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Archive for category: News

You are here: Home / Council News / News

FTTP in the parish is go!

/in News/by Adam Bernstein

Openreach has just stated that the scheme to bring FTTP to the parish has been approved by DCMS, “declared active”, and the telco can now start to process applications for each resident.

Residents need to visit www.openreach.co.uk/connectmycommunity. Ignore the name ‘Aston Park’; that will be corrected. The link will ask for your details for the pledge. This will be passed to DCMS which will email directly to verify the voucher. Openreach will submit the pledges in batches so don’t be surprised if there’s a delay between your pledge going onto Openreach and DCMS making contact.

We have 89 days (until 13 February 2022) to get all the pledges in. If we don’t get enough then the scheme will not go ahead.

Note: The link above will only permit addresses from our community to access and register. Also, be aware that once you pledge, and the install goes ahead, you have two months to sign up for FTTP with the ISP of your choice. If you do not, then Openreach may reclaim costs from you. Remember, you can choose any provider you wish – BT, Sky, Talk Talk…

Once Openreach has all the vouchers validated, and returned, and the gap cost is covered by funding, it should then be able to proceed forward to delivery.

Free parking days returns in the run up to Christmas

/in News/by Adam Bernstein

Shoppers in South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse are being given a helping hand to buy local this Christmas.

Those who are unable to get to local businesses by walking, cycling or public transport can take advantage of free parking in district council car parks.

The annual free parking tradition is provided by South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils to encourage shopping locally for Christmas presents.

The free parking days allocated to each area are agreed with the individual town councils depending on which day would best suit local traders.

Free Christmas parking days also means no need to pay to park to catch up with friends and family in the pubs, cafés and restaurants found across southern Oxfordshire’s towns during the festive period.

Drivers will be able to park for free in South and Vale car parks on the following days:

  • Abingdon – Saturdays 4, 11 and 18 December
  • Didcot – Mondays – 6, 13 and 20 December
  • Faringdon – Saturdays 27 November, and 4 and 11 December
  • Goring – Saturdays 4, 11 and 18 December
  • Henley – Fridays 10, 17 and 24 December
  • Thame – Saturdays 4, 11 and 18 December
  • Wallingford – Thursdays 9, 16 and 23 December
  • Wantage – Saturdays 4, 11 and 18 December

On the above days there’s no need to display a ticket, however maximum stay times will still apply in specific car parks. For details on parking in southern Oxfordshire visit southoxon.gov.uk/parking or whitehorsedc.gov.uk/parking.

Dogs: A request

/in News/by Adam Bernstein

A polite request to dog owners:

There have been a few incidents in the parish recently with regard to dogs either biting or causing alarm amongst the public.

While the parish council has no jurisdiction – it’s purely a matter for the police – we would ask that dog owners remember their obligation to keep their dog under control at all times when in a public space.

Clearly the vast majority of dogs are docile, and similarly, owners consider their dogs to be harmless. But to non-dog owners, a dog can cause alarm.

This link gives the relevant law on dogs, but in essence, the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 covers not just situations where a dog has bitten, but also where it causes someone to have a ‘reasonable’ fear they could be injured.

To repeat, the council is unable to help with complaints about dog attacks, it’s a matter for the police on 101 or 999.

Unlikely as it may be, no-one wants a repetition of the death, last week, of the child from a dog mauling. And nor does the council want to see action taken against owners of their dogs.

Parish litter pick

/in News/by Adam Bernstein

The parish autumn litter pick is being held, this year, over the weekend of 27/28th  November.

The Saturday morning pick will cover Kingston Hill while the Sunday morning will see Aston Rowant and the A40 and B4009 covered.

All are welcome to help (so long as they’re over 16). Each pick will start at 1000hrs and should only take two hours at most.

For more details contact either Parish Clerk or Steven Sowerby –  or .

Fire and rescue service consultation

/in News/by Adam Bernstein

How fire and rescue service keep us safe and well over the next four years is being planned right now. Changing how safety advice is delivered, reducing call outs and working more with businesses to reduce risk are just three of the things the fire service is looking at.

