Posted on behalf of Oxfordshire County Council
Temporary Traffic Regulation Notice – S14 Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984

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 to facilitate carriageway resurfacing works.

Oxfordshire County Council will be conducting a short period of work along the A40 on a short section of the road just to the west of the Wolvercote roundabout. The work is being conducted as part of plans to improve the A40.

The work will involve some light vegetation clearance along with engineering surveys over a three-week period beginning this month. A temporary lane closure (at night) will be required in compliance with Oxfordshire County Council Highway regulations.

The surveys are to be carried out at night to minimise the impact on traffic, but no road closures are required. Any road users in the area from 20.00-05.00 over a period of seven days (w/c 24th February) may experience short delays due to temporary traffic lights. Any work during the day will be off the carriageway and confined to foot ways, cycle paths and verges.

The dates of the work will be:

W/c 17th Feb days– No impact to traffic. Pedestrian marshals will be overseeing the footpaths to escort pedestrians and cyclists safely past the works.

W/c 17th Feb nights – Surveys with no impact to traffic.

W/c 24th Feb days- No impact to traffic. Pedestrian marshals will be overseeing the footpaths to escort pedestrians and cyclists safely past the works.

W/c 24th Feb nights – 2-way traffic lights on A40 and lane closures on A40 and around Wolvercote roundabout but travel in all directions will remain open.

W/c 2nd March – Surveys with no impact to traffic.

Oxfordshire County Council apologises for the inconvenience that may be caused during the work. The schedules above have been designed to keep the area open to business as usual as far as possible.

Annual Town Meeting Wednesday 11th March 2020

Main Hall, The Corn Exchange, Witney 7.30 pm

[Refreshments available from 6.45pm]

The meeting is an important part of local democracy and is open to all registered electors in the town.

Annual Town Meeting Agenda 11 March 2020 c

Held once a year, the Annual Town Meeting  is facilitated by the Town Council on behalf of the electorate. This is not a Council meeting, but an opportunity for residents to raise and discuss matters affecting the town and to ask questions and express views about the year ahead.

The Mayor will open the meeting and Town Council committee chairs will present brief reports to let you know what the Council has been working on for the last year, and its future plans.

The evening also includes a display from charities and organisations that have received financial grants from the Council; giving an insight into how the money has been spent and the benefit this has brought to the town.

Residents are encouraged to take part in the public question session. If you have any questions you would like to raise it would be helpful, but not essential, if they could be submitted in advance of the meeting.

Questions asked in advance can be researched in order that a more informed discussion can take place and a comprehensive answer may be provided at the meeting. Submit your questions by letter or email  to the Town Clerk: townclerk@witney-tc.gov.uk

After the formal session of the meeting, there follows an opportunity for residents to take part in a Youth Services mapping exercise and the input from this will to highlight gaps in provision and to steer funding to where it is most needed 

Tea and coffee will be available before the meeting.

In response to recent inaccurate and misleading social media posts, the Council feels it is necessary to provide a summary of Witney Town Council’s position in respect of Pitch One at The Leys.

Sport is not being banned at The Leys, as sport and recreational use will continue, in line with its historic purpose.

The Sainsbury’s side of the Leys where Pitch One (the adult pitch) is located is also used for a series of highly popular events throughout the summer, which are fast becoming staples in the town’s calendar.

As a result, Pitch One has been degrading over the last five or so years as a result of increasingly heavy usage throughout the year, despite Witney Town Council’s increased investment in renovation and maintenance work. In 2019 the football season finished two weeks early to allow for pitch work to be carried out before the first of the events on the Leys, but the benefits of this work were undone once the event season started.

It has now dropped below the required safety standards for organised competitive sports, as set out by a number of bodies, including the Football Association and  STRI, the Sports Turf Research Institute who inspected the pitch and documented their findings in a report, two years ago (see extract below).

It has become apparent that, it is no longer sustainable to use the pitch for both sports and events, as there is insufficient time between the two to carry out the full remedial works required to bring the surface back into playable standard. Other solutions have been explored but have not proved practical or affordable. For example, to purchase the necessary boarding to hold events over the top of the pitch without affecting it, would cost in excess of £100,000.

Witney Town Council, has a responsibility to both the Home and Away teams using this sports pitch to provide a safe surface, as well as a responsibility to the town to ensure the continued success of its events. After much discussion between Councillors, as well as dialogue with the various groups that use the pitch, the decision was taken to dedicate that half of The Leys to events only.

