Below are details of the forthcoming referendum for the Neighbourhood Development Plan and a summary of the Plan itself. It is purely factual as the Parish Council is not allowed to campaign during the run up to the election.
The Referendum
The referendum date for the Neighbourhood Development Plan is Thursday 7th September 2017. It is run by South Oxfordshire District Council along the same lines as any local government election. Anyone registered to vote in a local election is eligible to vote. Proxy and postal votes are available for those not able to vote in person. Forms are available from:
https://www.gov.uk/apply-vote-proxy
OR
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-for-a-postal-vote. Continue reading
Oxfordshire Historic Church Trust organises an annual Ride and Stride sponsored event to raise essential funds to repair, restore and improve the county’s churches. This year’s event takes place on 9th September and local families are encouraged to take part.
Long Wittenham Parish Council and others objecting to plans for a huge quarry near Clifton Hampden are asking Oxfordshire County Council for an extension to the third consultation period which closes on 3rd August.
Clifton Hampden Bridge will be closed to motorised vehicles from 18th September through to 29th September 2017. This is for work that is required following a road traffic accident last year that demolished a length of brick parapet. A temporary repair was undertaken after the incident using concrete blockwork as this was the only way to allow the bridge to be quickly and safely reopened. The bridge could not be repaired permanently as the bridge is listed and as specially manufactured bespoke bricks and copings are required.
Members of Long Wittenham’s Good Neighbours Club were entertained by children from the Long Wittenham primary school at the club’s July meeting in the village hall. Twenty children from class four (nine, ten and eleven year olds) sang “It’s a Kind of Magic” one of Queen’s big hits and which features in the school’s play Historical Laughter which will be performed at the end of term. The children were accompanied by teacher Fiona Smith and teaching assistant Tracy Eltham. The Good Neighbour’s Club is supported financially by the parish council.
The Parish Council will hold its monthly meeting this coming Thursday evening (13th July) at 7:30pm in the Village Hall.
Neighbourhood Developments Plans or NDPs are vital in the battle against developers trying to exploit the national housing crisis says the author of a new book on village life. Retired journalist and now parish councillor Tom Fort was speaking in Didcot on Monday night at the annual meeting of the Oxfordshire Association of Local Councils.
Plans for more than 1800 homes in Didcot have been approved by South Oxfordshire District Council raising fears of more traffic passing through neighbouring villages.
Long Wittenham’s 19th annual Wittfest musical festival hit the top notes when hundreds of visitors were entertained by 21 bands last Friday night, Saturday and Sunday at The Plough and £1,613 was donated to the village play equipment fund.
The Friends of St Mary’s Church – the support group for the 12th century parish church in Long Wittenham – has a new chairman and secretary. Dominic Jarman replaces Jeremy Croxson who has been the chairman for 11 years and a member of the group since its inception in 1994. Martin Elliff takes over as secretary from Ruth McCreight who leaves the position also after 11 years.