THAME professional squash player, Will John, has won his first county championship title.
The competition was held for the first time in four years at Racquets Fitness Centre in Thame, over the weekend, April 17-19, with participants coming from all over Oxfordshire to compete.
Racquets’ squash coach, Sue Martin Downhill said: “The tournament started in Friday night and after coming through the first rounds of the tournament the grand final approached on Sunday afternoon. It had been a fantastic weekend of squash from players young and old but this was the long awaited match.”
Speaking before Will’s final, Simon Martin, the club’s manager and a coach alongside Will, said: “We are so pleased to have Will, who started here aged just four, bidding to become Oxfordshire champion, now aged 22. It’s a real testament to what can be achieved when you nurture talent in a promising child who then goes on to apply themselves to the highest degree.”
Will went on to defeat Alastair Roberts in the grand final. “It wasn’t an easy task,” said Sue, “with Roberts taking the first game. It looked for a minute like the local favourite might be struggling with his opponents determination and fitness. However, the young pro did not yield and found another gear to his game to sail home clinching the match 3 games to 1.”
After the match, an elated Will said: “I’m really excited to have won my first senior county title. I have three or four titles from my junior days but when you step into the senior game it really is difficult to make the transition. But this is a real reward for the years of hard work.”
Many of the members and participants in the tournament were thrilled to see such a high level of squash. One lady said: “I can’t believe how good you guys are! It really is an inspiration to watch such a high level of squash being played here in Thame!”
Will has recently finished his professional squash tour around the world to join the Racquets team as the club pro, and along with Sue and Simon has been working within the local community and especially the schools, to spread their passion for the game of squash.
Sue added: “One teacher from a local school has noticed that after a few weeks into one of the clubs squash programs that certain children have shown increased in their attention span and improved behaviour in lessons. The club and the school are keen to explore this correlation.
“If you would like to take up the wonderful game of squash then please come and see us at your local rackets and fitness club in Thame, Racquets Fitness Centre, in North Street, Thame.
THAME’S Conservative candidate for the General Election found himself talking mostly to the converted on Wednesday evening, when he held a public meeting at Thame town hall, attended by 16 people, the majority being members of the Conservative Association, Conservative District Councillors and Thame’s Conservative County Councillor.
John Howell canvassing in Thame recently
But the make-up of the mostly invited audience did not mean however, that John Howell and his panel of Conservative candidates for both the Parish and the District Council elections, were given an easy ride.
When he was asked if he was concerned that Thame’s Neighbourhood Plan was being ‘nibbled at the edges’, (question from Thame.Net) particularly with the new employment complex on the by-pass exceeding the size allowed for in the Neighbourhood Plan, the Tesco store application for a large supermarket on what is reserved as ’employment land’ (the DAF site) and disquiet over The Elms plan, he replied: “I am behind the Neighbourhood Plan and support entirely the application process going through its normal course.”
When asked if he would be attending planning application meetings and ‘speak up for Thame’ (Ed.) John replied: “I will keep my counsel about what I will be doing.”
He said that he thought the Neighbourhood Planning system was ‘working well’ and that he was glad to see Chinnor working on its Neighbourhood Plan.
Barry Brown, a resident of Towersey, was critical of the Conservative party’s campaign and asked: “With such positive news, costs down, unemployment down etc, how is that we (the Conservatives) are still only neck-and-neck with a man who has never held a proper job in his life and the election campaign is being dominated by a ‘chit of a girl’ from Scotland? Cameron should be ‘flying in’! We’re doing a very bad job!”
John Howell replied: “It’s because of the polling methods and their range, which some put us 4-5% in front, and others 1% behind. I cannot understand why the poll predictions differ so much from the Bookmakers who put Cameron remaining as Prime Minister. I don’t myself spend much time analysing the polls.”
The questioner continued: “At a national level with regard to TV etc we did not hear the Conservatives coming on the box until John Major the other night. From what they see on the TV, the people out in the sticks think that the Conservatives are running a bad campaign, scratching around for half a dozen seats.”
John Howell replied that he didn’t think the situation was as bad as Mr Brown painted it, but that he would feed back his comments.
There was mention of Government Minister Grant Schapps and his recent ‘difficulties’ and a lot of blame put on ‘left wing media‘ including the BBC. John Cotton said that there were both left and right wing segments of the media and that complaining is seen as winjing and detracts from your message. “We need to continue with positive messages,” he concluded.
