Category: More News

RESIDENTS of Thame might be interested in my history book on the Earl of Essex’s spring 1643 campaign.
It covers events in Oxford and Oxfordshire in considerable detail, although it is centred on the siege of Reading in Berks. Essex’s army’s stay at Thame, including the vandalism committed by the troops, and the death of John Hampden, are described, and there is a chapter on the impact of typhus on Thame and other places in Oxfordshire. There are also two photographs of the town.
The book, entitled “The Siege of Reading: The Failure of the Earl of Essex’s 1643 Spring Offensive”, is available from www.amazon.co.uk, and should be available or orderable from bookshops in the SE, and hopefully Oxfordshire Libraries.

I am, incidentally, being interviewed on BBC Radio Oxford’s Afternoon programme (by Alison Booker) on Thursday afternoon (10th Feb.)
Malcolm Barres-Baker

KALEEM Saeed, Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Henley Constituency, has criticised the district council’s housing policy.
In a statement today, he said: “Hands Off South Oxon” shouts the SODC website, as if we were facing an invasion of aliens who must be firmly diverted to Didcot. But the gentrification of its towns and villages is already undermining their health, and the new life and balance injected by the building of council houses has faded dangerously. First, there weren’t enough children, and the villages lost their schools; then, in both villages and towns, the cost of housing and the buying out of council houses prevented those children’s return as adults. So the link between the generations was lost, and the villages lost post-offices, shops, and pubs. Now the average age of the parents is increasing steadily, and carers and social workers must be brought in from elsewhere by agencies.
There is an urgent need for another injection and another attempt to restore the social balance which created these towns and villages in the first place.
The instruments for doing this already exist. There are villages with land on which at least 50 houses or flats could be built without endangering open spaces, and further infilling is possible in towns. The housing association, SOHA, has the ability to allow tenants to buy 50 per cent of a house, with limited, not absolute right to resell – so protecting the srock for the future, and to create a mix of privately and publicly owned housing, to avoid ‘one class’ estates. Rejuvenation is possible, given the will and the courage; all that is stopping it is fear and mistrust of our fellow-citizens.

For further information on Kaleem, and comment on current issues, visit www.henleylabourparty.co.uk

KALEEM Saeed issued the following statement today.

“Congratulations to County Councillor Brian Hodgson on the success of last week’s conference on Land Value Tax (Oxford Times, Feb 4th, p 2). We badly need a fairer system of taxation to replace the present Council Tax, but it must not lead to a rise in house-prices and a scarcity of family sized houses. The Tory Poll Tax did that, and the Income-based tax proposed by the Lib Dem’s would do that too, hitting young families with a double whammy. The Land Value tax taxes exactly the site-value added to properties by the development of the community around them, to which the tax paid will be contributed – and NOT (as the present Council tax does, and the old Rating System did) the value of buildings and gardens added by the present and previous owners. So it is both fair to all and encouraging to investment. Just the sort of long-hoped for solution which a New Labour Government should be proud to implement.”

KALEEM Saeed, the Constituency Labour Party candidate for the General Election, has stated that in his opinion, the Conservative Party is history.

In a statement yesterday, Kaleem said: “Boris has offered to speak to students at Lord William’s school about the past and present of the Conservative Party. (Thame News Feb 1st) How right he is not to offer a future! In the short run, that will be taken up with completing Labour’s work of rebuilding and reforming schools, hospitals, railways, the economy, and Britain’s place in Europe, – which had been left to rot in the 80’s and early 90’s. In the longer run Labour will set pace internationally, to halt global warming and to rid the world of poverty, infectious diseases, and dictatorship. By then, for Boris in his sixties, there will be something to conserve.”

SUSTRANS have established that it would cost

PUPILS from Wheatley Park School have defended their title to become Oxfordshire?s Young Consumers of the Year for 2005. They will now represent Oxfordshire at the Southern Region Finals to be held in March.

This event is part of the national ?Young Consumer of the Year? competition and the County and regional heats are organised by Oxfordshire County Council Trading Standards Service.

The quiz is sponsored by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT). It is aimed at young people aged between 14 and 17, and tests them on their knowledge of consumer rights, environmental issues, business, money, food, Europe, travel and personal safety.

In the County round (run as a postal competition), Wheatley Park just saw off the challenge of Abingdon School, with Icknield Community College in third.

In the Regional Final Wheatley Park School will be competing against schools from Dorset, West Berkshire, Swindon, and Gloucestershire. The winning team from the Southern Region heat will win a place in the Grand Finals at the Trading Standards Institute?s National Conference at Brighton in the summer.

THE Thame Partnership, which emerged as a result of a public meeting to discuss the findings of the ‘Market Towns Healthcheck’, needs a logo.
The aim of the Partnership is to champion future projects that will benefit Thame and its residents.
The Partnership is keen to develop a logo and an image to reflect its work. Wanting to work with local companies, the Partnership is interested in hearing from any local designers who have the skills and experience to undertake this work.

Anyone willing to take up this challenge is asked to contact the Town Clerk, Helen Stewart, who is acting for the Thame Partnership, on 01844 260495 or by e-mail on clerk@thametowncouncil.gov.uk.

THE Henley Constituency Labour Party have launched their new website today.
The site,
www.Henleylabourparty.co.uk
will introduce the voters and the media to Kaleem Saeed, the Labour Party Parliamentary Candidate for the Henley Parliamentary Constituency.
The site will include Henley Labour Party Constituency Campaign news and comment on this year?s National and Local Government elections.

THE Police are appealing for information following the latest in a spate of anti-social behaviour and petty damage in Wheatley.
Sometime between Thursday, January 20 and Saturday, January 22, an attempt was made to lever open the door of a garage in London Road, Wheatly, which left the door buckled.
Anyone with any information about minor damage or anti-social behaviour in the village recently is asked to contact the police on either 0845 850505, or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555111

THAME police would like to hear from anyone who may have seen suspicious behaviour last week-end in a residential area off the Eastern By-pass, followng the cutting of a canvas roof on a soft-top car, last weekend.
The incident occurred overnight on Friday, January 21, and Saturday morning (Jan 22), between 6pm and 11.10am.
Telephone 0845 8505 505 or Crimstoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.