Latest News from the Parish Council

Annual Parish Meeting - Save the Date: Monday 15th April 2024

Please join us at 7.30pm at the Village Hall for the annual parish meeting where you will hear about key projects in the village including the playground and Gigaclear along with the Save Our Shop committee.

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Volunteer needed for Village News Team

Our bi-monthly Village News has been very well received in its current format. We circulate 600 free copies to every home in the parish and at the shop for those from other villages to enjoy. This can only be done with the contribution of our wonderful advertisers and careful financial management. Our outgoing Head of Marketing, Colin Rosser, has done a great job in setting up the system and keeping good relations with our advertisers. Sadly, Colin is now retiring from this position.

We are looking for someone who is comfortable in recruiting and managing advertisers, maintaining a good relationship with them from recruitment to billing. We have six magazines per year so this is not an onerous job. However, it is a key role in keeping the magazine solvent and at its current standard.

The ideal candidate needs to be able to work with a small team and enjoy a volunteer role.

If you enjoy the magazine and appreciate it arriving on your doorstep free of charge, perhaps you could offer to help with this role.

Please email: admin@wotgnews

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Playground Works - Closure: 9th March - 16th March 2024

The Parish Council are excited to announce that contractors from Playdale will be undertaking repair and renovation work on the playground at the Jubilee Playing Field, the week commencing 11^th March 2024.

As a result the playground will be closed from 9am on Saturday 9^th March 2024 to allow enabling works, including removal of the existing swings, until Saturday 16^th March 2024 (exact timings depend on how quickly they install the equipment).

The team will be carrying out repairs and are replacing the two swing structures which have rotted at the base with a new children's swing and a new basket 'team' swing.

These items are funded from the Parish Council's 'Development of Playing Field, Spinney & Playground' budget line created from precept requests, S106 money and grant money via the Oxfordshire County Council Councillor Priority fund.

Waste will be left in the playing field car park prior to removal and a portaloo will also be situated there.

We apologise in advance for any noise disturbance or inconvenience you may experience.

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

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Annual Village Litter Pick - Saturday 16th March 2024

Please come along and help with the annual village litter pick on Saturday 16th March 2024 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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Oxfordshire County Council - Free Limited DIY Waste Disposal Service Booking Information

A new system is in place at recycling centres following change in legislation. Oxfordshire residents can now dispose of limited amounts of DIY waste free at the county’s household waste recycling centres (HWRCs) by using an online booking system. The booking system, which was launched by OCC last month, means householders wanting to use their free DIY waste allocation will need to book in advance through the website. The move follows a change in government legislation which now permits small amounts of household DIY waste to be disposed of free. The legislation came into force at the beginning of January. Online bookings for free DIY waste only are for a single visit. Oxfordshire residents will need to register their address, vehicle registration number, email address, and the date they wish to visit, along with the site they want to use. They will then receive an immediate email confirmation of their booking, which must be shown to site team on arrival. It is important residents stick to their booked date otherwise they may be charged, and only authorised bookings will be accepted.

Free allocations are limited to five standard DIY items for free, or one plasterboard sheet, once every seven days. Where more than the allocated free allowance is presented, the cheapest items will be treated as free. Any DIY waste above this level or deposited more frequently than every seven days will remain fully chargeable at the advertised rates. Full details and examples of charging scenarios are available on the Oxfordshire County Council website and will be available on site. Examples of DIY waste include baths, sinks, toilets, cisterns, and a 20-litre bag of rubble or tiles. Five of these items would make up a household’s free seven-day allocation. The booking system for free DIY waste will only permit residents to make one visit every seven days. For example, if a free booking is made for a Tuesday, the next free allocation will not be permitted until the following Tuesday. However, all residents can visit more often than every seven days, but the DIY waste brought on those visits will then be fully chargeable at the advertised rates. The booking system and free DIY allowance is only for Oxfordshire residents. Non-Oxfordshire residents can still use the county’s sites for DIY waste without booking but will be charged in full at the advertised rates.

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Cherwell District Council Request - Budget Consultation 2024-25

Like councils up and down the country, we face significant financial pressures driven by rising costs, particularly in energy, fuel, and materials. These inflationary impacts highlight the need for savings or more income, all while ensuring we maintain essential, high-quality services.

With the budget for 2024/25 requiring £1.5 million in savings, we have diligently explored internal efficiencies and cost-reduction strategies.

Efforts include maximising in-house expertise for projects, securing additional grant contributions, using digital technology to streamline processes, and achieving better value from our contracts and suppliers, such as switching insurance providers.

These efficiencies will contribute £1.2million of savings next year and take us a long way to bridging the budget gap.

We have pulled together draft proposals to find the additional £0.3million of savings and income required to balance the budget, and we are seeking views on the draft proposals at cherwell.citizenspace.com.

