Category: More News

JOHN Howell, the MP for Henley and Thame, is facing calls for him to reconsider his decision to remain the  Treasurer of a pan-European grouping that a Thame constituent believes includes ‘representatives from extreme right-wing parties which deny climate change and advance anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant and nationalist policies’.  

The request has come from the European Movement in Oxfordshire and relates to the MP’s role within the Council of Europe, which was co-founded by Britain in the wake of World War II to uphold  human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Europe. Following a recent change, the  Conservatives have been part of the European Conservatives and Democratic Alliance Group, where  Mr Howell is its Treasurer.  

Among the better-known members of the EC/DA it is alleged, are Poland’s Law and Justice Party, which opposes LGBT rights, and Vox in Spain, which proudly calls itself anti-feminist and has campaigned to  repeal the country’s gender-violence legislation. The group also contains representatives  from the Danish People’s Party (anti-immigration), the Swedish Democrats (anti-Muslim) and  Alternatif für Deutschland, one of whose legislators described the Holocaust as ‘certain misdeeds’.  

The European Movement’s intervention came after it was alerted by a Thame constituent of Mr  Howell, Roy Mottram, who had written to Mr Howell, only to be told that he ‘would not make a very good  investigative journalist’.

The Oxford Region’s chairman, Graham Jones, said:  “There are more than 120 of Mr Howell’s constituents signed up to the cross-party European  Movement and I am sure they will be deeply disappointed at Mr Howell’s response. 

“These are parties out of step with traditional British Conservative values. Mr Howell is a decent man and must feel embarrassed rubbing shoulders with them. 

“Given that the UK was a founding member of the Council of Europe after the war, creating our cross-party European Movement at the same time, is it really appropriate for his party to be associating with these unsavoury, populist politicians, and for him to be aiding their activities? 

“How does it square with the government’s stated mission: “to make the Council of Europe better able to protect the UK’s goals in Europe on improving human rights, democracy and respect for the rule of law? 

“I would ask him to think again and not only resign his role as its treasurer, but also seek to have the Conservatives align with a different grouping that more closely reflects the values of the people in the constituency.”

SOURCE: Contributed
Ed. You can read John Howell’s description of his work with the Council of Europe on his website HERE

NB. Views expressed in content on the Thamenews.net website do not necessarily reflect the views of Thamenews.net itself.

DEMAND for Thame’s Foodbank support continued at a very high level during August, with a total of 70 food parcels delivered providing for 95 adults and 106 children.

57% were referred by partner agencies of Sharing Life Trust, which runs the scheme, and the rest were self referrals. The foodbank can only exist because it receives very generous support from the local community both in Thame and in Chinnor, ensuring that their store is well supplied with the essential list of items.

The free delivery of Community Larder boxes of non-perishable food, fruit and veg provided by SOFEA finished at the end of August. With the great team of volunteers they were able to deliver over 60 of these each week to households mostly in Thame but also in Chinnor and Tetsworth. 

The new model of the Community Larder, whereby anyone can subscribe for £7 a week, was launched at Christchurch, in Thame, on Thursday, September 3, and they already have 30 members who can go along any Thursday and take whatever food they need.

The food is sourced by Didcot-based charity, Sofea, from surplus food from wholesalers & supermarkets. Anyone can join – there is no means-testing. Find out more about the Thame Community Larder via https://www.sharinglifetrust.org/community-larder

HOSPITALS are pleading with people with Covid-19 symptoms, NOT to go to hospitals, following a worrying trend of people just turning up at hospitals and putting extra strain on resources by them having to turn people away, as well as potentially putting vulnerable people at risk.

This is possibly as a result of the national issue with testing capacity, where people have struggled to book a test online. The message is, that If anyone is struggling to book a test online, to keep trying as it’s only possible to book a slot when one becomes available. Slots become available throughout the day so it may take a few attempts at different times of the day. 

The other key message is to only book a test if you’re displaying symptoms.  You can book a test by calling 119 or by registering online via gov.uk/getting-tested-for-coronavirus. 

ONLY weeks after restarting his business after lockdown, Thame Photographer Mark Hewitson, Photographer at Mark Hewitson Photography who owns and runs a Thame pet portrait studio specialising in dogs and cats, has had images selected to be in the finals of The Xperience Professional Portrait Awards 2020. 

After all the business restrictions and the new working world they are faced with, Mark has proven that there is no excuse not to get creative.

Mark has had five images selected across the Top Dog Creative, Top Dog Location, Top Dog Studio and Open Categories. The portraits were selected out of more than 1500 images in the recent judging and all images now go through to the finals in December at The Xperience awards ceremony.

Mr Hewitson said he was “delighted” to have images judged to go through to the final. Mark also said “It’s been great to get back to business. To have my work recognised as being among the best in the country is a real privilege. I pride myself on creating bespoke personal artwork for my clients and to then be acknowledged in a very competitive industry is a real honour.”  

The Xperience group first launched the awards in 2015 to develop creativity in every shoot as well as to challenge the photographic studios from across the UK and Ireland to make the photographers ‘step outside their comfort zones with everyday clients’.

