Faringdon News& Views

faringdon-online community web site home	talking points
	march - may 2005

Faringdon - Best Market Town - 20/05/05 Well, I voted for us, anyway! here were my reasons It's community spirit, it's great people, it's new Arts Festival, it's old church, it's Fairtrade status (first in the South East) it's Folly tower - and it's 'Faringdon-Online' web site Hilary Taylor You can vote on http://www.countrylife.co.uk/webforms/favourite_market_town.php
Planning - 18 Coxwell Road - 18/5/05 I've heard that at the Planning Committee meeting all the Conservative councillors voted against giving planning permission, and all the Libdem councillors except one (who abstained) voted to approve the application. It seems likely that the one Libdem councillor who abstained was actually against giving permission, but chose not to vote 'against the party' So they all vote on party lines - not, it seems, for the community. If you add to this that Council committees are made up of councillors in the same proportions as the overall numbers in each party for that council area, the lead party will always have more representatives on a committee than the opposition. OK so there are labour councillors too and perhaps independents, but the whole system seems to me to be rigged so that the lead party can control and dominate irrespective of local issues and local views So much for democracy and local representation I'm not sure if this approach to forming committees is in local government law, or whether all the partys just like it that way - for fairly obvious reasons. Name supplied
Car Sharing - 15/5/05 I hope you've all noticed the Car Pool scheme we've put on the Home Page. You can advertise for a lift or to give a lift Have a look at http://www.faringdon.org/mscarpoolinfo.htm Do use it Gene Webb, Hilary Taylor
Dr Who - 14/5/05 Congratulations to Paul Cornell of Faringdon for a great episode (no 8, called Father's Day) of Dr Who - it was believable(sort of), very funny with much more human interest than weird monsters. They meddled with time and brought Rose's father back to life- it was 1987, she met him, it was emotional, the world had changed because of it- so he had to die again - but this time not alone I hope you didn't miss it- but if you did you could look at http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/video/index.shtm and also http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/confidential/index.shtml for Dr Who confidential - behind the scenes action and thoughts Listen out for the Didcot line!! Gene Webb A new fan of Dr Who
Parking - 11/5/05 Just imagine how things would be if a parking warden patrolled the streets of Faringdon! I expect he/she'd be lynched in hours :) As much as I don't agree with police wasting their time on parking matters, I'd rather it was them than a warden anyday. Name supplied
While We're Being Environmentally Aware....- 11/5/05 What about a car-share scheme in Faringdon? If we're all going to buy proper shopping bags instead of getting free plastic bags, lets extend the sentiment further.... I drive to Didcot and back every day, departing at around 6:45am and returning from Didcot around 7pm. There is an empty seat in my car. I would be happy to offer a lift to anyone email garthpool@yahoo.co.uk if they so need it and would urge other Faringdon residents traveling regularly doing the same. Perhaps a page could be added to this excellent website where you can state your availability? What do we think? Mel Taylor Ed: Sounds a good idea to me. Anyone else interested?
18 Coxwell Rd... Now David, don't be shy, tell us what your really think !- 11/5/05 I agree with everything David Reynolds says about the Coxwell Road proposal and how it has been dealt with by our District Council. If his criticisms seem harsh it should be pointed out that his statement is considered by many to be the diplomatic version of what so many of us are feeling. Hilary and Gene would probably, quite correctly, censor what we really think. So I will try to be equally as politically correct .. Dundas Court (The former Health Centre) was completed more than a year ago and there are now signs of life ..two cars and a motorbike to be precise. The Swan Lane Development has so far had no queues of potential buyers camping outside and there are 'For Sale' or 'To Let' signs all over Faringdon. The inscription on the Statue of Liberty says.."Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses" But I don't think it suggests sending them to Faringdon. For a start there would be nowhere for them to park. So, Question..Why does a Developer from somewhere near Milton Keynes want to build here in Fun-Filled-Faringdon ? Answer....Enormous profits for the Developer... and the Land Owner. Question.. Why should the Vale Planning Department oppose this perfectly legal business deal ? Answer.....The reason is given in the Vale's Council Vision first published in October 1995. One of its stated aims is: To improve the quality of life of all members of the community." There are at least three hundred members of this community plus our own Town Council who do not believe that this development will improve the quality of their lives and the Vision makes no mention at all of Developers from Milton Keynes. As I see it the eight councillors who supported this profit motivated scheme have let us, and themselves, down. Shame on you ! Harry G Mitchell (NIMBY)
