Category: Thame news

THE filming and recording of proceedings could soon become a frequent feature of Thame Town Council meetings, following new government regulations around transparency and accountability that have recently come into force.

In response to the Local Government Audit and Accountability Act 2014, Thame’s town council is coming to grips with this new aspect of local democracy and will soon be publishing arrangements and agreed principles for filming and recording meetings, including on mobile phones, on its website. These will include the council denying filming and recording rights if it deems the subject of any meeting ‘to be of a sensitive nature’ though it is not clear yet who will, or how it will be decided what is ‘sensitive’ and why.

The use of digital and social media such as Twitter, blogging or audio recording the council has said, ‘will only be allowed as long as it is carried out in a non-disruptive manner and does not interrupt the course of the meeting,’ and the Chair of any committee will have the authority to stop a meeting ‘and take appropriate action’ if any person contravenes these principles.

At a meeting last night of the full town council, councillors discussed concerns that recordings might be edited in such a way that the proceedings could be ‘misrepresented’ or ‘infringe on the values of the Council’. Cllr David Dodds said that there should be a requirement to register in advance an intention to film or record, and that it needed to be decided from where filming can take place to avoid ‘cameras being shoved in councillors’ faces’.

Tweeting from public meetings and courts has already been allowed for several months, following an announcement from the office of Eric Pickes, the Communities Minister.

A Town Councillor from Thame has joined hundreds of other people in support of a group of mums from Darlington who are marching 300 miles from Jarrow to London, along the same route as the Jarrow Crusade in 1936, in protest against, what they see as the privatisation of the National Health Service.

Labour Party member, Cllr Mary Stiles, joined ‘The People’s March’ in Northampton yesterday and marched with them part way to Bedford. She explained her motivation for joining the march: “My younger daughter works for the NHS in Sunderland and marched on the first leg on Saturday, August 16, from Jarrow to Chester-Le-Street. She said it was amazing the support from hundreds of people, not only on the march, but also from people on the route who turned out to cheer them on their way.

“Our NHS is so precious, we feel we must do something. As Nye Bevin said, ‘ There will be an NHS as long as there are folk willing to fight for it’.”

The Labour Party’s General Election Candidate for the Henley and Thame Constituency, Sam Juthani, is also planning to join the march at some point before it finishes at The Houses of Parliament on Saturday, September 6.

THAME has a new town councillor, in the person of Tom Wyse, an ex Engineer and Thame man born and bred.

Tom was co-opted on to Thame Thame Council, after a secret ballot of four candidates, at a full council meeting last night (02/09/14), and replaces Andy Gunn who recently stepped down for family reasons.

Married for 44 years to Sheila, with two grown-up children and two grandsons, Tom went to Rycote Wood College and the Wenman School before working as an engineer, formerly at British Oxygen for 20 years where he finished as a Shift Superintendent. He recently retired from a staff position at Oxford University and enjoys working on his allotment at Stones Close.

He told the town councillors that his particular concerns were the increase in the number of new houses that Thame has to have, on-street parking and the loss of industrial units for housing. He also cares about the economy of the town and said: “We need to put more things on in the town centre to encourage people to come and use our High Street to help increase business.”

He told Thame.Net that he became motivated to join the town council after continually listening to other people, particularly in his local, The Cross Keys, complaining about what’s happening in Thame, and particularly about what the council are doing.

“Sometimes you just have to stand up and, instead of moaning, do something and have your say.” Tom stood for the council back in January but was defeated by Cllr Linda Emery. This was his second attempt to be selected.

In a statement welcoming Tom to their ranks, the town council said: “Tom spoke very passionately about Thame and was extremely delighted to be voted in by fellow Members. The Town Council wishes him every success in his new role.”

The other candidates were: Charles Boundy, Paul Cowell and Mary Ann Edwards.

Tom will serve the town council until the local elections in May 2015, when the whole town council will be up for election.

 THE Police have charged a 22 year-old Thame man in connection with a robbery at a convenience store in Haddenham on July 28.

Lewis Bradbrook-Taylor, aged 22, of Putman Close, Thame, was arrested and charged on Thursday, August 28,  for one count of robbery and for two counts of false imprisonment.

The charges relate to an incident which took place last Thursday at Martin McColls convenience store, Bank Parade, Haddenham, when  a man entered the store at approximately 5.10pm and falsely imprisoned two members of staff. He then took money from the safe and left the scene.

Bradbrook-Taylor appeared at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court on Friday (29/8) and was remanded in custody. He will next appear at Aylesbury Crown Court on Friday, September 5.

Report of original incident HERE

THAMES Valley Police is appealing for witnesses after a fatal collision yesterday,  in which a cyclist was killed near Brill.

At 12.20pm yesterday (31/8), a cyclist was travelling down Muswell Hill near Brill,  when he was in collision with a grey Land Rover Freelander that was travelling in the opposite direction. The cyclist, a 40-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers would like to speak to anyone who may have seen the collision. The cyclist was riding a grey bicycle and was travelling away from Brill at the time of the collision.

If anyone has any information please call PC Alex Dearden quoting URN 753 of 31/8 via the Thames Valley Police 24-hour enquiry line 101.

If you don’t want to speak directly to the police you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.