Wantage Hospital – update
Provided by: Cllr Dr. Paul Barrow, District Councillor for Ridgeway Ward.
https://www.facebook.com/Cllr-Dr-Paul-Barrow-104943001583284
paul.barrow@whitehorsedc.gov.uk
A public meeting was held on January 11th to discuss the options for the future of Wantage Hospital. A presentation was made by Dr. Dan Leveson, Oxford Lead on the Bucks, Oxon, West Berks Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Dr. Ben Riley of Oxford Health. The presentation included the preferred option of an expanded range of out-patient clinics together with the prospect of additional services sometime in the future such as a minor injuries unit and improved end-of-life care. The ground floor of the hospital will need refurbishment and Wantage Housing Development (CIL=Community Infrastructure Levy) money (ca. £600K) is available for health and will be used for this purpose.
Long term changes to National Policy mean that community beds are required much less than previously and the in-patient beds will finally go. There is a huge clinical literature (some of which I have read) which shows that discharge from hospital to residents’ own homes (with appropriate support!) results in faster recovery than if they stayed in bed. As might be expected the discussion was lively but indicated that few had read the detailed report (to be honest it is 32 pages long). This was then discussed again the next evening by Wantage Town Council Health Sub-Committee and afterwards by Wantage Town Council. All this was necessary because HOSC has been monitoring these arguments closely and has to decide on whether it regards the proposal, involving the loss of the in-patient beds, has involved sufficient public engagement and will result in improved health care. If the co-production has been unsatisfactory and the changes as substantial HOSC can refer to the Secretary of State but this could delay the changes and the CIL money could be lost.
Wantage Town Council voted unanimously to recommend that HOSC does not make the referral but they would also like to see a commitment of the ICB and Oxford Health to continued co-production leading to continuing improved services in the future including a minor injuries unit and improved palliative care.
Review of Primary Care
We all know how difficult it is for us to get a GP appointment. A proportion of GPs are part-time. A number do private work. So how many FTE (Full Time Equivalent) GPs do we have at Mably Way with our growing population???? We need to understand what is happening but even then, things may not change as quickly as we would like. What is at the bottom of what has become an unsatisfactory service in the last few years? At least the ICB understands that Primary Care (mainly GPs but also dentistry, pharmacies and optometry - eye care) needs to improve.
The ICB has launched the ‘Primary Care Conversation’ asking the public to share their views on primary care services via an online survey which can be found here https://yourvoicebob-icb.uk. and is open until 31 January 2024. Your views will inform the strategy we are developing.
See https://www.bucksoxonberksw for more detail.
District Councillor Report for Letcombe Regis Parish Council July 17th 2023.
Provided by: Cllr Dr. Paul Barrow, District Councillor for Ridgeway Ward.
https://www.facebook.com/Cllr-Dr-Paul-Barrow-104943001583284
paul.barrow@whitehorsedc.gov.uk
Food and Farming
Having been nominated Vale Food and Farming Champion I, together with my deputy, Cllr. Val Shaw, am trying to define our roles. I am concerned that farmers do not receive information in a timely way or at all from the Vale. Establishing a good communication system will therefore be vital. I am already talking to individual farmers from the different sectors – large arable, mixed and small livestock farmers but other sectors including fruit and vegetable growers, beekepers, hay producers etc are also important. Concerns raised so far include the slow planning process, which could be improved.
Levelling-up money from central government has been obtained by the Vale in two funds (Shared Prosperity Fund and Rural England Prosperity Fund). The latter will be particularly important in this ward and might be used for diversification, sustainable energy generation etc but some farmers are not aware of it!
Grove Business Park
Following concerns in Oxford University about lack of accommodation for spin-out companies, Oxford University Endowment Management (OUEM), which owns the park, is expanding the business park to fill the new available space with modern offices, and business and laboratory space. A presentation on their plans was made on June 7th. Having pestered them about retro-fitting PV solar on existing buildings I was pleased to see that this will be incorporated into all the new planned buildings. There are currently no plans for a bus route connection which is a shame and no current plans for connecting the buildings to the grid to generate income.