Take a look at what’s planned for the next four years and complete the short survey to tell us what you think. https://letstalk.oxfordshire.gov.uk/crmp-2022-26.

The consultation closes 15th December

 

Laughing gas is #NoLaughingMatter

/in News/by Adam Bernstein

A new campaign has started across South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse to highlight the issues and dangers of Nitrous Oxide, more commonly known as laughing gas.

The campaign will see #NoLaughingMatter stencils painted across the districts and there will also be a short online quiz, with a £25 Nando’s or Costa voucher up for grabs.

Most will have seen the small silver canisters discarded in public areas, such as parks and high streets. Filled with Nitrous Oxide, or laughing gas, they contain the second most used recreational drug among young people in the UK aged 16-24.

Laughing gas is a psychoactive substance – when inhaled it slows down the body’s response time, which can lead to fits of laughter, dizziness and feeling relaxed.  However, it can also cause paranoia, hallucinations, and headaches, and if too much laughing gas is inhaled, the user could suffer shortness of breath or even pass out, potentially putting their life at risk. When discarded in public areas, the cannisters also cause a litter nuisance.

South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils have launched the #NoLaughingMatter campaign to raise awareness of laughing gas and the risks of using it, and are encouraging residents to report any cannisters they find and to seek advice/support where needed.

#NoLaughingMatter – to find out what you need to know about laughing gas and to enter the competition to win a £25 Nando’s or Costa voucher – visit southandvale.gov.uk/nolaughingmatter

(Terms and Conditions apply – entries close at 11:59pm on Sunday 14 November 2021).

If you see anyone using laughing gas, or notice canisters discarded in a public area, please report it by contacting the Community Safety Team at  or by calling 01235 422590.

For advice and help about laughing gas please Talk to Frank.

Parking enforcement

/in News/by Adam Bernstein

Just a reminder that parking enforcement in Oxfordshire is now run by the county council and a contractor rather than the police. See the attached for what is and is not permitted.

Garden waste service to resume

/in News/by Adam Bernstein

The normal garden waste collection schedule in South Oxfordshire will resume on 1 November and so from that day onwards, residents can put their brown garden waste bins out on their normal collection day in their recycling week every fortnight.

As this coincides with the scheduled Extra Garden Waste Week residents are entitled to put out one extra bin’s worth of garden waste that week too.

To make up for the disruption to the service SODC is extending customers’ current subscription to the service by three months.

There is more information at southoxon.gov.uk/gardenwaste.

Household waste recycling centres to close for cleaning

/in News/by Adam Bernstein

During November Oxfordshire County Councils household waste recycling centres will be closing for two days to carry out a deep clean and essential maintenance. This includes jet washing the sites and structures, repainting lines and safety areas as well as other general works.

Oxfordshire County Council will be shutting each of its recycling centres for two days at a time – although never at the same time. Residents are asked to plan ahead for these closures, ideally holding on to waste until the site reopens, or if that is not possible, visiting one of the neighbouring sites.

The closing dates are:

  • Alkerton, near Banbury: Tuesday 2 and Wednesday 3 November
  • Ardley, near Bicester: Thursday 4 and Friday 5 November
  • Dix Pit, Stanton Harcourt: Tuesday 23 and Wednesday 24 November
  • Drayton, near Abingdon: Tuesday 9 and Wednesday 10 November
  • Oakley Wood, near Wallingford: Tuesday 16 and Wednesday 17 November
  • Redbridge, Oxford: Thursday 18 and Friday 19 November
  • Stanford, near Farringdon: Thursday 11 and Friday 12 November.

All closures are on quieter midweek days to minimise disruption and sites will reopen at 8am the following day.

More information can be found online at www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/wasteclosure.

Residents with van or trailer permits can use these at any of the HWRCs.

Smart doorbells and cameras

/in News/by Adam Bernstein

Following a court ruling yesterday, the parish council is urging residents with CCTV to use caution so that only their properties are surveilled and that the privacy of others is maintained.

The detail of the ruling is on the BBC here.