Museum of Oxford seeks volunteers

Find out more about volunteering at Museum of Oxford

The team behind the Museum of Oxford are hosting two free information sessions for members for the public to learn how they can get involved in volunteering.

The sessions, taking place on Monday 5 February, and Tuesday 6 February invites those interested in volunteering to attend two free information talks:

  • Find out more about volunteering: Monday 5 February, 10.30am-12.30pm, at the Heritage Learning Centre
  • Young Innovators open meeting: Tuesday 6 February, 6.00pm-7.30pm, at the Old Museum

The sessions will explore how the public can get involved in volunteering and will feature talks from staff and volunteers, as well as a tour and a chance to ask questions.

The Young Innovators open meeting invites 16-25 year olds who are interested in using their skills to assist in the planning projects and events at the Museum of Oxford. Previously the group have planned live music nights, Halloween evenings, and a family-friendly event examining archaeological finds during the redevelopment of the Westgate shopping centre.

Earlier this month Museum of Oxford introduced Volunteer Makers, a flexible volunteering scheme introducing a new way to volunteer digitally.

In September 2017, the Museum of Oxford as a part of the City Council’s Community Services team received the Investing in Volunteers Quality Standard accreditation. The accreditation recognises the team as having best practice of recruiting, training and supporting volunteers.

Access to Headington latest

The Growth Board met yesterday in closed session. Although the Access to Headington project was not referred to on the agenda, it was discussed under an item with a different portfolio name.

We understand that individual projects are not likely to be announced till the 7th February. So the planned and published Staunton Road closure may still go ahead.

 

Tackling isolation and loneliness

Ruth recently attended a meeting convened by Headington Action on support for the lonely and isolated in Headington. Yesterday she asked a question in Council relating to the minute of a CEB meeting which said
136.Scrutiny Committee Reports Preventing Elderly Isolation 

Cllr Gant said the Scrutiny discussion had been supported well by officers and the Board Member. The Committee had looked at some specific matters as well as the more general ones reflected in the recommendations. He welcomed the positive response to the recommendations from the Board Member. 

The Chair noted that isolation was not just a function of age or ethnicity and should be considered across the piece. This was a subject which warranted some more concrete action and to that end he would ask for it be picked up by the Oxfordshire Strategic Partnership. 

Ruth said that Headington Action had convened a meeting on support for the lonely and isolated in the Headington Neighbourhood Area which had been very useful, and were actively working on mapping what is currently available. Could the Board Member indicate in what way he thought the OSP might take this forward?

Bob Price said he was very interested to hear about the Headington initiative. At a recent meeting of the OSP, support for the isolated (of all ages, not just the elderly) was identified as a key issue, and they would be setting up a Task and Finish Group to identify further action at their March meeting.

He would welcome an email from Ruth giving contact names from the Headington Community who might like to input to the discussions of the Task and Finish Group, and we have let Headington Action know. It would be great to have a Headington presence at this strategic level!

 

How to complain about noisy construction work

We now have a contact at Oxford City Council who is prepared to field all complaints from residents about unacceptable noise levels from construction work, which is particularly relevant for those living in Latimer Road.

The correct advice is for all complainants to report this to:

noise@oxford.gov.uk

We are aware that the works on the Winvic Beech Road site are rushing for completion, but we need to ensure the noise levels of works are acceptable

 Unfortunately the Out of Hours service for noise doesn’t cover Sunday daytime, it primarily being a late night/early morning service – details are here: https://www.oxford.gov.uk/info/20058/noise_pollution/145/report_a_noise_complaint/2

Overall, the responsibility for regulating commercial noise comes under the Business Regulation Team and that includes noise from construction sites. There are 2 main powers – noise nuisance legislation and Section 60 of the Control of Pollution Act 1974. These may be used where the construction activity is assessed to be having an unacceptable impact on residents and where best practice is not being applied. In addition good construction companies usually approach BRT to obtain a noise consent (Section 61 of the CPA74) if they have the need to do noisy work outside “normal” hours (see web pages here:

https://www.oxford.gov.uk/info/20058/noise_pollution/149/noise_control_advice_-_construction_sites

 

Removal of City trees from Staunton Road ‘pocket parks’

The City Council’s Tree Officer has explained to us his reasons for removing two trees from Staunton Road ‘pocket parks’ adjacent to gardens in Sandfield Road.

