Category: More News

THAME Valleypolice have today published an update from PCSO Michelle Jacques on behalf of the neighbourhood policing team, about underage drinking operations in Thame, Watlington, Chinnor, Chalgrove and Wheatley areas.

“Underage drinking has been identified as a priority community concern following public consultation and is a focus point for the neighbourhood action group. The Thame sector neighbourhood team has taken a proactive approach to tackle the problem. Officers have been working in the community to educate local youths of the dangers in a bid to reduce alcohol-related incidents.

In February, the Thame neighbourhood policing team conducted an underage drinking operation during the school holidays. Several bottles of spirits were seized from under age youths during targeted patrols. Licensing breaches were identified at two off-licences on the sector, resulting in temporary closures.

I would like to remind parents that alcohol should be monitored and stored safely at home.

The team have also been conducting a number of licensed premise operations during March, working in conjunction with South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC) licensing department. Operations are aimed at targeting the supply of alcohol to persons under the age of 18 and reducing alcohol related incidents.

Three licensed premised were found to be supplying alcohol to persons under the legal age. Fixed penalty notices were issued to staff committing offences and premises reported to SODC licensing department for consideration on review of licence. Management at the offending locations have been provided with strong direction as to staff training.

Test purchases will continue throughout the sector as part of a positive strategy by Thames Valley Police and partners. Advice and guidance for all licensing issues is available from South Oxford District Council www.southoxon.gov.uk.”

For information about your local neighbourhood policing team, please visit www.thamesvalley.police.uk or call 0845 8 505 505.

EVERYONE is welcome to come and hear Colin White from the Chilterns Conservation Board speak about what we can do to reduce our carbon footprint.
Hosted by Chinnor and Thame Friends of the Earth, this meeting will be held at Chinnor Village Centre on Thursday, March 20, from 7.30 to 10pm.

The talk will be followed by refreshments. Entrance is free.

EVERY day, ordinary people come to Citizens Advice for help with their problems. We provide information, advice and support that helps them understand their options and find solutions. Their stories provide a valuable insight into some of the real issues faced by the public in Britain today. Citizens Advice collects statistical information from clients and uses it to campaign for change. Thame & District CAB is looking for someone to help us with this work.

Recent campaigns have included:
? Using clients? complaints about unscrupulous bailiffs to force the government to introduce plans for bailiff regulation;
? Highlighting the need for financial help with school uniform costs and for uniform policies to be more affordable for families on low incomes;
? Putting pressure on electricity suppliers because low income households are being charged more for using pre-paid meters.
?
If you would like to campaign on real local and national issues, then contact Tom Fox on 01844 217186. You will join a group of over 30 volunteers who are helping individuals and entire communities. You can work from home or you can come to the bureau in the centre of Thame. We will train you and provide all the day to day support that you need to make a difference.

FOLLOWING a public consultation, Thame Town Council has selected the winning design for a new playground at the Southern Road Recreation ground.
After much debate at a meeting last Tuesday, during which Cllr Adam Butler commented that a Zip wire asked for by many teenagers, was not included, the majority of councillors agreed that the scheme by the company ‘Proludic’ came closest to meeting the specification and offered the best value for money.
Adam Barns, who is project managing the scheme, said: “The next stage is to apply for funding and so far we have identified four different grant giving bodies that we can apply to for support. This project will cost around

PLANS for a new Guide Headquarters building in Southern Road, Thame, are progressing and attracting local funds, including some from this year’s Thame 10K on June 29.
Thame Guides’ next big event is an ‘Adopt a Brick’ scheme which will give everyone an opportunity to be involved in the construction of the building for just

THE following planning applications were considered by Thame Town Council?s Planning Committee on Tuesday, February ,19

8424
P07/E1669 CHURCH FARM (see full story)

Creation of a community football club comprising of a clubhouse, marquee to be erected between April and September each year, floodlit main pitch and all weather training pitch, seven additional pitches, car parking, new vehicular and pedestrian access with
associated earthworks.
RECOMMEND APPROVAL
Comment: This was a unanimous decision.

8372
P07/E1271 17 ORMOND ROAD
Front infill extension
Amendment No. 1
RECOMMEND APPROVAL

8425
P08/E0104 9 CHESHIRE ROAD
Single storey side extension and two storey front extension.
RECOMMEND APPROVAL

8426
P08/E0124 15 WENTWORTH ROAD
Single storey front extension.
RECOMMEND APPROVAL

8427
P08/E0096 27 BEECH ROAD
Single storey rear extension, first floor side extension and detached double garage.
RECOMMEND APPROVAL

8428
P08/E0118 2 HAMILTON ROAD
Conversion of existing garage to living accommodation.
RECOMMEND APPROVAL
Comment: As usual, the Committee regretted the conversion of a garage to living space.

