News Hound's News- round 
The inside track. What’s happening around and about. Hopefully a new monthly feature on your website.
3rd April 2009
No news as they say is good news, so i'm afraid that if you are feeling a bit delicate at present, do not read on!
At this months Parish council meeting, your local county councillor, Catherine Fulljames, came to givean update on things happening around us, and details are included below, along with other 'cheering' news!
· Immigration Centre. As you may now know, planning has been accepted for the facility. Your parish council (PC) put forward a very strongly worded response (thank you Mr Arshad) to the original application (see information at the bottom left of the home page for details). One of yourPC'smany concerns is the likely increase in traffic through the village. The home office response that they were using 'passive traffic management' actually means they are doing nothing! Nothing that is, other than advising staff not to go through Blackthorn and to use public transport (which is plentiful!!)
· Bullingdon Prison. Tony Baldry has written to the Governor of the prison, and councillor Fulljames has visited regarding the speed at which officers drive through our Blackthorn. The governor has been invited to the parish AGM (Wed 6th May, at 8pm - don't miss it) to meet parishioners. If I were a betting man....
· Speeding through Blackthorn. Once again our local beat officers Caroline and Sean paid an unannounced visit to Station Road and proceeded to book drivers at a startling rate (they even brought an extra officer to lend a hand). Unlike others, Caroline and Sean arrive at peak times, unannounced and have remarked that Blackthorn is a sure thing for catching speeding motorists. They have expressed shock at how fast drivers pass through this area. Keep up the good work.
· Proposed Eco-Town in the North West of Bicester. 'Mmm', I hear you say, 'don't you mean Weston Otmoor. No friends, whilst all attention was on Weston, another proposal was being quietly put together for the area just off the Bicester ring road, extending toward Caversfield and Bucknell. Whilst councillor Trilk had spotted this, there were no firm plans put forward at the time for the PC to peruse. Lo and behold, without any form of consultation, C.D.C. (Cherwell District Council) are to go ahead with this proposal. There are to be five thousand houses with the equivalent of five thousand jobs on site (oh yeah!!!); there will be forty houses built to the hectare; forty percent of which will be for recreational land (though this figure does include back gardens!!). Your parish council has written to C.D.C and stated that they feel they are being treated with contempt. Yep, they're angry. If you as a parishioner feel the same way, then write to C.D.C. let them know! See http://www.cherwell-local.org.uk/site/Caversfield-Parish-Council/Dymocks-Farm-Plans.htm for more information.
· Weston Otmoor Eco-Town.The site has come out high on a viability study. Mmm, paid for by whom? My experience of research is that often he who pays the pier calls the tune.
· Proposed Incinerator at Ardley or Sutton Courtney. Yep, more joy! The two sites have to go through the planning system and one will definitely be chosen. It was noted that whilst the application for the incinerator at Ardley does not affect Blackthorn village the by-product may affect it. The heat from such an incinerator would go back into a grid (though will not benefit the villages near to the incinerator - come on, you must be laughing by now?).
· Proposed Wind Farm at Ardley. Cherwell District Council are currently considering a planning application from Bolsterstone plc for a development of four (4) 125m high wind turbines, plus associated buildings, on the land north of Willowbank Farm on the road between Fewcott and Fritwell. See http://www.ardleywithfewcott.com/ for more details of the wind farm and incinerator.
· Development at Bicester (Sainsbury's). Thisis on hold at present because of the current financial climate (why does the madness song 'Ghost Town' keep running through my mind whenI walk through Bicester?)
· Street lighting. O.C.C currently consulting PC's regarding a plan to switch off street lights from late at night to early morning. Now there's an idea. When is a street light not a street light? (answers on a postcard please)
· Damage to grass verge on Station road. Although this appears to be happening on a regular basis, caused by vehicles entering and exiting Harlan UK, once notified the facilities manager usually reacts very quickly and his team undertake repairs. Discussions are to take place regarding a long term solution
· Grass cutting. All cutting outside of the 30mph limit signs is officially now done by a contractor organised and paid for by O.C.C., whilst all grass within the 30mph limit is cut by a contractor engaged by BlackthornPC. This saves the parish £498 a year. Concerned and conscientious villagers are sometimes cutting verges outside their properties that fall within O.C.C's remit. This does however make it very difficult to see how well Blackthorn is being served by O.C.C's contractor, who is supposed to cut if grass outside the 30mph signs reaches a level above 50cm. Please notify Sandie Stevenson of Blackthorn PC if grass reaches this level (contact details on website) so that O.C.C can be informed.
· Blackthorn play area. (Blackthorn Recreational Park Committee – BRPC)Plans still progressing slowly. Some drainage issues have been sorted and an application for a grant toward further drainage work has been applied for. Applications for funding toward the multi use games area are also in process and the team are still as keen as ever and battling through the red tape and complex grant applications.
· Blackthorn Parish Council. Vacancies. Yes folks, still only 4 members. Still managing to hold it together, still desperately needing ‘new blood’. Motivated, concerned, villagers come forth! If the above news has caused you concern, then get involved. YOUR PC NEEDS YOU! YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
In the words of Bugs Bunny
That’s all folks!
Newshound
Whilst a lot of this information has come from parish council (s) and council minutes (which are available to anyone on request), the views and comments do not reflect those of Blackthorn parish council.