Q; Will we have to have more houses?
There was much discussion about future housing numbers for the district and particularly about securing the required 40% of ‘affordable’ homes from any new development, and the future of ‘Localism’ and Neighbour Plans. In answer to a question about whether there were likely to be changes to, or relaxation of the Localism Bill to encourage more housing to be built, John replied: “Probably, yes’. But I would think that any changes made would have to be done with the permission of the communities affected, about where the new houses are going to be located. There would be no setting of numbers by Government.”
John Cotton, Conservative Leader of the Council at SODC, said he was pleased to hear that there would be no ‘top down’ imposed housing numbers but that he was concerned that SODC was being forced to approve planning permissions because of pressure to comply with government rules on a ‘Five Year Land Supply’ which went against the idea of no ‘top down’ imposed housing numbers. He was anxious to know whether a next Conservative government would make sure local people determined the numbers.
John Howell responded by welcoming moves to introduce a “community right of appeal” into the planning system (Ed. whereby a community could appeal against developers for things such as insufficient infrastructure, non-compliance with government guidance and non-compliance with a local neighbourhood plans – See LINK . John Howell added that the gross figures (identified in the recent SHMAR) did not invalidate the Five Year Land plan, but that: “We do need to look at the definition of ‘A Five Year Land supply’.
Q: Why HS2 through the Chilterns?
A Chinnor resident asked John Howell why the HS2 route was going through the Chilterns and properties were having to be ‘Compulsory purchased‘ when it might be better and cheaper to run it alongside the M40.
John Howell replied that in his opinion it was the best route, and that he supported HS2 because in his view is the best means of transferring growth from the South to the North of the country. The questioner suggested that it would be better and cheaper to run the route across the Chilterns through tunnels, because landowners would not have to be compensated, and he wanted John to lobby for that to happen. John Howell replied that many people would object to the route following the M40 and doubted it would be cheaper. He added that he was happy for the questioner to lobby for the route to go underground but that the figures would have to be looked at very closely.
Q: Are the Conservatives serving the young?
Thame resident, Richard Jefferies, referring to John Howell’s poor showing in a Poll held following a hustings at Lord Williams’s school in Thame, with year 12s and 13s (see LINK), asked him if the results indicated that he (John) did not ‘have his finger on the pulse’ with the younger members of the constituency?
John replied that he had tried a number of ways to engage young people, including going into schools and talking in assemblies. He said that he had enjoyed the Thame hustings but was not surprised at the result because, he said: “Young people generally tend to be more socialist-minded but they generally grow out of it!”
Jeannette Matelot Green, currently an Independent Town Councillor, is standing as Conservative candidate in the District Council Elections. She said that she did not think young people looked at political colours, and that because she had chosen young people’s charities – The Skate Park and Young Carers – to support during her Mayoral year, when they see her name, young people would vote for her.
Nigel Champken Woods said that he and other councillors had been to Lord Williams’s school to discuss such things as how planning works, and that he agreed that young people ‘probably do change’. David Dodds, also a town councillor and a district councillor candidate, said: “I think we have been very responsive to young people and provide them with a great deal in the form of grants for sports, for music, for bursaries etc. We cherish our young.”
Q: What can we do about the difficulty of affordable housing in this constituency?
There was much discussion on this subject around what is meant by ‘affordable?’ ; that we need not just one and two-bed homes because there are a number of families needing homes too; that we need basically ‘more’ houses to mitigate market forces of supply and demand keeping prices high. David Dodds was angry about, as he put it, the way the ‘Angus Firearm’ building ‘snuk’ in, supposedly as smaller, affordable flats, but now the price was over £260,000.
John Howell said that he had asked SODC to ‘get on with building more homes’ but that ‘we need to insist that these include a number of affordable and ‘low market’ housing. He also mentioned the Government’s new Help-to-buy ISA which will, he said, help young to buy a house.
Town Council candidate, and current town councillor, Mike Dyer, said that the Thame Neighbourhood Plan says ‘must’ include affordable homes, and that means on the actual development site, not somewhere else, and that the town council would continue to ‘police’ that.
John Cotton said that there was a balance to be struck as ‘viability‘ was important for developers, who would not build on a site if they couldn’t make a profit. He said that what was in a Neighbourhood Plan was not a reason to refuse an application, but was a ‘material consideration’.
