GOOD NEWS!!
Hailey Playground is re-opening on Saturday 4th July
Please click on Hailey Playground notice for more details and how to keep yourselves safe.
Please take hand sanitiser with you to the playground
| Dix Pit to re-open next Monday |
| The Dix Pit household waste recycling centre will reopen on Monday 18 May but residents are being urged to hold their visit unless it is absolutely essential. |
| Long tailbacks are expected at the site run by Oxfordshire County Council. These are set to be exacerbated by reduced opening hours and the number of vehicles accessing the site being reduced by 50 per cent to allow for social distancing. Government guidance says that trips to a recycling centre should only be made if ‘essential’ – that is if the waste cannot be stored safely without harm to health. It adds: “It would be reasonable for residents to undertake a journey to a HWRC if the waste or recycling could not be stored safely at home or disposed of through other legitimate routes such as a dedicated collection. “By this we mean that the waste/recycling could not be stored on their property without causing a risk of injury, health or harm to the resident or other members of their household or harm to public health and amenity.” Cllr Norman MacRae, Cabinet Member for the Environment at West Oxfordshire District Council, said: “We know there has been considerable frustration with the site being closed but hopefully this decision will help ease the situation and help prevent fly-tipping. “I would urge residents not to react too hastily though as we don’t want to see the site overwhelmed. If you can delay for a while longer, this would help everyone concerned.” Residents are also reminded that the full bulky waste service will be available again from Thursday 14 May. For more information, see: https://www.westoxon.gov.uk/bins-and-recycling/getting-rid-of-large-items/ Things to remember when visiting the reopened centres: You should only visit the site if you cannot safely store your waste at home. Revised opening hours: All sites will open at 8am and close at 4pm to allow them to be cleaned for the following day. The summer evening opening hours are suspended. Vehicle numbers and parking bays will be reduced on site, and once the maximum is reached the site will operate on a one-out one-in basis. PLEASE NOTE the potential for long delays and queues. Please follow any instructions given by traffic marshals to ensure queues are managed safely Charges for non-household waste brought to sites will continue and this will be by contactless card payment only. Residents are expected to self-police and abide by social distancing of two metres from site teams and other residents at all times. For an initial period, no hire vans or trailers will be permitted onto sites. Site teams will be there for guidance only and will not be able to assist residents in unloading their waste. Only one resident will be permitted out of the vehicle, unless it is to unload a heavy load which would otherwise be unsafe to remove. Visits are best made by just one person per vehicle. In line with Public Health England guidance, residents who are vulnerable, or who are showing symptoms which may indicate coronavirus, should not visit household recycling centres. Residents are requested to ensure all waste is pre-sorted before arriving at site to ensure minimum time on site. Please refer to the Oxfordshire County Council website before leaving home to familiarise yourself with these and to avoid frustration and delay: www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/wastereopenquestions |
| Bulky waste collections reinstated |
| The bulky waste service for residents is being started again to help residents dispose of larger items. |
| While it is still subject to some restrictions, residents will still be able to arrange for the collection of up to three items per household including furniture, white goods and large electrical items. Cllr Norman MacRae, Cabinet Member for the Environment, said: “I am delighted to see this service starting again. We have recognised the inconvenience that the suspension of the bulky waste collection has caused to residents. “I am sure residents will appreciate the hard work and determination of our officers and our contractor, Ubico, to facilitate this. We have listened to concerns around fly-tipping and acted accordingly.” The bulky waste teams will be operating to strict Government guidelines on social distancing. Currently, no beds, mattresses, sofas or carpets will be collected but the service is subject to ongoing review. For more information and to book a collection, see: https://www.westoxon.gov.uk/bins-and-recycling/getting-rid-of-large-items/ |
| Contact Information West Oxfordshire District Council Communications Team 01993 861616 communications@westoxon.gov.uk |
Easter Thought.
If anyone, of any age, would like to make a little Easter garden for next weekend that would be lovely. You could put it on a plate or a box or whatever you have to hand, using moss, stones, twigs and flowers. If you would like, it could go along the path near the church which would look lovely. Or perhaps you would rather keep it at home and maybe post a photo of it on line. Either way it would be great to see your ideas.
