Category: More News

THAME Runners was founded back in 1983, which makes 2008 the club?s 25th anniversary. A dinner and dance to commemorate this milestone is being held at The Oxfordshire on Saturday, May 17.
The club is encouraging anyone who has been a member of the club to join the festivities. For more information, please visit the club website www.thamerunners.co.uk and the heading for 25th anniversary dinner.

THAME Choral Society wants more people to experience the fun and enjoyment and the sense of well-being that singing brings to those who take part in this growing pastime.
Scientific studies has shown that singing really is good for you and the popularity of TV programmes like ‘The Choir’ are encouraging more and more people to get involved.

As part of its efforts to ‘spread the word’ and to continue to develop and improve, Thame Choral Society are holding a singing workshop on March 8, which will be lead by the Artistic Director of the internationally famous, Philharmonic Chorus, Robert Dean.
He will be concentrating on the magnificent and much loved Gloria and Credo from the musical icon, the Mass in B minor, by J S Bach.

The Thame Choral Society meets every Wednesday in term time (next rehearsal Feb 20th), in the barn at the Three Horse Shoes pub in Towersey (and afterwards in the bar!). Anyone who would like to give choral singing a go, or who may have sung in the school choir or any sort of singing before, is welcome to go along and give it a go! There are no auditions.
The group is currently rehearsing Rossini’s Stabat Mater and Coronation Anthems (including Zadok the Priest) in readiness for its next concert on May 10, in Thame.

Contact Committee Chair: Judith Newenham
email: Newenhams@btinternet.com
telephone: 01494 488687

Or visit Thame Choral Society’s website:
http://www.thamechoralsociety.co.uk for more info.

OXFORDSHIRE’S Fire and Rescue Service is urging chip-lovers to rethink how they cook their favourite snack during National Chip Week (11 – 17 February).
According to national statistics, more accidental house fires start in the kitchen than any other room. In 2005 alone, 30,512 kitchen blazes were reported nationwide.

Safer cooking alternatives

Risk Reduction Manager for Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue service, Mick Bingham, said it was vital to reduce fire hazards and cook as safely as possible.
He said: “Rather than using chip pans, which can be dangerous, we are calling on people to consider healthier, safer alternatives like oven chips.
“Chip pans can cause fatal fires – for a far safer, superior and tastier chip we say banish the chip pan and don?t take the risk!”

Top tips for safer chips

LOCAL Businesses Must ‘go for Gold’according to Sue Cooper, Thame’s Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary candidate.
Sue is encouraging all local businesses to boost their business by logging onto the London 2012 website.
Sue said:”Although over 500 contracts have already been signed by the Olympic Delivery Authority, the majority of contracts have yet to be awarded. South Oxfordshire’s businesses must make sure they get their fair share of these contracts”.

Businesses are now able to register on the 2012 website so that they can be made aware of opportunities for contracts.
Sue has also put a question on South Oxfordshire District Council’s agenda for the next meeting on February 21, asking what is being done by the Tory controlled Council in this area to take advantage of the opportunities being generated by the 2012 Olympics.

For more information on the opportunities available as well as a link to register your business, visit the London 2012 website at the following link: LINK

Information regarding business opportunities is available at http://www.london2012.com/business

See also
Regional launch of London 2012 Business Network – South East
Madejski Stadium, Reading
9:00am – 12:00pm, 20 February 2008

THAME Town Council is to fund the re-printing of an improved leaflet about the Cuttlebrook nature reserve, with the proviso that it is done in an environmentally friendly way as possible.
The cost of the leaflet’s production will be around

WOULD you be interested in helping out someone caring for a relative in their own home?
South & Vale Carers Centre, based at Didcot are starting a new project and are looking for volunteers. You would be introduced to a household where the carer and the cared-for person are living, and asked to stay in the home while the carer took some time off: perhaps an hour a month, perhaps an afternoon a week.

This would all start off with an interview for you, and references sought, and then a short training course to equip you for any situation and send you, free from anxiety, into your future as a volunteer!

We will take care in matching volunteers and cared-for people, and you would have constant support by phone when you need it as well as ongoing face-to-face meetings with colleagues and with Chris Elliott, the co-ordinator of the scheme.

Chris is waiting to hear from anyone interested and has much more information to give. Please email her at the Carers Centre on chris@svcarers.org.uk, or phone her there on 01235 510212. She will be delighted you?ve called!

A PLANNING application for the erection of 160 dwellings with associated landscaping at the former Chinnor Cement Works has been turned down – in particular because it fails to offer employment opportunities for the local area.
To read the full and lengthy list of reasons for refusal by South Oxfordshire District Council, follow the LINK

Photo: Quarry pool at the old Chinnor cement works, Courtesy of www.chilternphoto.org.uk

A LORD WILLIAMS’S Science ‘A’ level student was among the winners from schools throughout Oxfordshire to receive prizes at the Sixth Form Biologist of 2007-08 ceremony, held at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History last Thursday, February 07.
Claire Lasko, was one of 26 winners of the competition in which State and independent schools were represented. The event was hosted by the University of Oxford and the Oxfordshire Independent and State School Partnership (OISPP.
Professor Iain Campbell, Professor of Biochemistry at Oxford University, presented certificates and book tokens to the winners. Pupils, parents and teachers were then given a lecture and tour of the museum by the Assistant Curator of Entomological Collections, Dr George McGavin.
As well as being a scientist, Claire is a competitive sailor and the winner of several Gold medals participating in the Royal Yachting Association’s Youth Team Racing Championships. In 2006, she was presented with the Young Sports Achiever Of The Year award at that year’s Oxfordshire Sports Awards ceremony in Witney.

