Author: Sonja Francis

A County Councillor has expressed her fear that propsed changes in the way Housing Benefit is calculated will see local people worse off.
Cllr Dorothy Brown, who lives in Towersey, and represents Aston Rowant, is the Cabinet Member responsible for housing. She is concerned because The Rent Service (the government agency that provides a rental valuation service to local authorities and is part of the Dept of Work and Pensions)proposes to determine a Local Allowance that links this area with those in Aylesbury where rent levels are much lower.
The proposed changes, due to come into force from April next year, could mean that Housing Benefit levels will go down for Thame and Chinnor and recipients will not be able to rent in the private sector in these two areas, as their benefit will no longer cover the full market rent.
The county council fears that this could have serious implications, not only for the individuals concerned but also for the Council in meeting government targets on homelessness.
Cllr Dorothy Brown is quoted as saying:”These proposals will have a serious impact on vulnerable households who will not be able to afford to rent in Thame and Chinnor. Many of these people rely on local networks for support and will not be able to move to areas where rents are cheaper.
“This will lead to a reintroduction of temporary accommodation at a much higher cost to the Council.?

The Council has held meetings with the Rent Service to try and get this proposal changed and says that it will be writing to Boris Johnson, the MP for Thame and Chinnor, to ask him to take this issue up with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

AS Conservative leader, David Cameron, recovers from a damaging row over scrapping support for new grammar schools, he has been threatened with another internal revolt – over housing policy.
Tory plans to build more housing in the South East have come in for criticism from Conservative councillors who have warned of a ‘grammar school-style’ row if a big extension in construction is backed.

Oxfordshire County Council and the South East England Regional Assembly leader, Keith Mitchell, said: “My message to the leadership is that if you push the numbers too far, you get to a situation where the roads and rail seize up, schools are overcrowded and hospitals can’t cope.”

Conservative member of the Commons Communities and Local Government committee, Sir Paul Beresford, also warned that: “The party’s way forward has to involve both encouraging more building in the North where the jobs are needed, as well as building in the South that does not encroach on greenfield sites or gardens.
“We need to stand firm on our plans to tighten up the rules to stop garden-grabbing, which is becoming a real issue. But mimicking Prescott’s approach would be wrong.”

According to the webside, ePolitix.com, the shadow housing minister, Michael Gove, has sought to play down the concerns and is quoted as saying:
“As David Cameron, Caroline Spelman and I have made clear, we need to build more homes to help first-time buyers on to the property ladder but unlike Labour we will work with communities, not against them, to provide organic growth that respects the environment and protects valuable green space.”

SUNDAY, June 24, was the anniversary of the death of the Civil War hero, John Hampden, known as ‘The English Patriot’, who met his end in The Greyhound Inn, Thame, over 300 years ago.
There is a John Hampden Society, formed by people with an interest in the man, which aims to
encourage wider knowledge of this great 17th century
Parliamentarian, his life and times.
On Saturday, June 23, the society held its annual dinner at The Spread Eagle Hotel, Thame, the day prior to the 364th anniversary of the Patriot’s death from wounds received at the Battle of Chalgrove.

The Society marks this anniversary each year by laying a wreath at the monument at Chalgrove and holding their annual dinner on the Saturday nearest to 24th June.
Anthea Coles, the Honoury Secretary of The John Hampden Society, told ThameNews.net: “The dinner this year was extremely well attended and amongst those present was Dr. Paul Hooper, the author of the Society’s most recent publication, ‘John Hampden in The Short Parliament’. Dr. Paul Hooper lives on the Isle of Wight and had travelled to Thame in order to give the after-dinner talk, which brought a fitting end to another enjoyable evening at The Spread Eagle”.

Dr Hooper’s book, along with others listed on the society’s website
, is available by contacting the Society direct.

RADIO Two DJ, Ken Bruce, who lives at Towersey, presented awards to the winners of John Hampden school’s Tiny Turner Art Competition at the Thame school’s Open Day last Friday, June 21.
This year is the school’s centenary and other celebrations have included an Edwardian tea party.