Category: Thame news

THE Police are appealing for witnesses after a robbery in Wheatley today (22/6).

Between 9.15am and 9.20am, two men entered the Harvester Restaurant in London Road and stole the weekend takings from a member of staff.

The offenders are white and were dressed in dark clothing. One was believed to have been wearing a baseball cap.

Det Sgt Alun Watkins, leading the investigation, said: “I am interested in speaking to anyone who was in Wheatley this morning and saw two men running away from the restaurant.

“It is believed the offenders jumped over a wall onto the London Road and ran away from the village towards the M40. There is a lay-by about 100 yards from the restaurant that is frequently used by fisherman and walkers. Were you here this morning? Did you witness two people acting suspiciously? If so, please get in touch.”

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Det Sgt Watkins via Thames Valley Police Enquiry Centre on 0845 8 505 505. If you don?t want to speak to police and don?t want to leave your name contact the Crimestoppers charity on 0800

THAME restaurants and food outlets that that have scored low on the ‘Scores on the Door’ website, for hygiene, are today reviewing their response to the findings.

Some of them are questioning whether the results of an inspection carried out 18 months ago, that may have picked up on one or two negative aspects of their hygiene, which have since been rectified, should be published on the website.

Like many other local authorities, South Oxfordshire District Council operates a “Scores on the Doors” project to make the public aware of the health and hygiene status of the restaurants they visit. Under this system the restaurants are inspected regularly and allocated 1-5 stars based on their findings.

Among the Thame premises that sell or prepare food scored on the website, Barley Hill school scored the same as Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons – four stars.

On the SODC section of the Scores on the Doors website, there is button where business proprietors have “the right of reply” which, once it has been reviewed and approved, will, the council says, be displayed as part of that establishment’s listing.

Dorothy Brown, South Oxfordshire District Council Cabinet Member responsible for health, states on SODC’s website: “Scores on the Doors is an excellent new resource for everyone and I’m sure our residents will find it reassuring they can easily check the rating of local restaurants, shops and caf

THAME Town Council has roundly rejected the preferred site for a new housing development, questioning the “soundness” of the draft plan that will determine future housing provision.

In a very lengthy and detailed response to South Oxfordshire District Council, who are currently consulting on the development of a Core Strategy for the district up to the year 2026, the town council expresses particulary strong objections relating to the level and distribution of proposed housing for Thame and questions basically the whole evidence base of the whole CS in respect of housing growth. TTC suggests that more homes should be build in the larger villages.

After telling councillors at there meeting on Tuesday (16/06/09) that there is a view that the town council does not listen, the Town Clerk, Helen Stewart, proposed that Thame Town Council form a working group made up of the Chiltern Vale Residents Association, Cattlemarket Action Group CMAG, Cuttle Brook Nature Reserve Volunteers, a District Councillor (Ann Midwinter), Heads and Governors of schools, a Morton residents representative, Thame First, Thame Health Centre and five town councillors, in order to “present a cohesive view to South Oxfordshire District Council,” about what Thame wants.

Town and District Cllr Mike Welply said: “We need SODC to know that the four horsemen of the Apocalypse are coming upon them from Thame.”

In its written response to SODC, the town council also stated that SODC should “fundamentally review” the whole strategy.

Some of the concerns expressed by local residents about the so-called ‘preferred option’ site, farm land between Cuttle Brook and Moreton, are that the reserve itself could be damaged and that there would be increased flooding in the area.

At a previous council meeting, Caroline Emery, speaking for SODC, said that her and her team were constrained by the South East draft plan when it came to the number of new homes needed to be built in the region and that they were currently refining the options as a result of consultations, including liaising with infrastructure agencies.

It was explained that option D was chosen after carrying out full appraisals including bio diversity and education, and that the site has good access to the town centre which it is thought, would be more likely to encourage people to walk and cycle to town.

It was also explained that there was no intention to build right up to the Cuttlebrook Nature Reserve but to create landscaping to form a recreation area or extension to it.

Image: Cllr Mike Welply leads in The Four horses of the Apocalypse 🙂

A NEW star rating system for food hygiene has been launched, so that the public can now see for themselves just how clean their local restaurants and other food outlets are.

Follow the link
to see just how Thame fares.

THAME Town Council, which has criticised a draft economic plan for the town, calling it “unfit for purpose”, has now come up with its own.

As part of a consultation exercise South Oxfordshire District Council, which has the responsibility for economic development in the district, has been awaiting the town council’s response to its draft plan. It (SODC) has pointed out that there is now some urgency to move forward because SEEDA (South East Economic Development Agency) funding, available to take these plans forward, is soon to be reduced and there is a fear that Thame could miss the boat. (Match funding from SODC to carry its Market Towns economic development plans, is dependent on SEEDA funding.)

After some amendments following consultation, Henley and Wallingford are already taking their plans forward.

See previous news report

The town council’s plan is very similar in many aspects to SODC’s plan but in many cases is just more detailed or includes projects already within the scope of the town council’s remit or 21st Century Thame’s Action plan, like reviewing signage and Thame?s branding, looking at parking in the town and organising different markets to attract visitors. Their are, however, some new ideas in there too.

The following are some of the ideas in the town council’s plan (anyone who would like to see the whole plan, can email: editor@thamenews.net for a copy):

Support and encourage more independent businesses in order to maintain the town’s distinctiveness.

Form a group with representation from both the business sector and residents to work with consultants on the distinctiveness factor(s).