18 Coxwell Road Proposal - 10/5/05 Once again the residents of Faringdon get kicked in the teeth by the powers that be in Abingdon. I regret to inform that the Planning Committee at the Vale of White Horse last night voted in favour of the proposal to build 16 dwellings on the site accessed via Elm Road. Apparently the proposal fits current criteria and the valid objections and concerns of 300 residents on the Orchard Hill Estate on road safety, noise and pollution, character and appearance and the dangerous precedent this proposal sets were disregarded. Some Councillors did support our corner but the vote went to 8/7 in favour of the proposal with 1 abstention. Personally, I believe this decision is disgraceful as do the many residents of the Orchard Hill Estate who will be affected by it. I am also disgusted at the process and treatment meted out to the public during these planning meetings. Cllr Richard Farrell (Chair) opened the meeting by calling for more transparency and openess in the Planning Committee to gain the trust of the public. He then went on to interrupt me twice during my statement, on the second occasion to incorrectly tell me I had run out of my allotted time. For your information at these Planning Meetings the public have only 3 minutes in total to speak so every second is crucial and believe me, when your 3 minutes are up you are simply cut off. I sincerely hope that in the Vale's search for "public trust" more attention is given to listening to the words of the public speaker than is given to monitoring how long it takes to say those words. I am also staggered that one of the Councillors abstained particularly as she was against the proposal and her vote would have altered the decision. What is the point of sitting on a Planning Commitee if you are not prepared to make a decision? Yes, I am annoyed. Not just because this particular proposal has been passed but also at the obvious contempt and disregard with which the public are treated by the Vale. Beware, you could be next! David Reynolds david@reynolds46.fsnet.co.uk
...and even more! - 09/05/05 There are in fact, two separate problems, one being the lack of residential parking, and the other being indiscriminate illegal parking along the main shopping areas There are many causes - One is the overall increased use of cars; with many town centre cottages occupied by relatively affluent couples/families with more than one car. Another reason (in the shopping area) is the loss of loading space behind the shops in London Street as these accesses have gradually all been granted planning permission for small developments. Many of the residential developments in the town centre have inadequate parking - and the older town centre cottages and houses often have no provision at all except 'on-street' , having been built before motor transport was heard of. Most of the little parcels of land in the town centre hinterland have also gone to residential development. This seems to be a problem faced by very many towns with narrow streets and limited access. It isnt the loss of parking spaces in the Market square which has caused these problems, though that has made the 'shopping' one slightly worse. Many people have simply become lazy about parking in the designated car parks; after all, no-one expects to go into Swindon and certainly not Oxford and park outside a town centre shop, but here, as has been pointed out, the authorities' attitude towards illegal parking is inconsistent and lax. No-one is going to relinquish the convenience of parking right outside their chosen shop, or on the double yellow lines right outside their house, unless they are obliged to or suffer the consequenses of their actions in the shape of a fine or two, but the police cannot be everywhere at once, and the traffic wardens seem to visit only sporadically. Our planning authority mainly comprises people who don't live here, and they do not seem very aware of the day-to-day problems which we have. As for the lack of residents' parking; until car parking land has higher priority and becomes as valuable as residential development land there will be little incentive for improvement; after all, if we all owned bits of land and had the choice between selling it for development or at considerably less profit, for a car park, which would we choose, I wonder....? Hilary Taylor
....and more - 09/05/05 I just hope that the people who are complaining about the parking problems the town centre is now facing are not the same ones who applauded the "improvements" to the market place, anyone with an ounce of sense knew that removing parking spaces in the town centre would cause this problem, unfortunately, the sensible people of this town never go to the meetings, as it is, so it always will be. name supplied
More illegal parking - 8/5/05 I too live in a road where illegal parking is rife. Most days there is at least one car parked on the double yellow lines all day, often less than three feet from my front door. No action ever seems to be taken. Stage Coach buses used to come down London Street, being much more convenient for those who live at the east side of the town, but now they have stopped using this route as the illegally parked cars made their passage too difficult, and also we have lost the bus service to Bath for the same reason. Name supplied
Illegal Parking - 8/5/05 The police are NOT taking a tough line re parking in Faringdon. They are taking an arbitrary and inconsistant line. When traffic is heavy and illegally parked vehicles are causing an obstruction you cannot get anyone to take notice for love nor money. We have had vehicles parked illegally in our road at rush hour times when the bus and other large vehicles can't get through. Call the police! Haha. Twenty minutes hanging on the line. Bus outside can't move. Nobody cares. Three o'clock in the morning, no obstruction, no problem, every one one inch over a double line gets ticketed. There is one young lady who parks illegally all day, every day. She has received two tickets in six months. she obviously feels it's worth it as it hasn't stopped her. This might seem like a joke rant, but to be honest if an ambulance or fire engine needed to get through in these circumstances it is probable that the legally parked vehicles would be shunted as they are the easiest. Personal opinion is that just ONE week of ticketing every illegal parker every day followed up by the same the following month would mainly resolve the issue. Name Supplied
Illegal Parking - 05/05/05 The law may well be an ass, and you may well feel that you have unfavourably treated, however it is a positive move that the police authority are taking a tough line on illegal parking in Faringdon. Nobody wants to live in a cowboy town!!!! Name supplied
Skate Park in Faringdon - 28/4/05 Dear interested parties We are a small group of mothers who would like to see a skate park in Faringdon. On Monday we are going to walk in support of a skate park in the MADD parade If you or your children would like to join us please meet at 12.45pm in the Junior Scool playground with a skateboard. Look forward to seeing you Best wishes Mandy James.
