Latest News from the Parish Council

Gigaclear - Schedule of Works in Weston on the Green (updated 21st August 2023)

Gigaclear have provided the Council with the build update (including traffic controls) for the region of Oxfordshire including works to be carried out in Weston on the Green relating to the fibre project:

• Knowle Lane: 21 August - 4 September (give & take)
• Westlands Avenue: 18 August - 1 September (give & take)
• Northampton Road: 28 September - 6 October (multi-way signals)

Permit information can also be found at the website one.network. This information will also be sent via email to all residents who have previously registered their details. Any other interested residents can also register for periodic permit updates at //Gigaclear.com/mycommunity

If residents would like to get in touch with Gigaclear, please contact their dedicated Customer Operations team on:

Email: networkbuildqueries@gigaclear.com

Phone: 01865 591131

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Cherwell District Council - Notice of a Parish Councillor Vacancy

Cherwell District Council have issued a Parish Councillor Vacancy Notice following the notification of the resignation of Jack Maxton.

In accordance with the Local Elections Rules an election to fill the vacancy shall be held if, within 14 days after the date of this notice (i.e. no later than 21st August 2023), a request for an election to fill the said vacancy is made in writing to the Returning Officer, Cherwell District Council, Bodicote House, Bodicote, Banbury OX15 4AA by TEN electors for the said Parish.

It has been confirmed that the 14 day notice period to demand a by-election to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of a Councillor has expired and that no by-election has been demanded. The Council is free to fill the vacancy by Co-Option.

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Cherwell District Council - Notice of a Parish Councillor Vacancy

Cherwell District Council have issued a Parish Councillor Vacancy Notice following the notification of the resignation of Robin Stafford Allen.

In accordance with the Local Elections Rules an election to fill the vacancy shall be held if, within 14 days after the date of this notice (i.e. no later than 27th June 2023), a request for an election to fill the said vacancy is made in writing to the Returning Officer, Cherwell District Council, Bodicote House, Bodicote, Banbury OX15 4AA by TEN electors for the said Parish.

It has been confirmed that the 14 day notice period to demand a by-election to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of a Councillor has expired and that no by-election has been demanded. The Council is free to fill the vacancy by Co-Option.

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Electric vehicle (EV) car club pilot

A pilot of shared electric car club vehicles across the county available to use on a pay-per-use basis.
The Innovation Hub is working with City and District Councils and several commercial car club
operators to run a pilot of shared electric vehicles across the county. These fully battery electric
vehicles (with a range of 150-250 miles) are available for residents to use on a pay-per-use basis for as little as an hour and up to a few days. Costs can start from just £5 per hour plus a per-mile charge.

They are trialling car club vehicles for a one-year trial from April 2023. Oxfordshire residents are
encouraged to try them out, locations details available via the link. If the scheme is a success, these could be considered as long-term locations for car club electric vehicles, and a wider roll-out could also follow in other locations.

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Temporary Road Closure Church Lane - 7th May 2023

Please note that Church Lane between Mill Lane and Gallosbrook Way junctions will be closed for the Coronation parade to be held from 1pm on Sunday 7th May 2023.
The closure is granted from 12.30pm-2.30pm but it will be removed as soon as the parade has finished.

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Oxfordshire Cricket - All Stars & Dynamoes Cricket Sessions

All Stars Cricket provides a fantastic first experience for all children aged 5-8 years old where they’re guaranteed jam-packed fun, activity and skills development. The programme is designed to introduce children to the sport, teaching them new skills, helping them make new friends and have a great time doing so. Each participant that signs up will receive 8 weeks of cricket sessions, personalised All Stars t-shirt, bat, ball and backpack. More information can be found - here

Dynamos Cricket (8-11 years) is an action-packed, fun programme centred around game play with each session including a skill building activity aimed at providing an active warm-up and focusing in on a skill for that week. During the programme, children will play 60-ball countdown cricket each week, with the skill building activity changing week to week. Every child that signs up will receive a personalise New Balance t-shirt - Information can be found here

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Annual Parish Meeting - Tuesday 18th April 2023, 7.30pm in Village Hall

Everyone is welcome to the Annual Parish Meeting.

The aim of the meeting is:

• to share news and projects that have been completed in the last 12 months;
• to update you on projects that are ongoing in the village;
• to introduce some new initiatives for the future.

It is an opportunity for you to ask questions or raise issues about anything.

Program

Speaker: Dr. Susan Daenke “Development in our area and the impact on our village”

Updates: Gigaclear project, the oak tree pathway rectification, traffic management, the Jubilee playing field and spinney, Ben Jonson pub, SOS Committee, Village Parade and Picnic.