Develop a strong working Business Partnership including the industrial areas around the town.

Invite Business Link to organise a Business Support Fair in Thame ?

Establish baseline economic data

Employ a Town Manager

Undertake a feasibility study to form a Business Improvement District (BID)
BID.
Consult on a draft business plan

Improve visitor and information facilities with week end opening hours
Supplementary visitor information services at the Museum and the Spread Eagle Hotel

Refurbish / upgrade toilets in Market House

Design a town brand to establish a recognisable identity to be used as a marketing tool to develop the town’s distinctiveness
Develop and implement a marketing strategy so that the town is well promoted and marketed, especially Thame’s events and attractions

Develop joint Midsomer Murder Trails with Wallingford and surrounding villages. Perhaps get local restaurants/hotels to put on Murder Mystery dinners to compliment the trails

Form a steering group to develop post GCSE training opportunities and identify what training is needed and how to deliver it
Provide a Skills Centre

Help form a Training Forum that will bring employers, training providers and residents together to enable access to training provision and identify training needs

Liaise with the market traders to see if the market can be improved

Organise different markets in the town to attract visitors

Establish the case for upgrading, improving streets, especially The Buttermarket

Claim ownership of The Shambles

Join English Historic Town Forum (EHTF) Association of Market Towns (AMT)

Investigate what can be achieved through Heritage Protection & Principles of Conservation

Refurbish, redesign the links from specific areas to the High Street and Swan Walk

Undertake an audit of signs in the town and produce an action list for implementation

Develop an annual programme of events

What is not included in TTC’s plan compared to SODC’s is where the resources will come from to implement the plan or time scales. It does however set out a system of short, medium and long-term priorities.
LINK
to SODC’s plan for Thame

At its meeting on Tuesday (June 16, 2009), The town council agreed to form a working group of councillors to take the plan forward, and agreed that SODC should be invited to attend that group’s meetings if it wanted to.

THE RSPCA has issued an urgent appeal for information after two cygnets were found dead, in Thame.

The bodies of the cygnets were discovered last Friday, June 12, 2009, at Priest End. One body was apparently floating in the water and the other was on the riverbank.
It is not known how the swans died but RSPCA inspector, Martin Rivett, was reportedly told that youths had been seen swinging bottles on ropes at the swans from a bridge on Wednesday.

He said: “It is hard to tell how the cygnets had died, especially as the one on the bank had since been attacked by another animal.

“However, if they were the targets of such an appalling and deliberate attack, we need to hear from anyone who knows anything about this.”

Anyone found guilty of injuring or killing a protected wild bird could face a maximum six-month prison sentence and/or a

THE Police are appealing for witnesses following a break-in at an industrial unit in Thame, where gardening equipment worth more than

HUNDREDS of local families lined Thame’s High Street on Saturday, to watch one of the most colourful and entertaining carnival processions in recent years.

The overall winning entry, judged by the Mayor of Thame, Jeannette Matelot-Green, and Thame’s MP, John Howell, was John Hampden School with their walking entry with singing and colourful, hard-hitting message about conserving the planet. Barley Hill school won the walking entry class and Tanya School of Dancing, the the motorised float section.

The floats this year included Racquets Fitness Centre, their entry including a member of the squash club actually hitting a squash ball against a mobile wall being carried by two, very fit fellow members! They were followed by several fitness club members demonstrating in unison, exercises on large, blue ‘Fit’ balls. The Racquets’ team were also celebrating after winning the tug-of-war contest in the main arena at the fete, which followed the procession, on the Southern Road recreation area. There were also four junior tug of war teams competing in the junior challenge.

The Thame Classic Motor Club, which led the parade, behind the fire engine, paraded around the arena, followed by a fire juggler who ‘wowed’ the crowd with his awesome display of fire juggling. Thame United’s goalie was kept very busy keeping out shots from mums, dads and children with his ‘Beat the goalie’ challenge.

The Red Kites scooter club attracted a lot of interest from us ex-mods, conjuring up memories of parkers, desert boots and mass rides to Margate in the early 1960’s.

The Mayor of Thame, Jeannette Matelot-Green, told ThameNews.Net today: “I thought the whole day was marvellous, right from the start with the classic cars leading the parade through the town, and the lovely sight of so many people and especially the children from the three primary schools who had gone to so much trouble with their wonderful costumes!

“And then to arrive at the fete to see so many stalls run by local businesses, charities and community groups – such a heart-warming example of the town coming together.

“It was wonderful to see our twinning friends from Montesson who did so well with their stall and had such demand for crepes, that they had to send off for more fuel for the generator that was powering their hot plate!

“It was such a privalege to wave the flag to start the 24 hour, Classic car club’s tour of the town, which the club ran for charity.

“The whole day was perfect, of course helped so much by the sun which shone over us for the whole afternoon – an unforgettable day!”

A TOWERSEY sports coach, found guilty of sex offences against an 8 year-old child, has been bailed for a further month, because the Probation Service failed to complete a report in time.

Richard Nicholas Templar Graves, of Towersey, was due to be sentenced this morning by Judge Julian Hall, at Oxford Crown Court. But the judge was told that the Probation Service had given the job of preparing a report to someone who was not qualified to deal with this type of case.

After hearing that 55 year-old Graves now accepted his guilt, and stating that a letter had been received from his doctor which must be considered by the Probation Service, the judge ordered that Graves report back to court on or around July 13, 2009, when reports must be presented.

12/06/09