ARRIVA The Shires, which operates the 280 bus route between Aylesbury and Oxford, via Wheatley, Thame and Haddenham, has announced a revised timetable from June 6, due to long-term roadwords planned in Oxford.
Visit the website LINK HERE for more information and the full, revised timetable.
SOUTH Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse District Councils have launched an improved, online service for affordable housing.
The Homechoice service now has an Enhanced Housing Options feature, which offers personalised advice to help people find a home or employment.
Just by entering a few personal details, it gives residents a tailored action plan with specific steps for them to follow to make sure they get the best possible housing and employment options suited to their personal circumstances.
Homechoice enables residents to join the housing register and lets them see what’s available and place bids on appropriate properties.
Councillor Elizabeth Gillespie, cabinet member for housing at South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “Providing a few basic details about their housing situation and income, residents will have immediate access to tailored and personalised results and advice. The service is quick and convenient ensuring that our residents receive appropriate advice on both their housing and employment options.”
Anyone in Thame who needs housing advice, can visit www.southoxfordshirehomechoice.org.uk
THE travelling Thame food fan, who set off around the world last year to see if he could find a kebab to beat the offering of the popular Atalay’s mobile kebab van, has decided to settle down for a while.
Dominic Stanway Williams has now decided to settle down in Vietnam, and in his latest blog, describes the food and fun that he has experienced since his last blog.
You can read about Dominic’s chef job on a tropical island in the south of Cambodia, riding a motorbike around the Philipines, the Western diet and obesity and his joy at being able to eat a traditional, English dinner on Christmas day.
So grab a cup of tea or coffee – or a glass of something exotic, and settle down and drift off on a warm and wondrous wander with Dominic. Web link:
FOUR ponies caused havoc in and around Thame by-pass last night, when they escaped from their field through a broken fence.
It was reported that the animals were able to escape through the fence after a car drove down the bank and hit the fence, damaging it. Several local people reported seeing the ponies running around near the Thame Football ground and Skatepark, and Roundhead Drive.
The police attended the scene and Lacey Emptage, who was involved in recapturing the ponies, posted on Facebook to concerned friends: “Can’t believe he (the driver) just walked away. The horses and the public where so lucky. Could of ended very nasty. The horses don’t have a mark on them.”
THAME Town Cricket Club’s 1st XI welcomed Cookham Dean to Church Meadow last Saturday (May 28) and were in the field after losing the toss. Will Rooney and Sam Lachlan set the tone with the new ball, but some strong hitting throughout the innings saw the visitors keep the scoreboard ticking over.
A flurry of wickets then put Thame in charge but, in a game that ebbed and flowed throughout, the Cookham Dean tail wagged to reach a competitive 215. In reply, Thame lost key wickets at regular intervals in a stuttering chase. Overseas player Matt McDonald held the innings together with a well made 50 but when he fell, Thame were in trouble. Some late heroics from youngsters Dan Patey and Adam Phippen saw the total within reach, but ultimately it was too little too late as Thame fell just five runs short.
The ‘firsts’ travel to local rivals Aston Rowant this Saturday, June 4.
Second XI remain unbeaten
THAME ‘seconds’ travelled to play Kingston Bagpuize and were asked to bat on a good-looking track. This seemed to be a strange decision as Richard Carr (57) and Andy Jinman (21) put on an opening stand of 86 off just 18 overs. With both openers gone in quick succession however, the Thame innings stumbled to 137 for 7, and it was only a resolute 41 from Liam Evans that enabled Thame to make an aggressive declaration at 200 for 9 off 47 overs. That gave Kingston Bagpuize 53 overs to reach their target and at 100 for 1, with Toby Ricks (51) and Marco Cecchini (44) going well, the home side looked comfortable.
It was the introduction of Ali Thomas (16.3-2-54-4), the return of Ian McStay (17-0-47-5) and a catch by Evan Davies on the boundary that changed the game. The hosts gamely continued to go for the win, as wickets fell regularly, but their innings came to an abrupt end with two wickets in Thomas’s final over. Still unbeaten and heading Division five of the Cherwell League, Thame ‘seconds’ entertain Leighton Buzzard ‘seconds’ on Saturday, June 4.
Third XI fightback to beat Dinton
THAME ‘thirds’ beat Buckingham Town fourth XI by 49 runs at home, and remain undefeated in the league this season. Thame were struggling at 42-5 after 14 overs, but Matt Swain weighed in with a patient 33, and John Phippen ended with 18 not out as they recovered to make a still-disappointing total of 114 all out after 34 overs.
