New Years Greetings
On behalf of the Parish Council I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all the very best for the new year. Let us all look forward to 2022 with hope in our hearts and raise a glass to better things to come.
Please Note: This newsletter is being sent by the Mailchimp service to make it easier to send out and allow for personalisation, but if you notice anything that doesn’t look right please let me know. You can always contact me directly via my email jhonsinger@btconnect.co
Bin Collection next week and new charge for Garden Waste
As previously reported the bin collection next week of the blue and brown bin is as per normal on Tuesday 4th January.
Last week you will have seen the notification leaflet left on the green bin that our district council are introducing a charge for the brown bin from February.
I have just lifted the following from the Cherwell district website which h clarifies wat is happening:
“Garden waste: From February 2022, the brown bin will revert to being a garden waste bin only. The collection frequency will remain the same but the service will be subject to a £40 per annum charge, discounted to £36 for those that join the scheme before 1 February 2022.
Residents who pay for the service will be given a licence sticker to place on their bins to show the bin men it can be emptied by them. Households will be expected to use their existing brown bin for the revised service. If residents do not want to use the new service, they can ask for their brown bin to be removed but only after June 2022. Households can retain their brown bin even if they do not wish to use the new service, however the bin will not be emptied unless a garden waste licence is attached.
The collection of garden waste has been a paid-for service in all the other Oxfordshire Council areas for several years. Prices in Cherwell are comparable to Conservative-controlled West Oxfordshire District Council (£35pa) and much better than Labour or Labour/Lib Dem/Green controlled Oxford City (£57pa) and South and Vale at (circa £50pa).
From January 2022, food waste will be collected weekly.”
Fish & Chips Van in the village on Saturdays
For those new in the village, a Howe’s Fish and Chip van comes to the village every Saturday lunchtime at the new time of 1.30pm to 2pm. You will hear a bell (like a school bell) and his first stops is in Cherry Street. He then drives along Cavendish Place and stops again at the junction with Mill Road.
Howe & Co was established in 1930 and now has over 100 vans serving villages. You can track each van by going to their website and you need to look for van no 4:
https://howeandcofishandchips.co.uk/#findvan
They also have a general number you can call 07809 901761.
News from The Red Lion
The following information is from Dillie:
“The non-lockdown (a nervous “phew” here) means the pub will be open for New Year’s Eve celebrations which will be a little quieter for obvious reasons, but we hope you will come in and join us. Chilli and Baked Potatoes £7.95 from 7.pm, and last orders around 1.40am.
We will be open on Bank Holiday Monday from noon till 11pm – we’ve decided that as long as we are running the pub, it will be our policy to open the pub on all Bank Holiday Mondays.
However, we will be closed on all other Mondays, and please note that we will also be closing on Tuesdays 4th, 11th and 18th January as we are expecting January to be quiet. We re-start Tuesday openings on 25th for Burns Night.
Friday nights – due to the success of Christine’s fish and chips, we’re discontinuing steaks on that night. Take-aways have also proved very popular. Quiz Night with Rich Walsh is on 20th January.
Burns Night (25th January) should be fun. Again, we’re not going to make a massive song and dance and genuine Scots (sorry, George) will be disappointed to learn that we’re not booking a piper. With rising costs everywhere, we’re anxious to keep the price of the evening down. The menu will include a starter of Cullen Skink (basically, a Scottish Chowder), haggis (plus a vegetarian version) and Cranachan for pudding (cream, raspberries and toasted oatmeal). There will be alternatives for those who fancy the evening out but don’t like fish or haggis. (Which is incomprehensible to those of us who regard Cullen Skink followed by Haggis as one of the Great Meals Of The World.) Plus a tot of whisky for everyone.
If you are interested in coming along, it is a ‘bookings only’ event. £21.50 with £2 of that going to our lovely church. Do please speak to any one of our brilliant staff or call us on 01869 277225.
