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Category: Thame news

  • 21/03/11…Thame Senior Citizen who was at the relief of Belsen dies

    ONE of only three people of Thame with the official title of Honorary Thame Citizen, Len Webb, has died at the age of 89.

    Len was a much loved and respected long-time resident of Thame, who as a councillor, four-times Mayor, and instigator of so many Thame institutions, became one of the most recognised figures around Thame, especially in his latter years when he was to be seen around in his mobility scooter ready to chat to everyone who knew him.

    Len Webb was made the first Honorary Citizen of Thame in December, 1999, in recognition of his long, exemplary and outstanding public service to the people of Thame, both as a citizen and a councillor.
    His achievements include:
    * Serving from 1969 to 1995 as a Thame Councillor
    * Serving from 1977 to 1991 as a Thame District
    Councillor
    * Mayor of Thame from 1975 to 1979 and Deputy Mayor
    on two occassions
    * School Governor of John Hampden school in 1969,
    serving for 26 years, including as Chairman from
    1975 to 1990
    * Helping to set up and Chair ‘Thame In Bloom’
    * Setting up and chairing Thame Carnival for many
    years
    * Setting up and Chairing Thame PHAB Club for the
    Physically Handicapped and Able Bodied, for many years
    * Becoming a Trustee of The Thame Barns Centre in
    1990
    * Chairman of The Friends of Meadowcroft in 2000
    * Chairing the Thame Golden Jubilee Festival
    Organising committee 2002

    Len was also responsible for setting up the first Thame & District Twinning Association when the town was twinned with Nontron, and the Thame Citizens Advice Bureau. When the Princess Royal, Princess Anne opened the premises of the CAB in February 1995, Len was there to greet her. Previously, in 1985, he was delighted to welcome Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret to Thame, when she opened the new Health Centre.

    Len joined the Boy Scout movement when he was eleven years old, going on to become Scout Master and finally Assistant District Commissioner until retirement aged 65.

    Len would sometimes recollect his memories as a young army driver during WWII when in April 1945, he was assigned to Brigadier Glyn Hughes CBE,DSO,MC,FRCGP, who was the medical officer in charge of the liberation of the notorious Belsen concentration camp.

    Fellow Honorary Thame Citizen, Town and District Cllr David Dodds, who worked with Len on Thame Council for many years, said: ?With Len, there was no politicking; he was straight, direct and honest in all his council work. He was also determined to see things through. A broken leg was not going to stop him enjoying one of his civic balls.?

    Len will be remembered by his family and community as a stalwart and loving believer in the importance of community involvement.

    PHOTO: Len Webb, who died last Saturday, March 19, photographed at what was to be one of his last outings, to the Thame Remembrance Day service in Thame back in November, 2010, proudly wearing his service medals.

  • 19/03/11…..Thame man arrested in paedophile ring smash

    A 19-year-old man from Thame is among 180 people arrested in 30 countries, as part of Operation Rescue which has smashed the world’s biggest Internet child sex ring.

    Thames Valley Police have confimred that the man was arrested on suspicion of making, possessing and distributing indecent images of children on January 9.

    The operation was led by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) and centred around a website, since taken down, where the abuse of babies and children was discussed.

    More arrests are expected in Britain, which CEOP says could amount to 1,200 people.

    The man has been bailed until May 9.

  • 18/03/11…..Concerns over new re-cycling centre

    A proposed re-cycling centre on the edge of Long Crendon, near Thame, has raised concerns about traffic, dust, litter and noise among some villagers.

    Tim Soar, of Frogmore Lane, Long Crendon, is so concerned that he has set up a Public Discussion on the village website for local people to comment.

    By March 11, Tim said, he had been in touch with a number of Long Crendon residents, “..none of whom knew about a planning application currently in place to convert an arable field on the village side of the industrial estate into a centre to sort 120,000 tonnes of industrial, household and construction waste a year with 176 trucks a day in and out!

    “This is on a field a stone’s throw from the edge of the village!” he continued. “Needless to say the effect on the village would be huge in terms of truck traffic, dust and litter borne on the wind, and noise – heavy machinery including crushers will operate from 7am six days a week.”

    The application number is: 11/20001/AWD and can be viewed at the Bucks CC website where comments can be submitted:

    “a href=”http://bucksplanning.buckscc.gov.uk/PublicAccessLive/tdc/DcApplication/application_detailview.aspx?caseno=LGT58FDS1F000″target=”_blank”>http://bucksplanning.buckscc.gov.uk/PublicAccessLive/tdc/DcApplication/application_detailview.aspx?caseno=LGT58FDS1F000

  • 18/03/11…Reassurance from Thames Valley Police

    [Reference: M 18/03/037]
    THIS is a Community Message from Thames Valley Police.
    Thames Valley Police officers have reassured members of the public in Thame that police are no longer investigating three reports of incidents involving young people in the town. The incidents relate to one in Cattlemarket on January 20, one in Towersey in February and one in Wellington Street on March 13.

