Zoé Patrick - Local News and Views

Oxfordshire Year of the Dragon Celebrations

2012-01-29T18:38:00.000Z

This Sunday afternoon saw the celebration of the Chinese New Year in Oxford Town Hall. This annual event is organised by the Oxfordshire Chinese Community and Advice Centre. In 2012, we celebrate the Year of the Dragon - a particularly special year in the Chinese zodiac, so let us hope it brings good fortune to us all.

The afternoon opened with the Chinese Lion Dance. After the formalities of the welcome, address and presentations, we were then treated to a series of excellent performances, which included a Group Fan Dance, Chinese Flute, Handkerchief Dance and Chinese Zither, as well as Jar & Pot Juggling.

The audience was particularly amazed by the Mongolian Contortionism. As can be seen from the top right photo, the young lady could flex herself into some astounding positions!

Many thanks to the local Chinese community for an enjoyable and entertaining afternoon.

Sweatbox Re-opens in Wantage!

2012-01-27T23:50:00.000Z

Tonight, I went along to the re-opening of The Sweatbox in Wantage. It really is excellent news that, despite all the threats of closure, we have been able to maintain this youth facility for the local area. Many thanks to all who helped to make this happen including King Alfred's College, Grove Parish Council, Wantage Town Council, the Big Society Grant from the County Council and the local community who have pulled together.

National Libraries Day - 4th February 2012

2012-01-21T17:46:00.001Z

It is National Libraries Day on Saturday 4th February 2012 - a chance to celebrate our local libraries, pay them a visit or attend an event. The School Library Association is also a partner in this event. I havent heard of any local events yet, but I will certainly be holding my councillor surgery in Grove Library from 10.30-11.30am (no appointment necessary). In fact, strangely enough it will coincide with an unusual surgery I held in the library exactly one year ago!

Of course, a lot has happened since early 2011 when Oxfordshire was threatened with losing many of its libraries, including the local one in Grove. Thankfully, reason was eventually seen and the situation has progressed over the last year as reported in my blog several times (here, here, here, here, here, here and here ).

We now need to look forward and, as shown by the collage of photographs above, libraries have always been evolving - even without the challenges of eBooks, the Internet, etc. I remember first visiting Wantage Library when it used to be located behind the parish church - in the building (top left photo) now used by the October Club. The library moved to its current location behind Waitrose when a new purpose-built building (top middle) was opened in 1992. Just recently, we have seen the introduction of Self Service (top right) in the library. In the case of Grove, the entrance was remodelled in early 2005 to give easier access, as can be seen from the bottom two photos. There will be new challenges ahead, so please think about visiting one of your local libraries on 4th February, even if you just want to chat to me!

Oxfordshire CEO Visits Grove and Wantage

2012-01-20T23:15:00.000Z

Today, we took the Oxfordshire County Council Chief Executive, Joanna Simons, on a tour of Grove and Wantage. I thought it was important to give her a flavour of the challenges facing our area, especially in the light of any further development on Grove airfield and in Wantage. The County will play a large part in negotiating the infrastructure; in particular our roads, our schools, our library and other community facilities.

We started the day at Millbrook School in Grove (see photo above left), where we were able to meet with headteacher, Sarah Weston, and some school governors. Next, we visited Grove Parish Council to meet local councillors after which we toured some of the businesses at Grove Technology Park. We are very grateful to Steve Head, Simon Ames and Robert Lamplough who hosted us there for lunch before we moved on to Wantage at King Alfred's College.

As you will see from the photo above (right), we were able to have a very interesting discussion with the headteacher, Simon Spiers, deputy Jonathan Smith and Peter Thompson, the Business Manager, about all of the issues facing education - especially with the new changes from the Government surrounding academies.

We rounded off the day with Wantage Town Council for tea at the Vale and Downland Museum, which was an excellent opportunity to catch up with what is happening locally in the town and a tour around the museum. We all enjoyed the day and I hope this will help to raise our profile at County Hall.

Big Local Issues Discussed at the LGA

2012-01-19T22:35:00.000Z

Today, I was in London at the LGA (Local Government Assocation) along with other Liberal Democrat group leaders to meet with the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and then with Andrew Stunnell MP, the Local Government Minister. We were able to have a discussion about local challenges in our councils and how to tackle them. Nick Clegg was grilled about a whole range of issues from council tax benefits to academies, how the pupil premium was working and about the local government financial settlement.

Later, we had a discussion with Andrew Stunell about the draft National Planning Policy Framework and what this will mean for all of us. It is expected that this new guidance will be brought into place in about 18 months time, but in the meantime there were concerns about the transitional arrangements and what will happen to current local plans.

I asked a question about infrastructure and how the new Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and the New Homes Bonus will work alongside the current Section 106 agreements (legal planning conditions), especially when the money coming from government is split into 80% towards the district councils and only 20% towards the county councils who provide most of the infrastructure like roads, schools, libraries etc. I was told that this split of funding was going to be looked into, but was assured that the money raised should be spent in the areas where the housing development is taking place. The affordable housing obligations of developers was less certain, as it was clear that during these difficult times, profit margins are not so great and this meant less money available. This also brought into question the viability of some housing sites. It was quite interesting to hear about other areas in the country with similar situations to Grove and Wantage.

Grove Station Back On Track?

2012-01-17T23:24:00.000Z

At today's Cabinet meeting at the County Council, the Oxfordshire Rail Strategy was approved for stakeholder consultation. This covers the period up to 2034 and if finally agreed will be included in the Council's updated Local Transport Plan 3 in spring 2012.

This report sets out how investment in rail will play a key role in Oxfordshire's economic development and how the opportunity will be for rail to establish itself as an alternative to the A34 supporting Science Vale UK, Oxford and Bicester. In our area, where Science Vale UK is now of vital importance for business growth locally, it is recognised that the re-opening of the railway station at Grove will bring about increased access for rail passengers.

The report states that 'the time is right to look again at the potential for Grove and Wantage station. The franchise renewal in 2013 may provide an opportunity to seek an appropriate train service - possibly releasing capacity on longer distance services by encouraging local travel between Swindon and Didcot to be made on 'local' services. It is imporant to consider the station and train service in the context of a wider corridor approach between Bicester/Oxford and Swindon/Bristol. ' The report then goes on to state that 'The County Council will work in partnership with neighbouring local authorities and the rail industry to investigate the viability of a new station at Grove & Wantage, and an appropriate 'local' train service to serve the station.'

This is encouraging news for us locally as many of you will know that I have campaigned for our local station to re-open for as long as I can remember and certainly supported the planning application when it was approved by the Vale of White Horse District Council. Let us hope now that the rail industry will come forward with a franchise proposal to run a service locally, potentially linking up with Swindon and Didcot. I mentioned this in a previous blog post when I attended the Transport Symposium in Oxford.

Grove Planning Application - Development of land at Monk's Farm

2012-01-15T07:15:00.001Z

On the planning section of the Vale of White Horse District Council website, I note that an application has been received for a formal EIA screening option relating to development proposals for 130 dwellings on land at Monk's Farm in Grove. There are apparently 3.98 hectares of land, which (as shown by the photos above) are bordered by North Drive and Station Road.

The application number is 12/00024/SOP and the details can be found here. Residents can comment on this application here.

Sandwiched

2012-01-14T14:16:00.001Z

They say that all roads lead to London, but it seems that, at least as far as Oxfordshire County Council is concerned, all sandwiches sold in their in-house Common Hall café within County Hall (pictured above) have to come from London! I discovered this whilst trying to buy sandwiches some time ago and was told there were none available as the delivery had not arrived from London. I therefore felt that it was important to raise this as a question to the Cabinet at their last meeting in December. My question was:

“Why are the sandwiches sold in the Common Hall café being bought from a company in London rather than being purchased locally according to the County's procurement rules? According to the Source Oxfordshire website, it states 'We are supporting the Federation of Small Businesses' Keep Trade Local campaign - the Oxford part of which was launched in November 2008.' This is certainly not consistent with that policy. It has also meant that there have been some days where there have been no sandwiches available because they have not arrived from London.”

The full draft minutes with the answer to this question and my supplementary as to why they are not made in house can be found here. This was picked up by the press and printed in today's Oxford Mail here. Not only does this not support local Oxfordshire businesses, but, given all the hoo-ha that was made in 2007 about reducing the council's carbon footprint, it is a bad idea from the environmental point of view. I am now hoping that the council will look seriously at this issue and there will be a change in the future.

Road Closure Confusion

2012-01-13T22:30:00.002Z

I previously gave a heads-up about the closure of the Denchworth Road across the airfield (the bit between Mably Way and Newlands Drive) for 3 days from 14 January, which is tomorrow. Indeed, the official Oxfordshire County Council notice on page 71 of this week's Wantage and Grove Herald confirms these dates. It is therefore somewhat surprising to see that the notices put by the roadside (pictured above) have different dates and indicate that the closure won't start until Monday. Confused? So am I. I have enquired, but so far at 10:30pm on Friday 13th January (maybe that is the jinx) I have received no comment. I will keep you posted if and when I hear anything.

Update - 14 January 2012
Well, having driven into Wantage by this route I can say that the road was not closed today and I think we can now take it that the closure will be 16-18 January, as the roadside signs above indicate. It is a pity that the notices posted on the lamposts along the same stretch of road have the wrong date (see below) like the notice printed in the Herald.