The Town Council remains committed to supporting local, grassroots sports, and accommodating additional need as our town continues to grow.  As part of its investigations into possible solutions, replacement sports sites have been identified, which will offer facilities not only comparable to those at The Leys, but of an arguably higher and more modern standard, in the future.

At the same time, it is also committed to providing and facilitating the top-quality culture and leisure events that the people of Witney have come to expect. To achieve both of these outcomes is not an easy balancing act and requires difficult decisions to be taken in the short term in order to resolve the matter satisfactorily in the long-term.

In order to ensure that the original spirit of The Leys as a place of sports and recreation will continue long into the future; the other side of The Leys (where the Coffee Shed is) will be used almost solely for sports, with the exception of long-standing traditions and family favourites such as Witney Carnival and Witney Feast. Football will continue with the four junior football pitches and tennis, mini golf, bowls and cricket, and along with the Splash Park and play area will provide a wide range of high-quality opportunities for physical activity.

The Town Council has the deepest respect for our sports teams and over the last decade has increased the number of Junior pitches by twelve to help accommodate our mix of 49 adult and junior football teams. It welcomes anyone who wishes to constructively help achieve this, for the benefit of the whole town, now and in the future.

Finally, Witney Town Council is disappointed to see inaccurate, deliberately misleading rumours being disseminated on social media while it is working tirelessly to provide the modern, safe, and accessible facilities that the people of Witney deserve.

These kind of comments generate further unhelpful and unfounded speculation, such as the suggestion that the land will be sold off for housing or other development. Witney Town Council can reassure its residents that The Leys is safe from this particular threat.

In 2018 the Town Council had the foresight to register and designate The Leys as a Field in Trust which affords it protection from development and preserves it for the enjoyment of future generations.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

The issue with Pitch 1 was highlighted in an advisory report to the Town Council following an inspection of all our sports grounds; football, cricket, bowls etc. by our sports turf consultants.

Here is the extract.

The area designated for football pitches at Leys is deemed unsafe for use following continued use for alternate events throughout the year prior to the football season. The surface has become severely

compacted during the installation and take-down of a stage during inclement conditions, when no protective boards were employed to spread weight and wear to the area. A Clegg Hammer reading

was taken in the site of one of the goalmouths and a value of 315 gravities was recorded when the typical value expected for a football pitch is between 70-90 gravities. As such, it is recommended that the site is no longer used for natural sports pitches as it presents a genuine Health & Safety risk with regards to significant injury to players and officials alike. With the provision of a sound and permanent irrigation supply, extensive renovations and the reservation of the field solely for sportspitch use, the area could be restored to provide a playable and safe surface BUT this will deteriorate significantly if other events resume.

An upgrade of five of Witney’s play areas is set to begin.
Contractors will begin work in the next week or so on the £48,000 project, after councillors selected equipment that would fit available space in five of the town’s play areas. It is hoped that the modern, bright and colourful equipment will add interest and play value to the parks, for older children as well as little ones.
One such play area set for a boost is at Newland’s King George V Fields, where a new IXO multi-climbing system is to be installed, incorporating slides, ladders, platforms and bars. The new apparatus will cater for children of all ages and abilities, with the additions also including a Speed Gyro roundabout, with a non-slip deck, which at 400mm from the ground is the perfect height for transfer from a wheelchair.

Multi play Ixo for King George V field

There will also be a fresh look at the Fieldmere Close play area, with the installation of a climbing and balancing trail, including a balance beam, log walk, stepping stones, and a rocking log. The play area on Moorland Road, meanwhile, is set to welcome a brand new cone-shaped rotating climber, which is bound to appeal across multiple age groups.
Small improvements will also be made to play areas at the Leys and Burwell, which have been updated more recently. The music station at Burwell Recreation Ground is being replaced by a climbing hut, playhouse, and eight-seater wooden see-saw, while the Leys – which until now has had an absence of equipment for younger children – will feature a new toddler slide and tunnel unit.
The equipment is being installed across Witney by specialist suppliers Proludic, and will begin to appear over the next few weeks.

We are nearing the closing date for our One Witney survey – just 3 questions for you to tell us what you like, what you’d change and what’s important to the town. Please follow the link to the survey.
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/D6TBWCC Closing date is 31st January. Make sure you get a chance to give us your views.

