Headington Headlines #175

TonyOX3

Here’s my weekly round-up of local news for 4 – 10 August.

In a remarkable display of ineptitude, Oxfordshire County Council have still failed to install the disabled access lift at Headington Library, and have ignored planning requirements for the visual appearance of the new construction on what is a Grade 2 listed building. After a site meeting on Wednesday everything is on hold pending a decision on whether to re-render or paint the extension.

It’s always politically risky to trumpet achievements before they happen. Earlier this year local Conservatives praised ‘Conservative-led’ Oxfordshire County Council for ‘prioritising’ the London Road repairs and reconfiguration. Not only has the work – originally said to be happening ‘in the summer’- not yet started, we now learn it won’t be finished until well into 2015. Details here.

The Headington Royal British Legion in Edgecombe Road, Barton has closed due to lack of funds.

The Mount Pleasant Guest House (by the Royal Standard and Britannia pubs)and the Bell House Guest House (corner of Ransay Road) are both for sale (thanks to @headingtonnews for spotting these).

A planning application (ref 14/00983/FUL) to build a 55-bed dementia day- and residential care home at 1 Pullens Lane has been turned down by Oxford City’s East Area Planning Committee. Councillors said it did not fit with the area’s “rural tranquility”. The property is the first on the left after the entrance to the allotments (map, boundaries approximate).

Labour Councillor @laurencepbaxter (Quarry & Risinghurst) has confirmed he is standing down from the City Council. He is taking up a teaching post in Prague. The by-election will be on 18 September.

The main path through The Croft is closed for about another week for work on overhanging trees.

The @ButchersArmsOxf will be closed for refurbishment from 18 to 26 August, opening again at 4.30pm on 27 August. They tell me there’ll be a new, improved bar and “fabulous toilets”.

My favourite Headington-related tweet of the week:

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

  • Headington & Marston in the First World War
  • I see a new local rival discussion site has been set up.
  • Silver Joggers
  • Parking on pavement
  • Post Here to be positive about Headington, Marston, Oxford, Oxfordshire and life in general.
  • Headington makes it to number 24…..
  • Excessively bright light at Tesco ATM
  • London road from Hamburger roundabout to headington
I 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 #174

TonyOX3

Here’s my weekly round-up of local news for 28 July – 3 August.

Headington’s Londis closed down last Sunday (27 July). It now stands empty and its future is uncertain.

As one door closes another opens. The new Tesco Express opened on Tuesday morning. The store and its manager are on twitter as @Tesco6880. Also ‘Headington’ is apparently ‘Area 5‘ in Tesco-speak.

Multiple reports of a Big Pong across Headington on Monday evening attracted interest from @BBCPhilGayle and the Oxford Times. Unconfirmed explanations included muck-spreading in the Barton fields.

A van overturned on Jack Straw’s Lane on Tuesday.

The Barton Community Association is reported to be thinking of starting the process of forming a Parish Council. Still some way to go before it happens.

Not news, but a round-up of views on the Barton Park link road as developers confirm a planning application is scheduled for later in the year.

Headington School @HeadingtonSch celebrates its centenary next year and has a website dedicated to the event.

Vice-Chancellor Janet Beer is leaving @Oxford_Brookes at the end of January 2015 to take up the Vice-Chancellorship of Liverpool University.

My favourite Headington-related tweet of the week:

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

  • Headington Londis
  • Satellite dish outside Tesco
  • Smoking at JR Hospital
  • Headington & Marston in the First World War
  • the night time stench
  • I see a new local rival discussion site has been set up.
I 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 #173

TonyOX3

Here’s my weekly round-up of local news for 21 – 27 July.

A cyclist suffered head and leg injuries and was taken to hospital after a collision outside the Shell petrol station early on Tuesday morning. His injuries were said to be serious but not life-threatening.

A police operation in Northway on Monday morning resulted in 50 drivers being stopped and one car confiscated. Some bizarre and worrying examples in the brief report.

There’s talk of forming a cricket team in Marston. Contact @OldMarstonPC if you’re interested.

Friends of Quarry are considering putting in a bid for the Stansfeld Outdoor Centre, although the property is not yet on the market.

There’s been a spate of burglaries in Headington and Marston.

The Co-Wheels car sharing club has been named a Social Innovation Pioneer by corporate consultants Deloitte.

My favourite Headington-related tweet of the week:

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

  • Smoking at JR Hospital
  • Carterton/Witney bus to JR Hospital
  • Fitness Classes in Piper St Scout Hall
  • Headington bike hire scheme
  • Satellite dish outside Tesco
I 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.