3rd December 2016
Public Consultation for the Eynsham Park & Ride and A40 Bus Lane
Oxfordshire County Council will be holding a public consultation to present the feasibility design and plans for the Eynsham Park & Ride and A40 Bus Lane scheme, and would like to get your views. OCC will be holding a series of exhibitions, please come a long to view the plans.
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Tuesday 6th December |
11am – 3pm |
Consultation Dates and Venues Cassington Village Hall, The Green, Cassington, OX29 4AX |
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Saturday 10th December |
12pm - 4pm |
Witney Methodist Church, 40 High Street, Witney, OX28 6HG |
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Thursday 15th December |
12.30pm - 7pm |
St Leonard’s Church, Eynsham, Thames Street, Eynsham, OX29 4HF How to respond |
If you are unable to attend the consultation, you can view the plans and have your say online by visiting our consultation webpage and filling out the online questionnaire. The consultation closes on the 12th January, and it will be available online between the 1st December and the 12th January. You can access this online via this link: www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/A40eynshamparkandride.
24th November
Primary School Place – you must apply now
If your child was born on or between 1st September 2012 and 31st August 2013, you need to apply for a primary school place now. You must still apply even if your child already attends a nursery attached to the school. The deadline for applications is 15th January 2017.
Apply online at www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/admissions
16th November
CEG appeal regarding proposed 120 houses next to the station
Parish Council will be making representations at the appeal hearing and Councillors hope to see plenty of residents in WODC’s Committee Room on the first and last days of the appeal (13th December and provisionally 20th December). The inspector needs to know you care about the appeal outcome.
Christmas Carol event - Sunday 18th December at 4:00pm
The Recreation Hall is booked for Sunday 18th December for 4:00pm with singing at the tree scheduled for 4:30pm. All residents are welcome to attend this popular free event and complimentary mulled wine will be provided. The Guides will be providing other refreshments for a small fee.
We are pleased to report that once again Sportif Suzuki has sponsored our Christmas tree which is due to be delivered on December 1st.
Riely Close recycling point
Many of you use this site for additional recycling over and above the road side collections. Although the site broadly caters for the same recycling, food waste is not included. Please don't leave food waste at this site as it rapidly becomes a health hazard and will not be routinely collected.
Parish Council remains committed to moving this site to a non-residential area and our new District Councillor Carol Reynolds has agreed to take this forward with WODC.
Play ground update
We are really pleased to report that HAPI were successful with their final and largest grant application with almost £48,000 awarded by WREN. Councillors are very impressed with the group which has now met its fund raising target.
The next stage will be to consider location and timing for delivery of the project. Council is facilitating a meeting between the group, HPFA, the school and education authorities to discuss the project and possible expansion of the school following granting of the Pye development.
New dog waste bin
Parish Council and GreenSquare Housing have jointly agreed to fund a new dog waste bin for Kents Bank.
24th October
Play ground update – please vote
We are pleased to report that HAPI were successful with their TESCO grant application. The grant will be between £8,000 and £12,000 depending on the level of local support. There will be an opportunity to vote in local Tesco stores from 31 October to 13 November. If you see the ballot in the shop please take the opportunity to vote for our project.
Utility Failure - A guide to priority services by utility companies
You can’t always predict when an emergency situation may cause a disruption to your utility provision. If you register for the priority service register with your local supplier, they will do their upmost to prevent your supply from going off and, if it does, make sure that your service returns as a matter of urgency, providing additional support if necessary in the meantime.
If you receive a state pension, are disabled or have a child under the age of 5, then you may benefit from joining the utility priority care registers. If you rely on one or more of the following, you will also be eligible to join: home dialysis machine, oxygen concentrator, artificial ventilator or stair lift or adjustable bed.
If you are eligible and would like to register for the priority service, contact your provider(s) using the following contact details.
Water: Thames Water Phone: 0845 641 0068 Text phone: 0845 7200 899
Online: www.thameswater.co.uk/help-and- advice/555
Electric: SSE Phone: 0800 294 3259
Online: www.ssepf.co.uk/PriorityServicesRegister/
For more information please visit SSE’s
website: www.ssepd.co.uk/PriorityServices/
Gas: Scotia Gas Network (SGN)
Call 0800 912 1700 for more information.
Call the number on your gas bill and ask your supplier about joining their Priority Service
25th September 2016
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WODC recycling service changes coming 2017 - for more information see www.westoxon.gov.uk/bins2017 |
In response to a public consultation in November 2015 WODC have looked into changes to the recycling service they provide.