Keep well and safe, and if you would like to be included in the church emails, zoom service details, or just want a chat, please contact Sue Drew 702624 or Elpie Lewis 703070 elpielewis99@aol.com
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Please click here for the current full guidance from the Government on what can and can’t be done.
in
Hailey Church & Churchyard
Come and Light Candles to
Remember Loved Ones
Mulled wine, soft drinks
and hot dogs
Burglaries |
There have been a recent spate of burglaries across the area in
The burglars having been breaking through patio doors to gain entry to homes.
Homes with no security measures in place are five times more likely to be burgled than those with simple security measures. Good window locks and strong deadlocks can make a big difference.
Taking just a few steps can make a big difference in keeping your home safe from burglary. Here are a few tips:
• Lock your doors and windows every time you leave the house, even when you’re just out in the garden, remembering to double-lock UPVC doors (lift handle and turn key)
• Hide all keys, including car keys, out of sight and away from the letterbox (remember a device could be used to hook keys through the letterbox)
• Install a visual burglar alarm (as part of a suite of prevention measures – a burglar alarm on its own will not prevent entry to your home)
• Install good outside lighting
• Get a trusted neighbour to keep an eye on your property
• Leave radios or lights in your house on a timer to make the property appear occupied
• Make sure the fences around your garden are in good condition
• Secure bikes at home by locking them to an immoveable object inside a locked shed or garage
• Keep ladders and tools stored away; don’t leave them outside where they could be used to break into your home
• Ensure side gates are locked to prevent access to the rear of the property
• Ensure rear fencing is in good repair
• Improve natural surveillance at the front of your property i.e. trim high hedges
• Mark your property with postcode and house number and register your property for free.
• Consider joining or forming a neighbourhood watch group a
• Remove valuables from view of ground floor windows
• Store any high value items (i.e. jewellery, passports) in a properly secured safe or bank vault.
In most burglaries, the criminals broke into the house or flat through the door, either by forcing the lock or kicking it in. So make sure your doors are strong and secure. Consider fitting a bar for extra strength; a locksmith can advise you on how best to do it.
Glass panels on doors are particularly vulnerable. If you have one on your door you could replace it with laminated glass, which is stronger. You can also buy a film in a DIY store that you can stick over the glass to make it harder to break.
Home security and DIY shops sell inexpensive, key-operated locks to fit most kinds of windows. Fit window locks with keys to all downstairs windows and those upstairs that are easy to reach.
Going away on holiday
Make your home look like someone is living in it:
• Use automatic timer-switches to turn your lights and radios on when it goes dark
• Cancel any newspaper or milk deliveries
• Use the Royal Mail’s ‘keepsafe’ service – they keep your mail for up to 2 months while you’re away. Mail sitting on your doorstep is a sign that you are away
• Trusted neighbours may be able to help you by collecting your post, opening and closing curtains and they could park their car on your driveway
• Avoid discussing holiday plans on public social networking sites – burglars can use any information you post on there to their advantage.
Due to the resignation of Gavin Hyatt as Hailey Parish Councillor, the Council now has a vacancy.
NOTICE OF VACANCY IN OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR
PARISH OF HAILEY
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN
Pursuant to section 87(2) of the Local Government Act 1972, that Mr G Hyatt, formerly a Member of the above named Parish Council, has ceased to be a Member of the Parish Council, and that a vacancy now exists in the office of Councillor for the Parish.
If, within 14 days after the date of this notice (i.e. no later than 5 November, 2019), a request for an election to fill the vacancy is made to the Head of the Paid Service, West Oxfordshire District Council, Woodgreen, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX28 1NB by TEN electors for the Parish, an election will be held to fill the vacancy, otherwise the vacancy will be filled by co-option.
If there is an election, it will take place not later than 9 January, 2020.
Dated: Wednesday 16 October, 2019
Ms L Wilkinson
Clerk to Hailey Parish Council
If you are interested and would like more details of what is involved please click here for a description of the role.
OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
Councils commit to cutting traffic congestion and improving public transport in Oxford
Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council announced bold plans today (18 September) to tackle congestion on all major routes into Oxford and improve public transport connections into and across some parts of the city, particularly the city’s eastern arc (this is an area outside the city centre that links parts of north Oxford, Marston, Headington and Cowley).
The two councils want to make a real improvement to journey times for commuters and quality of life for residents, including improved air quality, by reducing the number of cars travelling into and around the city. The key points of the Connecting Oxford proposal are:
The two councils are now asking for comments and ideas from residents, commuters, businesses, transport operators and other organisations to feed into the detailed development of the proposals. The feedback will be used to develop a detailed project proposal, including a full business case that sets out the costs and benefits of the scheme.
Complementing the traffic management proposals, Oxfordshire County Council approved plans in April 2019 to roll out nine new Controlled Parking Zones (CPZ) across Oxford by 2021. These will also cut traffic by reducing the opportunity for commuters to park in residential streets. The new CPZ areas will be: Hollow Way North, Cowley Marsh, Lamarsh Road, Waterways, New Marston, Sandhills, Cowley East, Cowley West and Quarry.
The proposals for further traffic restrictions and a workplace parking levy follow research undertaken in Oxford for the County Council’s Local Transport Plan, examination of measures applied in other UK cities and experience of transport planning in Oxford. It is believed they would decisively reduce congestion into and around Oxford that is causing growing problems for residents, employers and commuters.
Alternative options including the introduction of a congestion charge have not been completely ruled out, but are not considered to be as effective in reducing congestion and traffic over the long-term.
Bold measures needed to tackle growth in car journeys
More than 60% of all journeys into Oxford are presently done by car, with the trend of car-dependency likely to continue as more jobs are created by the city’s thriving local economy. Unless steps are taken to change how people travel this increased demand for travel will overburden the transport network leading to more congestion for Oxfordshire commuters.
The latest figures show that the number of journeys is on track to increase as predicted by a quarter (25%) between 2011 and 2031 unless steps are taken to reduce car-based traffic. In the first half of 2019, there were 65 days – half of all weekdays – when speeds on at least one major road into Oxford fell to under 5mph during the morning rush hour.
Poor public transport connectivity to parts of Oxford means some of the area’s major employment sites have no direct bus service or connection to a Park & Ride site. For those travelling by bus today it can mean using two or more bus services which results in long journey times. For example, travelling from Witney to the Headington area currently takes 82 minutes on a bus in the morning peak.
Severe traffic congestion is also having a negative impact on existing bus services. Oxford Bus Company has confirmed bus speeds in the centre of Oxford are 38% slower than in 2006, and so to ensure the timetable is met it has to put around one third more buses on the road. This, together with falling passenger numbers as a result of the slower journey times, has hit profitability, which is down by two-thirds. If not addressed, this unsustainable trend could see further impact on less profitable city and rural services.
The combination of traffic restrictions and the introduction of a workplace parking levy create positive incentives for commuters and residents to use other modes of transport, and for employers to reduce the incentive to provide free or subsidised parking for staff. Nottingham introduced a workplace parking levy in 2012 that continues to fund improvements to its local bus and tram network.
Reducing traffic volumes allows vehicles to move at around the speed limit, which reduces the need for dedicated bus lanes in some areas. This in turn would free up more road space for dedicated cycle routes. The bus gates similarly help improve space for cycling.
Investment in bus services along with improved walking and cycling routes is part of a positive vision of a sustainable and less congested city as set out in the Local Transport Plan (2015). The proposals will complement the already agreed plan to create a zero emission zone (ZEZ) to tackle poor air quality in Oxford’s city centre.
Cllr Yvonne Constance, Cabinet Member for Environment at Oxfordshire County Council, said: “The predicted growth in journeys as new jobs are created in the city means that doing nothing is not an option. We need to take bold steps to tackle the congestion problem and improve quality of life for people who live and work in the city. The benefits will be felt by people travelling into the city from across the county and is an important project for Oxfordshire as a whole.”
