WARNING – A Traffic Regulation Notice of No Waiting along Park Street, Thame, has been issued for August 18, 2017, for one day to allow carriageway coring works to be carried out.
As far as we can establish, ‘coring’ is do with investigating the make-up of the existing carriageway to see what needs to be done to repair it. Answers on a postcard (or better still, an email) to editor@thame.net, if you can explain it better!
A Working Group, made up of Thame Town Councillors and healthcare partners, has been assessing the future needs and deficiencies in health provision in Thame and has now come up with a vision for a new, integrated community and well-being centre in Thame.
The group, Chaired by Cllr Nigel Champken Woods, has looked at the physical, social and psychological needs of patients, and its aspirations include:
Relocation of existing GP practices (Rycote and Trinity Health) from Thame Health Centre to a purpose built facility
Expansion of consulting space to ensure adequate sized and equipped rooms to deliver core primary care and added value services
Co-location of additional primary care services such as district nurses, social services and other community healthcare professionals
The aim is for a ‘Genuine Cross Agency Community Facility providing a focal point for well-being in Thame’.
Discussions have been held with several landowners and with interested parties such as Thame East Residents Association, but no site has yet been decided upon. The Cattlemarket was mentioned as a possible site for such a Hub in the Thame Neighbourhood Plan as part of a mixed development, but that location has since been deemed too small to include such a facility.
READ the complete report HERE (item 11c)
THAME Under-11s have had an outstanding season in the Oxfordshire league since May, winning nine out of their 10 games and culminating in them earning a deserved place in the County’s Finals Day last Sunday, July 16, hosted in style by Great and Little Tew Cricket Club.
On the road to that Finals Day, Thame defeated four opponents both home and away (Aston Rowant, MP Academy, Tiddington and Oxford CC), only losing once, away to local rivals Horspath. As for last Sunday, the top four clubs from 28 in the county came together for the semi-finals in the morning. Thame lost in the semi-final to the hosts and eventual winners, Great & Little Tew but then tied the 3rd/4th place play-off in a thrilling finish against Peppard Stoke Row; a Thame batsman was run out off the last ball attempting to go for the winning run !
There were notable performances on the day from skipper Luke Hayes (six wickets), Theo Ransby, Daniel Laws and Huxley Davis but, as throughout the season, the side’s main strength was in the collective performance of the team. Huge credit goes to the wider U11 squad and to the many club coaches who have contributed to their success.
Death of Eric Gladwin – Thame.Net was sad to hear of the death of Eric Gladwin, late of Ludsden Grove, Thame. Eric was a poet and thinker and sang for many years with both Thame Choral Society and Lord Williams’s Festival Chorus. He was a pioneer of the Hiring industry, establishing Helpful Hirings in 1963. Eric’s funeral will be held on August 1, 2017, at 12 mid-day at St Mary’s church in Thame.
CCTV could be used to catch dog fouling – Thame Town Council is to approach the authorities to see if CCTV footage can be used to identify the owners of dogs who are allowed to foul the pavement – a particular increase of which has been identified in the Upper High Street, Thame.
Noise Patrols to be carried out at Thame Fair – These will be carried out throughout the period of Thame Fair, September 20-23, 2017, by Thame Town Councillors and officers, to ensure that the noise levels throughout the event do not exceed permitted levels, agreed with the Showmen’s Guild. Following the terrorist attacks in London and other European cities recently, extra barriers are to be erected to protect against similar incidents. Also, additional precautions have been added to the town council’s security plans for the fair, to incorporate emergency evacuation locations outside of the road closure areas, and a process for caring for vulnerable persons.
New solar powered Pay and Display machines at car parks – These are being installed at SODC car parks from next week. Payment will be able to be made by credit or debit card as well as coins, including the new £1. Old £1 coins will continue to be used until they go out of circulation on October 15. Payment will also be possible using a mobile phone via the Connect Cashless system. When using the new machines, you will need to type in your vehicle registration on the key pad before payment is made.
The machines will be powered by solar panels, making them more environmentally friendly. SODC operated car parks in Thame are those at the Cattlemarket and Southern Road Recreation Ground.
New waste and recycling trucks – New waste and recycling trucks are being introduced across the district in the autumn to replace old vehicles that have become unreliable.
Skatepark Summer Jam – This year’s Thame Skatepark Summer Jam, will run from 11am – 5pm on Sunday. August 6. There will be jam style competitions, prizes, music, food, and all round good times. Stay up to date via the Thame Skatepark Project Group on Facebook.
Affordable and shared ownership housing – A number of rented and shared ownership homes will be available from spring 2018, at new housing developments in Wheatley and Great Haseley for people with a local connection. Find out more on our Homechoice website HERE
Shared ownership schemes are also available to help you purchase a home. Find out more on the Help to Buy website
Black Horse Pub Planning approved – Planning permissions for various alterations and works at the Black Horse Pub in Thame, have been granted, making it more likely that the establishment will be taken over by The White Brasserie Co Ltd, in which Raymond Blanc has an interest. See LINK
New burial ground to be consecrated – This formal ceremony will be carried out sometime in October 2017, so that burials can begin to take place at the former allotments site at Priest End, in 2018. The site is expected to provide space for burials for a period of up to ten years.
Hedge lowered at Skate Park for easier observation by police – Thame Town Council has reduced the height of hedging at the Skate Park, at the request of the police, to allow easier observation from the road, in an effort to deter anti-social behaviour there.
THAME Town cricket club is preparing to throw open its ground and pavilion doors to the local community for a family fun day which will help to raise funds towards the club’s new clubhouse project.