Plastax survey - Multiple votes per household - 28/4/05 From the Faringdon PLASTAX Survey results so far (have you taken the survey yet? See Homepage of this site www.faringdon.org - top centre ) it's becoming clear that most of us WOULD like to be better ethical consumers - and we don't mind a bit of help by being charged for our laziness should we forget to bring our long-life bags when we go shopping! That's great. Keep voting! However - in order to ensure that the results are representative and can't easily be cooked, the survey only allows one vote per computer. Should there be more members of the same household who wish to register their vote, then they will need to do so using different computers. A survey that's more rigorous than postal voting in the general election therefore... Sjoerd
BBC RaW Stories - 27/4/05 RaW stories is a BBC Project ahead of the BBC's big literacy programme October 2005 - 2008 and it is very much to reach out to people who may not think the BBC is relevant to them, who feel marginalised, and their experiences undervalued. We are proposing running workshops between now and mid July to begin to establish contacts which the BBC can work with when the big project kicks off and to begin raising awareness around literacy and the importance of everybody's stories. We don't have to call what we do literacy. Really these are fun workshops that will help to raise the confidence of participants and help them to tell their stories. We will be working on some basic skills to help tell their side of a story, validate their experiences etc. These are one off workshops after which some participants will be offered the opportunity to work more with the BBC to turn their stories into broadcast material, including learning to edit if they wish etc. I don't know if this would be of interest to anyone you know in Faringdon in anyway, or if you can put us in touch with other groups for whom something like this might be more appropriate. It would be great if we could find a way of working alongside you to offer these workshops if you feel this is appropriate. We aim to work within existing frameworks so that we don't just jet in and then out again and there isn't any follow up, or contact afterwards. We hope to have 8-12 people per group (25+ years, although this is fairly flexible), and would be happy to offer to run workshops to meet demand. We can put posters and advertising in the post if that helps. Do let me know if I can give you any more information. I look forward to hearing from you Anna Fowler 01865 242974 anna.fowler@homecall.co.uk More information
Plastic Bags - 27/4/05 We always need plastic bags for recycling in the Charity Shop AfPiC. Although we are more than delighted when customers don't wish to use one. I think the fairtrade bag is wonderfull and we have sold loads. And I love mine. But won't a bag free town be great!!!!!!!! Alison Moore
Litter walk - 23/4/05 I don’t know if you will be coming out as far as Folly View Road but if you want to see a really dirty path look no further than the path running between FVR and Leamington Drive It is always in a terrible mess. I asked the council repeatedly if a bin could be placed on the path as there is currently no bin from Costcutters all the way up to the school, so the kids get there snack and then dump the litter on route to school. The man at the council was of the opinion that the kids would’nt use it anyway ! He got so fed up with me calling he told me he would not return anymore of my calls !! Lucky for him he doesn’t live by it !! Ruth Mitchell ED: I suggest you contact one of our local VWHDC councillors and/or get friends and family to innundate the Council on waste.team@whitehorsedc.gov.uk To report other street problems see www.faringdon.org/tareportproblems.htm
My cat - 23/4/05 Just a little up date on my poorly cat who was shot on March 29th, to any interested people out there. She has been very poorly, lots a sickness and diarrhoea. She now has an infection in the leg and is back on antibiotics after another trip to see the specialist vet in Birmingham on Tuesday 19th April. The vets bill is now near to £2300.00 which although we are insured have yet to see any of back yet. The police have taken a statement and The folly paper have visited us and we will be in next issue. SHAME on who ever did this, the stress and anxiety to me and my family as been awful and we have a long way to go yet. Ruth Mitchell
Tourist Information centre and Pump House - 21/4/05 I braved a Faringdon Town Council Meering last week.- here are some of the items discussed Tourist Information Centre FTC have had discussions with VWHDC and Tourism SE with a view to taking over the running of the TI Centre. It would cost £15k (net) in the first year. It was suggested the money would be found as follows: £4k from VWHDC ( TUPE) £4k JEFF £2k from Corn Exchange Bar franchise surplus £4.5k Willes Close skate park fund(currently £15.3k) £0.5 Didn't note this down A working party has been set up to consider this further, including the location - either the Pump House, or the Old Town Hall. and where the running costs for following years will come from Pump House Cncllr John Gillman put forward a paper indicating the options for the Pump House. This was not discussed. The current plan, however, continues - ie to open all floors of the old building and mothball the Community Room(former bar) and the theatre. There was no discussion of the spend do far, or what monies remain from the £150k loan and the capital sums raised through the Council Tax. It does appear though that work to cost about £60k is under discussion John Gillmans paper showed that the direct running costs of the Pump House are estimated at £22.8k per annum (inc £9k for a part time caretaker), with income estimated at £4.5k in year 1. (the costs exclude the cost of the loan £12k pa, share of overheads, or if my suspicions are correct, the rest of the salary for the caretaker) There is disabled access to the ground floor only. The meeting stated that there is no necesssity to have disabled access to or a fire escape from upper floors, though I gather that maybe FTC will install a stair lift for disabled access to the first floor. I know someone who has been into the Pump House - apparently it is looking really good Gene Webb
Poor Traffic Signage in Faringdon Town Centre - 21/4/05 Working in the town centre I am becoming increasingly concerned about the amount of traffic using the 'Buses Only' lane in the Market Place (immediately outside Sadlers and the Crown Hotel). On numerous occasions I witness vehicles of all descriptions using this as a short cut into Church Street with little or no regard for pedestrians or buses. I have more than once nearly been struck as a pedestrian crossing this road. I do genuinely believe that visitors to the Town get confused in Cornmarket and bear left into this lane without noticing the 'Buses Only' sign. However it is also obvious that a number of drivers who regularly travel through the town centre are deliberately using this 'short cut'. The purpose of this message is two fold. Firstly pedestrians beware of the danger. I am so concerned about the risks that I now challenge drivers given the opportunity and point out that the lane is not for their use. Secondly if anyone in authority reads this (I have written to the Town Council) please can you do something about it - more prominent signage may be necessary and spot Police checks at busy times of the day would soon deter the guilty offenders Name Supplied
