Visiting a friend in Lechlade road the other evenng, I could not help but notice the predicament of all the residents of the cottages there, who have no places except on the road and squeezed along the roadside on the raised verges to park their cars.
The nearby school yard, however, remained empty and padlocked.
It seems like a sensible idea to share this space and allow residents to park their cars there say, between four thirty pm and eight am.
One of the local residents tells me that the education authority has been approached, but wouldnt allow residents to park their cars there without payment.
Would it really cost the authority anything? Isnt it time common sense prevailed over tribalism ?
Hilary Taylor
I've heard that a planning application has been made for the erection of industrial buildings in the field between the Peugeot maintenance garage(Industrial Estate), the footpath and the track at the end of Southampton St.
Presumably there will be access roads needed from the industrial estate.
Wouldn't it be good if there could then be access to the land behind Willes Close (Town Council preferred place for a skate park).
This could open up the possibilities in how this land is used (it's owned by Faringdon/Town Council)- perhaps a Community Centre, or even housing to make some money for the town?
G Webb
I've heard that Oxfordshire County Council have a project to install Broadband communications to the Community College and the library (where there will be 3 PCs)- should happen during 2003, but it seems the project is already running late.
It seems it is not being extended to other areas of the town - it's an Education dept project so presumably their world is only schools and libarraies - seems an opportunity lost.
Still it is(or will be) a step forward
G Webb
I know the folly trust do it once a year, but as regulars, and small children know, this is not enough. besides, when it was done at easter, this was the first time in 18 months, in which time it had grown to be repulsive, and a natural draw for mispent youth.
and if I get one more pathetic excuse about the wrong type of weedkiller, diversion of funds from little kiddies the sick or the elderly, I'll do my nut.
Dom Matterson
In response to the councillor...
the comment states very clearly at the start that the responsibility lies with the county council and that the town council's responsibilty is to make sure views are heard and represented fully at county level. not that the folly or the trust is the reponsibility of the tc. it also states the the cc will get the petition when the time is right.
Where does the word "ultimately" appear in that comment, in relation to the town council or indeed anything? is the councillor feeling a little defensive? does he protest too much?
I'm glad the tc have been making representations to the cc and its representatives, I quote, "for a very long time", thereby of course demonstrating what a toothless unit they are and what a complacent and arrogant organisation the cc is.
As regards the recent pre easter clearance of the folly path, congratulations. What do you want ? a biscuit? Once in 18 months is not good enough. sustained improvement is what is required, and not just the folly path. the approach to folly path is disgusting as well. come to that most of the london road wall is overgrown as is the short footpath leading towards the sudbury house hotel.
When visitors come in to faringdon via london road, is their first impression
a) "my what a sweet well maintained near the cotswolds historic market town this must be..." or is it
b) "God almighty, i'm glad our own town council get more done in our town than this lot here.... yuk. lets not move here dear, the councils obviously don't care, what a filthy looking place".
Perhaps it is time to put up a couple of naff bogus park road style 'historic town walls' on london road for a few grand. far better to spend money like that than clean the place up.
Dom Matterson
Has anyone noticed the magic cats eyes along the A420 - around the area of the pub and the corner before the Longcot straights. They look like normal cats eyes until you look in your mirror and see them glowing behind you.
How do they do that? Does anyone know??
Josephine Wood
Apparently the County has employed a contractor to spray weeds in South Oxfordshire- hopefully this includes Faringdon, especially the Stanford Road.
They won't be coming around to clear away dead weeds, as it is too expensive. It is not certain whether there will be a second spraying later in the year, as it is not known how much this one will cost!!
G Webb
I have been told by someone at South Oxfordshire PCT that sale of the Old Health Centre was advertised in the Oxford Times and Estates Gazette. Sealed bids have been received and it is thought that the preferrred bid is under negotiation. No timescales were given.
G Webb
I've heard it said that the Old Town Hall - lovely though it is - does not raise enough income to cover its expenses. This was true of the Corn Exchange for 01/02 too - and that's with the Vale WHDC owning the building and presumably having responsibility for some repairs.
