Category: More News

THE housing market is in crisis as owner occupation rates fall and house prices and private rents soar in South East, study warns.

Home ownership in the South East will fall to under 70% over the next decade as an entire generation are effectively locked out of the housing market, according to a new study.

The number of owner occupiers will fall from its current rate of 72% in 2010 to 69.7% by 2021.

Huge deposits, combined with high house prices and strict lending criteria, have sent home ownership into decline in recent years and the downward trend will continue for the foreseeable future, the Nation Housing Federation?s independently-commissioned forecasts predict.

The Federation, which represents England?s housing associations, warned the housing market will be plunged into an unprecedented crisis as it forecast steep rises in the private rental sector, huge social housing waiting lists, and a house price boom ? all fuelled by a chronic under-supply of homes.

In England, the proportion of people living in owner occupied homes will fall from a peak of 72.5% in 2001 to 63.8% in 2021, the lowest level since the mid 1980s.

The average house price in the South East will meanwhile rise by 21.9% over the next five years from

REMEMBER the Chernobyl disaster back in April 1986? It?s now 25 years since that event, but it was recently highlighted in the news because of the latest nuclear accident in Japan.

The Chernobyl plant was closed in December 2000 and it is estimated that it will take up to 400 years to rid Belarus of the contamination caused by the explosion. The emerging picture of the impact on children born after the disaster shows a rise in childhood cancers such as leukaemia, tumours and thyroid cancers. Some are also born deformed. Those ?children? are now having families of their own and it is the next generation that the Chernobyl Children?s Life Line charity is trying to help.

Marius and Zoe Ciortan who live in Thame, recently looked after two children from Belarus through the Risborough link of the Chernobyl Children Life Line charity. The charity brings the children here for four weeks to boost their immune systems by giving them clean food and healthy outdoor activities. At the age of 11, the age at which we host them, they are starting into puberty. Giving them a break here at this time in their lives has been found to clean out their thyroid gland where the radiation collects. When they go back home and their bodies begin changing, they start with a ?clean sheet?.

Marius (pictured far right of photo) told ThameNews.Net: “Zoe and I had a couple of 10 year old girls from Belarus during the first half of August. The children had a lovely time with us.”

The activities the children were able to experience locally included horse riding donated by Franklin?s Farm in Shabbington, canoeing and rock climbing, archery from the Whiteleaf Bowman, swimming at Princes Risborough and Aqua vale pools, an outing to Woburn Safari Park donated by his grace the Duke of Bedford, a trip to the Natural History museum in London and Tring, the maize maze at Lacy Green, Warwick Castle.

The vast majority of these activities have been donated to the group by local businesses, churches and other organisations and individuals.

PHOTO: This picture shows the children and some of their host families at Muswell Hill Manor a farm in Brill where the children are shown around the farm, given lunch and enjoy games and other activities courtesy of Caroline David the owner.

FACTS

Belarus was the region hit most by the Chernobyl disaster with 70% of the fallout landing on its territory and around one fifth of its land seriously affected. The rest of the Belarus countryside was affected by very low-level background radiation. By 1990 it was established that 20% of the country?s forests and well over 250,000 hectares of agricultural land had been contaminated. It is estimated today that several million people still live in contaminated areas where there is no access to ?clean food? or water. Older people, in particular, continue to till their fields, keep livestock and poultry, and eat contaminated fruit and vegetables grown on the land.

The Chernobyl Children?s Life Line is a charity formed in 1991 by Victor Mizzi. There are now over 145 Links (local groups) throughout the UK. These are all run by volunteers who raise funds to bring groups of children to the UK for respite care. Each year we bring over approximately 3,000 children in groups of eight to 25 for a four-week break. It costs about

THE Chilterns Conservation Board, based in Chinnor, near Thame, has been officially recognised as one of the greenest organisations in Oxfordshire ? it?s just been given a Gold award by the Green Tourism Business Scheme.

GTBS is the main scheme in the UK for accrediting tourism businesses that are operating in an eco-friendly way. Only two other businesses in Oxfordshire have achieved Gold awards.

“We’re thrilled to have this seal of approval on all our work to be as green as possible and to encourage others to reduce their impact on the environment,” says Claire Forrest, Information Officer at the Board.

