Author: Sonja Francis

FOLLOWING a trend nationally, the number of reported thefts of lead in the Thame area is rising.
During the first six months of 2008, 78 offences have been reported across South Oxfordshire and 38 of these have happened in the Thame Police area affecting local homeowners, schools, businesses and churches.

Crime Reduction Advisor, Lesley Nesbitt, said: “Thame Police are appealing for members of the public to be extra vigilant and to report any suspicious incidents or persons to the police. It is not unusual for the theft of lead from roofs not to be noticed until it rains when considerable damage is caused by leaking roofs.”

There are alternative materials available on the market which are good substitutes for lead and they have no scrap value and further information on these products can be obtained from builders merchants or your local crime reduction advisor.

Call Thames Valley Police with any information you may have on 08458 505 505 or if you wish to remain anonymous and have information about who is committing these offences you can call crimestoppers on 0800555111.

THE Liberal Democrats have responded to a threat from the Conservatives to take legal advice over a Lib Dem leaflet they say implies the Lib Dem candidate is backed by Mr Johnson.
But Liberal Democrat Chief Executive, Lord Rennard, is today reported as having accused the Conservatives of being ‘running scared’ saying that the criticism about the leaflet was “odd.”
Apparently he said that the Conservatives had posted a similar publication two weeks ago, adding that it was an insult to voters to suggest they had been misled by the format.

In a separate spat between the two parties in relation to the campaign to save Townlands hospital in Henley-on-Thames, Lord Rennard said: “In relation to the Henley Townlands hospital campaign, we have merely repeated claims by the independent hospital campaigners that they were unaware of any support from the Conservative Party candidate,” he said.
He added: “The Conservatives seem to be running scared in what used to be a very safe Conservative seat.”

County councillor, John Howell, the Tory candidate in the Oxfordshire constituency where Mr Johnson had a 12,793 majority in 2005.

The Labour party’s candidate is Richard McKenzie whilst Mark Stevenson will stand for the Green party and Chris Adams for UKIP.

The full list of candidates for the by election to be held on Thursday, June 26, is as follows:

Chris Adams, UK Independence Party
Derek Allpass, English Democrats
Louise Cole – Independent (Miss Great Britain Party)
Amanda Harrington – Independent (Miss Great Britain
Party)
John Howell – Conservatives
Stephen Kearney – Liberal Democrats
Richard McKenzie – Labour
Bananaman Owen – Monster Raving Loony Party
Timothy Rait – British National Party
Dick Rodgers – The Common Good
Mark Stevenson – Greens
Harry Bear, The Fur Play Party

BORIS JOHNSON, accompanied by the Conservative candidate who hopes to replace him after the forthcoming by election on June 26, visited the village of Sydenham near Thame today.
Boris was accompanied by John Howell, the Conservative candidate, as they were shown around The Crown pub in Sydenham, which has been bought by five enterprising couples who wanted to ensure its future as a community pub.
The couples, Siobhan and Lloyd McKee, Jenny and Chris Morgan, Anne and John Ashfield, Des and Jayne O’Flanagan, and Martin and Krzysia Gossage, feared that the building would be sold off and converted into a house as has happened to so many village pubs, including the Royal Oak at Moreton.

After commending John Howell as his successor and describing the Liberal Democrat’s latest glossy leaflet as “complete twaddle, shameful and deceitful,” Boris, who is celebrating his 44th birthday today, said that he and his wife Marina, had not yet decided whether or not to keep on their house near Thame.

Later this afternoon it emerged that Boris Johnson has demanded, in a letter to the Lib Dem Chief Executive and election co-ordinator, Lord Rennard, that the Lib Dems withdraw their latest leaflet. The leaflet includes images and a quote from Boris above a column seemingly endorsing the Lib Dem candidate.

To questions from both local and national news reporters, John Howell rejected a suggestion that this by election would be “a walk in the park” for the Conservative party.

Photo: Boris Johnson with Conservatice candidate, John Howell, at the Crown in Sydenham earlier today.

AN official assessment of open spaces, sport and recreation facilities in Thame, has concluded that the town lacks a large green space for people living in the East of the town, and that Thame needs a large community building.
The assessment, of the whole of south Oxfordshire, was made in 2006 by the district council but has only just been published for consultation.
The town council have called the report ‘a useful tool for the future’ in applying for grant funding to improve current facilities and to provide new ones in the future.