PICKMEUP bus service – presentation at Ward Focus Meeting next Tuesday

Altaf writes:

We have two guest speakers at next Tuesday’s Ward Focus meeting from Oxford Bus Company. Lucy and Maddie will talk about the new PICKMEUP bus service which launches on the 28th. This has been likened to an “Uber for buses”.

We invite residents to come and listen to the presentation and ask questions.

The Ward Focus Meeting is on Tuesday 26th June from 6:00-7:30 pm at Headington Baptist Church Hall. It is open to all residents who live in Headington Ward.

Latest Access to Headington news

Here is an update from Cllr Roz Smith

Isaac Webb, project lead for Access to Headington project gave a progress update to local councillors.

A gas main had been discovered* at the Marsh Lane junction, thereby disrupting works and causing about a two-week delay, although they are expecting to make time up elsewhere with works that are easier to install.

Parking spaces outside the shops could be suspended as works are underway; businesses are being kept informed and the safety control officer is on hand to help with large lorry deliveries.  There have been some complaints that businesses are suffering financially; government ruling is that compensation cannot be paid in these circumstances.   (*This utility pipe had not appeared on records.)

Temporary traffic lights will be on when work to finish junction kerbs are underway – they are removed overnight.  At the moment 24thJuly is the date for the change in direction of traffic that runs in front of the shops.

The JR junction works are on hold, with works planned to start at the top of Headley Way working their way on one side of the road towards the JR junction.  These are due to start week beginning 25thJune.  The advisory cycle lanes have been masked out; note I asked for the cyclists’ dismount signs to be removed as not necessary!

Safety through works has been an issue, e.g. jumping of red lights but no serious incidents have been reported. 

I enquired when the Old Road continuous cycle lane works will start and is this still in the project.  It is still in the scheme, will possibly be a priority next year.  I also asked about the promised 20mph consultation for Windmill Road.  The consultation is not part of Isaac’s remit and will depend on the highway safety team. I will continue to chase!

My last questions related to monitoring.  There will be data showing before and after scheme is completed to show “benefit realisation”

Please note that the dates given are subject to change – e.g. finding another unrecorded utility pipe!

Date and venue for June Headington Ward focus meeting announced

NEXT HEADINGTON WARD FOCUS MEETING

The next public meeting for residents who live in Headington Ward will be on

Tuesday 26th June

Headington Baptist Church, Old High Street, Old Headington OX3 9HW

from 6:00-7:30 pm

Ward Focus meetings are run on a drop in and out basis and are free of charge. There is an open session where residents can raise issues of concern. There’s no need to book.

If you would like to contact your Lib Dem city councillors for advice on any issue please contact

  • Altaf on 07931 345554  altaf.khan@oxfordlibdems.org.uk (phone preferred)
  • For county matters please ring Roz Smith on 07584 257156 or email her at roz.smith@oxfordlibdems.org.uk  (phone preferred)

Up and coming events in Oxford

  • Wednesday 30 May, Oxford Playhouse Plays Out Tent, Florence Park, 10 am to 6 pm. A production of One Small Step – which is a show aimed at families. Activities include colouring, reading books, craft activities and learning resources all available on tables in the tent.
  • Friday 1 June, St Andrew’s School Fun Run, Bury Knowle Park, 1 pm to 2 pm. An event which takes place in Bury Knowle Park each year. Runners are the school pupils who walk, jog or run an inner loop of Bury Knowle Park, watched by parents and guided by marshals.
  • Friday 1 June, Oxford Brookes Poetry Centre, Society Café, St Michael’s Street, 7 pm to 9 pm. A reading by Canadian poet Richard Harrison, recent winner of the Governor General’s Award for Poetry.
  • Saturday 2 June, Oxford Pride, city centre, 12 pm to 10.30 pm. A celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer life in Oxfordshire.
  • Saturday 2 June and Sunday 3 June, Headington Festival, Bury Knowle Park, 2 pm Saturday to 5 pm Sunday. A family film performance in the evening in Bury Knowle Park alongside a bar for parents. There will be some low-key child-friendly amusements, stalls and refreshments.
  • Saturday 9 June, Big Green Day Out, Broad Street, 10 am to 5 pm. A day-long family festival celebrating everything green and sustainable in and around Oxford.
  • Saturday 9 June, Children’s Day, Florence Park, 10 am to 4 pm. To celebrate our children in the community – activities for the day include a bouncy castle, sports, face painting and a barbecue.
  • Saturday 9 June, Oxford Parkrun, Cutteslowe Park, 9 am to 10.30 am. The Cutteslowe School Friends are organising and promoting children’s participation in the Oxford Parkrun, a weekly timed run at Cutteslowe Park. The Friends will host fun activities, a raffle, and cake sale at Cutteslowe Pavilion. Register to run and come by the Pavilion for tea and cake.
  • Saturday 9 June, Soulful House Hugs, Bonn Square, 1 pm to 4 pm. Providing soulful house music for the people of Oxford – and free hugs to anyone who wants them.
  • Sunday 10 June, Bubble Rush, Cutteslowe Park, 10 am to 2 pm. Family-friendly charity fun run organised by local charity, Helen and Douglas House.
  • Sunday 10 June, Great Global Greyhound Walk, Cutteslowe Park, 10 am to 11.30 am. An international annual dog-walking event that brings together greyhounds, lurchers, other sighthounds and their owners to raise awareness of the breeds and show the public just what wonderful pets they make.

