Category: Thame news

MARKET traders on Thame’s long-established Tuesday market, are fed up with thoughtless, overnight parking in the Upper High Street, which frequently prevents them from erecting their stalls.

On Tuesday morning this week, a visitor to the town left a black Audi parked overnight right in the middle of the market. The shame-faced driver returned later in the morning and was guided out from among the stalls by traders. A second car, a green Peugeot 306, remained parked between the sweets and biscuit stall, and Thame’s WI produce stall, throughout the day.

Market Trader, Chris Hurdman, told ThameNews.Net: “Despite the signs everywhere warning people not to park overnight, this is a regular occurrence and we find it very frustrating. Sometimes, the stall holder just has to go home because his pitch is blocked and he can’t set up!”

Kevin Wall, another market trader, added: “This is an on-going problem and more often than not, it is locals who should know better.”

He explained: “Anyone who leaves their car parked in the Upper High Street overnight on Mondays, blocking the market, has to pay a fine and pay the equivalent of the Market Traders rent for the day.”

PICTURE by Kevin Wall

THAMES Valley Police fear that the message about the dangers of drug and drink driving is not getting through, following the arrest of 180 drivers since the beginning of a summer drink-drive campaign.

This year?s campaign arrests however, show a 16 per cent decrease on the 216 arrests made during the same period in 2011.

Of those arrested, 142 were men [78 per cent] and 40 were women [22 per cent]. In total, 104 of the 182 arrested have been charged, with 42 bailed and 36 released with no further action.

Superintendent Chris Brown, Head of Roads Policing for Hampshire Constabulary and Thames Valley Police, said: ?182 people arrested for drink driving shows the large number of people still willing to put themselves before everyone else’s safety.

?People still aren?t getting the message and yet we know drinking while over the limit is causing fatal collisions. We know that any amount of alcohol affects your ability to drive and we know that if you?re caught drink-driving you will be banned from driving.

?We’ll continue to target drink drivers hard and get them before the courts whenever we can.?

The campaign, which runs until the end of June, will see police targeting individuals they suspect of driving under the influence of drink or drugs, both on the way home from nights out and the morning after a heavy night.

Of the arrests, 72 have been made in Berkshire, 59 in Buckinghamshire and 51 in Oxfordshire.

THAMES Valley Police fear that the message about the dangers of drug and drink driving is not getting through, following the arrest of 180 drivers since the beginning of a summer drink-drive campaign.

This year?s campaign arrests however, show a 16 per cent decrease on the 216 arrests made during the same period in 2011.

Of those arrested, 142 were men [78 per cent] and 40 were women [22 per cent]. In total, 104 of the 182 arrested have been charged, with 42 bailed and 36 released with no further action.

Superintendent Chris Brown, Head of Roads Policing for Hampshire Constabulary and Thames Valley Police, said: ?182 people arrested for drink driving shows the large number of people still willing to put themselves before everyone else’s safety.

?People still aren?t getting the message and yet we know drinking while over the limit is causing fatal collisions. We know that any amount of alcohol affects your ability to drive and we know that if you?re caught drink-driving you will be banned from driving.

?We’ll continue to target drink drivers hard and get them before the courts whenever we can.?

The campaign, which runs until the end of June, will see police targeting individuals they suspect of driving under the influence of drink or drugs, both on the way home from nights out and the morning after a heavy night.

Of the arrests, 72 have been made in Berkshire, 59 in Buckinghamshire and 51 in Oxfordshire.

RESPONDING to plans by David Cameron to stop housing benefit to those under 25 years old, David Orr, Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation, which represents England’s housing associations, including South Oxfordshire’s Soha Housing Association, issued a statement today.

“We all want a fair housing benefit system that supports those truly in need,” he said. “A home is fundamental to providing the security people need to hold down jobs and be an active member of their community. Preventing those under-25 from getting help for housing costs may increase homelessness and make it harder for young people to move to where they can find work. There could also be a huge impact on young working families relying on housing benefit to help pay their rent, or disabled people unable to work.