WODC received over 3,500 responses to the consultation which highlighted the following:
As a result:
18th September 2016
Hanborough Park Initiative calls out for votes to bag a share of a £12.5million carrier bag charge fund
Hanborough Park Initiative (a group of enthusiastic parents) with Hanborough Parish Council is bidding to bag a massive cash boost from the Tesco Bags of Help initiative.
The supermarket has teamed up with Groundwork on its Bags of Help initiative, which see grants of £12,000, £10,000 and £8,000 – all raised from the 5p bag levy – being awarded to environmental and greenspace projects.
Three groups in each of Tesco’s 416 regions have been shortlisted to receive the cash award.
And this month shoppers are being invited to head along to Tesco stores to vote for who they think should take away the top grant.
Hanborough Park Initiative is one of the groups on the shortlist and the voting boxes will be at the following stores;
OX28 3XY - COGGES HIL WITNEY EXP
OX29 4EN - EYNSHAM
EXPRESS
OX28 5AP - FETTIPLACE WITNEY EXP
OX28 5YU - VALENCE CR
WITNEY EXP
OX28 4EJ - WITNEY EXPRESS
The project aims to replace the deteriorating and outdated playground in Long Hanborough with something more bright, modern and befitting for the 21st century.
Claire Martin, Chair of the Initiative said “We are delighted to have been shortlisted for the Tesco/Bags of Help grant. The money will be a really big contribution towards a project which will benefit children, parents, grandparents and carers in Long Hanborough and beyond.”
Voting is open in stores from 31st October to 13th November. Customers will cast their vote using a token given to them at the check-out in store each time they shop.
This is the second round of the initiative: the first round saw approximately eight million shoppers vote in stores up and down the country earlier this year.
Lindsey Crompton, Head of Community at Tesco, said: “The first round of the Bags of Help initiative was a fantastic success.
“In total 1,170 community groups were awarded £8,000, £10,000 or £12,000 - that’s a massive £11.7 million being invested into local projects.
“We are already seeing some great results from groups transforming their own environmental and greenspace areas.
“We are absolutely delighted to open the voting for round two. There are some fantastic projects on the shortlists and we can’t wait to see them come to life in hundreds of communities.”
Groundwork’s national Chief Executive, Graham Duxbury, said: “Bags of Help is giving our communities both the funding and the support to create better, healthier and greener places for everyone to enjoy.
“We’ve been thrilled to see the diversity of projects that have applied for funding, ranging from outdoor classrooms, sports facilities, community gardens, play areas and everything in between.
“They’re all fantastic projects that make a real difference in our neighbourhoods.
“We’re looking forward to learning the results of the customer vote and then supporting each group to bring their project to life.”
15th September
2016
Play ground update
We are pleased to report that HAPI were successful with their TESCO grant application. The grant will be between £8000 and £12,000 depending on the level of local support. There will be an opportunity to vote in local Tesco stores from 31st October onwards. If you see the ballot in the shop please take the opportunity to vote for our project.
New Councillors
We are pleased to announce that we have two new councillors coopted to council. They Lucy Tritton and Thomas Pringle.
The Oxfordshire Comet
A Oxfordshire County Council bookable transport service for those who can't access suitable public transport.
It is a not for profit service, created to allow people without suitable access to public transport to make the journeys they want. The Oxfordshire Comet can be booked for any type of trip. Whether it’s to meet friends in town, travel across the county, attend an appointment or pop to the shops. The service is available 10.15am - 2.30pm Monday to Friday (not Bank Holidays). It’s easy to book, with a pre-paid account that can be set up on the phone.
The Oxfordshire Comet uses vehicles that normally take children to school and adults to day care centres. OCC identified the times of the day when they weren’t being used and are making them available to you so that you can make the journeys you want. Because OCC already own these vehicles, OCC only have to cover running costs, meaning they can keep costs down for passengers.
It is available for Oxfordshire residents who don’t have access to suitable public transport, wheelchair users or those with mobility issues. It can do one-off journeys, regular and group trips. It can also offer regular routes for local communities (similar to a bus route) that do not have access to existing public transport.
To book a journey call 01865 323201
For full terms and conditions visit www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/comet
18th August 2016
Play ground update
We are pleased to report that HAPI have successfully added another grant to the fund thanks to the Cornerstone Coffee Shop. The group also expect to hear about applications submitted to Tesco and WREN shortly.