Q: Any chance of a change of bias in education funding from urban to rural schools?
John Howell replied that he agreed funding had been more favourable to cities and that he had lobbied on behalf of rural schools, and that the government had agreed to ‘re-adjust’ the system to make it fairer. Education had, though, he said, been underfunded by local authorities too.
Q: Is it possible to ask local businesses to contribute to a subsidy for local buses, which since they were cut, leave towersey residents dependent on the buses, very limited access to Thame for the shops etc?
County Councillor Nick Carter said that the problem was that some of these rural routes had hardly any passengers and so just were not economical to run without county council subsidies. He accepted that these buses were ‘a life line’ for some people.
“It’s a case of use it or lose it, said John Howell.
Sonja Francis, who is a member of Thame4Business, part of the 21st Century Thame Partnership, said that she would take the suggestion back to the business group. Nigel Champken Woods described how in Singapore, he experienced a system of ‘pick up taxis‘ where taxis would run up and down a particular route and people could just flag them down and share the cost.”
Q: We need to provide something for the young people; why can’t we build something like a cinema on the Cattle Market site?
David Dodds said that whatever was built on that site, and the Neighbourhood Plan says a ‘mixed use site’, would need to be economically viable. He added that if a cinema was commercial, it would have been done. He mentioned Thame’s cinema Club, Thame Cinema 4 All, which was successful, but said that he had hardly ever seen a young person in the audience.
John Howell said that he would write to the Cinema companies.
Mike Dyer said that any idea that came forward would be looked at by the town council. David Dodds said that any plan would be ‘choked’ if it did not include more parking.
Q: A Danish Member, who lives in Thame, asked on behalf of a constituent, about the rules for child benefit which mean that there is no benefit for married couples for a two-year-old, which meant that she could not afford to go back to work.
“The Conservatives will increase provision for child-care,” replied John. “It is part of the development of employment that we also provide women with the ability to get the child-care they can afford.”
Nick Carter responded: “Cameron says he intends to lower the age at which child-care will be available and give 20 plus hours of free child-care per week. How the country will be able to afford that I don’t know.” (see LINK )
The meeting ended with a member congratulating John Howell for what he had done over the last five years.
SUSTRANS, the sustainable transport charity, is celebrating 20 years of the National Cycle Network, by organising a series of cycle rides in Oxfordshire.
The Phoenix Trial, a SUSTRANS National Cycle route between Thame & Princess Risborough
Since the inauguration two decades ago of this national treasure that runs over the whole country, the network of routes in Oxfordshire has developed steadily, with a new route (442) added only last year.
The Oxford volunteer rangers groups feel this great enterprise is certainly worth celebrating and together with people in other parts of the county, are planning a suitable celebration this summer. So keep the date of Saturday, June 20, free in your diary and watch out for further information. This date is towards the end of Bike Week, a nation-wide jamboree.
The plan is to have five rides, going along Oxfordshire’s five routes, including one between Thame and Oxford, all converging on Oxford itself for a picnic and a party:
· A ride from Thame to Oxford, route 57
· A ride from Bicester to Oxford, route 51
· A ride from Woodstock to Oxford, route 5,
· A ride from Charlbury to Oxford, route 442
· A ride from Abingdon to Oxford, route 5.
Start times and the details of the starting and meeting points are yet to be finalised and will be announced soon. it should be a fun day, celebrating a great endeavour.
Any queries or comments or suggestions, please contact Cecilia Fry (ceciliafryis@gmail.com) or James Larminie (larminie@btinternet.com)
THAME is looking a lot smarter this week, after around 200 local people took part in Thame Tidy Day 2015, on Sunday (April 19), clearing paper, metal, drinks cans, crisp packets, carpet underlay, graffiti, weeds, garden waste and all sorts of discarded rubbish to be found in some of its streets and recreation areas.
Thame residents tidying up along the Phoenix Trail
The event was Co-ordinated by Sue Martin-Downhill of Thame4Business, part of 21st Century Thame, who was delighted with the response for help this year.
Speaking after the event, Sue said: “Thame Tidy was a great success with the whole of the Phoenix Trail being cleared of litter and many residential areas cleared too. I’d like to thank everyone who joined in; there must have been up to 200 people involved! Particular thanks go to the men from Biffa who cleared the Scout Hut Car Park for us when our skips didn’t arrive!”
