Another good turnout last night and lots of issues were hotly debated!

After informal surgery time, Ben Simpson spoke about the Neighbourhood Return scheme. This is a free service, using local volunteer searchers to help find people with memory problems, including dementia, who have gone missing or are ‘wandering’. He invited us to join a  database of local volunteers who are prepared to help find someone. If you would like to know more about the scheme, either to join as a volunteer or to register someone you know who has memory problems, please register on the website or get in touch with Ruth or David.

Robin Gill from our own Headington Cyclists’ Group explained the work that’s been done on signage for cyclists in Old Headington and we discussed wider cycling-related issues. Residents have asked us to invite back officers from the County and the City to a future Ward Focus Meeting to seek  to  establish a common plan for the next five years. Ten per cent of all those working in Oxford City are based in Headington. People felt strongly that cycle routes need to be identified to and from employment sites and the district centre, as well as routes from Thornhill to Oxford.

Mary Hope spoke about the annual OxClean event that is happening in New Headington on 2 March and various residents volunteered dates and times of oxClean events across the area. If you would like to know what OxClean events are happening in YOUR area, please click one the OxClean website here.

We found out the difficulty people had had in reporting an out-of-hours incident in the Park, and we found out there is inconsistency over what organisations and groups are statutory consultees and who are not in terms of planning applications. We’ll look into all that and report back next time.

Pete West alerted everyone to next week’s meeting to be held by Headington Action at St Andrew’s School next Tuesday at 7pm and this sparked off a lively debate – please do come along to that meeting and tell Headington Action what you want (and what you don’t want!) for Headington.

We gave a potholes update and discussed the possibility of investigating 7 years’ latent defects clauses in contracts – open sessions are great because your local councillors benefit from the knowledge and experience of our residents to get things done

Jill Cummings told us all about the exciting activities being organised by the Friends of Bury Knowle Park, and that in turn sparked off some views on current planning applications.

Lots to think about! And a well-attended and topical evening. Thanks to all who came along!