Posting on behalf of Oxfordshire County Council.
A request has been received from MV Kelly Ltd for a temporary road closure to apply to a section of New Yatt Road whilst carriageway resurfacing and installation of services and remedial works are carried out.

A temporary Notice is being made to implement the temporary closures and will operate from the 23 March 2020 up to and including the 27 March 2020. This is a 24 hour road closure.

Please note that this meeting will now take place in the Town Hall Chamber and not the Corn Exchange as previously advertised.

Posted on behalf of Oxfordshire County Council Highways department.

Notice is hereby given pursuant to Section 14(2) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act, 1984, that the Oxfordshire County Council

 TEMPORARILY PROHIBITS THE USE OF AND WAITING ON THE HIGHWAY

BY ALL MOTOR VEHICLES

           LOCATION:         Witney, Saxon Way  

           REASON:           Carriageway resurfacing & patching

           DURATION:         Starting on 27^th April 2020

                             The anticipated completion date is 1^st May 2020

                             (24 hours full closure for each day)

                                         (Traffic Regulation Notices cover a maximum of 5 consecutive days)

          ACCESS:             Limited access will be maintained for emergency service vehicles and for frontages within the closed section of road, subject to the progress of the works

 The “No Waiting” restriction means that wherever there are in place yellow “No Waiting” cones, you will not be able to park vehicles on the highway.

  SUGGESTED ALTERNATIVE ROUTE: The alternative routes for traffic are via a combination of Orchard Way – Corn Street – The Crofts and vice-versa.

Further information OCC Highways 0345 310 1111

Posted on Behalf of Oxfordshire County Council Highways Department

 Notice is hereby given pursuant to Section 14(2) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act, 1984, that the Oxfordshire County Council

TEMPORARILY PROHIBITS THE USE OF THE HIGHWAY

BY ALL MOTOR VEHICLES

           LOCATION:         Witney, Holloway Road

          REASON:            To facilitate carriageway resurfacing / patching

DURATION:         Starting on 13 April 2020

                                        The anticipated completion date is 17 April 2020 (date included). Closure will operate from 07:00 to 17:00 hours

                                        (Traffic Regulation Notices cover a maximum of 5 consecutive days.)

                   ACCESS:             Limited access will be maintained for emergency service vehicles and for frontages within the closed section of road, subject to the progress of the works

 SUGGESTED ALTERNATIVE ROUTE: via Welch Way, Corn Street, Holloway Road

Further information OCC Highways 0345 310 1111

The Cemeteries are open and the gates at Tower Hill unlocked and the bollards down, from 9am on Christmas Eve through to 5pm on 2nd January

Christmas & New Year Opening Times

Wednesday 25^th December         CLOSED

Thursday 26^th December              CLOSED

Friday 27^th December                   CLOSED

Monday 30^th December               8.30 – 5.00

Tuesday 31^st December                8.30 – 5.00

Wednesday 1^st January                CLOSED

Thursday 2^nd January                    8.30 – 5.00

Friday 3^rd January                          8.30 – 4.30

We would like to wish all our customers a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

We have received and update on the latest position at Witney Sewage Treatment works from the Environment Agency. On Monday 23rd December officers attended following reports over the weekend of sewage discharges to the Colwell Brook from the sewage works.

They have confirmed that the sewage works is discharging following the recent heavy rain. The impact they have found has been similar to that reported in November. There is sewage fungus in the Colwell Brook and Emma’s Dyke.

Budget agreed to address concerns raised by residents

In its first budget for Witney, the new Town Council administration agreed to address concerns raised by residents, and invest in sports facilities, public halls, youth services and the community bus, as well as committing to address the climate emergency acknowledged as one of the Council’s first acts.
The precept (council tax) charged by Witney Town Council will rise in April by just over a pound a month for the average home as a result of a budget set last night. This will provide a sound basis for future planning, and in particular:
• a fund for youth services across the town, to plug the gap left by the closure of Base 33 and the lack of youth clubs;
• seed funding for environmental projects to move towards our ambition of net zero carbon Witney by 2028;
• adequate provision of good quality sports pitches including cricket and football for our growing town;
• enough funds to take the next steps in renewing Corn Exchange, improving Burwell Hall, and refurbishing the Town Hall
Rosa Bolger, Leader of the Town Council, said:
“After years of cuts, council services in Witney need investment, but we have been careful to keep our share of resident’s council tax, less than 8% of the total bill, affordable. This budget will allow us to meet the immediate needs of our town while keeping bills at a sensible level.
We are committed to work on our halls and green spaces, as well as important community projects like youth services, with a constant focus on climate action. By acting now we are investing for the future.”
ENDS