Last month I reported that the junior swings had to be taken out of service as the footings were reported as a little loose in the annual inspection. A second inspection passed this piece of equipment for continued use and we will check it weekly going forward.
Care for our Parish
We are aware that some residents cut small areas or tidy along boundary walls. Councillors are keen to encourage this care of your local patch as it improves the area for everyone. Home owners with boundaries bordering pavements are also legally required to make sure they do not block the path with over hanging bushes or trees.
Councillors also discussed areas were residents have put rocks or other obstructions on verges to protect them. Residents should be aware of possible liability if anyone damages their car on these.
Councillors thanked the Gardening Club for continuing to look after the planters at each end of the parish, and for maintaining the two new planters recently installed at the entrance to Riely Close. Thanks also to the Coop staff who have agreed to keep them watered. Councillors are also in discussion with OCC to see if any improvements can be made to the layout of the parade carpark as the bollards seem to get knocked on a regular basis. Ultimately, the area is the responsibility of OCC Highways but we will do all we can to improve things.
16th July
2016
Pye appeal
I suspect that most people will have heard by now that Pye were successful in their appeal to develop the land south of Witney Road. This a clearly a disappointment to the many residents who opposed the project. Parish Council will work hard to mitigate any adverse affects on the parish.
Play ground update
Council are pleased to report that HAPI have successfully added another grant to the fund to replace the children's playground. Thanks to WODC for awarding £20,000 to the project.
The equipment is ageing but mostly passed the annual inspection. Unfortunately, the junior swings have had to be taken out of service as the footings are a little loose. Parish Council is seeing what it will cost to get it repaired as it is likely to be 6 months or so before the area is replaced.
Care for our Parish
We hear from Oxfordshire County Council that our grass will be cut in August. We tried hard to get them to do it sooner but this was not possible. Next year Parish Council will fund additional cuts.
We are aware that some residents cut small areas or tidy along boundary walls. Councillors are keen to encourage this care of your local patch as it improves the area for everyone. Home owners with boundaries bordering pavements are also legally required to make sure they do not block the path with over hanging bushes or trees.
15th June 2016
New Chairman of the Parish Council
Having served on Hanborough’s Parish Council (HPC) for about 5 years, with a particular focus on planning matters, I have now been elected as Chairman. It is not my first time in a chairing role, as I served on all sorts of committees during my career as a headteacher and advisor-cum-inspector; so, hopefully I shall avoid comparison with J.K. Rowling’s portrayal of a parish chairman in The Casual Vacancy. That said, I quite like the Vicar of Dibley model.
Despite taking on the chairmanship I shall continue to co-ordinate HPC’s responses to planning applications, especially when they involve large developments. This will only be possible with a strong committee behind me. Fortunately, that is what I have got: a well-balanced mixture of experienced councillors and other residents with skills and qualities that complement one another. I expect recently added IT skills to result in our website becoming more rewarding for users; although it will take a few months to upgrade.
HPC will operate via two working groups: one concerned with maintaining and improving Hanborough’s environment; the other liaising with community and leisure groups, so as to offer informed support. The councillor leading the first group (Phillip Richardson) will make it his business to know which OCC and WODC officers deal with environmental and infrastructure matters. The councillor leading the second group (Phil Earnshaw) will make it his business to know who the contact people are for local community and leisure groups. Do make yourself known to Phil, if you represent a community or leisure group.
Also, please make yourself known if you are willing to volunteer your help; e.g. Nicki Richardson wants to recruit a team to look after the interests of residents with memory difficulties or other vulnerabilities. We have already organised dementia support training for staff from the doctors’ and dentists’ surgeries and held a tea dance in the village hall. We want to do more for young residents too; namely, raise funds for a “youth hut” that can be shared by various groups (e.g. youth club, cubs etc.)
There are some tough times ahead, with service cut-backs from OCC that will affect residents. The Parish Council will explore ways of mitigating the cuts without taking on liabilities beyond its limited powers; perhaps supplementing grass-cutting, for instance. We shall be pleased to hear your opinions. Once our website is fully functioning, we shall have a two-way channel for communications, but feel free to put your thoughts into e-mails as well. I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours truly,
Niels Chapman
Vacancy for one new Councillor
Due to a recent resignation we have one vacancy to be filled after the end of June. If you are interested in joining council please contact the Clerk. This is a great opportunity to get involved in the local community and council will be considering applications in the next meeting.