OXFORDSHIRE County Council has dropped from being a four star council to a three because its schools are not improving fast enough.
Latest figures show that 57% of the county’s pupils achieved five GCSEs at grade C or better, compared with 69.2% in Buckinghamshire and 64% in Gloucestershire, placing Oxfordshire at the bottom of league tables comparing exam and test results with similar affluent counties. Oxfordshire was one of two councils to drop a star out of 19 assessed in the South East by the Audit Commission. The other was Slough Borough Council.

Oxfordshire County Council has pledged to work tirelessly to improve its schools? attainment and pointed out that the Audit Commission commended many other key services for performing strongly. The new ranking rates it as a ?good? council rather than an ‘excellent’ one.

Council Leader, Keith Mitchell, said: “My two feelings are disappointment that we have not done better on the attainment issue and determination to improve our performance for our children and get our star back double quick.
“Educational attainment is vital for our children and we were conscious before this inspection that many Oxfordshire schools are not yet doing well enough.
“This is an affluent county with a skilled and well educated adult population by comparison with many other parts of England. Yet for complex reasons the current level of attainment in our schools does not match this.
?We appointed Janet Tomlinson as our new Director for Children, Young People and Families last year with precisely this challenge in mind and people can be assured she is already well on the case.
?I?m glad to say that the many strong performances of other service areas highlighted in the assessment speak for themselves. We have improved services in most of our priority areas and relative to other councils. Many are judged by the inspectors to be delivering a top rank performance, with quality now exceeding previously high standards. The council’s financial management and use of resources have been singled out for particular praise.
“This is very good news in terms of our delivering on our objectives of low taxes, real choice and value for money and shows the underlying strength of this organization.”

PLANNING Applications Considered by Thame Town Council?s Planning Committee on Tuesday, February 5.

8412
P07/E1673/0 LAND ADJOINING RYCOTE LANE
Relocation of Thame cattle market and development of a single
storey cattle market, car parking, new access and ancillary services.
NO STRONG VIEWS
(SEE FULL REPORT – LINK

8382
P07/E1248 9 NELSON STREET
Single storey rear extension to form sun room, w.c and kitchen
(as amended by drawing nos. SK07-316-01 and 02 accompanying
letter from Agent dated 16 January 2008)
Amendment No 1
RECOMMEND APPROVAL

8410
P08/E0051/AG COTMORE WELLS FARM
Erection of an agricultural storage building.
RECOMMEND APPROVAL

8411
P08/0011/LD 97 CHINNOR ROAD
Certificate of lawful development for a proposed rear dormer
extension and a rear porch extension.
RECOMMEND APPROVAL

8413
P08/E0007 108 AYLESBURY ROAD
Rear conservatory.
RECOMMEND APPROVAL

8414
P08/E0006 WHITELEAF HOUSE, LUPTON ROAD
Proposed factory portal frame extension.
RECOMMEND APPROVAL

8415
P08/E0048 15 RUSHALL ROAD
Single storey rear extension.
RECOMMEND APPROVAL

8416
P08/E0043 1 SYCAMORE DRIVE
New pitched roof (to replace existing flat felt roof) over existing
single storey side extension.
RECOMMEND APPROVAL

8417
P07/E1545 INTEROUTE TRANSPORT SERVICES LTD
Change of use of part of building from light industry (B1c) to
warehousing (B8).
RECOMMEND APPROVAL

8418
P08/E0083 9 PARK TERRACE
Partial demolition of existing single storey structure and replacement
with single storey and two storey extensions.
RECOMMEND APPROVAL

8419
P08/E0077 WARDEN?S HOUSE FORMER RYCOTEWOOD COLLEGE
Alterations to existing Warden?s House to include the addition of
clay hanging tiles to elevations. Amendment to one ground floor
and one top floor window.
RECOMMEND APPROVAL

8420
P07/E1600 THAME PARK HOUSE, THAME PARK ROAD
Proposed garage at rear of new east wing. (Scheme 1)
RECOMMENDATION DEFERRED
Comment: It had been a long time since the Committee had
carried out a site visit to Thame Park House and since it was
difficult to visualise all the subsequent changes, they would
request a visit before making a decision.

8421
P07/E1602/LB THAME PARK HOUSE, THAME PARK ROAD
Proposed garage at rear of new east wing. (Scheme 1)
RECOMMENDATION DEFERRED
Comment: It had been a long time since the Committee had
carried out a site visit to Thame Park House and since it was
difficult to visualise all the subsequent changes, they would
request a visit before making a decision.

8422
P07/E1605/LB THAME PARK HOUSE, THAME PARK ROAD
Proposed garage incorporating link at rear of new east wing. (Scheme 2)
RECOMMENDATION DEFERRED
Comment: It had been a long time since the Committee had
carried out a site visit to Thame Park House and since it was
difficult to visualise all the subsequent changes, they would
request a visit before making a decision.

8423
P07/E1604 THAME PARK HOUSE, THAME PARK ROAD
Proposed garage incorporating link at rear of new east wing. (Scheme 2)
RECOMMENDATION DEFERRED
Comment: It had been a long time since the Committee had
carried out a site visit to Thame Park House and since it was
difficult to visualise all the subsequent changes, they would
request a visit before making a decision.