Category: Thame news

HERE is the latest Thame neighbourhood update from Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Lucy Thorne and PCSO Jackson.

During June, a number of ASB warning letters have been issued to individuals who were involved with an ASB incident at the Cuttlebrook area. This involved a large group of young people drinking alcohol and setting fire to paper. This area is secluded and unlit and there is an area of deep water nearby. We would like to remind members of the public that this is very dangerous, and should we come across young groups using the area in this way, they will be dealt with appropriately. This area is on our patrol plan and will be monitored moving forward.

We have also received reports of ASB in Churchill Crescent and Burnards Court. These areas are patrolled on a regular basis to work to deter/prevent crime and any offenders will be deal with appropriately.

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) Info
The most common way we can deal with incidents of ASB is by issuing ASB warning letters, acceptable behaviour contracts (ABC?s), anti-social behaviour orders (ASBO?s), Section 27 orders ? direction to leave locality, and Section 59 orders – contracts issued for using a vehicle in an anti-social manner.

All of the park areas will be regularly patrolled throughout the summer months, when we tend to see a rise in the amount of litter being dropped on grass areas. This will be monitored, and offenders dealt with appropriately.

No Section 59 warnings have been issued by Thame PCSO?s.

Crime Mapping
The Home Office national crime mapping website gives the public access to street-level crime information as well as information on their Neighbourhood Policing Teams, Neighbourhood Priorities and Events – details of Have Your Say and other neighbourhood activities. Log on to www.police.uk, type in your local postcode or neighbourhood name and then click on ?Find out more?.

Offenders brought to justice:
In June, 8 offenders have been brought to justice:
1 x Shoplifting
1 x Burglary other than in a dwelling
1 x Making off without payment
3 x Cannabis Possession

Priorities:
Our Local Priority for Thame is ASB. As stated above, we conduct high visibility patrols in and around the town, engaging with members of the public, listening to local people?s community concerns/issues. Where problems are brought to our attention, we conduct home visits with parents present, issue warning letters and work with offenders to encourage them to move forward.

Partnership Activity:
We continue to work with our partners, ensuring that we liaise on a regular basis with the schools on our sector, who we have good rapports with. We conduct monthly site inspections with Soha, South Vale Housing and Sovereign Housing, tackling low level neighbourhood disputes. We engage regularly with the local Town Council, picking up any local concerns people raise and events which are taking place over coming months.

Pubwatch meetings continue to be held every two months and Country Watch meetings are held quarterly.

Non Partnership Activity:
PCSO Thorne has been dealing with a complaint of parking issues raised by a resident on Lea Park Estate. This is an ongoing issue, which is currently being investigated and a number of inquiries are being made to try to resolve this.

During June, an Aylesbury school held their leavers ball at The Spread Eagle. This passed with no incidents being reported to police.

PCSO Jackson has attended Lord Williams Lower School with a police officer to deal with pupils who have been involved with incidents during school times.

Due to us providing a visible presence for the majority of our shifts, we engage with our local community daily, allowing us to talk with people and deal with any issues they have.

Planned Activity
We have participated in the following operations during June:

Maginot – this operation continues to run, tackling travelling criminals entering and leaving our area.

Due to an increase in thefts from vehicles in the Thame area and surrounding villages, we have been deploying the Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) device at dedicated times and providing a highly visible police presence aimed at deterring and preventing offences taking place, offering reassurance and assisting in the capture and prosecution of offenders.

ANPR is a powerful tool that can help prevent crime by identifying flagged vehicles.

Benefits of ANPR
? ANPR identifies suspect vehicles that may not normally attract police attention.
? Unlicensed or uninsured vehicles are likely to be seized on the spot by ANPR equipped officers.
? It can be used to gather intelligence on known criminals, and for running pro-active operations using dedicated Roads Policing intercept teams.

