Category: More News

JULY 15, 2010 – Composting for All – talk by Transition Thame & District, Rose & Thistle pub, Haddenham,

More information from:
transitionthame@googlemail.com

IMAGE: Courtesey of www2.grist.org

VIEWING – THURSDAY EVENING 5pm-10pm 15 JULY 2010 – light refreshments available.

VENUE – THAME ADULT LEARNING

LORD WILLIAMS’S LOWER SCHOOL
TOWERSEY ROAD
THAME
OX9 3NW

01844 213400

FROM today, the responsibility for the running of Thame’s Jubilee swimming pool at Thame Leisure Centre transfers from Thame Town Council to South Oxfordshire District Council.

In a statement, the town council said: “By transferring the pool to the larger District Council, Thame Town Council is divesting itself of any future financial risk and any responsibility for its future management, freeing up resources to concentrate on other matters.

“In future, any matters or concerns relating to the pool should be addressed to South Oxfordshire District Council, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxon OX10 8ED.”

The pool was built at a cost of

ANGLO-German Relations remain undamaged in Thame, following a meeting between visiting students to Thame and the town’s mayor.

Girls from the Friedrich-Ebert Gymnasium in Bonn, Germany, posed happily with Thame Mayor, Adam Buckland during a visit to Thame Town Hall yesterday.

Deputy Mayor, Don Butler, made light-hearted references to football, but was met with a polite silence from the students, part of a party of 30 on an exchange visit with Lord Williams?s School pupils.

The two schools have been twinned for 25 years.

THAME’S MP, John Howell, has climbed what is generally regarded as the first step of the ministerial ladder and has been appointed as the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Leader of the House of Commons, Sir George Young Bt MP and to the Deputy Leader, David Heath MP.

A Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) is appointed as the ‘eyes and ears’ of a minister in the House of Commons. It provides useful experience of how government works.

A proud and delighted John said: “I am honoured at this appointment. There is a lot to do in reforming the House of Commons and in ensuring that House business functions efficiently. We have a radical programme of legislation and the House of Commons needs to be able to deliver. This is an exciting appointment and I am delighted at the opportunities it presents.”

28/06/10

IF you are thinking about primary schools for future years, St. Joseph?s Catholic Primary School Thame is delighted to offer parents the chance to see the school in action at our Open Afternoon on Wednesday 30th, 1.30 ? 2.45pm.

Headteacher Claire Kerr, commented, ?We?re opening up our school to give families a chance to get a taste of life at St. Joseph?s and of our wonderful family atmosphere. Our doors are open to both Catholic and non-Catholic families and everyone will be warmly welcomed.?

There will be displays by the After School Club and by Friends of St. Joseph?s, who provide marvellous fundraising social events for parents and children. Parents will also be able to meet some Governors of the school.

Although this event is aimed primarily at parents of pre-school children, anyone is welcome to attend. Refreshments will be available.

For further information, please ring 01844 214278.

Location: Brook Lane, Thame, OX9 2AB,

www.st-josephs.oxon.sch.uk

CPRE, The Campaign to Protect Rural England, Oxfordshire, has welcomed the abolition of Regional Spatial Strategies and more say for local communities, but urges action to avoid a policy vacuum.

In a recent statement, CPRE Oxfordshire said: “The Government proposal to abolish Regional Spatial Strategies had been expected [1] and the CPRE Oxfordshire Branch welcomes the move to reform planning and give back greater control to local communities to shape their own lives.[2] But we all need a clear and effective planning system to replace the unloved ?top down? targets for housing and deliver genuinely sustainable solutions which local people can support, with adequate protection for the countryside, the Green Belt, important landscapes and sensitive habitats.”

Dr Helena Whall, Campaign Manager, said: ?With all five Districts in the midst of their Core Strategies, the last thing Oxfordshire needs is a long period of uncertainty and a virtual policy vacuum as this will only encourage speculative planning applications.

“We should not throw out the ?baby with the bathwater? when it comes to regional planning, as much of the South East?s infrastructure – transport, waste, minerals and water etc – has to be organised on a large scale and crosses county boundaries. By all means reduce the bureaucracies but the Government needs to retain some strategic expertise in these matters.?

She continued: ?We would urge the Government to expedite new planning arrangements after full consultations with local authorities and communities, and to provide effective national guidance which does not ride roughshod over local concerns.

“With SE Plan targets removed, we would urge the five Districts to reconsider their housing plans to 2026 and formulate Core Strategies which are more sustainable and more in tune with local views.

?Finally, this should not be a green light for the City to renew their ambitions to expand into the Green Belt. This is not a sustainable answer. CPRE recognises that Districts cannot solve future development pressures alone and that Oxford is the heart of this County. The Central Oxfordshire planning strategy is designed to maintain the city as a vibrant centre, while creating more jobs investment and infrastructure in towns such as Bicester and Didcot to relieve the pressures. We call on the five Districts and County Council to now work together responsibly to give new life to the Central Oxfordshire concept, to address Oxford?s pressures and to protect the Green Belt.”

Dr Helena Whall concluded: ?If we get this right, it is a golden opportunity to deliver sensible, sustainable planning more in tune with local people and the environment – and to reduce the complexities and central diktats which have bedevilled the current system. But it is not an invitation for the City to carry on with their old growth plans ? in our view Oxford needs a much smarter sub-regional solution which fully respects the Green Belt and the qualities which make this ancient City so special.?

