RAQUETS Fitness Centre Rock and Pop Dance Sessions; 10am-12pm at Racquets Fitness Centre. Payment
Author: Sonja Francis
-
11/08/11….Help with getting YOUR business noticed by the media
WORKING effectively with the press whether nationally or locally to promote your business is becoming increasingly relevant and Thame4Business is here to help!
Join us for lunch!
Thame4Business is the local business partnership re-launched in June with the town’s first Business Family Fun day. Since then the growing and lively group has met for breakfast and discussed the role of social networking in business. This month’s event is a business lunch at The Stables, behind The James Figg in Cornmarket, Thame, on Wednesday, August 17, at 12.30pm.
Sonja Francis, Thame4Business’s Acting Chair, said: “We have invited Iain Nicholson of OTCN, (Oxfordshire Towns Chamber Towns Chambers Network), a very experienced and entertaining speaker, to talk to us about getting your business noticed by the press and how to write a press release that no editor will be able to ignore! There will be an opportunity for attendees to introduce themselves to fellow members, and to contribute their ideas and experiences to the discussion.
“I appreciate that August is often a quiet month for businesses but we do hope lots of local businesses will be able to join us for what promises to be a very stimulating and useful meeting.”
The event will start promptly at 12.30pm and the cost will be
-
11/08/11….Our district is England’s best for recycling!
SOUTH Oxfordshire District Council has been named the top recycling authority in England in an independent annual survey.
According to research by letsrecycle.com, the council recycled or composted 70.56 per cent of its waste in 2010/11 – five per cent higher than the second best performing authority, Rochford District Council.
This is the first time an authority has recorded an annual rate of more than 70 per cent since letsrecycle.com started its annual survey at least five years ago, which is based on figures supplied by councils.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is due to publish its official league table of how councils are performing later this year.
South Oxfordshire?s recycling rate has soared since it introduced a new waste collection service, provided by waste contractors Biffa, in June 2009. The service features a weekly collection of food waste and fortnightly collections of rubbish and recycling on alternate weeks.
Last November the council won the Best Improved Recycling Rate at the LARAC awards for increasing its recycling rate from 44 per cent to 64 per cent between April 2009 and 2010 ? the first ten months of the new collection service.
The same service was launched in the Vale of White Horse in October 2010 where the recycling rate has also increased to approximately 70 per cent on average.
Thame Town cllr, David Dodds, who is also cabinet member for waste at South Oxfordshire District Council, said: ?We have been so pleased with the success of our waste collection service and the consistently high recycling rates the district has achieved, and to be named the top recycling council in the country is the icing on the cake. I look forward to the Government figures coming out later this year and hope we are also top of that table. No doubt our colleagues at the Vale will be celebrating next year when our joint contract may place first and second!?
Biffa?s municipal director Roger Edwards said South Oxfordshire?s performance sets ?the gold standard? for local authority recycling, adding: ?This is awesome news, and everyone involved with the contract is chuffed to bits.?
Caelia Quinault from letsrecycle.com said: ?Achieving a recycling and composting rate of over 70 per cent is a great achievement for South Oxfordshire and sets an excellent example for other local authorities across England.?
-
10/08/11….Summer rugby camp for kids in Thame
SIGN UP now for Chinnor Rugby Club’s summer rugby camp organized and hosted by Matt Hutchings, Monday, August 29, to Thursday, September 1, 10am ? 3pm; Ages 5 ? 12 years.
The camp is a fun and safe environment aimed for either club players wanting to learn new skills or new players wanting an introduction to rugby.
Players need to be aged 5-12 yrs and will be grouped accordingly.
Pack lunch, drinks, warm clothes and change of/wet weather clothes will be required.
For further information and to book on the course, contact Matt on tel: 07736032847 or alternatively email: hutch42001@yahoo.co.uk.
-
10/08/11….Thame’s MP supports boost for local pubs
THAME’s MP, John Howell, has enthusiastically backed a Government review intended to help local pubs. On August 2, the Government launched a review of restrictive covenants, a legal clause that can be used to prevent community pubs reopening as public houses following a sale.
John recently met some of the town?s publicans in the Cross Keys to discuss the problems faced by pubs and how these might be addressed. He said: “Pubs are hubs of community life, as important to the local social scene as they are to the local economy. That I think has been a very clear message from the Standard?s Drink Local campaign. But ‘time’ is being called at too many of our local pubs, depriving people of treasured places to get together in the community.
“By reviewing this restrictive red tape we will enable people to use their collective powers to ensure that their locals remain local and continue to thrive at the heart of every community.”
He added: “In just five years between 2004 and 2009 some 572 pubs are believed to have been permanently lost following a sale with a restrictive covenant, potentially depriving thousands of regulars of an important community asset.”
FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED CHANGED
-
09/08/11…Preventing public disorder in the local area
THAMES Valley Police has issued the following information to residents and businesses, following the public disorder in London last night:
“Most of you will have heard in the news about the recent disorder in London. I would like to reassure you that we will be doing all that we can to ensure that this type of behaviour does not take place in your area.
“You may notice an increase in the number of police officers at this time and this should not cause alarm. These officers are there to provide reassurance, prevent any incidents from happening and tackle any criminal activity that may occur. There have been a lot of rumours circulating on social networking sites about ?riots?, some of which are untrue or greatly exaggerated.
“However, there has been some disorder across the force area. These are copy cat incidents of those that have been happening in London, although involving far viewer people. Obviously, we are aware that these incidents and the images people will have seen from the problems in London and other areas of the country will be causing distress and anxiety.
