There had been an enthusiast response to the proposal to review the children’s play areas and develop a plan for improvement from the organisations approached. In anticipation of the work of the group, an outing to the Saltex exhibition was undertaken. It consisted of five adults and five children from the village. It was a very interesting day and the group toured the stands of all the major suppliers of play equipment. The children made excellent test pilots. It was also a lucky day as well as the Parish Council won the star prize of a flying saucer at the Wicksteed stand.
The members of the Parish Council discussed ways of improving the cleanliness and environment of the village. They decided that next spring on Sunday 30th March 2008 there will be a “Litter Pick” day. The plan is that the Parish Council will work with the Vale of White Horse District Council who can supply equipment. Village groups and individuals will be sponsored at £2 a bag so they can raise money for their organisation or charity. If you would like to register to take part please contact the Clerk in writing or by email. There will be more details in the New Year.
In addition, it had been reported by a number of residents that people had let their hedges and shrubs start to obstruct the footways and alleys. The members of the Parish Council appreciated that the poor summer weather had meant it was more difficult to work in the garden this year. However they will be writing to a few individual householders asking if they could please cut their vegetation in the next month.
In July, the county suffered severe flooding. There was a report on the effects on the village. The village had been cut off from the northern route to Oxford for six days by the flood defences. The barriers worked well and there only one home flooded in the village at Otters Reach which was as a result of the very heavy downfall on Friday 20th July. The Flooding Working Group met on 31st July and they prepared a report for the Vale. The Vale was offering any household which had flooding in their living accommodation a grant of £250. It was reported that about 740 houses had been flooded in the Vale and that the District Council had received a grant of £250,000 from the government’s Flood Recovery Grant. It was also reported that the ditch in Bagley Wood behind the houses in Bagley Close was to be cleared to help prevent flooding.
It was agreed to ask a tree surgeon for a quotation to thin out a few of the trees in the amenity land owned by the Parish Council next to the Paddock and the Memorial Field as they were growing over the residents’ fences.
