Now available in the April issue of the Witney Letterbox with a FREEPOST return option

As the new municipal year approaches Witney Town Council is inviting your views and comments on the services we provide. The responses to this and last year’s survey will help us formulate Witney Town Council’s Corporate Plan for the town for 2016-2018.

You can find the survey on line via links on our social media feeds and website and a paper version will feature in the April edition of the Letterbox magazine which is delivered to 12,000 homes in the town.

Cllr Chris Woodward, Chair of the Communications Steering Group, said;

“At the last few annual town meetings the public that have attended have expressed a desire for the Town council to find more effective methods of communication between the council and the public.

This Town Council has taken this challenge seriously and explored  new ways  to reach the widest possible audience and make better connections with their electorate.

This survey is just one example. It is being delivered to every household in the town through a variety of media in order to allow everyone to have a voice.

With current services and local authority spending under increasing pressures and scrutiny it is only right that the Town Council strives to get as much feedback as possible so that we can tailor the way  in which we deliver our services in the future. ”

This survey will close on April 30^th.  Please note, you must live in Witney to take part.

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/GQFZDVK

WOCT held its official launch event in the Corn Exchange on Thursday 23rd March.  The Community Benefit Society is supported by Witney Town Council who have pledged to continue to offer financial support for a community operated bus service.

WOCT distributed timetables and membership forms for those who would like to help support the initiative. They are seeking shareholder members and you can become one for just a £1! Full details below.

You can download the membership form here Membership Form

and the Timetable is available here: Timetable

The gates to Tower Hill Cemetery will be unlocked for the whole of the weekend for Mother’s Day from Friday 24th March at 16:30 until  09:00 on Monday 27th March

Lovely to have Henry Box and St Mary’s School along to the Commonwealth Flag raising this morning and many thanks to the Mayor and his cadet, Corporal Adam Richards of Somme COY Oxfordshire Battalion ACF (the Rifles). A beautiful sky today so we were very fortunate.

Corporal Richards raised the flag, following the reading aloud of the Commonwealth Affirmation by Mayor, Chris Holliday:

“Joining together as members of one worldwide Commonwealth community, and valuing the personal dignity and worth of every citizen, we raise this flag as a symbol of the ties of kinship and affinity that we cherish. We draw inspiration from our diversity, and the opportunities for working together, as a rich source of wisdom and a powerful influence for good in the world. We affirm our commitment to upholding the values set out in the Commonwealth Charter, to serving one another in a spirit of respect and understanding, and to advancing development, democracy and cooperation locally, nationally and internationally.”

The theme of this year’s Commonwealth day is,  ‘A Peace-building Commonwealth’ which follows on from last year’s theme , ‘An Inclusive Commonwealth’.

Citizen of The Year 2016 Winners

Outstanding Witney Citizens were recognised at an award ceremony at the Civic Reception on March 3rd. The reception for specially invited guests was held in The Corn Exchange.

Guests were treated to a fantastic performance by Springfield Senior Choir and Mayor, Cllr Chris Holliday then presented the awards. These went to Jennie Allen, Chair of The Windrush Valley Protection Group – Certificate of Outstanding Service to the Environment;  Trish & Colin Sparrowhawk who fundraise every year for a number of charities by selling homemade jams, chutneys and pickled onions from outside their home -Certificate of Outstanding Service to the Community;  David Miles and Dave Harrison for recognition of their hard work and contribution to the setting up of a replacement bus service for the town – Certificate of Outstanding Commitment to Public Service; Chris Osborn of Base 33 – Young Citizen of the Year and Kelly Hale of Madley Park- Citizen of the Year.

Chris Osborn is a Graduate at Base 33 and an advocate for the service. He is a peer mentor and a committed ambassador and representative.

Kelly Hale is the hall manager at Madley Park Hall, she works beyond her remit and outside her official hours to promote, not only the hall but the area where she lives, even setting up a Rainbows pack to meet demand in the area.

The Mayor commented,

‘Witney is a town of aspirational and inspirational people. That is what makes it the fantastic place it is to live.  There is a whole community of people doing what they do and making such a difference to the lives of others. You look at them and you know that it really is ‘ALL ABOUT PEOPLE.’

Our 2016 winners were:

Kelly Hale – Citizen of the Year

Chris Osborn – Young Citizen of the Year

David Miles – Outstanding Commitment to Public Service 2016

Dave Harrison – Outstanding Commitment to Public Service 2016

Colin Sparrowhawk – Outstanding Service to Community 2016

Trish Sparrowhawk – Outstanding Service to Community 2016

Jennie Allen – Outstanding Service to the Environment 2016

Congratulations to them on their achievements. Witney is a great town with some very dedicated residents.

Temporary Traffic Regulation Notice – S14 Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984

Temporary Road Closure – Ducklington, Unnamed Road from A415 to A4095

 In the interests of public safety it will be necessary for Oxfordshire County Council to close the road as detailed above in order to facilitate carriageway investigation works.

A temporary Notice is being made to implement the temporary closure and will operate from 13 March 2017 for 5 days.