Car Parking - 29/4/05 Memo to local government officials: how to kill off a small market town in Oxfordshire: 1) Increase the rates for parking in the town's public car parks for a second time in the year; 2) Ask your community police to apply fixed penalty notices to ALL cars parked on single yellow lines, even when these yellow lines seem to be there for no reason, and the cars are not causing any congestion or obstruction; 3) Sit back, relax, and watch everbody go to supermarkets or neighbouring towns (e.g. Wantage, Burford) with free parking! How are those of us who live and maintain the older houses in the heart of town, and who are reliant on the town centre street- and car-parking to park our cars while we WALK to the LOCAL shops and services, supposed to carry on living here? Our car was ticketed on Monday 18 April on the single yellow line outside no.s 9-13 Gloucester street (a line that even the Highways Agency admit is completely spurious) while we were walking to the medical practice on Volunteer Way. This seemed like the right thing to do, as Government and bodies such as Transport 2000 suggest that cars should not be used for jouneys of less than 2 miles. And yet, ironically, if we had taken the car, we would have missed the traffic police and not got the ticket! Mark Allen
Dundas Court, Faringdon - 18/4/05 As I am sure you know this is the old health centre which has been turned into a shared ownership housing scheme to help local youngsters and key workers get onto the property ladder. One or two of the properties have recently become available and we have been asked to help the housing association find suitable people who may qualify. If anyone thinks that they fit the bill please contact me. Terry Miles Camerons The Studio, 90 Walm Lane, London, NW2 4QY. Tel: 0208 459 0091 Fax: 0208 451 3337 Email: trm@cameronslondon.com
Misquote from Animal Farm.. "Wounding cat is BAD. Killing fox is Good* - 15/4/05 I'm not very fond of cats....They frighten my goldfish, they kill birds in my garden leaving pathetic piles of feathers and they think my nicely raked soil is preferable to their litter boxes. BUT I can understand that for many people a cat is a valued part of the family and I can appreciate the misery which the recent shooting has brought to its owners. They, particularly the children, have my sympathy. As to the shooter..Scum ? Mindless idiot? or just a bored teenager ? Who knows ? And if he, or she, is ever traced what will happen to them ? Will they be excused because they come from a broken home, had a deprived childhood or just didn't think they would hit anything ? Final thought.. I wonder, how do those who believe it is OK to have foxes torn apart by dogs react to this more obvious but less trendy cruelty ? Name suppied
Skateboarding - 15/04/05 I am concerned to hear that some of the funding previously earmarked for a skate boarding facility in Faringdon, has been allocated to other local projects including keeping the Tourist Office open. I would be grateful if someone who knows the background to this could post an update on the situation. Believe it or not, there are many young people who are still hopeful that a site will eventually be identified, and indeed many local people who are frustrated by the numbers of youngsters on the streets of Faringdon with no where to go. A first step to breathing new life into this project will be to establish exactly what funding exists and why, if the fund has been raided, what plans there are to repay. I would also urge the council to seriously consider, if it doesn’t already have this mechanism in place, a means of giving the youth of Faringdon a voice, in line with broad social and educational policy. Alice Randall
More 18 Coxwell Rd. - 14/04/05 Harry Mitchell has summarised the history pretty well. This is the sixth planning application relating to this land (and should not be confused with version No. 5, which is also still grinding on). Many readers may recall that last summer with your support we defeated application number 4. That was to create a new junction on Coxwell and a new access road to be squeezed through the gap between our house, 16 Coxwell Road, and 20 Coxwell Road. This new road would run the entire length of our house and garden. We felt it would have a very damaging impact on our property and also for that matter on number 20, which would lose most of its gardens. We were immensely grateful for the support we received last year and impressed by the thoroughness with which the planning committee considered the application. To our huge relief they eventually voted for rejection. This latest application (version 6) is a repeat of last year’s application (version 4) with some minor technical alterations. It is exactly the same in principle. It will have exactly the same effect on our house and garden and it will have the same implications for traffic and pedestrians on Coxwell Road. There is an undeniable tendency to get worn down by this process of repeated planning applications. But if you still think this proposal is a bad idea, please do send a letter to Mr Deans at VWHDC Planning Department, PO Box 127 Abbey House, Abingdon OX14 3JN. Please quote reference number GFA/4905/6-X. There is still a little time for letters of objection to be taken into account and as we know from past experience (including the battle with Thames Water) these things do really matter and People Power really can work. David Janata & Fiona Duffen
18 Coxwell Road development- with apologies - 10/4/05 Yes, I know it's boring reading yet another article about the proposed development. I find it boring writing about it so I'll keep this update as brief as possible: The object of the exercise is to maximise the profit from selling a large, now superfluous family home by replacing the house, tennis court and swimming pool with a small estate. This is the saga so far: Proposals 1, 2 and 3 have been considered by the District Planners and rejected. They are history Proposal 4 was rejected by the VWHDC and an attempt to over-rule their decision is going to appeal in Bristol in October Proposal 5 was rejected by the VWHDC mainly because the access route was completely unacceptable Proposal 5 (amended) is the same as Proposal 5 but with no mention of the offending access route. The suggestion that Posh and Bex are showing an interest and might overcome the access problem by replacing the tennis court with a Helipad is ridiculous....or is it ? Proposal 6 is exactly the same as proposal 4 but involves an ACOUSTIC BARRIER which, I understand, will be as much use as a chocolate fireguard. This has been rejected by the Town Council and is now waiting for yet another discussion by our very patient and long suffering District Council. Harry G Mitchell
Poor cat - 9/4/05 I sincerely hope you find the scum who shot your cat. Makes me sick. Another aspect of life here is tainted... Name supplied
Race for life - 7/4/05 I am a female, 30 something year old nurse, just moved to Faringdon, would like to start wheezing/running in order to take part in the Race for Life - any other women interested? Please email me! aliavery@msn.com
