News

Charlbury Railway Station

Work is now well advanced to enable trains to start using the second platform at Charlbury station on 6th June 2011. The actual first train for almost 40 years to pass through the station's "down" platform ran early on Monday 30th May and a photo of it (courtesy of Network Rail) is included.

Many more photos of the work involved in reinstating the second track at Charlbury, and elsewhere, are available on website www.flickr.com/photos/willc2009

John Stanley · Tue 31 May 2011, 11:24 · Link

Library Service Consultation

The library service consultation has started at long last and continues until 30 September. To take part go to www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/libraryserviceconsultation .
Charlbury library is in a group of libraries that the County Council is proposing should be run by volunteers 2/3 of the time. It is not clear who is expected to take responsibility for recruiting volunteers, managing the rota, stepping in when things go wrong etc - all the things that we who are volunteers in different organisations understand. One of the key questions in the consultation is 'Would you be interested in volunteering?', so be honest. Volunteering is a serious commitment not a passing fancy or something you can do as and when it suits you. Please take part in the consultation and show our community's concern for the future of our library.
Rosalind Scott - Secretary to the Friends of Charlbury Library. Email: rosalind.scott@hotmail.co.uk

Rosalind Scott · Sat 28 May 2011, 11:48 · Link

Library plans from BBC Oxford

See this link for local news article on council's comments on the funding position

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-13574521

russell robson · Fri 27 May 2011, 17:35 · Link

NSPCC ?Hike Against Cruelty to Kids? starts at Cornbury Park in September

CHILDREN?S charity the NSPCC has urged people to pull on their walking boots and take part in their annual fundraising walk. Taking place on Saturday 24 September, it will feature a 12-mile and a 22-mile walk.

Both walks start and finish at Cornbury Park, taking in Spelsbury and Ditchley Park. The 22-mile route will also take walkers through Stonesfield and Wilcote.

Further details here:
www.witneygazette.co.uk/news/wgheadlines/witney/9041797.Sign_up_and_hit_the_charity_trail/

Alison Wright · Tue 24 May 2011, 11:07 · Link

Rail replacement coach timetable published

First Great Western has published the timetable for services through Charlbury next week, when buses will replace all trains between Oxford and Kingham. The bus journey takes 45 minutes to Oxford, making the total journey time from Charlbury to Paddington is typically two hours.

The first bus leaves Charlbury at 5.30am, and the last one leaves Oxford at 11.05pm. See here for the full timetable.

Richard Fairhurst · Mon 23 May 2011, 14:44 · Link

Tea & Cake Tent at The Rally Show

The CSA were offered the fantastic opportunity to be involved in a new event happening in Cornbury Park - The Rally Show. We decided that tea & cake was something we are quite good at now, and together with Charlbury Pre-School we embarked on this venture. It was defnitely a voyage into the unknown, as it was a new venue for The Rally Show and a whole new group of customers for us. A small, but dedicated team baked over 100 cakes and, together with flapjack baked by Pre-School, we offered a delicious selection of refrehsments during the afternoons of both days of The Rally Show. We had a fantastic team of volunteers who made the event work effectively over the weekend and over £550 was raised. Massive thanks go to all those who baked cakes or flapjack, helped move, put up or take down the marquee, transported things, lent us things or helped out on the Saturday or Sunday. It wouldn?t have been possible without that help.
Alex Westbury, Chair CSA

Picture: Syd Wall, www.rallygallery.com .

Alex Westbury · Thu 19 May 2011, 19:51 · Link

Oxfordshire County Council e petition for Dean Pit now open.

Oxfordshire County Council has now created an e petition on their website for Dean Pit. Even if you have already signed our petition, please consider going to this one too, because they commit to investigating the matter further if 9 or more people sign on their site.

