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Charlbury Street Fair - Secretary

The Street Fair Committee still seeks someone willing to help us keep us well organised!

If you are interested in helping out in this way with relevant skills, please get in touch with me, John Dora, via the Street Fair website here: www.charlburystreetfair.org/contact-us/

Thanks!

John Dora
Chair, Charlbury Street Fair Committee

John Dora · Tue 28 Feb 2017, 21:43 · Link


Latest planning applications to West Oxfordshire District Council

The following planning applications have recently been lodged. Click on the address to see full details at the WODC website.

  • 3 Lees Heights Charlbury
    New two storey split level house to the land at the side of 3 Lees Heights, with new vehicular and pedestrian access from Lees Heights, with all associated fencing, paths and driveways.
    WODC reference: 17/00419/FUL - Wed 08 Feb 2017 - Under consideration

Mon 27 Feb 2017, 08:00 · Link


Rural crime

This is our first edition, and we hope that you find it to be an interesting and informative insight into keeping rural communities in the Thames Valley safe. The contents of this newsletter has been created and curated by Thames Valley Police and our Thames Valley Rural Partnership colleagues from organisation's such as National Farmers Union, Young Farmer's, and National Gamekeepers Association.

releasd.com/0904/country-watch-spring-edition

Wesley Smith · Sun 26 Feb 2017, 09:10 · Link


CHARLBURY DEBATING SOCIETY

Residents of this fine town will be pleased to know that the Charlbury Debating Society convened again on Friday evening in the Corner House.

The motion, "Given current security challenges, 'soft power' has had its day", proposed by Dr Suze Mathews of Oxford Brookes and opposed by Basil Eastwood, former Ambassador to Syria and Switzerland, was defeated by 29 votes to two, with three abstentions.

The floor discussion, wide-ranging and sometimes stormy, featured contributions by John Birch, Nick Johnson, Alison Eastwood, Alasdair Ross, Helen Bessemer-Clark, Tony Lloyd, Bernard Goyder, Tom England, Alison Nichols and many others....

Jonathan Luxmoore · Sat 25 Feb 2017, 00:18 · Link


Charlbury Neighbourhood Forum seeks Paid Assistant

Post for a Co-ordinator/ Administrator

Charlbury Neighbourhood Forum (CNF) is currently recruiting a part-time person to assist in the production of a Neighbourhood Plan which is being produced by a group of volunteers under the auspices of the town council, and for the Charlbury Action Group, also volunteer led.

The post requires someone who is well organised and efficient, self-motivated, is used to dealing with a diverse workload, is numerate with good literacy and communications skills. The ideal candidate will have some experience of project management and administration

Do you have time and ability to help us. We do not have the funds available to pay the full market rate for such a post but a suitable fee can be negotiated.

Likely tasks will include:-
- Preparation of agendas and minutes for meetings of the three related groups working with the Chairs
- Regular attendance at the meetings
- Research to identify local land owners in relation to the neighbourhood plan
- Liaison with local government and other agencies with regard to the plan
- Research funding streams
- Maintain and update the website content to keep Charlbury informed of the Forum's activities
- Circulate a regular e-newsletter

Fee paid: to be negotiated.
Freelance: short term, likely to be about six months, an extension may be necessary.
Terms: terms and conditions detailed in Contract of Employment to be agreed.
Hours: part-time - expect an average of ten hours per week
Location: home-based in or convenient to Charlbury.
Deadline: Monday, 6th March 2017

To apply, please return your application and current CV, on or before, Monday, 6th March 2017 to CNF c/o Wallden House Sheep St., Charlbury, OX7 3RR.

Eileen Kenrick · Thu 23 Feb 2017, 13:05 · Link


Church Clock

Finally, we have got the church clock adjusted and regulated to give an accurate time display for the town. In the last week, indications are that it lost 30 seconds, which is about as close as we can probably manage at the moment. It's been a long haul, and just when you thought it was correct, something else would happen - the cold weather was suspected at one time. We would like to thank you for your patience and support and hope that the clock is now good for the next 50 years, which would take it near to its 200th birthday. Thanks are also due to David Mitchell for his expertise in repairing the clock and his patience in regulating it. We still need to keep an eye on it, so if you spot any divergence from its present good behaviour, please let us know. Thank you again for making all this possible.

Mike Summers · Wed 22 Feb 2017, 17:06 · Link


CHARLBURY STREET FAIR - QUIZ NIGHT

One week left to get your entry forms in!

Quiz is on 11th March with a Sausage and Mash supper.
Details and entry forms can be downloaded from www.charlburystreetfair.org or picked up from the Corner House.
Thank you for supporting Charlbury Street Fair 2017.

