Headington Headlines

Headington Headlines #6

TonyOX3

Here is my weekly round-up of news for the week 28 March – 3 April.

Police are searching for an arsonist who has been setting fire to ‘For Sale’ signs in Headington, mostly along the London Road but also in Sandhills.

A landlord in Quarry Road, Headington was prosecuted by the City Council for failing to comply with HMO licence conditions. He was fined £3000 plus costs.

The possibility of using space at Barton Community Centre for a Post Office has been put forward for discussion.

Vandals set fire to a children’s play area in Dene Road, off The Slade, just weeks after a £45,000 facelift.

I’m baffled and bewildered by the complexities of the local planning system, but I gather that the Dorset House redevelopment got some further approval this week (I thought it was already approved, but, well, OK) as did the revamp of the roads around Highfield. The H&M e-democracy forum has better information than I can hope to give.

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

  • Headington Festival 2011
  • The Friar
  • Planned Bail Hostel at 30 Headley Way
  • New garden waste scheme
  • Voting cards 2011
  • Save Libraries event at Oxford Literary Festival
  • Old Headington Conservation Area Appraisal Consultation

I try to cover news from the OX3 postcode in Headington and out as far as Barton, Sandhills and Risinghurst (see map). To feed into next week’s summary you can comment on this article, or tweet either with the hashtag #ox3 or @mentioning @TonyOX3.

Headington Headlines #5

TonyOX3

Here is my weekly round-up of news for the week 21 – 27 March.

Everyone who’s been involved in the campaign to save Headington and other libraries will have been delighted by the spectacular U-turn by Oxfordshire County Council and its leader Keith Mitchell. The Oxford Times report is a good summary.

A £5m contract was signed for the 2nd phase of the redevelopment work at Ruskin College. Leadbitters are the contractors.

The planned expansion of Thornhill park & ride was finally approved by Oxforshire CC, but they still need to find the £3m it will cost.

A serial burglar who broke into homes in Marston Road and Headley Way, among others, was given a 29 month sentence at Oxford Crown Court.

The trial of a doctor accused of sexual assault and other offences has started at Oxford Crown Court. The alleged offences took place in 2008/9 at several surgeries including Bury Knowle.

The Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust faces paying out several million pounds compensation after a High Court ruling in favour of a claim for “failure of care” back in 1984 which left a man brain-damaged from birth. I wonder if the Trust pays or whether they have insurance?

I blogged about the Farmers’ Market which was held on Friday. @CompassBrewery and @Georgie_Cakes were there and on twitter.

A labrador called “Aurora” was reported missing in Headington.

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

  • Investigation of trial closure of residential roads in Highfield
  • 1,000 new houses for Barton?
  • Headington Library under threat of closure

I try to cover news from the OX3 postcode in Headington and out as far as Barton, Sandhills and Risinghurst (see map). To feed into next week’s summary you can comment on this article, or tweet either with the hashtag #ox3 or @mentioning @TonyOX3.

Headington Headlines #4

TonyOX3

Here is my weekly round-up of news for the week 14 – 20 March.

Members of the Barton, Risinghurst and Sandhills neighbourhood policing team received an award for their efforts in tackling anti-social behaviour, drug-dealing and speeding vehicles.

A new cancer research centre opened in the Old Road Campus building. It is a partnership between the University of Oxford, Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust and Cancer Research UK.

The Oxford Biomedical Research Centre held an Open Day in the West Wing and Children’s Hospital on Thursday to show research at the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals in partnership with the University of Oxford.

A blue plaque to John Henry Brookes (he of the University) was unveiled at 195 The Slade. In the same week Oxford Brookes were knocked out of University Challenge by the University of York.

But congratulations to Headington School scullers – Victor Ludorum at the Oarsport Junior Sculling Head held at Dorney on 18 March.

Regulars at the Red Lion in Old Marston raised £20,000 as a loan so that landlady Diane Berry can take a 3 year tenancy.

It was announced that the Oxford Centre For Islamic Studies on the Marston Road will finally open next year. It is part of Oxford University.

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

  • Marston Road Mosque
  • Area Committee (Planning only) meeting last Thursday

I try to cover news from the OX3 postcode in Headington and out as far as Barton, Sandhills and Risinghurst (see map). To feed into next week’s summary you can comment on this article, or tweet either with the hashtag #ox3 or @mentioning @TonyOX3.