Headington Headlines #377

Your weekly round-up of local news for 16 – 22 July .

The LibDems held Headington Ward in the by-election on Thursday. The new councillor is Stef Garden @SGarden13. Full results here.

Here’s a feel-good story in @TheOxfordMail about the new mural in the Marston underpass.

A man was racially abused and assaulted in Bury Knowle Park at about 7pm on Saturday 14 July. Police are appealing for witnesses.

Responding to this incident, a group called Oxford Stand Up to Racism with support from Oxford Labour organised a rally in Bury Knowle Park on Sunday. Oxford East MP Anneliese Dodds and local councillor Martyn Rush gave speeches.

The Further Education Commission, an arm of the Dept for Education, has issued a critical report on Ruskin College. A history of poor financial performance over the past several years coupled with shortcomings in administrative staffing and systems has led to the possibility of Ruskin having to merge with another educational institution. The FEC’s report makes several recommendations which need to be implemented urgently.

Also from Ruskin College, my favourite Headington-related tweet this week:

Active posts on the Headington & Marston e-democracy forum this week:

  • No to racism in Bury Knowle Park – Community walk
  • Bath buildings Headington

Headington Headlines #374

Your weekly round-up of local news for 25 June – 1 July .

The full list of candidates for the Headington Ward by-election on 19 July has been published. The candidates are:

  • Stef Garden (LibDem)
  • Georgina Gibbs (Con)
  • Ray Hitchins (Green)
  • Simon Ottino (Lab)

The local free magazine Headington Monthly is changing ownership. Nick Alnatt has handed over to Steven Pilcher; Steven has been working with Nick on the magazine for a while.

The Green Road closure for sewer repairs which had made access to and from Risinghurst difficult was lifted on Thursday.

The new @Oxford_PickMeUp bus-on-demand service is up and running in the Eastern Arc of Oxford. @ianpinnell tried it and gives it the thumbs up – here’s his review.

There was a burglary at Finders Keepers on London Road on Tuesday. Two people got in through an insecure back door at 4.30pm and stole two handbags. The got away in a black Peugeot 206 which was parked on Old High Street. Police are appealing for witnesses and information.

People who use the park and playground at the bottom of Sandfield Road are upset about the number of cigarette butts dropped inside the park gates which lead from the grounds of the JR. It seems the warm dry weather is encouraging more smokers to get out into the open for a cigarette break.

There were no new posts on the Headington & Marston e-democracy forum this week:

Headington Headlines #371

Your weekly round-up of local news for 4 – 10 June.

Although the news broke in the previous week, Headington Headlines couldn’t ignore the decision by Ruth Wilkinson to stand down as a city councillor due to over-riding family reasons. Since I moved to Headington other Councillors have come and gone but Ruth has always been Councillor for my Ward. She has published a personal statement on her website. Whatever anyone’s political stance, no-one can deny that Ruth has been a hard-working and tireless councillor on behalf of ‘her’ Headington residents. She will be a hard act to follow and I give her my very best wishes as she devotes more time to her family caring responsibilites.

The three main parties have announced their candidates for the by-election triggered by Ruth’s resignation. The LibDem candidate is Stefanie Garden @SGarden13; Stefanie lives in Staunton Road and stood in St Mary’s Ward in May, coming fourth. Simon Ottino @SimonOttinotwit stands for Labour; Simon lives in Margaret Road and came second [edited from earlier incorrect version] in the recent city election for Headington Ward. The Conservatives are fielding Georgina Gibbs @Georgin54979582 (you’ll have to fix that twitter handle, Georgina) who lives in Saxon Way and ran for Headington Hill & Northway in May where she came third. The by-election will be on 19 July.

Old Marston Parish Council voted to oppose the planning application for the Swan School. One of several concerns is that cyclists using the Marston Ferry Road cycle track might lose priority, which of course would affect students heading for the Cherwell School.

The Local Government Boundary Commission has published its draft proposals for Ward boundary changes in Oxford. The proposals look to be close to those in the City Council’s cross-party recommendations published in March which I covered in HH 361. You can have your say; consultation closes on 13 August.

It looks like this is the end of Jacob’s Brasserie.

A decision by the Consistory Court of the Diocese of Oxford has ruled that the locally controversial extension to Holy Trinity Church in Headington Quarry should be allowed to go ahead.

A surface water flood believed to be from a burst water main in the grounds of Headington School caused bad flooding at the Headley Way London Road junction on Saturday.

There were no posts on the Headington & Marston e-democracy forum this week.