“We?ve had a Sustainability Plan in place for some years now which guides the way we work and gives us targets to achieve every year. We are always trying to make improvements, whether it is replacing an old boiler with an efficient condensing one, or reducing the miles that staff travel. We also encourage other businesses to join the Green Tourism Business Scheme. Many of us are already operating in a green way so why not get some credit for it?”

The Chilterns Conservation Board is a public body charged with looking after and promoting the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. At its office in Chinnor it has installed photo voltaic panels to generate electricity, low energy lighting, extra insulation and a water butt. It has also planted trees and distributed low energy light bulbs to parishes to offset carbon emissions.

PHOTO: Flash back to when Boris Johnson, then Thame’s MP, attended the Solar panels switch on at the Chilterns Conservation Board’s HQ back in May, 2005.

SOHA, the local Housing Association, is to introduce its first Extra Care development for the over 55s at the new Windmill Place development in Thame.

Soha Housing will have 10 spacious, one and two bedroomed newbuild apartments available for purchase through shared ownership, and 30 apartments for rent at the end of 2011. All the apartments are built to accommodate wheelchairs and will have fitted kitchens with integrated oven, hob and cooker hood, bathrooms with level access showers and flooring fitted throughout.

The Extra Care complex is made up of 40 apartments built to a high specification. A showhome will be ready to view by the end of September 2011.

Soha says that by purchasing through shared ownership, residents will have the ability to own up to 75% of the value of their new home at an affordable price if circumstances change, they can sell in the future. And, Soha may be able to help arrange the sale and find a buyer to make the move easier. Residents will have the option of renting an apartment if this is preferable and would suit them better financially.

Windmill Place, which is being developed by David Wilson Homes, will give residents the benefit of a comfortable communal lounge, restaurant, hobbies and activity room, hair & beauty salon and landscaped communal gardens. There will be lift access to all floors and also a buggy store and charging area for convenience. There is also a guest suite available where family members or friends visiting can stay overnight.

Soha’s Extra Care developments are an ideal place to live in a safe environment where you can join in activities that help maintain health and general well-being as well as meeting new companions in a friendly community of older people.

If you are over 55 and thinking of moving home due to a change in your life, Extra Care housing offers you a new way to live independently on your terms, By supporting people towards an inclusive, fulfilling future, providing them with independence, dignity and security, being able to enjoy a comfortable and independent lifestyle is at the very heart of Extra Care living.

Angela Clancy, Soha’s Home Sales and Marketing Assistant said: “Many people find, as they get older, that they need some help with mobility or day to day tasks but they wish to remain in their own home for as long as possible. Within one of our Extra Care developments you will have your own home within a secure environment and the added benefit of on-site care and support which will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The care is provided by on-site staff and is based on your own individual needs. As you will have your own front door you will be able to retain your own independent lifestyle but with the knowledge that you are in a safe and friendly environment with professional help when needed.”

For more information on buying or renting at Windmill Place and Extra Care housing in general, call 01235 515900.

THE episode of Peter Andre’s programme, Here to Help, featuring his efforts to rejuvenate Thame carnival, is being shown this evening at 9pm on ITV2.

The broadcast will coincide with the first in the latest series of Celebrity Big Brother, but anyone who misses Peter Andre will be able to watch the programme again on ITV2+1 on Friday evening and various times over the next few days.

IN anticipation of the passing of The Localism Bill later this year, Thame Town Council has appointed a Planning and Urban Design company (Tibbalds) to work with the community to prepare a Neighbourhood Plan for the town.

The aim of a Neighbourhood Plan is to enable local
communities to directly influence the future of the places where they live and to help shape the development of the town over the next 20+ years.

The purpose of the Neighbourhood Plan is, says TTC: “to give local people greater ownership of the plans and policies that affect the area. It will identify the specific site or broad location; specify the form, size, type and design of new development. The intention is to empower local people to take a proactive role in shaping the future of the areas in which they live.”

How does a Neighbourhood Plan relate to the District Council’s Local Development Framework, or Core Strategy, at the present time out for consultation by the planning authority, South Oxfordshire District Council, and currently causing division between local residents’ groups in Thame?