Carolyn Ashton · Tue 21 Feb 2017, 20:28 · Link


GWR proposes 286 new car parking spaces at station

Charlbury station's car park could increase from around 200 spaces to almost 500 if plans by Great Western Railway go ahead.

The train operator is proposing two expansions to the car park:

  • An additional deck over the lower-level car park, adding 112 new spaces
  • A ground-level extension at the edge of the water meadow, below the existing car park, adding 174 new spaces

The ground-level extension would be constructed first so that parking spaces would remain available while construction work took place on the new deck.

GWR say that passenger numbers at Charlbury have been increasing year-on-year, from 231,582 in 2009/10 to 327,518 in 2015/16. The current car park was 64% occupied when it was first opened in 2012, but has now reached 88%.

The outline plans were presented at the planning meeting of Charlbury Town Council on 20th February. Questions from councillors included the need for landscaping; the possibility of an alternative location on the Forest Works side of the station (GWR said that this was their original intention but the landowner had not been willing); and the need for the town, district and county councils to be consulted and engaged so that a solution could be found to related traffic and parking issues in the town.

Richard Fairhurst · Mon 20 Feb 2017, 22:28 · Link


Farmers Market date in Chronicle

Just to let you know that the date put into the Chronicle is incorrect (18 March) and should read 11 March.

Mon 20 Feb 2017, 16:28 · Link


GWR respond to Charlbury residents' complaints


GWR, the train operating company, has provided a point-by-point response to the various concerns and complaints aired by Charlbury residents on this website's forum.

1: Unfair penalty charges at Charlbury station car park.

A number of 'fines' were cancelled as the over-stay at the car park was caused by late running services. Local taxi drivers can now register and avoid picking up parking tickets.

2: Communication of details of delayed trains to APCOA

GWR says "We continue to liaise closely with APCOA and are currently trialling the process of providing delay data to APCOA and are looking at ways to automate this to ensure it is simple and streamlined as possible. Of course given the number of stations they manage on our behalf, and the number of vehicles that use these, we want to be sure that the solution is suitable and indeed durable so these trials continue to ensure this is the case."

3: Length of 'no charge' period and poor signage.

GWR says "With regard to your concerns on signage, and the marking of the short stay area, this has been included in a project to expend the current car-park, as part of this project we will re-design and re-line the current bays to address the lack of short stay bays and the drop-off area. We have requested APCOA to add larger signs regarding the grace period and the content of the signs. The 20-minute period is consistent across our network, so I regret this is not something that we have plans to alter at this stage."

4: Lighting at the station through the the night.

GWR says "As I understand the lights are intentionally left on at the station overnight, but the Station Manager is exploring the possibility of changing this. I will of course come back to you with any update I have on this."

Further to this GWR added: "As expected the station lighting cannot be dimmed or be switched off, which is why they are on throughout the night. That said there is current a funding application for a lighting enhancement scheme which would see the existing lights replaced with LED one's which will dim when platforms are not occupied. We are hopefully this will be successful and can be actioned later this year."

GWR appears to be listening to concerns which Charlbury residents and rail users have. We wait with interest to see the implementation of the various proposed action.

Trevor Taylor

Trevor Taylor · Mon 20 Feb 2017, 10:17 · Link


Latest planning applications to West Oxfordshire District Council

The following planning applications have recently been lodged. Click on the address to see full details at the WODC website.

Mon 20 Feb 2017, 08:00 · Link


Latest planning applications to West Oxfordshire District Council

The following planning applications have recently been lodged. Click on the address to see full details at the WODC website.

Mon 13 Feb 2017, 08:00 · Link


Charlbury Festival Fundraisers

Charlbury Art Society will be organising a series of fundraising events in the months leading up to the Charlbury Festival which runs from 10th - 18th June. The funds raised will enable a comprehensive programme to be printed, banners and flags to be produced and will allow the workshops to be free or at a minimal charge.

The first of these fundraising events will be a talk by Juliet Heslewood entitled Gauguin's Women. This will be on Friday 3rd March at 7.30 in the Memorial Hall. CHOC will be running a bar before and after the talk. Go to charlburyarts.co.uk/event/gauguins-women-art-history-talk-by-juliet-heslewood/ for more information.

Kati Eidenbenz · Sun 12 Feb 2017, 15:18 · Link


Charlbury Street Fair - Quiz Night 11th March - Secretary Vacancy

The Street Fair Committee is pleased to announce that we now have a small core team of enthusiastic volunteers willing to help organise this year's Fair, the Quiz Night of 11th March (see http://charlburystreetfair.org/quiz-night/) and an Open Gardens event in the Summer.