Footpaths
We have a good network of footpaths in this part of the ward and I am trying to complete it by opening up (asking the landowner to open them under OCC pressure) and maintain the paths between East Challow, Denchworth and Grove.
There are three wooden bridges that need repair and a couple of swing gates that have been bent to prevent use. I have contacted the OCC footpaths officer about this. One of the paths leads to Denchworth and The Fox pub and I have contacted Denchworth parish council about managing the footpaths in their parish. Another path (bridleway starting at the W&G Estate on the A417) cuts across Woodhill Brook up to Woodhill Farm and across to Grove. As part of the Grove Business Park extension OUEM intends to use this bridleway for access to Wellington Gate so this would also facilitate access for Grove residents to the Challow footpaths and beyond to Childrey and the Letcombes.
Childrey Brook
The first meeting of a Childrey Brook Group took place online on July 7th. It currently comprises Mark Bradfield (Letcombe Brook Project Leader), Adam Bows (Freshwater Habitats Trust, Ock Catchment Partnership) and Cllrs Paul Barrow and Kiera Bentley. The decision was made to explore what might be done to develop the project improving water quality and biodiversity in parallel with Letcombe Brook.
Childrey Brook arises as a spring in Childrey (but originates well south of the B4507) and passes through West and East Challow, Denchworth and West Hanney before joining Letcombe Brook south of Marcham.
Childrey Way School Transport
Appeals against the decision to rescind the free school transport for Childrey school children have been rejected. This is a bad decision and we have continued to generate publicity about it. I am concerned over child safety but also the likely consequence that children will be driven to school.
CCTV upgrade in Wantage and Abingdon
Twenty-six new high-definition CCTV cameras have been installed in the Vale, with 20 rolled out across Abingdon and six in Wantage town centre. The digital cameras directly replace the outdated analogue CCTV system to provide CCTV operators with much better picture clarity to help support public safety and assist emergency services.
The cameras and new data transmission circuits, costing over £150,000, have been funded by Vale. The council jointly operates the Abingdon-based CCTV control room with South Oxfordshire District Council to oversee town centre schemes across both districts.
The new cameras are also more energy efficient than the existing analogue ones, playing a part in helping the council reduce its carbon emissions. The final stage of this upgrade project is to reinstate a CCTV camera on Wallingford Street in Wantage, and work on this is currently underway.
The council’s CCTV service is important to help the police to keep people safe and detect crime. In 2022/23, CCTV operators monitored over 1,000 incidents in Abingdon and Wantage and supported the police in making 80 arrests!
HOSC (OCC health scrutiny committee)
Concerns remain over the services that will be run from Wantage Hospital. A workshop was run on June 28th between Wantage Town Council Health Committee, Oxford Health and the BOB ICS to discuss this. No firm decisions have been made and discussions are ongoing.
Cllr Dr Paul Barrow
Ridgeway Ward
Vale of White Horse District Council
July 13th 2023
Annual report from District Councillor May 2023 Provided by: Cllr Dr. Paul Barrow, District Councillor for Ridgeway Ward.
https://www.facebook.com/Cllr-Dr-Paul-Barrow-104943001583284
paul.barrow@whitehorsedc.gov.uk
New district council
The May elections have produced a new district council which will continue to try and provide good quality and affordable service for our villages. One of the medium term aims of the Vale and South Oxfordshire District Councils is producing a new Joint Local Plan to replace the existing Plan which ends in 2031. Two key aims are reducing new housing development in these areas and also to make new housing development more sustainable with more PV solar, air-source heating pumps etc to reduce running costs. (I know one resident in Letcombe Bassett who is completely self-sufficient in energy with PV solar and air-source heat exchange!). Every new development around us should already have had these installed but the old plan produced by the previous administration did not require this! It is a great shame since retro fitting is much more expensive and the developers should have been made to pay at the time! I would certainly also like to see this for all new office and industrial units (see below).
Grove Business Park
Grove Business Park is now owned by Oxford University Endowment Management. I attended a meeting last week where OUEM presented their plans to expand the Park. The number of Spin-out companies from Oxford University continues to rise with new companies looking for business and other accommodation. This is a great opportunity locally and is a very exciting. The new build will include PV solar and air-source heat exchange and improved catering facilities. There is concern about transport since in the first instance there will be no bus service and no prospect of Grove Station opening anytime soon which would alleviate much local traffic. Nevertheless, this is good news.
