Category: More News

A THAME Town Councillor, who is fighting against the removal of subsidies for some rural bus routes, intends to travel on the threatened buses to gain signatures for a petition.

In a letter to the Editor of Thame.Net today, Cllr Mary Stiles explains what’s behind her petition and why these rural routes are so important for many local people:

“DEAR Editor, I write in my capacity as Thame Town Council’s Parish Transport Representative.

On Tuesday, January 26, Oxfordshire County Council Cabinet voted to recommend to the full council their proposed budget, which in addition to drastic cuts to many other county council services (e.g. children’s centres and day centres for elderly people), includes withdrawing all bus subsidies. (See Thame.Net’s report)

In Thame this would mean ending the contract in June, with Vale Travel to operate the 120/121/123/124 service.

Many local residents have contacted me to explain how this bus service is a lifeline for them, because it is the only way they have of getting into town from the eastern part of town e.g. Garden City and Towersey Drive, as they do not have their own transport and are unable to walk that far. It is also the only way many people in Tetsworth have to get to the doctor’s surgery.

I addressed the Cabinet on the 26th to ask them to rethink the policy to abolish all bus subsidies and, despite failing to get cabinet members to change their minds then, I intend to address the full council meeting on February 16, to ask all councillors to vote against this devastating budget. I will also present a petition from local residents asking all councillors to vote against the budget and to keep the 120/121/123/124 service running.

It does not have to be a daily service, as residents have told me that two or three times a week would suffice. That is not asking for much.
There will be a copy of the petition in the information bureau at Thame Town Hall during office hours and I shall be travelling on the bus to collect signatures between now and Monday, February 15.

I urge as many of your readers as possible to sign the petition, if they agree that it is important to keep this service running, whether or not they themselves actually use it.
Thank you.
Mary Stiles
Willow Road
Thame

CHINNOR’S Forget-Me-Not, Monday morning Café is there to provide information, peer support and fun activities aimed at helping with co-ordination, brain stimulation, and general health and wellbeing, for people suffering with dementia, mental health issues, old age or isolation. Everyone is welcome to go along with their carer.

The group meets twice monthly 10.30-12.30pm at Chinnor Village Centre and visitors will be welcomed with a cup of tea and biscuit. The morning starts with fun, seated exercises, followed by a visiting expert. At the end of the session, they play parachute games, juggling, throwing balls, flat football and floor netball, finishing the session with a poem, lyrical or a reading.

The Forget-Me-Not cafe’s Winter programme of events, from January to April 2016, is as follows:

04 Jan— Music for Health – Dorothy Howlett
18 Jan – Line/Circle/Seated dancing for Fun – Barbara Jordan
01 Feb – Tea Dance – cup cakes, tea, dancing, drumming and fun
15 Feb – Music and Singing
29 Feb — Singing for Health – Julia Hollander

14 March- Singing for Health – Julia Hollander –
04 April – Music Therapist – Ellie Ruddock
18 April – Hands on Heritage Museum

For further information, contact 01844 353733 chinnorvc@hotmail.co.uk or Michele on 01844 353154/07779732097 info@holisticmassageuk.co.uk.

Chinnor Village Centre is run by volunteers and is a Registered Charity No 1007949

THE work of Oxfordshire children’s reading charity ARCh has been given a massive ‘thumbs up’ from schools throughout the county in its 2015 Pupil Survey.

More than 100 primary schools, including the three Thame primary schools, were invited to respond to ARCh’s annual survey, which measures the impact that providing one-to-one assistance from a trained volunteer reader can have on a pupil’s reading and wider learning performance.

Elaine Adams, Development Manager of the Bicester-based charity said: “Schools reported that 92% of pupils who participated in our assisted reading scheme in 2015 showed a marked improvement in reading and writing coupled with a valuable uplift in concentration and self-confidence.

“The findings are a fantastic reward for the work of our army of volunteer reading helpers who regularly mentor over 700 Oxfordshire schoolchildren between the ages of 6-11 years.”

There are eight ARCh volunteers working in the Thame schools and following the charity’s latest training course, a ninth will start this term.

Elaine Adams, ARCh’s Development Manager said: “Our volunteers come from different backgrounds and choose to volunteer for ARCh for many reasons. Some are recently retired and are looking for a useful way to use their spare time. Others may be looking for work and find volunteering in a school setting through ARCh for one year gives them the valuable experience and insight into schools enabling them to gain employment in an education setting.

“One such volunteer has recently moved on from ARCh to do teacher training and has quoted: “I have absolutely loved spending this time encouraging reading for pleasure and forging great relationships with three amazing young people. I hope that I will have access to an ARCh volunteer when I am a teacher.”

The results of the ARCh Pupil Survey were compiled and independently analysed by Research Oxford.

For information about volunteering or supporting the charity’s work in other ways please contact: info@archoxfordshire.org.uk
www.archoxfordshire.org.uk

THAMES Valley Police is appealing for witnesses following a robbery at the petrol station in Postcombe.