    PC Abi Kirkham, Schools Liaison Officer in Thame said: ?My colleagues and I have fully investigated all three of these incidents and I am satisfied that all lines of enquiry have been followed up and there is nothing to suggest any offences have taken place.

    ?Never stop and talk to strangers or get into any unknown vehicles. If asked to do so, leave immediately and let an adult know (parent/teacher) or someone you can trust, and then call the police as soon as possible.?

    This message has been sent out at the request of the Thame Neighbourhood Policing Team together with the Police Schools Liaison Officer PC Abi Kirkham, who can be contacted on 08458 505 505.

    Message Ends.

  • 18/03/11…….Tribute To Victor Scott, Naturalist And Horticulturalist

    MANY will have been saddened to hear the news of the recent death of naturalist and horticulturalist, Victor Scott at the age of 82. Over many years he had given fascinating talks accompanied by amusing anecdotes of his travels, to many local organisations, on plants, birds and animals he?d seen and photographed in Britain and around the world.

    One of his major occupations more recently was to lead Natural History tours all around the world for some major companies.

    As a teenager, Victor learnt Czech and became good friends with members of the Czech government, who were in exile in his home village of Aston Abbotts and in nearby Wingrave during World War II. He retained his contacts with the Czech government and in recent years helped organise an annual Czech day in the two villages. He also gave guided tours of buildings in Aston Abbotts associated with the Czech government, and many also benefited from open days at his lovely garden.

    Contributed by Christina Jeffery

  • 17/03/11……Attention foodies, coming soon to a village near you….

    ENGLISH food expert, cookery writer and presenter, Lotte Duncan, has chosen the Oxfordshire village of Chinnor, near Thame, to launch her very first cafe and deli venture and, like Lotte herself, this establishment promises to be distinctive, warm, welcoming and just a little off the wall – in the nicest possible way.

    As well as selling both British and Irish charcuterie and cheeses, and organic milk, ‘Lotte’s Kitchen’ will sell seasonal fruit and veg and the basics all the year round so local villagers will still be able to buy their everyday fruit and veg as sold before the current proprietors, ‘Fresh Fruits’ decided to retire. And, fear not for the wild-life of Chinnor; Lotte has promised to carry on selling the bird seed and nuts that so many villagers have come to rely on in the winter months for their feathered friends.

    Cookware, gifts and demos

    There’ll be a lot more to Lotte’s Kitchen though than food, drink and hospitality. For she also intends to sell cookware and giftware, and regular food and cookery demonstrations and tastings, Lotte’s real forte, will be a regular feature.

    Relax and enjoy – every day of the week

    The front part of the shop will be mostly taken up by Lotte’s cafe which will be open between 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday, and 9am – 5pm on Saturdays for breakfasts, lunches and afternoon teas. On Sundays between 10am and 4pm, Lotte will be open for All-Day brunches, waffles and healthy options like Cynnamon rolls.

    Lotte is very keen that ‘Lotte’s Kitchen’ becomes a destination place where people can go to relax and enjoy themselves, either just for a coffee, or to sit with the newspaper on a Sunday and enjoy brunch.

    Service with a smile

    “People will be just as welcome,” said Lotte, “whether they buy a carrot or sit down for lunch. We want Lotte’s Kitchen to be a real home-from-home where everyone will be served with a smile – and any staff member who doesn’t will be sacked!” she says. Lotte insists that every member of staff will have tasted and tried everything themselves and so will be able to provide relevant and accurate information about all their products to customers.

    Looking to the future, Lotte will be aiming to provide veg boxes and extend to selling English wines.

    She aims to be open for business on or before April 30, the weekend of the royal wedding.

    Find out more about Lotte Duncan by visiting her website: http://www.lotteduncan.com/index.html

  • 16/03/11……Clever dogs and talented dancers at Thame Carnival

    PLANS for the programme for Thame’s Carnival, under the Chairmanship of Thame Town Cllr Nichola Dixon, continue and will this year include a dog show in the arena, organised by Pet Care in Cornmarket, Thame.

    In line with the theme of Mardi Gras, demonstrations in the main arena at Southern Road Recreation Area aftr the processession of floats through the town, will include local dance and fitness groups.

    The date for the carnival is Saturday, June 18th.

    PHOTO: Courtesy of www.abilvale.com

  • 16/03/11…..Three continental markets for Thame

    FOLLOWING the popularity of French markets in Thame, especially the one-day Cafe Culture created in Buttermarket, two more French markets are planned by Thame Town Council for the coming months, and an Italian market.

