Month: March 2020

WARNING. PROTECT YOURSELF & OTHERS WHEN OPENING & CLOSING GATES TO ACCESS PATHS

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Because of the Coronavirus it is very important to be extra vigilant when out for a walk and avoid touching surfaces wherever possible. The most frequently used path appears to be the Cross Bucks Way via the Pound. The gates have latches so surface contact is unavoidable, so please wear disposable gloves or use a tissue or piece of kitchen towel that can protect your hands and be disposed of immediately in the waste bin. If you are unsure about touching the gates please avoid going through them and take another route as it is vital that we all stay as safe as we can.

When you come into contact with other people remain at least two meters away from each other as virus droplets can travel through the air.

Please make sure that the gates on all walks are kept securely closed to prevent livestock from leaving the fields. In these difficult times we must all work together and be alert to prevent the spread of this deadly infection.

 

EXPLORE FOOTPATHS IN AND AROUND THE VILLAGE BUT REMEMBER TO SHUT THE GATES

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With the news that all restaurants, pubs, clubs, leisure centres and other places where people gather to socialise are now closed for business it is even more important to get exercise. If you are fit and not sick then now’s the time to get out and about. The new Pocket Park at the Pound is a delightful place to take a break and has a new parish notice board showing the walks that can be taken in and around the village.

The Parish Council has created better access to a number of paths by installing gates where previously there were just stiles. As a result people who are less agile than others and who are not self-isolating at present, now have easier access to a few short walks where they can take exercise on paths and fields rather than pavements.

PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU SHUT THE GATES AFTER YOU TO STOP LIVE STOCK ESCAPING.

NEW GATE ON BUCKS WAY.

A stile has been replaced with a gate between two fields. Walking out from the new Pound area you can now take a circular route by first crossing over two fields. Upon reaching the third field just past the wooded area with stream (also improved with gravel under foot) you turn right keeping to the edge of the field and cut back to the village on the Launton Road.

RE-OPENED PATH BY HUNT KENNELS.

A disused public footpath off the Bicester Road just beyond the hunt kennels as you leave the village, has been cleared of vegetation and a new gate and footbridge installed to re-establish a short circular walk that takes you back directly past the kennel buildings, then over a field to an alley way between the back of the Hall property and the boundary of the property on the right hand side. Emerging at the other end you cross directly over the private drive to a gate and continue across  the field to the back of the church where another new gate has replaced a stile.

FOOTPATH ACCESS OFF STOKE LYNE ROAD.

A new gate has been purchased and installed in the footpath next to the Old Green Barn site on the Stoke Lyne Road, which replaces a stile and re-establishes easy access on this path.

RESURFACING OF PATH LEADING TO THE POND.

Finally an area that is always muddy at this time of year and can prevent use of the path around the pond at the bottom of Cherry Street has been resurfaced.

Do tell us about the walks you have taken either by sending us a message on this site or going to the strattonaudleyparishcouncil facebook page.

Coronavirus – Support is only a phone call away

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 Many of us will be staying at home for the time being, even if we are not unwell at this stage, in an effort to simply stay away from areas which might be contaminating.  As a result there will undoubtedly come a time when some of us may need help with getting food supplies or picking up medication. Self-isolation may become tedious for some of us and knowing that you can make a simple phone call to a friendly voice in the village could make all the difference.

The Parish Council has circulated a list of volunteers to all households broken down by zones and it is most encouraging that since distributing the leaflet a number of younger people in the community have added their names to the list of volunteers ready to help.

If you need help or want to volunteer to help, in the first instance fill out the contact form on this site contact and provide your phone number. Your message will be picked up and you will be called by the parish chairman or one of the other volunteers.

 

All the Latest ‘Non Urgent’ News from the Parish Council

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The Parish Council carries out quarterly door drops as well as regularly updating the website (www.strattonaudley.org) and noticeboard plus occasionally Facebook page. We do this to encourage involvement in the community and appreciate your feedback. Please keep this sheet as a reminder. Additionally the Parish Council hold meetings usually on the first Wednesday of each month in the Red Lion at 7pm and you are always welcome to attend.

Date for the Annual Parish Open Meeting (LIKELY TO BE DEFERRED)

This is planned for Wednesday 6th May at 7.30 in the Church unless cancelled due to Coronavirus. Prior to this, the regular monthly Parish Council meeting will be held at 6.30pm, also in the church.

Parish Vacancy

There has been a vacancy on the Parish Council ever since we increased the numbers from 5 to 7. We are delighted to report that Mike Gore has now filled this position. However a further opening has been created as a result of John Edwards’ resignation after 2 years. We thank him for his service and having advertised the position confirm that this vacancy will now be filled by co-option. Please contact the clerk if interested strattonaudley.parishclerk@gmailcom.