Finally, we received a letter from Pipers Crisps a couple of weeks before Christmas to say that they’re putting the price of their wholesale product up a whopping 9.2%. Blimey!!! Actually, we have changed supplier and are buying our crisps and some of our snacks from a company called Made For Drink as their packaging is fully compostable… but it did look like a portent of things to come and we are constantly being warned in the press that the price of everything is going to go up in the New Year. We will do our best to keep prices down.”
News from Stratton Audley Church
The follow information is from Becky Adams on behalf of the Shelswell Benefice:
“We are running services in the same way with compulsory masks and hand sanitising but no other restrictions currently. Upcoming services in Stratton Audley are : 10.45am Morning Service on Sunday 9th January
9.15am Holy Communion on Sunday 23rd January
On Sunday 30th January (10.45am) we have our popular ‘Plough Sunday celebration of Rural Life’ to which we extend a particular invitation to all those involved in the rural economy in our parishes. This year the service takes place at Finmere Grounds Farm MK18 4AT by kind invitation of the Brooks family.
Please check our website for details of services elsewhere in the benefice http://www.shelswellparishes.info/services.php ”
News from Stratton Audley Barn
The following is from Richard, Sara and the Barn team:
“We re-open 10am on Friday 7th January and are also now recruiting for the new year too, check out our Facebook page or message us for more information.
Wishing you and all your families a happy New Year from us all at the Barn.
Stratton Audley Barn. 01869 278184 info@strattonaudleybarn.co.uk ”.
Don’t Forget – Fresh Fish every Thursday – But not this coming week
Just to let you know that Jack from Grimsby is on an extended break, returning on Thursday 13th January. He comes to the village on a Thursday between 6.30-7pm and parks his van outside the Red Lion. He has a wide selection of fresh fish and shellfish. You can just turn up or place orders in advance by text and his mobile number is 07535 935119.
Bicester Motion ‘Experience Quarter’ Planning Application
The Parish Council has now submitted additional comments regarding the Outline Planning Application from Bicester Motion for the Automotive Experience Quarter and these can be viewed by visiting the Cherwell District Council planning portal by clicking on this link- Planning application: 21/01224/OUT – Planning register | Planning register | Cherwell District Council (once in the site go to ‘Support Documents’ and scroll down until you get to ‘Consultee Responses’ listed by date posted and scroll down).
The two biggest issues identified by the Parish Council concern potential noise pollution from track events and the lack of provision for 24 hour access through the site for a pedestrian and cycle path, all of which is explained in more detail in our submission.
This matter is scheduled for discussion at a full planning committee meeting on Thursday 13th January. As it is an outline application it is likely to get approval, so it will come down to what caveats and conditions the committee decide to impose on approval.
Children’s Speed Awareness Poster Campaign
Over a dozen really powerful designs have already been submitted and this is a last call for anyone who has not yet got around to registering with Kathryn Walker. To participate and get your A2 sheet of paper, please contact Kathryn at strattonaudley.kw@gmail.com
All designs submitted will be laminated and displayed around the village in the New Year. The cut off deadline has been extended to the new year to allow for some families to complete their design over the holidays.
Bicester Heritage January Scramble
The Events team have asked me to notify you of the local code for the first Scramble of 2022, on the 16th of January. The link for tickets is accessible via their website. Local Promo code is: FlyingBrevets
All tickets are now £14.00 (+£1.10 Fee & Tax) and the discount code will give 50% discount.
https://bicesterheritage.co.uk/whaton/january2022scramble-2-2/
And some reminders from the previous newsletters…..
Helping homeworkers with their wellbeing this winter
Homeworkers in north Oxfordshire are being invited to take part in free online workshops this winter, aimed at supporting mental health. Cherwell District Council is working with Oxfordshire Mind to deliver the group sessions, offering tips on wellbeing as well as how to spot the warning signs if a colleague needs help.