Message from Ruth Wilkinson re her resignation as Headington Ward councillor

Dear all

I want to thank everyone for the very kind messages of thanks and support you have sent me following my resignation as ward councillor. This means a lot to me and I am deeply grateful.

No-one is irreplaceable and we have a very strong Lib Dem team who intend to continue with Focus leaflets and Ward Focus meetings just as before, indeed one of our local residents and team members is keen to stand. It’s always good to have new input and new ideas.

I shall continue to provide mentoring and support for my replacement when I can, and I hope you will give that person the wonderful support I needed and was given when I first started out!  Fortunately Altaf and Roz are very experienced councillors so the transition should be smooth.

We still have lots of work to do, as your comments at yesterday’s well-attended Ward Focus Meeting attested! It’s not clear yet when the by-election will be held, it will be one of the first three Thursdays in July, depending on availability of polling stations.

Thanks and best wishes.

Ruth

 

Press release 30/5/18

Headington councillor Ruth Wilkinson has stood down for family reasons

Ruth Wilkinson has resigned following ten years as a councillor for Headington ward.

This comes following family pressures that have increased substantially in the past few weeks, requiring Ruth to be away from Oxford much more.

Commenting, Ruth Wilkinson said:

It’s been a huge honour to represent Headington Ward residents and work with them to get things done. I want to thank them for their terrific support over my time as councillor.

I’ve been coping with mounting family pressures but now I’m needed out of Oxford more and more.

I think it’s best for Headington if I make way for an energetic new candidate. My colleagues Altaf-Khan and Roz Smith are brilliant councillors, I know they will continue to work hard for residents.

Andrew Gant, Leader of the Opposition on Oxford City Council and Liberal Democrat councillor, said:

Ruth has been an inspiration and a wonderful colleague. No Councillor has worked harder or with more dedication for the residents of her ward and the city more widely.

I would like to thank Ruth for her ten years of service, and wish her and her family well in the future at this difficult time.

 

Headington Liberal Democrat councillors hold regular public meetings and send out monthly newsletters to residents.

 

 

Notes:

 

Ruth Wilkinson was first elected in 2008 (majority 16), taking over from Stephen Tall.

She was re-elected in 2012 (majority 426) and 2016 (majority 663) https://www.oxford.gov.uk/info/20046/elections_and_voting/179/election_results

Other councillors serving Headington Ward residents

Cllr Altaf-Khan (re-elected May 2018, majority 636)

County Cllr Roz Smith – Headington & Quarry Division (elected 2017, majority 892)

ENDS

 

Got any questions on planning? Ward Focus meeting tonight!

NEXT HEADINGTON WARD FOCUS MEETING

The next public meeting for residents who live in Headington Ward will be on

Tuesday 29th May

All Saints Church House, New High Street, OX3 7AL

from 6:00-7:00 pm followed by refreshments

Guest speaker: Hayley Jeffery, Team Leader in Planning Development Management at Oxford City Council 

Ward Focus meetings are run on a drop in and out basis and are free of charge. There is an open session where residents can raise issues of concern. There’s no need to book.

If you would like to contact your Lib Dem city councillors for advice on any issue please contact

  • Altaf on 07931 345554  altaf.khan@oxfordlibdems.org.uk (phone preferred)
  • For county matters please ring Roz Smith on 07584 257156 or email her at roz.smith@oxfordlibdems.org.uk  (phone preferred)

Noise complaints

Last year, the City Council received just under a thousand complaints through its out of hours service or online. Add to this several hundred enquiries made by telephone, face to face or as part of general nuisance or anti-social behaviour complaints, and it’s not surprising that noise is the number one cause of complaint.

It has several teams who act on noise complaints:

  • the Business Regulation and Miscellaneous Licensing team deals with commercial pollution, including noise
  • the Private Sector Safety and HMO Enforcement teams deal with serious housing-related nuisance
  • the Community Response Team deals with domestic noise and low level anti-social behaviour
  • the Anti-Social Behaviour Investigation Team deals with more serious levels of anti-social behaviour.

Outside normal working hours a rota of officers from these teams provides the out of hours noise service.

There are no fixed limits for what noise levels are considered acceptable, meaning the teams need a good understanding of the legal framework around noise nuisance and the ability to make accurate sound measurements.