Historic Wantage Bank Building

2012-01-08T09:12:00.014Z

The scaffolding around the HSBC Bank in Wantage Market Place has been removed and the refurbishment can now be observed. As you can see from the upper photos, it looks to be largely complete except for the balcony and supports.

You may remember that there were calls in early 2011 to spruce up the building and it is good to see that the bank has kept it's promise. However, I must admit that I was struck today by how inappropriate the cash machine signage looked at the front of such an historic building. Surely, something a little more discreet and befitting a listed building could be used?

Light Bulb Moment!

2012-01-07T18:48:00.000Z

It is good to see that two faulty street lights (numbers 40 and 41) have been repaired on the A338 between Grove and Wantage - near to the entrance of MacDermid Autotype. I reported these lights some time ago and I know that others did. It turns out that the reason for the delay was because there is a strange numbering system along the A338 - there are, in fact, two more (working) lamp posts labelled 40 and 41 by the roundabout with Mably Way. I went to check this myself today and the photographic proof is shown above. I have been advised that the County Council will look into renumbering the posts to avoid future confusion.

Extra Shopping Hazard

2012-01-07T17:55:00.000Z

Those of us who went shopping at Sainsbury's in Wantage today had to beware of an extra hazard. A roof tile had come loose (pictured above), presumably due to the recent high winds. A safety zone had been set up to prevent shoppers straying underneath.

London Images

2012-01-06T23:55:00.004Z

A short trip to London this week - so here is a selection of unusual photos. Clockwise, from top left we have Nelson's Ship in a Bottle (HMS Victory) by Yinka Shonibare on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square. Next, we have the countdown to the 2012 London Olympics - only 203/236 days to go the Olympics/Paralympics! Third, we have the majesty of St. Paul's Cathedral looming above the protest camp below. Finally, we have a docking station from the Barclays Cycle Hire scheme - or what are often referred to as Boris Bikes.

Winter Views from the Ridgeway

2012-01-02T18:13:00.001Z

Here is the first local view of 2012 taken near to the Ridgeway above Ardington and Lockinge. Saw quite a lot of wildlife - several squirrels, a fox, a hare and a flock of 12 red kites circling in the sky. We even managed to encounter a brief sleet shower (note the dark cloud in the first photo!).

A Last Glimpse of 2011

2012-01-02T00:01:00.001Z

It is time to start looking forward to the challenges of 2012, but here is one last glimpse of 2011 - a word cloud of the 500 most popular words from all of my entries over the last year.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T00:01:00.001Z

Denchworth Road Closure and Potholes

2011-12-30T18:43:00.001Z

Advance warning that the part of the Denchworth Road between Mably Way and Newlands Drive will be closed for 3 days from 14 January for maintenance works. This is the piece of road that divides the old airfield and Wasbrough Field and, despite various attempts at patching, has been in need of attention for some time (see photos above). There will be the usual exemptions for emergency vehicles.

On the subject of roads, I was interested to read the other day that there is no national definition of a pothole and hence they cannot be accurately counted! This was revealed in the Progress Report of the Government Potholes Review commissioned by Norman Baker as Transport Minister. As far as I know, Oxfordshire County Council uses a depth of 40mm and a diameter of 150mm for a pothole to be investigated (see here).

Strangely, back in 1967, John Lennon seemed to have no such problem....

Four thousand holes in Blackburn, Lancashire

And though the holes were rather small

They had to count them all

Now they know how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall

South Pacific in Oxford

2011-12-28T20:18:00.000Z

I went to the New Theatre in Oxford last night to see Rodgers and Hammerstein's fabulous musical South Pacific which was performed by the Lincoln Center Theatre under the direction of André Bishop. The theatre is one of New York's favourite not-for-profit theatres, now celebrating its 27th year, and tours around the world including Broadway.

I particularly enjoyed the old favourites Bali Ha'i, Happy Talk and Some Enchanted Evening. The performances by the cast including the songs were excellent. Bloody Mary did not let us down as one of the stars of the evening. The show is running until 31st December.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T16:48:00.001Z

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas. I hope you all have a peaceful and relaxing time.

Grove Carol Service

2011-12-22T22:33:00.004Z

Tonight was the Grove carol service, which was held around the Christmas tree at the end of Vale Avenue. It was a mild evening, unlike last year when we were standing in the snow. There was a good turnout and tonight the collection was for the Grove and Wantage Food Bank. The Chairman of Grove Parish Council introduced the service which was officiated by the Rev. John Robertson from Grove Parish Church. The Wantage Silver Band were there and as usual did us proud (see photo above).

Afterwards we were invited over to the new Methodist Church building for coffee, tea and mince pies. The extra room and new kitchen and toilet facilities are excellent and will be a bonus for groups who meet in the church hall. Returning back home to continue with Christmas preparations - seems to come round more quickly every year.

No Joint Ticketing for Grove and Wantage

2011-12-13T21:21:00.002Z

Today, I put a motion to the full County Council calling for the joint ticketing system, which was introduced in Oxford at the beginning of this year, to be extended to our area. This was reported here. I was hoping that, as this has been operational for some time in the city, there was a real opportunity to take this forward to other areas in the county where more than one bus operator is working.

Readers of my blog will know that I have been campaigning for this to happen for some time. Many residents have said to me how much easier it would be for them if they could travel on any of our bus companies and be able to use one return ticket for both journeys, rather than having to buy a separate ticket if another operator turns up. We currently have both Stagecoach and Thames Travel who operate commercial services in our area, and both of these companies are signed up to the Quality Bus Partnership in Oxford, which allows the council to 'broker' the services which are provided and ensure that this can happen.

Indeed, I have experienced first-hand how well the service works in Oxford when I have used the buses within the city. You can buy your return ticket and it clearly states on it that it can be used with Stagecoach, Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel.

Unfortunately, for some reason which I do not understand, the Conservative ruling group at the County Council voted it down. Everyone else supported it. The Leader of the Council tried to make some vague excuses as to why it couldn't happen, but no explanation was forthcoming. I did remind them that it was the same Conservative group who argued it couldn't happen before, and yet it all did happen in the city despite their previous negative reaction.

This would have helped improve public transport, help our carbon footprint, bring better value for money and above all give bus passengers a hassle-free experience. What a pity our administration at the County Council has no desire try to improve public transport across Oxfordshire.

Grove Library Decision

2011-12-12T16:54:00.001Z

This afternoon I went to address the special Cabinet meeting which was to decide on the future of Oxfordshire's libraries. You can see the report in the link on my previous blog post here.

As I pointed out in my speech, we have gone from a situation a year ago where we were threatened with closure to a position now where we have been designated a Community Plus Library. This means that our library stays open as usual, however, we will have two thirds paid staff and one third volunteers. Hopefully, this should mean that there will always be a paid member of staff in the library to support any volunteers.

I have met with the Friends of Grove Library group (FROGs) on many occasions where we have discussed the proposals with the Cabinet member and officers from the council and it is hoped that we will be able to find a local solution which will be of benefit to everyone in the community. There was some discussion today about the possibility that with volunteers, we may even be able to have longer opening times, especially during the weekends when more people are available to help.

I emphasised the point that with future housing development planned that the library status will need to be upgraded, and assurances were given that a review would certainly happen in four years time and earlier if housing growth had taken place in the meantime.

The Coming of Christmas

2011-12-08T23:30:00.001Z

Tonight, I attended "The Coming of Christmas" - a candelit evening of Christmas music and readings at Dorchester Abbey with the Choir of New College, Oxford. There were a number of readings by Imogen Stubbs and Dominic West (pictured above). This excellent event is organised annually to raise funds for the Hft charity.

Green Light for Charlton Primary School Extension

2011-12-05T16:23:00.005Z

I have just come back from the County Council's Planning and Regulation Committee where Charlton Primary School's extension has been given the go ahead. I went along to speak and give my support both as local councillor and a governor at the school. This is excellent news for the area as we have been aware for some time now that admissions for places have been full at many of our local primary schools. The new extension will provide a new 2 classroom Foundation Stage Building located to the rear of the school. This will involve the removal of a temporary building and the outdoor swimming pool and changing rooms.

Obviously, it will be a shame to lose the swimming pool, but this would have become a significant cost to the school as time goes on. Also, as an outdoor pool it has had limited use, and the school, along with others in the area do use the local leisure centre indoor pool in Wantage for its swimming lessons. There has been significant consultation and engagement locally and I am sure that the whole community will see the benefits of having an increase in numbers at the school. The intake will now go from 45 to 60 pupils in the first year so there will be a two-form entry right from the start and is due to be open in time for September 2012.

Wantage Dickensian Evening

2011-12-03T01:19:00.001Z

Last night, it was the annual Dickensian evening in Wantage. It seems to get bigger and attract more people every year. There were a few spots of rain, but the weather held and everyone clearly enjoyed themselves. The collage of photos above give an idea of the atmosphere in and around the Market Square.

Grove Library Latest

2011-12-02T16:19:00.001Z

Today, I have been involved in a briefing regarding the future of Oxfordshire libraries which is due to come before a special Cabinet meeting on Monday 12th December at 1pm. The agenda is now published on the County Council's website and there is a press release here. Grove is classified as a Community Plus library which means that under these new proposals, the library would be staffed by two-thirds council paid staff and one-third by volunteers.