My cat has been shot - 6/4/05 I wanted to make the people of Faringdon Aware of an incident that took place on Tuesday 29th March 2005. My young two year old Black/white female cat was shot by some mindless idiot. This happened we think around 7.00 in the morning. She returned home to our house on Folly View Road at around 7.15 extremely distressed and obviously badly hurt. A trip to the vet revealed by xray that she had not as we first thought been hit by a car but shot in the top of the leg with an air riffle. Since then she has needed to see an orthopedic specialist near Birmingham to under go a long operation in order to save the leg. She has since returned home but is far from better. The leg now has external fixates to hold the pins and rods in place and now it’s a case of keeping an eye out for infection and keeping her confined to a small cage so she has no movement for sixteen weeks and she will need to return to Birmingham to have further operations and reviews and of course see the local vet as well. Luckily we are insured as already the vet bill is near to £2000. We as a family have been extremely shocked and upset, how do I explain to my two young sons why someone did this? It was bad enough then we thought she had been hit by a car but to know someone out there took pleasure in doing this to our treasured family pet is defies belief. The lack of respect to another living creature and the family behind that animal is absolutely despicable. I understand that not everyone likes cats but what would make this behavior acceptable, there are other way of deterring a cat and if it was just for ‘sport’ this person is the lowest of the low. The police were very interested in finding who did this, so if anyone out there knows anything ,no matter how small. All little bits of information add up to a bigger picture PLEASE contact the police on 01235 776000 Crime number MC 9248211/05 . What could this person shoot next ? I enclosed my e-mail if anyone needs to contact me direct : ruth.mitchell@firenet.uk.net
Cash available for clubs and groups - 6/4/05 Could your group, club or pre school make use of a cash injection? The Oxfordshire Community Foundation has £000s to spend in the Faringdon area. If you are involved with community groups please come along to our lunch at: The Corn Exchange in Faringdon from 12.30-2 on 12th April for further details and a sandwich. Or call 01865 798666 or view our website www.oxfordshire.org
Plastic or paper bags - 5/4/05 I was very impressed by Sjoerd Vogt's information about the adverse environmental effects of plastic bags and felt quite guilty about my light hearted suggestion that we should use paper bags. I admired his knowledge of the subject which I assumed was the result of intense research and felt I owed it to him to investigate further. (Well, the alternative was to watch TV so it was really no contest.) It took only a few minutes to find that his article was a straight 'copy and paste' job from a site called 'reusablebags.com' This site is in the business of selling reusable bags like the ones favoured by Mr Vogt and while I am sure the facts they give are probably correct, and I have no objection to a little plagiarism, they can hardly claim to be unbiased. So at the moment I will continue to use plastic bags despite the fact that I now feel that maybe I shouldn't.. Meanwhile I am looking for a site called 'Brownpaperbagsareus.com to get another slant on the argument. Harry Mitchell
Dr Who - 1/4/05 Local writer Paul Cornell has written episode eight of the new series of Doctor Who, probably to be broadcast on May 14th. Paul has also written several episodes of Casualty, and is the author of two novels, Something More and British Summertime. Gene Webb
Pump Rooms- 24/3/05 It is a pity that your report was not factual but influenced by your own prejudices. It is a fact that the Pump Rooms are likely to be a cost to the Town whether we keep them for public use or try to return them to the landlord for his own purposes. The reasons are clear: 1) The landlord (understandably) wants his premises brought up to a standard that is acceptable to his advisors. This is a condition of the lease. The cost of doing so is the costs currently being incurred. 2) The landlord does not want the premises back. He has made it absolutely clear that his main concerns are that the building should be brought into good order and maintained - as the lease requires - for the benefit of the people of Faringdon. 3) The facility that is about to be provided for the people of our Town will be the envy of Towns of similar size throughout the country. We will have a magnificent "village hall". I think it should be remembered that such community facilities are always a cost to the community. If you look at the costs of the Memorial Hall at Shrivenham or the Village Hall at Steventon you will find that the Pump Rooms at Faringdon are a bargain. The benefits that our Town will gain from this facility are worth the relatively small costs that will be met by the Town in the future. On the matter of the vote at the Town meeting - very surprisingly considering the apparent make up of the meeting - the motion to return the Pump Rooms to the landlord was lost. The vote was not as even as Gene has indicated. At least three of the "return" voters were from outside of the Town and in theory not allowed to vote - ie they do not pay the Faringdon precept. It was a clear and interesting defeat for the hand it back lobby. They seem to have a problem with democracy. A cash flow and business plan is being prepared. It will be presented to the next FTC meeting. If and when this plan is agreed, we should all get behind this excellent facility and help to make it work. I think we should remember that the only people in the Vale that are interested in the Town, its development and its future, are the people of our Town. It was demonstrated on Wednesday that the Vale have no interest in our Town or our views. So let's get together and make this potentially excellent facility work for all of our community without the backbiting and feuding that has been going on Alan Hickmore GW: Let's hope that the business plan, long overdue, will provide enough information for councillors and residents to see clearly the plans for use and the cost implications are- only then will it be possible to make a non prejudicial informed decision - whether to keep it or hand it back
