Renewable Energy exhibition

Oxford City Council have teamed up with the Energy Savings Trust (EST) to bring the EST Renewable Energy showcase to Oxford Town Hall on Saturday 28th February 2009.

The event is on between 10.30 am and 3.30pm and includes stalls, advice and information from providers of specific energy saving and renewable technologies demonstrated by industry representatives.

Oxford City Councils Energy Team will also be on hand to answer any questions you may have on specific technologies and grants for installing such technologies.

Old High Street (Waitrose) car park

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David and I have had a meeting with the officer in charge of car parks in the City to discuss the future of the Old High Street car park with the advent of Waitrose. Many people have mentioned that they think there will be a pressure on parking places once the new Waitrose store opens in May

We have flagged up a number of issues which include the need for improved lighting, the provision of a shelter over the ticket machines, the location of recycling bins, access and egress from the car park by motorists and by pedestrians, and the provision of cycling racks.

It became clear that some of these issues relate to phase 2 of the London Road redevelopment, and lighting can also be an issue for consideration by the Crime Prevention team. To this end, David is organising a bigger meeting which will include relevant stakeholders e.g. County transport planners

We should like the main entrance to the car park to be re-modelled at some point, but it looks as though this would require capital funding.  Capital funding has been cut drastically this financial year so prospects of this are not great.

The car parks officer confirmed that blue badge owners will continue to park free for four hours in any 24 hour period.

Attention all bus users

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The next meeting of the Bus Users’ Forum is scheduled to take place at the Town Hall on Wednesday 11 March.  The venue has changed to accommodate a bigger audience.  There will be an opportunity for all bus users to discuss the bus companies’ plans to move bus stops in line with plans to pedestrianise Queen Street.

We would urge residents from Franklin Road, Woodlands Road, Fortnam Close and the top end of Headley Way to attend this meeting so that we can call for buses to be reinstated along Headley Way.  There will also be an opportunity for Headington residents to lobby for a through route from Headington to North Oxford.

We have been told by the bus companies that they have been working on a joint scheme that will be ready in early March – this may be the first time that the public (and maybe also councillors?!) will learn about it.  The meeting will be some time between 17.30 and 20.30, we will post up timings when we have more information

Call for local heroes

People who have served the City with distinction are to be invited to receive a Certificate of Honour at a special presentation ceremony and reception in the Town Hall in May.  As councillors, we are not permitted to propose or second a nomination, but nominations from the public will be considered by a panel comprising the Lord Mayor, Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire and the Director of Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary Action (or their nominated representative).

The recipients can be of any age, including young people.  They can live anywhere but their service must benefit the people of Oxford. Nominations for this year’s ceremony need to reach Jude Skipp at the Town Hall by noon on 27th March 2008, and David and I have copies of nomination forms.

For more details, contact either David or me in the usual way, or Jude Skipp at the Town Hall by telephone on 01865 252414 or by e-mail at jskipp@oxford.gov and we will send out a form.

Car parks, roads and pavements – got a grumble?

[Ruth writes]

I have lots of meetings lined up for Monday 23 February, and two of the officers I shall be meeting (separately) have responsibility for car parks – including St Leonard’s Rd and Somerfield’s – and for the spending of what is called Section 42 money, which is the money given to the City Council by the County Council for repairs and maintenance to roads and pavements.

If you want me to raise any issues with these officers please let me know either by using the comments box or by emailing me on ruth.wilkinson@oxfordlibdems.org.uk

By election in Headington Hill and Northway

The major political news of the week (apart from the gagging of debate between democratically elected councillors in the Council Chamber by the Labour Mayor on Monday) was that a by election has been called in the Headington Hill and Northway ward.  Names of candidates have to be in by Friday 27 February and the election will be held on Thursday 26 March

Labour’s budget forced through without debate

 

In a turn of events which left opposition councillors, members of the public and the press gasping, the Labour group on Oxford City Council last night prevented any debate on their budget proposals in council, and then forced them through on the Lord Mayor’s casting vote. The increase in council tax will be 4.5%, well above the increases in income which most Oxford residents are likely to get this year.

David says: “You have to wonder why Labour were so keen to avoid discussion of their proposals. In recent weeks we have seen them going back on their promises to keep the Peers Leisure Centre open, and on their undertaking to traders in the Covered Market to invest in repairs and improvements. They are saying they will keep the Museum of Oxford open, but have not budgeted enough money for this. What else are they trying to hide?”

Deputy Leader Stephen Brown added: “We proposed our own alternative budget, setting the Council Tax increase at 2%, which we felt was more reasonable in the present climate. But we still found ways to honour the council’s promises on the Covered Market, and the Museum, and to help community centre users which are going to be squeezed with the new business rates, and the various other local groups who rely on grants from the area committees. Labour seems to have no understanding of what life will be like for people during this recession.”