A Neighbourhood Plan cannot, apparently, promote less housing and economic development than envisaged in the District Council?s development plan because a neighbourhood plan must be in “general conformity” with the strategic elements of the development plan.
“However,” says the town council, “through a duty to cooperate, the District Council will be working in partnership with the Town Council to strengthen the relationship between Thame?s plan and the objectives and policies within their emerging Core Strategy.”

What is the process for preparing a plan?

The Government has established a ten-step process for the production of a plan and Tibbalds will be managing that process on behalf of Thame Town Council. The plan will be subject to an independent examination and will be put to the community in a referendum.

What is meant by examination and what will be examined?

The examination will test whether the Neighbourhood Plan is in accordance with the strategic policies in the District Council?s Core Strategy. It will be undertaken by a suitably qualified person who is independent of the process. If the examiner agrees that the plan is in line with strategic objectives, then a referendum will be held.

What is the referendum?

Following the examination, the plan will be subject to a referendum, where 50% of the votes need to be in favour of the plan. As with a general election, the vote is not based on the total population of the area, rather the number of people who actually turn out to vote. If the vote is in favour of the plan the District Council is legally obliged to adopt it for plan making and development control purposes. It will then comprise the plan for the area for the next ten years, after which it will be reviewed and can be updated as necessary.

How can I be involved?

During August the framework for producing the plan will be developed, after which the whole community will have an opportunity to be involved in the development of the plan. More information will be widely publicised about how you can do this, but if you want to register your interest now, you can register your details by emailing the Town Council at: oss@thametowncouncil.gov.uk or contacting the Town Hall on 01844 212833.

NB The Localism Bill is currently at the Report stage in the House of Lords. Further line by line examination of the Bill is scheduled for September 5.

ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT RISING ENERGY PRICES? Well, a local environmental group is launching Thame & Haddenham Solar, a new group buying scheme for home-owners and businesses in Thame, Haddenham and the surrounding area.

Until next April the government is offering generous incentives to householders to install photovoltaic panels on their properties.

The scheme, to be launched on September 20, by Haddenham in Transition, will give:

Access to discounted solar photovoltaic (PV) panels.

Long-term index linked tax free cash back from the Government?s Feed in Tariff

Savings on those ever rising electricity bills

How you could benefit from the Thame & Haddenham Solar scheme:

1. Free green electricity from your Solar Photovoltaic panels, reducing your bills.

2. Cheaper Solar installations Solar Thame & Haddenham has secured considerable discounts based on a ?group buying? concept. Save up to 10% on your installation.

3 Cash back from the Government?s Feed in Tariff

Over the guaranteed 25 yearlifetime of the panels and tariff, a typical system would triple your investment.

Find out more by coming to one of the Thame & Haddenham Solar launch meetings:

7.30pm on Tuesday, September 20, at the Vernon Building John Hampden School, Park Street, Thame.

7.30pm on Wednesday September 21, at St Mary?s Centre, Church End, Haddenham.

Haddenham in Transition is a group of local residents who are are working to make Haddenham and surrounding communities less dependent on oil and better able to meet our needs from local resources. It is part of the worldwide Transition movement which is about increasing the ?resilience? of communities to the twin threats of Climate Change and Peak Oil.

Contact by Email: haddenhamtransition@gmail.com

Web: Google ?Transition Haddenham?

THIS season piece of useful advice on paid holiday entitlement comes from Thame’s local branch of the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB).

If you are working full time, you are entitled to at least 28 days’ paid holiday a year (5.6 weeks) including public holidays. This is a legal right.

Your contract of employment may give you the right to take more than the statutory amount of paid holiday, but it cannot give you less. To help you work out your exact entitlement, you can use the calculator on the Business Link website at: www.businesslink.gov.uk

You don?t have an automatic right to take bank or public holidays off work, with or without pay, but your employment contract may give you bank or public holidays off on top of your statutory holiday. If this is the case, your contract should specify this and also say whether you will be paid for these days.

If your employer refuses to let you take holiday, or refuses to let you take holiday at a particular time, try to sort it out informally with them first. If this doesn’t work, get advice as soon as possible from your trade union if you belong to one, or from an experienced CAB adviser. You may be able to take your case to an employment tribunal, but there are pros and cons to think about if you are considering this course of action.
CAB adviceline 08 444 111 444 or 0300 3300 650

IMAGE courtesy of workingrights.co.uk

THERE must be something in the local water, because following closely at the heels of Oxfordshire Ales’ two medals in the British Bottlers Institute Awards 2011, Chiltern Brewery, just over the border from Thame in Terrick, has scooped a hat-trick of Gold Star Awards at the 2011 Great Taste Awards.