Not sure what the Town Council can do to make the Old Town Hall viable- but it doesn't seem a good idea to plan even more meeting rooms (eg the Pump Rooms (Community Centre)) in the town that will need to be subsidised from our Council Tax.
Gene Webb
14/5/02
This is the moving of responsibility for the road from a national highways body to Oxfordshire County Council
It seems that the County Council agree to detrunking in principle, but there will be some detailed points to discuss, of which most important locally, will be any plans to improve A417/A420 junction.
I don't really know what the pros and cons of detrunking are - only that the Town Council and Judith Heathcoat (County Cnclr) have formally objected to the proposal.
Perhaps one of you have more info?
G Webb
14/5/02
Due to decisions made by former councillors (in the 1970s) maintenance of the walls that surround All Saints Church and grass cutting in the churchyard are the responsibility of the Town Council.
I have been told that a quotation of £30k has been received to remove the ivy and repair the front wall (Church St). The JET group have decided this is too much money and are seeking a quotation from a local builder.
It seems that the Church are making no contributions towards this repair cost.
The church and surrounds are an important feature of Faringdon, and so should be well cared for- just seems a bit unreasonable that the Church bears none of the costs.
G Webb
14/5/02
The Folly Access
. Sorry to keep on but I really can't allow you to get away with comments like "responsibility goes back to the Town council who are ultimately responsible". It just is not true.
The Folly Trust is a completely independant organisation set up by Lord Berners to maintain the Folly.
At no time has the Town Council had any ownership or responsibility for it or for the access to it.
You should also know that the Town Council has been making representations to the County and the County Councillor (who is the person you should be addressing) for a very long time.
In fact action has been taken as anybody who has been up to the Folly recently will know.
It really is about time that you used your excellent site to to complain and comment to the correct people and bodies.
Cnclr Hickmore
14/5/02
I agree with Alison Moore, and it is the County Council who are responsible for the paths and general maintenance of Stanford Road and the lower part of the main Folly path. It is the Folly Trust who are responsible for the upkeep of the top end and the paths and benches around the Folly itself.
It is the County Council who will get the petition when the time is right, backed up with (god willing) local press, radio and television coverage.
However, 'subbing out' the maintenance to the Folly Trust does not mean that the Council are free of responsibility. If the Trust can't/won't pull their weight, then the responsibity defaults back to the Council, to whom they are answerable. Councils love to hide behind this kind of fudge.
It is the Town Council's responsibity to make sure that the residents' views are heard and represented fully at County level, and it is they who have the job of leaning on the CC if work needs to be done.
The town council would love to absolve themselves of blame at the first opportunity, but should remember their responsibilties.
On the point of residents looking after their own, absolutely, but if the Council leave a place looking like a dump then people will treat it like a dump. If it is kept respectable, then people will treat it with more respect. A little naive? Perhaps, but I'll bet once it is done and acted upon, people will behave differently.
Congratulations on the car park toilets. just goes to show what we can get done. That was another classic example of council negligence, that borders on near complete contempt for Faringdon, and its residents. It is somewhere else that you can't take your children in Faringdon.
Far better for them to link up with lots of foreign towns and spend our money going there rather than clean their own up.
And they always fall back on nice bit of emotional blackmail about ramps for the disabled or underprivileged this or that. In the hope that we will go away.
As for feeble excuses about EU regulations and weedkiller, for the abundance of unwelcome weeds across the town... instead of having lots of infernally dull meetings, why don't they pop over to Wantage and ask them how they keep their square and streets clear of weeds, or Chipping Norton.
As someone once said (and I'm not sure who) - "Rome wasn't built by having meetings....Rome was built by killing people".
A little strong perhaps, but I know what they mean.
Dom Matterson
13/5/02
"Loo of the year competition". Yes this has been running for many years. It is a national competition which for some years was won by the gents loo at Shepherds Bush Green. An amazing place which had goldfish in glass cisterns - and was always kept immaculately. I don't know if it still exists in the same way.
Until recently (about 18 months ago) the public loo in Faringdon was highly commended and the then cleaner was congratulated in full Council (VWHDC) for her dedication and the excellent state of the toilets.
Unfortunately the demands of cleaning it five times a day was too much after four years and she resigned. A great shame.
