Category: More News

BOTH South Oxfordshire and the Vale District Councils, have called for zero carbon homes in a joint respose to the Government’s Future Homes Standard Consultation which ended yesterday.

In their response, the two councils have agreed with the move to produce clearer standards and guidance in line with the recommendations of the Hackitt Review, and that restructuring the guidance so that it is clearer about what is expected of the home builders and developers in complying with the requirements would be a positive step.

However, although supportive of the intention of the targets being proposed, both Councils felt strongly that the Government should be ‘far more ambitious’ with their targets and timescales in the move towards constructing zero carbon houses, and in their expectations of local authorities, housing developers and homeowners.

The standards proposed in the consultation document however, are lower than those for London, setting out carbon reduction targets 25% lower than those detailed in the 2016 London plan – a fact pointed out to the government in a recent letter to the housing Minister, from the Mayor or London, Sadiq Khan.

The Future Homes Standard is currently under consultation and is due to come into effect in the latter half of 2020, covering England only. In its current form, it includes a goal to reduce the carbon intensity of new builds by 75% by 2025, which will be delivered through fresh mandates for housebuilders on triple glazing, low-carbon heating systems, onsite renewable generation and energy-efficient building fabrics. The 75% target is down from an initial proposal of 80%.

Last year both councils declared a Climate Change Emergency. At South Oxfordshire District Council, they have set a date of 2030 by which they expect to reach carbon emissions of net zero or near to net zero. At Vale of White Horse District Council, they are aiming for a 75% reduction in carbon emissions in the district by 2030.

To read the whole statement from the two councils, click HERE

THAME Tree Plant 2020, 21st Century Thame’s latest initiative, really has taken root – and planted its first trees.

A team of six local people planted 30 assorted young trees, including Hornbeam and Bird Cherry, on land close to Thame belonging to a local resident, to form an eventual copse.

The Thame Tree Plant 2020 project is for 21st Century Thame to commit towards the 1 million trees Woodland Trust mass tree planting campaign — part of National Tree Week and the Big Climate Fightback. The project is pledging to plant 500 trees around Thame in 2020, aiming to raise upwards of £3K from local businesses and other donors, to purchase the trees.

Visit the Thame Tree Plant 2020 webpage, to find out more about this ‘green’ initiative, and find out how you can take part by either donating cuttings from your own trees, joining voluntary tree-planting days, like that held last Wednesday, or to make an offer of land that you like to see planted with young trees.

(1) THAME Carnival committee will be meeting this evening (Tuesday) at Racquets Fitness Centre at 8pm. Lots of volunteers are needed to make this wonderful community event a success – especially an Event Lead. Sponsors too are needed.

This year the theme is ‘The Heart of Thame’ giving everyone, residents, businesses, schools, and local organisations an opportunity to show just what a wonderful community we live in.

(2) THE number of people killed on the roads last year across the Thames Valley has fallen.

(3) THE Thames Valley Police, Roads Policing Team has released its yearly overview which shows they attended 58 fatal collisions this year, compared to 80 the year before.

Figures also show in 2018 there was 3176 arrests for drink/drug driving which increased to 3576 in 2019.

(4) SHOULD Thame’s Christmas Lights event be held earlier this year? A poll is being held by the town council on Facebook and Twitter, or you can email the council with your preference if you’re not on social media. A decision will be made, using the results from the poll, at the council meeting on Tuesday, February 11, as to whether the event should be held on Friday, November 27, 2020, or Friday, December 4, 2020. The polls close at 10am ON FRIDAY, February 5.

(5) YOUNG people leaving the care system in Oxfordshire will get a helping hand after local councils decided to grant them Council Tax relief up to the age of 25.

THE current wrangle between local councillors and a government minister over the Emerging Local Plan 2034, appears to be developing into a matter of local democracy versus central government control.

