Category: Thame news

A 15 year-old boy was taken to the John Radcliffe hospital this morning after being involved in a collision with a purple Vauxhall Corsa in Thame.
The incident occured around 8.20am this morning in the Lower High Street, opposite the Six Bells pub.
It is not clear at this time, whether the strong winds and rain played any part in this incident.

SOUTH Oxfordshire District Council has reiterated its promise of

THAME town councillors have decided not to spend almost

RESIDENTS from Thame, Chinnor and Watlington are being encouraged to go along and have their say at public meetings to tell police and other local agencies what issues need tackling in their community to make them feel safer.
Sgt Martin Jubb, responsible for implementing neighbourhood policing in South Oxfordshire, said: ?It is important to come to your local meeting if you possibly can so you can have a say in what the priorities should be for police and partner agencies in your community.
?We are also conducting surveys in the area for people who can?t make the meetings.?

This new approach to community safety is called Neighbourhood Policing and is being gradually rolled out across the Thames Valley.

The initiative aims to encourage better communication between police, other agencies responsible for community safety, and the communities they work with. Officers and other public agencies will respond to the issues which directly affect residents, with the aim of reducing and detecting crime, increasing reassurance and reducing the fear of crime.

Sgt Mike Todd, in charge of the three neighbourhoods, added: ?This is a genuine two-way dialogue with residents where they can choose the issues they want us and other agencies to do for them.

Residents will be involved in the whole process from deciding the priorities, the problem solving process, to taking action. This will help us make good links with the community and improve our community intelligence networks.

?I hope the meetings are very well attended and people take this opportunity to have their say about what issues they want to see tackled locally.?

Following the meetings a neighbourhood action group (NAG) will agree how to best tackle the issues raised. The group will include representatives from the police, councils, education and, most importantly, members of the community.

The meetings are as follows:
? Wednesday 17 January 7.30pm-9pm Thame Town Hall
? Thursday 18 January 7.30pm-9pm ? Mill Lane School Chinnor
? Thursday 1 February 7.30pm-9pm ? Icknield Community college, Love Lane Watlington

If you can?t make the public meeting, the neighbourhood team will be going out in the areas and asking residents about any issues concerning them.

For more information about your local neighbourhood policing team in Thame, Chinnor or Watlington, or to discuss any issues in the community, please contact Sgt Mike Todd or members of the team via 0845 8 505 505

Your local officers are:
? Sgt Michael Todd ? Thame, Chinnor, Watlington
? PC Aiden Lacey, PCSO Jacqueline Madden ? Chinnor
? PC Russell Hounslow, PCSO Diane Jackson ? Thame
? PC Ian Kent, PCSO Zoe Eele – Watlington

SINCE Christmas, there has been an increase in the number of distraction burglaries across the Thames Valley, where offenders have stated that they are from ‘The Water Board’.
The usual excuses used are, that it is an EMERGENCY, or that there is a BURST PIPE and entry is needed to TURN OFF THE WATER or RUN THE TAPS.
Please remember, that there is no such thing as the waterboard and residents should be reminded, that under no circumstances should they allow anyone unexpected, entry into their homes.

Please keep an extra look out for elderly and vulnerable neighbours and if you see anyone suspicious in your area or have any incidents to report, please call the police on 08458 505 505.

THAME Citizens Advice Bureau is expanding – thanks to a grant from Thame Town Council.
A cheque for

THE company that employs the school bus driver caught using his mobile phone whilst driving, has said that it has taken “swift action” in response to a complaint from a member of the public and the school.
James Mott, of Motts Travel, said: “We were surprised and disappointed to hear of one of our drivers using his phone behind the wheel.
“We can categorically state that it is strict company policy that our drivers should not use their mobile phones whilst in control of their vehicles.
Prior to receiving your email, the school had notified us of the incident and we had already taken swift action to reprimand the driver in question. He has received a formal written warning and warned of his future conduct.
Motts Travel considers incidents of negligent driving as very serious and we are acutely aware of the dangers posed to our passengers, other road users and pedestrians. I can assure you we impress these concerns upon our drivers regularly and thoroughly. If there is a need for a driver to use his/her mobile phone in an emergency, then we ask them to pull over in a safe place before using their handset.”

See yesterday’s original news report

Photo: for illustrative purposes only

FOLLOWING yesterday’s report about Oxfordshire Schools’ GCSE successes, we can now report that Thame’s Lord Williams’s school came ninth among Oxfordshire schools that achieved five, A to C GCSE grades, including Maths and English.

See yesterday’s report
.

Photo: Flashback to last summer’s GCSE results celebrations by pupils from Lord Williams’s school, Thame.

TWO Thame women on a shopping trip to Reading, had a lucky escape when their car was crushed by a tree felled by storm-force winds.
See full story
as reported by the Reading Evening Post.

Photo: Copyright Reading Evening Post
Jill Smith and Mavis Chaplin beside Jill’s crushed car.

AS the wet and stormy weather looks set to continue, fire chiefs are asking property owners to carry out a simple survey of their premises and to develop a plan to ensure that flood water is prevented from entering the building and able to flow away naturally.
* Check that drainage grids, guttering and any culvert running through or past a property are clear of debris.
* Home owners who have sewage drain access covers close to the house can reduce the risk of the cover being displaced by placing something heavy on top of it – similar to a large garden pot or ornament.
* Be aware of the contours of the surrounding land or property which may indicate the areas in which flood water will accumulate and be prepared with a stock of sandbags.

Further detailed advice on flood preparation for domestic and commercial premises is given in a county council booklet – visit Link
or go to the Environment Agency’s website www.environment-agency.gov.uk

Your local fire station will also be able to give advice.

Photo: Flash back to last year’s flash flooding in Thame. (Fire Station Officer, Andy Fords reports no wind or water related incidents in the Thame area.)