Headington Headlines #371

TonyOX3

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.