Category: More News

THERE are just two weeks left for community groups with bright ideas to share in

REGISTRATION for this year’s Summer Play scheme is on June 6, at 7.30pm to 8.30pm in the Studio at Barley Hill School, Ludsden Grove, Thame.
The dates of the 2007 Thame Summer Playscheme are July 30 to August 9, and the venue will be Lord Williams’s Lower School in Towersey Road. Children can be enrolled onto the Scheme either weekly or fortnightly:

YEAR six pupils from John Hampden Primary School in Thame, have received cycling vests and prizes provided Oxfordshire County Council, from PCSO, Diane Jackson.
The children took park in five weeks of cycle training and passed their tests in either December last year or March 2007.
Teacher, Ros Dodwell, said:”It is very important that, as more of our pupils are wanting to cycle to school, they get the proper training to give them the confidence and skills they need to keep safe. We are all very proud of their achievements.”

ENTRIES are being invited for the 2007 Chilterns Woodland Award which recognises good practice in the management of trees and woods in the Chilterns. The deadline for entries is 31st July.

?This Award recognises the hard work of those who care for the woods, trees and wildlife of the Chilterns? says Kath Daly of the Chilterns Conservation Board. ?Whether your main focus is timber production, wildlife or public benefit, if you manage woodlands in a sustainable way, in keeping with the landscape of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, then do consider entering this year?s Award.?

The Award is open to woodland owners and managers and can include woodlands on both public and private land. All types and sizes of woods are eligible, from a new community planting scheme to a 500 acre woodland with well promoted public facilities. Individual tree work is also eligible.

The Woodland Award is promoted jointly by the Chilterns Conservation Board and Forestry Commission. All entries will be considered by an experienced judging panel that can also offer advice and ideas to entrants if needed.

With more than 20% woodland cover, the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is one of the most wooded areas of England. A large proportion of the woodlands are small and privately owned, whilst a further 20% are in public ownership.

The overall winner in 2006 was Bix Estate Woods, covering an area of 176 hectares near Henley-on-Thames in South Oxfordshire. The woodland is owned by Lord Alvingham and managed by Geoff Hopwood, Forestry Consultant.

For an entry form or to find out more contact Kath Daly, Countryside Officer, Chilterns Conservation Board on 01844 355504 or email kdaly@chilternsaonb.org

BORIS Johnson MP will present Tetsworth School with their prestigious Green Flag at an Eco celebration event, tomorrow, Friday May 25.
The, school, near Thame, was the first in the country to achieve Level 3 of the DfES backed Sustainable Learning Energy certificate. The pupils (aged 5-11) are now celebrating their eco work once again as they become the 13th school in the county to achieve this international recognition.
Other local schools attending the event and receiving certificates are:
St Andrews C of E School Chinnor
Barley Hill School Thame
Brill C of E School
Long Crendon School

The Celebration event for pupils will involve different activities many of which will link into their Green Flag projects.
Celebrity chef Raymond Blanc has specially recommended healthy snack recipes suitable for the children to cook in their solar ovens which they will be designing and making as one of their activities during the day. If the weather is good enough, the ovens could reach temperatures of 100 degrees centigrade! Other activities will include, solar buggy racing, making textured displays of polar animals, designing an energy saving super hero, making healthy smothies and, cycle safety training.

Boris Johnson will be presenting the Green Flag to Tetsworth and other certificates to guest schools who are also celebrating their achievements in energy and eco work. The presentation will round up the day?s activities along with the special assembly where many important guests, parents, and people from the local community will be able to take part in the celebrations.

As well as the activities for the children there will be stalls giving information and advice to the parents and visitors on practical ways which they can reduce their environmental impact. Visitors will also be able to enjoy a slice of Green Flag celebration cake designed and made by staff at the school. The day has been helped along by the generosity from many local people, organisations and shops. Specifically: The Atkins School Energy Project, Raymond Blanc, Waitrose, Thames Valley Energy Centre, Thames Water, South Oxfordshire District Council and the Local Primary Care Trust.

Tetsworth teacher, Alison Turton said:”It is fantastic to see how committed the children are to their environmental work; I am confident that the children will carry the message on in the future which makes the hard work worthwhile on many different levels.”

THIS week is National Walk to School Week and as usual, Barley Hill School in Thame, will be taking part.
Andrew Fielding, National Walk to School Campaign Co-ordinator, said, “We?re encouraging people around the country to use Walk to School week to try out walking with their kids. It isn?t just good for the environment, it?s great for you too ? walking for those 30 minutes a day means real quality time together, and the average walk there and back will burn more calories than the school?s PE quota.
“Give it a go and see how you find it – we doubt you?ll want to go back to the traffic jams afterwards!”
All next week Fox FM will be supporting Walk to School 2007 by giving children the chance to win prizes simply by walking to school. Children are being encouraged to listen every morning to find out how to win a Fox FM Walk to School Pack which includes vouchers supplied by Heelys and totallyphat.co.uk.
The Fox FM Roadrunners will be turning up to selected schools to greet the winners with a Walk to School Pack as they finish their walk.
All this week every class at Barley Hill will be running challenges to encourage everyone to walk, scooter or cycle to school. Each Foundation Stage, Year 1 and Year 2 class will be trying to make the greenest tree and each Key Stage 2 year group will be trying to clock the greatest number of kilometres walked.
This year?s theme is about cutting pollution and choosing the healthy option. Do look at the school?s new Travel Plan which is in the Healthy/Eco section of our website. Please support us!