For information: Draft minutes of the 2022 Annual Parish Meeting

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PERMITTING ISSUES NOW RESOLVED SO CLOSURE NOW BACK IN PLACE: Road Closure - A4095 Kirtlington Road for Great Wolf Development Works

OCC have advised of a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order for a road closure to a section of A4095 Kirtlington Road (between B430 Oxford Road and B4030 Vendee Drive) whilst essential S278 highway works and installation of new services for the Great Wolf Lodge development works.

The temporary closure will operate from 24^th April 2023 up to and including 21^st July 2023. This is a 24 hour road closure.

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New Government Emergency Alert System Testing - Sunday 23 April 2023, 3pm

On 19th March 2023, the Cabinet Office launched a new system that will give the government and emergency services the capability to send an alert directly to mobile phones when there is a risk to life.

The Emergency Alerts system will allow the government to get urgent messages quickly to nearly 90 percent of mobile phones in a defined area. The system is now ready to be tested across the country following successful tests in East Suffolk and Reading.

The alerts will only ever come from the government or emergency services, and they will issue a warning, the details of the area impacted, and instructions about how best to respond.

Emergency Alerts will be used very rarely – only being sent where there is an immediate risk to people’s lives – so people may not receive an alert for months, or even years.

Emergency Alerts will be used across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and their initial use will focus on the most serious severe weather-related incidents, including severe flooding in England.

By broadcasting from cell towers in the vicinity of an emergency, the alerts are secure, free to receive, and one-way. They do not reveal anyone’s location or collect personal data.

Some vulnerable groups may want to opt out of the emergency alerts system. However, the government strongly recommends that people do not opt out of the service, as it is intended to warn people when lives are in danger.

The test alert on 23rd April 2023 at 3pm will say:

Annual Village Litter Pick - Saturday 25th March 2023

Please come along and help with the annual village litter pick on Saturday 25th March 2023 linking in with the Great British Spring Clean and supported by Cherwell District Council.

Please meet at the Village Hall at 09.30am. All equipment and guidance will be provided.

The litter will be placed in the playing field car park and collected by Cherwell District Council during the week following the event.

If you are unable to attend at this time but wish to participate please contact the clerk on clerk@westononthegreen-pc.gov.uk / 01869 350282 and we can arrange equipment to be delivered to you for you to litter pick at your convenience.

The Parish Council can also provide equipment throughout the year if you wish to litter pick at other times.

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Cherwell District Council - Notice of a Parish Councillor Vacancy

Cherwell District Council have issued a Parish Councillor Vacancy Notice following the notification of the resignation of Neil Mullane.

In accordance with the Local Elections Rules an election to fill the vacancy shall be held if, within 14 days after the date of this notice (i.e. no later than 14 March 2023), a request for an election to fill the said vacancy is made in writing to the Returning Officer, Cherwell District Council, Bodicote House, Bodicote, Banbury OX15 4AA by TEN electors for the said Parish.

Cherwell District Council have confirmed that no election request has been received and the Councillor vacancy can now be filled by co-option at the 5th April 2023 Parish Council meeting.

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Voter ID New Requirements for May 2023 Elections

The government now requires voters to show photo ID when voting at a polling station. This will apply for the first time when the district council elections happen on Thursday 4 May.

Which forms of ID can I use to vote?

• Passport
• Driving licence
• Blue badge
• Certain concessionary travel cards
• Identity card with PASS mark (Proof of Age Standards Scheme)

For a full list of accepted photo ID visit www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voterID or call 0800 328 0280.

If you’ve recently changed your name, it’s important to make sure that change is reflected on your ID when you vote.

If you don’t already have an accepted form of photo ID, or you’re not sure whether your photo ID still looks like you, you can apply for a free voter ID document, known as a Voter Authority Certificate. You can apply for this at voter-authority-certificate.service.gov.uk. Alternatively, you can complete a paper application form.

If you have any questions or would like to find out more, go to electoralcommission.org.uk/voterID or call their helpline on 0800 328 0280.

Further information is also available from Cherwell District Council.

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Household waste recycling centres set for refresh in March and April 2023: Note Ardley closed 23 and 24 March 2023

For safety reasons, Oxfordshire County Council will be shutting each of its household waste recycling centres for two days – although never at the same time – to allow for deep cleaning and essential maintenance to take place. This includes jet washing the sites and structures, repainting lines and safety areas, as well as other general work to improve the customer experience.