I did encourage the owner of the W&G Estate to fit PV solar for a new industrial unit but unfortunately this was not taken up.
Funds from the Vale of Whitehorse District Council
The Vale Climate Action Fund has opened again for applications from town and parish councils and local groups who have proposals which aim to tackle climate change. There is £100,000 available and the fund will be open for applications until 14 July.
The Council offers financial support for community organisations as food prices continue to rise and increasing numbers of people turn to food banks for essentials. To support the voluntary food network South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse district councils are inviting community food groups to apply for a grant of £2,500 for essential supplies. The grants can be used to help pay for a variety of expenses including food, additional storage and energy bills. See https://www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/food-network-grant-scheme/
Health
A recent meeting of HOSC, the county health scrutiny committee, looked at the negative effects of over-work and staff shortages on mental health issues in NHS staff. Staff shortage is a huge issue which is being addressed but with limited success so far. I have pressed for
London Weighting for Oxfordshire to counteract the high cost of living in this county but no luck there either.
The future for Wantage Hospital is to be discussed between Oxford Health Foundation Trust, The BOB ICS and Wantage Town Council Health sub-committee.
The national and local problems with dental services have also concentrated our minds. We hadn’t realised that Oxfordshire is one of the counties where water fluoridation is not mandatory. We are writing to the Secretary of State asking him to investigate this since it is recognised to reduce tooth decay and until the service is improved with a new contract for dentists it might be that – every little helps. Use of toothpaste with fluoride is also good (see www.nhs.uk/conditions/fluoride)!
Paul Barrow
paul.barrow@whitehorsedc.gov.uk
Mob: 07557953862
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cllr-Dr-Paul-Barrow-104943001583284
Annual report from District Councillor May 2023 Provided by: Cllr Dr. Paul Barrow, District Councillor for Ridgeway Ward.
https://www.facebook.com/Cllr-Dr-Paul-Barrow-104943001583284
paul.barrow@whitehorsedc.gov.uk
In addition to my regular reports covering my and council activities below is a summary of my activities during the last year
Work with parishes
Work for the parishes in this last year has involved frequent interaction with the parish councils and attending as many meetings as possible. Local work has involved helping individuals in different villages with their problems, dealing with Social Services, Sovereign Housing, footpath problems and planning issues, some of which have been contentious. I together with Kingston Lisle/Fawler parish council have fought against change of use of The Blowing Stone pub to a dwelling. Publicity was increased via The Wantage Herald which was not appreciated by the new more proactive manager as being too negative but footfall has increased. I opposed two further housing developments in East Challow which have now been rejected.
The Childrey School Transport issue remains unresolved but the ex-Childrey parish council chair and I involved the Wantage Herald for publicity and I took many photos of Childrey way at different times to highlight the problem which were submitted to OCC. We are still hopeful that this will resolved sensibly and the definition of safety may be broadened.
A final scheme for managing the BOATs in some of our villages (Challows, Letcombes and Childrey) has still not been decided despite my pestering them with photos of their condition. I would still like them to explore allowing motorbike use. I have been told that a site inspection is imminent and that a decision would be made soon thereafter but we have waited a long time already.
Basic infrastructure, particularly roads and drainage, have been neglected for many years. We have made improvements in the flooding in Warborough Rd, Letcombe Regis and Gramp’s Hill, Letcombe Bassett but much remains to be done, particularly a scheme for regular clearing of the sumps. The A417 at Haynes of Challow has also been improved but drainage is not perfect. Constant pestering of OCC Highways does bear fruit. It is my aim in the coming year to try to improve the drainage along Main Rd and lower Court Hill, Letcombe Regis and the appalling condition of Orchard Gardens, West Challow which is beginning to cause damage to a neighbouring property. I will also carry out a survey of surface water drainage in the villages.
In East Challow I set up a “Warm Space” which has been so popular it is being continued as a Community Space. We are also trying to save the East Challow Mission as a Community Asset and Meeting Space.