The link is
mycouncil.oxfordshire.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=38

Liz Leffman · Wed 18 May 2011, 16:02 · Link

Countryside Foundation for Education day at Cornbury Park

On Tuesday 17 May, Cornbury Park welcomed over 100 pupils from local primary schools on a special day organised by the Countryside Foundation for Education. Specialist managers from the Estate gave talks and demonstrations, introducing the children to deer management, game keeping, vermin control, parkland maintenance, forest management, lake management & fishing, quarrying & dry stone walling and arable farming. The Key Stage 2 pupils were from primary schools in Charlbury, Great Tew, Tackley and Coombe.

Alison Wright · Tue 17 May 2011, 18:52 · Link

Update on the Dean Pit petition

The petition to keep Dean Pit open has now spread to Chipping Norton, and is gathering momentum.

We have a date for presentation of the petition to the Oxfordshire County Council Planning and Regulation Committee meeting. If you haven't yet signed and would like to, you can do so online by going to www.witney-libdems.org.uk/en/petition/keep-dean-pit-open, where you can also download a petition form for collecting more signatures.

Liz Leffman · Tue 17 May 2011, 15:07 · Link

Calling Aunt Sally players everywhere

Radio Oxford this morning broadcast an interview with Nick Millea of the Charlbury Beer Festival committee, announcing the inaugural World Aunt Sally Open Singles Championships, to be held at this year's Charlbury Beer Festival on Saturday 9 July at Charlbury Cricket Club. To listen to the interview, go to

www.bbc.co.uk/oxford/programmes/schedules/2011/05/16

where the interview runs from 1 hr 39 mins into the programme. Alternatively, go to www.charlburybeerfestival.org for further details.

Edward Fenton · Mon 16 May 2011, 23:19 · Link

New Sports Pavillion opened

On Friday The David Cameron oficially opened the new sports pavillion on Nine Acres receation ground. to his right is Robert Caston Chairman of The Nine Acres Committee, and on his left is Gareth Miller Vice Chair of the Town Council.

john h · Sun 15 May 2011, 16:45 · Link

Around ?1000 worth of plants

Around £1000 worth of plants will be on sale next Saturday (21st) at the Garden Society's annual Memorial Hall event. Doors open 9.30. Excellent value, as ever.

Rob Stepney · Sun 15 May 2011, 13:04 · Link

SpecialEffect Oxfordshire Business Awards

Charlbury charity SpecialEffect, which won the West Oxfordshire Business Awards 'Charity and Community' category in March, has this week been given the news that it is a finalist in the forthcoming Business Awards that cover the whole of Oxfordshire.

SpecialEffect very much appreciate the fantastic support from the Charlbury community that has ranged from the forthcoming masked ball at Cornbury Park through to quiz nights, coffee mornings, and much more. SpecialEffect is only a small charity and is only able to have a positive impact on the lives of disabled people thanks to its supporters.

www.specialeffect.org.uk

Nick Streeter · Sat 14 May 2011, 18:27 · Link

Thanks to Valiant Litter Pickers

Thanks to the small but valiant team who turned up today to give the town a spring clean. We cleared litter from the town centre, Spendlove site, Mill Field, Hixet Wood and Cornbury/Park Street area and from the Skate Board Park. Every small effort helps, and I am also very grateful to the many people who regularly pick up litter on their daily walks. Please continue to do so, and remind your family to take theirs home or put it in a bin.
Gareth Miller (Vice-Chairman, Town Council)

Gareth Miller · Thu 12 May 2011, 12:23 · Link

FGW will not extend their franchise

RAIL operator First Great Western has this morning announced it will not seek an extension to its franchise in Oxford.

The company was awarded a seven-year contract to run services between Oxford and London in 2006 but has said it will not trigger an optional three-year addition when the initial period runs out in March 2013.

Managing director Mark Hopwood said FGW wanted to signal its intentions early to provide ?clarity? to the Government.

The decision not to go for the three-year extension, which would have been offered if this year?s performance targets are met, will put the franchise out to tender and Mr Hopwood said FGW would be looking to secure a longer-term deal after 2013.

He said today?s announcement was "about the franchise and the relationship it has with government, it?s not about the service offered day to day to customers? and stressed it did not change electrification plans.

