Our lovely village Pre-School is run by small number of dedicated staff and a committee made up of local volunteers. The number of children has decreased over the past few years, which is challenging our financial position and hasn’t been helped by not being able to run the fundraising events we had planned over the last few months due to Covid-19.

We’ve been able to continue providing childcare to the children of our key workers so they could do the very important jobs they do, and we’re now open for all children again and are looking to increase our numbers.

We have spaces available for 2-4 year olds, with up to 30 hours government funding available for 3 & 4 year olds and eligible 2 year olds.

Can you help?

Do you have any time available to help us ensure Pre-School looks as good as it possibly can in the centre of the village, such as with some gardening?

Would you like to join the friendly Management Committee in October to help with the running and shaping future plans?

Are you able to support in any other way to increase our numbers, such as spreading the word about the Pre-School, local advertising or any donations?

If you’re able to help in anyway then please send me an email to eshrimpton@yahoo.com.

Ed Shrimpton

Chair

South Oxfordshire Local Plan 

As many of you will be aware, last Friday was the final day of the public hearing stage of the examination into the local plan.  As you probably know, controversial Secretary of State Robert Jenrick has directed the council to progress the plan. It was the first local plan examination in the country to take place online, with well over 200 contributions from organisations, public bodies and individuals, and more than 14,000 views on YouTube. 

In his initial conclusions on Friday, the inspector Jonathan Bore MRTPI indicated that he was satisfied with the strategy, housing numbers and sites in the plan – although he is going to take another look at Chalgrove this week. This is disappointing for local green belt campaigners, given that 6 of the 7 large ‘strategic sites’ are in the green belt.

 

We now await final written confirmation of any modifications that may be required to the plan in Mr Bore’s report, likely at the end of this month. Some changes, including some that I proposed during the sessions, have already been accepted, such as on prioritising cycling and encouraging community-led housing, but it is clear that the inspector is not likely to make the fundamental changes that many hoped for.

In any event, the government’s proposals for a new planning regime look likely to demolish any remaining local ability to influence housing development plans.

 

The issue of litter 

Use of the countryside across the district for recreation during lockdown, which is very welcome, has naturally led to an increase in litter. SODC officers have been working to deal with the increase, including increasing the number of bins and the frequency of emptying.

The council has also started a new social media campaign using Keep Britain Tidy messages urging people to take their litter home if they find litter bins already full. 

 

Textiles and small electrical recycling 

This week we’ve launched a social media campaign to improve our textiles and small electricals recycling service, aimed at stopping people from putting too much out in one go, which fills up the trucks before the rounds are finished. You can watch (and share) the excellent social media video the team has produced via YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6T5biME3JqY&feature=youtu.be

 

Corporate Plans 

There are just a few days to go until the deadline for the consultation on the council’s new emerging Corporate Plan. We have already had an amazing response to the survey through our staff, councillor and public engagement. If you haven’t already it would be great if you could take a look at the videos and give us some feedback. I’m there introducing theme 1, “housing for everyone”.

https://survey.southandvale.gov.uk/s/Southcorporateplanfeedback/

Community hub support 

As you know, the national shielding programme is being paused, so our team contacted those on our list. The team managed to call everyone that was happy for us to keep in contact with them through the lockdown and the good news is the majority were happy to leave the home to get any supplies they needed or had made other arrangements with friends, family or community groups/organisations.   

Most of our shielded residents have welcomed the relaxation in restrictions and are coping well, which is positive, it’s early days, and our community hub remains open and available during normal office hours. 

Our environmental health officers are likely to be part of any localised test-and-trace system, and on standby should that be required in the event of a local outbreak. This would be led by OCC’s Director of Public Health.

 

OxLEP gets £8.4 million building fund 

Tackling the climate emergency is a priority for the council and also a theme in the emerging new Corporate Plan. We are pleased to hear that OxLEP has been awarded £8.4 million from the government’s ‘Getting Building Fund’ for investment in green ‘shovel-ready’ infrastructure projects. SODC’s Economic Development team had substantial input into the proposals.