The club is inviting all local cricket fans and people who are interested in finding out more about the club, to head along to the ground for the day, on Sunday, August 6, from 11am to 6pm, to watch some cricket, get involved in a range of taster sessions and enjoy some food and drink.
TTCC’s Chairman, Matt Swain, said: “Following the success of England winning the Women’s Cricket World Cup we are inviting everyone to come and join us at Thame Cricket Club for a family fun day out. From 11am-6pm there will be a six-a-side tournament, BBQ, bar and refreshments, music, a Bouncy Castle, hot air balloon ride, alfresco Yoga and lots more. From 2pm to 3pm we will have a free Cricket taster session for Girls and Boys of 6 to 16 years. From 3pm to 4pm we will be holding an All Stars cricket session for age 4 to 8 years which will include a special guest. The event is for everyone. Come and join us in the heart of Thame next to St Mary’s Church; you will be most welcome.”
Thame Town CC runs three adult teams every weekend during the cricket season. The club also has over 100 junior members from age U9 to U15 that play on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, an All Stars section set up this year with 45 children age 4-8, which plays on a Friday and a women’s team that play on a Thursday evening.
The club is a voluntary organisation which has ECB accreditation, 15 ECB qualified coaches, two child welfare officers and a management committee. Visit the TTCC website for more information.
THAME’S new Town Flag was officially hoisted this morning by the flag’s designer, Hazel Mann who was joined by the Mayor of Thame, Cllr Tom Wyse, and town councillors.
Hazel, whose design was chosen out of 33 entries in a recent community competition, was presented with a bouquet of flowers.
The flag incorporates the Town Council’s colours with part of the town’s emblem on the left hand side, and three waves, which signify the countryside, the Phoenix Trail and the River Thame, on the right hand side.
The town emblem on the flag is a simplified version, similar to the Town Council logo, and features the double transverse cross with a wheatsheaf to the left and a pair of wool shears to the right.
SWIMMERS at Thame Leisure Centre are enjoying using an upgraded changing area, thanks to a £353,000 investment from South Oxfordshire District Council.
The main changing and shower areas have been significantly improved, while new bench seating, cubicles, lockers, toilets and dryers have also been added. New ceilings, including LED lighting, along with significant redecoration, have also resulted in a better overall environment in the changing area.
Cllr Lynn Lloyd, Cabinet Member for Leisure at South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “I’m sure swimmers at Thame Leisure Centre will appreciate their new changing facilities. This upgrade marks a real improvement to the overall environment of the changing area in the centre and highlights our ongoing commitment to providing the best leisure facilities for all our residents.”
DON’T forgot that this evening, at 7.45pm, Tony Long and Bernadette Tildesley are holding their audition for those interested in taking part in the show on October 1, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the opening of the Thame Players Theatre.
There will be songs, sketches and readings and lots of facts about the theatre and the shows that have been performed over those 40 years.
So if you want to be part of this celebration – see you at the theatre tonight!
SOURCE: Contributed by Tony Long
A popular school secretary at Lord Williams’s School, in Thame, has retired after 34 years of dedicated service.
On Friday, July 14, the school held a retirement party for Pam Cockton. Mrs Cockton joined the school in July 1983 as School Secretary at Lower School West, which was then located on the Oxford Road site. In 1995 Lower School East and West were combined and Mrs Cockton became Lower School Office Team Leader at the Towersey Road site.
“We estimate she has cared for 5,240 children in her time here,” said Dawn Armitage, Lord Williams’s School Manager. “She has located lost property, supported parents, typed thousands of letters and cared for sick and injured children. Mrs Cockton knows everyone and greets parents, staff and students with a wide smile and cheery welcome.
“We would like to thank everyone who has sent in cards and gifts to Mrs Cockton. We will all miss Pam but wish her well for a very well deserved retirement. “
RESIDENTS in South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse can now use plastic bags to line their food waste bins and caddies.
Food waste is collected every week and taken to Agrivert’s anaerobic digestion plant near Wallingford to be recycled into gas for electricity and fertiliser for local farmland.
The processing plant is now able to accept thin plastic bags, such as carrier bags, bread bags, paper wrappings, or normal pedal bin liners. Residents can also continue to use compostable bags or newspapers to line their caddies and bins, or put food straight in without any liner.
Any bags used as liners will be removed at the processing plant and sent to an Energy Recovery Facility to be turned into energy.
Cllr Tony Harbour, Cabinet Member for Waste at South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “We know that compostable bags can be expensive and easily tear, so it’s great news that the processing plant can now take plastic bags.
“We are very grateful to our residents for their efforts in recycling – which have helped our district to achieve the highest recycling rates in the country. We are always looking for opportunities to work with our partners to improve services for our residents and this is a good example of this.”
Cllr Charlotte Dickson, Cabinet Member for Waste, said: “We want to make recycling as easy as possible for our residents, so we very much welcome the extra option of using plastic bags as caddy liners.
“We are one of the top recyclers in the country, but we still throw away a significant amount of food waste, with a recent review showing that around 30 per cent of the waste put out in the grey rubbish bins was food waste that could have been recycled. We would like to encourage everyone to use their food waste bins and thank all those that already do – it makes a real difference.”
All cooked and uncooked food can be put into food waste bins. Residents are advised that plastic retail packaging, or anything other than food waste, should not be put in. For example, bacon should be removed from its plastic packet and fruit taken out of punnets.
During 2016/17, 10,024 tonnes of food waste was collected and sent for recycling in South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse.
For further information about food waste recycling and other household waste and recycling collections, see the councils’ websites: www.southoxon.gov.uk/waste and www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/waste or call 03000 610610.