The closing dates are:

• Alkerton, near Banbury: Monday 20 and Tuesday 21 March
• Ardley, near Bicester: Thursday 23 and Friday 24 March
• Dix Pit, Stanton Harcourt: Monday 24 and Tuesday 25 April
• Drayton, near Abingdon: Thursday 30 and Friday 31 March
• Oakley Wood, near Wallingford: Thursday 20 and Friday 21 April
• Redbridge, Oxford: Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 April
• Stanford, near Farringdon: Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 March.

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Oxfordshire County Council - Better Housing, Better Health Survey 2023

Oxfordshire County Council are building a new service to support people staying warm, healthy and independent at home in Oxfordshire and we want local people's ideas:

Scenario: you need help accessing warmer, healthier, more energy efficient housing. Do you:

• call a helpline,
• visit a website,
• start a WhatsApp conversation, or
• would you do something else?

http://letstalk.oxfordshire.gov.uk/staying-warm-and-healthy-at-home

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Food Bank Drive - Saturday, March 4th, 2023

^{WOTG Pantry & Post Office. 9am-12pm}

It's a very difficult winter for many people. Would you be able to help those less fortunate by donating to the Food Bank?

Many thanks from the Parish Council, the Village Shop and St. Mary's Church.

^{"Most days now I eat once a day" (statement from the Trussell Trust)}

^{Food Banks are grateful for everything we send to them.}

^{In particular, stove top meal ingredients are helpful because of the energy crisis.}

^{ALWAYS NEEDED}

^{Long life milk
Tinned tomatoes
Tinned Meat/Fish
Rice pudding, jam
Fruit juice/squash
Washing powder}

^{STOVE TOP MEALS}

^{Tinned stew
Jars of hot dogs/frankfurters
Tinned Meat/Fish Tins of chunky soup
Spaghetti sauce
Pot noodles
Tinned vegetable}

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Community Village Shop Meeting, Village Hall - 22nd February 2023

CALLING ALL VILLAGERS!

Whether you use it or not, our Village Post Office & Shop is an important asset that serves our community and should be preserved.

A village meeting has been called on Wednesday 22^nd February 2023, 7.30pm in the Village Hall to discuss the possibility of Community Ownership.

PLEASE COME ALONG

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Gigaclear Installing Full-Fibre Infrastructure to Weston on the Green. Virtual Info Meeting: 23rd February 2023

Gigaclear intend to completely self-fund installing full-fibre infrastructure into our village. They are currently in Kirtlington and Bletchingdon and will expand their network from there to us. Some of you may have noticed that workmen have already started installing the fibre cabling around the village.

This is completely separate from the Openreach project which stalled last year when Openreach could not secure the funding from the UK Government.

Some important information for residents:

• You do not have to take up a Gigaclear contract
• Gigaclear is a single company, has its own infrastructure and service provider, whereas OpenReach was to install the infrastructure for multiple service providers
• The offer from Gigaclear is currently very competitive but Gigaclear’s prices long-term are unknown
• Fibre-to-the-premises needs a power supply:
• Check that a battery-backup is included in the package if/when you apply
• Fibre does not guarantee coverage within the home:
• Consider your WIFI coverage
• Gigaclear will provide a new Linksys router which may be more powerful than your current router
• This is not an endorsement for Gigaclear by the Parish Council just as we did not endorse any of the providers in the OpenReach plan
• We will be seeking feedback from users in other villages

A virtualinformation meeting will be held by Gigaclear (via Microsoft Teams) on 23rd February 2023, 19.30-20.30. You can register your interest to be kept updated and to receive the meeting link via gigaclear.com/events

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Rural Cost of Living Survey - Closes 31st March 2023

The Rural Services Network in partnership with the Citizens Advice is running a Rural Cost of Living Household Survey.

How will the results be used?

Results from the survey will build on the Rural Cost of Living research commissioned last year and help them to lobby Government Departments, MPs and other policy makers for a fairer deal for rural communities.

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New Bus Service for Weston on the Green - 13th February 2023

Service 250 which currently runs between Bicester and Oxford through Kirtlington, Bletchingdon and Hampton Poyle is ceasing as from February 11^th, therefore Oxfordshire County Council is having to provide a replacement service for these villages.

Wendlebury and Weston on the Green will, as a result, be the beneficiaries of a new Service 24 commencing on Monday 13^th February.

Timetable for the new bus Service 24

The service will be operated by Grayline Coaches with one coach running back and forth throughout the day, the contract is initially for two years so Please use it or lose it!

It being a new service there may be some teething problems, so please report any issues to Graham Barnett, Weston’s Parish Transport Representative, on 350707.

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Interested in Becoming a Councillor Information Session? 24th January 2023, 7.00pm

The Oxfordshire Association of Local Councils (OALC) are running an online hour session for anyone interested in becoming a councillor on 24th January 2023 at 7.00pm. The session will comprise a short introduction and open question time covering eligibility, skills, expectations and some basics about life as a councillor.