 

With the funding, OxLEP is planning to reintroduce the Gigabit voucher – a broadband scheme to boost businesses and residents working from home in rural locations across the county. They will also be identifying market towns that could benefit from funding to help fill empty units with small and independent businesses or local hot desking locations.  Both these projects will help to encourage more residents to work from home or to travel to their local town centre to work, helping to reduce long journeys by car.   

 

Other projects to help boost the green economy include the creation of a new skills centre at Abingdon and Witney College to help train young people on low carbon construction and retrofit builds and providing capital funds towards net-zero carbon emission projects/initiatives. 

https://www.oxfordshirelep.com/news/article/getting-building-fund-help-kick-start-oxfordshire’s-economic-recovery-coronavirus

Helping to save water 

With exceptionally high temperatures recently and expected in the future, Thames Water is reminding that they can help to save water.  This is particularly important for our region where the demand for water is very high – any measures people can take to reduce the amount of water they use will help to avoid restrictions on use.   

 

We’re helping to share their simple tips on how we can all help to preserve water supplies on our social media, with the following water saving advice: 

• Swap sprinklers and hoses for a watering can – leave watering your lawn to the rain 
• Turn off your taps whenever you can – a tiny tactic that can add up to a huge help 
• Try the 4-minute shower challenge – stay cool and get clean without wasting a drop 
• Reuse and recycle paddling pool water by watering the garden 

Residents in South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse are being urged to check the details on a yellow letter which they will receive from their district council from the start of August.

South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils are sending a yellow ‘Canvass Communication Form’ to every home requiring the residents to check and confirm the details of everyone over the age of 16 that lives in their property. This is something many local authorities need to do by law each year in order to ensure the electoral register is up to date.

A change for 2020!

In previous years all homes received the same letter and had to respond accordingly, however this year the process has changed slightly.

The letter people receive this August will depend on whether or not records indicate that there has been a change in the registered voters living at their property – for instance, if a registered voter has moved into a property that address will receive a different letter from a home whose occupants have remained the same since the last election.

The letters explain exactly what occupants need to do – it is very important that residents read it carefully and follow the instructions to confirm any changes, by visiting housholdresponse.com/southandvale – they will need the two-part code on the yellow letter to do this.

By doing this as quickly as possible it will mean that the councils don’t have to send a reminder letter or try to contact people this Autumn to confirm the information.

Margaret Reed, Electoral Registration Officer for South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils, said: “We know most people will be quite familiar with the yellow letter procedure by now, however there have been some changes this year so it is especially important that people read the instructions to check whether they need to confirm any changes with us.

“If there have been changes to the people living in a property, we’re really keen for people to confirm these as quickly as possible. This will help us to avoid having to issue costly reminders later on.”

The new Corporate Plan

We want to know what people think we, as district councils, should focus on over the coming years.

District councillors in South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse are putting together plans for the future of their respective districts and they want everyone living and working here to have their say.

Maybe we should be working with other organisations to help local businesses get back on their feet after lockdown? Helping people live healthier lives? Tackling the climate emergency? Or all three and more?

It’s important that we hear from as many people as possible, so please do provide your comments – to have your say visit South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse websites – these will run until Thursday 13 August.

We hope to publish and adopt our final Corporate Plans for both councils in the Autumn.

 

Public speaking at committee meetings

Members of the public are now able to take part in our virtual committee meetings, including the Planning Committee.

The first meetings to include public speaking will be

• Vale Planning Committee – Wednesday 29 July at 5pm
• South Oxfordshire Planning Committee – Thursday 5 August at 6pm

For Planning Committees those who have made representations on planning applications must register to address the committee by midday on the last working day before the meeting. For other committees, you must register by 5pm on the last working day before the meeting.

If you register to take part in a meeting, our Democratic Services team will then provide you with further information, including the joining instructions.

We’re advising everyone who does register to speak to also submit a written statement by midday on the day before the meeting to ensure their contribution can be included should they experience technical difficulties.

New powers for councils to help contain Covid-19 locally

You will no doubt be aware of the government’s announcement on 18 July on new regulations and a framework to help contain a local outbreak of Covid-19.  The framework includes an outline of additional powers for local authorities to help protect residents and businesses against the spread of the virus. These powers will sit with officers of the upper-tier authority, which in our case is Oxfordshire County Council.