Support for Local Businesses
I have supported local businesses, including the companies on the W&G Estate and Grove Business Park. Last summer I took David Johnson around these to show him some of the
cool work done by many of the companies. Succession is an issue with some of engineering companies. The interaction with the veterans charity, Mission Motorsport has resulted in them approaching the Vale for involvement in the Armed Services Covenant. I continue to press local business landlords to incorporate solar panels in new and existing build, so far without success, even though this seems to me to be a win-win no-brainer!
Health
As Deputy Chair of the county Health Overview Scrutiny Committee (HOSC), my report on infection control in care homes after the main phase of the Covid pandemic was accepted and hopefully will be submitted to the national Covid inquiry, although we are not convinced that this will happen as the LGA is making a single submission! I contributed to a primary care workshop where we were able to get the new cross-county Integrated Care Board to fund a position to liaise with the Districts to ensure Primary Care facilities go hand-in-hand with new housing development.
On HOSC we added pressure which ended with the Wantage maternity unit being re-opened which is a great success. We are still arguing about the in-patient beds and timelines for engagement by Dan Leveson Oxfordshire lead on the BOB Integrated Care Board with Wantage and the wider OX12 community have been developed.
Although the OX12 project, reviewed by us was criticised heavily, this has been subsumed into a county-wide review of community health but which has been overtaken by the BOB ICS and the Integrated Improvement Plan to coordinate ambulance/emergency services with patient discharge. It is sometimes difficult for us on HOSC, residents and even health professionals to keep up with the speed of change.
We have also reviewed ambulance services, GP access and dentistry but these issues must be tackled nationally. Rural isolation for some members of our villages has been discussed at HOSC and by Oxfordshire Healthwatch and remains an issue. A discussion has begun with Wantage Town Council with OCC support to explore reinstating some form of community bus service to our villages.
I spoke at planning committee against the big Lioncourt application (East of Kingston Bagpuize) because of the lack of health services. It has now been approved but I remain very concerned about this for the same reason.
North Wessex Downs AONB
Sitting on the Council of Partners I have supported the introduction of more sustainable farming including the Farming in a Protected Landscape (FiPL) and have talked to a number of local farmers to get their views on the current changes. The farming environment is changing with the slow introduction of ELMS and replacing the Basic Payments Scheme. I have spoken to the NFU and although many farmers are signed up to the Countryside Stewardship Scheme the transition to and timeline for ELMS including the Sustainable Farming Initiative remains uncertain.
I am also a member of the Ock Catchment Area Partnership which seeks to improve water quality and biodiversity in this part of the Vale. We are jointly considering starting Childrey Brook, which runs through several of our parishes, as a project in parallel with the Letcombe Brook Project.
I and a colleague have started a cross-parish local hedge planting group to replace hedges grubbed up in the 70s and 80s.
Miscellaneous
I will continue to make regular reports to the parish councils and through village websites and newsletters. I will also continue to work closely with Yvonne, our county councillor.
Some of my activities can be seen on my Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/Cllr-Dr-Paul-Barrow-104943001583284.
I will also start again to visit the villages and knock on as many doors as possible to find out local views on pressing local issues.
Cllr Dr Paul Barrow
Ridgeway Ward District Council Report for Parishes March 2023 Provided by: Cllr Dr. Paul Barrow, District Councillor for Ridgeway Ward.
https://www.facebook.com/Cllr-Dr-Paul-Barrow-104943001583284
paul.barrow@whitehorsedc.gov.uk
Download this March 23 report as a.pdf HERE
District Councillor Report for Letcombe Regis 20230316
Council Tax.
We have all just received our council tax bills!
The Vale budget has been finalised and published. This forms a relatively minor component of the full bill most of which goes to Oxfordshire County Council.
You may be surprised to know that the Vale continues to charge one of the lowest district council tax rates in the country. Our budget includes a below-inflation increase in Council Tax of 3.4 per cent for 2023-24. For a Band D property, this equates to £5 a year (just under 10p a week), bringing a total charge of £151.69 a year (£2.91 per week) - which is more than 25 per cent lower than the national average.