    The first of the two French markets will once again be located around the town hall, and will arrive on Thursday, June 30 and run to Saturday, July 2.

    The second French market will operate on Thursday, December 1, to Saturday, December 3, co-inciding with the Thame Christmas event on the Friday, December 2. The regular stall from Thame’s twin town, Montesson, selling wine, cheese and other French produce, will still visit the town for the Christmas event.

    The Italian market will take place from Thursday, August 11, to Saturday, August 13, 2011.

  • 15/03/11…..Thame’s MP challenges council over youth centres

    LOCAL MP, John Howell, has expressed his disappointment that the County Council will not be setting up a hub for children and young people’s services in his constituency.

    The MP had lobbied for there to be at least one ‘Early Intervention Hub’ in the constituency, but in a letter the County Council has said that it is not possible at the moment to stretch the funding to provide an eighth hub nor does it seem likely in the near future. The only hub in the whole of south Oxfordshire will now be in Didcot.

    John explained: “Under the Council?s proposals, its children and young people provision will be concentrated in seven hubs, the principal role of which is to deal with improving outcomes for children who are disadvantaged or disengaged. Other children will have to fall back on local youth centres which will, therefore, by default have to play a much bigger role in providing services to local children and young people. These are also precisely the youth centres from which the Council is withdrawing funding.

    “Many of these centres are at great distances from Didcot and there is no explanation of how useful links will be made in these circumstances.

    John continued: “I am disappointed that my suggestion of an early intervention hub in the constituency has been rejected and that there will apparently be little help in providing the early preventative intervention to stop young people here becoming disengaged. There is also an issue here of fairness. The number of youth centres in this constituency from which funding is being withdrawn accounts for about a third of all those in a similar situation across the whole of the county. That is disproportionate.?

    Where funding is being withdrawn communities will be able to bid for funds from the Council?s Big Society Fund to own and run the youth centres themselves.

    On this, John commented: ?I am all for communities taking on the ownership and running of local services. Henley and Watlington, Chalgrove and Chinnor are good examples of local creativity in youth provision. Local communities anyway often make a much better job of running these services than local or central Government. I recognise too of course the need the council has to do things differently in order to save money.

    ?But this situation is very different from taking on an existing service and simply running it. First, the council is proposing major structural change in youth provision with the creation of the seven hubs. Secondly, it is asking local youth centres effectively to take on the Council?s aim to deliver good outcomes for all children and young people. Thirdly, it is doing that without first having made sure that those youth centres have a stable future ? whatever form that may take.?

    John is urging all constituents to complete the council?s questionnaire April 4, and to ask for an eighth early intervention hub in the constituency.

    https://myconsultations.oxfordshire.gov.uk/consult.ti/CYPFServiceRedesign/answerQuestionnaire?qid=102947

    SOURCE: Press release

  • 14/03/11…Council prepares to submit controversial Core Strategy

    SOUTH Oxfordshire District Council is preparing to submit its draft Core Strategy to the secretary of state this week. The document, which follows several acrimonious public and planning meetings, sets out how the council will help deliver new housing, opportunities for jobs in town centres across the district.

    After submission, the secretary of state will appoint an independent planning inspector to scrutinise the strategy. The inspector will hold a series of hearings during the summer to examine evidence from supporters, objectors and the council. The inspector will then produce a report, expected before the end of the year. If the final decision is that the strategy is sound, then the council can go on to adopt it in early 2012.

    Angie Paterson, Cabinet member for planning, said: ?A significant amount of hard work has gone into getting the Core Strategy to this important stage. This is a crucial time for us – with our Local Plan coming to an end this year, we need a clear vision to help us to continue to attract funding and investment. We also need to ensure we are in control of what development happens where – development led by our vision and not by speculative planning applications.?

    The plan sets out some development in Thame, Henley, and Wallingford aimed, says SODC, at helping to “revitalise and reinforce their roles as market towns.”

    The Core Strategy makes the following recommendations:

    Thame: a site to the north west of the town (site F, the old pig farm on the Oxford Road, opposite Lord Williams’s school) as the site for around 530 new homes.

    Wallingford: a site to the west of the town, known as Slade End Farm (Site B) as the site for 400 new homes over the next 15 years.

    Henley: 400 new homes over the next 15 years. The precise locations of these homes will be decided in a later stage.

    Didcot: a site to the north east of the town for 2030 new homes over the next 15 years and approximately 300 new homes in the town centre, making a total of 2330 for the town.

    The strategy also states that: “In the larger villages, some development would be allowed to help limit decline and make them strong enough to sustain day-to-day services. The strategy also contains details of the necessary infrastructure needed to support all housing development that takes place.”

    NB To read all back stories on the Core Strategy, enter the words Core Strategy in the Search box, top right, beneath the Racquets’ ad.