If you are interested there is no need to book please just follow the following link.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87125012109?pwd=VzZkYzkwajlqTTJSWEdrcmVxTUs2QT09

Meeting ID: 871 2501 2109

Passcode: 386520

There are currently two vacancies on the Council. For further information on becoming a Councillor with Weston on the Green Parish Council please contact Diane Bohm (Chair), Susan Davies (Vice-Chairman) or the Clerk on clerk@westononthegreen-pc.gov.uk

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Notification of Spinney Treeworks - 18th January 2023

The Parish Council would like to advise you that work by a contractor (Bicester Tree Services) to fell trees affected by ash die-back in the spinney will be undertaken on 18^th January 2023.

The work is anticipated to take place over the course of one day but if there are any unforeseen circumstances it may overrun to two days. We apologise in advance for any noise disturbance you may experience.

Please note the spinney/mud kitchen area will be closed whilst the works are undertaken.

If there are any issues please contact the clerk or a Councillor.

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Vision for Volunteering Project in Oxfordshire

Community First Oxfordshire and Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary Action (OCVA) are running a project to create a new Vision for Volunteering in Oxfordshire.

Volunteering has changed over the past few years. The pandemic saw people coming forward in unprecedented numbers to support each other. Today, though, charities, mutual aid organisations and community groups are telling us that the pandemic, the cost of living crisis, and other factors are continuing to negatively affect volunteering in our county.

The Vision for Volunteering will aim both to offer concrete action points for supporting volunteering in the county over the next five years and to promote and celebrate the breadth of volunteering action we see in Oxfordshire.

As a first step, a better picture of the patterns of volunteering and unpaid support across Oxfordshire is required. To facilitate that, they are calling on people to tell them about their experience of volunteering and community action in the last twelve months.

Taking part is easy – the survey takes only a few minutes to complete.

They are interested in the full range of voluntary and community action - not only a regular commitment within a formal structure or with a charity, but also

• Community groups
• Mutual aid groups
• Helping neighbours that are struggling
• Faith groups
• Lunch clubs
• Organising a street event
• Peer support
• Community sports clubs
• PTAs
• Street/local WhatsApp, Facebook, and NextDoor groups
• Local campaigns
• Parish councillor roles...

...and many more, all of which are part of the social, volunteering, and unpaid support landscape.

They are particularly keen to hear from groups who they may not know about, those who have previously been overlooked, and those who are operating in new and different ways.

By knowing what groups exist, the difficulties they are facing and the strengths that they have, the final report can advocate for better designed and targeted funding, support, and training; facilitate improved channels of communication between decision-makers, funders, and volunteers; reduce barriers to participation and offer democratic, equitable, access to volunteering opportunities.

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Cherwell District Council - Budget Consultation until 23rd December 2022

CDC’s budget consultation will run until 23 December. The council is proposing a total of £0.5m in savings while also committing to some key investments to support the district.

Many of the long-term financial issues the council currently faces are set to continue in the coming years. They include uncertainty around the government’s plans on resetting business rates and the winding down of the New Homes Bonus.

The council is also facing significant inflationary pressures related to the rising cost of living and a loss of income from car parks. Against this backdrop the budget proposals are focussed on measured back-office savings while seeking to minimise the impact on frontline services.

The council sets its budget for 2023/24 on 27 February 2023. You can find further detail of the budget proposals and have your say before 23 December by visiting letstalk.cherwell.gov.uk/budget-consultation-2023-24

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Cherwell District Council - 12 Weeks of Winter Wellbeing

Would you, or perhaps a friend or relative, benefit for some FREE activity sheets to help inspire and entertain over the winter months? If so, sign up to 12 Weeks of Winter Wellbeing!

You’ll get 12 FREE, beautiful activity sheets sent to your home from December through to February. They contain exercises, recipes, crafts, useful contact numbers and much more.

For further information or to sign up to receive your 12 activity sheets, please contact Cherwell District Councils wellbeing team on 01295 221980.

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Energy Networks - Be Winter Ready

The Energy Networks Association has launched its annual ‘Be Winter Ready’ campaign to help consumers prepare for winter. The campaign highlights the importance of the following:

Prepare – make a plan: know what to do if there is a power cut or smell of gas

Care – check in with people who might need extra help

Share – highlight this information with others so friends and family can make a plan too

https://www.energynetworks.org/be-winter-ready/

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Homes for Ukraine - New Hosts Required

Cherwell residents have welcomed over 300 Ukrainians as guests in their homes under the ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme. The monthly ‘thank-you payment to hosts has recently been increased to £550. With little prospect of the war ending soon, most hosts have been happy to extend their generosity beyond the initial six month agreement.