To find out more visit the Cherwell District Council site:
https://www.cherwell.gov.uk/news/article/924/helping-homeworkers-with-their-wellbeing-this-winter?fbclid=IwAR0EF6xfiMhTUY8UJySIOAo3gTKzKOIe8_50-Kra9Aah7koMB3H0L1MCbuw
Local Police Bicester and Kidlington Rural Team News
We asked Sergeant Gavin Staniland to provide a local update:
“Hello to all residents of Stratton Audley Parish, I would like to take this opportunity to provide some updates regarding your police team which has undergone a recent restructure. Previously your community has been served by PCSO’s Thomas BAILEY and Louise BEAUMONT and I would like to reassure everyone that this will continue to be the case. However I have now created a larger Rural Neighbourhood team, which will provide a more consistent and resilient means of visible policing.
Cherwell and West Oxfordshire police area recognise the significant impact that rural crime has on the community. In response to this we have just launched rural crime All Crime Attendance. This means that all crime that is reported to us as a rural crime will have follow up and contact from either a Police officer or Police Community Support Officer. Whilst there may not always be investigative opportunities for us to explore it does provide a valuable opportunity to provide Crime prevention and safeguarding advice.
I understand having conducted an extensive ‘Have Your Say’ across the rural community that Speeding is a common concern. In response to these concerns PCSO Thomas BAILEY has been conducting speed enforcement operations around the rural communities with the assistance of our colleagues from the Roads policing department.
As a Team we are driven to continue these operations and PCSO BAILEY will be delivering training to the other members of the Team. PC David SCOTT and PCSO BAILEY are your Community Speed watch Contacts for our rural team and will be happy to advise or assist where possible.
PCSO Louise BEAUMONT is reigniting community Have Your Say meetings around all of the villages so please keep an eye on social media and advertisements through the Parish Council for when they will be coming to you”.
To report a crime or contact the police there are now three options:
· Call 999 if you see a crime being committed or in an emergency
· Call 101 to report anything else to the police – or go online to do so
· And now police are partnering with CrimeStoppers to remind everyone of ‘The 3rd Number – 0800 555 111’ that enables you to report your information totally anonymously if you prefer.
Finally for the latest crime statistics there is a useful national site into which you can put your post code. Click on this link Bicester Rural | Police.uk (www.police.uk)
The return of the very popular 100 Club
The following is from Maggie Woodward who organises this draw.
“It has been decided to start the 100 club again having had to take a break because of Covid. The subscriptions will be due in November/December, a collector from the team will be knocking on your door for your subscription which is £10, but more than one subscription per household can be taken if desired. There will be four prizes, £30, £20 and two at £10, the prize money will be doubled in December. The money will be delivered to the winners. The first draw will take place on Wednesday 5th January 2022 in The Red Lion at coffee morning and thereafter on the first Wednesday of the month. The list of winners will be displayed on the Parish Council, The Red Lion and Church noticeboards and will be published in the Shelswell News. Any profit from the club will go towards a village project.
The collectors are as follows:
Willows Lodge Jeff
Glen Close and Stoke Lyne Road Angie
Cherry Street and The Limes Paddy
Cavendish Place Stewart
Mill Road Jeremy
Launton Road Viv
Bicester Road Maggie
The Manor Emma
Please give generously and support your village. Many thanks and good luck!”
Queens Platinum Jubilee – Join the Committee
A community wide street party will be held to celebrate the Queens Platinum Jubilee. National celebrations will take place from 2-5th June 2022 and we have pencilled in Sunday 5th June as our day of celebration. If you want to help or join the committee please let me know.
Shelswell History Festival advance notice Save-the-date
The Shelswell Benefice has decided to once again run the Shelswell History Festival and this is due to take place on Saturday 16th July 2022. They are looking for volunteers to help organise it and especially anyone with marketing expertise. Contact Alice Goodall by email alicegoodall313@gmail.com
Collection Point for Disposal of Ink Jet Cartridges
Please continue to pop your ink jet cartridges into the basket in the Glen Close bus shelter. Please don’t drop larger toner cartridges off as these are not recycled by the RSPB. If you are not sure if your cartridges are suitable for recycling, you can contact Rachel Dewhurst by email at treehouse0@sky.com
Covid-19
For the latest details on Covid data and other Government’s advice on Coronavirus can be found via these link:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do
https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/