This should be good news for Grove because I would hope that we can find enough volunteers to help run our local library as I know how much residents value this important service. I shall be working with the Friends of Grove Library group (FROGs) over the forthcoming months to ensure they are supported in trying to get the best for our community. As a founder member of this group, I know they are in a strong position and their willingness to co-operate with the council has been recognised.

Hidden Trail in Wantage

2011-12-01T15:07:00.002Z

This is an exhibition I visited yesterday at the Vale and Downland Museum in Wantage which was put together by five young individual artists from the local area supported by the Oxfordshire Youth Arts Partnership Trust.

Hidden Trail is part of a wider project. The Heritage Lottery Fund awarded OYAP Trust a grant to work with young people in Witney, Woodstock and Wantage to explore the secrets and treasures of the local towns. This is a partnership beetween OYAP Trust, The Vale and Downland Museum, The Oxfordshire Museum and Cogges which inpires young people to explore the county's heritage. It was an excellent exhibition as you can see from the photos above and the culmination was to go underground in the cellars of the The King Alfred's Head in Wantage where you can see the tunnels in the last of the photos above.

The Hidden Trail will finish on Sunday 4th December, but certainly worth a visit if you can spare the time.

A Day of Strike Action in Oxfordshire

2011-11-30T23:39:00.001Z

There were demonstrations in Oxford today by many public sector workers who were taking action against changes to their pensions. I was interviewed on BBC Radio Oxford along with the other two main political parties about my views both on Sunday's Bill Heine programme and today on the breakfast show with Phil Gayle.

I feel it was a shame that the strike was called whilst there is still a deal on the table to be negotiated. Also only a quarter of union members backed strike action. It will cost the economy £500m at a time when we are all feeling the pinch. Many people who are either self-employed or working for the private sector already have to provide for their own pensions and many of their schemes are also changing. Through their taxes they also have to pay for public sector pensions.

Public sector pensions are a recognition of the dedication and hard work of millions of public sector workers. But because we are all living longer, the costs of public service pensions is increasing, and will keep going up unless we do something about it - asking other taxpayers to work longer and pay more so public sector workers don’t have to just isn’t fair.

Today there was a total of 72 per cent of Oxfordshire’s 291 schools which were closed or partially closed. Only 28 per cent opened as normal. Locally, both primary schools in Grove were closed as was Wantage Church of England Primary School. King Alfred's College was partially open and 2 classes were closed at Charlton Primary School. Stockham Primary School remained open. I hope that local families were able to manage their childcare arrangements if they were trying to get to work.

Let us hope that this can be resolved and that a deal can be struck which will bring everyone back together. I am sure that we all want the best outcome in these difficult economic times.

Superfast Broadband on the Horizon

2011-11-29T17:57:00.001Z

This photo is 'The BT Vehicle for Change' parked for the day in Milton Park, nr. Didcot which was hosting a number of presentations on how to tackle the challenges of the future with new technology and faster broadband. This is very much part of the OxOnline project which is being rolled out all over the county. I went along to see what I could find out.

On 16 August Broadband Delivery UK announced that Oxfordshire would be allocated £3.86 million to provide faster broadband speeds in rural areas up to 2015. Oxfordshire will be able to draw down this funding on completion of an agreed Local Broadband Plan. This means there will have to be a robust business and financial case for the building of superfast broadband infrastructure in our rural areas. £3.86 million is clearly not enough to provide the infrastructure required so the County Council and the private sector will need to provide additional funds in order to make the project viable. Work is on-going to identify where this additional funding is going to come from.

Locally, many people in Grove complain to me about their broadband and how slow the speeds are, indeed I suffer from this myself. I have been told that this is because Grove is some miles distance from Wantage where the exchange in based. I was informed today that the plan is to extend the network to the boxes in the various streets which should make for faster broadband locally. It is also the case that we do have competition in the area so there are several providers who can supply broadband locally - it is a matter of shopping around for the best deal.

Another innovation I heard about today was regarding V Pods which are supposed to be a new way for the public to access services through a number of outlets via libraries, colleges, schools and other public places. This is an extension of the one-stop-shop - a virtual connection to a service provider basically - too complicated to explain here in detail, but I am sure it won't be long before we are all aware of this new idea!

New Bus Timetables Online

2011-11-27T17:42:00.000Z

I have reported previously that there are some changes to our local bus services.

These changes will come into operation from Sunday 12 December so it is worth familiarising yourself with the new timetables for the subsidised services. The majority of services will continue at their current frequency, with some services improving. The commercially operated Stagecoach services X30 and 31 remain the same.

Among the changes are a new service A1 which will run between Ardington and Wantage to partially replace the 32 service removed by Thames Travel.

A summary of the changes, along with timetables for the new services, can be found on Oxfordshire County Council’s website in the Public Transport section.

Two new timetable booklets covering the Wantage and Faringdon areas and the Didcot area are also available from libraries, tourist information centres and other local outlets.

Building Progress in Wantage and Grove

2011-11-20T13:37:00.001Z

It's always interesting to observe the progress of local buildings and features. The first two pictures show the "before" and "after" of the extension to the Waitrose store in Wantage. I have shopped in there recently and the store is certainly much more roomy and attractive.

In Grove, the extension to the Methodist Church in Main Street has been completed. These new facilities will be of much benefit to the wider community, as well as to those who worship there. I particularly remember taking my daughter to the church for her ballet lessons. The final photo shows King Alfred looking down at the ongoing refurbishments in Wantage Market Square, which are due to finish next week.

Politics Morning at King Alfred's College

2011-11-17T16:41:00.000Z

This morning I attended four "Question and Answer" sessions about politics at King Alfred's College in Wantage. This gave Year 11 pupils the opportunity to ask the politicians about their views on a number of topical questions. I was very impressed by the quality of the subjects which were raised and of particular interest to the students were the economy, tuition fees, future jobs and employment issues, binge drinking and the summer riots.

The panel consisted of myself for the Liberal Democrats as Leader of the Opposition at the County Council, Leader of the Conservatives at the Vale of White Horse District Council and a Green Party Member who stood as Parliamentary Candidate in the Banbury Constituency. We had a good debate and opportunities to discuss areas where we agreed and disagreed. The national situation where Liberal Democrats are in a coalition government with the Conservatives raised its head several times, especially where it has meant that the parties have had to compromise on some things to achieve a common goal.

As it came up several times about how to help young people to get jobs especially during these hard times, I was able to refer to the announcement made by Vince Cable, our Lib Dem Business Secretary who is trying to support businesses with apprenticeships. You can read the article here

Remembering

2011-11-13T18:51:00.000Z

This is the time of year when we remember both the contributions and sacrifices of men and women in times of conflict - particularly the two world wars. On Armistice Day, I attended the Ceremony of Remembrance at County Hall in Oxford. The date this year of 11.11.11 seemed to make it even more significant.

Today, I went to the Remembrance Sunday Service at Grove Parish Church. It is always great to see the Beavers, Cubs, Rainbows and Brownies march to the church and fill it with their brightly coloured uniforms. As usual, Professor Gary Sheffield provided some interesting insights into the conflicts and their relevance to Grove. One thing he pointed out was that the gate pillars at the entrance to St. John's church (see left and right photos above) are memorials to two soldiers. I must admit, until today, I had never paid them close attention and passed them many times without realising their relevance. This afternoon, I also attended the short ceremony at Grove Cemetry for members of the 9th USAAF and other allied servicemen from Grove who lost their lives.

Transport Symposium

2011-11-12T23:21:00.006Z

Today, I attended a Transport Symposium organised by Oxford Civic Society held at St. Hilda's College in Oxford. We had an interesting range of speakers as outlined below:

Peter Headicar, former Reader in Transport Studies, Oxford Brookes University
Steve Howell, Deputy Director of Environment & Economy, Highways & Transport, Oxfordshire County Council
Ros Weatherill, previously Environment Secretary Oxford Civic Society and OxClean Chair
Ben Hamilton-Baillie, Director of Hamilton-Baillie Associates, Bristol
Louisa Weeks, Oxford Bus Co and Martin Sutton, MD Stagecoach
Chris Aldridge, Principal Network Planner (West & Wales) Network Rail
Professor David Bannister, Director of Transport Studies Unit, University of Oxford

We discussed a whole range of transport issues, covering Oxford's past history right up until the present day. We heard about the importance of creating space for pedestrians and cyclists and above all how good public transport is essential to make the whole transport planning system work. Everyone agreed that creating a car-free environment can only benefit us all.

However, the challenge we face for the future is how we can manage the system to avoid total gridlock. We can now see the benefits of the Smartcard Joint Ticketing and joint timetabling in Oxford and how it has helped to reduce congestion in the city. I have been campaigning for this to happen for a long time - see my blog post here and I did ask the question today if this could possibly be extended to areas like ours. Residents often contact me about this issue and indeed there was a comment posted on my blog recently here

The other issue I raised with Network Rail was about the re-opening of Grove railway station. I was told that when Didcot power station closes in 2015 there may be spare capacity on the lines, however, there was also a suggestion that the company may switch to using biomass and therefore still need the trains. The possibility of the station re-opening was resurrected after the ATOC report was published in 2009 which said that Wantage could be a viable station in the future. I followed this up with a motion to the County Council. This was after planning permission was granted by the Vale of White Horse District Council in 2007 see here. I will continue to campaign for this.