“I would also like to appeal to the community to let police know of any suspicious looking gatherings of young people and any information they may have about people who may have been involved in disorder. If you see any suspicious behaviour contact Thames Valley Police on 0845 8 505 505. Alternatively, if you do not want to speak to police, or leave your name, please contact the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.”
Chief Inspector Andy Boyd
Deputy Local Policing Area commander
South Oxfordshire and the Vale of WhiteHorseADVICE FOR BUSINESS
Thames Valley Police offer the following precautionary advice to businesses:
Ensure staff report any suspicious activity to security officials and police.
Consider regular checks of the building and surrounding areas.
Identify any areas that are vulnerable and remove loose objects that could be used as missiles.
Make sure all service doors are kept locked and secure when not in use.
Ensure your CCTV system is fully operational.
Consider removing high-value goods from display windows overnight.
Keep as little cash as possible in the building overnight.
Where possible, retail premises should be suitably staffed with security guards.
Landlords need to ensure that residents living above commercial premises are aware of risks and ensure that all fire alarms, smoke alarms and fire escapes are fully functional.
Does your alarm company have the latest keyholder information? If not, call them now.
Does your business have an emergency business plan?
Petrol stations should avoid selling petrol in small containers.
In the event of an emergency, call 999.
-
09/08/11….Oxford band?s global fans support local wildlife
STORNOWAY, Oxford?s leading indie folk band, has released a brand new track for fans to download, and at the same time support wildlife in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.
Through the Patagonia Music Collective website, music lovers can download the previously unreleased track ?You Don?t Know Anything? for
-
08/08/11….Partnership plans to support South Oxfordshire’s Market towns
PARTNERSHIP working is the key theme behind South Oxfordshire District Council?s plans to boost its three market towns of Thame, Henley and Wallingford into 2012 and beyond.
The South Oxfordshire market towns action plan has been updated for 2011/12, bringing new ideas together with ongoing projects, as the council continues to work with 21st Century Thame, Henley Partnership, and the Wallingford Partnership, as well as the three respective town councils and various local groups, to help strengthen the local economy and bring more people to the towns.
The action plan is designed to support the council?s objectives of supporting economic growth, creating vibrant market towns, and promoting business growth and job creation. It endorses the vision for the three towns outlined in the 2009 distinctiveness reports.
Actions in the plan are divided between generic projects that will benefit all three market towns and those tailored for individual towns, and are seperated in terms of the contribution they will make to the area through retail and tourism, culture and events, infrastructure, or marketing.
Among the actions identified to boost all towns in the district are: organising events to encourage business involvement and joint tourism work in the towns, producing information sheets to encourage inward investment, and supporting locally-led initiatives to help promote towns in the run up to the 2012 Olympics.
In Thame the town centre will see a number of shops improve their appearance thanks to the introduction of the shop front grant scheme, while the town?s annual food festival is set to become a commercial venture. Thame?s partnership, 21st Century Thame, will also continue to improve the town?s online offering as well as working to bring more facilities and equipment to the town to support events and promotion.
21st Century Thame’s completed projects, supported by SODC and SEEDA funding, include the town’s recently launched Loyalty card scheme, a Welcome Pack for prospective new residents and businesses, Cycling and Walking maps, Blue Plaques scheme, Historic Town Trails, planters at the town’s entry points, expansion of the town’s Christmas lights and support for the recently launched business partnership, Thame4Business.
Future Thame projects include the use of more plastic cows around the town, strategically placed to advertise events in and promotions of the town, and consolidation of the town’s web presence.
In Henley local groups will work together to help promote the George Orwell Centre and support next year?s Olympic and jubilee celebrations. A project to update signage in the town and produce travel itineries to help encourage visitors to stay longer in Henley, will also take place.
Wallingford has already seen the introduction of new signage, cycling routes and banners in the town, and the council will continue to work with the award-winning Wallingford Partnership and Wallingford Town Council to ensure this good work carries on. A programme to recruit new members to join Wallingford in Business will take place to assist the group in organising regular events in the town, and businesses will also be encouraged to use official town branding and continue to work together on events such as Wallingford Weddings.
To see the complete list of actions for South Oxfordshire?s market towns go to: http://www.southoxon.gov.uk/services-and-advice/business/economic-development/towns
Cllr Judith Nimmo-Smith, cabinet member for Economic Development in South Oxfordshire, said: ?We pride ourselves on our vibrant market towns and have enjoyed some fantastic success in recent years to help bring more people in and boost the local economy. We will continue to work with the partnerships and groups in Thame, Henley, and Wallingford to ensure they continue to be places that people want to visit and live in.”
-
08/08/11….Busy week for Thame fire service
THAME’S retained fire officers, based at the fire station in Nelson Street, have been kept busy this week fighting a roof fire and rescuing sheep from the River Thame.
Last Wednesday morning (03/08) at around 10.25 am, they joined appliances from Brill and Haddenham, to fight a roof fire in a bungalow in Long crendon. Station Officer, Andy Ford, told ThameNews.Net: “Alerted by a neighbour’s call to the police, We arrived to find the roof fully alight but despite being hampered by burning cables falling into the garden, were soon able to bring the fire under control.
“We evacuated the neighbours on both side and fortunately no one was injured. Protected by one of our pop-up tents, we were able to salvage and protect most of the owners’ furniture and belongings.”
On Saturday, a Thame fire crew was involved in rescuing three sheep who had wandered into the River Thame and become stuck in the mud. By the time the crew arrived, two of the sheep had got out by themselves and the third pulled out safely using the force’s specialized Rescue Tender and equipment from Kidlington.
None of the sheep are any the worse for their adventure!
IMAGE: For illustrative purposes only
-
08/08/11….A Neighbourhood plan for Thame
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.