The police have said that at 7.59pm on Tuesday (26/1) a man entered the Postcombe Service Station, London Road, A40, Postcombe and threatened the staff with a crow bar and demanded money from the till and cigarettes. The till however was empty, as it had been cashed up and the cigarettes had been put away. The offender left empty handed.

The offender is described as a white man, around 5ft 6ins, of medium build, and wearing a balaclava and dark clothing including a jacket and gloves.

Investigating officer Det Con Rachel Jackson, from Abingdon Force CID, said: “Detectives are investigating the incident and we are appealing for anyone with information to contact police. If you saw anyone acting suspiciously in the area at around the time of the incident please come forward.”

If you have any information about the incident which could assist the investigation please call the 24-hour Thames Valley Police enquiry centre on 101.

If you don’t want to speak directly to the police, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.

DO you know a new, restored or extended building in the Chilterns area which you think is worthy of an award? Why not enter it for the prestigious Chilterns Buildings Design Awards, there is one month until the deadline! This competition has been run every year for the past 17 years by the Chilterns Conservation Board and the Chiltern Society to highlight examples of great building design which conserve and enhance all that we love about the Chilterns.

This year the public, as well as planners, architects and builders, are being asked to let us know about projects that deserve this award. Entries can be new builds, renovations or extensions and can be any sort of use including homes, workplaces, public buildings, farm buildings, bridges etc. They must have been completed during the past three years and should put in practice the principles in the Chilterns Building Design Guide, published by the Conservation Board.

The Chiltern Society and the Chilterns Conservation Board are dedicated to safeguarding what’s best in the Chilterns, one of the most outstanding areas of countryside in England, and to encouraging high standards for new development.

“We want to encourage better building design, and to encourage architects and developers to use traditional, local materials and designs in their work. We are not trying to turn back the clock, but we do believe that new buildings in the Chilterns should fit in with the beautiful countryside that’s around them”, said Lucy Murfett, Planning Officer at the Conservation Board.

Past Oxfordshire winners include a new barn in Britwell Salome near Watlington which received a Special Project Award in 2014 and a new office building near Henley-on-Thames, now housing Bremont Watch company, which received a Highly Commended Award in 2013.

The closing date for entries or nominations is March 1st 2016. The application form is available at www.chilternsaonb.org/annual-design-awards or can be obtained from the Conservation Board office (01844 355500), email: office@chilternsaonb.org) or from the Chiltern Society, White Hill Centre, Chesham (tel: 01494 771250, email office@chilternsociety.org.uk).

THAME resident Roger Ferrari will be taking part in the London Marathon on April 24, in aid of the British Lung Foundation as part of ‘Team Breathe’ for the charity, and is looking for community support and awareness in Thame.

Roger explained: “Lung diseases affect more than 12 million people in the UK and the British Lung Foundation have spent over £24m in research to combat lung disease and campaign of its prevention.

“Despite having never run a marathon before, I’m looking to raise £1,800 for the British Lung Foundation and hoping that the Thame community, including local businesses and organisations, will help with donations as well as host for fundraising events. ”

Roger has a fundraising website HERE and is training hard around the local area. For more details, you can contact him at roger.v.ferrari@gmail.com or call: 07864607148.

DESPITE a mass protest outside county hall this afternoon, against £69m of cuts from the County Council’s budget, as well as impassioned speeches from several members of the public inside the building and four addresses from County Councillors, at the end of an hour-long discussion, OCC’s Cabinet voted unanimously to recommend the proposed budget to the full council on February 16.

The proposed budget cuts include slashing bus subsides and closing Childrens’ Centres throughout the county, expected to include Thame’s Red Kite Centre.

During the meeting, placards were waved and there were cheers and applause after every speaker against the cuts that would affect those they viewed as vulnerable. There were several calls for Tory Cabinet members to resign.

One of the speakers at this afternoon’s Cabinet meeting was Mary Stiles, speaking in her capacity as Chair of the Advisory Group of the Red Kite Children’s Centre in Thame, and Chinnor and Thame Town Council’s Parish Transport Representative.

Mrs Stiles told the meeting: “The closure of all 44 Children’s (Children’s) Centres and the cutting of all bus subsidies are both very short-sighted proposals and in addition to the catastrophic effect on the users of both services, will lead to a greater cost to the public purse in the future.