I believe the VWHDC has had problems replacing her - hence the terrible condition it got into.
This really is the sort of thing which District Councillors should deal with!!
Cnclr Alan Hickmore
13/5/02
Faringdon Public Toilets- progress
I sent my comments and photographs to the appropriate body, in Abingdon, and I am delighted to say there has been an improvement.
Long may it continue, and I am looking forward to the day when litter bins appear in the building, and when the disabled toilet is -er- open for business.
Hilary Taylor , 8/5/02
PS: I was bemused to learn that there is a 'Loo of the Year' competition. Can anyone illuminate this subject for us?
Make comments or make a complaint about cleanliness to VWHDC via
Email martin.litherland@whitehorsedc.gov.uk
Disgusting isn't it?? But this is what you see when you
visit the public lavatories in the car
park in Faringdon. Not only you, but me, and any other residents,
tourists, visitors to the town. We pay for these lavatories to be regularly
cleaned, yet, out of interest, I have visited them on a number of times
recently and found on each occasion the floors littered with empty bottles,
cigarette ends, and miscellaneous debris. I know that public loos get dirty
quickly but the ones in Faringdon aren't inundated with visitors, so where is
the cleaner - for whom we are paying?Hilary Taylor
The conference which was called to explore the development of rural market towns in the South East was a vital and important step in raising the profile of Faringdon among our fellow parishes and towns - but also amongst future funding agencies when we reach the next (implementation) stage (of the Healthcheck).
It is very important that everybody in the Town is committed to the project so that we can see Faringdon develop in the way that the Townspeople want.
I am interested that "GW" can't see the relevance (or accuracy) of my comments.
I would like to see more on this - rather than a somewhat broad and unfounded statement.
Cnclr Alan Hickmore
Street Cleanliness in Faringdon
Where as I agree totally about the comments on the state of the litter, dog mess, broken glass, I think it should be remembered that it is the people of Faringdon themselves who create the mess.
We do need new dog bins up on the Folly Hill, and in Stanford Road, the bins elsewhere in the town are very well used.
We need to ensure that the correct Council and Councillors are nagged to get these jobs done.
I don't believe that the Town Council has any control over the maintenance of Folly Hill, I think that it is the Vale of White Horse and the Folly Trust, but perhaps our Town Council can apply pressure again to get these problems sorted.
Faringdon is a Town with so much to offer but it is the residents we need to educate about litter.
There is going to be a clean up Faringdon day on Sunday 5th May, usually only Town Councillors and 6/7 turn up for this but hopefully this year there will be a few more , meeting at the Corn Exchange at 11am.
I think the Website is Great!!!
Alison H Moore
25/4/02
Helping the police with their enquiries/work - Faringdon Police Station
If you have some free time available and want to help the local community, become part of the police volunteer support team.
To help the police have more time to be out and about in the town, give help with routine office work, reception and working with the public.
There is no upper age restriction. You specify the hours you can give. The police will provide any training that is needed.
More info on www.thamesvalley.police.uk/recruiting/indexvol.htm
Contact jenni.collins@thamesvalley.police.uk
Faringdon Healthcheck
One area of the Faringdon Healthheck is to look at the existing transport and traffic situation, identify problems and come up with suggestions of how it could be improved.
So if you would like to comment on public transport, parking in Faringdon, traffic issues - congestion, speed etc, please email me and I'll incorporate your views in the study
Gene Webb 23/4/02
genewebb@clara.net
NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH relaunch, Westland Road
At a meeting in the Bell Hotel yesterday, a small number of residents met to relaunch at least part of Neighbourhood Watch in Westland Road. I was asked to be the local co-ordinator for the lower end section.
If you wish to contact me on any subject to do with neighbourhood watch you have three alternatives as shown below
Hector Paroussi, 25 Westland Road
Westland Road (Lower End) Faringdon Co-ordinator.
Tel 01367 240696 if engaged Mobile 07766 004 227 E/mail hparoussi@hotmail.com
Faringdon Pre School Appeal
£100,000 is needed in the next 12 months to buy a new school building. There will be a number of fund raising initiatives.
For donations, support or information call Mary Thomas 01367 243588