We are removing two mature Lombardy poplar trees along the boundaries of 64 & 66 Sandfield Road. The trees are located on the boundaries between the park and the properties. I carried out further investigation with our legal department to determine that the trees are in fact under the ownership and responsibility of the city council.

The two trees are being removed because:

1-    They are fast growing with weak wood

2-    The trees have been pruned heavily historically

3-    They do not compartmentalise well and as a result decay forms very quickly on pruning points

4-    The resultant regrowth is now significant on decayed points potentially leading to failure from the crown

5-    The tree behind 64 has characteristics that suggest it has been hit by lightning previously

6-    The risk comes from crown failure and requires removal of the crown beneath existing wounds and pruning points

7-    Any pruning works under these points could lead to the death of the tree therefore requiring repeat visits to remove the cut stump or rapid fast growing regrowth forming weak unions on future decay points.

We have asked several times whether these trees will be replaced, or failing that, whether they can be replaced. We are still awaiting advice on this.

Westgate centre – facilities for the disabled

We have been following up concerns from residents who have mobility problems or other form of disability about facilities in the Westgate Centre and received the following information.

On the seating – we are constantly monitoring whether there is enough – there is a balance between comfortable space for moving around in and amount of seating. We have flexible seating made of moveable modules – sometimes there is some in storage if there are other things going on in the streets – sometimes we move it to where we receive feedback on where people would like to see it.

The number of lifts will not change now for obvious reasons– but we have been experiencing some difficulties in getting some of the lifts commissioned and operating smoothly since opening so we are working hard with the engineers to resolve this. Access consultants were involved in the number and position of lifts throughout the design development. There are lifts to all levels off Leiden Square at the very southern end, and off Middle Square where the centre becomes multi-level. There are also customer lift within the JLP store.

The Changing Places facility was accommodated exactly adjacent to the entrances to the customer toilets and now has a bin.

There are further customer toilets at the ground floor level through Westgate Social – including a disabled toilet. Signs have now been added to the glazing of Westgate Social. 

Disabled parking is not free at the Westgate car park – charges are the same for all users.

Latest planning decisions in Headington Ward

All have been permitted by officers using delegated powers.

17/02744/FUL

Erection of single storey rear extension; loft conversion to include insertion of 1no. rooflight to front and dormer to rear. (Amended plan)

30 Windmill Road Oxford

17/03116/CPU

Application to certify that the proposed single storey rear extension and insertion of 1no. window on side elevation is lawful development.

9 Gardiner Street Oxford


17/02865/FUL

Erection of a single storey rear extension.

2 Wilberforce Street Oxford

17/02814/CPU

Application to certify that the proposed conversion into two self contained flats, provision of cycle parking space and bin storage at ground floor level is lawful development.

122B London Road Headington

17/02903/FUL

Erection of water tanks and 2m fence.

St Lukes Hospital Latimer Road

17/02881/FUL

Demolition of existing outrigger. Erection of a two storey rear extension and formation of 1No. dormer to rear roof slope and insertion of 1No. rooflight to front roof slope to create 2 x 1-bed flats (Use Class C3) . Provision of bin and cycle store.

111 London Road Headington

17/02978/FUL

Erection of single storey rear extension.

11 Bickerton Road Oxford

Construction and Traffic Management Plan for the Barracks development

At East Area Planning Committee, Ruth requested that members are alerted when the Construction and Traffic Management Plan and the Student Management Plan are received by planning officers.

The CTMP has now been received and you can find it here

Please note, it is not agreed or signed off by the planning officer yet.

 

 

Latest stats on parking infringements in Sandfield Road

We have been asked by residents to check how regularly the civil enforcement officers patrol in Sandfield Road. Here are the latest figures from the County Council.

The statistics for the last 6 months from 01/07/2017 to 18/01/2018 for Sandfield Rd are as follows:

  Visits – 723         

Vehicles Logged – 156      

Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) Issued – 42      

Vehicles driven away before a PCN has been issued – 5

There are some poor markings in some areas which make the enforcement of certain bays difficult, and these have been reported to Highways.

Regarding cars switching every two hours, seemingly what the drivers have been doing is swapping their vehicles around between free bays and moving before the parking period expires.  Unfortunately, as they are moving to a different marked free bay our CEO’s have to start their observation periods again. 

NSL has been requested to monitor the situation and increase patrols.