Changing circumstances have left a few hosts unable to continue. In these cases CDC tries to find a ‘rematch’ for the guests (a few guests have managed to find private rented accommodation, but high rents and deposits have mostly limited this option to those with well paying jobs).

An ideal ‘rematch’ is not far from the original host, to avoid children’s education and guest’s newly formed social bonds being disrupted. In villages we do not usually have a pool of potential hosts on our books, so good rematches are harder to find. To register interest in being a Homes for Ukraine host go to https://www.gov.uk/register-interest-homes-ukraine

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Cherwell DC Christmas & New Year Rubbish, Recycling, Food & Garden Waste Dates

There will be no changes to your general waste, recycling and food caddy collections over the festive period. Please remember to put your bins out before 7am on your collection day.

There will, however, be some changes to the garden waste collection dates:

In order to facilitate an increase of approximately 50 per cent in recycling and waste collections over the Christmas period, the collection of Garden Waste will be paused from Tuesday 27 December 2022 to Friday 6 January 2023 inclusive.

Garden waste collections will resume from the week commencing 9 January 2023.

Christmas Tree Collections – 10 January 2023 to 20 January 2023 inclusive

You do not need a Garden Waste subscription in order for your Christmas tree to be collected.

Residents leaving large trees out for composting are asked to cut them into pieces that are four feet tall or smaller. This makes it safe to load them into the recycling trucks. The pieces of Christmas tree can then be left next to the blue recycling bin on collection day.

Alternatively, if your Christmas tree is potted and still has its roots, you can care for them in their gardens until next year.

Important

• Please ensure that all decorations are removed from the trees before putting them out for collection.
• Broken fairy lights and other small electrical items will be taken away by the crews if placed in a standard-size carrier bag and left on top of any bin on collection day.

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Oxfordshire County Council - Free Food Caddy Liners

Most households in Oxfordshire already recycle their food waste using the weekly collection service provided by the district councils.

To help recycle the extra food waste that is created over the festive period or to help you start recycling your food waste residents can collect a free roll of food waste caddy liners from the following locations during December, while stocks last.

• Oxfordshire libraries
• County Hall, Oxford
• Abbey House, Abingdon
• Bodicote House, Banbury
• The Marsh Road Depot, Oxford
• Welch Way - Town Centre Shop, Witney
• Bicester Green
• Oxford Wood Recycling, Abingdon
• The Wantage Mix
• Share Oxford

Further information on food and garden waste recycling can be found on Oxfordshire County Council Food & Garden Waste page.

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Age UK - Advice on Checking Benefits Entitlement including Pension Credit & Cost of Living Payments

Age UK highlighted their concerns in September 2022 over the impact of the spiralling cost of living on people as winter approaches, especially for older people and carers, particularly those who are managing on a fixed income and highlighted that 4000+ people across Oxfordshire currently entitled to Pension Credit are not claiming it.

There is now important deadline coming up. Providing people start an application by 18^th December, and have been eligible for Pension Credit since September, they will get both their Pension Credit award (which will be ongoing), and the one-off cost of living payment of £324. People can still apply after 18^th December, but they’ll miss out on the extra £324 this year (although there may be more payments for people on Pension Credit next year).

What is Pension Credit?

Pension Credit is an income supporting benefit for older people paid by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). It is means tested, so whether people are eligible depends on their financial circumstances.

Who is eligible?

People must be over state pension age, which is 66 for most people. If people live with a partner, they’ll need to apply as a couple, and both must be over state pension age. There is no capital limit, so eligibility is a sliding scale that depends on income and capital. Generally speaking, if someone’s capital is under £10,000 and income for a single person under £182.60 per week or for a couple under £278.70 per week, they may be eligible. Any disability benefits received shouldn’t be included in income because AA, DLA and PIP don’t count towards income for Pension Credit.

How do people find out more / claim?

Age UK have useful links to a benefits calculator and DWP information on their website here - https://www.ageuk.org.uk/oxfordshire/about-us/cost-of-living-campaign/

Claims can be made online via https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit/how-to-claim or by calling DWP on 0800 991234.

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Oxfordshire County Council - Budget 2023-24 Consultation

On 14 February 2023, Oxfordshire County Council will meet to agree its budget. In this consultation they are asking residents, businesses and others for their views on their budget proposals for 2023/24, with a specific focus on savings. They also welcome any ideas from you on how they can make savings.

The consultation closes on 19th December 2022.

Households across our county are facing huge financial challenges. Rising prices make this a cost of living emergency. The county council is also facing its most difficult budget pressures for many years.