Fly tipping at The Pit
We recently had an instance of fly tipping at The Pit. We check the site daily and this was cleared away quickly, but please could everyone be vigilant. This is a children's play area and the dangers dumping rubbish in this area should be obvious to anyone.
14th May 2016
New Councillors
All 10 councillors have taken up their post on council leaving two vacancies to be filled by cooption. If you are interested in joining council please contact the Clerk. This is a great opportunity to get involved in the local community and council will be considering applications in the next meeting.
Lower Road
Council continue to have concerns about traffic on Lower Road and have written to Oxfordshire County Council again to highlight the number of very large vehicles using the road and also the number of vehicles appearing to travel in excess of the speed limit.Unfortunately we have not had a positive response and Council will be considering how to progress this.
Maintenance Projects
The area of common land used for parking cars outside the church in Church Hanborough will have the railway sleepers replaced later in the month as the current ones are in a poor state. Council is also looking to refurbish council noticeboards and the gates to the parish burial ground. We are also arranging for the latest moles to arrive at the burial ground to be moved on.
Dementia Tea Dance event
The first tea dance held recently in the Pavilion was heralded as a great success in raising awareness about this condition. Parish Council has agreed to support another event to be held on 18th September. This event is open to everyone and attracted people from across the parish and district.
Grants
With the new financial year starting, council welcomes applications for grants from local groups. Please contact the Clerk for details.
16th April
2016
New Councillors
Parish Council came up for re-election in May and as we only had 10 candidates for the 12 places, all those nominated were duly elected. We were sorry to see three councillors leaving; Mike Baggaley, Hugh Burton and Vicky Field move on and councillors expressed their gratitude for all their hard work over the years. New councillors are Penny Marcus who is well known to for her work with HAG and Michael Rogers who rejoins council after a number of years away. Eight councillors have continued.
This leaves two vacancies to be filled by cooption. If you are interested in joining council please contact the Clerk.
Lower Road
Council continue to have concerns about traffic on Lower Road and have written to Oxfordshire County Council again to highlight the number of very large vehicles using the road and also the number of vehicles appearing to travel in excess of the speed limit.Council has now formally requested a reduction in the speed limit on this road.
22nd February
2016
Annual Public Parish Meeting
Hanborough Parish Council invites residents to the ANNUAL PUBLIC PARISH MEETING on Tuesday 22nd March at 7:30pm in the Pavilion Greenway Room. Enjoy refreshments and the opportunity to meet councillors and representatives from local groups. Have your say on what's important to you. The agenda for council has largely been dominated by the large planning applications again this year but other good work has been completed.
Clean for the Queen - a campaign initiated by Keep Britain Tidy
The campaign is calling for people to litter pick in the run up to the Queen’s birthday and it has declared 4th to 6th March as a grand litter picking weekend.
Councillors are supportive of any initiative to help clean up our community and would like to encourage residents to take ownership of the area around their house. If everyone took time to look after their local area, the whole parish would be much tidier. We also have a number of volunteers who keep areas litter free and parish council will support anyone who wishes to help by providing a litter picker and black bags, Please contact the Clerk if interested.
12th January
2016
New tennis court and sports ground
Council is delighted to see the facility so well used but do ask that bicycles, skateboards etc are not taken into the area as these are not only a danger to users and may damage the surface.
We also have a budding engineer in Hanborough who is keen to practice on the facility. While Council is keen to encourage career development we would prefer you not to dismantle our facility in order to hone your skills. Our contractor was able to repair the damage whilst on a routine visit but if anyone sees this sort of activity please ask them to stop. We all want this great facility last as long as possible.
There also seems to be an intermittent fault with the lights. If these fail to work please let the clerk know so that they can be reset.
Waste and recycling collections
Councillors are disappointed that there seems to be an increase in litter around the parish on days when the waste and recycling collections are made. It may be a coincidence but council has written to WODC asking that their operatives take greater care to make sure that the rubbish makes it into the collection vehicle.
14th November 2015
Christmas Carol event - Sunday 13th December at 3pm
Parish Council is pleased to report that West Oxfordshire Academy of Performing Arts (WOAPA) have kindly agreed to support our carol event again this year. Anyone who came last year will recall how good the event was. I'm also pleased to report that after a couple of years basing the carol singing inside, by popular demand we are returning to the tree this year.The Recreation Hall is booked for Sunday 13th December for 3pm with meeting at the tree planned for 3:30pm. All residents are welcome to attend this free event and complimentary refreshments and mulled wine will be provided.