PHOTO: Dr Helana Whall – Courtesy of Witney Gazette

CHILDREN from an Oxfordshire primary school will lay a wreath on the monument to the Battle of Chalgrove Field, where Civil War leader, John Hampden was mortally wounded before dying in the Greyhound Inn, in Thame.

Following a short talk by Mr Samuel Hearn, Chairman of the John Hampden Society, 25 pupils of Year 6 of Chalgrove Primary School will march in procession, led by standard bearers, from the school to the Hampden Monument on June 18, the anniversary of the battle. There they will be met by the Society’s Patron, the Earl of Buckinghamshire, a direct descendant of John Hampden, and Lady Buckinghamshire.

Lord Buckinghamshire will give another brief talk on Hampden’s role in the battle and this will be followed by a short service of dedication, after which a wreath will be laid at the monument, probably by one of
the teachers.

Each of the children will then receive a copy of Dr Frank Hansford-Miller’s biography of Hampden containing a specially-produced insert bearing the child’s name and signed by both Lord and Lady
Buckinghamshire.

BACKGROUND

The Battle of Chalgrove was fought on June 18, 1643 and resulted in the mortal wounding of John Hampden, a Parliamentary leader and cousin to Oliver Cromwell. Every year members of the John Hampden Society
(www.johnhampden.org) lay a wreath at the monument in

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=464580&Y=197180&A=Y&Z=120

The 10th Earl of Buckinghamshire (Miles Hobart-Hampden) is descended from John Hampden through the latter’s daughter Mary. He is Patron and one of the founders of the John Hampden Society.

The biography of John Hampden was written in 1976 by the late Dr Frank Hansford-Miller, who was also one of the founders of the John Hampden Society
in 1992.

The wreath is produced, as it is every year for the Society, by Posies and Presents of Chalgrove. (

THE South East has been named the second worst affected area when it comes to overcrowding in England. An estimated 80,000 households are currently overcrowded in the region, with that figure set to rise to 90,000 by 2013.

The National Housing Federation, which represents England?s housing associations, is predicting a 20% rise across the country in the number of families living in overcrowded housing by 2013. The Federation is warning that millions of people are now at risk of being trapped in substandard housing for a generation.

The dramatic slump in house building is being blamed for fuelling the crisis, with the number of homes built in England and Wales in 2009/10 (123,000) the lowest number built in 87 years, as developers mothballed new developments during the downturn. Additional research has shown that insufficient numbers of homes have been built in the region since 2002, leading to a growing housing crisis, with the South East missing its target for new homes by 15% during 2008/9, the latest year for which the figures are available.

With over 203,000 South East households on housing waiting lists, the drought in mortgage finance has also exacerbated the problem of overcrowding. Many young families are being forced to stay at home with their parents while they save for a deposit, or simply abandon hope of being able to afford their own place in the current economic climate.

Warren Finney, South East Regional Manager for the National Housing Federation warned living in overcrowded conditions can have a major impact: ?Overcrowding is closely linked to poor health, low educational attainment and family breakdowns.

As well as having a negative impact on family life, it can contribute to increased levels of homelessness and put enormous pressure on public services ? as families are housed in expensive and often unsuitable temporary accommodation.

In the forthcoming spending review, The National Housing Federation is calling on the Government to ensure that we are able to deliver 50,000 social rented and affordable homes a year in England.

STATUS: Press release (unedited)

CONTROVERSIAL housing plans for South Oxfordshire, including Thame, are to be shelved, following a letter from the new Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

Late yesterday, Eric Pickles wrote to all council leaders highlighting the new Government?s commitment to rapidly abolish regional spatial strategies and to put decision making powers on housing and planning to local councils. This includes decisions on the amount of housing within individual local authority areas.

**APOLOGIES FOR WRONG LINK in original item:**

For information about The South East Plan and what ‘spacial strategies’ are go to: http://www.seeda.co.uk/about-us

MEETINGS CANCELLED

In a statement issued this morning, SODC stated:
“In the light of the letter, the leader of the council has decided to withdraw the core strategy from the agenda of the Cabinet meeting on the June 3. This will allow time to consider the full impact of Mr Pickles’
statement and will avoid any decisions being taken that
are later proved to be unsound or unnecessary.

“As a consequence, the Scrutiny Committee meeting scheduled for June 1, to consider the core strategy has also been cancelled.”

Cllr Ann Ducker, Leader of South Oxfordshire District Council, said: ?I am delighted that the new Government is fulfilling its promise to review the planning system so quickly. I have long argued that decisions about housing numbers are best made at a local level and at long last it looks as if we will get the opportunity to do this.”

UNCERTAIN FUTURE

She continued: ?I have carefully considered whether or not we should press ahead with next week?s meeting. Although the future is uncertain, I am now confident that the changes will happen sufficiently quickly to make any decisions under the existing rules redundant in no time. Given the strong feelings of residents over some of the proposals in the core strategy, I see no value in having a potentially highly charged meeting
to debate proposals that are unlikely to stand the test of time.

?I want to stress that the council remains committed to providing new housing in South Oxfordshire to support jobs growth, town centre regeneration and to deliver affordable housing for those who cannot
enter the housing market unaided. We have major developments in hand at Great Western Park and Ladygrove East, Didcot, Fairmile Hospital,
Cholsey and Chinnor Cement Works.

?I shall wait with interest the Secretary of State?s further announcement that he promises in the letter. At that time I hope we will have sufficient clarity that I can issue another statement setting out how the council plans to move forward with its planning framework for the next 20 years.?

IMAGE: A montage of affordable homes – Courtesy of Harrogate.gov