Category: More News

8396
P07/E1606/LB 5 CHURCH ROAD
Alterations to internal layout on ground and first floor, amendments to listed building consent P07/E0753/LB.
RECOMMEND APPROVAL

8397
P07/E1617 9 DENBIGH ROAD
Conversion of existing garage space. Rear single and two-storey extension in place of the existing single storey conservatory.
RECOMMEND APPROVAL

8398
P07/E1631/LD
(Lawful Development) 19 VANE ROAD
Formation of room in roof space with rear dormer extension.
RECOMMEND APPROVAL

8399
P07/E1615 2 CROMWELL AVENUE
Change of use of strip of land from recreational/amenity space to
residential use. Erection of single storey extension. Conversion of
existing internal garage to provide living space.
RECOMMEND APPROVAL

8400
P07/E1477 12 & 12a CORNMARKET
Alteration to existing flat. Formation of two dwellings.
Minor alterations to form WC for existing shop.
RECOMMEND APPROVAL

8401
P07/E1478/LB 12 & 12a CORNMARKET
Alterations to existing flat. Formation of two dwellings.
Alterations to form WC for existing shop.
RECOMMEND APPROVAL

8402
P07/E1634/A (Advertisement Consent) 12a BUTTERMARKET
2 x externally illuminated fascia signs and 2 x internally illuminated wall mounted menu boxes.
RECOMMEND REFUSAL
1. Materials inappropriate in a Conservation Area
2. Against policy, as specified by South Oxfordshire District
Council

8403
P07/E1585/LB
2 UPPER HIGH STREET
Replacement of both upper windows on south west elevation.
RECOMMEND APPROVAL

A ThameNews.Net reader had sent the following comments following our report about the current Consultation about the future development of housing in the district (Report: 04/01/08)

Dear Editor

Thanks for drawing attention to the issues and options plan. For your information I copy below an e-mail I have sent to the South Oxon council about it. Presumably our Town Council is on to the whole thing as there doesn’t seem to be much time. Presumably the building of my house blocked the view of someone else at some time so I could not object to a new estate on the field at the bottom of my road (Fanshawe). But I think it is reasonable to consider whether a breach of the by-pass boundary on the eastern side of the town would lead eventually to urban sprawl.
Copy of e-mail text follows:

“Looking at the Thame planning options from A to F it seems to me that people are understandably likely to choose a site which is not near to them. I would find it difficult fairly to indicate my preference for that very reason. It does occur to me though, that if new housing is built on the eastern side of the Thame by-pass, an established boundary would be breached and this could open the way to an urban sprawl which would swallow up Towersey and in the very long term create a new conurbation.”

Norman Brand

Let us know what YOU think. Email: editor@thame.net

THE government has today published the performance tables for secondary schools, relating to GCSE and A Level examination taken in 2007.
Lord Williams’s School, Thame, ranked 20th out of 49 schools in Oxfordshire, with 57% of pupils taking GCSEs gaining five or more grades ‘C’ or above, including English and Maths. This score was above both the national average and the Oxfordshire average.
The average A/AS Level points scored per student however, were below both the national and the local authority averages.
Click on the LINK
to BBC News, to compare Lord Williams’s School, Thame, with others in Oxfordshire and the National average.

OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL has issued the following statement, following the publication of school’s ‘league tables.’
“The latest achievement and attainment tables for GCSEs and A levels, published today, show that Oxfordshire schools have made some progress since 2006.
“The number of students achieving five or more grades at A*-C in Oxfordshire has increased to 57.4 per cent when compared to last year’s figure of 56.6 per cent.

“The proportion of students performing well based on the tougher measure of 5 A*-C grades, including English and maths, is 48.1 per cent, which is 1.4 percentage points above the figure for all schools nationally, including the independent sector (46.7 per cent).

“Bartholomew and John Mason schools both demonstrated significant improvement on their performance in relation to this measure, moving from 63 per cent to 73 per cent and 45 per cent to 57 per cent respectively.”

Contextually Value Added scores
“Contextually Value Added (CVA) scores provide a more meaningful measure of the difference schools make, being a measure of progress made by pupils between joining the school and GCSEs.

“On the basis of this measure two Oxfordshire schools, Cheney and the Cherwell, are in the top 25 per cent of all schools nationally.

“The county council’s Cabinet Member for School Improvement, Councillor Michael Waine, said: “A few of our schools have demonstrated great progress in terms of Contextual Value Added results.
“Similarly, some schools have made great improvements on last year’s performance, such as Bartholomew and John Mason.
“There have also, of course, been great examples of individual student success.”
“However, while, overall our GCSE performance more or less follows the national pattern we must and will perform better than average.
“At A level the pattern is similar and while there are some great examples of individual pupil and school success, the overall position is less than satisfactory and we should, again, be seeking performance which exceeds national averages.

