Category: Missed a ThameNews story?

THAME Town Council is preparing to defend the town’s ground-breaking Neighbourhood Plan, against the supermarket giant, Tesco, which wants to build a store on the outskirts of the town.

The town council has already told the planning authority, South Oxfordshire District Council, that it is against giving planning approval for the plans which include a supermarket, employment building and petrol station on what is currently the DAF site, as the plans do not comply with policies in the TNP.

But at last night’s meeting of the town council, Cllr Mike Dyer said: “The Town Clerk is getting no comfort from what the Planning Officer in the case is saying to him,” which councillors fear, demonstrates that the Officer is of a mind to recommend approval of the plans to SODC’s Planning Committee (it is expected to meet on March 9 to consider the Tesco application).

‘Last chance saloon’

Cllr Paul Cowell told the meeting: “This is ‘the last-chance saloon’ for us. We have to be committed to take this all the way.” Cllr Mike Dyer added: “We spent a lot of money pioneering our Neighbourhood Plan. If we do not defend it against this first, serious threat, I could not show my face on this council.”

After much discussion about how far along the legal road the council would be willing and able to go – particularly how much public money they could ‘reasonably and justifiably’ spend on legal fees etc, the council voted to delegate to a small Working Group, the task of preparing for the eventuality of the Tesco Plans being recommended for approval, or if it is rejected by SODC’s Planning Committee and Tesco goes to appeal, and to research which approach the council should take to whatever situation arises.

Secretary of State to be asked to intervene

In the meantime, the town council voted to ask the Secretary of State to ‘Call in’ the Tesco Plans, taking the decision out of the hands of South Oxfordshire District Council, the timing depending on what recommendation is put to the Planning Committee by their Planning Officer.

The Town Clerk, Graham Hunt, said: “The public would expect us to carry through with this. We are in unknown territory here as no Neighbourhood Plan community has asked for a retail planning application to be called in.”

What does ‘Call in’ a planning decision mean?

‘Calling-in’ of a planning application refers to the power of the Secretary of State to take the decision making power on a particular planning application out of the hands of the local planning authority for his/her own determination. This can be done at any time during the planning application process, up to the point at which the local planning authority actually makes the decision.

A Thame Chef has made it into the finals of the 2016 National Burger Awards, a nationwide competition to find the UK’s ultimate burger champions.

Tasty hand-made burgers are turned out daily by The James figg pub’s young head chef, Jack Bull, and the top notch, 28 day dry aged beef used in his special recipe, helped earn Jack a place in the finals and the chance to be named winner. He’ll join 15 other chefs from across the country when they compete in a cook-off at the Islington Metal Works in London on Wednesday, February 24, 2016.

Jack, aged 25, became head chef of the popular Thame watering-hole in Spring of 2014. Since then he has carved out a reputation for the quality of his honest home-cooked food and his signature burgers whose fame has quickly spread – Jack’s burgers are the most popular thing on the pub’s menu outselling every other dish.

“I eat out a lot and eat a lot of burgers, too,” says Jack. “I honestly believe that ours are better than many I get served in other pubs and restaurants and I think it’s down to the great ingredients and care that go into making them. We only use the best British beef from Royal Warrant Holders Aubrey Allen, and we even dedicate every Tuesday night to serving burgers.

“I’m really proud of my burgers so when I found out about this competition to find the country’s best burger, I decided to go for it. Entering was really exciting; being chosen as a finalist was thrilling and now I can’t wait to cook for the judges in London next month to try to take the crown for best burger in the land,” he says.

Hundreds of pubs, bars and restaurants entered the competition online, submitting their signature burger recipes in the hope of reaching the grand final. Jack’s shortlisted recipe is an Aubrey Allen Burger served in a Brown Sugar Bakery brioche bun, with Monterey Jack Cheddar and Aubrey Allen smoked bacon, which he’ll be cooking for the judges.

He will also face a technical burger challenge using ingredients given to him on the day to be in with a shot at the title and come away with a £1,000 prize.

Tristan O’Hana, editor of Casual Dining Magazine, which hosts the awards, says: “The 2016 National Burger Awards finalists are an impressive group of chefs who clearly put a lot of time and effort into their burger recipes. To say it was difficult to choose a final 16 would be a huge understatement – who knows how our judges are going to decide the overall winners on the day.”

Follow the action live on Twitter @CasualDiningMag #NationalBurgerAwards and @figgthame

A THAME Town Councillor, who is fighting against the removal of subsidies for some rural bus routes, intends to travel on the threatened buses to gain signatures for a petition.

In a letter to the Editor of Thame.Net today, Cllr Mary Stiles explains what’s behind her petition and why these rural routes are so important for many local people:

“DEAR Editor, I write in my capacity as Thame Town Council’s Parish Transport Representative.

On Tuesday, January 26, Oxfordshire County Council Cabinet voted to recommend to the full council their proposed budget, which in addition to drastic cuts to many other county council services (e.g. children’s centres and day centres for elderly people), includes withdrawing all bus subsidies. (See Thame.Net’s report)

In Thame this would mean ending the contract in June, with Vale Travel to operate the 120/121/123/124 service.

Many local residents have contacted me to explain how this bus service is a lifeline for them, because it is the only way they have of getting into town from the eastern part of town e.g. Garden City and Towersey Drive, as they do not have their own transport and are unable to walk that far. It is also the only way many people in Tetsworth have to get to the doctor’s surgery.

I addressed the Cabinet on the 26th to ask them to rethink the policy to abolish all bus subsidies and, despite failing to get cabinet members to change their minds then, I intend to address the full council meeting on February 16, to ask all councillors to vote against this devastating budget. I will also present a petition from local residents asking all councillors to vote against the budget and to keep the 120/121/123/124 service running.

It does not have to be a daily service, as residents have told me that two or three times a week would suffice. That is not asking for much.
There will be a copy of the petition in the information bureau at Thame Town Hall during office hours and I shall be travelling on the bus to collect signatures between now and Monday, February 15.

I urge as many of your readers as possible to sign the petition, if they agree that it is important to keep this service running, whether or not they themselves actually use it.
Thank you.
Mary Stiles
Willow Road
Thame

CHINNOR’S Forget-Me-Not, Monday morning Café is there to provide information, peer support and fun activities aimed at helping with co-ordination, brain stimulation, and general health and wellbeing, for people suffering with dementia, mental health issues, old age or isolation. Everyone is welcome to go along with their carer.

The group meets twice monthly 10.30-12.30pm at Chinnor Village Centre and visitors will be welcomed with a cup of tea and biscuit. The morning starts with fun, seated exercises, followed by a visiting expert. At the end of the session, they play parachute games, juggling, throwing balls, flat football and floor netball, finishing the session with a poem, lyrical or a reading.

The Forget-Me-Not cafe’s Winter programme of events, from January to April 2016, is as follows:

04 Jan— Music for Health – Dorothy Howlett
18 Jan – Line/Circle/Seated dancing for Fun – Barbara Jordan
01 Feb – Tea Dance – cup cakes, tea, dancing, drumming and fun
15 Feb – Music and Singing
29 Feb — Singing for Health – Julia Hollander

14 March- Singing for Health – Julia Hollander –
04 April – Music Therapist – Ellie Ruddock
18 April – Hands on Heritage Museum

For further information, contact 01844 353733 chinnorvc@hotmail.co.uk or Michele on 01844 353154/07779732097 info@holisticmassageuk.co.uk.

Chinnor Village Centre is run by volunteers and is a Registered Charity No 1007949