All local authorities are having to deal with large increases in inflation that are driving up costs and prices for energy, fuel and materials. For 2023/24, there is a significant funding shortfall of at least £44 million. The County Councils budget proposals for 2023/24 include £35 million of savings - leaving a £9m funding gap.

The online survey asks for your feedback in a structured way and enables the council to receive responses quickly. A supporting consultation booklet is also available via the website.

If you need this consultation in a printed or alternative format please contact: budget@oxfordshire.gov.uk / 01865 792422.

You can also send your feedback by email to budget@oxfordshire.gov.uk or write to: Freepost OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL (No further address details are required and no stamp is needed, but please write Budget consultation 2023/24 on the top left corner of the envelope.)

What happens next: The public consultation results, alongside the views of the scrutiny meeting, will be reported to the council’s cabinet on 24 January 2023. The budget, including the council tax level, will be decided at a meeting with all county councillors on 14 February 2023.

The Parish Council develops its own budget which is utilised to establish the precept request from Cherwell District Council. The Parish Council's budget and precept request will be discussed at the 10th January 2023 Parish Council meeting.

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School Admissions Information from Oxfordshire County Council

Entry to primary or Infant School – September 2023. Is your child 3 or 4 years old?

If your child was born on or between 1^st September 2018 and 31^st August 2019, you need to apply for a primary school place now. You must still apply even if your child already attends a nursery attached to the school.

Sunday 15^th January 2023 – closing date for on time applications.

Parents/carers must apply by this date, online at www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/primaryadmissions

Monday 17^th April 2023 – those who applied on-line will receive an email and will be able to view the result of their application online. Letters will be sent where people applied on paper. Letters will also be sent where applicants are eligible to free home-to-school transport and where children have not been offered their first preference school.

For help and information please contact:

Web: www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/primaryadmissions

Email: admissions.schools@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Tel: 0345 241 2487

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NHS Stay Well This Winter Leaflet

Some important information from the NHS to help you stay well this winter can be found in this leaflet.

www.nhs.uk

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Food and Toy Bank Village Collection - 3 December 2022

What is the choice for children this Christmas - food or a present?

We are so aware of the daily requests for support for groups like the Bicester Food Bank.

At a time when our money is stretched, it is hard to hear things like:

”RISING NEED, LOWER SUPPLIES”.

It is even harder to hear that working families are reducing their daily meals and dropping into a food bank on the way home from work to get some supplies for their family.

Let’s remember the children and teenagers as we prepare our gifts for the food/toy bank. We want them to feel that someone does care that they have a special gift this festive season.

Could you include a few extra food items and small toys/books on your grocery order and shopping so that the festive season is manageable for struggling families?

Please support the Food & Toy Bank on:

When: Saturday, December 3^rd, 2022

Time: 9.00am-12.30 am

Where: Weston on the Green Village Pantry & Post Office

Thank you for your continued support as we try to regularly support the Bicester Food Bank.

Parish Council / St. Mary’s Church Council / Village Hall

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Information from NHS on their ‘Help Us, Help You’ Campaign: Cancer - Earlier Diagnosis

NHS England & NHS Improvement has launched a new phase of the ‘Help Us, Help You’
campaign taking a radically different approach to detecting cancer earlier for patients, when it is easier to treat.

The aim of the campaign is to encourage people who are experiencing potential signs of cancer to come forward to their GP practice to help increase earlier diagnosis and improve outcomes.
The campaign is designed to address the key barriers to people seeking help, the fear around cancer diagnosis and increase awareness of the importance of body vigilance when it comes to bodily changes that could be a sign of cancer. The NHS Long Term Plan committed to increasing the number of cancers detected at an early stage one or two from half to three quarters by 2028.

Don’t carry the worry of cancer with you, if something in your body doesn’t feel right
contact your GP practice.
• To rule out cancer, your GP may refer you for tests. Whatever the result, your NHS is
here for you.
• Tests could put your mind at rest. Until you find out, you can’t rule it out.

• If something in your body doesn’t feel right or you are experiencing symptoms that last
three weeks or more, don’t delay – contact your GP practice.
• It’s probably nothing serious, but finding cancer early makes it more treatable.
• Contact your GP practice if you experience any of the below symptoms:
- Tummy trouble, such as discomfort or diarrhoea for three weeks or more;
- Blood in your pee - even just once;
- Unexpected or unexplained bleeding;
- Unexplained pain that lasts three weeks or more;
- An unexplained lump; or
- A cough for three weeks or more (that isn’t COVID-19).
• Not all the symptoms of cancer are easy to spot. Contact your GP practice if you
experience one or more of these symptoms, for three weeks or more:
- Unexplained weight loss;
- Feeling tired and unwell and not sure why;
- Heartburn or indigestion; or
- Unusual, pale or greasy poo.