New Non-Emergency Police Number 101

2011-11-10T23:50:00.000Z

Thames Valley Police is due to go live with 101, the new national single non-emergency number on 14 November 2011, which will replace the 0845 8 505 505 number. Both numbers will run side by side until the end of March, but if demand for the 0845 8 505 505 number drops it may be discontinued earlier.

Calls to 101 (from both landlines and mobile networks) cost 15 pence per call, no matter what time of day the call is made, or the duration of the call.

The routing will be based on the same system as 999 calls which link a caller’s dialling code to the police force that covers that geographic area. Calls from a landline will be routed to the nearest police force that covers the area’s dialling code. If the caller is using a mobile, the call will be routed using the location of the mast that the phone is transmitting from.

Anyone dialling 101 in England and Wales will be given the option to select an alternative force if the area they are in differs to the force they need to speak to. An operator will put the caller through to the requested force.

Further information regarding the national 101 project can be found here.

Have Your Say on Future Housing Development!

2011-11-03T21:15:00.000Z

The Vale of the White Horse District Council has produced a draft Interim Housing Supply Policy (IHSP) document, which can be found here. This has apparently been prepared to "enable additional housing development by relaxing some current Vale Local Plan policies".

I know that Grove residents have strong opinions on this subject after conducting many surveys on local proposals. In 2007, villagers even organised a referendum on the looming airfield development and gave it the thumbs down amidst concerns over infrastructure, flooding and the sheer scale of the proposals. Just this week, the possibility of a further 350 homes near to Williams F1 was reported in the local press (see here). Of course, this is also taking place against the background of the Government commitment to "radical" reforms to planning law (see here), which are the subject of much debate in the national press at the moment.

Anyway, there is a consultation where you can have your say on the Vale housing proposals - here is the link. The consultation closes at 4pm on Friday 25th November and responses can be emailed to planning.policy@whitehorsedc.gov.uk.

On the Lewis Carroll Trail

2011-10-31T01:05:00.002Z

Lewis Carroll (real name Charles Dodgson) is, of course well known in Oxfordshire where he spent much of his life and has many connections. On Saturday, I happened to be in the village of Daresbury in Cheshire, which I discovered is his birthplace. In the Daniell Chapel within the local All Saints Church, there is the unusual Lewis Carroll Memorial Window, which was paid for by enthusiasts all over the world to mark the centenary of his birth (1832).

As shown above, the lower part of the window contains several interesting panels depicting characters and scenes from Alice in Wonderland.

Godfrey Close Footpath to be Resurfaced

2011-10-30T12:23:00.003Z

I have been given advance warning that the footway at Godfrey Close in Grove is due to be resurfaced on 8th November and could take approximately 9 days weather permitting. I have also been informed that the start date may vary due to unanticipated circumstances. However, at least it is in the programme and, as the photo above shows, the footpaths have suffered from various excavations over the years!

Oxford Lane Closure

2011-10-26T19:07:00.002+01:00

Oxford Lane was closed on Monday for gas works as reported previously. However, I am pleased that buses are allowed to access the route after I had to intervene at the County Council. Originally, buses were going to bypass Grove altogether, rather than take the long route round the road system. Shuttle buses from Grove to Wantage were another possible solution. The sticking point was the cost, which could have ended up at £10,000. So, after speaking to Southern Gas Networks and officers at the County Council, it was decided to allow the buses access during the works and thus avoid this problem. I am sure that residents are grateful that there has been little disruption to the regular services. Meanwhile, the diversion route seems to be going to plan at the moment, though obviously it is fairly quiet this week as it is half term holiday for the schools.

Visit to JET at Culham

2011-10-20T23:45:00.001+01:00

Tonight, I visited the JET and MAST fusion experiments at Culham Science Centre. It was an opportunity to see at first hand what international scientists are doing in Oxfordshire working together to try and make clean energy from fusion a reality. Energy consumption is expected to grow dramatically over the next fifty years as the world's population expands. It is therefore hoped that fusion devices could provide a long-term solution. Visit the CCFE (Culham Centre Fusion Energy) website to find out more.

Tour of the Defence Academy

2011-10-19T23:34:00.000+01:00

Today I was invited to a tour of the Defence Academy at Shrivenham, which you can see in the photographs above. This was part of a 'Big Curry Lunch' event which was organised by the academy to raise funds for the three services' charities; the RN Benevolent Trust, the Soldiers' Charity and the RAF Benevolent Fund.

We had an opportunity to visit the Defence Capability Centre (top right), which houses the ammunition hall, the synthetic environment laboratory and to see some of the education and training facilities at the college. I even had a chance to take part in a simulation exercise as a gunner in an army tank - quite a sobering experience before lunch!

The last time I visited the academy was several years ago when I was then Vice-Chair of Planning (Policy) at the Vale of White Horse District Council. We were on site to view some of the buildings and at that time the underpass was under construction. The college has some interesting architectural features including the Officers' Mess which is designed and built to the same shape and size of HMS Victory. This is where we ate our lunch in style. We sat at a table in the glass prow of the ship and I had an excellent position right at the end. I believe there was about £1,500 raised as a result of this venture.

Another point of interest is the bronze sculpture (bottom right) of cormorants. The cormorant is the symbol of the academy because of its capability in the sea, on land and in the air and is known for its ability to adapt to its environment.

Check out the Defence Academy website here. We are very fortunate to have such an excellent facility on our doorstep and I am pleased to have been part of that initial planning process.

Extra Money for Local Schools

2011-10-18T18:10:00.003+01:00

Liberal Democrat Children and Families Minister, Sarah Teather, has announced the extra money each school will receive through the Pupil Premium this year - more than originally expected. The premium was introduced to support children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The original plans for an extra £430 per pupil have been boosted by £100m, meaning that every school in Oxfordshire will now get £488 for every child on Free School Meals.

News of the extra money comes after Sarah Teather recently announced that the total Pupil Premium funding for 2012-13 will rise to £1.25bn, double the amount this year. Thanks to Liberal Democrats, it will rise again each year until 2014-15 when it will be worth £2.5bn.

Education is the best way to end the underachievement of disadvantaged pupils through supporting children comprehensively from early years straight through to secondary school. The breakdown for each school in Grove and Wantage is listed below:

The Pupil Premium will benefit poorer pupils, providing extra money directly for those pupils who need it the most. This extra funding will help tackle inequality and enable schools to provide the extra support their pupils need to reach their full potential. I look forward to working with schools and teachers to make the Pupil Premium the success our children deserve it to be.

Family Shoebox Appeal

2011-10-16T15:01:00.002+01:00

Today, I was invited by Grove Free Evangelical Church to take part in their Family Shoebox Appeal at Old Mill Hall. For the last 10 years, the church has supported this appeal, which sends shoeboxes filled with Christmas items to Romania, Moldova, Albania and Ukraine. This is part of the Link Romania appeal, which last year sent 45,379 shoeboxes to Eastern Europe.

I must admit it seemed strange to be wrapping the box that I took along (left photo) with Christmas paper in October. The day started with a dedication service and then I spent a few hours helping to fill the shoeboxes with all the donations (right photo). When I left, we had filled over 270 boxes.

Traffic Disruption

2011-10-15T19:32:00.000+01:00

The warning notices that I requested for the forthcoming Oxford Lane closure in Grove have now appeared (left hand photo). These say the road will now be closed for the period 24 October to 28 November.

The fair is in Wantage this weekend (right hand photo) so there are restrictions and the usual bus stops in the Market Place and Newbury Street are not in use, but those in Seesen Way can be used instead. It's worth also noting that the Waitrose store in Wantage will be closed for 5 days from Sunday for refurbishment.

Museum Centre Open Day

2011-10-09T16:27:00.000+01:00

An interesting visit to the open day at the Oxfordshire County Council's Museums Resource Centre in Standlake. This centre houses the county's collections of archaeology, social history and natural history. At the moment, this includes the collections from Abingdon County Hall Museum, which is currently being refurbished.

There were many interesting artefacts on display, but star of the show had to be the Hanney brooch that was found in the fields near to Grove in 2009. We heard about the preparations being made to preserve this Anglo Saxon brooch over the next 6 months, after which it will go on public display including a stint in West Hanney. It really is quite a complex intricate object when seen close up alongside the various fragments found nearby.

During my wanders, I also saw a "Wantage Road" sign - presumably from close to the railway station in Grove. One of the larger items was the coach pictured above which belonged to Joseph Warner Henley who was MP for Oxfordshire in 1841-1878.

Witan Way Road Closure

2011-10-08T22:52:00.001+01:00

Another road closure coming up on 7th November is Witan Way in Wantage, which will be closed for 4 days due to carriageway maintenance works. Access will be maintained for emergency service vehicles, the works and those residents within the closure area, subject to the progress of the works.

My Monthly Surgery

2011-10-07T12:09:00.000+01:00

I shall be holding my monthly surgery at Grove Library from 10.30am - 11.30am tomorrow. Do come along if you have any issues to discuss. I shall be holding my next one on Saturday 5th November at the same time in the library. No appointment necessary.

