Bury Knowle toilets get a makeover… and not before time!

Toilet man womenIcon made by Scott de Jonge from Flaticon.com

 

There is good news on the BK toilets front!  We have been asking for these to be upgraded for some time but the money pot was raided for de luxe loos in the City. We finally have confirmation that this will go ahead in the New Year. The block will get new w.c. pans and cisterns, new washer dryers, new flooring, new fittings and fixtures such as toilet roll holders, waste bins etc and all repair issues will be attended to as well. We have also asked for a 24 hour facility and squared this with our neighbourhood police team – at last our shopping centre will have a public toilet open after 5pm!

 

New Brookes Library nearing completion

 

John Henry Brookes Building

Here is our latest information about on-going work at the Brookes Campus off Headington Road/Gipsy Lane from the Brookes Space to Think Team.

1. WORKS UPDATE

1.1. A large crane will be erected outside our Main Reception area on Gipsy Lane in the New Year in order to remove construction site facilities from the central courtyard

1.1.1. See section below for further details

1.2. Furniture delivery and the relocation of our Library is programmed to take place from Monday 6 January 2014

  1. 1.2.1.  This will involve a regular movement of heavy goods vehicles from our Gipsy Lane entrance to the new vehicle access route from Headington Road close to our Media Centre
  2. 1.2.2.  Following the weekend of Saturday 10 January 2014, our Library relocation is planned to take place over a period of seven days
  3. 1.2.3.  During the period of the relocation, HGV deliveries will take place over 24 hours, and measures will be put into place to minimise disruption

1.3. The construction of the cycle shelter between our Media Centre and International Centre will continue in the New Year

1.3.1. This work may cause some minor noise from handtools and men working in the landscaped area between the shelter and the walled boundary of nearby properties

2. REMOVAL OF CONTRACTOR FACILITIES

2.1. A large crane will be erected outside our Main Reception area on Gipsy Lane in the New Year in order to remove construction site facilities from the central courtyard

  1. 2.1.1.  Between Thursday 2 and Monday 6 January work to prepare the area may cause minor noise disruption to neighbours immediately adjacent to the Gipsy Lane entrance
  2. 2.1.2.  The crane will be on site from Monday 6 to Monday 27 January and the transport of equipment onto Gipsy Lane may cause occasional periods of disruption to traffic
  3. 2.1.3.  A major lift will take place over the weekend of Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 January and continue into Monday 13 January, during which our entire Main Reception area will be closed
  4. 2.1.4.  During this period there will also be an increased number of heavy goods vehicles using Gipsy Lane, which may cause some disruption to traffic
  1. 2.2.  The entrance doors to our Main Reception will be locked from Monday 6 to Monday 27 January and alternative access to the University will be signposted
  2. 2.3.  Noise disruption during the lifting work should be minimal, though there may be periods where noise levels will increase due to workforce communication or assembly and disassembly of the crane

3. CHRISTMAS OPERATIONS

  1. 3.1.  The main Laing O’Rourke workforce will leave site on Friday 20 December 2013 and return to recommence work on Thursday 2 January 2014
  2. 3.2.  Limited numbers will remain on site outside of Bank Holiday periods to perform internal work

3.2.1. This work is minor in nature and will not cause disruption as it will be fully contained within the building

 

Red phone box saved!

Thanks to your tremendous support, the future of the red telephone box outside Headington Baptist Church is secure!
The spirited way in which Headington folk defended the kiosk featured in the Conservation Area Appraisal was tremendous, and helped us hugely in our negotiations with BT. Especial thanks go to Mark, Stella, Stephanie, Sr Marie Ann, Kathleen, Peter, Adrian and others for their sterling support.
photo (29)
Despite an initially unfavourable response from the front line BT staff, the Payphones Manager was enthusiastic that the kiosk should be adopted by local residents: he was prepared to go ahead with this on payment of a nominal sum (£1.00) by the local authority, and for the box to be cared for and used in any way the residents wished by a local charity registered with the Charities Commission.
David and Ruth will pay the nominal sum from the Councillors’ Headington Ward Budget. The registered charity which will look after it and maintain it will be Headington Action (HCDA). For your information, the Friends of Old Headington group is not (yet) a registered charity so was ineligible on this occasion.
We have received a contract from BT and the box’s removal has been cancelled. BT will continue powering the light in the box but have specified that no other electrical equipment can be connected to their power supply, nor can any comms equipment from BT’s competitors be installed in the kiosk.
We shall need to check the small print in the next few days, and an application for the £1.00 ward spend will need to go through a call-in process before it can be authorised.
The Payphones Manager at BT mentioned that these boxes have been used in a number of ways by communities, including: nativity boxes at Christmas, book return and exchange boxes for rural libraries, story boxes, local history boxes, and defibrillator boxes. BT has teamed up with the Community Heartbeat Trust and will install a secure defibrillator in a kiosk if the community raises £2,000.
See here for an example
This is a remarkable victory won with very short deadlines and a great deal of work. At one stage we thought it would all hinge on whether the distance of the kiosk from the nearest payphone outside Barclays Bank was greater or less than 400 metres – we can now reveal that the City Council officer’s considered view was that:
Measuring as walking along the footway and cutting the corner at Barclays Bank the distance comes to 406 metres.  Even crossing the road twice is 403 metres.  Only as the crow flies does it come down to 392 metres.
What a privilege it was to be part of a magnificent team effort! Thanks everyone for your help.
photo (28)

