Drop in councillor surgery in Sandfield Road Sunday morning

We have secured a minuted assurance from Vital Energi that a community contribution will be paid to mitigate disruption caused to residents along the energy pipe route.

So far we have received a number of bids for the following and are awaiting final quotes:

  • A drop kerb for pedestrians at the junction of Latimer Road and Latimer Grange
  • Removal of footway paving and replacement with tarmac outside Latimer Grange
  • Latimer Road footway overlay
  • Traffic calming measures in Highfield (from Highfield Residents’ Association)

We are concerned that there are no bids on the table from residents in the area north of London Road and we are holding an informal street surgery to discuss ideas with residents.

STREET SURGERY

Sunday 20 November

11:30-12:30

by the Community Noticeboard at Cuckoo Lane/Sandfield Rd junction.

All three councillors will be available to answer questions relating to dates and times of energy pipe works too – and of course any other issue residents wish to raise. If you can’t come along but want to get in touch, here are our details:

Ruth – ruth.wilkinson@oxfordlibdems.org.uk   Altaf: 07931 345554   Roz: 07584 257156

Up and coming events in Oxford for the rest of November

  • Sunday 20 November, Thames Valley Orienteering Club – Orienteering Event, Shotover Country Park (Brasenose Woods), 8am to 4pm. Competitors will have individual time slots at the start and run by themselves around the course through Brasenose Woods. www.TVOC.org.uk
  • Tuesday 22 November, Oxford Fairtrade Coalition Film Evening, Lady Margaret Hall, 7.30m to 9pm. Two short films focusing on Women’s Empowerment and Fair Trade will be shown. There will be an opportunity for questions and discussion around the issues raised.
  • Friday 25 to Sunday 27 November * , Christmas Light Festival 2016, City Centre inc. Broad Street, Gloucester Green and Oxford Castle, 5pm to 10 pm (Fri), 10am to 10pm (Sat) and 10am  to 4pm (Sun). Annual city event with the core outdoor event happening on Friday evening and various different cultural activities, most of which are free, taking place throughout the weekend. www.oxfordschristmas.com
  • Saturday 26 November, Have Your Say Meeting, Manzil Way Gardens, 10am to 2pm. This info stand by OCC’s Community Response Team aims to get resident’s views on issues in the area as well as the issues that matter most to them.www.oxford.gov.uk
  • Saturday 26 November, Documentary Screening: A Plastic Ocean, St Anne’s College, 6.30pm. Screening followed by a Q&A session with the Executive Advisor to the film, David Jones. Tickets available at https://fixr-app.com/event/12130

falling-snowflakes-free-stock-vector-3

Spot your councillor singing in Broad Street on Saturday 26th!

This week’s planning decisions

Application withdrawn:

16/01489/FUL

Erection of single storey side and rear extension. Alterations to roof involving raising of roof height to create a second floor level and formation of balcony.

121 Lime Walk Oxford

Applications granted consent:

16/02150/B56 (Prior Approval Required and Granted)

Change of use of part first floor from office (Use Class B1(a)) to residential (Use Class C3) to provide 1 x 2- bed flat and 1 x studio flat. This application is for determination as to whether prior approval of the Council is required and, if required, whether it should be granted. This application is assessed solely in respect of transport and highway impacts and contamination and flooding risks.

112 London Road Headington

16/02362/FUL

Erection of a single storey front extension to form bay window and enclosed porch, and conversion of garage to habitable space.

40 New High Street 

16/02352/FUL

Erection of a single storey ground floor and first floor rear extension and two storey side extension. Alterations to existing windows and doors to rear elevation with replacement of flat roof for pitched. Replacement of existing front dormer window.