Cllr Alex Hollingsworth, Cabinet Member for Planning and Sustainable Transport at Oxford City Council, said: “History shows that every twenty-five years or so Oxford needs a transformative change to its transport planning. In 1970 plans to knock down parts of Jericho and St Clements for roads and car parks were rightly abandoned; instead we introduced the UK’s first Park & Rides. In the 1990s we pedestrianised Cornmarket and put the bus gate in High Street to cut congestion in the city centre. We need another bold step to break the slow steady spiral of congestion and decline and instead create a virtuous cycle of improvement, with better public transport, safer cycling and cleaner air on our streets.”
Peter Headicar, Transport Advisor, Oxford Civic Society, said: Demand management must be a core feature in developing the Oxford Transport Strategy to bring traffic and environmental improvements to the city whilst facilitating and accommodating its economic growth. We hope that the councils will now commission the technical work necessary to provide detailed information on the impact of the proposals so that their optimum form can be identified.”
Phil Southall, Managing Director, Oxford Bus Company, said: “Congestion has a huge impact for us, delaying journeys and leading to reduced frequency. Our costs also increase because we need more buses to deliver the timetable. Reliable and flexible buses are crucial to cutting down on the number of individual cars and to help drivers with links to Park & Ride. We need a radical way of unclogging the roads and welcome potential changes.”
Scott Urban, Coalition for Healthy Streets and Active Travel, said: “We support a new approach towards a more efficient, safe, active and sustainable low-carbon travel and a reduction in traffic, pollution and noise to create more attractive, accessible and people-friendly streets where everybody can enjoy spending time. We recognise that this requires visionary and bold measures, that may meet some initial resistance, as any change from the status quo does. But we believe that as the measures themselves are introduced public support will grow and grow. We will work vigorously to support sufficiently bold measures.”
About the new bus services
Funding from the workplace parking levy will be used to introduce new high frequency bus and Park & Ride services, connecting people living in the county towns to key employment sites in Oxford, as well as a new fast orbital route across the eastern arc.
About the traffic restrictions
New bus gates are proposed around the city centre to restrict through traffic and disincentivise vehicles driving into the central area. In addition, bus gates are also planned for the B4495 on the Marston Ferry Road and Hollow Way to reduce congestion on the route of the proposed new orbital bus service. The operating times for the bus gates have not yet been determined. Buses, taxis and emergency service vehicles will not be restricted.
About the workplace parking levy
There are many more workplace parking spaces in the city compared to public parking, mainly located outside the city centre and across the eastern arc. To influence private car use, particularly associated with the journey to work – a main determinant of congestion at peak periods – a workplace parking levy is proposed.
The levy is a relatively simple and cost-efficient way to raise revenue to be invested in improved transport, as proposed in Oxford’s Local Transport Plan in 2015, and to encourage sustainable travel behaviour and mode choice.
Medium-sized and larger employers would contribute to the costs of reducing congestion and providing better alternatives that they will benefit from directly, including shorter journey times for staff coming to work. Employers within the area covered by the Workplace Parking Levy will be within a ten minute walk or less from the new high frequency bus route. It is recognised that these represent additional costs to employers, which is why organisations with fewer than 11 spaces are exempt.
Employers in the eastern arc area would be invited to take part in a design group to influence the final measures so they can help shape the proposals and maximise the benefits to them as a local employer.
The cost to employers has not been calculated and would be linked to the investment needed to provide good alternatives to driving. The Nottingham levy is £415 per workplace parking space per annum, and the councils believe that provides a reasonable indication of the levy for Oxford.
Have your say
Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council have launched a major engagement exercise to gather views of people affected by congestion in Oxford, including residents, employers and commuters.
More information on the Connecting Oxford proposals are available at www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/connectingoxford along with a short survey on the proposals. People are welcome to submit comments as individuals or on behalf of an organisation. The deadline for submissions is 20th October 2019.
As part of the engagement activities, the councils will be meeting with employers, community groups and representatives of interests including active travel.
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