Author: Sonja Francis

WHILST Thame itself has largly escaped serious flooding, thanks to the water meadows on the outskirts of the town that have absorbed much of the recent extreme rainfull, a Flood Warning has been issued.
The Environment Agency confirmed an official Flood Warning for the River Thame and its tributaries from Long Marston to Thame, including Astrope, Aston Clinton, Quarrendon, Aylesbury, Cuddington, Chearsley and Towersey, at 15.00 hrs today, on July 23.

The ‘Flood warning’ status means that ..”flooding is expected affecting homes, businesses and main roads. Act now! “

For further updates and advise visit the Environment Agency’s website LINK

Also,lots of advise available from Oxfordshire County Council’s website.

Photo: Vehicles travelling through Shabbington yesterday (Sunday) hit flood waters almost two feet deep.

A FORMER District councillor has accused South Oxfordshire District Council of treating Thame in ‘a cavalier fashion’ following its rejection of a plan to move the town’s cattle market to a new site, adjacent to the Thame Show Ground.

Mr Mike Welply, who is also an ex Thame Town Councillor, told ThameNews.Net that he was barred from speaking about the application at the planning authority’s meeting to consider the application, despite having his application verbally accepted by the Committee Secretary. He realises that, as a former Councillor he should have known the procedure and filled in the appropriate form.

Mr Welply explained:”On the Wednesday morning I was telephoned by an officer of SODC to be informed that as I had not filled in a form, I was barred from speaking. I attended the meeting, and watched proceedings. It was interesting to see that local land owner, Chubb Castle had two representatives from Rectory Homes to speak, supporting refusal, and putting forward an alternative site – on Chubb Castles land!
“The District Councillor for the North Ward, David Bretherton spoke and was supposed to be supported by the other District Councillor, Richard Walker, who did not show up, although he was down to speak, allegedly supporting the application. The vote was tied and the Chairman Pearl Slatter?s casting vote, supporting the officer recommendation for refusal, won the day for SODC.”

Mr Welply continued: “Yet again we, the people of Thame have been treated in a cavalier fashion by SODC. The District Council, whilst professing to support the Market Towns like Thame, has little concept of what a true market town really is. The loss of the outline planning request to relocate the Thame Livestock market to a place adjacent to the Thame Show ground may, I believe lead to the closure of the livestock market in Thame.
“The long term future of the Thame Show is also problematic as there are new Health & Safety and bio- security regulations which require livestock to be stood on hard standing ground, because grassland is almost impossible to decontaminate. If both of these disappear, Thame would barely count as a true market town. Moreover, the SODC planning decision does not in any way support the rural economy, which the Council is always stressing it supports.”

The application was previously recommended for approval by Thame Town Council’s own Planning committee, with a proviso that a solution be found to the perceived problems that increased traffic movements on Thame by-pass, could effect the egress of the residents of Lea Park.

Three people have been charged in connection with the murder of 94 year-old Thea Zaudy, whose burned remains was found just outside Thame, at Milton Common.
A Polish cleaner was remanded in custody today, Saturday, after appearing in court charged with murdering the 94-year-old German refugee.
Jolanta Kalinowska, 41, of Cavendish Avenue, Ealing, west London, is accused of killing Thea Zaudy, of Notting Hill, London.
Kalinowska’s son, 23-year-old Adrian Ryszard Laz, and his girlfriend Monika Sienkiewicz, 19, both of the same Ealing address, also appeared before magistrates in Oxford charged with assisting an offender in the commission of murder.
They were also remanded in custody to appear at Oxford Crown Court on July 27.
A 38-year-old man has been released without charge.

THAME Police are appealing for witnesses after a burglary in the town between Monday night (16/07) and Tuesday morning (17/07).
Thieves gained entry to a property in Beech Road after forcing a rear ground floor window. They stole a plasma TV, an entertainment system and a silver bracelet.

Using keys taken from the property, the offenders also stole golf clubs from the boot of a vehicle parked outside the property.

Anyone with information can contact PC David Edwards via the Police Enquiry Centre on 0845 8 505 505.

If you don?t want to speak to police and don?t want to leave your name, contact the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.

THE family of Mrs Thea Zaudy, whose burned remains were found in a field near Thame, have released the following tribute to her:
“Thea fled Germany in 1939 and came to Britain where she met and married her husband, Karl. She helped him run a carpet shop which she continued to run by herself after his death. She then worked for another 13 years at a large department store in London, finally retiring at the age of 74.
“She enjoyed walking, travelling and continued playing bridge on a regular basis up to the time of her death. She was well respected by everyone she came into contact with and will be very much missed.”

Four people have been arrested in London by Thames Valley Police officers and are currently in custody where they are being questioned in connection with the murder of Mrs Zaudy.

One line of enquiry is that Mrs Zaudy’s murder may be related to robbery.

POLICE officers investigating the murder of the elderly woman whose burned body was found near Thame a week ago, have been given until tomorrow night (Saturday) to question a man arrested in connection with the incident.
Two other men and a woman arrested in connection with the murder of the woman, Thea Zaudy, must be charged or released by 11pm this evening.