Church magazine
The latest issue of the church magazine is now available.
Navigate to Your Community > The Church to find it.
Reminder: New Year Parish Walk
/in News/by Adam BernsteinJust a reminder of the New Year Parish Walk.
More detail is below – click on the title below the image.
The route has been shortened to remove the muddiest of sections of the walk.
Fibre to the Premises broadband update
/in News/by Adam BernsteinInto the new year and we’re just 41 days from the FTTP scheme closing.
The good news is that we’re within spitting distance of the finishing line. I now have pledges that take us to 94% (worth £317,560) of Openreach’s government funding target of around £338,000.
I had previously said that homes were worth £1500 in government funding while businesses were worth £3500. However, in watching pledges come in, homes seem to be worth approximately £2000, and businesses appear to be valued at close to £4000.
In other words, I need just 10 more homes or five businesses – or any mix thereof – to pledge. As it stands, less than one third of the parish has pledged.
If you’re still on the fence about the benefits of FTTP, let me sum them up:
It’s markedly faster: Depending on the package taken with an internet provider, homes should be able to download at speeds of upto 1gb. I suspect the average in the parish is somewhere between 30-50mb. Video streaming, gaming, Zoom etc. will be faster and more responsive.
It’s more reliable: 100-year-old technology that is copper will be removed in favour of pure digital. FTTP isn’t perfect, but its cabling won’t corrode and isn’t subject to RF interference.
It can offer a cash saving: The installation cost will be **fully** met by government funding. I have shown some residents that their current internet provider offers poor value, service and speeds. A new provider (Openreach allows any) may offer a better deal. Also, if the landline is no longer needed, it can be disconnected; FTTP doesn’t require it.
It adds value to homes: FTTP is now a prized utility that homebuyers look for when considering where to move to.
Residents should be able to upgrade to a new contract with their internet service provider even if they are mid-contract.
Pledges can be made via https://www.openreach.com/fibre-broadband/fibre-community-partnership/connect-my-community.
As I’ve said, before, please help me to help you. Speak to your neighbours and ask them if they’ve pledged. I cannot bring FTTP to the parish without pledges.
If you’ve any questions, contact me – I’m not on FaceBook – and I’ll help with answers.
FTTP – we’re so close…
/in News/by Adam BernsteinIf you’ve not yet pledged for FTTP – full fibre broadband to your home – could you please consider doing so?
We’re at 90 percent of the pledges required and so close.
Remember – FTTP is about speed, reliability, potential cost savings as residents no longer need a physical phone line (unless they want to keep it) or may find a better deal, and making homes more saleable.
BT, for example, offers a number of deals – see the attachment below – that includes a pay as you go phone line with FTTP and download speeds of 150mb for £35 a month. For many, that download speed will be between three and five times faster than they presently have with a copper connection – and it’ll be more reliable.
And being mid-contract should not be an impediment to pledging; a quick call to the current provider should confirm that an upgrade is possible.
To pledge visit: https://www.openreach.com/fibre-broadband/fibre-community-partnership/connect-my-community.
Cricket Club Cheese and Wine – postponed
/in News/by Adam BernsteinARCC’s Cricket Club Cheese and Wine that was scheduled for 19 December has, regrettably, been postponed because of the current Covid restrictions until a safer date can be found; the bar will not be open.
However, the gates to the car park will be open if anyone wishes to view the tractor convoy in safety. The club house will be opened to allow use of the toilets. And if anyone wishes to bring their own seasonal drinks they are welcome to use the tables.
More Fiveways videos
/in News/by Adam BernsteinMike Eaton has submitted three more videos of wildlife at Fiveways Corner. This time there’s a badger, rabbit and a crayfish.
Take a look by navigating to Your Community > Fiveways Corner.
Have your say on OCC’s budget – it’ll affect you
/in News/by Adam BernsteinA note from Oxfordshire County Council:
“On 8 February 2022, Oxfordshire County Council will meet to agree its budget. In a survey we are asking residents, businesses and others for their views on our budget proposals for 2022/23, including our proposed council tax increase.
Following the local elections in May 2021, the Oxfordshire Fair Deal Alliance formed to lead the county council. It has a vision to lead positive change to make Oxfordshire a greener, fairer county. It has developed nine priorities to deliver this aim and over the autumn has been inviting feedback on these to inform the budget setting process and to help develop a draft strategic plan.
You can have your say on these priorities as part of our consultation on our 2022/23 budget proposals to help the council set a balanced budget.
Background
The council is committed to the responsible management of the council’s finances. To reach our goal of a balanced budget for 2022/23, we are planning ahead carefully to meet current and future financial challenges. We are also working on identifying savings across the council to enable us to invest in our priorities and meet our demand pressures.
Challenges include uncertainty over government funding for all local authorities, the ongoing impact of COVID-19 that continues to place pressures on the county council’s day to day services and affect its income streams, alongside a growing and ageing population, which puts more pressure on budgets and services.
Our accompanying consultation booklet provides background information on the council’s finances and our approach to setting the budget this year. We encourage you to read this before having your say. We also recommend you read our budget proposals that will be discussed by the Performance and Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 10 December 2021
Please complete this survey to have your say. All responses must be received by Wednesday 5 January 2022″
Christmas in the parish
/in News/by Adam BernsteinThe church has published a new parish magazine which can be found by navigating to Your Community > The Church.
As the same time, the church has issued documents detailing its events in the parish this Christmas. These are below.
New Year Parish Walk
/in News/by Adam BernsteinThe now traditional New Year Parish Walk is on Sunday 9th January, starting at 1000hrs.
Meet at Lambert Hotel for a 6.2 mile walk. Parking is available either to the left side of the minor road to Lewknor near the hotel, or on the right hand side of Butts Way. Please do not park in the hotel car park unless booked in for lunch.
The walk will follow the Aston Rowant Discovery Trail (see www.chilternsaonb.org/ccbmaps/1607/137/aston-rowant-discovery-trail) taking in Lewknor, Hill Road, Ridgeway, Aston Rowant Nature Reserve and Beacon Hill, National Trust Aston Woods and Juniper Bank, returning via Woodway Farm.
We expect to be back by 13.00.
Please wear boots and bring a snack and water.
Everyone is very welcome; the walk is free of charge and is at a leisurely pace, stopping from time to time to look at the scenery and talk about some of the history of the area. Hope you can join us. There is no need to book.
For more information, contact Peter Hetherington, walk leader, on 07767 647714.
This is a joint event organised by Aston Rowant Parish Council with Thame and Wheatley Ramblers.
Latest issue of the Parish Notes
/in News/by Adam BernsteinThe latest issue of the Parish Notes – December 2020 / January 2021 – is now out and should be through letterboxes any day.
In the meantime, the issue can be read on the website by navigating to Your Community > Parish Notes.