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Foodbank Drive - 1st October 2022

The next foodbank collection will be held on Saturday 1st October 2022, 9.00am – 12.30pm at The Village Pantry and Post Office.

Useful stove top items include:

• Instant soup, cup a soup and sachet soup
• Cooked meat - ham, beef, frankfurters
• Tinned vegetables, corn, carrots, peas
• Desserts - rice pudding, Angel Delight, jelly
• Spaghetti sauce
• Long life drinks

Urgently needed items:

• Biscuits
• Tinned fish
• Rice pudding
• Instant coffee
• Jam
• Juice

Toiletries, Free From food and nappies are also useful products to supply. Bicester Foodbank currently have plenty of pasta and cereal.

Please feel free to contribute fresh food - too many cucumbers/courgettes/tomatoes? We'll take the fresh food to the Bicester Food Bank promptly and the suggestion is that there will be a good uptake.

When shopping, perhaps pop a small toy into your cart and between now and the end of November create a small collection. Our Christmas Drive will include gifts for children.

Many thanks for your ongoing support.

The Parish Council, St. Mary’s Church and the Village Hall

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Information from Oxfordshire County Council

Cost of Living/Energy Information - Better Housing Better Health

The rising cost of energy is causing widespread concern as more residents may become unable to heat their homes. If you know anyone who is struggling to pay their fuel bills, refer them to the Better Housing Better Health service who can provide advice and in some cases access financial support.

In some cases they may be eligible for a home visit to help with heating systems and fuel bill advice. They are well connected to a wide range of local organisations and can make onward
referrals to help residents get the help they need to stay safe and well in their homes.

Telephone 0800 107 0044 or complete the online referral form here https://bit.ly/3KWsPck. To find out more about what the service can do watch this video (1min 15 secs).

More cost of living advice can be found on the County Councils webpage page:
https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/council/help-rising-living-costs

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Road Closure - Akeman Street, Chesterton (near to junction with The Hale), 24 October 2022

A temporary road closure to apply to a length of Akeman Street, whilst essential pole repair works are carried out, will operate on 24 October 2022 between 09:30 and 15:30.

Drawing showing the extent of the closure and also the alternative routes for traffic via Akeman Street, B430, A4095 and The Hale.

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Age UK - Advice on Checking Benefits Entitlement including Pension Credit & Cost of Living Payments

Age UK have highlighted their concerns over the impact of the spiralling cost of living on people as winter approaches, especially for older people and carers, particularly those who are managing on a fixed income.

Age UK have therefore launched an information campaign to ensure that people are aware of and receiving all the support to which they are entitled.

A recent JSNA (Joint Strategic Needs Assessment)bitesize report on Pension Credit has estimated that over 4,000 older people in Oxfordshire are not claiming the Pension Credit to which they are entitled, equating to a staggering £8.2m in unclaimed entitlement locally. Pension Credit also serves as a gateway to other forms of support, which could go a long way in helping some older people meet rising costs.

Information sheets to help point people in the direction of the support available include: Checking your Benefits Entitlement & Cost of Living Payments

More information from Age UK about entitlements can be found here: Benefits and entitlements for pensioners and the elderly | Age UK

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Foodbank Drive - 10th September 2022

Our Food Bank drive in August was very successful. The focus was 'children's lunches' based on the fact that household budgets needed to cover three meals per day, not two. The total weight of our contribution was 88.75 kg - a tremendous effort! Thank you.

I've been worried that people would start to find the Food Bank requests too frequent, that the current crisis would have an effect on our giving. In discussions with some villagers, we've decided to continue the Food Banks but want everyone to know that we understand that everyone is feeling the pinch.

Why again? The beginning of September is costly for families and especially those with multiple children. School uniforms, shoes, supplies add up to a large chunk of the household budget. What is left? Is there enough for a substantial evening meal? Will children have to be satisfied with a hot school lunch and small snacks otherwise?

How can we help? The Trussell Trust has published a list of easily warmed up food - not using an oven as the hob is cheaper to use.

Food that cooks quickly:

• Instant soup, cup a soup and sachet soup
• Cooked meat - ham and beef
• Tinned vegetables, corn, carrots, peas
• Desserts - rice pudding, Angel Delight
• Long life drinks

Always needed items:

• Instant coffee
• Tinned tomatoes (400g)
• Tinned meat/fish
• Jam
• Toiletries
• Free From Food
• Nappies

Please feel free to contribute fresh food - too many cucumbers/courgettes/tomatoes? We'll take the fresh food to the Bicester Food Bank promptly and the suggestion is that there will be a good uptake.

