Our District Councillor in the papers

Mon 10 Sep 2012, 09:41 (last edited on Mon 10 Sep 2012, 10:29)

I'd love to be able to say that I can command at will what the editor of the Oxford Mail/Times/Witney Gazette publishes, Dave. I may be a councillor but I'm not that powerful!!

I've simply asked the council officers to look at stopping the music at midnight on Sunday. I'm not trying to stop the whole festival. Read the BBC website if you want to see what I have actually said.

I am very well aware of the benefits that Wilderness bring to the community. I also know what a great festival it is having been to it this year and last. I am also aware that people go to work on Mondays and like to get some sleep. Sometimes small compromises are needed for people to be able to live comfortably in a close community like ours.

Sun 9 Sep 2012, 12:46

This posting runs the risk of being dismissed as biased because Liz Leffman took over from me this year and I might be thought to be bound to agree with her.However, after the intial application problem last year I was a strong supporter of Wilderness and gave Tanya and the other organisers all the help and backing I could. I (and Liz) know how many people enjoy it---in fact young relations of mine stayed with me this year and had a great time. We also know how much is raised for essential community causes.
John hits the nail on the head though. Liz's actual point, that the music should stop at 12 on the last night, not 2, is surely reasonable and is not an attack on the whole festival, only a request for a minor adjustment. Many people, including music lovers and supporters of the Wilderness, have made the same point to me.
The whole article was unfortunate, not only the over dramatic picture but also the disproportionate size and the fact that both the people interviewed were misquoted.
Please don't let that tip us into a confrontation like last year. Most people I'm sure are totally pro Wilderness but that's doesn't mean that small criticisms cannot be voiced and details cannot be improved.

Sat 8 Sep 2012, 23:17

An unfortunate picture, but the text was pretty much as she has said on this forum - that the music should stop at midnight on the Sunday, which doesn't seem unreasonable to me. Perhaps when she has been in the post a bit longer she will be more careful in the way she is photographed!

Sat 8 Sep 2012, 22:43

Well said Dave. Myself and my family had a fantastic weekend and I feel very lucky to have the Wilderness Festival on my doorstep. It is such a shame that all this fuss has been caused over ONE weekend a year. The article has just highlighted the negatives and as a representive of our community surely our local councillor should also be promoting the positives, as the amount of good that comes from the Wilderness for the local community surely out ways the bad.

Sat 8 Sep 2012, 20:49

Well said. It would be worth asking Mrs Leffman if she knows of any benefit to the community of such an event, to see if her head is really that high in the clouds.

Sat 8 Sep 2012, 18:41

Well said Dave, lets hope that 0.5% of the population don't spoil things for others.
We live right on the doorstep and we weren't disturbed on any night.

Sat 8 Sep 2012, 15:28

I was appalled to see Liz Leffman in the Oxford Mail this week pictured outside the gates of Cornbury with her hands over her ears complaining about the noise from Wilderness. My reaction was triggered by 3 points:

1. That she purported to be representing the community when to my…

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