Increases in Council Tax are never popular but we hope that this below-inflation increase is at least acceptable to most residents. The increase was approved at district council by all councillors from every party.
Household help.
Although the Vale has now closed the Household Support Fund and are no longer accepting any new applications for this fund, help is still available for anyone struggling with the high cost of living.
Applications already received are currently being processed and all applicants will be informed about whether their application has been successful or not. As there are a high volume of applicants, anyone who has not yet heard back is advised not to contact the councils or advice centres about their applications so that teams can focus on working through the applications - these are being worked through on a first come, first served basis.
Support is still available through the council’s Community Hub team who offer a wide range of advice, including information on free or affordable food banks and council tax support. The Community Hub Team can also help to signpost people for debt advice and other cost-of-living support and provide information on housing support as well as guidance on how people can look after their mental health and wellbeing. Anyone in need of support can contact our Community Hub team during office hours on 01235 422600 or they can email communitysupport@southandvale.gov.uk Please let any neighbours know about this if they do not use the internet.
We have spent £139,615 to help people with the rising cost of food and energy bills and added £60,000 to funds from the county council to boost the money available to provide support when it’s most needed.
Vale EV charging points.
The Vale District Council’s installation of Electric Vehicle chargers at its car parks has seen charging volumes double in its first six months. In June last year 62 EV chargers were installed across five of the council’s car parks in Abingdon, Faringdon and Wantage as part of the county-wide Park and Charge scheme. The number of charging sessions has gone up by 60 per cent in the first six months of installation. During the same period the average amount of electricity consumed has doubled, meaning that people are now using them for longer charges. Since the first chargers went live in summer 2022 there have been 3,631 charging sessions in the first full six months, which equates to around 169,000 EV miles. This represents a saving 45,863kg of CO2 if those miles had been driven in a petrol or diesel car.
Childrey Way.
We are still waiting to hear from OCC in response to the many representations made regarding school transport for Childrey children and Childrey Way and the results of the several appeals by parents.
You may have seen the Herald this week resulting from us pestering the reporters. It seems absolutely unlikely that this proposal will be approved because child safety is a key issue here but everybody is trying to keep up the pressure. I also know that something similar was an issue or Letcombe Regis with children walking the footpath to KAs which was resolved sensibly!
The Blowing stone pub
You may also have seen that the Herald reported on the application to the Vale by the owner of the Blowing Stine pub in Kingston Lisle to convert it into a house – a private as opposed to a public house. For your information villagers are very upset about this and fighting the proposal. There are a number of reasons including Covid and the lack of enthusiasm and energy of the owner. We all remember how the Greyhound was before Catriona took it over!
Oxford Station and Botley Rd
Network Rail have announced details of the works planned at Oxford Station, which will include Botley Road being closed for two spells – the first taking place this year beginning in April and lasting six months, and a second spell of seven months taking place next year.
All the details are in the Network Rail briefing below and attached. We’ve also attached the press release the county council issued this morning for your information.
Wantage Hospital – again!
Oxford Health and Wantage Town Council Health sub-committee are planning a co-produced workshop to discuss the future of Wantage Hospital. The future is assured but the exact nature and combination of the services provided remain uncertain and many would like to see a minor injuries unit based there. No date set as yet for the workshop.
Cllr Dr. Paul Barrow
20230316 Paul.Barrow@whitehorsedc.gov.uk https://www.facebook.com/Cllr-Dr-Paul-Barrow-104943001583284 District Councillor for Ridgeway Ward
District Council Report for Parishes February 2023
Provided by: Cllr Dr. Paul Barrow, District Councillor for Ridgeway Ward.
https://www.facebook.com/Cllr-Dr-Paul-Barrow-104943001583284
paul.barrow@whitehorsedc.gov.uk
Download this Feb 23 report as a.pdf HERE
COUNCIL TAX
The Vale budget has been finalised and published. You may be surprised to know that the Vale continues to charge one of the lowest district council tax rates in the country. The budget includes a below-inflation increase in Council Tax of 3.4 per cent for 2023-24. For a Band D property, this equates to £5 a year (just under 10p a week), bringing a total charge of £151.69 a year (£2.91 per week) - which is more than 25 per cent lower than the national average.
