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Highlights from previous meetings in 2006
 
HIGHLIGHTS – December 2006
• RWE Npower: The Parish Council has been invited by RWE Npower to reconvene the Liaison Committee, but the Parish Council declined the offer.
• Thrupp and Bullfield Lakes, Radley – Application to Register as a Town Green: The Parish Council has received a notice of the application, indicating that the documents are on public deposit until 16 February 2007. Mrs Jo Cartmell and Mr Roger Thomas attended the Parish Council meeting to give background information to the application.
• Police: The first Neighbourhood Action Group (NAG) has been held. The meeting ascertained that the top three priorities related to speeding, anti-social behaviour and parking, and the group would be giving attention to these matters to see what improvements could be made. Other subjects listed related to lack of police, litter/fly tipping, criminal damage, under age drinking, lack of amenities, child facilities, theft/burglary, and volume of traffic. The Parish Council has asked that parking on pavements be added to the list.
PC Sean Delaney, the new Area Beat Officer, will be starting work on the 15 January 2007.
• Tree Planting: Six trees for the copse by the car park in Church Road have been purchased with a grant from The Tree Council, and the children from the Primary School helped plant these on the 29 November 2006.

HIGHLIGHTS – November 2006
• RWE Npower: The Parish Council was disappointed that the Secretary of State had decided not to call in this application and considered that the decision on whether to grant planning permission would remain with Oxfordshire County Council.
The Parish Council has been urged by Save Radley Lakes to make a legal challenge, but the Parish Council has decided that it would not take any action on this until Counsel’s opinion had been obtained.
The Parish Council has received a request to support the registration of Radley Lakes as a Town or Village Green, and this will be considered at its November meeting.
• Police: PC Nigel Brookfield is no longer the Area Beat Officer and the Parish Council is awaiting the name of the new officer. Under the Neighbourhood Policing Scheme the names and photographs should be widely available throughout the Parish, and this new scheme is being launched in December. The talk taking place at Kennington Village Hall on the 22 November 2006 has been advertised throughout the Parish, and it is hoped that members of the public have attended to learn about the way this will operate.
Two Parish Councillors have been nominated to be on the Neighbourhood Action Group – Cr Derek Nutt and Cr Mark Wren – and these two Councillors will ensure there will be a Parish Council presence at all meetings.
• Highway Matters: Meetings are taking place with a representative of Oxfordshire Highways about traffic problems in Lower Radley and about the poor visibility at the Whites Lane/Foxborough Road turn. Safety signs have been put up in the Sugworth Lane area to make people aware of the need to slow down. A request for a pedestrian crossing by Sandford Lane has been turned down as it does not meet the criteria under the Local Transport Plan because there have been no accidents involving pedestrians over the last five years. The primary school in Radley has requested funding for a “lollipop” person as the request for a pedestrian crossing was turned down for similar reasons.

Highlights – October 2006
• Village Shop: The Parish Council was delighted to learn, when the Steering Group reported back to the community, that there was overwhelming support for a community shop. The venture was made all the more possible by the anonymous donation of the premises rent free for three years. Although it would be necessary to raise £20,000 most of this had already been promised which shows how much the community wants the village shop. The Parish Council was extremely grateful to the Steering Group, chaired by Graham Steinsberg, and noted that Graham and Jane Wyatt, the Parish Council representative on the Steering Group were continuing on the Management Committee.
• RWE Npower: The Parish Council was disappointed that the Secretary of State had decided not to call in this application and considered that the decision on whether to grant planning permission would remain with Oxfordshire County Council.
The Parish Council has been urged by Save Radley Lakes to make a legal challenge, but the Parish Council has decided that it would not take any action on this until Counsel's opinion had been obtained.
The Parish Council has received a request to support the registration of Radley Lakes as a Town or Village Green, and this will be considered at its November meeting.
• Police: PC Nigel Brookfield is no longer the Area Beat Officer and the Parish Council is awaiting the name of the new officer. Under the Neighbourhood Policing Scheme the names and photographs should be widely available throughout the Parish, and this new scheme is being launched in December. The talk taking place at Kennington Village Hall on the 22 November 2006 has been advertised throughout the Parish, and it is hoped that members of the public have attended to learn about the way this will operate.
Two Parish Councillors have been nominated to be on the Neighbourhood Action Group – Cr Derek Nutt and Cr Mark Wren – and these two Councillors will ensure there will be a Parish Council presence at all meetings.
• Highway Matters: Meetings are taking place with a representative of Oxfordshire Highways about traffic problems in Lower Radley and about the poor visibility at the Whites Lane/Foxborough Road turn. Safety signs have been put up in the Sugworth Lane area to make people aware of the need to slow down. A request for a pedestrian crossing by Sandford Lane has been turned down as it does not meet the criteria under the Local Transport Plan because there have been no accidents involving pedestrians over the last five years. The primary school in Radley has requested funding for a “lollipop” person as the request for a pedestrian crossing was turned down for similar reasons.