ANPR cameras are not safety cameras – they are not used by Thames Valley Police to catch speeding or otherwise law abiding motorists. ANPR cameras are not used to generate money for the Government or other agencies.
Magpie – this operation involves checking parked vehicles in local car parks for valuables left on display.

Mangrove – this is running initially for eight weeks as a result of fuel thefts from heavy goods vehicles over recent weeks in our local area. This operation involves us carrying out static patrols in key areas at key times in marked vehicles.

Moonlight – this operation will be running continuously and is working to protect the night time economy of our Town centre by preventing and detecting ASB/violent assaults and managing licensed premises. PCSO?s are working with police officers to conduct high visibility patrols in the town centre and liaising with the pubs, carrying out licence checks.

Good News Stories
During June, we had a very buzzing three days, with Peter Andre visiting the town and meeting many members of the public. It was fantastic to see the local residents so happy, excited and in good spirits and we were very pleased that the Thame Carnival passed with very few neighbourhood policing issues. Peter visited a number of shops and businesses during his stay with us, including Lord Williams Lower School, where he attended an assembly.

Community Messaging:
This free service provides information to subscribers about crime and police activity in their area via phone or email. It also includes information on what we and our partner services are doing to bring offenders to justice or combat anti-social behaviour, and information on opportunities for local residents to raise concerns with their local policing teams.
More information can be obtained via our website, and you can sign up here too:
http://www.tvpcommunitymessaging.org/rmwebportal/startup.aspx

Have Your Say online
You can now send non-emergency messages to us using the online form that is available on the Thames Valley Police website. A number of people have already sent their concerns using this method. For you to do that please follow the link: http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/yournh/yournh-about-nh-pol/yournh-tvp-pol-area-n235-hys. Please allow some time for us to get back to you as we do check our mail box only at certain times of the day.

There is also the opportunity to attend Have Your Say meetings in person. Upcoming Have Your Say meetings are:-

? Wednesday 20 July 2011, midday ? 2pm at Thame Town Hall with PCSO Jackson

These meetings are an ideal opportunity for local residents to speak to their local police officers and PCSO?s about any local issues, no appointment is necessary just turn up and speak to your local officers. Further meetings will be publicised locally and on the force website at www.thamesvalley.police.uk

If you want any advice or would like to contact the neighbourhood team you can call us on the police non emergency number 0845 8 505505 or email: ThameNHPT@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk. Please note this email address cannot be used to contact Thames Valley Police to report crimes or for any urgent matters. Alternatively you can visit the force website at www.thamesvalley.police.uk to view information on your neighbourhood.

THE TV show, featuring Peter Andre and this year’s Thame Carnival, will be shown at the beginning of August.

The show, called Here To Help, will see Peter Andre and his team “offering a helping hand to the Great British public” in six episodes. ITV2 has commissioned the six-part series from CAN TV called Here To Help, which will feature Thame in programme five.

The first of the series will be shown on Thursday, July 14, at 9pm on ITV2.

Peter Andre and his team pitched up suddenly on the Wednesday before the carnival, surprising the organising team at Brothers Hair salon, who had pitched to the TV company for Thame to be involved. It was a closely guarded secret even from them which towns had been successful.

TWO creative sisters from Thame, Sam and Kim Osborne, have caught the eye of Thame town council, who have agreed to sell their greetings cards in the town hall information centre.

The girls’ fun designs are all taken from original illustrations by Kim and Sam, many of them printed by hand using the familiar method of printmaking called linocut.

The sisters have lived in Thame since 1990 and both attended Lord Williams School where they studied A-Level art. After leaving school each studied art and design diplomas and went on to complete degrees in graphic design at separate universities. Since returning to the town both of them have worked in the graphic design sector but recently decided to take the plunge and go freelance. Though working on separate design and illustration projects, whilst pursuing their love of printmaking and creating cards and prints, Sam and Kim sell together at craft fairs and online.

They told ThameNews.Net: ?We are thrilled to be selling at the Town Hall in Thame. It means that we have a permanent place for people to pop into to pick up our cards, which is great.”