After the tea interval, Nicholas Fuller’s opening blitz of 3 for 20 set the fightback in motion, followed by Vimal Desai, who picked up two wickets and by Scott Chappell’s exceptional performance, including four wickets, two catches and a run out to leave Buckingham all out for 65. Thame ‘thirds’ entertain Dinton ‘thirrds this Saturday, June 4.
THAME cricketers can now look forward to having some of the very best facilities in the county, having received the news that Thame Town Cricket Club has planning approval to build a new clubhouse, nets and parking facilities.
The club, which currently has over 200 members, including juniors and females, has been based at the picturesque setting of Church Meadow in the heart of Thame, since 1975 when the ground and clubhouse were created from existing low grade agricultural land and derelict farm buildings.
Thame TCC’s First XI play in the Serious Cricket Home Counties Premier Cricket League Division Two, having been undefeated champions of Cherwell League Division One, and being promoted in 2015. The ‘Firsts’ also won the Wilf Bennett T20 Trophy last season. The Club is recognised by the England and Wales Cricket Board as one of four ‘Focus Clubs’ in South Oxfordshire by virtue of its standards, youth coaching programmes, Clubmark status and links with Lord Williams School.
Why are these new facilities needed?
“Now the clubhouse has out lived its useful lifespan,” explained Matt Swain, the Club’s Vice Chairman,”and whilst it has ‘lots of character’ is not fit for purpose to cater for three adult Saturday league teams, 94 juniors in five age group teams and a hugely popular Women’s section.”
The new clubhouse will meet ECB (English Cricket Board) technical specifications for new Pavilions and Clubhouses, and be designed in a way which is sympathetic to its beautiful surroundings next to the Grade I listed Church and Grade II listed Dovecote. Thame Hockey Club will share the building and use it during the Winter as their clubhouse, whilst still playing their matches at Thame Leisure Centre. Thame Netball club will also use the new facility.
Funding
Subject to finding the additional funding for the £800,000 project, and lease consents, the plan is to demolish the existing clubhouse and build the new one during the winter of 2017, ready for the start of the 2018 cricket season. The cricket club has already secured a grant of £120,00 from Thame Town Council, as well an additional £198,000 earmarked from the town council’s Sports Strategy (money raised through section 106 contributions from Developers). The club is in the process of applying for further funding from South Oxfordshire District Council and Sport England.
“The project has been well supported by Thame Town Council,” continued Matt, “and the next steps for the club will be to raise the remaining £480,000 to be able to complete the development.
“We are delighted with the positive response from SODC and can’t thank Thame Town Council and Ben Holland, of Thame Architects, Holland & Green, enough for supporting us to get this project off the ground. It will make a huge difference, not just to the members of the Cricket, Hockey and Netball clubs but to the broader community of Thame, who will be able to enjoy the facility in the heart of town at one of the most idyllic settings that Oxfordshire has to offer.
Aspirations
“We are a charitable organisation run by volunteers who have the club’s best interest at heart in everything we do. We have worked really hard over the last few years to develop the club and make it something that more and more people can enjoy. The new clubhouse is part of our broader aspirations to become one of the best clubs in Oxfordshire which will help provide sustainability for many years to come.”
See for yourself!
You can see artist’s impressions and special 3D video of the proposed new design by Ben Holland, here: LINK
THE Operator of the High Wycombe to Thame bus route, Service 40, Carousel, has confirmed that, despite the withdrawal of a county council subsidy, the service will continue unchanged.
The 40 service, which diverts via the village of Towersey, will continue to run with seven daily journeys in each direction (Monday to friday).
However, no decision about the fully subsidised 120 (Princes Risborough to Thame), 121 (Princes Risborough to Watlington), 123 (Thame Local Service) or 124 (Thame to Watlington) services, has been confirmed by the Operator, Vale Travel. The subsidies for these services will end on July 20.
The bus operator Arriva, has confirmed that the previously subsidised part of the 280, Aylesbury-Oxford City Centre service (Sundays and Bank Holidays, first journey of the day, and one evening journey (both directions), will continue.
On November 10, 2015, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet took the decision to withdraw subsidies paid to run 118 subsidised bus routes in Oxfordshire, as a way of saving £3.7 million, after a reduction in funding from central government. This decision was approved at the full council’s overall budget setting meeting on February 16, 2016, and it was decided to cease all bus subsidies on July 20, 2016, the last day of the school term.
In a statement, the county council said: “The withdrawal of subsidy does not necessarily mean the service will be cancelled. We have been in discussion with operators who are exploring how they may be able to continue a service without subsidy. We now have information from the majority of operators, with only a few routes yet to be confirmed.