Highlights – September 2006
• RWE Npower: All the details in relation to this planning application and the decision made by the OCC Planning and Regulations Committee are with the Secretary of State, and she has indicated that more time is required to look through all the details.
• Village Shop: The Steering Group will report back to the village on Wednesday, 18 October 2006, at 7.30 pm in the Village Hall.
• Dog Bin – on Grass at turning to Lower Radley: The Parish Council has agreed that the dog litter bin should be moved further away from the seat, and the DC will be undertaking this work for the Parish Council.
• Website: The Parish Council has agreed to fund more work on the website.

There was no Meeting in Aug 06

Highlights – July 2006
• RWE Npower: The Parish Council agreed to send a letter to the Secretary of State asking her to call in the application for detailed consideration. The Parish Council set out the reasons why the Parish Council considered that the OCC planning application needed fuller investigation.
• Village Shop: The Steering Group had visited the community shop at Finstock, and were undertaking further research into the viability of a village shop.
• Dog Bin – on Grass at turning to Lower Radley: The Parish Council has agreed that the dog litter bin should be moved further away from the seat, and the DC will be undertaking this work for the Parish Council.
• Website: The Parish Council has agreed to fund more work on the website.

Highlights – June 2006
• Village Shop: The Steering Group is continuing to look into the viability of a community village shop.
• Garden Competition: The Garden Competition held on the 15 July 2006 was very successful, with a fine hot day for the judges to visit the Parish. Details of the winners are available in Radley News and on the Notice Board by the village hall.
• RWE Npower: A representative of the Parish Council spoke at the OCC Planning and Regulations Committee on the 10 July 2006. The Parish Council is extremely disappointed that the OCC Committee approved the application, subject to it being referred to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. It will be discussing this further at its July meeting.
• Police: It is disappointing that no-one from the Radley community has come forward willing to participate in a Neighbourhood Action Group (NAG). If you are interested in taking on this role, please let me know.
• Hedges/Tree Branches: This is the growing season – make certain any hedges, garden shrubs and trees are cleared from the footways. This is a real problem in Radley because of the narrow footways.
• Car Park, Church Road: Work on the car park resurfacing has been completed.

Highlights: May 2006

• Annual Meeting of the Parish Council: The Parish Council elected Councillor Brian Mott as Chairman for the second year, and Councillor Denis Standen as Vice Chairman. Details of the Committee membership have been put on the notice board.

• Village Shop: The Parish Council received about 20% of the questionnaires back, and the majority of these showed that people felt that a village shop was a high priority. In view of this a public meeting has been held, when about 60 people attended. The meeting decided to form a working party to look into the viability of a village shop and its location, and five people volunteered to form the working party – Graham Steinsberg, Susan King, Chris Minay, Dominique Henderson and Jane Wyatt. A further public meeting will be held to discuss the findings of the working party.

• Garden Competition: The date of the Garden Competition, 15 July 2006, draws closer. You will all have received a copy of the flyer giving details of the competition – many thanks to Radley Guides for delivering the majority of them.

• Neighbourhood Policing Programme: Chief Inspector David Purnell of Thames Valley Police has been invited to come to speak to the Parish Council about Neighbourhood Policing – this will be a special meeting and, as for Parish Council meetings, members of the public are welcome to attend. The Parish Council has been asked to find someone from the Radley community who would be willing to participate in a Neighbourhood Action Group (NAG). If you are interested in taking on this role, please let me know.

• Hedges/Tree Branches: This is the growing season – make certain any hedges, garden shrubs and trees are cleared from the footways. This is a real problem in Radley because of the narrow footways. • Car Park, Church Road: Work should begin on resurfacing the car park on the 26 June.