Sue extended her thanks to ASM recycling, The fire service, Racquets Fitness Centre, Angela Wilson of Lea park Residents Association, Colin and Steve and all the scouts, Adam and his family, those from Waitrose and others on that team. Sue’s right-hand woman, Maggie, who helped despite only having lived in Thame for few months, was especially singled out for thanks by Sue.
Young Thame scouts get ready to have some fun litter-picking
The areas in the town covered were the Phoenix Trail, Travelodge car park, the Cattlemarket car park, Clarendon Drive – including weeding the alley way leading to the Moats, various other parts of Lea Park including some graffiti removal and other residential streets and alleys throughout Thame, as well as Thame Cricket Ground.
Thame’s Cornerstone Church turned out to contribute to Thame Tidy Day by tackling a house that a family with young children were moving into.
Simultaneously, the annual ‘Moreton Muckout’ took place and the rubbish collected there included a road sign, a traffic cone, a kettle (no lead), a hub and a wheel.
But Sue doesn’t want this community spirit’s affect to have just lasted for the Thame Tidy Day: “If anyone in Thame is going for a walk and would like to take a litter picker and a bag, and pick up litter throughout the year, then please do speak to me,” she added, “as we have litter pickers and gloves available to borrow all through the year! The town centre is litter picked regularly but the alleys are not.
“So, we could improve the look of our town throughout the year with a little walk now and again.”
THAME Boys under 15’s beat Crowmarsh Youth Boys 3-1 to win the Oxfordshire U15 Youth Cup on Sunday (April 19), in a game that went to extra time.
Striker Dan Collins grabbed his 18th goal of the season midway through the first half, and his 19th right at the end of the second half of extra time.
Collins’ first goal was a well-taken shot from inside the area, beating the keeper at his near post. Forward Alfie Fleming may feel a little hard done by after two of his goals were harshly disallowed.
Although Thame led for most of the game, Crowmarsh controversially scored with the last kick in normal time, from a dubious free kick decision, to take the game into extra time. Long serving centre back, James McStay, powered a header home early in extra time, latching onto a cross from Christian Warwick to end any misery of conceding in the last minute.
After Thame regained the lead, they began to soak up the pressure and Collins pounced from a corner as George Ashworth headed the ball down from the corner, and the in-form striker volleyed home from close range to make it 3-1.
SOURCE: Thame Football Partnership website – Contributed by Gary Hodgkiss
A set of planning applications relating to a proposed housing development and a public park in Thame, have been withdrawn from the agenda of a planning committee, following a site meeting yesterday (April 21).
Meadow land at ‘The Elms’ where a development of 37 new homes is proposed
The decision to withdraw from the agenda plans for 37 houses at The Elms, in Upper High Street, Thame, and associated ‘improvements’ to Elms Park next door, was announced yesterday afternoon. The reasons given by the planning authority, South Oxfordshire District Council, were that there were incorrect and/or insufficient plans attached to the (planning officer’s ?) report issued to planning committee members; that planning committee members had requested further clarification on comments from English Heritage (EH) and that, following the planning committee site visit, committee members had requested a further site visit with access to neighbouring properties to view the applications from those sites.
A spokesperson for SODC, said: “The planning committee meeting will still go ahead tomorrow (April 22) at the scheduled time and other applications will be discussed, but the above three applications will not now feature.
Once all three of requirements have been satisfied, a new planning committee date will be set to discuss The Elms applications.
The email sent out to interested parties announcing the change of agenda, apologised for any inconvenience caused and concluded: “I want to reassure you that we carefully consider any decision to withdraw an application from a planning committee. However, we are satisfied it is warranted in these circumstances to ensure that the planning committee members have all the information they need to make a considered decision.”
You can view the Planning applications P14/S2176/FUL and P14/S2395/LB and the plans for Elms Park P14/S2310/O on SODC’s website (Click on links)
This proposal has proved to be a controversial one ever since it was included in the Thame Neighbourhood Plan, and has since attracted over 2,000 signatures to a petition to have it removed. The Planning Committee meeting today was expected to have been a lively affair, with district council committee members having to decide between accepting the recommendation of its Planning Officer to permit the development, and opposition from Thame Town Council which is not satisfied that it complies with parts of the Neighbourhood Plan, and a vociferous group of Thame residents who oppose the development of The Elms altogether.