Mark Cleghorn, the Xperience group training director said: “After having the businesses closed for so long and with all the business and financial frustrations it has caused, these awards have brought smiles and confidence back to the photographers. Like all creatives, photographers need not only clients to create with but also the time and tools to transform the everyday client. 

“Being a finalist is a massive tap on the back for them and I am sure it has brought a massive smile to their face. The standard of entries this year so far is exceptional, and I am looking forward to seeing how these photographers develop trends and styles even further.”

Mark Hewitson Photography can be contacted on 01844 278015 or via their website at www.markhewitson.co.uk 

AN exhibition on behalf of Thame Community Land Trust, showing plans for the development of up 31, affordable homes for Thame people, has been deemed a success by the Trust.

Thame Town Councillor, Bob Austen, who instigated the CLT and is its Chair, said: “We felt that the exhibition went very well. 122 people attended the event and we now have a mailing list of 150 who are interested in the site. As you know the site is only for 31 units with a proposed split between homes for sale and those for rent. If anything convinced us that we are on the right track it was the reaction of attendees (Thame residents) who explained the difficulties they were facing both in terms of cost and availability of Thame housing. Obviously, I can’t go into individual situations but they persuaded us that Thame Community Land Trust should push on with its plans . 

“There is a clear and desperate need to help the ‘missing middle’- those who cannot access social housing but cannot afford market prices. A particular interest was shown in the houses for proposed sale. However, for the avoidance of doubt regarding the latter, everybody we spoke to understood that all the properties would remain affordable and that resale of purchased properties would be controlled, via a resale price covenant, to ensure that this was the case.

“There is no denying that there was concern expressed by some residents from the surrounding area about traffic and access over the Phoenix Trail. We will do our best to alleviate such concern, to the extent that the Trust is able, by continuing consultation with Sustrans and OCC Highways.  

“A prime motivation of the Trust is to help keep Thame families together by providing affordable accommodation and so mitigate the drift of, particularly, young families out of the town. The demand, as shown by our housing needs survey, is greater than can be supplied by one site. We need the authorities to make the availability of land for Community Land Trusts easier. We know that no one site will be perfect but the cause is.”

To find our more about Thame Community Land Trust, visit the website: HERE 

FOLLOWING a thorough assessment by its Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Team, Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, that runs the various health services at Thame Community Hospital, now known as Thame Community Hub, will be reopening more services on September, 21. 2020.

In a statement, the Trust said: “Temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, services have been risk-assessed and a number of changes made to ensure the safety of staff and patients, such as adapting our buildings in line with national guidelines, adopting social distancing measures and increased hand sanitising for all, changing the patient flow through buildings where necessary, asking patients to wear facemasks and checking patients’ temperatures before allowing them in. 

“This means more outpatient clinics, paediatric services and the Community Assessment and Treatment service (CATS) can now be resumed.”

A community hub is a place where different health and social care services can work together, in a way which is best for the local population. They are designed to provide rapid, local care to the people living in the area.

A 16-year-old boy from Kidlington has been arrested for suspicion of robbery, in connection with an incident in Thame, close to St Mary’s Church. He has since been released on bail until September 19, 2020.

Thames Valley Police issued an appeal for witnesses following an incident in Thame, at around 9.40pm on Monday (31/8), when five teenage boys were walking along the footpath from the river towards St Mary’s Church on Church Road, when they were approached by another group of between 10 to 15 teenage boys who robbed them.

The offenders surrounded the boys and demanded they hand over property. One of the victims was pushed to the ground but did not receive any injuries.

A number of items were stolen from the victims, including wallets, clothing and jewellery. 

All the offenders were boys aged between 16 and 18, and all were wearing dark clothing with hoods up with the exception of one boy who was wearing a long red parka coat.

Police staff investigator Rebekah Kent, based at Abingdon police station said: “I am appealing for anyone who may have witnessed this incident, saw the group of boys in the area at the time, or has any information that might help our investigation to please get in touch.

“You can make a report online or by calling 101 and quoting reference 43200272463.

“Alternatively, if you wish to remain 100% anonymous you can call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

THE first official comments from the Planning Inspector who over-saw the recent Public Inspection of South Oxfordshire’s Draft Local Plan 2034, have been received in a letter to SODC, and he has much to say that affects Thame.

The Market towns
The Inspector, Mr Jonathan Bore, acknowledges that the market towns have seen very considerable growth and have a large volume of commitments, and that they don’t represent ‘a reasonable alternative to the strategic allocations (the large brown and greenfield sites allocated for development in the plan), partly because they are located some distance away from major centres of housing and employment, and partly because of the need to protect their character and their historic centres and ensure that their community facilities do not come under excessive pressure. 

BUT, he then goes on to say: “Nonetheless, they are some of the best connected and most sustainable settlements in the district and have a role in delivering housing to meet the overall requirement and local needs.”