Outdoor Education Centre faces closure

Stansfeld Outdoor Education Centre on Quarry Road is an outstanding resource right on our doorstep.  Cllr Roz Smith believes we should do everything we can to preserve it so that our local children can learn about the environment.
Earlier this year Roz became aware that Birmingham City Council was considering making savings by closing their outdoor education centres.  As soon as the consultation opened Roz alerted local residents and started a petition to save the centre; if you would like to help support her campaign please contact Roz or fill in the petition on the latest Focus leaflet that is being distributed in Quarry now.
Roz says,
I am concerned that Birmingham council has opened their consultation just as the Christmas celebration are starting and many people are concentrating on families and friends and many will be away on holiday.  I will be taking a petition to Birmingham City Council and the more local support we can demonstrate the better.
If you would like to sign the petition to save Stansfeld, please contact:
County Cllr Roz Smith

Liberal Democrat Councillor for the new Headington & Quarry County Division
& a Parish Cllr for Risinghurst & Sandhills
m. 07584 257 156
home tel. 01865 750 731
12 Weyland Road, Headington Quarry, Oxford

All Saints Road – a building site?

New High Street residents have reported to us the problems they are having with parking at the moment while the builders’ vans are so much in evidence. Parking is never plentiful in the area and with two construction sites operating at the same time, we understand how significant this problem must be for everyone.

We asked the parking enforcement officers to carry out a series of visits to try and reduce the frequency with which the vans are parked up in visitor spaces. Here is our latest report from NSL:

The commercial vehicles in All Saints Road are parking in the 2 hour timed bay that we are logging, but they move when we return, any vehicle that is on the Double Yellow Lines just move before we can issue a Penalty Charge Notice.

Since the complaint we have made 32 visits, logged 18 vehicles, and have not issued any Penalty Charge Notices.

We will continue to make visits to this location to ensure vehicles are parked legally.

We shall continue to press for continuing patrols.

We were alerted by residents’ associations to the poor quality of trench filling (re-instatement) by the construction workers and utilities companies. We called in the County officer who liaises with them and he reports:

Regards the utilities works, I visited on the 6th. I did note that there were two sets of works on opposite sides of the road. Was concerned as this was affecting traffic as this left no room for vehicles to wait at the four way junction. Parties were Scottish and Southern Electric and Southern Gas. I phoned Southern Gas and was told their works should have been cleared that day and would chase up for clearance on Saturday. The electric works were on-going. I found it unacceptable that two utilities were there at the same time as road space is limited.

We have called in Building Control to make a site visit to ensure the quality of work is acceptable and heard today that all utility sites are now cleared and defective trenches made good.

Anyone for chess? In Bury Knowle Park!

City Councillors have a ward budget to spend on ward improvements which will benefit the social and community well-being of residents.

Ruth and David have ordered a concrete chess-topped table for installation in the Park, in support of the Friends of Bury Knowle Park. This will be an attraction for outdoor chess players in summer months. If you would like to see a photo, please click the link here

This will feature in future Focus leaflets!

Kennett Road planning appeal is dismissed

A decision has been made to dismiss the 62 Kennett Road appeal 13/00706/FUL appeal for the erection of single storey side and rear extension to existing subdivided building to create 1 x 1 bed flat (Class C3) with access from Bateman Street. Alterations to vehicle parking, cycle parking, bin storage and amenity space.

The appellant’s application for costs was refused.

