Category: Thame news

NEW FUNDING will help ensure the continuation of the role of Project Officer, for Thame’s community partnership, 21st Century Thame.
The award of

STUDENTS from Lord Williams’s school, in Thame, took the opportunity to let the local police authority know how they felt about policing in the town, and revealed some surprising statistics.
Among their major concerns about public safety were people being drunk and rowdy, and people being insulting or intimidating towards them.
The majority of them said that they knew their local PCSOs (Police community Support Officers) and saw them around the town ‘often’.
When asked how safe or unsafe they felt during the day time, 46% said, ‘fairly safe’ and 26% said, ‘very safe.’ Around 6% said they felt ‘unsafe.’

When it came to after dark however, 33% said that they felt ‘very unsafe’ with 19% feeling ‘fairly’ safe. When asked where, particularly they felt unsafe, individual pupils replied: the Co-op alley, when the fair is in town, passing pubs and the Churchill Crescent play area and Pearce Way.

Neighbourhood Sergeant, Chris Hazell, told the students that that he and his officers were aware of some of these areas and targeted areas where young people are likely to be and want to help make them feel safer. He added that in fact, there had been no incidents at the fair this year despite a lot of rumours before hand.

He told the pupils that it was important that they took sensible precautions about where they went and the route they took, by for instance not going around alone late at night and especially not going to places like Cuttlebrook at night alone.

Almost half of the pupils present said that they had been cyber-bullied, with one of them suggesting that that it was easier to bully peope on-line than face-to-face.
The advice was to stop communicating with the ‘cyber bully’ immediately and to tell someone about it straight away.

When asked if they thought the police understood the problems of young people in South Oxfordshire, almost half (47%) said that they did not. “They do not appreciate,” said one pupil, “that we feel intimidated by large numbers of ‘Chavs’ standing around and that it is difficult for us to talk to the police about what worries us when we are in groups.”

They agreed that an anonymous text or email contact would be useful. They did not think that a drop-in box for anonymous comments at the town hall for example, would be used.

When asked if they thought they were treated fairly, the highest number of them voted “No,” feeling that they were judged by their social group or the clothes they wear. One of the pupils complained that some of them were searched by the police every Friday night in Elms Park.
It was explained by Sgt Hazell, that the reason for the searches was that Elms Park is a priority of the NAG (Neighbourhood Action Group) because of anti-social behaviour associated with under-age drinking and drug taking, which was being tackled. “We want to make it safer for everybody,” he explained, “so local officers will search people if there is any suspicion of criminal activity.”

The pupils were reminded that they would find a leaflet describing their rights about Stop and Search, and that they could challenge officers if they felt those rights were being abused.

On the questions of alcohol, 64% admitted that they did drink alcohol ‘sometimes’ with over half (52%) saying that they got it from their parents. 21% said that their parents gave it to them to take out, against 79% who said that they did not.

On the question of committing a crime, the pupils were more-or-less split down the middle as to whether a crime against a big business was less serious than a crime against an individual.

The final questions were to do with how much care the pupils took when they were out-and-about. 69% said that they did not think about, whilst 25% replied ‘lots’ and when asked how? they said that they always took their mobile phones with them and made sure they went out with friends.

Finally, the pupils expressed their feelings about comments in the press that the police should not ask young people about how they should go about Community Policing.

Their responses?

“Do not underestimate kids. Many crimes are committed by young people and so we understand what’s behind them very often.”

“We do know what we are talking about and should be appreciated more.”

“We understand the problems as well as living in the community.”

“We are people too; we’re just a bit smaller.”

Hazell Bell, Chair of the Oxfordshire Police Committee, who organised the meeting, said: “These events are an opportunity for young people to influence policing and community safety at a local and Forcewide level by talking to the people who really can influence change in the Thames Valley Police Force and at South Oxfordshire District Council.
“All the information, data and comments from the young people who attended this ‘Have your say’ meeting, and that from the recent, on-line questionaire, will be fed back to the school and will influence the Police Authority’s strategy for the coming year and influence local initiatives including safety strategies for young people.”

FIREWORK fiends will be feeling the heat this Autumn when enforcement agencies across the county launch a major crackdown on illegal practices.
The newly-formed Oxfordshire Fireworks Partnership will be hitting the streets in a bid to improve public safety during the firework season.

Officers from Oxfordshire County Council’s Trading Standards will carry out evening patrols with Thames Valley Police, Cherwell, South Oxfordshire, West Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse district councils and Oxford City Council.

Support will be provided at all times by Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service.
Roving patrol cars will visit areas known to attract firework misuse and clamp down on anti-social and illegal behaviour.

Teams will also carry out spot-checks at local shops to root out traders selling illegal or unsafe fireworks, as well as those breaking storage regulations.

An underage test-purchasing exercise will take place to identify traders selling fireworks to under-18s.

Fears during firework season

Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Judith Heathcoat, said: “This is an exciting new partnership to improve public safety at what can be a dangerous and frightening time for many people.
“By working with the police and our district and city council partners we have a breadth of expertise and local knowledge at our disposal to make what we hope will be a significant impact. We really feel like we’ve lit the blue touch paper here.”

Oxfordshire Commander, Chief Supt Brendan O’Dowda, added: “This is an excellent initiative which involves all partner agencies coming together to tackle anti-social behaviour and criminal damage that unfortunately takes place when fireworks get into the wrong hands.
“When fireworks are used properly, they can provide a spectacular centre piece to an event. When fireworks are used illegally, they can intimidate law-abiding members of the public and, above all, put people in danger.
“Anyone who flouts the law could end up with a prison sentence or a

THIS is a Ringmaster message from Thames Valley Police. Between Saturday, October 18 and Sunday, October 19, a property in Cotmore Gardens, Thame, was subjected to an attempted burglary.
If you have any information relating to this message, please call the Police on 08458 505 505 and quote URN 476 of 19th October 2008.