 Access will be maintained for emergency service vehicles and for those frontages within the closure area, subject to the progress of the works and liaison with the works supervisor. 

 A copy of the drawing showing the extent of the closure and also the alternative routes for traffic is attached. 

Further information regarding the works may be obtained by contacting OCC Highways & Transport on 0345 310 11 11.

 JaC/T4674

Temporary Traffic Regulation Notice – S14 Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984

Temporary Road Closure at Burwell Drive and “No Waiting” restriction at Abbey Road and Holford Road on 20 March 2017

 In the interests of public safety it will be necessary for Oxfordshire County Council to close the road and impose a ‘No Waiting’ restriction as detailed above in order to facilitate carriageway resurfacing works.

A temporary Notice is being made to implement the temporary closure and “No Waiting” restriction and will operate on the days shown above.

 The “No Waiting” restriction means that vehicles will need to be removed from the highway where there are in place yellow “No Waiting” cones.

 Please note Temporary Traffic Regulation Notices can last up to 5 consecutive days only.

 Please note that access routes will depend on exactly where the works vehicles are at any time and may need to be negotiated with the gang on site as necessary.

 A copy of the drawing showing the extent of the closure, restriction and also the alternative routes for traffic is attached.

 Further information regarding the works may be obtained by contacting Highways & Transport, Oxfordshire County Council on 0345 310 11 11.

 JaC /T4682

A Ford Transit connect panel van with a partial registration number of MF57 ??? has been seen entering yards and building sites in West Oxfordshire over the last few days. The driver is a white male in his 30’s. If you see this vehicle please call 101 or 999 if suspect its activity is criminal.

PART-TIME CARETAKER £7.85 PER HOUR

Witney Town Council is looking for an enthusiastic, conscientious and self-motivated person who would like to provide a key role in providing excellent customer service to users of the Council’s Public Halls.

This post is part time, 25 hours per week, with the possibility of additional hours.  Hours of work will be negotiable to be worked flexibly on a rota over 7 days, including early mornings, evenings and weekends to meet the needs of the business.

You will be required to assist in the security and maintenance of the Council’s buildings and ensuring rooms are set up/laid out meeting the needs of the hirers.

For further information and an application form please contact the Town Hall on 01993 704379 or info@witney-tc.gov.uk.

Closing date: 12noon on 3 March 2017

Caretaker February 2017 covering letter Caretaker February 2017

Caretaker February 2017

Application Form

Application Form-personal details

If you are a resident of Witney and have questions you would like to put to the representatives from local council and other organisations email them to info@witney-tc.gov.uk

YOUR COUNCIL TAX PRECEPT EXPLAINED
The primary source of income for most Parish Councils comes from the Precept, part of the Council Tax. We hope to explain the contribution you make to the Town Council through your Council Tax and how it is spent.
WHAT IS A PRECEPT?
The Town Council receives a small proportion of the local Council Tax. It does not receive any direct funding from central government. The funding collected pays for the running of the Council and the services it… provides.
HOW IS IT CALCULATED?
The Town Council makes an estimate of income and expenditure for the next financial year, including some for future planned projects and/or unexpected events. It is then calculated as an amount per Council Tax Band D Property and added to the Council Tax Bill of all the dwellings within the Parish area.
HOW IS IT RAISED?
West Oxfordshire District Council collects your Council Tax on behalf of the District Council, County Council, Police, Fire and the precepts for any Parish/Town Councils in their district. It is important to note that Witney Town Council’s precept is just a small percentage of your overall Council Tax Bill.
HOW MUCH IS IT?
This year, there is a small increase in the precept charge to Witney residents. The precept has been limited to an increase of just 3.36%. From April 2017 the cost per average household (Band D property) has increased from £130.52 to £134.91 per annum. This is a rise of £4.29 per property for the year, which equates to a weekly increase of only 8.4p per household.
WHY HAS IT GONE UP?
Along with having to continue to absorb cuts to Central Government support grants, we have allocated budgets to the recently reopened Corn Exchange and committed a budget to support a local bus service for residents.
HOW IS IT SPENT?
Your precept is spent on maintaining the provision of all the facilities and services the Town Council offers as shown in the graphic.

Here is a letter that has been issued to patients of Deer Park Surgery that gives the latest information and news about the surgery. There are two pages to the letter.

OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984

Section 14(1) & (7)

Notice of Temporary Traffic Order

Witney, A4095 Bridge Street

Prohibition of Through Traffic & Waiting

Date of Order: 18 January 2017

Coming into force: 23 January 2017

 The Closure Area

This Order is being introduced because of a new Zebra crossing installation and associated roadworks which are anticipated to take 4 weeks to complete.

The effect of the Order is twofold:

1.)  is to temporarily prohibit any vehicle waiting in the whole length of Bridge Street;

2.)  for the last two nights only – to close the road to all traffic.

Appropriate traffic signs will be displayed to indicate when the measures are in force.

Exemptions are included for emergency services and for the works and for access to premises which are only accessible from the closed section of road.