“Oxfordshire county schools can and must improve.”

NEW YEAR is a good time to have a sort out and find room for all your new Christmas presents. Instead of cluttering up the gagage or loft, or making a trip to the dump, why not take advantage of ThameNews.Net’s new ‘Swap Shop’ page?
For no cost you may list your unwanted items on the website, and you never know, you mind find something there that you need.
Contact: Editor@thame.net, or call 07792487030 with details of items to be placed on the Thame Swap Shop page.

A RECENT article in the Telegraph magazine describes how a family visit to Thame inspired that family to actually up-sticks and move to the area.
Read the full article (Scroll down to “The City Escapees” story. LINK

RESIDENTS of South Oxfordshire have until February 1 to say where they think 10,000 new homes should be built in the district by 2026. This includes a possible 1,000 for the Thame area.
As required by the Government, SODC has identified a number of potential areas for new housing in around the towns of Didcot, Henley, Thame and Wallingford. It has also identified thirteen larger and more sustainable villages, which it considers could accommodate more housing. The district council would like to hear your views on which of these areas of land and which towns and villages you think are the most suitable.

Over the next 18 months, South Oxfordshire District Council will develop plans and polices for development up to 2026 and have come up with what they are calling ‘The Core Strategy’ to identify the important issues and areas for new development.
To read the strategy, visit the website at Link here

The pages relevant to Thame are 39, 40 and 41.

To make your views count, go to LINK
and follow the link to ?Your place, Your future?, or email planning.policy@southoxon.gov.uk.

Photo: Map showing the possible sites for housing development around Thame. (The map is clearer on SODC’s website – follow the links above)

FIVE former pupils of Lord Williams?s School, Thame, have received Gold Duke of Edinburgh?s Awards from Hugo Brunner, Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire.
The award ceremony took place yesterday (03/01) at the Unipart Conference Centre, Cowley, Oxford.
James Abbott (18), Sarah Braund (19), Andrew Dawson (20), Jeremy Shott (19) and Amy Wakelam (19) each undertook five elements in gaining this highest level recognition – community service, skills development, physical recreation, a residential project and an extended outdoor expedition. The program took over 18 months to complete and included canoeing, youth camp supervision, fundraising and voluntary work with hospital and the Scout and Guide movements.

Thanks were extended to the staff at Lord Williams?s School and award mentors for their support and guidance throughout the Gold Award and for their assistance in the Bronze and Silver prerequisite qualifications.

Chairman of the partnership, Keith Sexton, said: ?The personal achievements of the Oxfordshire Gold Award recipients, and the amount of benefit they have provided to local communities through the service section of this award, are a cause for real celebration.
?Amey, as a large company based in Oxford, is pleased to see its support for the award in the county being reflected in such a positive and inspiring way.?

In Oxfordshire, over 3,000 young people currently participate in The Duke of Edinburgh?s Award challenge. During 2007, 506 Bronze Awards, 193 Silver Awards and 119 Gold Awards were achieved. These silver and gold results have broken all previous county records.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a voluntary, non-competitive programme of practical, cultural and adventurous activities, designed to support the personal and social development of young people aged 14-25, regardless of gender, background or ability. It offers an individual challenge and encourages young people to undertake exciting, constructive, challenging and enjoyable activities in their free time.

Photo: (left to right) Sarah Braund, Andrew Dawson,
Hugo Laurence Joseph Brunner JP, Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, Jeremy Shott, James Abbott and Amy Wakelam

THE South Central Ambulance Trust dealt with more than 11,000 calls across the Christmas and New Year period, making it one of the busiest times ever for the organisation.
It also handled over 15,000 ?out of hours? calls ? people ringing for non-urgent advice and home visits once their GP Surgeries were closed.
As an example, at one point, the Out Of Hours staff for Oxfordshire took more than 500 calls in one hour alone ? that was on the 29th December.
Calls to the Out of Hours service represented the biggest increase in call volume, year on year.

Between the 24th December 2007 and 1st January 2008, calls taken by the Emergency Operations Centres were as follows:

Berkshire Division: 2,921 calls
Hampshire Division: 3,761
Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Division: 4,387

This represents an increase of approximately 11% on last year?s call volume. The types of incidents were extremely varied and although alcohol related problems did occur, there were also significant numbers of people with cardiac problems, breathing difficulties, falls and traffic accidents.

THAME Town Council has deferred making its recommendation about a plan for houses on the old Thame United Football club site.
Neighbours around the site have compained that planning notices were sent to them by South Oxfordshire District Council only days before the application was due to go before the town council’s Planning committee last Tuesday (01/04). They want more time to view the plans and consider how any development might effect them.
The application, for Outline residential development, has been submitted for J G Land & Estates, London.
Thame Town Council will consider the plan at its next Planning meeting on April 15.