“We are passionate about our designs and like to offer people something a little bit different,? said Sam. ?We both grew up surrounded by creative people and our passion for the arts was really fostered by the great
teachers at the art department at Lord Williams school, so it means a lot to us for our designs to now be on sale in the town,? added Kim.

The sisters will be adding designs to the range they are selling regularly, so you can always pop in and find something new. Look out for a Thame-themed range of designs which will include illustrations of iconic Thame buildings and local landmarks. They are also keen to sell a greater range of products in more local
venues, so keep an eye out when your next in town! You can also visit www.same-osborne.co.uk or www.thisisknockout.co.uk for news, information or to shop online.

Thame Information Centre at the Town Hall is open Monday to Wednesday 9am to 5pm, Thursday 9.30am to
5pm, Friday 9am to 4.30pm.

THE date that commemorates American independence, will have a different meaning this year in the high streets of our market towns.

On July 04, across the country, the public will be encouraged to buy at least one item from their local, independent shop to keep the high street alive.

Skillsmart Retail and the National Skills Academy for Retail have teamed up with independent retailers and trade associations around the country to encourage the public to celebrate diversity on the high street and support their local, independent retailers on July 04. Retailers can download the ?Your high street needs you!? poster online, ?like? the campaign on Facebook and follow it on twitter.

Fresh data from Local Data Company?s surveys of 2,700 UK retail destinations (out of a potential 4,400 total UK destinations), highlights that high street vacancy rates have started to rise again. The Local Data Company states that 14.6% of outlets are now vacant. This indicates that approximately 50,000 units are now not currently open to business on the UK high streets, showing just how challenging the situation is on the ground.

Chris Wade, Chief Executive of Action for Market Towns (AMT), said: ?AMT works with 400 member towns across the country to maintain local services and re-vitalise the High Street. We need to keep our town centres as vibrant places where everyone can do business.

?Our simple message is, one good shop cannot save the High Street but a handful working together maybe can. We are supporting Independents? Day 2011 and encouraging our members to support it too.?

Anne Seaman, Chief Executive of Skillsmart Retail said: ?We are delighted to lead this campaign and support small retailers. Raising awareness amongst the public is one of the biggest challenges smaller retailers face and our message is about encouraging the public to use their local high street and understand how important a diverse retail sector is.

It?s also essential that local retailers understand that to compete today they need to be top of their game. The time for sitting back has passed and action is required: Your high street needs you!?

SOUTH Oxfordshire District Council last night approved changes to its core strategy on where 814 additional new homes in the district should go, including Thame.

The council came up with its proposals in response to a directive from the planning inspector currently considering the council’s Core Strategy for future development to 2027. The inspector has ruled that the council cannot rely on windfall housing sites to meet any of its housing needs during that period.

The approved changes include:

Thame: 600 to the northwest of the town (site F) (revised from 530) and a further 175 in or around the town (sites to be specified in a later document).

Wallingford: 555 to the west of the town (revised from 400)

Larger villages: 1,154 (revised from 740).

The council said today: “Despite this initial set back the planning inspector is happy for the council to move its strategy forward by holding some of the examination hearings in July and addressing the other outstanding issues in early November. The changes will be published for six weeks, between Friday, July 8 and August 19, before re-submission to the inspector in time for him to recommence the proceedings on November 1.

Angie Paterson, Cabinet member for planning, said:

?The Council?s decision last night to approve the changes to housing numbers means we can now move the strategy forward again – although having to revise our numbers was a disappointment for us and for local communities, it is in all our interests to work to submit a strategy that the inspector will find to be sound.?

Find out more at: www.southoxon.gov.uk

SODC’s statment explains: “The increase of 70 more homes to the northwest of Thame is on the originally identified preferred site. We have concluded this is still the most appropriate location in terms of the impact on the road network, access to public transport and flood risk. Importantly, an increase of this number could be included without increasing the size of the site needed. However, since this site cannot accommodate all the housing needed for the town, we propose further work to identify land either within or around the town suitable for the remaining 175 homes. In future there is a possibility the Lord Williams’s Lower School site could fit many if not all of these homes.