Environment Matters
Councillors agreed to set aside £3000 for local clean up projects. These are aimed at visually improving the parish and will include removing weeds and small shrubs from road sides, removing unused notice boards, righting bollards and collecting rubbish. Councillors are also looking at installing a number of bicycle racks at key locations.
Pye planning applications
Last month we mentioned that developers were proposing school expansion into HPFA land and that this was not supported by either HPFA or the Parish Council. A formal application had been submitted to move the school sports ground to a location off site to allow for expansion of school buildings on the current area. This would increase school capacity which is one of the obstacles to the Pye housing development.
We understand that the Eynsham Partnership Academy, to which Hanborough Manor belongs, had described the proposal as 'satisfactory' but have now softened their view to 'least bad'.
Hanborough Matters
Residents may remember that we investigated developing a Community Led Plan a couple of years ago. Although there was a lot of interest, we failed to build the critical mass of volunteers needed for it to progress. With the high level of interest currently in Hanborough on shaping the future of our parish we are considering new options for developing a parish plan. Hanborough Matters - We welcome your views.
Residents asked for views on waste and recycling collections
Residents in West Oxfordshire are being asked for comments about their household waste and recycling collections to help the Council plan for any future changes. A short survey asks residents for their views about the containers they use, the types of materials that are collected for recycling and how they use the service.
Cllr David Harvey, Cabinet Member for Environment said, “Thanks to our residents, we’re one of the top recyclers in the country, but with our current contract up for review in 2017 we’re taking the opportunity to evaluate our household waste and recycling collections. We’d like householders to tell us how we could improve our service and make recycling easier for them.”
A range of recyclable materials are collected weekly at the kerbside, including plastics, paper, card, tins, aerosols, glass, textiles, shoes and batteries. There are fortnightly collections for rubbish (non-recyclables).
The survey can be completed online at www.westoxon.gov.uk/binsurvey or in person at any of the following places: the Council’s reception points, Burford Visitor Information Centre, Carterton Town Hall, Woodstock Town Hall.
Deadline for completion of the survey is midday on 7 December 2015.
26th October 2015
Pye planning applications
Last month we mentioned that developers were proposing school expansion into HPFA land and that this was not supported by either HPFA or the Parish Council. A formal application has now been submitted to move the school sports ground to a location off site to allow for expansion of school buildings on the current area. This would increase school capacity which is one of the obstacles to their existing housing development.
Hanborough Parish Council invited Mr Hamilton, Head of the Eynsham Partnership Academy, to which Hanborough Manor belongs, to the October meeting to comment on the implications for the school of the application. The meeting attracted around 40 residents and parents.
Councillors asked questions about accessibility, supervision en route between sites, remaining recreation areas on the main site and traffic impact for the area. Other than stating that “a safe route would be provided”, Mr Hamilton did not answer the questions.
Residents raised concerns about the implications on education with time lost walking between sites, the lack of toilet facilities and noted that the school would be poorer for the loss of on-site recreation areas.
Mr Hamilton stated that EPA will not object as there is growth forecast for the parish and the Academy has to provide for it. He made it clear that this was not an EPA application and that EPA remain neutral and are not a statutory consultee although they can give an opinion. He seemed surprised to hear that EPA had been quoted as supporting the application by Pye in their submission to WODC and he agreed to clarify this point with WODC and Pye.
Hanborough Matters
Residents may remember that we investigated developing a Community Led Plan a couple of years ago. Although there was a lot of interest, we failed to build the critical mass of volunteers needed for it to progress. With the high level of interest currently in Hanborough on shaping the future of our parish we are considering new options for developing a parish plan. Hanborough Matters - We welcome your views.
Christmas Carol event - Sunday 13th December at 3pm
Hanborough Parish Council is pleased to report that West Oxfordshire Academy of Performing Arts (WOAPA) and Sportif Suzuki have kindly agreed to support our carol event again this year. Anyone who came last year will recall how good the event was. I'm also pleased to report that after a couple of years basing the carol singing inside, by popular demand we are returning to the tree this year.
The Recreation Hall is booked for Sunday 13th December for 3pm. All residents are welcome to attend this free event and complimentary refreshments and mulled wine will be provided.
New councillor
Parish Council is pleased to report that Karen Howe accepted our offer to be co-opted to council. She has done some great work on the website and we look forward to formalising her appointment next month.