PAPER OR PLASTIC? - 24/3/05 I'm grateful to Harry Mitchell for introducing the paper/plastic question into the "Bags for Life" debate. So - Paper Bags Are Better Than Plastic, Right? The answer to the “paper or plastic?” dilemma is: Neither. They’re roughly equal in pros and cons. While convenient addictions, they both gobble up natural resources and cause significant pollution. Issue 1: Energy and natural resources It takes more than four times as much energy to manufacture a paper bag as it does to manufacture a plastic bag. ENERGY TO PRODUCE BAG ORIGINALLY(BTUs) Safeway Plastic Bags: 594 BTUs Safeway Paper Bags: 2511 BTUs (Source: 1989 Plastic Recycling Directory, Society of Plastics Industry.) Of course, most paper comes from tree pulp, so the impact of paper bag production on forests is enormous. In 1999, 14 million trees were cut to produce the 10 billion paper grocery bags used by Americans that year alone. Paper bag production deliver s a global warming double-whammy – forests (major absorbers of greenhouse gases) have to be cut down, and then the subsequent manufacturing of bags produces greenhouse gases. Issue 2: Pollution The majority of paper is made by heating wood chips under pressure at high temperatures in a chemical solution. As evidenced by the unmistakable stench commonly associated with paper mills, the use of these toxic chemicals contributes to both air pollution, such as acid rain, and water pollution. Millions of gallons of these chemicals pour into our waterways each year; the toxicity of the chemicals is long-term and settles into the sediments, working its way through the food chain. Further toxicity is generated as both plastic and paper bags degrade. POLLUTANTS PAPER V.S. PLASTIC Paper sacks generate 70% more air pollutants and 50 times more water pollutants than plastic bags. Source: "Comparison of the Effects on the Environment of Polyeth ylene and Paper Carrier Bags", Federal Office of the Environment, August 1988 Issue 3: Recycling It takes 91% less energy to recycle a pound of plastic than it takes to recycle a pound of paper. But recycling rates of either type of disposable bag are extremely low, with only 10 to 15% of paper bags and 1 to 3% of plastic bags being recycled, according to the Wall Street Journal. ENERGY TO RECYCLE PACKAGE ONCE (BTUs) Safeway Plastic Bags: 17 BTUs Safeway Paper Bags: 1444 BTUs Source: 1989 Plastic Recycling Directory, Society of Plastics Industry. Although paper bags have a higher recycling rate than plastic, each new paper grocery bag you use is made from mostly virgin pulp for better strength and elasticity. Issue 4: Degradability Current research demonstrates that paper in today's landfills does not degrade or break down at a substantially faster rate than plastic does. In fact, nothing com pletely degrades in modern landfills because of the lack of water, light, oxygen, and other important elements that are necessary for the degradation process to be completed. At the end of the day using reusable bags are the only real answer… Sjoerd Vogt
Pump House - 20/3/05 Following the 2 FTC councillors letters last month- each giving different points of view and both being vague about costs, I was pleased to see a Pump House working party meeting advertised, that residents could go to 'and participate' At last, I thought, there is some attempt at getting the views of the people. It didn't really work out that way- we could speak when we were invited to, but not really influence the course of the meeting. So I just thought I'd let people know what I could about what is going on! Main points They agreed to discard a number of options, including returning the building to the landlord on the basis that FTC have been advised that it could cost £10k pa for the remainder of the lease (est 32years) to cover repairs. Who advised this was not mentioned, but I doubt it was through discussion and negotiation with the landlord. There seems to be no intention to pursue this. Interesting too that the repairs figure to be included in FTCs projected running costs is £2k pa. Quite a difference. Another discarded option was to repair the building and then mothball it - this clearly would cost money - £4600 per annum was estimated, but this excludes insurance - necessary but costly and difficult to get for any empty building. It was agreed to mothball the theatre and community room at the rear until an investigation into repair or demolition costs and potential uses has been carried out. The general view of the councillors was that it seems a shame to knock down a useful building- but this is with little good information about repair costs or uses. Ideas for the use of the Pump House were discussed- this covered meeting rooms, space for youth, and office space for community organisations. There was some discussion about potential income - but this was very much finger in the air as the charges for the rooms haven't yet been decided. Direct costs of running the building are being worked on.(insurance, cleaning, heating, repairs etc) This will include 50% (ie£9k) of a new post - a facilities manager, but not the cost of the loan that has already been taken out, or other costs( eg additional salary, fees, recruitment costs) that might arise through keeping the building running. It was indicated that someone always needs to be in charge of the building when it is open- and this will be day time, evening, weekdays and week end. When it was pointed out that 50% of a full time job can't possibly cover this expanse of time, we were told that existing council members of staff will be available also. This surely cannot be without extending their working hours? Perhaps the councillors are going to be rostered volunteers - this was not mentioned though. There is to be a Business plan produced in time for the April Full council meeting, when the project will be discussed. This hopefully will show the various options (whether rejected already or not), costed in detail for the medium term and in outline until the end of the lease and I hope a breakdown of what has been spent to date. It really bothers me that options have been rejected when it is clear that the full cost position and what the building could be used for has still not been investigated thoroughly. One councillor (who I think was once involved with the community association), mentioned that, in its heyday, the Community Association generated £38k pa from letting of rooms, but this included the theatre and community room at the rear. If bar takings were included, income was up to £98k. I wonder where all the money went!! FTC will say that the town has rejected the option of handing the building back to Lord Faringdon. It may be appropriate to remind them that at the town meeting in January the vote was 16:16 with a 'keep it' casting vote by the Mayor. Hardly overwhelming support!! Gene Webb
GFA/4905/6-X - 18 Coxwell Road Development - 18/3/05 I suppose there are still a few people who don't know what this project is all about ( lucky them ) and I am well aware that many regular viewers of this site ( e.g Jim H ) will skip this item thinking that it has been mistakenly resurrected from the archives. It seems to be exactly the same as GFA/4905/4-X which was rejected by the Town Council and the VWHDC and which is now in the queue for an appeal to be heard in October. In fact IT IS VIRTUALLY THE SAME. So what is the point of resubmitting it and why now ? The FTC and VWHDC are obliged to discuss all applications but I suspect that the objections raised when it was described as GFA/4905/4-X may not be considered. It is therefore necessary for all the objections to be resubmitted..a tedious, time consuming nuisance ! But..Failure to express opposition may be taken as approval. And why now ? There are three possible reasons.. Firstly: The Faringdon Folly has opposed this project for the last two years and, no doubt, would do so again. Unfortunately the copy deadline for the next issue was 16th March 2005 and the date of the letter announcing the latest proposal was...you've guessed it ..16th March 2005. Secondly: Easter is an important festival for Christians and Chocoholics and the machinations of Developers are easily overlooked at this time Thirdly. We are all beset by so many more important problems: Do I send Chas and Cam a wedding present ? Do I trust Tony Blair ? Do I want to walk through Faringdon with a jute shopping bag ? If I drive into the Town Centre will I be able to park ? Do I add my real name to this article ? But seriously Folks....People Power is a reality in Faringdon as proved by the number of Sewage Lorries we won't be having polluting our town. Most of our councillors will oppose this scheme yet again but they need to be reassured that they are reflecting the views of the majority. So please do write to the FTC and VWHDC before 6th April 2005 confirming your continuing opposition.. There is no guarantee that all your letters will be read but they will certainly be counted and you will get a nice letter in reply. I have a drawer full. Harry G Mitchell