Local Treasure on Display

2011-10-07T12:02:00.000+01:00

Readers of my blog may recall that two years ago, an archaeological dig on fields bordering Grove at West Hanney revealed it was the site of an anxient Saxon burial ground. A rare Anglo-Saxon brooch was found and this Sunday it is to be displayed at Oxfordshire County Council's Resource Centre at Standlake. Read more here. It will be a rare opportunity to view this local treasure in its glory.

Wallingford Street Closure Rescheduled

2011-10-06T14:55:00.001+01:00

Wallingford Street in Wantage is now planned to close on Monday 7th November for 2 days. If you recall, the previous plan was to close it on 29th September, but this was postponed.

Oxford Lane Closure Planned

2011-10-06T14:49:00.002+01:00

This is a 'heads up' to residents that Oxford Lane in Grove is planned to close for 6 weeks from Monday 17th October until 25th November 2011. The closure is to allow Southern Gas to lay replacement gas mains. This is bound to cause major disruption in the village as people will have to use Main Street to access the A338 at the traffic lights. At the moment, public transport officers at the County Council are working with the bus companies to try to organise where the buses will be able to pick up and drop off. At the moment, the closure is planned in two stages where for some of the time access will be possible into Mayfield Avenue and St. John's Road. As soon as I have further information, I will post it here. I have asked that warning notices are posted in the village of this forthcoming closure.

Should Primary Schools become Academies?

2011-10-04T15:45:00.000+01:00

I attended a workshop last night looking into this proposal as the goverment is pushing for schools all over the country to look into becoming academies. Oxfordshire is therefore preparing for this possiblity. King Alfred's School in Wantage was one of the first schools in the county to become an academy and others are following suit. The decision has to be taken by the Governing Body of the school and there are various hoops to go through before a decision can be made. One of the important parts of the process is consultation with stakeholders, in particular, parents, pupils and staff of the school and of course, the wider community.

Some of the main differences between academies and those schools which stay within the Local Authority umbrella are

Freedom from National Curriculum (though still required to be 'broad and balanced')
Freedom from the Local Authority
Ability to set own admissions
Governing Body is the employer of staff
Ability to set own pay and conditions
Ability to change length of terms and school days
Governing Body has total premises responsiblity and responsibility for health and safety
Money comes as a grant direct from government rather than through LA

To find out more visit the Department for Education website

Funding for Local Highways Projects

2011-10-01T23:53:00.000+01:00

On Friday evening, I attended a Locality Review meeting in Wantage where we were to find out how much funding we could alllocate to our area from Oxfordshire County Council. Our Locality includes Grove, Wantage and the division which includes the Hanneys, Hendreds, Steventon and Marcham. We were told that there is £75,000 to allocate over the next 18 months to spend on projects which could include crossings and other road safety measures, weed clearance, new footpaths, drainage and gully emptying amongst other things. Basically, the County Council has decided to allow local members to decide where the priorities lie within their areas.

It was decided amongst the three councillors who represent these areas that the fairest solution was to split the money 3 ways which would mean each area having £25,000 each. I would therefore look after Grove's allocation, Cllr. Jenny Hannaby would look after Wantage and Cllr. Iain Brown the Hanneys and Hendreds.

I have submitted a proposal along with the parish council to install a zebra crossing at the Denchworth Road by the Bay Tree Public House. This was pursued several years ago when residents approached me about the dangers schoolchildren and elderly residents faced when trying to get across this busy road especially during peak times. However, there was not enough money in the budget and the scheme was put on long-term hold. It will be excellent if we can now get this project back on track.

The other proposal we have put forward is to get some routine annual weed maintenance back to the village. I have had numerous complaints from residents about untidy and neglected areas around the village, and also the terrible state of the traffic islands as you come off the A338 into Grove. Now hopefully we shall be able to deal with this and give people a sense of pride in their community again. I shall be progressing these projects over the next few weeks and will keep you informed.

In the meantime, Cllr. Jenny Hannaby will be progressing a zebra crossing at Ham Road in Wantage, again a long-awaited scheme and similarly, some weed maintenance work for Wantage. If you know of any particularly bad areas then let us know.

Wantage Day Centre Re-launch

2011-09-23T17:06:00.000+01:00

I attended this event last night to see Wantage Day Centre and many of their clients enjoying an evening together. It was an excellent meeting and good to network with all the staff, volunteers and other representatives of the community. We need to ensure that this excellent facility remains in Wantage for the benefit of the whole area and I know it is very much valued by all. We heard that the centre had been threatened with closure recently, but we are working hard to ensure that this does not happen. Meanwhile, if there is anyone who would like to secure a place at the day centre and would like to visit, contact Social and Health Care on 0845 050 7666.

Wallingford Street Closure Postponed

2011-09-23T01:12:00.000+01:00

Just a quick update to let residents know that Wallingford Street in Wantage will not be closed after all as expected on 29th September. This has been cancelled and I will be notified if any future closure will be planned.

Many Meetings

2011-09-16T18:37:00.000+01:00

This week has been so busy with many meetings sometimes several in one day. However, amongst the most important ones was the County Council meeting on Tuesday where a whole raft of items were up for discussion. Liberal Democrats had put foward a motion on the East West Rail link calling for the County to push the government to ensure the project is included in the next High Level Output Specification to be published in 2013. This is the government's blueprint for investment in rail services across the UK. We are keen to ensure that this important public transport corridor is part of the nation's transport planning for the future, and it will be of enormous economic benefit to our area. Read more about it here.

Wednesday and Thursday I attended several briefings from officers on all the latest developments in childrens services, environmental and transport issues and the budget. Then last night in Grove, we had another public meeting to discuss the latest library developments, in particular, the County Council's plans to bring in volunteers to help run local library services in areas which had previously been threatened with closure. We had a lively debate and a few people did express an interest in coming forward. However, there are still questions to be asked especially around the training and management of the various volunteers which will need to be addressed.

Wantage Road Closures

2011-09-10T13:49:00.001+01:00

There are two road closures coming up in Wantage shortly. On 19th September, Mill Streeet will be closed between Camel crossroads (Denchworth Road) and The Wharf (eastside) for one week for carriageway resurfacing. A signed diversion route will be in place for motorists to follow. Gatemen will be positioned at either end of the closed road to redirect traffic. Access for residents and businesses will be maintained, though there may be long delays during the working day for this.

The other road closure will be Wallingford Street which will be closed on 29th and 30th September - again this is due to carriageway resurfacing. The alternative route for traffic affected by the closure is via Ormond Road, Newbury Street and Market Place and vice versa.

Local Bus Subsidies Agreed

2011-09-05T17:08:00.001+01:00

Last week at the Transport Decisions Committee it was agreed by the County Council's Cabinet Member for Transport to award contracts for subsidising some of our local evening and weekend services. If you recall, there was a consultation on these services earlier in the year - see here. This will mean that our 31 Stagecoach buses to Oxford in the evenings will be maintained as an hourly service which is of great value to everyone wishing to travel home after a theatre/concert visit or from travelling further afield via. trains and airports. Other services which will continue to be subsidised are the 32 buses to Harwell and Didcot, 36 buses to Milton Park and Didcot (via Steventon) and the 38 Town Service.

The Wantage IAC (Independent Advice Centre) had also put in an increased bid for continuing with their valuable community car scheme. Unfortunately, the decision on this grant has been deferred until a review has been done on all transport schemes at the County Council. I hope this uncertainty will not affect the running of the scheme.

Library Update

2011-08-27T00:32:00.000+01:00

I had a very constructive meeting this week with the FROGs (Friends of Grove Library) and officers and Cabinet Member from Oxfordshire County Council. We discussed how to plan for using volunteers to keep Grove Library open. There have been some guidelines published setting out how volunteers can be trained and supported for this role and I hope that many of the people who came along to the public meeting back in January reported here will still be willing to come forward to help.

There will be a public meeting on Thursday 15th September at 7.30pm at The Old Mill Hall to hear the latest news and proposals on this. Meanwhile the public consultation period is still open until the end of September so please fill in the form here if you haven't already done so.

Watery Grove

2011-08-25T23:45:00.000+01:00

Returning home tonight, I was met with a flooded road at the junction of Brereton Drive with Denchworth Road. At first, it reminded me of the memorable Grove floods we had on 20 July 2007, but then it became clear that it was a burst water main. Thames Water were duly contacted and I could hear them making repairs late into the night. I hope that residents were not incovenienced too much by any disruptions to their water supply.

Armed Forces Community Grant Scheme

2011-08-22T14:25:00.002+01:00

The Ministry of Defence has launched the Community Covenant grant scheme to provide financial support for projects that strengthen ties between members of the Armed Forces Community and the wider community in which they live. If you recall, I was one of the signatories to this covenant for Oxfordshire County Council as reported here.

Up to £30M over 4 financial years has been set aside to help communities undertake projects that promote greater understanding between the military and civilian populations. In May this year, the Government published the Armed Forces Covenant which, amongst other things, aims to improve the support available for serving personnel, their families and veterans. Full details of the scheme can be seen here.

This is only available to areas that have already established a Community Covenant, with Oxfordshire being the first to do so. If you have any ideas, please let Claire Moore know (Claire.Moore@oxfordshire.gov.uk). Grove has had a long connection with military personnel both with the RAF and more recently with those who work at Dalton Barracks, so it would be good if we could establish something locally for our community.