The consultation runs until Friday, 22 December 2023.

The views of all residents can help shape the budget deliberations.

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Cherwell District Council Waste & Recycling Collections Over Christmas

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Community First Oxfordshire Oil Scheme - Free Membership from Cherwell District Council

Cherwell District Council are collaborating with Community First Oxfordshire (CFO) to offer Cherwell residents the chance to become part of CFO’s oil scheme for FREE (usual cost: £24 per year).

The Community First Oxfordshire oil scheme is in partnership with AF Affinity who purchase over 100 million litres of oil every year from a variety of oil suppliers and, due to their relationship with the suppliers, can give the best possible price available to them on the day of your oil order. The scheme also offers direct debit and payment plan options, making it very simple and easy for you.

Please note, if you are already a member of the scheme and live in Cherwell but have paid this year, then CFO will reimburse you (they have your details and will be in touch shortly).

For more information or to join the scheme please visit the Community First Oxfordshire, call 01865 883488 or email: oil@communityfirstoxon.org

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School Admissions Information from Oxfordshire County Council

Entry to primary or infant school – September 2024. Is your child 3 or 4 years old?

If your child was born on or between 1^st September 2019 and 31^st August 2020, 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.

Deadline date for applications - 15^th January 2024.

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

For help and information please contact:

Email: admissions.schools@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Tel: 0345 241 2487

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Update from The Weston SOS ('Save Our Shop') committee:

Share offer now live!

Our community share offer is now live - you can now purchase your withdrawable community shares to help bring the Weston Pantry into community ownership. This is our only chance to secure its long-term future as a vital asset to the local community.

Thanks to being able to secure some early investors, we've already raised nearly £20,000 through the purchase of community shares and donations towards our total on Day 1 - a fantastic start to our share offer!

To find out more about our share offer, including our share offer prospectus and detailed business plan (paper copies are also available in the Shop) you can visit https://weston-sos.org/share-offer/

To buy your community shares now on the Crowdfunder platform: https://crowdfunder.co.uk/p/weston-sos

If you'd prefer to make a donation, visit our JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/weston-sos-donations

Our share offer is open until the 13th December (although we may extend if we're close to our target) and the minimum shareholding is just £100 to become a member of the Society, have your say in the future of the Weston Pantry and help us promote its success within the local community.

Village Meeting

Weston SOS will be holding a public meeting at the Village Hall on the 6th November at 7:00pm to mark the launch of our share offer. Come along to find out our plans to bring the Weston Pantry into community ownership, our progress so far and get information about our share offer - how you can show your support and purchase shares.

Help us spread the word

Due to our limited resources, we can't personally speak to everyone in our extended local community (residents and businesses of Weston and the surrounding villages) - so please help us spread the word about our share offer whether that's a chat over the fence or liking and sharing our posts on our Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090922982698

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SSEN Distribution Yellow Alert – Storm Ciarán: 1/2 November 2023

This morning, in response to the latest weather forecast, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks has moved to Yellow Alert status ahead of Storm Ciarán. It is due to hit central southern England overnight on Wednesday and continue into Thursday, leading to several hours of strong winds, heavy rain and a risk of localised flooding. At this time, SSEN would like to reassure its customers and partners that it is well prepared for this period of bad weather.

The decision to move to Yellow Alert status comes as a result of the increasing certainty about the storm’s duration and route, and the potential it has to cause damage to the electricity network.

SSEN has been monitoring this weather system for several days, and is now activating its well-rehearsed contingency plans, bringing in additional teams to deal with any damage to the network and subsequent faults, which may impact customers’ power supplies.

These additional teams, aided by colleagues from SSEN’s north of Scotland distribution area and contractor partners, will respond to faults and carry out repairs quickly and safely. Teams answering customers’ queries over the phone are being bolstered, and SSEN is already calling its most vulnerable customers to offer them help and advice. In total, more than 250,000 customers who are on the Priority Service Register will be contacted ahead of the storm. SSEN is also organising for welfare provisions to be put in place for affected areas.

SSEN’s latest weather model shows a likelihood of southerly and south-westerly gusts of up to 70mph along the Hampshire and Sussex coast overnight on Wednesday and throughout the day on Thursday, with inland gusts of up to 60mph in Dorset. Gusts in excess of 50mph are possible in Berkshire, Wiltshire and Oxfordshire. The winds will be accompanied by persistent, heavy rain.

SSEN will continue to monitor this storm closely as it develops and issue regular updates.