6 Woodlands Close 

Energy pipe works set to start on 28 November in Highfield

Conditions attached to the planning consent have now been signed off. Letters are being distributed today by the Oxford University Hospitals Trust outlining the schedule of works. A 12 page booklet will be distributed mid-November giving fuller details e.g. the times of day works will be carried out, how to obtain visitors’ parking permits when the works are immediately outside your property, and other useful information. The proposed dates for works are always provisional at the start of a major project because of external circumstances – a protracted period of bad weather for example. If dates are delayed, residents will be notified of the revised timetable for works but we hope this eventuality will not arise.

From Monday 28 November to Friday 16 December, there will be three-way traffic lights at the Lime Walk/All Saints junction, and the 4th arm of the crossroads will be closed off between the midpoint of the entrance to Barrington Close and the above junction. Lime Walk will remain two way during that period, and access to Barrington Close will be from Bickerton Road and Stapleton Road. The planters at the junction will be removed and stored until the works are completed and will then be returned. Some bollards may be removed and stored temporarily during the works.

From Monday 28 November to Friday 16 December, the top of Latimer Road will be closed as far as the midpoint of the entrance to Latimer Grange.  There will be no entry to Latimer Road from London Road. Those wishing to access Latimer Road from London Road will need to take a different route, either via Gipsy Lane/Old Road/Bickerton or Stapleton Roads; or via Lime Walk and a wait at the three way lights, Old Road, and either Bickerton or Stapleton Roads.

Works affecting Sandfield Road will not start until the New Year.

Contact numbers for information

Daytime: Jo Lennon 07342 086843 (9am – 4.30pm)

Email: hospitalenergyproject@ouh.nhs.uk

Website: www.ouh.nhs.uk/about/developments/energy

Twitter: OUH_Estates #OUHEnergy

More details will be made available in the Trust’s booklet which is currently being printed. Ruth, Roz and Altaf have ensured that the County’s Networks, Access to Headington and Parking Teams have been fully involved throughout. Vital Energi, the contractors for the Trust, are working co-operatively with Winvic, the contractors for the Beech House development, over access to the Beech House site from Latimer Road.

If you require further information, please contact Jo (number above) or your local councillors Roz, Ruth and Altaf

How to contact your councillors

By phone:

Roz: 07584 257156

Altaf: 07931 345554

By email:

Ruth: ruth.wilkinson@oxfordlibdems.org.uk (email preferred)

Twitter:

Ruth

@ruthwilk

 

 

What’s on in Oxford in November

  • Thursday 3 November, Monica Fooks Memorial Lecture, Sommerville College, 5.30pm.Professor Guy Goodwin, Professor of Psychiatry at Oxford University, will be leading a memorial lecture on the topic: ‘Mind the gap: do psychiatry and science belong together or not?’.
  • Saturday 5 November, Oxford Round Table Fireworks Display 2016, South Park,4.30 to 10.30 pm. Annual charity fundraising event which includes a firework display and bonfire, Jack FM sound stage, event catering, family area, public bar tent and funfair. www.oxfordfireworks.co.uk
  • Saturday 5 November, Oxford Poppy Day, Broad Street, 9.30 am to 4 pm. Oxford Poppy Day in aid of the Royal British Legion poppy appeal, including a street collection and live music by youth bands and information/outreach regarding the RBL. www.britishlegion.org.uk
  • Sunday 13 November, Remembrance Day Service and Parade, St Giles, 10 am to 12.15 pm. The annual Remembrance Day ceremony will be at the memorial on St Giles along with a parade. www.oxford.gov.uk
  • Sunday 20 November, Thames Valley Orienteering Club – Orienteering Event, Shotover Country Park (Brasenose Woods), 8 am to 4 pm. Competitors will have individual time slots at the start and run by themselves around the course through Brasenose Woods. www.TVOC.org.uk
  • Friday 25 to Sunday 27 November, Christmas Light Festival 2016, City Centre inc. Broad Street, Gloucester Green & Oxford Castle, 5 to 10 pm (Fri), 10 am to 10 pm (Sat) & 10am  to 4 pm (Sun). Annual city event with the core outdoor event happening on Friday evening and various different cultural activities, most of which are free, taking place throughout the weekend. www.oxfordschristmas.com
  • Saturday 26 November, Have Your Say Meeting, Manzil Way Gardens, 10 am to 2 pm. This info stand by OCC’s Community Response Team aims to get resident’s views on issues in the area as well as the issues that matter most to them. www.oxford.gov.uk
  • Saturday 26 November, Documentary Screening: A Plastic Ocean, St Anne’s College, 6.30pm. Screening followed by a Q&A session with the Executive Advisor to the film, David Jones. Tickets available at https://fixr-app.com/event/12130