Susie Finch · Wed 11 May 2011, 11:23 · Link

Buses and Enstone Road closure

The following message is posted on the RH website concerning bus routes for the next three weeks:

X9 & C1 Services between 9th & 29th May

As Enstone Road and Browns Lane at Charlbury will be closed for roadworks during the above dates the bus stops at The Bell,Church Street and opposite the Co-op will be out of use. Alternative bus stops will be on Nine Acres Lane and the Slade at the times normally shown for The Bell,Church Street.

Bus services will run along the Slade and Nine Acres Lane during the disruption missing out Charlbury town centre. Please note that there will be no change to the normal time table and does not affect any other part of the route.

Information Line- 01993 869 100 or email rhbuses@gmail.com

Posted by Helen Bessemer-Clark, Council PTR

Helen Bessemer-Clark · Mon 9 May 2011, 09:11 · Link

LOCAL RESIDENT TICKET OFFER ON SALE FOR WILDERNESS FESTIVAL FROM THURSDAY 12 MAY

Local residents wishing to get their hands on tickets to the pioneering new multi-arts festival, Wilderness, can do so from Thursday 12 May from Charlbury Post Office.

The concessionary tickets are available for those residents with an OX7 postcode and will cost £80 for a weekend adult ticket, £40 for a weekend young person ticket, £35 for an adult day ticket and £17.50 for a young person day ticket.

People must have with them one form of ID and a local postcode services bill. Tickets will be restricted to a maximum of two adult and three child tickets per person.

Wilderness is set to take place on August 12-14 among the lakes, forests and parkland of the Cornbury Estate. It will bring together music, food, theatre, literary debate and outdoor pursuits, with such names as Antony and the Johnsons, Laura Marling, Skye Gyngell, The Old Vic and Intelligence Squared all appearing.

Visit www.wildernessfestival.com for further information.

Alison Wright · Mon 9 May 2011, 07:47 · Link

Conservatives take District Council seat

The Conservatives have taken one of the two District Council seats for the Charlbury & Finstock ward.

Results were:

Hywel Davies (Con) 716
Liz Leffman (LibDem) 677
Lesley Algar (Lab) 199
Celia Kerslake (Green) 165

The turn-out of 59.27% was the highest in West Oxfordshire. The seat was previously held by LibDem Mike Breakell.

The other seat in the ward, currently held by LibDem councillor Glena Chadwick, will be up for election next year.

Richard Fairhurst · Fri 6 May 2011, 06:08 · Link

FINAL DECISION REACHED ABOUT CORNBURY PARK PREMISES LICENCE

The appeal by Mark Hofman against West Oxfordshire District Council?s decision to award Cornbury Park a premises licence took place today, 5 May 2011, at Banbury Magistrates Court. Eleventh hour negotiations led to the hearing being delayed and a mutually agreeable compromise being reached.
Lady Rotherwick of Cornbury Park said:
?We are relieved that this process has finally come to an end, as I?m sure the vast majority of Charlbury residents who have given us such overwhelming support will be. We applied for a premises licence through the only mechanism available to us and it was duly granted by West Oxfordshire District Council in January. By arriving at a negotiated result which involves putting the Safety Advisory Group conditions into the wording of the licence, we will still be able to host all our planned events. The whole legal process has been very costly in time and legal fees for both Cornbury Estate and for WODC. We only wish that Mark Hofman could have placed his trust in the Safety Advisory Group and WODC in the first place.?

Alison Wright · Thu 5 May 2011, 14:32 · Link

Charlbury Tennis Club

The Tennis Club has recently updated it's page on the website, and is keen to encourage new members to join. We also now have our own website at sites.google.com/site/charlburytennis/ .

Junior members would be especially welcome at the coaching sessions that continue on Monday evenings from 9th May.

Contact John Werner on 07825381725 or at johnwerner@hotmail.co.uk if you are interested in the Junior sessions or individual or group adult coaching.

Steve Vaux · Tue 3 May 2011, 08:25 · Link