churches

Headington Headlines #408

TonyOX3

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

As Frontier Estates are still in the local news, I have brought together all the mentions I have made of them on this blog in the form of a timeline. Use the ‘Frontier’ link in the main menu, or use this link to take you straight there.

Yesterday’s high winds brought down a tree on Headley Way at the crossing by Woodlands Road.

Thieves broke into a shed belonging to Old Marston Parish Council and one belonging to a neighbour. The same people cut a fence in a field with horses. One horse got onto the A40 and was killed.

Rather belatedly I note that Martin Young’s appeal against the City Council’s rejection of his latest planning application was rejected by the Planning Inspector in February. @RosalindRogers was much more alert!

Work has started on the refurbishment of The Somerset pub, Marston Road.

Police are appealing for information about an assault and robbery which happened on the Marston cycle path at around 9.20pm on Saturday 2 March. A man was stopped by three men close to Ferry Road. He was threatened with knives, pushed off his bike, kicked and punched, and his wallet, phone and bracelet stolen.

Laura Biron-Scott is to be the new vicar of Holy Trinity Church, Quarry. She takes up her appointment in June.

My favourite Headington-related tweet:

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

  • Exhibition of Student housing proposals at 1-7 Jack Straws Lane and Marston road Frontier ESTates

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.

Headington Headlines #324

TonyOX3

Your weekly round-up of local news for 26 June – 2 July.

Despite earlier reassurances, Oxford City Council has found after tests that they will have to replace the exterior cladding on the Evenlode and Windrush Towers in Blackbird Leys. The towers will not be evacuated as other fire precautions, including sprinklers, have been included in the Council’s refurbishment. The two towers in OX3 – Foresters in Wood Farm and Plowman in Northway have not yet had cladding installed so are not affected.

Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service has released this statement about it.

The last thing anyone wanted was for a fire to break out in one of the tower blocks. This is just what happened in Plowman Tower, Northway on Wednesday. Fire crews attended and the fire turned out to be small and in a ground floor storage area. It was quickly dealt with.

Still on the subject of fire safety in communal buildings, Headington LibDems asked @Oxford_Brookes and Unite (the company that manages Dorset House and will manage Beech House) for statements on their respective fire safety. The replies are here on the LibDem website.

Four local surgeries/health centres are now run by Hedena Health; Bury Knowle, Barton, Marston and Wood Farm. Who or what Hedena Health is, is to say the least opaque but I’ve done some digging. This post explains what’s going on.

All Saints’ Church has joined twitter. Welcome and follow @AllSaintsOX3!

Oxford City has opened the public consultation on the ‘Preferred Options’ stage of the City’s developing Local Plan covering the period up to 2036. The consultation runs until 25 August. Every household will be getting a leaflet and questionnaire, but for starters try the Council’s Local Plan web page and @OxCivicSoc‘s short article.

Local LibDems and Greens were quick to pounce on newly-elected @AnnelieseDodds‘ failure to back an amendment in the Commons that would have required the UK to stay in the Single Market. This despite her election campaign statements that ‘extreme Brexit’ would be a disaster. Anneliese has explained that she backed a different amendment which she believed was stronger. A full account of this story here.

My favourite Headington-related tweet:

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

  • Four local medical practices now come under Hedena Health
  • Edgeway Rd cycle apologies
  • Frontier Estates Multiple Site London Road / Barton Road