The Clerk had written to ask for an estimate of the cost of adding the name of the Parish Council to all the bus shelters. The final replacement bus shelters should be installed on 18th December at the Upper Road stop in Kennington Road and the Sandford Lane stop in The Avenue. It had been noticed that a bicycle was often chained to the bus shelter at the stop opposite Oxford Saïd Business School. The members of the Parish Council were concerned that this practice should stop as it was inconvenient for bus passengers.
The Clerk had requested quotations from Berinsfield Community Business to cut back the weeds and spray the area along the boundary with the houses in the Paddock and the amenity land and to cut the hedge along the Avenue near Fairways before the start of the growing season.
A grant was made to Victim Support which would receive £250. They gave £50 to Sustrans, the volunteer organisation which was developing a national cycle network, for the reprinting of the leaflet illustrating the cycle route called the Hanson Way which goes from Oxford to Didcot through Kennington. The Clerk would contact Sustrans as there was concern that the vegetation was encroaching on the cycle path in places. The Parish Council would suggest it could help organise a working party in the New Year if there were enough local volunteers. If you or your family were interested in helping can you please let the Clerk know.
The Clerk had reported potholes in the pavement and roadway near Redbridge and in the pavement in Simpson Way and damage to the roadway in Bagley Close to Oxfordshire Highways.
There had been a successful switch on of the Christmas tree lights followed by Carols and mulled wine and mince pies in the St Swithun’s Church Hall. Although the tree was a smaller than last year, the light display installed by a local contractor was very attractive. The Parish Council was very grateful for the donation of the tree from Bagley Wood. This year the Chairman of the Vale of White Horse, Cllr. Alison Rooke, was a guest and the collection of £160, made with help from Father Christmas, was donated to her charity, the League of Friends, at Abingdon Hospital.