Science Vale UK announced as New Enterprise Zone

2011-08-17T17:21:00.000+01:00

The Government announced today that there would be a further 11 Enterprise Zones across the country, designed to boost local growth and create more than 30,000 new jobs by 2015. One of these zones will be based around our area of Harwell Oxford and Milton Park - known as Science Vale UK.

These zones have simplified planning rules and over £100m tax breaks for new businesses over the next four years. It is estimated that there will be over 200 businesses and between 6,250 - 10,500 jobs created locally by April 2015. This is excellent news for our area and I look forward to working with our Local Enterprise Partnership to ensure this zone is a success and at the forefront of the growing economy.

Fairport's Cropredy Convention 2011

2011-08-13T23:59:00.002+01:00

At the end of a disturbing week, it was good to see thousands of people relaxing and enjoying themselves at the Cropredy Festival today. The picture on the left shows Horslips - an Irish Celtic rock band - getting the crowd in the mood with their rousing set. The photo on the right shows the finale with Fairport Convention and friends on stage.

Amazingly, this is the 36th festival - it has taken place every August since 1976. Despite the closure of a section of the A361 Banbury to Daventry road for a flood alleviation scheme, the traffic control and parking seemed to work with the usual efficiency - thanks no doubt to the planning of all involved.

Nick Clegg in Newbury

2011-08-10T23:38:00.002+01:00

Nick Clegg came to Newbury last night on one of his Town Hall visits. He faced a number of questions from members of the public ranging from tuition fees to the current riots which are going on all over the country.

I asked him to make sure that the police have the resources and tools to do the job to keep all of our communities safe. The scenes on the streets seen on the television have been distressing to us all. Meanwhile I have been assured by Thames Valley Police that police presence has been increased around the county and the whole force area.

Oxfordshire Electoral Review

2011-08-08T15:00:00.000+01:00

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England is conducting an electoral review of Oxfordshire. The broad purpose is to decide on the appropriate electoral arrangements - the number of councillors and the names, number and boundaries of wards and divisions. Oxfordshire County Council is looking at proposals to provide improved levels of electoral equality across the county. The review aims to ensure that the number of voters represented by each councillor is approximately the same. You can see the current proposals at their website.

If you recall the last time this was conducted it resulted in Grove and Wantage being put together as a single division represented by 2 councillors. The current proposal suggests that this arrangement works well and should continue. If the divisions were to be split into single-member divisions it would entail a small part of Wantage having to be included within Grove to help proportionality. The proposal also recommends reducing the total number of county councillors from 74 to 63. Consultation is underway at the moment, so any submissions need to be made before 10th October. This can be done online at the link shown above.

Earnest in Oxford

2011-07-31T01:00:00.003+01:00

In the summer, there are usually a number of open air theatrical productions in Oxford - especially Shakespeare - and this year is no exception. Last night, I went to see Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest put on by the Oxford Shakespeare Company in the gardens of Wadham College. The photos above were taken just before the show. It was a perfect balmy evening for what was an excellent, hilarious production in a beautiful setting. This production is well worth seeing. It is on until 26th August, but it is not on every night as it alternates with The Comedy of Errors.

Edinburgh Views

2011-07-30T15:40:00.002+01:00

Today, sees the royal wedding between Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall with the service being held in Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh. I spent a few days in Edinburgh recently and the photo above shows the kirk from a different angle to the usual view from the Royal Mile. This was taken from Calton Hill looking across to Arthur's Seat and you can see Canongate churchyard in the centre of the picture. The Palace of Holyroodhouse is just out of shot to the left of the white circular building (Dynamic Earth).

Close to Edinburgh is also Rosslyn Chapel - made famous by Dan Brown's book The Da Vinci Code and subsequent film. The chapel was founded in 1446 by Sir William St Clair and took 40 years to complete. Inside, the ornate stonework is stunning and there is continuing debate about the symbolism of it all (no photography allowed, so I can't show it here I am afraid). The chapel is undergoing a major refurbishment which will cost over £13 million to complete. This means I cannot show the chapel in its full glory even from the outside, but here is a photo which hides most of the ongoing work.

I am afraid I don't have a local or politial connection this time, but I did visit the Scottish Parliament and listen to a debate on tuition fees in Scotland!

New Oxford School Trust Proposal Latest

2011-07-29T18:22:00.001+01:00

A number of residents were aware of the New Oxford School Trust proposal to set up a Free School with an emphasis on business skills, science, technology and engineering on the Harwell campus. You will see here that this has been turned down by the Department for Education. It appears that more parents with an interest are needed to sign up to the project.

2010 National Travel Survey

2011-07-29T18:06:00.002+01:00

The Department for Transport has published the National Travel Survey 2010, giving statistics on personal travel in Great Britain during 2010. I thought this made interesting reading. Click here to read the survey.

Key findings include:

There has been a steady falling trend in trip rates since 1995/97. Average distance travelled per person per year remained relatively stable until 2007, but has declined slightly over the last three years.
In 2010, there was an average of 960 trips per person per year – the lowest level since the mid-1970s. There were 1,061 stages, 6,726 miles travelled, and an average trip length of 7.0 miles.
Between 1995/97 and 2010, overall trips rates fell by 12%. Trips by private modes of transport fell by 14% while public transport modes increased by 8%. Walking trips saw the largest decrease.
Most of the decline in overall trips rates between 1995/97 and 2010 can be accounted for by a fall in shopping and visiting friends.
In 2010, 80% of males and 66% of females held a full car driving licence. While the proportion of males holding a licence remained fairly stable since the early 1990’s, the proportion of females with a licence continued to increase.
Trips by car (as a driver or passenger) accounted for 64% of all trips made and 78% of distance travelled in 2010.
On average, females make more trips than males, but males travel much further each year.
Concessionary travel pass take-up in 2010 was 78% of those eligible.
Average annual car mileage was estimated to be 8,430 miles in 2010.

An Evening at Wroxton

2011-07-26T23:20:00.001+01:00

I have just spent an evening in the beautiful grounds of Wroxton Abbey near to Banbury (pictured above). Since the mid sixties the abbey has been an overseas campus of Farleigh Dickinson University. As a 17th century Jacobean manor house built on the foundations of a 13th century Augustinian priory, it has quite a history.

It was actually the home of Frederick, Lord North who was Prime Minister from 1770 to 1782. He was elected unopposed as the MP for Banbury constituency at the age of 22. I therefore have something in common - having stood as a parliamentary candidate in the same constituency in 2005 (admittedly less successfully!).

Great Western Park, Didcot

2011-07-23T23:55:00.001+01:00

Today, I paid a quick visit to Great Western Park in Didcot. As you can see from the picture, this major development is starting to take shape, but it will be 10 years before it is fully completed. There are 3,000 houses planned with a new secondary school and two new primary schools. The proposed development on Grove Airfield will be roughly comparable in size (2,500 houses) and this site starts to give an idea of the scale of what will be involved if that goes ahead.

Sweatbox Awarded Grant

2011-07-19T23:59:00.001+01:00

At today's Cabinet meeting at the County Council, Cllr. Jenny Hannaby and myself put the case for the Sweatbox in Wantage being awarded a grant from the Big Society Fund for £20,000 to help with running costs at King Alfred's College. I am pleased to report that the grant has been given the thumbs up!

At the same meeting, the Wantage Independent Advice Centre also put in for a grant to help towards funding a transport service to day centres, but we were told that this would go through to the second stage after more work had been done on it. We hope to be helping out with this over the next few weeks.

Weeds Galore!

2011-07-19T23:53:00.001+01:00

This is an all too familiar sight around the streets of Grove and Wantage, but today I asked a question of the Cabinet member at Oxfordshire County Council's Cabinet meeting regarding the current policy of weedkilling on pavements - or lack of one! I was told that there is a local budget that we may be able to access to put towards weedkilling if that is seen to be a priority in the area.

I am therefore going to investigate this and see if there is something that can be done about it. Please let me know if there are some badly infested pavements near to you and I will see if we can help.

Wantage to Harwell Cycle Track Upgrade

2011-07-14T13:49:00.001+01:00

I have just heard the news that the key cycle route linking Wantage and the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus has been upgraded by Oxfordshire County Council’s Countryside Service. Improvements to the cycle route have included applying material to the route’s surface in order to make it even and improving drainage to prevent waterlogging. Read the press release here.

Andrew Dilnot addresses LGG

2011-07-14T12:17:00.003+01:00

Yesterday I was at the LGG (Local Government Group) where Andrew Dilnot presented his report on Adult Social Care. He has chaired a commission looking into the future funding of care and support and has proposed a number of changes to be made especially around how people will have to pay. Currently there is an asset threshold of £23,250 above which you have to fully fund care needs. It is proposed to increase this limit to £100,000. It is also proposed that people should not have to pay more than £35,000 towards their costs in their lifetime. The stumbling block at the moment is how this will be paid for in the future. You can read the full report here.

Save the Cheque

2011-07-13T19:27:00.004+01:00

The UK Payments Council announced yesterday that they are to reverse their decision to scrap cheques by 2018 and continue their use for as long as customers need them. For small businesses and sole traders cheques are a crucial form of payment and many were concerned that their removal would drive up their costs. For customers, especially the elderly, cheques are reliable, safe and not too technological.