Highlights: April 2006
• RWENpower – Planning Application: The Oxfordshire County Council has delayed consideration of this application until Monday, 10 July 2006.
• Car Park, Church Road: The Parish Council has agreed to have the car park resurfaced, and the contractor will be Gordon Hill. It is not known when the work will commence but it is hoped it will be during the school summer holidays when the car park is not required for the school children.
• Village Shop: A lot of questionnaires have been completed and returned and, as a lot of interest has been shown, it is very likely that a public meeting will be held in the near future.

Highlights: March 2006
• The Vale of White Horse DC has provided one dog bin in the village – on the grass at the Lower Radley turn.
• Vale of White Horse DC – details are now available on the free bus passes for the over 60s. It is now possible for the over 60s to travel from 9 am throughout the Vale, throughout Oxford City and also the Park and Ride, and for any single or return journey starting within the Vale going to Witney, Swindon and Didcit.
• RWENpower Planning Application – The Parish Council has strongly objected to this new planning application.
• Village Shop – following the meeting with Jane Barker, Oxfordshire Rural Community Council, a questionnaire is going to be delivered and collected from all households in the Parish, and a public meeting will be held to discuss the results of the questionnaire.
• Car Park, Church Road: The Tree Council has recommended that tree planting takes place in the autumn to give the trees a better chance of survival.
• Oxfordshire Highways has a new telephone number – 0845 310 11 11.

Highlights – February 2006
• A Caretaker/Cleaner has been appointed for the sports pavilion.
• The bench constructed by a pupil at Radley College has been installed at Pebble Hill. In addition, two new seats have been ordered for the Spinneys Close garden.
• The Parish Council has asked for a meeting with the police and the Village Hall Management Committee to discuss problems experienced in Gooseacre.
• A new planning application has been received from RWE Npower in relation to Lake E. The current deadline is 17 March 2006, and the Parish Council has asked for an extension to the deadline for comments. An extraordinary meeting will be held to discuss the application.
• Village Shop: The Parish Council has invited Jane Barker, Oxfordshire Rural Community Council, to meet the Parish Council on 23 March 2006 to discuss the possibility of a community shop.
• Green Belt: The Inspector’s Report to the Vale of White Horse District Council – Local Plan 2011 has been received. The Inspector has refused all applications for development in the Green Belt. The Green Belt around Radley is therefore safe until 2015.
• Car Park, Church Road: The Copse has been cleared, revealing a number of problems. The Parish Council has agreed that it will arrange for the shrubs to be cut regularly to allow trees to be planted. The Parish Council is in touch with the Tree Council regarding a variation to the agreement of the award to allow container trees to be planted.
• Gooseacre Recreational Field: Radley College has agreed to plant additional trees along the border of the recreational field.
• The Parish Council has agreed to enter the Best Kept Village Competition 2006. Judging will take place between 29 April and 14 May (Preliminary Round) and 27 May and 11 June (Final Round).
• The Parish Council continues to press the Oxfordshire Highways regarding safety at the Whites Lane/Foxborough Road junction and Thrupp Lane, which is the official cycle way.

Highlights – January 2006
• Thames Valley Police Community Support Officers – PC Nicky Beltran and PC Mark Miller, introduced themselves to the Parish Council. They form part of a team covering Radley, which also includes Sgt Darren Price and PC Nigel Broomfield.
• Thames Valley Police has changed the way non-emergency calls are handled. The number for this is now 0845 8 505 505. In an emergency, 999 should be called, but the 999 number should only be used if a crime is being committed or is about to be committed, or if there is risk of serious injury.
• Department for Transport – Greater Western Franchise: this has been given to First Great Western Limited from 1 April 2006. The existing timetable will continue unchanged until 10 December, when the new franchise timetable will be introduced. The Parish Council is seeking clarification on the new timetable.
• Radley Station: The Parish Council is still pressing for access from the Lower Radley side of the platform.
• Dog bins: The Parish Council has asked the District Council to consider providing dog bins in three places – by the lower burial ground, the Lower Radley Turn and the station yard.
• The Parish Council is taking over the copse by the car park in Church Road and an area is to be cleared to allow trees to be planted.
• Church Road – Tree Management: The Oxfordshire County Council has arranged for the trees along Church Road to be cut back. Some trees have been cleared but the residue of trees will remain on site to form habitat for wild life.
• Village Gateways: Oxfordshire Highways have now provided these at both ends of the Parish.
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