8429
P08/E0071 9 CEDAR CRESCENT
Extensions and alterations to form garage and enlarge living/dining room.
RECOMMEND REFUSAL
1. Over-development of the site
2. Unneighbourly, with possible loss of light
3. Too close to adjoining property

8430
P08/E0121 33 CHINNOR ROAD
Single storey rear extension.
RECOMMEND APPROVAL

8431
P08/E0169 CLEVEDON HOUSE, 67 QUEENS ROAD
Construct single storey side extension.
RECOMMEND APPROVAL

THE cost of parking in Thame Cattlemarket is to rise from April.
2 hours will cost 80p
5 hours will cost 1.80p
8 hours will cost 2.30p

Speaking at a meeting of the Thame Town Council’s planning committee on Tuesday (19/02), Cllr Nichola Dixon said that she feared the rise, though a small one, could be a disinsentive for some people to use the car park for a longer stay, causing them to park in residential areas like Wellington Street.

A NEW gallery exhibition spanning 60 years of the county?s rural history opens at the Oxfordshire Museum in Woodstock on February 19.
Oxfordshire is the most rural county in the South East of England and the new gallery at the museum will provide a thought-provoking look at the rapid changes that have occurred in farming, transport and rural development in the county since 1945.

The exhibition and museum are housed in beautiful gardens and are completely free of charge to visitors.

Starting with a nostalgic view of country life recorded in 1946 in the film ?24 square miles?, which featured village activities near Banbury, the exhibition quickly turns to more recent events.

Villages are no longer self-contained communities with life revolving around agriculture. New roads, housing developments and industries share the countryside with farming, wildlife and local residents, who use cars more than any previous generation.

The interactive exhibition will intrigue visitors of all ages. Visitors will be able to use Google Earth to see a satellite view of the county and then zoom in to find out more.

There is also the chance to find out about food rationing, new crops found in Oxfordshire, how the railways and roads have changed or to pass on current countryside concerns. From statistics about who uses the M40 to why we almost starved during World War Two and how this affected post war agriculture, people will find something to surprise them.

Councillor Jim Couchman, Oxfordshire County Council?s Cabinet Member for social and community services, said: ?This is a fascinating glimpse at the rural ways of life in Oxfordshire.?

?I hope everyone will take advantage of this free exhibition, which will be a must-see for anyone with a couple of hours to spend in Woodstock.?

Photo: Land Army gir.

IN an address to the Green Party Spring Conference in Reading Town Hall last weekend, Caroline Lucas, Green MEP for the South East, revealed just how important eating local, organic produce can be in tackling climate change. Mark Stevenson, Green prospective parliamentary candidate, is putting Green policy into action locally.

A recent study [1] shows that 18% of global green house gas emissions are caused by agriculture, livestock farming contributing about 80% of this, whilst research conducted by the Soil Association [2] found that UK organic farming was an average 26% more fuel efficient than non-organic. The surprisingly high contribution of farming to climate change means that eating organic food is now shown to be an important contribution to tackling climate change. Reducing meat consumption will make this even more effective, as well as being healthy.

Mark Stevenson, Green prospective parliamentary candidate for the Henley constituency and local organic farmer, said “This really helps to show the truth of my belief that tackling climate change can be a positive thing. Eating better quality food, grown in a way that encourages soil life and biodiversity, is now known to reduce our carbon footprint as well. Indeed, eating well could be more effective than doing those boring things we are always being exhorted to do like rinsing yoghurt pots for recycling and turning off the standby.”

He added “we all know about the food miles issue, but having access to locally produced organic food is a problem. Supermarkets have made it increasingly difficult for ordinary local food shops to exist, to survive they usually end up targeting the luxury end of the market. Farmers? Markets are often monthly, several miles away and at times when many people cannot go. I have tackled this problem over the last five years by getting involved with local residents to set up independent weekly local markets. They operate at times chosen by the local community and vary according to the needs and requests of the residents but all aim to provide local, organic food on a regular basis at affordable prices.”

“Anyone can set up a market like this,” Mark continued, “All you need is a group of people who want to make it happen, I would be delighted to tell people how we have done it. This is a fantastic example of Green politics in action: one simple thing, a local market, which tackles a range of issues. It empowers the local community, cuts carbon emissions, develops the local economy, encourages organic farming, improves our diet and is fun.”