Following the discovery of sewage fungus in Queen Emma’s Dyke, Colwell Brook and the River Windrush, Witney Town Council has written to Thames Water expressing its deep concern about sewage being released and pumped into our local rivers and watercourses. The letter also comments on fears concerning the damage to the health of the bodies of water and associated health risks to residents of the town and their pets who may come into contact with the pollution. It ends by requesting that Thames Water, with the Environment Agency, takes urgent steps to curtail this and provides a clear and credible response to prevent this situation occurring again, by the end of this year.

A second letter is being penned to the Environment Agency to urge them to review and monitor the situation and requesting assurances that everything possible is being done to remedy the situation.

The letters were proposed in a motion to Council on Monday evening, by Councillor Andrew Prosser and seconded by Councillor Ruth Smith.

Vice Chair of the Planning and Development Committee, Cllr Prosser says;

“Recent events have demonstrated that the current infrastructure and enforcement processes for the treatment of sewage here are not fit for purpose, and I am seriously concerned about the potential impacts on residents, their pets, and aquatic life in the river itself.  Thames Water and the Environment Agency need to take urgent remedial steps, and to detail what actions they planning to take to prevent sewage pollution of our rivers and water courses in the future”

As riparian owners of the Queen Emma’s Dyke Stream and part of the River Windrush that flows through the Lake and Country Park area, the Town Council has chosen to install signage to highlight the danger of the pollution to dogs entering the water in this area and in Colwell Brook which feeds in. The signs alert dog walkers of the existence of treated sewage in the water and advises that dogs should not enter the water. Dogs that have been in the river or stream should be discouraged from entering the lake in order to minimise the risk of the spread of pollution.

The lake itself is self-contained and as such less likely to be polluted, although heavy rainfall recently caused some flooding on the Eastern side of the lake from the river, which then caused a small breach in the bank and flowed out over the Western edge and into the dyke. This is unlikely to have caused any significant pollution to the lake.

Vice Chair of Climate and Biodiversity and Chair of Planning and Development, Cllr Ruth Smith adds;

“We are working with the Windrush Against Sewage Pollution group to keep abreast of the current strain on the sewage system and likely impact of new developments. As a Town Council, we are speaking up for the concerns of residents and we intend to do all we can to insist that our sewage infrastructure meets 21st century health expectations and restores our beautiful river and streams”. 

Witney Town Council is regularly inspecting the Lake & Country park and monitoring the situation. They ask members of the public to remain vigilant and report any incidents or concerns to the Environment Agency using their Incident Hotline on 0800 80 70 60 (Freephone 24hr service).

#OneWitney #WitneyMyKindaTown Don’t miss your chance to share your views. Just 3 questions for you to tell us what you like, what you’d change and what’s important to you in the town. Please follow the link to the survey. https://surveymonkey.co.uk/r/D6TBWCC Closing date 31st January. 

Two new bus shelters have been installed in Witney.  Both are replacements for existing shelters, one at the Abbey Road end of Burwell Drive, which was damaged when a car collided with it and the other in Corn Street, which was removed while construction of a small development of houses was underway.

Both were paid for with developer funding from Abbeymill Homes, who built the new houses in Corn Street. The shelters form part of a package negotiated by Witney Town Council’s Planning & Development committee which also includes other new street furniture to be installed nearby.

Cllr. Ruth Smith, Chair of the Planning and Development committee, explained;

“The Planning & Development committee is delighted to see the new bus shelters in place now that the development has been completed. Passengers had been without a shelter and using a temporary bus stop while work was underway.

Ensuring that improvements and desirable outcomes for the town are secured during the planning process is an important part of what the planning committee does. By working closely with developers such as Abbeymill Homes we were able to ask the developer to be sensitive to existing essential infrastructure and to avoid inconveniencing residents as much as possible.

For our own part, we are very aware of the importance of seats and bike racks at bus stops, as well as information screens, and we are working hard as a council to achieve this wherever we can.”

Witney Town Council is a supporter of active travel and helps to fund some of the local bus routes and services provided by West Oxfordshire Community Transport.

Witney Town Council has received the following automated flood alert from the Environment Agency this morning.

https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/target-area/061WAF10Windrush

Christmas waste reminder 2019