Customers are encouraged to be prepared for the possibility of disruption to supplies by:

Saving the emergency power cut number - '105' - to your phone to report any loss of supply or damage to the electricity network
Visiting SSEN's Power Track Website to give you details of power cuts and restoration times. You can also report power cuts and network damage through the Power Track app
Going to SSEN's website where there is a wealth of advice and information on how to deal with a power cut, or to chat live to one of SSEN's advisors via its Webchat service

Customers are also eligible for SSEN's Priority Services Register (PSR) if they:

Are deaf or hard of hearing
Have a disability
Live with children under five
Are blind or partially sighted
Have a chronic illness

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Oxfordshire County Council - Health and Wellbeing Strategy Public Consultation

Oxfordshire County Council are asking residents to comment on the new draft health and wellbeing strategy which is open for comment until 12 November.

As a county, we’re facing challenges with an ageing population, increased demand for services, mental health and wellbeing concerns in young people and significant inequality in our health.

A partnership across the county have been working to develop a strategy that gives power to our communities to help deliver what is needed to support people to make healthy choices, live independently and stay happier and healthier for longer.

Oxfordshire County Council are now asking whether it makes sense for you in your community? Get involved and have your say https://letstalk.oxfordshire.gov.uk/health-wellbeing

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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 Colin Rosser.

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 27 October 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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Katharine House and Sobell House Hospice - Volunteering Opportunities

NHS are currently reaching out to as many people as we can to support the recruitment of new volunteers for Sobell House and Katharine House Hospices.

Within Sobell House they currently require volunteer support on their In-Patient Unit and Volunteer Drivers to help them in the transportation of our patients and equipment.

Bereavement Volunteers and Volunteer Companions are needed to support both Katharine House and Sobell House Hospice.

To find out more or to apply please see linked poster or contact: pallcarevolunteerservices@ouh.nhs.uk / 01865 225994 / 01865 225868

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Draft Cherwell Local Plan Public Consultation: 22 September - 3 November 2023

Cherwell District Council are preparing a new Local Plan for Cherwell and would like your views. They are presenting a draft of the Plan for consultation so that you can consider their emerging proposals. It has been prepared to prompt discussion and feedback on new planning policies to guide the delivery of sustainable development across the district.

The draft Plan sets out a vision and proposes homes, employment land, infrastructure and other essential services required to support the local community over the Plan period.

Inspect the Documents

The draft Cherwell Local Plan Review 2040 and supporting documents are available to view on-line at https://cherwell.citizenspace.com/planning-policy/cherwell-local-plan-review-2040-consultation-draft

Hard copies of the documents are available to view at library locations in the county (see attached notice).

Submitting Comments

Comments on the draft Cherwell Local Plan Review 2040 and supporting documents can be made online using our engagement portal https://cherwell.citizenspace.com/planning-policy/cherwell-local-plan-review-2040-consultation-draft or can be sent:

By email to PlanningPolicyConsultation@cherwell-dc.gov.uk Or by post to: Planning Policy Team, Cherwell District Council, Bodicote House, Bodicote, Banbury, OX15 4AA.

Response forms are available at the library locations and can be downloaded from https://cherwell.citizenspace.com/planning-policy/cherwell-local-plan-review-2040-consultation-draft

All documents are also available on Cherwell District Council’s website at: https://www.cherwell.gov.uk/local-plan-review-2040

If anyone has difficulty accessing the documents online, they can contact the Planning Policy Team for assistance on 01295 221779 or email planning.policy@cherwell-dc.gov.uk.

Comments should be received no later than 11.59pm on Friday 3 November 2023.

Public Exhibitions

The following public exhibitions will be held during the consultation period:

Wednesday 4 October, 3pm – 8pm: Kidlington Football Club, Yarnton Road, Kidlington, OX5 1AT:

Friday 13 October, 2pm – 7pm: The John Paul II Centre, The Causeway, Bicester, OX26 6AW

Tuesday 17 October, 2.30pm – 6.30pm: Woodstock Community Centre, 32 New Road, Woodstock, OX20 1PB

Saturday 21 October, 11am – 3pm: Lock 29, Castle Quay Waterfront, Castle Street, Banbury, OX16 5UN

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DEFRA - Ban and restrictions on some single use plastics from 1 October 2023

The ban includes single use plastic cutlery, single use balloon sticks, extruded and expanded polystyrene cups and food containers and a restriction to the supply of single-use plastic trays and bowls to members of the public.

The new ban on certain single use items compliments the existing restrictions on other single-use plastic items including plastic straws, cotton buds and drink stirrers and the carrier bag charge.

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Gigaclear - Schedule of Works in Weston on the Green (updated 21st September 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:

Northampton Road: 19 September - 2 October (multi-way signals)
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.

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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.

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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:

This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a new UK government service that will warn you if there’s a life-threatening emergency nearby.

In an actual emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe.

Visit gov.uk/alerts for more information.

This is a test. You do not need to take any action.

Emergency Alerts: Frequently Asked Questions Document

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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.

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.

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 consultati