The family run independent brewery, which is the oldest in Buckinghamshire and the Chiltern Hills, has been presented with coveted one-star Gold Great Taste Awards for three of its bottled real ales ? Three Hundred?s Old Ale, Lord-Lieutenant?s Porter and Bodger?s Barley Wine.

Founded 31 years ago by Richard and Lesley Jenkinson, the brewery, and their pub in Aylesbury, The Farmers? Bar, are now run by their two sons George and Tom. Their range of high quality draught and bottled ales includes seasonal and limited edition beers which demonstrate innovation, tradition and the expertise of an artisan producer. Their brewery shop also stocks a fantastic range of chandlery including English wines, ciders and liqueurs; jams, honeys, award winning chutney, mustard, biscuits, chocolate, sausages, bread and cheese many made locally and using the Brewery?s beer as an ingredient.

Tom Jenkinson, Head Brewer, said: ?We are delighted with this award. Winning three Great Taste Awards in one year recognizes the consistency and hard work of the brewing team and dedication that goes into producing fine English ales. Since starting the brewery in 1980 the ethos has been to produce consistent ales of the highest quality using age-old artisan methods and natural, wholesome British ingredients. Our beers are brewed with care and expertise to ensure great taste and satisfaction in every glass.?

The Great Taste Awards, organised by the Guild of Fine Food, are now in their 18th year and going from strength to strength. 7481 products were entered from 1600 companies for the 2011 Great Taste Awards. It took 350 experts 34 days to blind taste all the entries and decide which entries would achieve the awards.

The Great Taste Awards judging standards are the most rigorous in the UK. Bob Farrand, Chairman for The Great Taste Awards, said: ?Winning Gold in the country?s largest and most respected independent food accreditation scheme is a massive pat on the back for any producer – independent proof their products are of the highest quality.?

OXFORDSHIRE ALES

Oxfordshire Ales, craft brewery in Marsh Gibbon, have won two medals in the British Bottlers Institute Awards 2011, an award scheme that is judged by blind tasting by a number of industry experts.

Be proud of Pride!

The multi award-winning Golden Ale, Pride of Oxford has added a further Gold Medal to the brewery trophy cabinet. Pride is traditionally brewed to appeal to the younger drinker as a thirst-quenching alternative to lager. It gives a biscuity, fruity character and vibrant juicy refreshment.

An ale for your finest hour!

Churchill, the brewery?s new India Pale Ale has won a Silver Medal. Brewed in association with Churchill Heritage the ale is a tribute to one of the World?s greatest statesmen, political thinkers and orators. The IPA style has historical associations with India, where Sir Winston spent many formative and inspirational years as a young army officer. Churchill IPA is brewed with natural mineral water from Blenheim Palace ? Sir Winston?s birthplace and gives a citrus-fruit malt, spicy hops and a moreish thirst-quenching edge.

Churchill also recently took its place as one of just 15 regional winners of this year?s Sainsbury?s Great British Beer Hunt. In the competition, Churchill will be one of eight ales on sale in stores for three weeks from September 7, 2011, and the ale that sell the greatest number of bottles will gain a national listing on the shelves of the supermarket giant.

Housing associations will be responsible for delivering the vast majority of new, affordable homes over next four years, says the National Housing Federation.

The Federation has praised housing associations for “stepping into the breach in a challenging environment” ? after the Government confirmed that associations are to build the vast majority of the nation?s new affordable homes over the next four years.

The Federation says that ministers have revealed that housing associations will build around 90% of the 170,000 affordable homes set to be constructed nationally up to March 2015.

It is understood that the homes planned for the next four years will be made up of 90,000 homes that were already earmarked under the previous government?s housebuilding programme and 80,000 homes that will be delivered through the Government?s new funding model, which was announced by the Chancellor last year.

For the 80,000 homes, according to Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) figures the South East and East of England areas will deliver the most homes (14,432) of any region outside London ? or 18.04% of the overall total, although only receiving 13.1% (or