He continues to say that there is no convincing evidence of a need to keep additional housing numbers in Neighbourhood Plans below 15% of the numbers allocated in 2011, to avoid harm to any of the towns, the surrounding landscape, the AONB or other designations. In fact, he states, such a limit could be seen as putting a cap on development.

More new homes for Thame
He concludes this section: “To ensure that the plan takes a positive approach towards sustainable development opportunities in the market towns, the housing requirements for the market towns, and the outstanding requirement for neighbourhood development plans (339 more homes for Thame), should be expressed as minima. The policy should also indicate that NDPs should seek to meet demonstrable local needs, for example for specialist or affordable housing, even where this would result in housing provision in excess of the minimum outstanding requirement.”

Employment Land
Thame has a particular shortage of land designated for employment purposes, following several such sites in recent years being built on or adapted from offices to homes under ‘Permitted Development Rights’. In a presentation at the Inspection hearing,  Thame Town Council’s Neighbourhood Plan Continuity Officer, Graeme Markland, told the inspector that the 3.5 hectares of employment land in the Local Plan 2034 is ‘inadequate’ to replace what has been lost (See Link),.

The Inspector’s comments do not go as far as Thame would appear to have hoped, but leave some room for flexibility:  “ The submitted plan is not positive enough in its approach to the provision of employment land, particularly given the evidence of demand. Main modifications (to the draft Local Plan) are required to make it clear that the employment land requirements are minima, with the requirement for Thame increased to a minimum of 3.5ha.”

Climate Change Mitigation
Insufficient consideration to Climate Change in the Plan was one of the main reasons why the current administration of South Oxfordshire District Council wished to amend, or even scrap much of the draft plan that was drawn up by its predecessor administration. Although there had been robust presentations to the inspector, from several SODC councillors, the CPRE and others, Mr Bore states: “Other than described below (Carbon and energy impacts and sustainable design), the plan adequately addresses this issue.

“The spatial strategy seeks to locate new development in sustainable locations which provide travel choices and help to reduce journey lengths. Its strategic allocations are of a size to sustain social and community facilities and support public transport. 

“Carbon and energy impacts are not clearly addressed in the submitted plan and the Council have put forward a new policy on the subject (new DES11 in document CSD13), partly modelled on that in the Oxford City Local Plan. There are also proposed amendments to DES9 regarding sustainable design which can go forward as main modifications for consultation.“

Good news for building standards for new developments
Policy DES9 in the Local Plan, states: ‘All new development should be designed to improve resilience to the anticipated effects of climate change. Proposals must demonstrate that they are seeking a reduction in greenhouse emissions through location, building orientation, design, landscape and planting’.

Policy DES 11 states: ‘Carbon Reduction 1. Development proposals for; i) new build residential dwelling houses; or ii) developments including 1,000m2 or more of C2 use (including student iii) Houses in Multiple Occupation (C4 use or Sui Generis) floorspace are required to achieve at least a 40% reduction in the carbon emissions from a code 2013 Building Regulations (or future equivalent legislation) compliant base case. This reduction is to be secured through on-site renewable energy and other low carbon technologies (this would broadly be equivalent to 25% of all energy used) and/ or energy efficiency measures. The requirement will increase from 31 March 2026 to at least a 50% reduction in carbon emissions and again from 31 March 2030 to a 100% reduction in carbon emissions (Zero Carbon). 2. Non-residential development proposals are required to meet the BREEAM excellent standard (or a recognised equivalent assessment methodology) in addition to the following reductions in carbon emissions’

Biodiversity
Some modifications in respect of biodiversity net gain have been made by the inspector. He states: “Site allocation masterplans need to actively seek biodiversity gain and avoid habitat fragmentation and this needs to be included as a main modification.”

What happens next?

SODC will finalise the main modifications for consultation and sustainability appraisal, agreeing final wording with the inspector. Then there will be an opportunity for the public and stakeholders to comment on the main modifications during the consultation period. Mr Bore will then consider the responses to that consultation and any associated sustainability appraisal before finalising his report.

You can read the inspector’s letter and the full Draft Schedule of Proposed Modifications document CSD13, from his link to SODC’s webpage 

A public exhibition hosted by Thame Community Land Trust (Thame CLT) is to be held at Thame town hall, to give local people the opportunity to see the Trust’s plans for 31 new homes for purchase and rent, by local people.

The exhibition will be held on Friday, September 4, (2pm to 7pm) and Saturday,  September 5, (10am to 2pm). The public is  invited to inspect and comment on the plans for the development, which is proposed on land to the west of Windmill Road, Thame (opposite Stone Close allotments). The architects, Transition by Design, of Oxford, will be available to answer questions, as will members of Thame CLT steering group.

Thame CLT is a Community Benefit Society with the goal of building genuinely affordable homes which meet the needs of local people, especially those who cannot afford open market prices or access social housing. It has the aim of keeping Thame families together. The homes will stay affordable for Thame families, in perpetuity, by being developed by the Community Land Trust. The Trust is supported by Homes England and Thame Town Council.
Website: https://www.thameclt.org.uk/