“You will know from the consultations the arguments made by many individuals and organisations in favour of keeping our Children’s Centres open and our subsidised bus services running. In three minutes I have time to make only a few points:-

Children’s Centres
– prevention is always better than cure and more cost effective in the long run
– families need local services, not a centre 20+ miles away (the distance from Thame to Didcot)
– outreach from over 20 miles away is costly in both time and money
– providing a service only for referred families is stigmatising and makes those families harder to reach

– in Thame and Chinnor Health Visitor clinics, physiotherapy and speech and language therapy sessions all take place in the Red Kite Children’s Centre. Other premises
would have to be rented for these services if Red Kite closes

Subsidised bus routes

– at present there is a bus service in the Thame area which is used by people living in villages or the edge of town to go into town. Many have contacted me to say what a
lifeline this is and I know from talking to other Parish Transport Representatives, people all over Oxfordshire are saying the same
– if people become isolated, because they cannot go out regularly, all the research shows that particularly elderly and disabled people and parents of young children can   suffer from poor mental health, leading to problems which could have been prevented and costs which could have been avoided
– the local residents who have contacted me have said they don’t need a bus every day – 2 or 3 times a week would suffice. They are not asking for much

“Please think again. Don’t cut completely. Find a way to save our Children’s Centres and subsidised bus services.
It may be a cliche, but true none the less – where there’s a will there’s a way.”

Despite the vote going against the protesters, Mary Stiles is undaunted has said that she intends to get a petition up before  the full council meeting on February 16, to try and save the 120 bus, and that she will be joining in with the Pledge Card Campaign against all Councillors who voted to close Oxfordshire’s Childrens’ Centres.

THE date for Thame Carnival 2016, has been revealed as June 11, and the theme in this special year, will be The Best of British, reflecting the celebrations that will be going on throughout the realm, for Her Magesty’s 90th birthday.

The Carnival parade through the town will begin at 12’clock noon, finishing up at the Southern Road Recreation area with a fete and a A Great British Street Party. The organising committee are hoping for a flypast and Jason Best of Petcare has agreed to run the very popular dog show again this year.

Sue Martin-Downhill, who is once again Chairing the Carnival Committee, said: “We decided on a theme of ‘Best of British’ in order to encompass the main suggestions of Space and Royalty, and of course there’s lots of scope for floats and dresssing up ideas around our history, customs, food, tourist attractions, great British TV series, films, transport, culture etc. So let’s all get behind Carnival 2016 and make this year’s the best ever!”

The main charity to benefit from this year’s Carnival, will be the ‘Megan’s Bench Project’. Some information about the project is at https://www.thame.net/archives/23271

AFTER months of delay, plans for a large supermarket on the edge of Thame are expected to be considered by the district council’s Planning Committee, either in February or March, following new, supportive material submitted by Tesco.

Tesco’s agents are contesting the disputed parts of the supermarket’s plans which Thame Town Council and other opposers say are not in compliance with the Thame Neighbourhood Plan.

In a letter to the Planning Officer dealing with the Tesco application, Tesco’s Agent states: “It is incorrect to suggest that the Neighbourhood Plan prevents out of centre retail proposals. Although the Plan encourages retail proposals in the town centre, it does not, by implication, prevent those in out of centre locations which meet relevant policy tests. Indeed, an attempt to place an embargo on out of centre proposals in the draft Neighbourhood Plan was specifically resisted by the Examiner who confirmed that this would be inconsistent with national policy requirements. Accordingly, this provision was removed from the adopted Plan.”

Ed. (LINK to the Inspector’s report on the draft NP here – page 23 for relevance)

Impact of plan on Thame Town Centre

Tesco also questions the relevance of the Carter Jonas report, Thame Retail Capacity and Impact Study‘commissioned by Thame Town Council, to Tesco’s plans for the DAF site at Howland Road.  The criticism is that the study was commissioned by Thame Town Council to help them come up with a retail strategy for the town, rather than to assess specific retail proposals. Because of this ‘limitation’ – one accepted by the Carter Jonas report, maintains the letter, “any weight to be applied to its findings need to be given very careful consideration when determining the Tesco application. ”

ED. The full Agent’s letter can be read here: LINK  and all the additional material recently submitted to SODC by Tesco, can be read here: LINK

‘Importance of linked shopping trips’

In response to these latest responses on behalf of Tesco, Duncan Nickless, spokesperson for the lobbying group, Thame Centre First, told Thame.Net: “Tesco’s assessment clearly underestimates the impact the proposed store would have on our town centre and has not addressed the impact of lost linked trips on our small and independent stores. Given 80% of us visit other town centre shops and facilities when food shopping in Thame, you can see the huge importance of linked trips to these businesses and the vitality of our High Street.

“It’s also disappointing that a key part of Tesco’s response is to undermine Thame’s Neighbourhood plan which clearly states that new retail development should be located within the town centre.”

The pro Tesco group, TNT (Thame Needs Tesco) stated back in June 2015: “We strongly believe that Thame needs another supermarket that can offer what is currently unavailable, or unaffordable, in the town centre.

‘Thame needs another supermarket’

“Many of us shop in big supermarkets in Aylesbury, Wheatley, Princes Risborough, Oxford or Bicester. But we’d prefer to spend our time and money in Tesco, in Thame. Wanting Tesco does not mean we do not support the town centre shops. We will continue to use them as we do at present if Tesco is built.”

Background: You can read all previous news reports regarding Tesco’s application, HERE