Author: Sonja Francis

THE Head teacher of Lord Williams’s Comprehensive School in Thame, currently on a split site across the town, has outlined his vision for a single site development.

In a statement today, David Wybron said: “When Site F was chosen as the designated site for the allocation of houses in the Core Strategy last November, the school welcomed the possibilities highlighted in the consultation, to take advantage of land released on Site F for the potential relocation of our Lower School, therefore enabling the school to be on one site.

“In the previous year we had been working with county officers on a site development plan so that
we would be ready to take advantage of ?Building Schools for The Future? money when it arrived in
Oxfordshire. Our task then, prompted by the government, was to think and to plan creatively for what we wanted for our school in the future. Governors and senior leaders visited other big schools and we looked at how they worked. We were, and are convinced, that a single site school is the best option for teaching and learning in Thame. Oxfordshire County Council is also backing the proposal. Advantages include:

* more learning and pastoral time in the day, including the possibility of daily contact with a tutor

* teachers not having to commute in our 20 minute breaks between lessons
* opportunities for older and younger students to work together

?When ?Building Schools for the Future? money was
withdrawn it seemed that we would need to wait a long time for anything to happen. We now have more reason to be optimistic but there are still significant issues to resolve. In order for the project to go ahead, our Towersey Road site would need to be sold. The capital receipt from the sale would be needed to build the Lower School at Oxford Road. The site has community facilities.?

Ann Mayou, Chair of Governors commented: ?The allocation of houses in the Core Strategy Plan in
November and the selection of Site F would provide an opportunity for the school to develop as a single
site, with all the overwhelming educational advantages that being on one site brings.?

The statement concluded: “Recent announcements from the Inspector looking at the Core Strategy and amended housing figures suggest that more housing may be needed in Thame. As planning and discussion of strategy becomes ever more complicated it is now appropriate for the wishes of the school community to be clearly voiced in terms of a vision of learning for Lord Williams?s and the community it serves.”

THE old Thame library building in Southern Road, re-opened today having been transformed into a stimulating and inviting Children’s Centre to support local families.

Almost unrecognisable from the old dilapidated wood and glass building, The Red Kite Childrens’ Centre has been re-clad in timber panelling, a buggy store added to the side and various soft-play, sand and water, quiet corners and an outdoor play space provided.

Like other Children’s Centres run by the charity PEEP (Peers Early Education Partnership, Thame’s is intended to take up from where the old Sure Start scheme left off, offering support and advise to parents and guardians of babies and young children.

The Red Kite Children’s Centre provides a place for young children to begin to play with other children, to try new things with their carers and to make a mess on someone else’s floor! Parents can learn how children grow and learn, get support and advice, access training and work opportunities, meet other parents and carers and get individual counselling if they need it.

Structured sessions take place for various age groups throughout the week but there are several opportunities to just drop in.

The centre was officially opened today by Pepper Pig with the help of Thame’s County Cllr, Nick Carter.

More information is available from info@peep.org.uk or phone 01844 212177.

THAMES Valley Police is appealing for information in connection with a sexual assault on a 13-year-old girl in Thame yesterday (14/6).

The girl was walking down Greyhound Lane, which leads from Waitrose supermarket, when she was approached from behind by an unknown man.

The man grabbed her inappropriately before walking away.

He is described as white, aged in his mid-thirties, between 5ft 11ins and 6ft, with a skinny build and short black hair that was spiked-up with gel. He was wearing black wraparound sunglasses and a blue, checked short-sleeve shirt.

Sgt Pete Scott said: ?This was obviously a very upsetting incident for the young girl involved and we are keen to trace this man.

?I would urge anyone with information about this incident, or who was in the area and saw this man, to come forward and help us with our investigation.

?Do you recognise the description of this man? If so, then we want to hear from you.?

Anyone with information should contact Sgt Pete Scott via the 24-hour Thames Valley Police Enquiry Line on 0845 8 505 505. Alternatively, you can contact the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.

TWO men have been arrested in Thame, after a drugs warrant was executed at an address in Thame on Thursday night 9/6).

At about 7.30pm the Thame Neighbourhood Policing Team executed a warrant under the Misuse of Drugs Act at a property in Pearce Way.

Inside the property officers found approximately 270 grams of a substance believed to be herbal cannabis, as well as paraphernalia associated with the growing and production of drugs. An amount of cash was also seized.

A 24-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession of a class B drug with intent to supply and a 25-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply a class B drug. Both remain in custody at this time.

Sgt Stephen Hookham, of the local neighbourhood policing team, said: ?We initially received information from the community, which prompted an investigation and enabled us to obtain a warrant under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

?This is a testament to the importance of members of the public helping us in the fight against crime. It is crucial that the local community continues to supply us with information, which in this case has led to drugs being prevented from reaching the streets of Thame.?

If anyone has further information, please call PC Jon Shaw, from Thames neighbourhood team, via the 24-hour Police Enquiry Centre on 0845 8 505 505. If you don?t want to speak to police or leave your name, call the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

THAMES’S local planning authority has been told it must bring forward more detailed proposals on where 800 new homes in the district should go. This follows the conclusions reached by the planning inspector appointed to examine the council’s Core Strategy.

Following a public meeting last week, the inspector concluded there were no circumstances in South Oxfordshire to justify the council?s reliance on a supply of housing from unallocated (windfall) sites, in the final five years of the plan to 2027 and it would therefore be ?inconsistent with national policy?.

In a statement today, South Oxfordshire District Council stated: “By including an allowance for these windfalls the council had sought to reduce the number of houses on new greenfield sites. The council had consulted extensively on its proposals and local communities had supported this approach.

“The decision to hold some of the examination in early November is welcomed, as this will help keep the core strategy timetable on track. However, before then the council must come up with and agree a response to the inspector?s conclusions. Over the summer the council will seek views from the community on its response and submit everything to the inspector in time for him to recommence the proceedings on 1 November.”

Cabinet Member for Planning, Angie Paterson, said:
?We have done our best for our local communities to strike a balance between providing the housing we need whilst also allowing for assimilation into existing communities. The inspector?s approach is a major disappointment not just for us but also for the communities we have previously consulted on our proposals. We can?t change the situation or the numbers we are going to have to provide. Although the inspector has referred the problem back to us to resolve, under the current planning system he still has the right to decide what the numbers should be and whether we are proposing to put the homes in the right place. We therefore need to plan together where the additional houses might go. I want to work with community representatives to come up with a solution to this problem so that we make the decisions rather than let the Planning Inspector do so for us. It is in all our interests to work together on this. If we do not have a plan in place then we will be open to speculative developments across the District.”

In the new circumstances, the government?s planning inspector will now hold some of the examination hearings in July and the remainder in early November.

To view the timetable for the Core Strategy and background, visit:
http://www.southoxon.gov.uk/services-and-advice/planning-and-building/planning-policy/core-strategy