Increases in Council Tax are never popular but we hope that this below-inflation increase is at least acceptable to most residents. The increase was approved at full council by all councillors from every party.
Household help
Although the Vale has now closed the Household Support Fund and are no longer accepting any new applications for this fund help is still available for anyone struggling with the high cost of living. Support is still available through the councils’ Community Hub team who offer a wide range of advice, including information on free or affordable food banks and council tax support. The Community Hub Team can also help to signpost people for debt advice and other cost-of-living support and provide information on housing support as well as guidance on how people can look after their mental health and wellbeing.
Anyone in need of support can contact our Community Hub team during office hours on 01235 422600 or they can email communitysupport@southandvale.gov.uk
Please let any neighbours know about this if they do not use the internet.
We spent £139,615 to help people with the rising cost of food and energy bills and added £60,000 to funding from the county council to boost the funds available to people and provide support at a time when it’s most needed.
Applications already received are currently being processed and all applicants will be informed about whether their application has been successful or not. As there are a high volume of applicants, anyone who has not yet heard back is advised not to contact the councils or advice centres about their applications so that teams can focus on working through the applications - these are being worked through on a first come, first served basis.
Vale EV charging points
The Vale of White Horse District Council’s installation of Electric Vehicle chargers at its car parks has seen charging volumes double in its first six months.
In June last year 62 EV chargers were installed across five of the council’s car parks in Abingdon, Faringdon and Wantage as part of the county-wide Park and Charge scheme.
The number of charging sessions has gone up by 60 per cent in the first six months of installation. During the same period the average amount of electricity consumed has doubled, meaning that people are now using them for longer charges.
Since the first chargers went live in summer 2022 there have been 3,631 charging sessions in the first full six months, which equates to around 169,000 EV miles. This represents a saving 45,863kg of CO2 if those miles had been driven in a petrol or diesel car.
Saturday is the most popular day of the week to charge an EV in Vale of White Horse and 4pm is the most popular time of day to charge!!
Planning - national consultation
The overall guidance on planning is provided by central government under the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-planning-policy-framework--2) .
Local Plans (ours can be seen at: https://www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/vale-of-white-horse-district-council/planning-and-development/local-plan-and-planning-policies/local-plan-2031/) are obliged to refer to the NPPF and work within this framework in setting out their ore local vision for development. The NPPF is currently under consultation as a part of the Levelling up agenda and is looking to give local authorities more control over housing numbers and also to give local neighbourhood plans more influence. We shall see if this is the case. The East Challow neighbourhood plan is currently being looked at by the examiner and West Challow are looking to prepare a lighter-touch neighbourhood plan which is being piloted together with other villages as a result of a successful application by the Vale to the Dept of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
Conversion of unused agricultural building onto dwellings was intended to attract local residents and which might reduce rural poverty. What does happen is that these are frequently converted into high quality, highly desirable residences which are beyond the reach of most local residents such as agricultural workers. It is a shame.
Planning generally
I look at all planning applications that are submitted in our 7 villages and visit some of these which I think raise some difficulties. If you have any concerns either about your own application or one that affects you please do not be afraid to contact me to discuss. Contact details at the bottom of this report.
All future elections – Photo ID now needed!
Please remember that for any future elections, including the local elections in May, you will need photo ID to vote.
Accepted forms of photo ID will include, but are not limited to, passport, driving licence (including provisional license), disabled parking blue badge, certain concessionary travel cards and proof of age cards with a PASS mark. Anyone who doesn't have accepted photo ID can apply on www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate now for a free voter ID document, known as a Voter Authority Certificate. For more information, visit the www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/voter-id or call their helpline on 0800 328 0280.
Wantage Hospital Maternity Unit
You will know by now that the Maternity Unit in Wantage Hospital (MLU – Midwife-Led Unit) has reopened after much pressure from residents, pressure groups and us on the county
health scrutiny committee (HOSC). It is really good news! We cannot understand where the extra staff came from as we were told that as a result of staff shortages the few staff that we had could not work safely and were therefor seconded to Wallingford. We should not look a gift horse in the mouth but I only hope that we do not have to go through this again!