Last year alone, there were over one billion cheque transactions which shows just how widely used this form of payment still is. Today’s announcement means that those who rely on cheque payments can now be sure of their future.

Liberal Democrat MP for Cheadle, Mark Hunter, who originally launched the ‘Save the Cheque’ campaign through an Early Day Motion in Parliament in November 2009 said: "This is a great victory for people power and common sense, and proves that the banks cannot afford to ignore the views of their customers. After years campaigning along side small businesses, charities and voluntary groups, who will welcome this with open arms, I am absolutely delighted by this news.”

Oxfordshire County Youth Orchestra - Gala Concert

2011-07-09T17:07:00.003+01:00

Last evening, I went to a Gala Concert in Oxford Town Hall to listen to the Oxfordshire County Youth Orchestra conducted by Dr. John Traill. It was a wonderful musical evening and the programme ranged through Romeo and Juliet (Prokofiev), Danse Macabre (Saint-Saens), Adagio from Spartacus (Khachaturian) Salome's Dance (Strauss), Good Friday Music from Parsifal (Wagner), Polovtsien Dances (Borodin) and Pomp and Circumstance (Elgar).

The orchestra has an excellent reputation and last year was awarded the Classic FM Award in the Open Youth Orchestra category at the National Festival of Music for Youth. We were told that they were off to Birmingham today (Saturday) for performances at Symphony Hall - so wishing them the very best of luck with that. They are also off to tour the Netherlands later this month and will give a Grand Concert in the Sheldonian Theatre on 31 July. This should also be an excellent musical evening in impressive surroundings - well worth attending.

Damp Silverstone

2011-07-08T23:50:00.000+01:00

A day off today to see the Friday practice sessions for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. It was a bit wet with showers throughout the day. The morning F1 session started with a damp track which gradually dried in time for the following GP2 and GP3 sessions.The afternoon F1 session was a more wet affair with the cars sending up plumes of spray for a lot of the track time.

It was also a chance to see the new iconic SIlverstone Wing complex, which houses the new pits and various paddock facilities. I also bought a new hat! Naturally, it had to be a cap from the local WIlliams F1 team. Both are shown above.

Primary School Improvements

2011-07-05T15:42:00.003+01:00

I was at County Hall this morning attending a Children's Services Scrutiny Committee, but took some time out to speak in favour of Charlton Primary School's proposals to expand to a 2-form entry. You can read the full report here. This has been covered before in my blog but after the consultation process there had to be formal approval. The next stage will be to seek planning permission. I will keep you posted.

Meanwhile it was an interesting morning sitting in the Select Committee style review which was looking at Key Stage 1 Performance last year. It has been known for some time about Oxfordshire's underperformance in some of the county's schools and this meeting was trying to address the problems. In fact, schools in Oxford City scored lowest of all districts in England in Key Stage 1 assessments. Things must surely only get better! We did hear about some good practice which has been brought in to address the problem and this has already been making a difference to some schools. The full report is available here under 'addenda'. Very interesting reading.

Grove Challengers 6's Tournament

2011-07-03T17:59:00.000+01:00

Today, I was a guest at the annual six-a-side competition held by Grove Challengers at the Recreational Ground. In fact, this year is special because the club was founded in 1971 and it is therefore its 40th anniversary.

The tournament itself is held over two days - Saturday and Sunday - with teams ranging from U7s to U16s. It attracted 160 teams with over 1,000 participants. It is obviously a huge undertaking and the club is to be congratulated for organising the event so successfully. Looking back to last year, I see that the event was being held the same time as the World Cup and I see that I also blogged about the tournament in 2009 - so it is really established as a regular fixture in the village.

Anyway, here's to the next 40 years and many new generations of Grove footballers.

Cornbury Cracker

2011-07-02T23:58:00.001+01:00

Tonight, I went to the Cornbury Festival, which confusingly is no longer held at Cornbury, but at Great Tew Park. The event to be held at Cornbury Park in August this year is now called the WIlderness Festival.

Anyway, it was a glorious summer evening and Great Tew did not disappoint - the car parking was easy and quick, the food was great and the setting was superb.. I saw Imelda May, Ray Davies, Sophie Ellis Bextor and The Faces with Mick Hucknall taking the place of Rod Stewart. I must admit that I could not help recall that the last time I saw Ray Davies live was about 40 years ago in The Kinks. Nonetheless, he performed an excellent set in the early evening and there was the added touch of a number of hot-air balloons hovering in the sky over the stage - an almost surreal event in the Oxfordshire countryside. Well done Cornbury or is it Great Tew?

School Closures - Thursday 30 June

2011-06-29T11:17:00.001+01:00

As most people will know, there are plans for widespread industrial action on Thursday 30th June (i.e. tomorrow). This will affect a number of schools and the county council has provided a school closures page, which can be consulted for the details about local schools.

This can be found here.

Britain (including Oxfordshire) from the Air

2011-06-29T09:25:00.001+01:00

If you are in Oxford, take the opportunity to have a look at the Britain from the Air exhibition around the Castle. This is a stunning set of aerial photographs on show until 4th September and more information can be found here. The photos are taken from all around the UK and there are some from Oxfordshire, including the White Horse at Uffington shown above. My personal favourite? If I had to choose, it would be this spectacular view of Suilven in the north west of Scotland:

Co-ordinated Buses, Smarter Ticketing

2011-06-26T00:13:00.001+01:00

After many years of campaigning, I am pleased to report that there will be greater flexibility over the operation of buses in Oxford. There will be a new package of co-ordinated timetables and shared, smartcard ticketing between the Oxford Bus Company, Stagecoach and Thames Travel.

This will go live across Oxford from 24 July and further details can be found here. This should mean that it will not matter which of the two buses you catch in my photo shown on the left - you will be able to use one ticket. We should all gain from this - less bus congestion and more flexbility for travellers.

A Tale of Two DIY Stores

2011-06-25T12:07:00.000+01:00

As we have heard, the Focus DIY stores in Wantage and DIdcot are closing down and have been in sales mode for the last few weeks. The photo above was taken on the 4 January 2008 and shows the steel frame of the Wantage store being erected - so it has only been with us for three years. What next for this outlet? I dont know, but it strikes me that this could be a good location for a new cinema now that we have lost the previous one in Newbury Street. Any other suggestions?

Of course, in Grove we have the wonderful Smiths DIY that really does try and sell amost everything.

I understand that the present owners are moving on and they are only at the store for a few more days before new owners take over. They have really built up the business and made it one of the focal points of the village. So, good luck to them and very best wishes for the future.

Summer of a Lifetime

2011-06-24T16:50:00.002+01:00

This is the name of a programme being run by Oxfordshire County Council for 16-year-olds (16 by the 31st August 2011) to take part in a summer-long programme of events which will give them the chance to develop vital skills such as team-working, leadership, communication, negotiation and decision-making.

There are just 60 places available. The 6 week programme starts in July so you need to sign up now! See further details here.

Help for Carers Available

2011-06-21T16:35:00.001+01:00

I have been asked to publicise an event on Thursday 23rd June 2 - 4.30pm at Richmond Villages, Letcombe Regis which is being organised by Oxfordshire Carers' Forum. Confidence 2 Care is a programme for carers which is entirely free of charge so if there is anyone reading this who wishes to express an interest they should book now on 01235 520463. As I reported last week it was National Carers' Week and we were signing a wall at County Hall with our messages of support. Anything we can do to help our carers in the job they do has to be welcome.

Armed Forces Community Covenant

2011-06-20T16:39:00.001+01:00

Oxfordshire has become the first area in the country to launch the Armed Forces Community Covenant scheme. Read the press release here. I was in attendance this morning at the ceremony and signed the covenant along with other councillors and officials who came along to the event.

Then, this afternoon, it was the 'Raising of the Flag' ceremony which takes place every year in the run up to Armed Forces Day. I am pleased to see the support given to our armed forces in Oxfordshire with £100K being given in our budget this year - we must show our appreciation for all they do on on behalf.

Wilts and Berks Canal

2011-06-19T23:55:00.000+01:00

As it was a fine evening, I took a walk along the Wilts and Berks Canal between Grove and East Challow. I had forgotten quite how peaceful this walk is and how easy it is to escape into the countryside. Along the way, I observed the antics of a Red Kite (pictured above).

When I returned home, I realised that I had missed a "Guided Summer Canal Walk" earlier today, which was organised as part of the Wantage Summer Festival and followed much the same route. However, I note that a different tour (of the Grove flight of 6 locks) is planned for this Thursday 23rd June at 7.30pm and there is another longer walk (to Sparsholt) on Saturday 25th June at 10.30am. Further details about supporting the restoration of the canal and the walks can be found here.

Education Matters Meeting

2011-06-17T13:18:00.001+01:00

I attended this meeting last night at King Alfred's 6th form and there was quite a good attendance. County Officers were there to give us a presentation regarding pupil numbers and projections for primary school places in Wantage. There were a number of parents who were clearly unhappy with the situation, especially those who had not got their first preference, and there were some whose children were being bussed out to village schools. There was quite a heated discussion about the supervision of primary school children on school buses. There was also some unhappiness expressed regarding the late notification of places (May) - this was blamed on central government.