You can read past reports and correspondence from local people concerning the history of The Elms proposals, HERE
THAME Town Council’s Grants Scheme is now open for applications from local, charitable organisations in the area who are working for the benefit of Thame, to apply for funding to support local projects.
The criteria is that schemes should aim to develop skills, improve health, revitalise the local environment and enable people to become more active citizens.
The council says: “The scheme aims to fund projects that address the needs, aspirations and issues of the people in our community.”
Who can apply? Any community or not-for-profit group working for the benefit of the people of Thame. Other terms and conditions apply, and these can be found at the town council’s website www.thametowncouncil.gov.uk from where an application form can be downloaded. Alternatively, a paper version is available from the town hall.
The deadline for applications is 5pm on Tuesday, May 5. 2015. For further information or for help completing the form, call: 01844 212833.
CHINNOR RFC achieved a comfortable victory over already relegated Shelford, on Saturday (18/04), scoring eight tries in a 52-13 win.
Chinnor opened the scoring in the second minute when Jack Hayes dotted down after a gap opened up in midfield for Boughton whose delayed fake pass bamboozled the opposition and put Hayes clean away. A Shelford penalty goal from Steve Smith put the visitors on the scoreboard before Keohane scored in the corner to put the home side 12-3 ahead. Shelford were then denied a try under the posts when the touch judge spotted a knock on in the build up play. A stab through kick from Boughton saw the ball bounce off a Shelford player into the hands of Blewitt who sprinted to the posts from 60 metres out. Keohane added the extras for a 19-3 lead to Chinnor. With the Chinnor scrum in the ascendant, the fifth penalty scrum in front of the posts led to a drive over try with To’oala stretching the Chinnor lead to 26-3. Shelford replied with a try from prop Matt Gregson who casually trotted through a hole at the ruck after some good play in the Chinnor 22. Another converted try from Keohane saw the Oxfordshire boys go in 33-8 ahead at the break with the bonus point try in the bag.
The third quarter of the match was relatively quiet until Chinnor’s Ryan Long was yellow carded and immediately Shelford scored a try by Aki Lea from the resultant penalty line out drive. Straight from the restart, a Shelford defender dropped the ball to allow Waddingham to gather at full pace and sprint 20 metres to the line for Chinnor’s sixth try of the day. Keohane converted to put Chinnor 40-13 ahead with 57 minutes played. A sharp outside break saw Martey dot down in the corner for try number seven. In the last play of the day, a Shelford kick went straight to the arms of Blewitt who again scorched in from deep for the final try, converted by Keohane to give Chinnor a 52-13 victory.
Shelford, although already relegated, were in this match throughout but suffered particularly at scrum time. The high gusting wind did not help any of the lineouts.
Chinnor’s pack led the way with superior set piece and an all smothering defence when without the ball. The backs utilised the steady supply of good ball where pace and good running lines consistently found holes in the opposition defence. Hayes, in his last home match before joining Championship side Rotherham, showed just why he’ll be greatly missed at Kingsey Road. He displayed all the tricks of back play with pacy tenacious running and rock like defence. Boughton played well in his unusual position of fly half and Keohane, at full back, bagged a well deserved personal tally of 22 points.
The pack set the tone of the day with the font row union showing dominance throughout. The back row are a well balanced unit with the power of To’oala matched by the industry of Tyas, who becomes more influential with each match, and Waddingham. Waddingham, now back playing regularly after a long injury layoff, narrowly gets the man of the match award above three or four other worthy candidates, for a tireless display of tackling, ball carrying and some useful sprinting ability.
Teams
Chinnor: Ed Keohane, Robbie Martey, George Blewitt, Jack Hayes, Reuben Haile, Reece Boughton, Frank Jones, Ricardo Cano, Joe Pickett, David Coutts, Ben Manning, Christian Ostberg, James Tyas, Alex Waddingham, Alfie To’oala (c)
Interchanges: Ian Stock, Alan Cawston, Darren Oliver, Ryan Long, George Grose
Shelford: Shingai Chiwanga, Ivan Karsten, Warrick Anderson, Steve Smith, Andrew Scott, John Naylor, Charlie Baker, Joe Winter, Will Ringrose, Matt Gregerson, Rupert Ransom
Redmond Newberry, Scott Jackowski, Jason Billows, Richie McIver
Interchanges: Alex Boyce, Gary McLaughlin, Josh Taylor, Lewis Cracknell, Aki Lea
THE General Election may be over two weeks away, but pupils from Lord Williams’s School in Thame, held a vote of their own following a hustings at the school on Friday (April 17).