1st October 2015
Save Our Park
Meeting: Monday 5th October 8pm, Greenway Room (Pre-School).
We urgently need people to help design, raise money and develop a new play park for Long Hanborough.
Some equipment will need replacing in the next 6 months. If it becomes further damaged or causes an injury equipment will be removed, or worst case the whole park could be closed. Let’s not wait for this to happen.
This job cannot be done by a small group. The more people involved, the better it will be. Help to make a park children will love.
With the right energy and support we could have a new park to be proud of in Spring 2016. Come to the meeting.
17th September 2015
UPDATE Children's playground development: public meeting now on 28th September.
A group interested in developing the play park is starting to form. The group will operate separate from, but with the support of Parish Council as this model worked well last time there was a major reworking of the site. If you have an interest in this development please let the clerk know or come to the meeting at the Pavilion.
15th September 2015
Pye planning applications
Councillors were pleased to see around 50 residents at the last council meeting reflecting the high level of interest locally. Cllr Chapman presented a summary of the current state of play. The original application, having been refused by WODC, is now subject to appeal. This will involve a public enquiry which is likely to be held locally in spring. Both the Parish Council and HAG have registered to speak at this event.
Pye have submitted another application to WODC for a broadly similar development which will have be considered on its own merit. Parish Council remain opposed to both applications for a number of reasons including impact on the school, traffic, siting of the doctors surgery and because this development is considered disproportionate for the size of the parish. Councillors are not aware of a limit to the number of times a developer can submit very similar applications.
At the meeting councillors answered questions from the public on Section 106 funding, school expansion into HPFA land which is not supported by either HPFA or the Parish Council, traffic volumes and the proposed path through Hurdeswell which was removed from the initial application following earlier public consultation but has now been reinstated.
Household waste recycling centre (HWRC) strategy consultation
Parish Council would like to draw attention to a consultation on
proposed changes to household waste recycling centres in
Oxfordshire. OCC would like to hear views on its proposals to save
£350,000 from the budget by 2017/18. The proposal is to reduce the
number of HWRCs from seven to three or four, and to change the
opening hours of the remaining sites. Once agreed, changes will be
made over several years with plenty of notice given to local
residents. The closing date is 5th October 2015 and all residents
can respond at https://consultations.oxfordshire.gov.uk/
Children's playground development: public meeting on 6th October at 8pm. Changed to 28th September.
A group interested in developing the play park is starting to form. The group will operate separate from, but with the support of Parish Council as this model worked well last time there was a major reworking of the site. If you have an interest in this development please let the clerk know or come to the meeting at the Pavilion.
New tennis court and sports ground
Council is delighted to see the facility so well used but do ask that bicycles, skateboards etc are not taken into the area as these are not only a danger to users and may damage the surface. Please leave them outside and help this great facility last as long as possible.
Dog Waste
Councillors are very concerned to hear that the rubbish bin in the children's playground is regularly used for dog waste. Recognising the lack of dog bins in the area Parish Council and the HPFA have agreed a location for a new bin which has now been ordered.
Annual Audit Report
The Parish Council external auditors BDO reported that no matters came to their attention giving cause for concern in the recent audit. This successfully concludes the two stages of financial and procedural audit which take place each year.
24th August 2015
Outline Planning Application No. 15/02687/OUT for the development of land south of Witney Road (A4095): Erection of up to 169 dwellings and a GP Surgery-cum-Pharmacy
Hanborough Parish Council considers this proposed development unsustainable and objects to it for a number of reasons. Application 15/02687/OUT is a revised version of another very similar application (14/1234/P/OP) that was refused on 6th March 2015. In response to criticism of the earlier proposals, the applicant added elements that looked ameliorative but, on close scrutiny, were found to offer scant prospect of a practicable solution. Hanborough Parish Council will argue that the current proposals still suffer from the presence of apparently insurmountable stumbling blocks, despite the applicant’s claim to have addressed the reasons for refusal of application 14/1234/P/OP.
Hanborough Parish Council's full response is here.
11th August 2015
Pye planning applications
Councillors are keen to hear residents views and and will include a public participation session on this at the next Hanborough Parish Council meeting to be held on Tuesday 8th September 2015 at The Greenway Hall at 7:15pm.