Celebrate Christmas Light Festival at the Museum of Oxford

Christmas_ribbon

Celebrate Christmas Light Festival by visiting the Museum of Oxford during the fun filled weekend where there will be lots fun, free family events to enjoy.

The fun starts on Friday 22 November where there are three events to enjoy. From 5pm to 8pm you can follow the fantastical creatures family trail in the Town Hall and discover what life was like for children during the Second World war. You will be able to handle toys and artefacts as well as make some wartime Christmas decorations. Donations of £1 are welcome.

OVADA proudly presents an off-site exhibition of contemporary artwork for Christmas Light Night in the Town Hall Court Areas. Artists from across the South East Region have been selected to respond to the building, allowing visitors to explore intriguing spaces and see the Town Hall in a new light. The event is free and runs from 5pm until 10pm.

In the Gallery, there will be a Christmas exhibition under development. This organic exhibition will grow and change between now and Christmas, celebrating local Christmas past and present, featuring lanterns from the Christmas Light Night parade, installations created by local artists and residents drawings, photographs, and film of them being designed and created. The exhibition is free to visit and will be open from 5pm to 8pm.

If you are looking for unique and special gifts for loved ones then visit the Museum of Oxford shop in St Giles during the Christmas Light Festival (Friday 22 to Sunday 24 November). The stand will be situated within the Information Stall in St Giles Market.

It is open Friday from midday until 10pm, Saturday from 10am until 10pm, and Sunday from 10am until 6pm.

You will be able to buy from the full range of Oxford’s Christmas merchandise including limited edition map prints, canvas tote bags, Christmas cards and other beautiful heritage gifts.

The fun continues on Saturday at the Museum of Oxford where you can find out the history of Morris Motors.

Listen to the Morris in Oxford Jukebox from 10am until 3pm in the Gallery. Created by Stand + Stare, the Jukebox is an arcade-style cabinet that tells stories from the Museum of Oxford in a unique way. In celebration of 100 years of car making in Oxford, enjoy the story of ‘How a Car Factory Changed a City’. Find out about how William Morris – Lord Nuffield – changed Oxford and its people by building a car plant in Cowley.

You can also watch fascinating footage from the 1930s of Morris Motors and the car manufacturing industry in Oxford. The free event runs from 10am until 4pm in the Old Museum. If you’d like to watch the film all the way through, screenings start at 10am and 1pm. Snacks and drinks will be available from the Vintage Barge bar in the Old Museum.

In the Heritage Learning Centre, you can take part in a range of art activities including making a mini MINI, creating some car artwork and creating a giant Christmas Pudding and a giant Coconut Pyramid for our Christmas exhibition!

The free sessions, from 10.30am until 3.30pm, are aimed at families working together, so we need grandparents, parents, and children alike! Please bring your children or grandchildren along to this fun, arty and creative day. Drop into the Heritage Learning Centre at any time and stay as long as you like.

 

For more information, click here

The City Deal bid – what’s it all about?

Please click here to find out!

A report on the city deal bid will be discussed at a meeting of the City Executive Board next week. Oxford has submitted an expression of interest in bidding for government funding which focused on transformational growth through stimulating the local knowledge economy. The combination of the two world class universities and ‘Big Science’ in the Science Vale are central to the bid.

The City Deal Bid Team comprises representatives from the six local authorities, the Local Enterprise Partnership, University of Oxford and Oxford Brookes Universities and representatives of Science and Research organisations at Harwell and Culham has been overseeing the development of the bid. The County Council has chaired the Bid Team and been leading on co-ordination with support provided by the City Council.

This report sets out an ‘ambition’ statement which form the basis for discussions with partners and Government civil servants advising the Bid Team and will continue through to submission of the final Negotiation Document in October 2013.

Are you aged 15-21? Here’s an event for you!

The  next Open Space event, on Tuesday 8 October, offers young people aged between 15 and 21 or 25 if they have special educational needs, the chance to influence the Council.

They are invited to suggest 12 topics or issues that are important to them and at the event they will be discussed and voted on. The top three issues will become a key focus of work for the Council next year.

Young people have also been invited to exhibit their art and add music they’ve made to the event play list.

Key organisations have also been asked to attend the event to give them an opportunity to showcase their activities directly to young people.

 

For more information about getting involved in the event please email Caroline Robbins, Youth Engagement Officer at  crobbins@oxford.gov.uk or tel 07775 005 485.