“As we receive further information we will update our webpage: www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/subsidisedbuses.”
THERE will be a rolling road closure from 11.30am to 1pm, in Thame, on June 11, 2016, to allow the Carnival parade to process through Thame town centre.
This will run from Station Yard, through the High Street, along to Southern Road recreation ground. The road will be reopened as soon as is safe, as the parade passes through.
TOWERSEY Manor will once again be the stunning setting for the annual Towersey Church Fete to be held on Father’s Day, Sunday June 19, from 12:30 – 4pm.
This quintessentially English fete grows in popularity every year with attractions for every age, from strolling round the Manor’s beautiful gardens to scampering down the track in the popular children races.
Visitors will be able to indulge in delicious cream teas served in the tranquility of the mediaeval barn, or take a seat on the front lawn whilst enjoying food from the BBQ, a refreshing pint of Pimms or a cold beer from the bar; or perhaps treat themselves to an ice cream while enjoying music from The Notations with Hayley Gomm.
Children can try their hands at the coconut shy or skittles, or see if they can hook a duck or perhaps see how far they can throw an egg without it breaking. And let’s not forget many people’s favourite, the Loo-pla!! Back by popular demand is Professor Boodle with his traditional Punch and Judy show, as is the bouncy castle and Megaslide.
A packed afternoon of entertainment in the courtyard will include performances by Towersey Village Voices (the local community choir) and dancing from the village’s own, Towersey Morris Men and the Ladies Three Horse Shoes Morris Group.
The village of Towersey prides its self in its fete being a traditional fete, where in addition to all the above attractions, it still offers the ever-popular homemade cake stall, bric-a-brac, the book stall, the Manor boutique selling nearly new clothes and a Plant stall. The Grand Raffle, Silent Action and Tombola will give everyone a chance to win some very attractive prizes.
The fete organisers will be providing plenty of parking, including for disabled visitors. The admission price is £2 for adults, and for children up to the age of 12, free. The weblink for further details is: www.towerseyfete.org.uk
THE proposed merging of the two Lord Williams’s school sites, as set out in the Thame Neighbourhood Plan (TNP) has come up against a funding gap. The amount of money expected from the sale of the Lower school site for housing development is lower than the estimated cost of combining the two schools into one site at the Oxford Road (Upper school) site.
The viability of the proposal is being reconsidered and the school is seeking professional advice about how the funding gap can be filled. The Lower School site would be worth more if the Community centre, earmarked for the site as a possible one out of three, were to be located somewhere else. A planning application has to be submitted by 2019 otherwise the proposed merger goes out of the TNP and the housing allocated for the Lower School site, will have to be provided on another, ‘reserve site’ identified in the plan (Site C ?)
It has been suggested by Cllr David Dodds, that Section 106 money from new developments in Chinnor should be allocated to any new schools merger in Thame, as Chinnor children are served by Lord Williams’s school.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, how it is allocated, the definition and various types of Affordable Housing, the numbers of such properties available in Thame, has up to now been at the very least, obscure, and at most confusing. Following a recent meeting with South Oxfordshire District Council, whose Affordable Housing policy drive’s Thame’s own in the Neighbourhood Plan, a report is now available by the town council that helps to explain the various aspects of this vexatious subject. You can read it here LINK
FACED with almost certain cuts to bus services in Oxfordshire, including several that serve Thame and the surroundiing villages, Officers at Oxfordshire County Council are exploring ideas to cuts costs but still maintain some of sort of a service where they can.
One of the ideas, still in the embryonic stage, is to use school buses, and those transporting the elderly and disabled, in between the regular times of the day they are operating to cover some of the less economic public routes.
Before the new bus stop (dubbed ‘the ghost stop’, because no bus has been seen to stop there) in Howland Road (opposite the DAF site) can be used, there apparently needs to be ‘a risk assessment’ made.
THAME Town Council is to seek ways of filling a gap in available funding for its £2 million Sports Facility Strategy. It currently has available £900,000 developer contributions through Section 106. You can download the Sports Strategy document here LINK and the report showing where the money is coming from and what it is planned to be spent on, here LINK
THE town council is to recruit a Town Centre Co-ordinator to work with its Town Centre Working Group and other local organisations to action the recommendations of the recent Miller Report into the future ‘vibrancy and vitality’ of Thame town centre.
An action plan is still in draft form but is expected to include such things as transport, signage, parking and tourism.
The council also proposes to employ a full-time Neighbourhood Plan Continuity Officer whose role will be work with the council’s Neighbourhood Plan Continuity Committee which will ensure that the TNP is adhered to across areas such as housing, open-space, employment, environment etc.