Friday’s event, which was filmed by Harry Parsons of Radio Blackfrog, was the first hustings in the Henley Constituenct (which includes Thame), with all five of the General Election candidates taking part.
With an audience of over 100 Years 12 and 13 students, and teachers from Lord Williams’s, the room was so packed that some people sat on the floor for the entire session. There were a wide range of questions for the five candidates, John Howell – Conservative, Sam Juthani – Labour, Sue Cooper – Liberal Democrats, Christopher Jones – UKIP and Mark Stevenson – Green Party, including on threats to the UK, housing, health and gender equality. There seemed to be particular interest in the questions around the NHS and housing.
After the hustings was finished, students were polled as to who they would vote for. The results were as follows:
Conservative – 10.8%
Greens – 10.8%
Labour – 65.6%
Lib Dem – 3.9%
UKIP – 2.5%
Spoilt – 6.4%
You can see Harry Parsons’ film of the hustings event at Lord Williams’s at Blackfrog Radio (keep up on facebook HERE) on Tuesday, at 8pm, and afterwards.
Carol Bradbrook-Taylor (Independent) and Peter Butler (UKIP)
THAME.NET is inviting all the local candidates for the Election 2015, for a short profile. The following are from Carol Bradbrook Taylor and Peter Butler:
Carol BRADBROOK TAYLOR – Independent – Thame South Ward
MY decision to stand as a candidate for Councillor has been a last minute one. I was asked to consider it, and I thought, “Why Not?” I have decided to stand as an Independent candidate as I don’t think allegiance to a specific political party is crucial to fulfil this role in our neighbourhood.
My husband died 15 years ago so I have spent the best part of 15 years devoted to bringing up my sons solo as a working parent. Not much spare time then! My boys played lots of sport and as a result I became a volunteer at Chinnor RFC some 14 years ago, and latterly Oxfordshire Rugby, rising to Honorary Secretary at both. Now my sons are grown up and I have more time to devote to other aspects of my life.
My Mum moved into sheltered accommodation near the town centre so she could be close to shops, bus stop, doctors, bank, market etc. I live in Thame, by choice. As a relative newcomer I appreciate what Thame has to offer. I shop in Thame, go out in Thame, and use a wide range of facilities and services here.
I voted for the Neighbourhood Plan so am keen to see it work out. I want to see everyone living in comfortable homes, accessing the thriving town centre, being part of an exciting social scene, and local businesses providing proper work. It is vital that as more people move into Thame, they are able to integrate into the Thame lifestyle we all love.
I don’t have business interests in Thame, nor do I belong to any action group. My first dealing with Thame Town Council was representing the Rugby Club to ask for their support towards the installation of disabled facilities at the Clubhouse. Success!
I am keen to be involved in the planning, running and decision making for the future and would be honoured to be elected to the Town Council to represent the interests and concerns of all voters, visitors, groups, and businesses.
Peter BUTLER – UKIP – South Oxfordshire District Council Candidate & Thame North
I was born in South London and moved to Thame over 37 years ago. I am a serial entrepreneur, married with two daughters and two Grandchildren. I decided to stand as a Town and a District Council candidate at this election for a number of reasons.
Thame is a wonderful place to live and bring up a family. It has brilliant schools, close on full employment, very low crime rate, first class sporting facilities, fantastic young people, all adding up to a good quality of life, and I want to make sure it stays that way!
With Tesco and the Cattle Market decisions needing to be dealt with soon, I will make sure that the voices of Thame residents are heard. We have something very special here in Thame and we need to make sure it only changes for the better. We need to safeguard our town centre’s independent retail shops by cutting business rates and providing free parking in all town car parks.
• Residential development imposed on us is a symptom of failure, and has long term consequences for
our public services. I will only support building on brownfield sites.
• Financial support seems to have been drastically reduced for local organisations. I will seek to find out
why and get this changed.
• In my past business life I had dealings with Thame Town Hall and the negativity I experienced was
shocking. In my opinion Thame Town Council needs to embrace the local community, not the other
way round. I will push for transparency and accountability at the Town Hall.
I hope that people who want change over the next four years at both District Council and Town Council level will vote for me, and I will work tirelessly on their behalf.