10th August 2015
Pye planning applications
Pye have submitted a new application which is broadly similar to the one currently under appeal. Residents are encouraged to view the application on the WODC website and pass comment. The application is for the erection of up to 169 dwellings, with new Doctors' Surgery to be up to 740 sq metres in size, with around 27 car parking spaces (means of access only) on land south Of Witney Road. Ref. No: 15/02687/OUT
As reported before, Hanborough Parish Council has received notice that Pye has submitted an appeal against the refusal by WODC to grant their application for new houses on the Witney Road. Parish Council continues to oppose this and will make representations to the Inspector.
Pavements and footpaths
Council is pleased to see that work has been completed to improve sections of pavement in the parish. We are also arranging for weed clearance works to be completed and we are in discussions with contractors to get this completed as soon as possible.
New Parish Website - www.hanborough-pc.gov.uk
Hanborough Parish Council is developing a new site which will be rolled out over the next few months as content is loaded onto it. In addition to being a central resource for Parish Council matters, the site will, in time, have links to local groups, parish activities and news. Thanks to Karen Howe and the other volunteers who continue to help develop this.
It can be accessed through the address above and in time through search engines such as Google as they find it. We are also aware that Stephen Braybrooke-Tucker is retiring from running the current site and will shortly change this to forward visitors to the new parish site.
Children's playground development
Users (or perhaps parents of users) of the playground will be aware that some of the equipment is reaching the end of its life and will need replacing in the next few years. With this in mind Hanborough Parish Council is starting to gather ideas and costs so that fund raising activities can begin. The last time the area was developed a working group of parents was formed to work with councillors on designs and fund raising. We hope to do the same again now. It is very early days, but this is an exciting opportunity to help develop a facility that will be enjoyed for years to come. We have had some volunteers come forward and look forward to hearing from anyone else interested. Please contact the clerk or Gill Battams.
We can also report that the area has just had its annual inspection and although all equipment passed safety checks, much of it is reported as worn.
New tennis court and sports ground – bikes and hot weather information
Hanborough Parish Council is delighted to see the facility so well used but do ask that bicycles, skateboards etc are not taken into the area as these are not only a danger to users and may damage the surface. Please leave them outside and help this great facility last as long as possible.
Please also note that it will be necessary to close the facility if the weather is very hot as the surface is prone to damage in the first couple of years.
Local Transport Solutions
Your county council funded transport services are changing.
This summer OCC are consulting with the public about how they should change transport provision to fit thier new financial situation. As part of this consultation, OCC are meeting with residents across Oxfordshire who use or have an interest in these services, to gather suggestions for transport solutions that would best fit their local community’s needs. This information will help them to understand the impact of the public consultation proposals and determine what type of support communities may need if the proposals are implemented.
Have you got any brilliant ideas that will improve how you or your community travel in Oxfordshire, whether it is how you get to work or how older residents in your community can be supported locally, by new community transport schemes or through other innovative solutions. OCC want to hear your ideas and support you as best they can. Please email supported.transport@oxfordshire.gov.uk or telephone Oxfordshire Rural Community Council on 01865 883488.
Read the consultation document and complete the online feedback form to register your views at www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/stconsultation or pick up a copy at an Oxfordshire County Council library.
24th July 2015
West Oxfordshire Local Plan submitted for examination
The District Council has formally submitted its draft Local Plan to Government for independent examination by the Planning Inspectorate.
Responses were received from around 150 individuals and organisations during the final 6-week consultation stage which was held earlier this year (27 March – 8 May).
The responses received have been submitted for consideration together with the draft Local Plan and a range of supporting documents.
Planning Inspector Mr Simon Emerson BSc DipTP MRTPI has been appointed and will determine whether or not the plan is ‘sound’ in light of the representations received and national policy.
The examination will be held later in the year at the District Council’s Woodgreen Offices in Witney and the hearing dates, and any other relevant information, will be published on the Council’s website as soon as possible.
Further information on the process and copies of the documents
that have been submitted are available on the Council’s local plan
web page at www.westoxon.gov.uk/localplan2031
Cllr Warwick Robinson, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Housing, said: “Reaching this point has involved a long and complex process and this has been necessary as the Local Plan provides the framework for how our District will develop in future years.
“I am confident that our approach has been thorough with consultation carried out at each stage and every detail investigated, including all the evidence provided to us.
“We have a lot to thank the public for all their representations, contributions and proposals along the way. However, we recognise it will never be possible to produce a Plan that pleases everyone, but we believe that what is being put forward to the Inspector is the best for West Oxfordshire.”