“The best way to keep the housing benefit bill down, by addressing the supply side, is to ensure there are enough decent quality, affordable homes. By supporting housing associations to build more homes, the Government can stimulate growth and keep rents low, which in turn stops people being caught in the poverty trap caused by high rents.

“Housing associations are working hard to implement the latest round of welfare reform changes. We need time to understand what the full impact of these changes will be before instigating more,” he concluded.

In response, Thame’s MP, John Howell, told ThameNews.Net this afternoon: “I have had many discussions with the National Housing Federation and I agree with them particularly on this point: we need more affordable housing. Local communities recognise this too and are taking up the challenge of helping to provide this through Neighbourhood Planning.

“Government is encouraging new affordable housing in many different ways, from the New Homes Bonus given to councils for building new houses, through to the 170,000 new affordable homes over the Spending Review Period, which will deliver

RESPONDING to plans by David Cameron to stop housing benefit to those under 25 years old, David Orr, Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation, which represents England’s housing associations, including South Oxfordshire’s Soha Housing Association, issued a statement today.

“We all want a fair housing benefit system that supports those truly in need,” he said. “A home is fundamental to providing the security people need to hold down jobs and be an active member of their community. Preventing those under-25 from getting help for housing costs may increase homelessness and make it harder for young people to move to where they can find work. There could also be a huge impact on young working families relying on housing benefit to help pay their rent, or disabled people unable to work.

“The best way to keep the housing benefit bill down, by addressing the supply side, is to ensure there are enough decent quality, affordable homes. By supporting housing associations to build more homes, the Government can stimulate growth and keep rents low, which in turn stops people being caught in the poverty trap caused by high rents.

“Housing associations are working hard to implement the latest round of welfare reform changes. We need time to understand what the full impact of these changes will be before instigating more,” he concluded.

In response, Thame’s MP, John Howell, told ThameNews.Net this afternoon: “I have had many discussions with the National Housing Federation and I agree with them particularly on this point: we need more affordable housing. Local communities recognise this too and are taking up the challenge of helping to provide this through Neighbourhood Planning.

“Government is encouraging new affordable housing in many different ways, from the New Homes Bonus given to councils for building new houses, through to the 170,000 new affordable homes over the Spending Review Period, which will deliver

ON Tuesday 19th June, between 06:30hrs and 16:30hrs, a property in London Road, Milton Common, was burgled. Entry was gained through a small open window at the front of the property. Items stolen included mobile phones and jewellery.

If you have seen any suspicious looking people or vehicles in the area, or have any information relating to this message, please call the police on the new national single non-emergency telephone number 101 and state you are responding to a Community message.

Alternatively if you have information but wish to remain anonymous, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online @ crimestoppers-uk.org. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.

IF you happen to be in Sainsbury’s, Thame, next week, watch out for the Sunflowers!

The Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity?s Sunny Sunflower Month is taking place throughout June and will be coming to Sainsburys on Tuesday 26th June in a bid to help raise vital funds in aid of the month.

Last year, the Thame community helped to raise

THAME’S Red Kites Scooter Club, met on Wednesday (June 20) at The Falcon pub in Thame, to present a cheque to the Thame Youth Memorial fund.

The sum of

ON Tuesday 19th June, between 06:30hrs and 16:30hrs, a property in London Road, Milton Common, was burgled. Entry was gained through a small open window at the front of the property. Items stolen included mobile phones and jewellery.

If you have seen any suspicious looking people or vehicles in the area, or have any information relating to this message, please call the police on the new national single non-emergency telephone number 101 and state you are responding to a Community message.

Alternatively if you have information but wish to remain anonymous, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online @ crimestoppers-uk.org. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.

IF you happen to be in Sainsbury’s, Thame, next week, watch out for the Sunflowers!

The Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity?s Sunny Sunflower Month is taking place throughout June and will be coming to Sainsburys on Tuesday 26th June in a bid to help raise vital funds in aid of the month.

Last year, the Thame community helped to raise