BOB ICP (Integrated Care Partnership) – The health service again!
Local health services seem to be a perennial issue for us both as residents and local councillors. I am deputy chair of the HOSC, the county health scrutiny committee, and we are constantly perplexed by the constant reorganisation in the health service at county level. It all comes down to limited resources at the end of the day of, course but it does result in the system becoming strained and residents becoming more and more frustrated.
So, the reorganisation of community health at the county level, which, you may remember, arose out of this being done (poorly) in the OX12 postcode, has been overtaken by a new cross-county level of administration (ICS, The Integrated Care System) including Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and West Berks (BOB) which together with the local authorities forms the iCP. It is designed to save money but administration costs p.a. must be in excess of £1 million! It remains to be seen how well this large structure will function. Finally, in addition to try to reduce the crisis in the ambulance service acute hospitals need to discharge more patients to care homes and community hospitals. Wantage Hospital used to have community beds!!
Well, we must hope that the teething problems are solved and we get a more effective service.
Together with Oxford Health, HOSC ran a workshop on some of the issues affecting primary care (mainly GPs). One of the good things that came out of it was a positive response to our request that the ICB (Integrated Care Board) appoints a member of staff specifically to oversee primary care infrastructure and dealing with CIL money from housing developments in this county.
Farming – the CAP is no more
I have spoken to a number of local farmers who are concerned about the uncertainty around implementation of the government’s flagship Agri-Environmental Legislation, ELMS (the Environmental Lan Management System - see www.gov.uk/government/publications/environmental-land-management-schemes-overview) if you are interested. It also has teething problems with pilots being carried out for various parts of it. It is likely that the Sustainable Agriculture arm will be funded more substantially than Biodiversity or Landscape but it does, to some extent, cover both these. It has been suggested to me that this might not be fully “sorted” until 2025!
New hedgerow group
East and West Challow and Childrey have set up a Hedgerow Group to plant and restore missing and gapped hedgerows and to encourage others to do the same. If anyone is interested in getting involved please contact me (contact details below) or Alastair Barclay at abarclay589@gmail.com.
Speeding
The county council is now working its way through our villages introducing 20 mph limits. Nearly all ours are being processed and Childrey now has its signs up. This will inevitably bring speeds down and reduce accidents of the unnecessary sort that we saw a few weeks ago in East Challow.
Heritage buildings
It is important to preserve as many of our old buildings as possible. Not all of them are listed and some very old barns are close to collapse as a result of neglect by the owners. It doesn’t take much to maintain these splendid old buildings for the next generation. In East Challow we are trying to save for the village The Old Mission built in 1904 and no longer used for services. Our group met outside on a cold New Year’s Day and have posed for the Wantage Herald and would like to see it as a community centre.
Our villages have a number of these heritage assets which give character to the places where we live but which are not nationally designated. For example, in East Challow we have two 19th barns which sit on 18th foundations, one of which is grade II listed and is nevertheless just being allowed to fall down gradually because there is nothing legally that we can do about it. It’s a huge shame!!!
Please let me know if you have non-designated heritage buildings of this sort in your villages and let’s put together a database for the Vale and perhaps we can start to put some pressure on the owners to preserve these assets for the next generations.
Childrey Way and School Transport
Free School Transport is no longer to be provided for school children in Childrey attending King Alfred’s. Parents will be required to drive their children to school although the Head is concerned about safety with so many vehicles arriving at the same time. Alternatively,
children, with or without their parents, are expected to make their way by bicycle or on foot along Childrey Way. This is neither safe nor pleasant for anyone using it for walking or cycling. Residents and the parish, district and county councillors are all pressing the county council hard to have this decision reversed.
I have been told that a hearing is going to take place about this. Let’s hope that by the time you read this it has been resolved to the advantage of the residents and their children.
Community bus service
Community bus services through our villages were stopped several years ago as a result of shortage of funds and there have been a few attempts to restart these – unsuccessful so far. Wantage Town Council is now discussing the possibility of some sort of local service being set up with housing development money. I will be involved in the group to discuss this. I will shortly be sending out a questionnaire and would welcome its wider circulation through the villages.