Archive for category: News

Temporary Traffic Regulation Notice – S14 Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984

Temporary Road Closure and “No Waiting” restriction at Kingston Blount, B4009

In the interests of public safety, it will be necessary for Oxfordshire County Council to close the road and impose a ‘No Waiting’ restriction as detailed above to facilitate surface dressing works

A temporary Notice is being made to implement the temporary closure and will operate 26 April 2026 up to and including 30 April 2026. This will operate between 04:00 and 18:00.

A Temporary Traffic Regulation Notice is being made to implement the temporary closure and restriction and will operate on the days shown above.

Please note that Notices for urgent works can last up to 5 consecutive days only.

Access will be maintained for emergency service vehicles and for those frontages within the closure area, subject to the progress of the works and liaison with the works supervisor.

A copy of the drawing showing the extent of the closure and restriction and also the alternative route for traffic is below.

Further information regarding the works may be obtained by contacting Tim Belton – M Group / Oxfordshire County Council on 0345 310 11 11

A complaint was recently made to SODC with regard to “the burning of farm waste” at a location on the Stert Road, Kingston Blount.

It reported that waste was “being burnt in field adjacent to farmyard. Black smoke, chemical smell. Visible metal debris.”

Notably, the complainer wanted to stay anonymous yet felt the need to use my contact details – phone and address – saying that “as a parishioner I wish to remain anonymous, but have entered the details of my Parish Council on my behalf.”

This is wholly unacceptable; the person complaining entered, without permission, the details of an individual who happens to serve as a councillor.

I have spoken to SODCs Waste Team about the complaint and my details have been removed. The complaint now has no named complainer and so is no longer considered a complaint.

The complaint has consequently failed as SODC will not be taking any action.

Going forward, if a resident has a complaint that they wish to raise anonymously, AND it is within the competence and powers of the parish council, the correct route would be ask the clerk () to raise the complaint. Such a complaint must be made by someone who is identifiable albeit with their details requested to be kept confidential.

By definition, applying the parish council’s details to a complaint does not necessarily mean that it will be taken up by the council.

I would ask residents to not use the personal details of councillors on complaints or elsewhere without consent else their contact information will be removed entirely from the parish council website.

Adam Bernstein

Chairman, Aston Rowant Parish Council

Local community groups are invited to apply for funding to help residents across South Oxfordshire be more active, improve their health, and enjoy new wellbeing activities.

The Everyone Active grant scheme opened on Monday 30 March, with a total of £50,000 available. Organisations can apply for grants of up to £1,000 to support projects that make a real difference to the physical and mental wellbeing of residents in the district.

South Oxfordshire District Council is providing £50,000 in funding, with a maximum grant of £1,000 for each project.

Applicants will need to show that their projects will help communities to become more active or sustain activity.

The funding can be used in a variety of ways including:

• Buying new leisure or playground equipment
• Projects to introduce or improve physical activity
• Running training courses for volunteers or staff to help improve physical and mental wellbeing
• Setting up a community garden to share the physical and health benefits of growing fruit and vegetables

The scheme is open to a wide range of groups and organisations in the district, not-for-profit groups (including sports clubs), town and parish councils and parish meetings, not for profit preschools, Parent Teacher Association’s (PTAs) and other local authority run schools or academies for non-statutory elements of the education programme.

The grant scheme will close once all the budget has been spent, or at midday on

Friday 22 May, whichever is sooner. More information can be found on the council’s website or organisations can contact the Community Enablement team on  01235 422405 or email  with any questions about the grant and application process.

This grant is one of several community grant schemes available over the coming year, with South Oxfordshire District Council approving more than £1.5 million in Community Grants in its 2026/27 budget.

There are also two drop-in events that community organisations can attend to find out more about the funding and how to apply. For more information about the upcoming drop-in events, visit southoxon.gov.uk/grants.

Below is the latest – April to June – schedule of walks from Thame & Wheatley Ramblers.

There are “a record number of walks for the next quarter – including one from Aston Rowant”.