The latest market to open is Wallingford Local Producers? Market [3], which opened last September with the encouragement of the Town Council, the help of Wallingford Masons who provide the venue and a grant from the Mindcounties Cooperative. Every Saturday morning the market offers seasonal local vegetables and fruit, bread, cheese, eggs, meat, jam, honey, and other produce. It has a cafe and is intending to develop its community role as a source of information and developing contacts.

FACT FILE
1] The FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations) report ?Livestock?s Long Shadow?, 2007 can be found on www.fao.org. Statistic quoted from p.112.

[2] Soil Association report ?Energy and Organic Farming?, 2007, based on Defra data in ?Basic Horticultural statistics 2005? and ?Agriculture in the United Kingdom 2006?.

[3] Wallingford Local Producers? Market, every Saturday 10am-1pm, Wallingford Masonic Centre, Goldsmiths Lane, Wallingford. Contact Mark Stevenson 01865 341838

[4] Mark Stevenson has been involved in setting up Wolvercote Farmers Market (2003), East Oxford Farmers and Community Market (2006) and Wallingford Local Producers’ Market (2007). He and his partner run The Clays Organic Market Garden, situated in an ancient orchard near Warborough in South Oxfordshire. They are a part of Defra’s OELS scheme and have a number of rare and unusual species of wildlife on the farm.

IN an address to the Green Party Spring Conference in Reading Town Hall last weekend, Caroline Lucas, Green MEP for the South East, revealed just how important eating local, organic produce can be in tackling climate change. Mark Stevenson, Green prospective parliamentary candidate, is putting Green policy into action locally.

A recent study [1] shows that 18% of global green house gas emissions are caused by agriculture, livestock farming contributing about 80% of this, whilst research conducted by the Soil Association [2] found that UK organic farming was an average 26% more fuel efficient than non-organic. The surprisingly high contribution of farming to climate change means that eating organic food is now shown to be an important contribution to tackling climate change. Reducing meat consumption will make this even more effective, as well as being healthy.

Mark Stevenson, Green prospective parliamentary candidate for the Henley constituency and local organic farmer, said “This really helps to show the truth of my belief that tackling climate change can be a positive thing. Eating better quality food, grown in a way that encourages soil life and biodiversity, is now known to reduce our carbon footprint as well. Indeed, eating well could be more effective than doing those boring things we are always being exhorted to do like rinsing yoghurt pots for recycling and turning off the standby.”

He added “we all know about the food miles issue, but having access to locally produced organic food is a problem. Supermarkets have made it increasingly difficult for ordinary local food shops to exist, to survive they usually end up targeting the luxury end of the market. Farmers? Markets are often monthly, several miles away and at times when many people cannot go. I have tackled this problem over the last five years by getting involved with local residents to set up independent weekly local markets. They operate at times chosen by the local community and vary according to the needs and requests of the residents but all aim to provide local, organic food on a regular basis at affordable prices.”

“Anyone can set up a market like this,” Mark continued, “All you need is a group of people who want to make it happen, I would be delighted to tell people how we have done it. This is a fantastic example of Green politics in action: one simple thing, a local market, which tackles a range of issues. It empowers the local community, cuts carbon emissions, develops the local economy, encourages organic farming, improves our diet and is fun.”

The latest market to open is Wallingford Local Producers? Market [3], which opened last September with the encouragement of the Town Council, the help of Wallingford Masons who provide the venue and a grant from the Mindcounties Cooperative. Every Saturday morning the market offers seasonal local vegetables and fruit, bread, cheese, eggs, meat, jam, honey, and other produce. It has a cafe and is intending to develop its community role as a source of information and developing contacts.

FACT FILE
1] The FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations) report ?Livestock?s Long Shadow?, 2007 can be found on www.fao.org. Statistic quoted from p.112.

[2] Soil Association report ?Energy and Organic Farming?, 2007, based on Defra data in ?Basic Horticultural statistics 2005? and ?Agriculture in the United Kingdom 2006?.

[3] Wallingford Local Producers? Market, every Saturday 10am-1pm, Wallingford Masonic Centre, Goldsmiths Lane, Wallingford. Contact Mark Stevenson 01865 341838

[4] Mark Stevenson has been involved in setting up Wolvercote Farmers Market (2003), East Oxford Farmers and Community Market (2006) and Wallingford Local Producers’ Market (2007). He and his partner run The Clays Organic Market Garden, situated in an ancient orchard near Warborough in South Oxfordshire. They are a part of Defra’s OELS scheme and have a number of rare and unusual species of wildlife on the farm.