To see the report in the Oxford Mail, visit:

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/yourtown/oxford/4131037.Council_tax_to_rise_by_4_5_per_cent/

How do you want London Road to look?

Plans are being drawn up for the next stage of the London Road ‘improvements’. Whatever you feel about the first phase, which has seen disruption around the Headley Way junction, the next stage, from Osler Road to Bury Knowle Park, will be all the more high-profile and will have a significant impact on the area. Ruth and I both think that the opportunity should be taken really to improve the whole area, in conjunction with the changing shop-face of the centre. First of all, though, there needs to be real consultation on what the County is proposing.

At present, there are some controversial proposals from the County: having a raised junction at Windmill Rd but keeping the present layout for cars crossing the junction, moving bus stops, decreasing the taxi rank, changing the parking arrangements and — most controversial of all — removing the underpass and replacing it with a pedestrian crossing, just west of Stephen Road.

As you know, your local councillors have worries about getting rid of the underpass, which many elderly people, and young mothers, tell us is the only way they feel safe crossing the road. A crossing would not solve all those problems, as some who are slower of the mark feel pressured by the limited timespan of the green man. On the other hand, I have heard people also say they would like to see a crossing permanently where there is a temporary one now — next to Osler Road. So, perhaps this should all be re-thought.

But, at this stage, Ruth and I want to hear your views. Please do send us your comments, writing them here or sending us an e-mail. At this point, we want to get as broad a range of opinions as necessary. Let’s make this into a big conversation!

Town Hall disgrace

 This is a personal view from Ruth!

A petition signed by more than 1300 citizens of Oxford pleading for the continuation of the Museum of Oxford was snubbed at the full Council meeting at the Town Hall tonight. The  Labour administration did not allow this issue to be debated further as part of the budget proposals. I was ashamed at this blatant disregard for the views of the City’s residents.

Furthermore, the Labour administration did not allow further debate on other important issues including the refurbishment of the Covered Market, the reinstatement of a street warden post in Northway, area committee discretionary grants weighted according to Indices of Multiple Deprivation, additional citizen advice to cope with financial hardship (at a time when jobs are being cut at BMW), the imposition of business rates on community centres, and the introduction of fuel poverty hardship grants.  Democratically elected members have been denied the right to speak up for their constituents. This was no way to run a council meeting.

For the first time since I was elected a city councillor, I felt appalled at the way council business was conducted tonight. David and I were not even given a chance to speak on issues that matter to the people of Headington.  If you care about democracy, for sanity’s sake vote Lib Dem.

Transform Oxford – your views count!

The Lib Dems have conducted an on-line survey associated with our county and city group websites. We now have over 100 responses. The participants are of course anonymous, and no claims can be made that they represent a balanced cross-section of the population. However, there is also no sign that any individuals or groups have tried to influence the results in any direction – there has been a constant flow of a few a day.

County Cllr Ian Hudspeth  mentioned at Central South & West Area Committee that he had received a couple of hundred feedback forms as a result of the consultations to date. Here are the (unedited) results of our survey and thank you to everyone who took part from the Headington Ward

Q1, Do you feel that more pedestrianisation of central Oxford would attract you to visit more often?

Yes, definitely – 3%

Probably – 34%

It depends on other factors – 30%

Probably not – 31%

No – 2%

Q2, Which streets do you feel would benefit most from being pedestrianised?

Broad St – 3%

George St – 10%

Queen St – 19%

Turl St – 15%

New Inn Hall St – 19%

Magdalen St/Magdalen St East – 20%

Beaumont St – 14%

High St – 0%

Q3, If you travel from East Oxford, would you find it acceptable if you always had to change buses at the Plain?

Yes – 1%

No – 98%

Don’t know – 1%

Q4, Do you feel that the number of buses on the High St is ….

Far too many – 2%

Too many – 49%

About right – 47%

As many as there need to be – 2%

Q5, Do you feel that the traffic lights outside Debenhams (Cornmarket/George St junction) make it safer for pedestrians?

Yes – 2%

No – 97%

Don’t Know – 1%

Q6 – Any other suggestions for improving things for pedestrians in central Oxford?

Plan not joined up – needs of cyclists being ignored.

Pembroke St should be considered for pedestrianisation.

Broad St has great potential – introduce continental style cafes and places to lounge around.

Frideswide Square is a mess for both traffic and pedestrians – this needs special consideration.

Traffic on High St and St Aldate’s should be slowed right down, and pedestrians allowed to use road space.

Bus routes need to be rationalised – more needed between Park & Rides/station and residential areas.

Pedestrianisation is a mad idea – reopen Cornmarket and George St to through traffic.

There isn’t enough in central Oxford to make pedestrianisation worthwhile.