Spare a thought for Creation Theatre as they put on top quality open air Shakespeare productions throughout a thoroughly damp summer.

They intend to stage a fundraising performance of The Merchant of Venice’s courtroom scene, this will take place in The Old Courtroom at Oxford Town Hall on Sunday 19 August.  There will be a reception of tea and cakes in the Longroom from 1pm, before moving into The Old Courtroom to watch the legal battle between Shylock and Portia. 

The event will raise critical funds to support their artistic and education programmes and help them battle the poor weather that has hurt ticket sales for their outdoor production of The Merchant of Venice, currently performing this summer at The Said Business School Amphitheatre.  Entry is by voluntary donation and you can book online by contacting Nick Gibson at nickgibson@creationtheatre.co.uk or by phoning 01865 766266.

If you’d rather see the whole of the Merchant of Venice (and Ruth can personally recommend it!) you can book here. It’s an excellent production and deserves our support.

Census data shows that there are more children, more young people and fewer older people in the City in 2011 than there were in 2001. Click Population age trends in Oxford to see the chart.

A new link is now available for those who wish to submit comments on Ruskin Fields as part of feedback to the City Council’s Sites and Housing planning document. Please click here for the link.

Grit bin jointly funded from the Ward Budget and by the Friends of Old Headington

Keen grit bin spotters will have noticed this new addition to the ward.  St Andrew’s Lane residents have experienced great difficulty in accessing St Andrew’s Road on a very icy corner in wintry conditions, and David and I agreed to fund a grit bin from our limited ward budget. The Friends of Old Headington kindly contributed £100 for a bin that was coloured most appropriately for the Conservation Area.

Oxford City Council has produced a Sites and Housing Plan which was submitted for examination to the Secretary of State on 11^th May 2012.  The hearings sessions for the examination of the Sites and Housing Plan are scheduled to start on 10^th September 2012.

Publication of Addendum to the Sustainability Appraisal of the Sites and Housing Plan regarding land at Ruskin College

The City Council has also published an addendum to the Sustainability Appraisal of the Sites and Housing Plan regarding land at Ruskin College (CD8.15).  Representations are invited on this addendum dated July 2012. Representations can be made during the consultation period beginning 27^th July 2012 and closing 7^th September 2012.

Submitting representations

All these documents are available to view on the City Council’s Barton AAP website and the Sites and Housing website

Representations on each of the three documents should be made and returned to the address above by 7^th September 2012.

Oxford City Council has produced the Barton Area Action Plan (AAP) which was submitted for examination to the Secretary of State on 13th April 2012.  The Barton AAP is currently being independently assessed through a public examination.

Main Modifications:
The Inspector, Dr Shelagh Bussey, has identified some changes to the AAP, that she considers should be advertised for public representation to be made on their soundness or otherwise. Representations are invited on the proposed ‘main modifications’ to the Barton AAP; these are set out in the Schedule of Main Modifications dated July 2012 (CD7.22).  Representations can be made during the consultation period beginning 27th July 2012 and closing 7th September 2012.  Please note representations should be limited in scope to the main modifications; this is not an opportunity to submit or re-submit comments on other parts of the AAP.  The Inspector already has the benefit of representations submitted previously.

The changes schedule should be read in conjunction with the Barton AAP (CD1.1), the Proposed Minor Post-Publication Changes (CD1.4) and Proposed Minor Examination Changes (CD.7.3.2).  All these documents can be found on the City Council’s website by using their reference (CD) numbers.

Publication of Addendum to the Sustainability Appraisal of the AAP
The City Council has published an addendum to the Sustainability Appraisal of the AAP regarding land at Ruskin College and some Main modifications (CD7.23).  Representations are invited on this addendum dated July 2012. Representations can be made during the consultation period beginning 27th July 2012 and closing 7th September 2012.

Submitting representations
All these documents are available to view on the City Council’s website