ALL THE LATEST TOWN COUNCIL NEWS, EVENTS AND COMPETITIONS

For a full list of civic and public events, please see the events page

Click on the image below to see all February/March Groups and Clubs (opens in a new window).

Please note that not all groups are actively recruiting new members all of the time. It might be wise to check membership status before attending.

On the evening of Thursday March 11^th Witney’s Town Mayor, Councillor James Mills and Witney’s Team Rector, Rev’d Toby Wright, will be performing a FIREWALK in the Market Square in Witney.

They will be raising money for the Mayor’s chosen charities; Helen and Douglas House and Base 33.

For more information on how to take part or sponsor others please contact Sue Partlett at the town Hall on 01993 777821 or email her sue.partlett@witney-tc.gov.uk 

OCVA Lend a Laptop Scheme

Are you a Voluntary or Community group looking for funding for your project?

Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary Action (OCVA), working in partnership with Volunteer Link Up, are able to offer the loan of a laptop for your group to research funding sources.
The “Lend a Laptop” contains:
• Funderfinder software-a searchable database of over 4,000 grant making trusts.
• Information to help your organisation produce a business like plan to present to funders.It can be borrowed from the Volunteer Link up office in the Methodist Church on Wesley walk in Witney and retained for a week for a refundable deposit of £100.

To book or find out more information, contact Volunteer Link up on 01993 776277 or David Bates in the OCVA Development team on 01865 251946.

Thames Valley Police - Community Messaging

Oxfordshire Trading Standards has delivered a blow against doorstep conmen with the launch of a new trader approval scheme.

The Buy With Confidence scheme gives residents free and easy access to reputable businesses which have been individually checked for compliance with consumer laws, helping to promote honest traders and protect the public from cowboys.

To be approved each business must pass a tough assessment by the Oxfordshire Trading Standards Service. Once approved, the business is added to the directory and they can also use the "Buy with Confidence" logo to promote their services.

Residents can check the list for businesses in their area, and traders gaining accreditation can promote themselves as among the best around for customer care.
Visit: www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk

New: OCVA (Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary action)
Information point for Community Groups

If you have a bright idea for a community project but don't know where to start, or if you belong to a group that needs some guidance on funding sources or other issues, the new Information Point at West Oxfordshire Citizens advice Bureau in Witney may be able to help.

At the Information Point you will find a small library of books on group organisation and development issues, and a computer loaded with 'FunderFinder' software to help you identify appropriate funding sources. A volunteer is on hand to assist you in using the system or you can make an appointment to meet with one of the OCVA Development team to talk through your query in more depth.

Venue: West Oxfordshire CAB, The Old Print House, Marlborough Lane, Witney, OX28 6DY

Opening Times: Tuesdays 1.30pm-4.30pm (by appointment)

To make an appointment contact David Bates on the OCVA Development Team. Tel: 01865 251946 or email: david.bates@ocva.org.uk

Witney fights back….

At the full Council meeting of Witney Town Council on Wednesday 8 October a proposal to support the provision of the Cogges Link Road received overwhelming support.

It was pointed out that a recent leaflet claiming to state the facts about the new road was highly inaccurate and a motion was passed for the Town Council to produce its own leaflet clarifying its position. It is intended to have these delivered by Town Councillors and made available at the Town Hall and other outlets. Anyone interested in this can access the leaflet here and residents wanting to show their support can do so online at CLR@witney-tc.gov.uk.

The Town Council has supported the provision of the Cogges Link Road steadfastly since 1999. The Cogges Link Road should have been started years ago and all the expansion of housing and commerce in and around Witney has been predicated on its construction. Without this Link the whole North East Witney development and the North East Distributor Road are in the wrong place with all the traffic generated from the Madley Park development having to filter along Bridge Street to access either the centre of town or to go west on the A40.

The Cogges Link Road cannot be looked at in isolation and, with the growth in haulage and other industries to the west side of Witney, the Cogges Link Road is part of the whole North East Distributor Route and should be viewed in tandem with the possible four-way junction onto the A40 at Downs Road. As long as Witney is a “Growth Town” without any rail links it is inevitable that traffic pressures will increase for both private and commercial vehicles. The risk of Witney becoming gridlocked with the associated loss of commerce, jobs and income along with the increased health risks should not be underestimated.

If the Cogges Link Road does not go ahead, then we may find that no second river crossing comes to Witney at all with the increased misery of getting children to school or getting to work on time as we sit still in the traffic jams around Bridge Street, Newland, West End, High Street, Mill Street etc. Witney Town Council are backing this proposal for the people of Witney and urge you to make your support for the Cogges Link Road known to your Town Council.

St Mary's Church

RESTORATION APPEAL - £3,000,000

St Mary's has launched an Appeal for the much needed restoration.  Full details can be obtained from the Parish Church Office on 01993 703507 or download the latest Restoration Information Newsletter.