We do however still need to fill the Secretary post! If you are interested in helping out in this way and have organisational skills, please get in touch with me, John Dora, via the Street Fair website here: charlburystreetfair.org/contact-us/

John Dora
Chair, Charlbury Street Fair Committee

John Dora · Fri 10 Feb 2017, 18:32 · Link


No applications for vacant Town Council seat

The election for the vacant seat on Charlbury Town Council, which was to be held on 9th March, has been called off because no candidates came forward.

Keith Butler, returning officer at WODC, therefore writes that "Accordingly, a further election will be organised to take place within 35 working days of 9 March 2017."

Richard Fairhurst · Fri 10 Feb 2017, 17:37 · Link


Stagecoach S3 bus survey

Bus company Stagecoach is seeking views from Charlbury customers in a short (one-page) survey about the S3 bus to Oxford.

You can fill it in here: www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/oxfordshire/woodstock-make-your-mark .

The Oxford Times reports that the competing services through Woodstock, which include the S3, are proving "unworkable" for the two bus operators.

Richard Fairhurst · Wed 8 Feb 2017, 10:31 · Link


Report from the Thomas Gifford Trust & Presentation Evening

As you will have seen, the construction of Charlbury Community Centre is coming on apace. Work is on schedule and Beard should have finished the main building by the end of June. This leaves two months to do the external works and kit out the building before our proposed grand opening in early September 2017.

Presentation Evening
On Thursday March 23rd we will be holding another public meeting to update people on the progress of the Community Centre and to answer any questions you may have. We feel it is important to keep this dialogue open and to discuss again how the centre will best serve the needs of the Community. So please come along and ask your questions. The meeting will be held in the Memorial Hall from 7.30pm.

Finally, we have recently found this picture of the old secondary school on the Spendlove site, which was demolished in 1997. Many of you may remember it well.

Marjorie Glasgow, Chair, Thomas Gifford Trust
mglasgow@theridgegroup.com

daniela jenkins · Mon 6 Feb 2017, 13:18 · Link


Latest planning applications to West Oxfordshire District Council

The following planning applications have recently been lodged. Click on the address to see full details at the WODC website.

  • 1 Wellington Cottages Charlbury
    Rendering of modern brickwork to front and rear of property.
    WODC reference: 17/00118/HHD - Mon 30 Jan 2017 - Under consideration

Mon 6 Feb 2017, 08:00 · Link


Beaver Scouts "Thank You"

Thank you so much to everybody who supported our Coffee Morning in aid of 'Dogs for Good'.

You contributed to a fantastic total of £90, which we will add to our ongoing fundraising for this charity.

Thank you again on behalf of Charlbury Beaver Scouts.

Cheryl Horsey · Sat 4 Feb 2017, 14:57 · Link


Town Councillor election on 9 March

Following the resignation of Gordon Clemson, there is a vacancy on Charlbury Town Council, as a result of which an election will take place. If the election is contested, the poll will take place on Thursday 9 March 2017.

How to nominate a candidate

Nomination Papers may be obtained from the offices of the Returning Officer, Council Offices, Woodgreen, Witney, Oxon, OX28 1NB on Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. They may alternatively be obtained from the Clerk of the Town Council (01608 810608). The completed papers must be returned to the Returning Officer on Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, but not later than 4 pm on Friday 10 February 2017.

Voting

Applications to vote by post, or to vary or cancel existing postal or proxy voting arrangements, must reach the Electoral Registration Officer by 5pm on Wednesday 22 February 2017. Applications to vote by proxy at this election must reach the Electoral Registration Officer by 5 pm on Wednesday 1 March 2017. Applications to vote by emergency proxy at this election on the grounds of physical incapacity or for work/service reasons must reach the Electoral Registration Officer by no later than 5 pm on Thursday 9 March 2017. The physical incapacity must have occurred after 5 pm on Wednesday 1 March 2017. To apply on the grounds of work/service, the person must have become aware that they cannot go to the polling station in person after 5 pm on Wednesday 1 March2017. All applications and notices regarding absent voting must be sent to the Electoral Registration Officer, Electoral Services Office, Council Offices, Woodgreen, Witney, Oxon, OX28 1NB. Application forms for postal and proxy voting are available from that address. Applications to register to vote must be received by the Electoral Registration Officer no later than 12 midnight on Tuesday 21 February 2017 if they are to be effective for this election.

For further information about elections please visit www.westoxon.gov.uk/elections or telephone the Elections Office on (01993) 861410.

(Adapted from the official Notice of Election, which may be seen on the WODC website.)

Wed 1 Feb 2017, 20:54 · Link


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