“Wallingford?s increase of 155 additional homes is also on the originally identified preferred site, west of the town. We have concluded this is still the most appropriate location as the increase in homes could be included without increasing the size of the site needed. The site also offers the best accessibility to the town centre for pedestrians and cyclists.

“In the larger villages, an increase of 414 more homes from 740 would be between twelve villages and land at Bayswater Farm north east of Oxford. The larger villages include Benson, Berinsfield, Chalgrove, Chinnor, Cholsey, Crowmarsh Gifford, Goring, Nettlebed, Sonning Common, Watlington, Wheatley and Woodcote.

“Details on the exact locations for Thame, Henley and the larger villages will be discussed at a later date. The council will set out specific sites for development in this document following the principles we established and agreed in the core strategy.”

Windfall sites

Windfall sites are sites suitable for development but are either too small for inclusion in the council?s core strategy or their particular availability cannot be predicted at the time the strategy is prepared.

After extensive consultation last year, the council decided windfall sites should be included as part of the supply needed for it to meet the district’s housing ambitions for the district.

This approach, said the council, was welcomed by local communities as it meant smaller numbers of homes had to be allocated to named sites.

In May the inspector concluded there were no circumstances to justify the council?s reliance on a supply of housing from windfall sites, in the final five years of the plan to 2027 and that it would therefore be: “..inconsistent with national policy.”

A leading Supermarket chain that wants to build a store on Thame’s Cattlemarket site, has today issued a statement in response to a recent report about the growth in support of the Facebook cause ?Stop Sainsbury?s building a superstore at Thame?s Cattle Market.?

Andrew Sanderson, Sainsbury?s Regional Development Executive, said: “We received a lot of feedback from our initial consultation, which raised a number of issues and also included many expressions of support from local people.

“We are currently discussing our plans with local groups and addressing the issues that have been raised so that we can bring forward the best possible scheme for Thame, which will keep people shopping in the town and secure the long term future of the Cattle Market.

“We will be sharing our detailed plans with the local community over the coming weeks, together with an overview of the feedback that we have received so far.”

To read the original report, see:
https://www.thame.net/readmore.asp?Content_ID=6772&

IMAGE: Courtesy of http://www.localdatasearch.com

OXFORD Magistrates? Court have ordered three men to pay a total of

A Thame Town Councillor has spoken out against people who commit benefit fraud, after Benefit fraud investigators working for Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire District Councils helped to recover more than

SOUTH Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils are inviting all landowners in the area to come forward to take part in the Queen?s Golden Jubilee celebrations.

One lucky landowner will play their own small but significant part in this momentous day for the Queen, by hosting one of the 2012 beacons on 4 June 2012. Beacon locations will be listed in a special book for the Queen to treasure. The deadline for landowners to register interest is 21 August 2011.

The selected site will need to be on high ground and in a prominent location with public access, so as many residents as possible can enjoy the spectacle.

Matthew Barber, Leader of the Vale of White Horse District Council said: ?This is a prestigious once in a lifetime opportunity for the district and so we?re urging local landowners with a suitable location for a beacon to come forward as soon as possible to help support the Queen?s Diamond Jubilee.?

Ann Ducker, Leader of South Oxfordshire District Council said:

?We are lucky enough to have such beautiful countryside in southern Oxfordshire, so there should be lots of locations to choose from. This is a fantastic opportunity to bring the whole community together and I encourage people to come forward to help us celebrate this important occasion.?

Landowners with a suitable beacon site can send their name, address, telephone number and the location of the beacon to the council by emailing communications@southandvale.gov.uk or writing to Communications, South and Vale District Councils, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, OX10 8AD.

SOURCE: Press release

Oldham’s Jubilee Beacon.
Photograph by Nigel Hobson