The current Emerging Local Plan (which isn’t emerging at the moment because it’s held up by the minister!) was drawn up by the previous, Conservative administration of SODC, which lost control of the authority to a LibDem-Green alliance in May’s local elections. Oxfordshire County Council however, lead by Conservative Councillors, are unhappy about the new SODC administration wanting to re-do the local plan, because they fear the loss of a £218 million Housing Infrastructure Fund for the county that would have come along with it.

In the latest move, local district Councillor and Chair of South Oxfordshire Sustainability (SOS) Sue Roberts, has invited Robert Jenrick, Communities Minister, to visit the area to see for himself the issues around housing in the district.

The invitation comes after a series of communications between the Minister and local leaders, after the minister put a stop on any further discussion or actions following SODC’s decision to look again at its Emerging Local Plan 2032 (See previous articles on this subject HERE). Jenrick has threatened to hand over the administration of the plan to Oxfordshire County Council.

Dr Sue Roberts, who is also a Board Member of Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, has written:

Dear Mr Jenrick

I write on behalf of South Oxfordshire Sustainability (SOS). SOS was formed in 2011 as an umbrella organisation for community action groups across the district, for example RSA Thame and Greener Henley. Seventy-five members represent diverse groups focussed on sustainability in terms of climate change, local food, water provision and flood, and how to develop the countryside in a way that protects its assets and its people. We have expert representation from architects, planners, ecologists, farmers and other relevant professionals.

SOS is dismayed at the suspension and potential removal of control of the Local Plan (LP 2034) from South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC), and concerned at the concomitant suspension of democracy. The current Libdem-Green administration at SODC was specifically voted in on a mandate to withdraw the plan put together by Conservatives. It would be partisan and wrong for a Minister therefore, to put the plan back under Conservative control at County.

A letter is enclosed, outlining the unfortunate consequences that nine years of forced growth has already had on South Oxfordshire. We are aware that high housing allocations are causing strain in communities across the country, and believe it is time for constructive dialogue to ensure development provides the right homes for the right people in the right places.

We at SOS would very much welcome the opportunity of meeting with you to discuss this further. You would be most welcome to visit here and we can show you the relevant issues at first-hand. Alternatively we could come to London, at your convenience.

With very best wishes
Dr Sue Roberts (doctor.sue.roberts@gmail.com; 07913 896 874)
Board Member of Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership
SODC Councillor
Chair of South Oxfordshire Sustainability

You can read the views of Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council on the matter HERE

NB A group of Oxfordshire residents, against the recommendations of the Oxfordshire Growth Board for the area, have set up a petition LINK HERE

A new citizen science project to survey the state of nature in the Chilterns, is offering training courses to volunteers to help them identify species and to use surveying techniques.

As part of the five-year Chalk, Cherries and Chairs Landscape Partnership Scheme (CCC), funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and spearheaded by the Chilterns Conservation Board, ‘Tracking the Impact’ has now begun volunteer recruitment as part of its aim to survey birds, butterflies and plants across the Chilterns. The CCC has teamed up with Butterfly Conservation, British Trust for Ornithology, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Plantlife, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust and the Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Environmental Records Centre to deliver this exciting project.

Following on from the State of Nature report released earlier this year, the project is calling for local enthusiasts and experts in the Chilterns to get involved and ‘own their patch’. Working across 50, 1km survey squares, the project will dovetail with existing national recording schemes (Breeding Bird Survey, Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey and National Plant Monitoring Scheme) to bolster coverage in a ground-breaking new partnership. The project will offer opportunities to explore new sites in the area and the data will be used to track trends across the landscape and inform practical woodland, grassland and farmland habitat management projects.

Unique to this project is it’s mentoring programme – for those who can identify quite a few birds/ butterflies/ plants but want to learn more about surveying these local species. This project aims to collect key data and tell the story of the landscape, through understanding the relationship between different species groups.