However, what did come out of the meeting is that now Charlton Primary School will potentially have a 2 form intake of 60 children with its proposed expansion, and Grove CofE school will potentially take 30 children there should be capacity in the system this coming year (September). However, what is clear is that this is a moving feast as you can never predict how many people with children will move into an area (or move out) and what choices parents will make regarding the local schools. At the moment, Grove CofE school does have spare places for local children, so I do advise any parents looking for a place for their child go along to take a look round the school - they will be made very welcome I am sure.

We also had an update from the head of King Alfred's Community College about their admissions too and parents were assured that at the present time there is still room in the school for local children to attend. However, with the school's recent 'outstanding' Ofsted report, the school is enjoying increased popularity. The situation will be continually monitored both by the school and the Local Authority.

Debates at County Hall

2011-06-14T20:14:00.001+01:00

Today I have been at the County Council all day where we have debated a whole range of motions. Firstly, we had a debate on the future of BBC Oxford because I am sure many of you will have heard that our local radio and television is under threat due to £89M of cuts to be made from the national BBC Journalism budget. I put forward an amendment to ensure that radio was included because this is such a vital local service. I remember during the July 2007 floods many people found BBC Radio Oxford a lifeline as it brought up to date news whether you were stranded in your car or at home. The Council will write to the Chairman of the BBC Trust and Director General of the BBC. I must admit I have already emailed the BBC Trust with my concerns.

We debated National Carers week (13th - 19th June) and all councillors including myself were signing on the 'Carers Wall' which was hung in the foyer. I think the NHS and social services would collapse without dedicated carers looking after their families and friends, and a special tribute was paid to young carers. My message was 'A big thank you to you all!"

We also debated the adverse Care Quality Commission report which made press headlines about a private care home in Oxfordshire some weeks ago. It was agreed unaminously to make sure proper monitoring takes place in future.

We then welcomed the Coalition Government's announcement to replace the Educational Maintenance Allowance and called on the council to urge take up of this support for our young people in school, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds. This was voted through despite Labour voting against.

It was then the turn of libraries where I put forward an amendment calling on the Cabinet to quantify the savings it is proposing to make from the library service. This includes the staff reorganisation and reduction (using more volunteers), more efficient procurement of book stock and developing existing library buildings for mixed use and by charges for services provided by libraries. Much as we all welcome the reprieve, we need to clarify the position for the future and ensure that we do not end up in a similar position again. This was voted down by the ruling group.

And finally, we debated the restructure of the youth service and called for the Cabinet to ensure there are trained youth workers at the new 'hubs' which are being set up under the recent service redesign. This was also voted down. So I suppose the message here is that you win some and you lose some - but that's democracy at its best. Shame there are no webcams or you could have watched it all for yourself!

Oh I nearly forgot - we rounded off the day with a seminar on adult safeguarding. This is a very serious matter, but there is a dedicated service at the County Council for anyone who has concerns.

Local Meeting on Educational Issues

2011-06-12T23:45:00.001+01:00

A public meeting has been arranged to take place this Thursday 16th June at 7pm at King Alfred's 6th Form at Centre site in Wantage. It will be of interest to all parents of children from ages 0 -11 because it will include topics such as the local authority's admissions policy and secondary education needs. There will be an officer from the County Council and the Cabinet member for Education to answer questions and listen to any concerns. I shall be there as well as Cllr. Hannaby as your local county councillors.

Oxfordshire Youth Arts Partnership - Concert and Auction

2011-06-11T23:58:00.004+01:00

Tonight, I went to Asthall Manor for a summer concert and fundraising auction for the OYAP Trust (Oxfordshire Youth Arts Partnership). OYAP became an independent charity in 2005 and works with young people, espcially those most isolated, vulnerable and at risk, to give them the opportunity to improve through artistic expression and to participate in the arts.

The concert performance was donated by the classical guitarist Craig Ogden and his wife opera singer (mezzo soprano) Claire Bradshaw - both pictured above. Craig was nominated for the 2011 Classic FM Album of the Year and Claire has played a number of principal roles with major opera companies. Asthall Manor was an excellent venue for this event and provided an opportunity to explore its gardens. The concert was perfomed in the ballroom. The manor has quite a bit of history - not least as the childhood home of the Mitford sisters.

Hopefully, the evening provided a good funding boost for OYAP and - oh yes - I came home with a case of wine from the silent auction.

Consultation on Free Bus Passes

2011-06-09T00:32:00.001+01:00

The management of the concessionary bus pass scheme now falls on the County Council and they are currently consulting on the application process. The proposed scheme offers the statutory requirements plus two enhancements - 9:00am (rather than 09:30 am) weekday start time and the availability of companion passes to enable disabled pass-holders who are unable to travel unaccompanied to bring a carer or companion with them free of charge. Not included in the scheme are travel tokens as an alternative.

In order to develop plans for this service from 1 April 2012, the County Council are looking at ways to standardise the application and card-issuing process across the county. Any changes would mainly affect those applying after 1 April 2012 rather than existing bus pass holders. To ascertain public opinion on any potential changes there is a consultation on the application process for Concessionary Fares between 6 June 2011 and 10 July 2011. The scope of this consultation is only around the application process and does not cover the operation of the scheme which has been previously consulted on.

Let There Be Light

2011-06-08T23:42:00.004+01:00

This morning, I was in London to attend a meeting with Eric Pickles at Eland House, the Department of Communities and Local Government to discuss local government issues.

On a local matter, I and other residents have noticed that some of the street lights along Oxford Lane have failed yet again. I have reported this and it is apparently due to another cable fault. This problem seems to have been ongoing for years. As you will see from my previous post, it was supposedly fixed in 2009 only to recur yet again.

Salisbury - Science and Inspiration

2011-06-07T23:59:00.007+01:00

Over to Salisbury this evening where they have a fantastic Cafe Scientifique - all run by volunteers interested in science and helping the local community. An example of the "Big Society" before it became a political catchphrase. The pictures above show Salisbury Cathedral during a very quick visit, and the stunning font designed by William Pye and installed in 2008. In the photo, the font looks like it is made of solid black marble, but what you see, in fact, is the reflection from the surface of the water. A truly inspirational cathedral - well worth a much longer visit.

Tales From King James in Oxford

2011-06-04T23:58:00.000+01:00

Tonight, I went to see the Creation Theatre production Tales From King James in St Barnabas Church in Jericho, Oxford.This was an excellent backdrop for the play (see above), which had just two actors -Tom Peters and Raewyn Lippert - performing the stories. It is, of course, the 400th anniverary of the King James Bible, which was completed in 1611. The show is running until 11 June and tickets can be booked here.

Glastonbury Tor and Wantage

2011-05-30T19:34:00.000+01:00

As it is a Bank Holiday, here is a view of St. Michael's Tower on top of Glastonbury Tor, which I visited on a short break last week. At about 500 feet high, the tor has a 360 degree view over the Somerset Levels and supposedly the landscape of the Isle of Avalon. There is even a local connection! As we all know, King Arthur was born in Wantage in about 849, but the legend about him burning the cakes is thought to have originated 30 years later in Athelney. This is on the Somerset Levels just a few miles from Glastonbury Tor.

Grove Library Reprieve

2011-05-27T14:59:00.003+01:00

Just heard the news that Grove Library, along with all the other county libraries which had been threatened with the axe, is now to get a reprieve. Read the full press release here. I think all the local groups of residents who have clubbed together to help save our libraries have done a great job and their voices have been listened to. Now it looks like we may need to find some volunteers in Grove, but I am sure that will be relatively easy given the support out there for our local library.
Take part in the consultation here.

Scots Guards given Freedom of Wantage!

2011-05-21T18:06:00.002+01:00

Today, was the ceremony to give the Scots Guards the freedom of Wantage, which, according to the scroll, means that the Town Council has conferred them "the rights, honour and distinction of marching through the streets of Wantage on ceremonial occasions with drums beating, band playing, bayonets fixed, swords drawn and Colours flying". We met the Duke of Kent beforehand and then went down to the Market Place to watch the full parade. Here we were treated to the spectacle of the regiment parade and the Duke, as Colonel of the regiment, formally received the freedom. The Victoria Cross of Robert Loyd-Lindsay (Lord Wantage) was also on show (pictured above).

Afterwards, everyone went up to Manor Road Memorial Park Park where there were lots of stalls and entertainment. The highlight was a display by members of the Black Knights Royal Artillery Parachute Team. Congratulations, to Jim Sibbald who as Mayor of Wantage organised the whole day and then ensured that it went off with military precision.

Update: More photos of the day can be found at http://bit.ly/ifpvNU

Two Ceremonies in One Day

2011-05-19T21:28:00.000+01:00

This afternoon I attended a Ceremony at Drayton Park Golf Club for Thames Valley Police Chief Constable Awards. This was a very uplifting event as 19 officers and employees received long service awards. Two officers received the Chief Constable's Commendations and three officers received certificates of service. As a member of the police authority, it was my pleasure to give the closing address.

It was then off to Oxford Town Hall reception after the ceremony to elect the new Lord Mayor of Oxford. This year the office goes to Green Councillor Elise Benjamin. The highlight of the evening for me was to sit next to Colin Dexter where we spent some time reminscing old times and new. He is such excellent company to be with - very witty and amusing!