Old Bags 18/03/05 What on earth is wrong with an 'ordinary' shopping bag?? (I've had mine for years) You do need, of course, something in which to put those annoying items sold loose so that you can actually buy the amount you need (potatoes, apples, etc) but these could be biodegradable paper. Trouble is - what ever would I scoop up my dog's doings into.........somehow paper bags dont work.......(sigh) ............There's always something, isnt there? Old bag with an old bag.
Paper bags, anyone? 18/03/05 For the past few days the lead article on this website has been a justified attack on the plastic bags which have become an important part of our lives. Sjoerd Vogt's suggestion that we should all purchase a long life shopping bag is commendable and I can picture our Town Centre thronged with happy environmentally aware shoppers with a mobile phone in their left hands and a pretty shopping bag in the other. Unfortunately this image would not appeal to everyone and it doesn't go with a wrong way round base-ball cap. There is an alternative which the Americans have been using for decades. The brown paper bag...this would be free at the point of sale ( a bit like the NHS service ?) and it is fully bio-degradable. It can be recycled, used to line bins and waste baskets, or simply thrown into landfill sites. It has only one drawback.The supermarkets would have to pay for them. But, considering the advantages, I think most of us could live with that ! HGM
Bag for life - 15/3/05 You can buy, for £2, a bag from the Mustard Seed to use instead of plastic bags from Budgens(or any other shop that provides them) The ubiquitous plastic bag, handed out in its bilious billions by our helpful shops, choking our environment and strangling our wildlife. 98% of seabirds off our coasts are now found to have ingested plastic of some sort, and many die as a result. If shops stop giving away free plastic bags, and we stop expecting them, then the problem disappears. Instantly. Ireland introduced an environmental levy on plastic bags - or "plastax" as it is affectionately called - early in 2002, and within just three months the number of plastic bags handed out had dropped by 95%. The plastax has been hailed as an extraordinary success by retailers and consumers alike, and the money raised through the levy goes entirely on environmental projects - so the benefits of plastax are magnified. Giving away free plastic bags is like leaving all of Faringdon's hot water taps running. It's energy and money down the drain. It's mad, bad, sad, and so unnecessary. This kind of wastefulness is now unthinkable in most of Northern Europe, and the UK needs to catch up. if you don't already own a trusty long-life shopping bag, then do buy an eco-friendly ethically produced super-strong Jute bag that even carries the Faringdon Fairtrade Town logo. There is strong synergy between the Fairtrade message and the bag-for-life. Sjoerd Vogt
Faringdon Fossickers - 15/3/05 You may find the following events of interest. 1) There will be a geological field trip in and around Faringdon on Sunday 20th March. This is being run by the Oxford Open University Geology Club but since I am one of the joint leaders the Faringdon Fossickers are all invited. We start at 10 am outside the Old Town Hall in the centre of the town and will finish about 12.30 pm. You will need car transport but please share vehicles if you can. 2) Open Evening: Oxfordshire Geology Trust formerly RIGS) are holding an open evening on Tuesday 22nd March, 7pm at the Vale and Downland Museum in Wantage. The open evening will include a short presentation about what we do, and why Oxfordshire's geology is so interesting. There is the chance to come and get your rocks and fossils identified, find out about the geology of your local area, and to have a look at our collection of Oxfordshire rocks, fossils and dinosaur bones! There will also be geological activities for the children, so this will be an enjoyable night out for all the family. If you would like to come, or would like further details, then please contact: Oxfordshire Geology Trust on 01367 243 260, or e-mail contact@oxfordshiregt.org. Norman Snelling PS I hope I shall soon be writing soon with encouraging news regarding the Ferndale Rd. fossil site
Faringdon Artistic Skaters - 14/3/05 Hi All Arrived back safe and sound from Skating British Novice Champoinships. Great results!! Boys Figures ..............................1st Ben Trimbell Boys Freeskating...................... 1st Ben Trimbell Boys overall Champion.............Ben Trimbell ........................This was Ben's First competition Girls 45 competitiors. We had 8 girls competing Girls Figures places 4th/5th/6th /7th/9th/10th/11th/12/ Girls Short program 2nd/3rd/4th 7th/8th/9th/10th/11th Girls Long program 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 7th 9th 12th 13th All marks are added to for overall places Girls final positions 4th/5th/6th/7th/8th/10/11th/12th You can see that Faringdon in their first competition at this level did themselves proud. Just out of the medals in the girls but marks were very close. Faringdon is now well and truly on the map. We are taking 17 children to Soham on the 24th April many again competing for the first time. Thankyou all those that helped with sponsorship without this we would not have had those little extra's Thankyou. Dee and Steve England
Performing Arts - 14/3/05 We now have a Performing Arts Club for young people between the ages of 8 - 12 in the town (so a theatre to perform in would be splendid) The club is every Monday in Faringdon Junior School from 5- 6.30 and includes Drama and dance sessions. After Easter we hope to extend this to an acrobatics and a singing session! Please could you advertise on your web site. Carolyn Murphy 01235 225787 cmm1046@kingalfreds.oxon.sch.uk
Post Office Closure - 12/3/05 The removal of the Post Office to Dillons was done very quickly and deliberately over a holiday period not giving anyone any time to effectively object. Has anyone else noticed that anyone new to the town may have difficulty finding Dillons stated on the Post Office door as it is now Martins. The new Post Office sign is not all that visible and is mostly green rather than the more identifiable red. Or am I just being a grumpy old woman. Jane Boulton Ed: Join the club!!