We are working jointly with the county council and other Oxfordshire authorities and partners on the plans to introduce any measures that are needed in our districts to help to handle a local outbreak should it occur and our staff would form part of a wider county wide effort should there be a need for a larger, combined response under the direction of the Director of Public Health.

You can find out more information on the new powers in the government’s local guide here.

 

Leisure Centres and open swimming pools/splash pad areas

There has understandably been some disappointment around our announcement that our outdoor pools and splash pads will not be opening across the districts this year. It was a very difficult decision to make given how popular these facilities are, and perhaps more so this year with the lock down and travel restrictions, but it simply wasn’t going to be possible to open them and protect residents at the same time.

We therefore wanted to share the reasons behind GLL’s decision, which we agreed with:

• Opening the splash pads and pools would require implementing a Track and Trace System. This is not possible on the splash pads as they are unmanned so anyone developing Covid-19 symptoms could not inform others they may have been in contact with on the day.
• As the splash pads are unmanned, we’d also be unable to control the numbers of people using them and therefore would not be able to ensure social distancing was observed.
• It would not be possible to clean the facilities regularly enough to comply with the guidelines to keep the area Covid-safe. There’s also the added risk that the cleaning products required to tackle the virus, which contain substances like bleach, would end up washed into the river, causing significant harm to the environment and wildlife.
• The water used in the splash pad isn’t chemically treated and therefore heightens the safety risk.
• The nature of the facilities means water can end up in and out of people’s mouths, which heightens the risks around spreading the virus.
• The pool would need to be limited to lane swimming only and not for family/fun activities.
• The pool would be limited to how many people can use it at any one time. Only 16 swimmers could use it each hour compared to 80 normally.
• It takes between two and four weeks to get an outdoor pool ready in a normal season, which runs until early September.  With the additional requirements to comply with the government’s Covid-19 guidance there would be very little of the season left to justify operating.

 

Greater support to help people live independently

We have made it easier for people with disabilities, or who are vulnerable, to receive housing assistance grants and loans. This support is to help make their homes safer and more comfortable, to support them to live independently and to reduce hospital admissions.

While we’ve always provided a grants and loans service for vulnerable people to help their homes better suit their needs, our new Housing Assistance Grants and Loans policy has extended what’s on offer.

The maximum grant available has increased from £30,000 to £50,000 and a grant is also now available for people living with dementia. In addition, we are working to improve the service in order to reduce the waiting times for work to be carried out.

The first step for anybody who wants to apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant is to contact an Occupational Therapist to see if they’re eligible. For more information on applying for grants and loans please see our South and Vale dedicated website page.

 

South Oxfordshire Local Plan examination update

More than 800 people logged on to watch the first week of the public examination of the emerging South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2034, with over 150 people subscribing to watch the sessions regularly.

The matters discussed in week one included: Housing requirement, Housing trajectory and housing supply, Housing for everyone, and Design and Density.

Week two has so far focussed on Spatial Strategy and the Green Belt. The rest of the agenda for this week is:

• Thursday 23 July

• • 10am – Matter 7: Infrastructure (strategic);
  • 2pm – Matter 8: Climate change mitigation.

• Friday 24 July
  • Matter 9: Employment development; Inspector’s announcements

You can view the live feed online by visiting the examination hearing’s YouTube page.

For further information please visit – southoxon.gov.uk/examination.

 

Latest update on Civil Parking Enforcement

We have been involved in ongoing discussions on Civil Parking Enforcement (CPE) in Oxfordshire –where local authorities take over control of on-street parking enforcement, a responsibility that currently lies with Thames Valley Police in our areas.

A working group of Oxfordshire County Council, South Oxfordshire, Vale of White Horse and Cherwell district councils agreed to jointly investigate the feasibility of this for our districts.

A feasibility study was carried out by experts in this matter – RTA Associates and the county council is currently seeking views from the Department of Transport before considering any detailed programme for introducing CPE locally.