THAME’s MP, John Howell, has written to Thames Valley?s Chief Constable, Sara Thornton, demanding an urgent meeting with a senior police officer following, what he called “a spate of rural crimes on estates and common land across the constituency”.

Recent crimes, he said, have included lamping (night shooting of foxes and game), chasing deer with vehicles, destruction of crops, mindless maiming of animals, destruction of gates and fences with cars and setting cars alight.

“In addition,” continued Howell, “local residents have been intimidated from taking vehicle numbers or from trying to prevent the crimes by blocking access.
“Given how mindless and distressing this wave of crime is, it is not surprising that the strength of feeling locally is very strong on this issue.
“I am fully aware how stretched the police are, but I think it is necessary for them now to commit a senior officer to a public meeting with those affected so that we can discuss what real action can be taken.
“If we do not take action on this now, I am worried that a serious and life-threatening event might occur.”

A THAME hair consultant was today jailed for sexual offences against women, carried out in his clinic between 2004 and 2007.
Father of four, Praminder Mankoo, was given a three year prison sentence for each of one count of indecent assault and three of sexual assault, by Judge Mary Jane Mowatt, at Reading Crown Court this afternoon.

Prosecuting Counsel, Kate Mallinson, told the court that all the victims went to Mankoo because they were very distressed and concerned about their hair and that “…they clearly felt preyed on by someone they went to for help. They felt defiled and gullible.”

The judge said that Mankoo was “clearly in a state of self-deception” and believed that he was misunderstood.
“Despite police cautions and reports in the newspapers,” she told him, “you continued to act inappropriately and entirely unprofessionally with one of your clients, which you have admitted to.”

Defending Mankoo, Christine Agnew said: “He is in many ways an imperfect man – yes, but he is a kind man with a weakness.”
“He does accept,” she went on, “that they (his victims) have been caused some distress which he has caused and he is remorseful.
He was also, she said, deeply sorry for what he had put his family through.

Miss Agnew said that it was the massaging that triggered the unacceptable behaviour and that with the provisos in place once he has completed his sentence, she did not think that it would be very easy for Mankoo to rebuilt his business.

All four sentences are to run concurrently. Once released, Mankoo will have to take part in a sex offenders treatment course for a further three years and if he resumes operating as a practioner, may not carryout out massages, and any treatment must be carried out with another female present on the premises. He will remain on the Sexual Offences register indefinitely.

Photo: Courtesy of BBC.Co.uk

CORRECTION – The public meeting to discuss an economic strategy for the future of Thame, on Monday, November 3, will be held at Lord Williams? Schools, Oxford Road, Thame, Oxon OX9 2AQ, and NOT at the town hall, as reported on Tuesday.
Participants will review the work done at the launch event on Tuesday, October 14, against Thame?s specific aims and objectives and begin action planning for the town during facilitated workshops.

CORRECTION – The man airlifted to hospital was in the grey Vauxhall car and NOT in the Mercedes as previously reported.

A MAN is being treated for life threatening injuries following a road traffic incident in Kingsey, near Thame, this afternoon.
The crash, which happened on the Princes Risborough Road at around lunchtime today, involved two cars, a greay Vauxhall and a blue Mercedes.

Princes Risborough Road and Windmill Road were closed between 12.45pm and 4.30pm.

The man, who was in the Vauxhall car, was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital by air ambulance.

AFTER Thame residents identified anti-social behaviour and vandalism as their top priorities, the town’s Neighbourhood Action Group (NAG), which includes the police and local authorities, as well as community groups, has been working on the perceived main hot spot for such behaviour, Elms Park in Thame.

In their recent bullitin, the NAG highlighted the following actions:

?Thame Town Council have refurbished the play area and have submitted a bid for extra fencing

?Extra signs are going to be erected in the
park to help the Community Support Officers (PCSO) ensure that older teenagers are not misusing the young children?s play area

?The NAG has carried out publicity to raise
awareness of the problem and encourage the reporting of incidents. A residents group is now running in Park Street

?Extra police patrols have taken place on foot and an underage drinking initiative has been running across Thame.

You can help by reporting any anti?social behaviour to the police on 08458 505505 or 999 if a crime is happening.

A WORKSHOP, designed to lay the ground for future economic development of the Market Towns of South Oxfordshire, took place this morning.
In welcoming delegates from local businesses, town and parish councils, organisations and individuals, SODC’s Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Rodney Mann, said that it was “critical” that an economic development strategy be formed for each of the three market towns in the district – Thame, Wallingford and Henley – if they were to thrive into the future.

After some group discussion about what the key elements of a thriving market town were, it became clear that the major themes were:

Shops (“the retail offer”)
Distinctiveness
Identity
Housing – affordable for younger people
Balanced community
Feelings of ‘belonging’- cohesiveness, vibrancy
Good transport links
Parking
Events – a public space to hold them
Markets
‘Liveliness’ night-time economy etc
Nurturing local business

A presentation of data about the district revealed the following:

* That Thame can expect to experience a slight
decrease in population between now and 2016.

* That, although Oxfordshire generally is mostly made
up of “wealthy achievers, there are pockets of
poverty in all three market towns.

* There is an upward trend in the number of businesses
in the area (figures of course collected before the
current economic crisis)

* Less than 1% in the area claims job seeker’s
allowance

* The Service industry is the biggest employer

* 10% of the area’s income comes from Tourism

* The average ‘tourist’ spends