When shopping, perhaps pop a small toy into your cart and between now and the end of November create a small collection. Our Christmas Drive will include gifts for children.

Our September Food Bank Drive is on September 10th at the Village Shop, 9am - 12.20pm - thank you!

Diane Bohm

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NHS: Run out of Regular Medication - Visit NHS 111 Online

Run out of your regular medicine - request a limited emergency supply online at 111.nhs.uk to collect from a pharmacy.

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Oxford University Hospitals - Annual Public Meeting: 22 September 2022, 7.00-8.30pm, Oxford Town Hall, OX1 1BX

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Over 50s Covid 19 booster & Flu Jab this Autumn

The autumn COVID-19 booster and flu vaccination programme was announced by
the UK Health Security Agency on 15th July 2022. All over 50’s will be offered a covid 19 booster and flu jab this autumn.

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Climate Action Oxfordshire - New Website

A new website offering practical advice for Oxfordshire people wanting to reduce their carbon footprint and save energy has gone live.
Climate Action Oxfordshire – www.climateactionoxfordshire.org.uk – lists measures people can take
and rates them according to effort, impact, and cost. It also gives people an idea of what financial
savings they can make and includes tips and links on how to get started.

It is a joint venture set up by Oxfordshire County Council, Oxford City Council, Cherwell, South
Oxfordshire, West Oxfordshire, and the Vale of White Horse district councils, and OxLEP – the
Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership.
The one stop shop has sections aimed at individuals, communities, and organisations, including
businesses, and advice on transport, lifestyle, shopping, home and biodiversity matters.

The Climate Action Oxfordshire website contains filters so that users can tailor it to their own
circumstances. It will be regularly updated with new information and advice to help the county’s
residents do what they can to reduce their carbon footprint.

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Oxfordshire County Council - Travel Research Volunteers Wanted

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Electoral Registration Email sent by Cherwell DC

Confirmation that Cherwell District Council has sent an email to confirm your electoral registration details.

In a bid to save thousands of sheets of paper, Cherwell District Council wrote electronically to over 31,000 residents on Thursday 21 July 2022 as part of their annual electoral registration drive.

The email is from cherwelldc@householdresponse.com

Yvonne Rees, Electoral Registration Officer, said: “We check and update people’s electoral registration details every year, and normally this involves writing a letter to every household in the district.

“Where people have already sent us their email address in connection with their electoral registration, we are going to embrace that method and send you an email. It will save the taxpayer money and be better for the planet too.

“We will send a letter to households we don’t have an email for from 8 August, and anyone who doesn’t pick up the initial email will receive a letter to make sure they have the opportunity to respond. Please read your email or letter carefully to find out what steps you need to take next.

“If your details have changed, it’s key that you provide us with an update. It only takes five minutes.”

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Energy Rebate Payment

The government announced in February 2022 an initiative to help households with rising energy costs; this being certain households qualifying for a rebate of £150.

Cherwell DC has made payment to more than 88 per cent of eligible properties to date. For those properties that have not yet applied, if you wish for the £150 to be paid to your bank account please apply by Sunday, 31 July 2022.

Letters have been issued throughout May and June 2022 providing residents with the necessary information to allow for an application to be made.

If an application is not received by 31 July 2022, the £150 payment will automatically be transferred to the Council Tax account for eligible customers. Once the payment has been credited to the Council Tax account, a revised bill will be issued.

If you are eligible for the payment but do not wish to receive the £150, please contact Council.Tax@Cherwell-dc.gov.uk. You will need to quote your Council Tax account number and ‘refusal of energy payment’ in the subject line of the email.

All payments must be completed by end September 2022.

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Garden Waste - Brown Bin Removal

Go Jaunty App - New digital guide to local walks

Try the free, easy to use Go Jauntly app to help you get out and about in your local area.

Cherwell District Council are working in partnership with Go Jauntly to digitise local countryside walks and health routes. Several walks are available now in and around Banbury and more are being added all the time.

Once you’ve downloaded the app, local walks will be easy to find. Simple photo guides help you navigate and the app will tell you about interesting places and what you can see in nature along the way.

Use the green routes feature to find circular nature-filled walking routes – and connect with nature every day using the nature notes feature.

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Better Housing Better Health - Support with Fuel Bills

With the rising cost of living, specifically with fuel bills, Oxfordshire local authorities are keen to make sure residents who are struggling (or at risk of struggling) get the support that’s out there this summer, before winter comes around again.

The Better Housing Better Health (BHBH) service, provides free, local telephone support to