New VAS on Stoke Lyne Road

As promised the new 30 mph sign at the entrance to the village on the Stoke Lyne Road has been installed and is operational. This new solar powered sign can be rotated to face in the other direction. It has been located some70 meters inside the 30 mph zone and it activates about 10- 20m before a vehicle reaches the first static speed sign, depending on the size of the vehicle. In due course data will be captured and made available.

RE-OPENED PATH BY HUNT KENNELS. A disused public footpath off the Bicester Road just beyond the hunt kennels as you leave the village, has been cleared of vegetation and a new gate and footbridge installed to re-establish a short circular walk. Instigated by the Parish Council, the work was carried out by the County Council in co-operation with the Bicester Hunt, so that walkers can now easily access this old public right of way.

FOOTPATH ACCESS OFF STOKE LYNE ROAD.

A new gate has been purchased and installed in the path leading off the Stoke Lyne Road which replaces a stile and re-establishes easy access on this path for less agile walkers.

At the request of the Parish Council following suggestions from members of the community, OCC have carried out resurfacing works to the path that leads to the pond at the bottom of Cherry Street. Our thanks go to them for completing the work and for sharing the cost, with additional money provided from a discretionary fund managed by Cllr. Ian Corkin.

Camera Survey of Village Sewers by Thames Water

Thames Water, having completed an initial scoping exercise of the sewer network within the village, are in the process of carrying out a camera survey. The intention is to identify points of infiltration and repair them with liner tubes in order to reduce ground water entering into the sewage system and vice versa. This follows continual problems with foul water flooding the Launton Road and should help to negate the need for removal of excess sewage by lorries at the pumping station in the Launton Road. Thames Water have agreed to deliver a report at the next Annual Meeting of the Parish in May.

Resurface work on Launton Road

As a result of discussions with OCC, patching of the road surface in the village along Launton Road from the junction of Mill Road up to where the speed limit changes will be carried out, rather than the individual filling of pot holes that is usually the case. This is good news but will require the road to be closed for a short while. The work is likely to be carried out in June and warning notices will be displayed in advance prior to the disruption. In the meantime, any severe pot holes will still be filled as a temporary measure provided they are reported on ‘fixmystreet’.

East-West Rail Gets Go Ahead

This project has now received approval to proceed from the Secretary of State and at a recent launch further details on the work schedule was made public. However the assurances we were given two years ago about no LGV (Light Good Vehicles) coming through the village may not be as cast iron as we thought. Our clear understanding at the time was that LGVs would take the same routes as for the HGVs, either via the Bicester ring road for the Launton compound or the Stratton Park Road for the Poundon compound. This is now the subject of some serious conversations to establish the total estimated numbers of vehicles, those that will be diverted and those likely to officially or unofficially travel via the village. The EWR Alliance has been asked to attend the Annual Parish Open Meeting by which time there should be more clarity.

Promoting Food Waste for the Brown Bin Campaign
The Parish Council has been actively promoting the correct disposal of food waste, which should be put into the brown bin not the green general waste bin. The District Council are also keen to promote this and are offering a free small food caddy to store waste in the kitchen until it needs empting it into the outdoor brown bin. An action day took place in the village which resulted in at least 6 households taking up the offer and  if you would like one, please contact them on 01295 227003 or by email at customer.service@cherwell-dc.gov.uk .

Bicester Motion and Elm Farm Quarry

Bicester Motion (Heritage) are in continued discussions with Oxfordshire County Council regarding the former Elm Farm Quarry. Bicester Motion are preparing concepts to create a viable restoration scheme for the former quarry site that seek to promote the ecology on the site and are exploring the opportunity for public activities on the site. Consultation is planned to take place during 2020 and this is a priority matter for the Parish Council.

Village Improvement Fund

There is still approximately £1400 available in the Village Fund.

The Parish Council has agreed to fund improvement works to the rear gate access of the Church graveyard, to alter the depth of the steps and provide hand-rails. A plan has been drawn up and agreement reached with the PCC for the works to proceed in the spring, with the help of volunteers.

It has become apparent that works to repair the clock on the church tower are more extensive and may require greater funding than at first thought. The Church are carrying out further investigative work and in the meantime the Parish Council has offered to get quotes from specialist companies and investigate what grant might be available to help fund the repair, with the intention of getting the work done this summer.

Conservation Area Review & Update Plan
The new Stratton Audley Conservation Area has now been adopted. This follows a lengthy review and re-appraisal in 2018/2019 by Cherwell District Council which included discussions with local residents and land owners. It has resulted in some changes, but in the main the report updates and reconfigures the data from the previous review which was carried out in 1996.