think about what other facilities could be there so that we can create a vibrant facility for the town.?

Sharing the presentation with Nigel Hargreaves, Chairman of Thame United, Jake Collinge, explained that the partnership was looking for a 20 acre site on the edge of the town to build senior, junior and mini pitches (including a third generation all-weather pitch), lights, viewing areas and a community function room.

Cllr David Laver asked about the suitability of the all-weather pitch up at Lord Williams?s school to which Nigel Hargreaves replied that it was fine for Hockey but unsuitable for high friction sports like football.

A Concept Plan of the Church Farm Site was displayed and Jake explained that the town council was engaged in the project and that agreement in principle had been given by Oxfordshire County Council for the Partnership to acquire either the Freehold or the Leasehold of the site from the county council who own it and lease back part of it to the town council.

IN this election year for local councillors, the annual Town meeting yesterday (25/04), threw up some challenges for the community and highlighted some of the past year’s highlights.
The Mayor, Nigel Champken-Woods, who chaired the meeting, presented the Mayor’s Report highlighting the town council’s successes.
The first he said, was cutting the town council’s precept by over 2% without reducing services. Secondly, opening the refurbished Memorial Gardens which he described as ?a haven in the middle of the town.? Thirdly, the switching on of the CCTV cameras and fourthly Ken Bruce switching on the Christmas lights and despite the rain, managing, with Cllr Don Butler, to make it fun. The Mayor thanked the churches and the school children for their contributions and gave particular mention to the success of the design a Christmas card competition. Finally he mentioned the opening the town museum which he said was a prime example of how the town council is working with other groups to increase facilities for the town.
The council?s priority for this year, he said, was to improve play areas in the town and added that it had made a start by securing

SOUTH Oxfordshire District Council, which recently contracted out the maintenance of some of its roundabouts to a marketing company, has been criticised by the CPRE (Council for the Protection of Rural England).
See Link
to full story.

THAME’s Mayor, Cllr Nigel Champken-Woods, was present at a St George’s Day dinner on Monday, when the Chairman of West Oxfordshire District Council collapsed and died after making a speech.
Keith Stone, who was also a county and a town councillor for Witney, is understood to have suffered a heart attack.
Cllr Champken-Woods’ wife, Alison, who is a nurse, assisted in one of several attempts to resuscitate Cllr Stone.
The funeral for 65 year-old Keith Stone will be held on Monday in Carterton, and because of his death, local government elections for both West Oxfordshire District Council and Carterton Town Council, have been postponed to a date yet to be announced.