The county council and each of the districts would then need Cabinet approval to make an application to the government based on the recommendations of the final report. The councils are all aiming to seek the relevant approvals by October 2020.

Assuming all the authorities approve the proposals, CPE could be brought into effect in our area as early as November 2021.

In the meantime, and until CPE is implemented, any on-street enforcement like parking on double yellow lines is the responsibility of Thames Valley Police and should be reported by calling 101.

Reading Transport Strategy 2036

Reading Borough Council is seeking people’s views on its draft Transport Strategy 2036.  Their consultation is open until 30 August.

Communications

South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils

01235 422400

www.southoxon.gov.uk | @southoxon

www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk | @whitehorsedc

District Councillors Report for July 2020 now available online

Playgrounds and outdoor gyms advice

The government has just published this guidance and practical advice on how outdoor gym and playgrounds can be reopened and managed effectively to enable their use while minimising risk of transmitting COVID-19.

We are currently considering how and if we can re-open each of our own play areas safely, including any new signage we may need to put in place.  Where we can re-open a play area, we will encourage people to wash their hands before and after they visit, maintain social distancing, and to come back at a quieter time if the area looks busy.  

We will only re-open play areas when we have done our safety checks and put clear signage in place.  We continue to urge people not to use any play area equipment or enter play areas that are out of use or closed off.

Leisure centres update

 As things stand, indoor gyms and swimming pools must remain closed and we are still waiting for the government to confirm the timetable for them to reopen.  In the meantime, we are continuing to work on potential reopening plans to ensure we are ready once we’ve been given the go-ahead. 

New signage

Over the coming days we will be placing new signs around our public toilets to remind people to maintain social distancing and to wash their hands.  Our ‘Stay Safe, Give Space’ message will also be stencilled at key locations in our car parks, parks and mobile home parks.

Shielding guidance relaxed

You may have seen the government is relaxing the guidance for residents who are currently shielding from today (Monday 6 July).

We want all of our shielding residents to be aware that even after the guidance has been relaxed, we’re still available to provide support and advice – they can continue to call 01235 422600 or email communitysupport@southandvale.gov.uk.  Lines are open 9am to 6pm Monday to Saturday.

If you weren’t aware – the changes that come into place on 6 July state that people who are shielding:

• can meet in a group of up to 6 people outdoors, including people from different households, while maintaining strict social distancing

• no longer need to observe social distancing with other members of their household

• can form a ‘support bubble’ with one other household – all those in a support bubble will be able to spend time together inside each other’s homes, including overnight, without needing to socially distance.

  You can find the full details about how shielding arrangements are changing on the government’s website.

   

Virtual meetings update

We are currently testing a system to allow you, the general public and other organisations to take part directly in our online committee meetings.

The meetings are currently working well, and many town and parish councils and members of the public have contributed by providing a written statement, although 

officers hope to have the new system up and running very soon.

Cabinet takes place online this Thursday (9^th July) followed by full council on 16^th July. All meetings can be streamed via meeting links on the SODC website.

The Examination in Public of the Local Plan is also due to be streamed live, starting on 14^th July. Berinsfield issues are due to be discussed at 2pm on 30^th July.

New Thames Champion for South Oxfordshire

Cllr Jo Robb, ward councillor for Woodcote and Rotherfield, is taking on the newly created role of Thames Champion.  The River Thames is one of our most precious natural assets and Cllr Robb will be networking with river users, councillors and neighbouring councils to improve access to the river, and to protect and enhance its biodiversity and cleanliness. 

Open for Business

Through our various social media profiles, following work from SODC licensing, environmental health and business support teamns, we’re helping to spread the word that town centres, shops and businesses are now open, and how shoppers can get involved while – importantly – staying safe. We’re joining the national social media campaign #OpenForBusiness to show the extra hard work staff in the shops and parishes have put in to reopen and protect their customers and staff.

Local shops and businesses can join in using the hashtags #OpenForBusiness #ShopLocalStaySafe and tagging @southoxon.

We’ll retweet or share your post to help spread the word that the shop has opened and is ready for customers.

Robin Bennett

District Councillor’s Report