If your interest is in birds, butterflies and/or plants, we are offering exciting new opportunities to:
* take on new survey squares and get involved in national recording
   schemes
* receive training in species ID and survey techniques
* offer training and support to new volunteer surveyors

The project will last initially for four years and will start in spring 2020. The project is looking for volunteers to carry out surveys during the spring and summer and would love to hear from you if you:
* are an experienced surveyor and are keen to take on a new patch
* have some species ID experience but would like some training to help you
  develop
* are relatively new to surveying and want some training on specific survey
   methods

You can register your interest in volunteering by emailing Nick Marriner, the project lead, directly: nmarriner@chilternsaonb.org

TO ensure we have trees to plant in the future in and around Thame, part of the Thame Trees project is to encourage people who may have self sown saplings in their gardens to consider digging them up and, to either replant in a better location, or put them into a pot for a couple of years to grow into strong, young trees.

Alternatively, anyone with hardwood trees could take cuttings of those. If you or someone you know would like to try either of these ways of propagating young trees to help clean Thame’s air, absorb CO2 to help mitigate against climate warming, and provide habitats for birds and insects, help is at hand.

Visit 21st Century Thame’s ‘Thame Tree Propogate 2020‘ page on the website, where you will find full instructions as to how to replant self-sown saplings and how to take hard wood cuttings.

AND, if you would like to chat about cuttings – or anything else tree related, meet at Racquets, Thame THIS EVENING at 7.30pm, in the bar.

THAME Trees 2020 will be having a stall at the Volunteer Fair at Racquets Fitness Centre, Saturday, February 15, at 12 noon to 4pm, and on Sunday, February 16, between 5pm-8pm.

By then, the project leaders, 21st Century Thame, hope to be have been able to have secured the purchase of some trees ready for nurturing or planting – whether free or purchased.

They are hoping to use the volunteers fair  to distribute some trees to residents for planting in their gardens and to distribute some potted and non-potted saplings for nurturing.

Chair of 21st Century Thame, Sue Martin Downhill, said: “We are also hoping to have set a date for the first mass planting by then, and will take names of those who want to be involved.

“If anyone knows of people who happen to have self-seeded saplings in their gardens that they might be throwing away, grab them if you can! Talk to people with allotments – are they willing to have a patch to plant some hard wood cuttings ?

“See you there!”

AT around 10.35am on Thursday (23/1) the victim, a 74-year-old woman, was withdrawing money at the Lloyds bank cashpoint in Cornmarket, Thame when an unknown man approached her.

The man leant across her and told her that the cashpoint was not working. He then left in the direction of Rooks Lane.

The victim later realised that an amount of money was missing.

The offender is described as a black man, around 6ft tall, aged between 30 to 40-years-old, of medium build, with black curly hair and a full black beard. He was wearing a black anorak coat and black trousers.

Anyone who may have witnessed this incident or who recognises the description of this offender please contact us using our online form or by calling 101, quoting reference number 43200025493.

Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

THAME’s Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) is having to deal with an increasing number, and more complex cases, with less resources and is in need of more volunteers, not just advisors but also receptionists, administrators and IT support.

In the year 2018-2019, the CAB helped almost 2,500 people, 10% more than in the previous year, of which 800 were residents of Thame – up quite significantly from 630 the previous year. Many of these were people with problems with tax, Universal Credit, debt and women with violent partners. Because Housing Benefit is so low, those reliant on it have only a modest amount of money left after the high cost of housing in the area.

Although Thame CAB has been managing since the Bureau’s cut in funding from South Oxfordshire District Council, it is now looking for donors from the business community etc to help cover its costs, in this, the 40th year of operations here in Thame. Citizens’ Advice Bureaux were infact originally set up 80 years-ago to help citizens cope with war. The Bureau does receive an annual grant from Thame Town Council.

The CAB service provides free, independent, confidential and impartial advice to everyone on their rights and responsibilities. Anyone who would like more information about volunteering and training with Thame CAB, can email: thame@osavcab.org.uk