Lobbying at national level

Lib Dem reps on the LGA Economy and Transport Board are lobbying for the following:

  1. Calling for local authorities to have the right to require utility companies to deposit bonds with them so local councils can reinstate substandard road repairs after utility works instead of councils having to inspect each one and negotiate individually with the utility company. This puts the onus on the utility companies to do their repairs properly before faults and problems have to be rectified.
  2. Call on Government to help fund (once off) Smartcards on all buses to provide more accurate data on journey numbers, times and locations. This should reduce bus company reimbursements for concessionary fares. Some smaller bus companies (rural and tendered services in many urban areas) cannot afford the capital cost.
  3. Foreign Lorry mileage charges: they currently pay no road tax and little fuel duty as most fill up in mainland Europe where diesel is cheaper. Yet they cause a lot of damage to our road surfaces.  A new charge (measured on entry and exit from UK) will be welcomed by UK car drivers, road haulage companies and bus companies.

The Local Government Association has been charged with pursuing these points with the government as a result of Lib Dem pressure 


Health walks starting in Bury Knowle Park!

The first set of health walks set up by City Council officers will take place as follows:
Sundays in Blackbird Leys, meeting at the Leisure Centre for a 2pm start, commencing Sunday 21st November 2010
Wednesdays in Florence Park, meeting at the tennis courts for a 10am start, commencing Wednesday 24th November 2010 (wheelchair accessible)
Fridays in Bury Knowle Park, meeting at the library for a 10am start, commencing Friday 26th November 2010 (wheelchair accessible)
 
Walks are led by health walk leaders and are taken at a pace and distance suitable for everyone.
All walkers are encouraged to wear suitable shoes to walk in and to arrive on time as the walks leave promptly.
Walks will not go ahead if there is heavy rainfall, snow or ice! 
There are 9 enthusiastic volunteers who have received health walk training to lead the walks in the city, however we are always on the look out for more people to join them.  

More information is available on the website

See the design for new BK Park play equipment!

Final proposals have been made for the play area now that funding has been confirmed.  The proposed design will be on display at St. Andrews School, London Road, Headington on Monday 29th November between 3pm and 7pm.

Please feel free to drop in and view the proposals as this will be a final opportunity to make comments before orders are placed for equipment and materials.

The design will also be on display at Bury Knowle Library for people to drop in and view from 29th November.

Please do pass this information on to anyone else you think may be interested in viewing the proposed design.

Next Police “Have Your Say” events

The next “Have Your Say” event will take place on

Tuesday 30 November

between 1.00 and 4.00 pm

at Oxford Brookes University

There will be a further event on

Monday 13 December

between 12.00 and 3pm

at Waitrose, Old High Street, Headington

These are your opportunities to discuss issues with the Police that concern you – all are welcome to attend

Concessionary bus pass update

We are aware that there are rumours going the rounds about changes to the concessionary bus pass scheme and we know that some of our elderly neighbours are worrying about the possibility of paying to travel

The main change is that the County Council will take over the management of the scheme from the City Council. 

 

The County Council is currently consulting on its proposed scheme, and this will be an agenda item for Area Committees in the next month or so – members of the public will be able to make their views known

Current proposals by the County Council include:

  • a 9.00 am start everywhere

  • to stop making the passes usable on Dial-a-Ride

There is no proposal to charge concessionary bus pass holders for travel on ordinary buses after 9.00 am.

Major bus companies in the area are trying to coordinate their ticket machines as part of a joint ticketing scheme. Concessionary bus pass holders will need to present their passes by placing them face down on a flat sensor plate when boarding.

It is not yet clear whether the County Council will get enough money to fund the scheme or whether they will have a net cost, as the City has until now.  

If you have any specific concerns about this issue please contact us!

Public lecture at the NOC

We are all invited to the Joint Ventures lecture on Physiotherapy research – learning from patients and this is going to be about what can be gained from interviewing patients about back pain, joint replacement and neuro-rehabilitation

Date: 23 November

Time: 6 pm (followed by refreshments at 7 pm)

Place: Lecture Theatre, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre

Booking details: please book by 19 November by emailing Fiona Parker on

fiona.parker@ndorms.ox.ac.uk

Student numbers 2009-10 for Oxford Brookes University

There are often misunderstandings about student numbers in our area, so I am posting up the latest Oxford Brookes University submission to Oxford City Council for student numbers in 2009-10.  These are figures produced for HESA, and HESA’s definition of a full-time student is one who studies for a minimum of 24 weeks.

Total full-time numbers: 13,086 (including franchises taught elsewhere, Swindon Campus and students out on placement or sandwich years)

Total no. students studying on campuses in and around Oxford, including Wheatley and Harcourt Hill, Botley: 12,077

On 1 November 2009 there were 12,232 students studying full-time and this figure includes those on short courses at these main campuses. The figures provided to the Council re accommodation are for students living in the community including all students who are full-time at that point;  this is why Brookes numbers are higher than the HESA stats. A breakdown of this accommodation data  revealed:

Hall places provided by the University: 3390 (actual occupancy 3269)

Halls places provided in conjunction with A2 Dominion at Sinnet Court and Windmill Road:  249 (actual occupancy 247)

Analysis of postcodes showed that of the remaining full-time students, 3309 were living away from home in Oxford City. Of these 416 were in University-managed houses or headlease properties, which are maintained at a higher standard than many other private rented properties

Note Halls places can be allocated to short-term students, e.g. those on English language courses, provided they are full-time. However these places are then re-allocated to other short-term students to achieve optimum occupancy throughout the academic year. So it’s not true to assume that a short-term student pushes a full-year student into private rented accommodation

Any queries to Ruth and David please

No mince pies: entertainment by Brookes for elderly neighbours

Once again this year, Oxford Brookes Students’ Union is holding its popular

NO MINCE PIES! event

on Friday 26 November from 2.30-4.30 pm in The Venue, Helena Kennedy Student Centre, Headington Hill

There will be bingo, student entertainment, and refreshments. If you and/or an elderly friend or relative living near Brookes would like to attend this event, please reserve places by contacting

Andrea Siret tel. 01865 484451   email: asiret@brookes.ac.uk