PLANNING Applications Considered by Thame Town Council?s Planning Committee on Tuesday, May 15 (Plus comments by Editor in brackets.
8000
P05/E1121 VAN DIEMANS ROAD
Demolition of existing garages, construction of 4 new dwellings and 6 new apartments with improved parking facilities and landscaping.
Amendment No. 4
RECOMMEND APPROVAL

8260
P07/E0446/RM
(Reserved Matters) 1 CHINNOR ROAD (What was Bambrook?s Garage ? now Thame Service Station Car Wash and Valeting)
Demolish garage buildings and construct 6 new starter homes.
Amendment No. 1:
RECOMMEND APPROVAL

8266
P07/E0543 19 MAPLE ROAD
Single storey side extension.
RECOMMEND REFUSAL
1. Design out of keeping with the character of the area

8267
P07/E0512 KALPANA, BROOK LANE
To erect a conservatory to the side and rear of the property.
Correspondence was received and noted from the Thame Conservation Area Advisory Committee and No. 8 Mitchell Close. (SEE Ed’s NOTES BELOW)
STRONGLY RECOMMEND REFUSAL
1. Over-development
2. Unneighbourly

(Letter from neighbour and Thame Conservation Area Advisory committee, expressed opposition ? over-development and fear of dazzle from all the glass affecting neighbours whose windows overlook;

Cllr Nigel Champken-Woods called the proposal: “Verging on the Crystal Palace!”
Cllr David Dodds wanted to draw attention to the fact that there is an “unauthorized building in the grounds.” (a shed)

8268
P07/E0550 2 MOATS CRESCENT
Erection of front porch (amendment to planning permission P06/E0152).
NO STRONG VIEWS

OTHER AGENDA ITEMS OF INTEREST
Cllr David Dodds to look at Consultation paper ? Changes to permitted development: Rights for Householder Microgeneration (Windmills etc)

CO-OP has withdrawn controversial plans for external lighting over their fascia signage.

W. Lucy & Co. (Thame by-pass) ? SODC refused permission for an internally illuminated light
box ..?the proposal would appear prominent and intrusive and would detract from the semi-rural
character of the area.?

The committee voted to change the name and nature of the Traffic Advisory Group. It will be renamed
The Traffic and Transport Advisory Group, will apparently take a more ?strategic ? view of transport and
parking issues and councillors will decide which groups are to be represented on the committee. (At
present, Thame Walking and Cycling is represented, the police, SODC, County Council Highways Officers
and Thame First (Chamber of Commerce) represents the interests of the business community.
It was suggested that a minimum of four meetings per year will be held and that not all groups will be
invited to all meetings, only those felt by councilors to be relevant to the agenda.

Cllr Nigel Champken- Woods expressed the view that at the moment, the committee deals with
?I can?t park my car?.? And ?I can?t ride my bike?? type of complaints from the public.

Comment: It was not made clear to which committee the public would be able to take their more minor
concerns.

13 ORMOND ROAD
Conversion of integral garage into a room and addition of cloakroom in existing porch area.

CALLING all ex-pupils of both Sydenham and Chinnor schools.
A school reunion for ex pupils of Sydenham School (up to its closure in 1948), and Chinnor school in the 1940s, 1950s and early 1960s, is to be held in the Old School Room, Sydenham, on Friday, June 29, from 7.30pm.
Please bring a bottle, and a plate of food for the buffet.

Contact Chris Bishop (Buckingham/Silver) 01844 281645. If you have any school photographs. Please email them to TetsSCCP@aol.com, or bring them along!

If you were at either school around this time, we hope to see you there.

THAME Amnesty Group’s May meeting, on Wednesday, May 23, will focus on Rwanda.
The meeting, which will run from 8pm-9 30pm, will be held at the Lord Williams’s Lower School Sports Hall building. Dr Wim Schoonbee and his wife, Bertha, also a South African doctor, have spent the last six years working at a mission hospital in Rwanda. They are spending some of their leave in Thame before returning to Rwanda in early July and at the meeting will share something of the recent history and present state of that Rwanda.
Contact: 01844 214466 for more information.

Thame Community Hospital League of Friends are holding a Fete from 12noon until 4pm on Sunday, 13 May.
Lots of attractions including Colonel Custard, Barbecue, Entertainment, Delicious Teas, Grand Raffle.