The alternative route for traffic is via the B4022 Oxford Hill, A40 to Eynsham, B4449 to the A415 to Ducklington and Witney, Station Lane, Witan Way, High Street and vice versa.

 The Diversion

The relevant part of the Oxfordshire County Council (Various Roads – West Oxfordshire) (Prohibition and Restriction of Waiting and Permitted Parking) Order 2012 (as amended) which permits 30 minute parking shall be suspended for the duration of the works.

This Order will remain in force for a maximum period of 18 months or until the works have been completed whichever is the sooner.

Traffic Regulations Team (Ref JaC) for the Director for Environment & Economy, County Hall, Oxford OX1 1ND. 0345 310 1111.

In the wake of the terror attack in Berlin, Witney Town Council has issued the following message of condolence from the Mayor of Witney to Burgermeister Wolfgang Panzer, Mayor of our German twin town, Unterhaching.

Dear Burgermeister Panzer

It was with great shock and sadness that we heard the news of the attack on Berlin’s Christmas Market.  On behalf of the people of Witney I would like to offer our sincere condolences to the people of Berlin, Unterhaching and all of Germany, to all the victims and their families and those that have suffered as a result of the attacks.  This, of course, is extended to all those from other countries that were attending the market.

The horror of the attack touches us all and the effects of the suffering in Berlin will impact on all of Germany’s neighbours and friends.

We have a strong bond through our Twinning Association which encourages European towns to link with each other, to encourage the exploration of each other’s countries, culture and lives and to nurture an understanding in the hope of greater accord between us.

The strength of the ties between our towns reflects our enduring friendship and our shared values of community, freedom and tolerance. Our thoughts are with you all at a time when we should be sharing a message of joy, but instead are forced to reflect on recent events with sadness.

 Notwithstanding what has happened Witney stands with you and sends you a message of peace and goodwill.

 Yours sincerely

Cllr. Chris Holliday

Mayor of Witney

This year Witney Town Council has reinstated the Christmas competitions for best decorated house and best dressed shop window.  Councillors submitted suggestions for winners of the house competition from within their own wards for consideration, along with shop windows that had installed festive displays.

Judging was undertaken by a panel of councillors who were delighted with the high standard.

Colin Williams, a resident of Queen Emma’s Dyke is the 2016 winner of the Best Decorated House Competition. Mr Williams said that he and his wife, who is originally from Michigan, USA decorate their home each year purely for the love of the Season.

They had no idea that they had been considered for the competition so were astonished when the Mayor turned up on their doorstep in his chain and presented them with a bottle of champagne, donated by Breckon and Breckon who sponsored the competition.

Cllr Chris Holliday, Mayor of Witney Town Council said;

”Congratulations to Mr and Mrs Williams on winning the competition. We know that their home is appreciated by many other residents and that’s what this is all about. I would encourage others to get involved and take part in future years and if your house is tucked away, or off the beaten track, make sure you let us know it is there so we can come and take a look”.

Pictured Mr Williams with Mayor Chris Holliday and the winning house.

 Once again, the retailers of Witney demonstrated a real talent for capturing the festive spirit in their windows.  Winner of the best dressed window went to The African Children’s Fund Charity Shop in Corn Street who have a display of wreaths, bows and Christmas decorations. The Mayor is delighted that they have won the competition as they take every opportunity to get involved with window dressing, including awareness raising days for other charities.

The Mayor will present them with the Abbott Diabetes Care Challenge Trophy to display in their winning window.

The Town Council also ran its traditional Christmas Competitions for primary school children. They are asked to submit designs for the Town Council’s official Christmas card, a design to create a poster to advertise the Mayor’s carol service and for the first time in a number of years, a Christmas Light, which has been installed on the Town Hall . Prize winners were presented at their school assemblies at the end of November.

Winner of the Design a Christmas Light Competition, Eve Woodruff, with her parents, the Mayor and Marc Hatcher of Scott Fraser, who sponsored this year’s light. The light in situ on the Town Hall (photo courtesy of James Oakey)

Below is a complete list of winners and runners up. Congratulations to everyone.  We would love to see even more entries next year!

Best Decorated House  -Mr & Mrs Williams of Queen Emma’s Dyke

Best dressed shop Window – The African Children’s Fund Shop, Corn Street

Design a Light

• Winner – Eve Woodruff age 9, West Witney Primary School
• Runner Up – Lyla age 9, Madley Brook County Primary School
• Runner Up – Harry  age 9, Madley Brook County Primary School

Design a Christmas Card

• Winner – Lidia age 8, The King’s School
• Runner Up – Lily age 10, The King’s School
• Runner Up – Emmeline  age 9, Madley Brook County Primary School

Design a Poster

• Winner – Megan  age 11, Queen Emma’s Primary School
• Runner Up – Hannah age 9, The King’s School
• Runner Up – Josiah age 8, The King’s School

The Town Hall offices will be closed on the following days over the Christmas period.

Monday 26th December
Tuesday 27th December
Friday 30th December
Monday 2nd January