Unhappy about withdrawal of Bus Tokens and TIC Closure? - 11/3/05 Are you unhappy about… Withdrawal of Bus Tokens and Closure of Tourist Information Centre There will be a PUBLIC DEMONSTRATION to coincide with the Vale of White Horse District Council meeting which will be taking place in the Corn Exchange Meeting at 5.15pm at the Old Town Hall Wednesday, 23rd March 2005 Please come along and show your opposition to the cuts. Matthew Barber PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF TIME TO 5.15pm
Signs of Life at the Old Health Centre - 11/3/05 I'm sure that someone knows what the future holds for the Old Health Centre buildings but it would be nice if the rest of us were let into the secret. As I drove past on Thursday I saw some boys skate-boarding in its car park despite the fact that the barrier was still in place. I had a short but friendly conversation with them during which I was told that they did not live there they just thought it seemed like a good place to play. I couldn't fault their logic. I understand that, despite recent changes to the laws on Squatters Rights, if they keep using it for about 12 years it might become theirs. HGM
Vale Tridents Triathlon Club - 5/3/05 On Saturday 25th February the first ever Vale Tridents Triathlon Club was launched at Faringdon Leisure Centre. The club is led by fully qualified coaches and is the sister club of the biggest Junior Triathlon club in the country - Swindon Tridents. We are grateful to Soll Leisure for allowing us to use their facilities and are very lucky to have a full sized sports hall and 25m pool. There are now approximately 40 members of both boys and girls between the ages of 7-16 from beginners to some experienced triathletes! People have been attracted to the club from a huge variety of nearby towns and villages and that is thanks to the Secondary School Sport Coordinators and the Primary School PE Coordinators In Wantage and Faringdon who are encouraging more young people to lead active lifetyles both in and out of school. The club is being sponsored this month by the King Alfred's School Sport Coordinator Programme and we are looking for some new sponsors to enable us to keep the club going now after Easter (if you or your company are interested please do contact me). Triathlon involves swimming, cycling and running and is excellent for all round fitness. Some members of the club are looking forward to entering the Wantage Aquathlon in May, the Swindon Triathlon in June and possibly a Faringdon Triathlon in September. If you would like to join the club please contact me for more information - the first session is free! Carolyn Murphy Partnership Development Manager King Alfred's Community and Sports College 01235 225787 cmm1046@kingalfreds.oxon.sch.uk
60th Anniversary VE day celebrations in Le Mele - 4/3/05 Faringdon Twinning association will be going on Thursday 5th May and returning on Sunday 8th May. The cost is £60 adult, £30 under 16's. If you're interested contact Jeanie Pugh Tel: 01367 240374 email: jeaniepugh@ukonline.co.uk
Showcasing Shorts - Oxfordshire's Short Film Festival - 3/3/05 2005 Showcasing Shorts - a festival for regional film makers Showcasing Shorts 2005 is an opportunity for new film makers and animators to show off their talent to the public. The intention of Showcasing Shorts is to bring new film shorts made by artists based in Oxfordshire and the close neighbouring counties to the big screen at the Phoenix Cinema and to tour the selected films to film clubs and societies throughout Oxfordshire. If you have a short film of any genre, be it drama, documentary or animation we'd like to see it. There are no specific criteria for style or content and is open to all genres (documentary, drama, experimental, art house, animation, etc). photograph of camera heads The work should be shot in or produced by people with a connection to Oxfordshire (or bordering locations) and be made during the past 12 months. The maximum duration for work will be 15 minutes; there is no minimum duration. It's free to enter and the selected work will be screened at the Phoenix Cinema, Oxford on the 5th, 6th and 7th of May 2005, followed by screenings throughout the county. Deadline for submissions: 31st March 2005. After submission the work will be viewed and selected by a panel of judges. You will be notified if your work has been selected by the 22nd April 20005. If you require any further information please contact Gary Shenton on production@ofvm.org Showcasing Shorts is a collaboration between OFVM and the Phoenix Cinema, Oxford and is financially supported by Oxfordshire County Council

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