The next parish council meeting
The next parish council meeting will be, again, held online via Zoom, on Wednesday 9 September at 1930hrs.
Login via:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83381462461
Meeting ID: 833 8146 2461
Report problems
/in News/by Adam BernsteinProblems on the public highway and footpaths – graffiti, fly tipping, broken paving slabs, street lighting are good examples – can be reported direct to the responsible authority by downloading the ‘FixMyStreet’ app or going to fixmystreet.com.
If issues aren’t reported the authority may not know…
Changes to parking in South Oxfordshire
/in News/by Adam BernsteinCabinet members at South Oxfordshire District Council have agreed to go ahead with a public consultation later this year on potential changes to parking in the district.
The council will ask people to comment on a number of options which will form its new parking order and determine how it operates its car parks across the district.
Options that people will be able to have their say on include:
- Standardising the charging hours across the district so that all areas are treated equally;
- Introducing Sunday parking fees to help ensure spaces are available for people wishing to visit local shops and cafes;
- A full review of how permits work to ensure they are allocated appropriately, depending on the size and location of the car park;
- Offering discounted permits for users of electric vehicles;
- Introducing limited waiting to address parking issues in the Chinnor.
Comments will be considered as part of a formal consultation process with statutory organisations such as the highways authority, police, town and parish councils. The council will look at all comments before finalising and introducing the new arrangements in 2021.
Changes to parking prices
At their meeting on 6 August, Cabinet also agreed two additional changes aimed at ensuring that parking fees will continue to cover the costs of operating the car parks, including public toilets, over the long term:
- prices in all charging car parks are to rise by 20p;
- the all-day fee in Edinburgh Drive car park, Didcot and Wheel Orchard car park, Goring will increase from £3.40 to £5. This is similar to the rates in the neighbouring Network Rail car parks and so should help to free up more spaces in the town centre for shoppers.
These are the first price increases to be introduced in 13 years and reflect the annual increase in costs of running the car parks. These measures can be introduced without consultation and will therefore be implemented in the coming months once a public notice period has concluded and new signage is ready. The council expects to have these revised charges in operation before 1 December 2020.
Three government planning consultations now open
/in News/by Adam BernsteinThe government has published three documents relating to its thoughts on shaking up the planning system.
The first is a White Paper that sets out how it would like to reform the planning system starting with a consultation document entitled ‘Planning for the Future’. The consultation is now open for comments until 29 October. You can download the White Paper here.
Another consultation now open is a call for evidence and views on a proposal to provide better transparency and competition between developers. It aims to provide better information publicly to assist new developers into the sector and to improve the data on land control and is open until 30 October. You can read the consultation paper here.
A separate consultation has also opened on the elements of planning policy guidance and looks at the current planning system. This consultation is open until 1 October. You can download the current planning system consultation paper here.
SODC will be considering the proposals and making comments by the deadlines. The council is not intending to express a view on the government’s proposals until it has engaged with councillors and considered the consultation documents.
Yellow letter is coming
/in News/by Adam BernsteinResidents in South Oxfordshire are being urged to check the details on a yellow letter which they will receive from the district council from the start of August.
The council is sending a yellow ‘Canvass Communication Form’ to every home requiring the residents to check and confirm the details of everyone over the age of 16 that lives in their property. This is something many local authorities need to do by law each year in order to ensure the electoral register is up to date.
A change for 2020
In previous years all homes received the same letter and had to respond accordingly, however this year the process has changed slightly.
The letter people receive this August will depend on whether or not records indicate that there has been a change in the registered voters living at their property – for instance, if a registered voter has moved into a property that address will receive a different letter from a home whose occupants have remained the same since the last election.
The letters explain exactly what occupants need to do – it is very important that residents read it carefully and follow the instructions to confirm any changes, by visiting housholdresponse.com/southandvale – they will need the two-part code on the yellow letter to do this.
By doing this as quickly as possible it will mean that the councils don’t have to send a reminder letter or try to make contact this Autumn to confirm the information.
Latest issue of the Parish Notes
/in News/by Adam BernsteinThe latest issue of the Parish Notes – August/September – is out and should have been put through letterboxes by now.
An online version of the notes is available on this website. Navigate to Your Community > Parish Notes.
Leisure centres to re-open
/in News/by Adam BernsteinLeisure centres in South Oxfordshire have started to reopen.
There will be a gradual, phased opening from last Saturday – 25 July – which includes changes to opening times. While not all facilities will be available to use from the start, there will be plenty of things for customers in southern Oxfordshire to book on to.
Better, who run the leisure centres on behalf of the council, has been working hard to implement the guidelines set by the government to open safely from 25 July. Each leisure centre has been independently assessed by Better as they all have different facilities.
Better has outlined the strict guidelines for customers to follow when they access the buildings for their safety and those around them:
- Customers will need to book a one-hour slot in advance online, on the Better UK smartphone app – this hour will include the time it takes to get in and out
- Customers should turn up at their allocated time, not early or late and use the provided sanitiser on entry
- There will be strict one-way systems in place to ensure customers can stay safe and practice social distancing
- Customers will be required to clean machines, equipment and other areas they come into contact with after use
- Gym equipment, pool lanes and dance studios will be operating with reduced capacity and allocated spaces
- Customers must leave by designated route after a maximum one hour. The exit will be in a different location to the entrance to maintain a one-way flow
- Everyone who attends a swim session to should arrive ‘pool ready’ with their swimming gear on under their clothes and having showered at home
The leisure centres will be assessed regularly by Better, and the council envisages that more facilities will open as restrictions are relaxed and it becomes safe to do so for customers and staff.
In the first phase of opening the timings and access to facilities varies across the leisure centres in the district, the tables at the bottom of this article give an overview of how each will operate.
More detail can be read here.
More nightlife at Fiveways
/in News/by Adam BernsteinMike Eaton, who is part of a group that looks after Fiveways Corner in Aston Rowant, has shared a night movie of a rat in the stream.
It’s not a long movie, but it’s interesting.
Greater support to help people live independently
/in News/by Adam BernsteinSODC has made it easier for people with disabilities, or who are vulnerable, to receive housing assistance grants and loans. This support is to help make their homes safer and more comfortable, to support them to live independently and to reduce hospital admissions.
The new Housing Assistance Grants and Loans policy has extended what’s on offer.
The maximum grant available has increased from £30,000 to £50,000 and a grant is also now available for people living with dementia. In addition, SODC says that it is working to improve the service in order to reduce the waiting times for work to be carried out.
The first step for anybody who wants to apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant is to contact an occupational therapist to see if they’re eligible. For more information on applying for grants and loans please see the council’s website here.
The new corporate plan – tell SODC
/in News/by Adam BernsteinSODC wants to know what residents think it, as a district council, should focus on over the coming years.
District councillors are putting together plans for the future of the district and they want everyone living and working here to have their say.
Should it be working with other organisations to help local businesses get back on their feet after lockdown? Should it help people live healthier lives? Or should it tackle the climate emergency? Or are there other concerns?
To have your say visit South Oxfordshire’s website until Thursday 13 August.
SODC hopes to publish and adopt its final corporate plan in the Autumn.