Daytime support consultation -have your say

Find out more about the County Council’s proposals for a new, flexible system of daytime support across the county, and share your views on the options that have been proposed.

Book your place at one of their meetings.

Call 01865 323410 or email daytimesupportreview@oxfordshire.gov.uk. The County Council can organise transport for you or pay travelling costs if required.

Oxford

Tuesday 22 November 2016, 12.30pm – 2:30pm
West Oxford Community Centre, Botley Rd, Oxford OX2 0BT

Banbury

Wednesday 23 November, 12.30pm – 2:30pm Banbury Town Hall, 1 Bridge St, Banbury OX16 5QB

For more information – visit their website or pick up a consultation pack at a daytime support centre or library.
Closing date for comments: 20 December 2016

 

Oxford’s Remembrance Day service

Oxford’s Remembrance Sunday service will take place at the War Memorial in St Giles, between 10.30am and 12.15pm on 13 November. The service will be preceded by a procession, leaving St John’s College at 10.25am.

The service will be led by the Rt Revd Dr Steven Croft, the Bishop of Oxford, and the City Rector, the Very Revd Robert Wilkes, with the Lord Mayor of Oxford, Councillor Mohammed Altaf-Kan, and multi-faith leaders from across the city in attendance. Representatives from the University of Oxford, Oxford Brookes University, Oxfordshire County Council, the High Sheriff, Thames Valley Police, Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue the Royal British Legion, Help for Heroes and Oxford’s twin cities will also attend. Oxford Spires Scouts will be on hand to give out orders of service and sell poppies. Everyone is welcome. People are advised to arrive early.

After the service, the City Council procession will return to St John’s College, for the Lord-Lieutenant, Tim Stevenson OBE, to take the salute as the military and Royal British Legion march past.

Banbury Road, Beaumont Road, Keble Road, Magdalen Street East and West, and St Giles will be closed from 12.01am to 2pm on Sunday 13 November.

There will also be a short service on Armistice Day, Friday 11 November, from 10.45am in Oxford Town Hall. The service will be led by the Lord Mayor of Oxford and all are welcome to attend. There will be a Minute’s Silence at 11am.

The Lord Mayor of Oxford, Councillor Mohammed Altaf-Khan, says: “Remembrance events give an opportunity for the whole community to remember and honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice to secure and protect our freedom. I would like to invite the people of Oxford to join me on Friday and Sunday and, united, to pay our respects.” His Headington ward colleague Cllr Ruth Wilkinson will attend the service in St Giles.

City Council underspend is questioned by Lib Dem Group

The City Council has reported an underspend of £494K for the year 2015/16. Cllr Jean Fooks who is a member of the Finance Scrutiny Panel, noticed that in fact the city had spent almost £2m less than its budget of £23.3m. About £1m was due to projects not having been completed, or even started in some cases, and this has been carried forward to be spent in 2016/17.  Of the rest, £360k was allocated at the last minute to bids not originally proposed, mostly extra spend not publicly agreed.

It looks as if Council Tax did not need to be raised as it was. LibDems asked why there had been no public discussion of how the £361k was to be spent and have queried this use of resources.

Lib Dem councillors will be keeping a very close eye on the Labour City Council accounts for this year and the proposals for 2017/18.