Clarion Weekly, 15 November 2024

This week's top stories

On Remembrance Sunday, Oxfordshire remembered its fallen. From the Fire Service, to the women of Somerville College, TVP’s Mounted Police, MPs and councillors, Oxfordshire marked this sombre day.

Do we all have to get used to flooding in Oxfordshire, or is it something we can tackle? And what makes a greater difference – astroturf gardens, or councils dredging ditches? Oxford is getting a £176m relief channel, but even this won’t solve the county’s flooding problem. In a special report, we looked at why our county is so flood-prone, and the challenges posed by 100,000 new homes.

More heat than light? Headlines this week were dominated by the controversy over switching off Oxfordshire’s street lights overnight. Our Tuesday report looked at the background and reaction, with three separate petitions raised against the proposals.

Subsequently, Oxfordshire County Council announced the decision would be deferred. Deputy leader Pete Sudbury backed this up at Thursday’s decision meeting, saying: “This needs to be deferred and it needs to be deferred until it’s right. We need to work with the police. We need proper consultation, especially with women and people with disabilities. We need to pilot this. We should get the shouting done first. So next time, when we come back with a policy, it will have been done to death before it gets here.”

The meeting had heard fierce opposition, particularly from Oxford’s Labour councillors. Susanna Pressel, county councillor for Osney, said she was an enthusiast for dark skies, but: “You’ve set this cause back years by the clumsy way you’ve handled this issue. We must address fear of crime. And it is much worse for women.”

Chris Smowton, LibDem group leader on the City Council, said: “What’s suitable for a rural hamlet which doesn’t have any licensed premises is very different for what’s right for the city.” Cllr Sudbury agreed: “The intention was to trial this in the countryside where it’s much easier.”

But there was disagreement as to where this policy actually originated. Senior officer Paul Fermer, the council’s director of Environment & Highways, said: “This is an officer paper and I take responsibility as the director. As officers, it is our paper and the shortcomings in the paper process – I’ve got to hold my hands up.”

Cllr Glynis Phillips (Lab, Barton, Sandhills & Risinghurst) demurred: “The decision was made by Cabinet and it’s our elected representatives who’ve got to take responsibility for this paper.” But Cllr Sudbury said that the Cabinet decision had actually been taken in 2022, when Cllr Phillips was on the Cabinet as part of the then LibDem/Labour/Green alliance.

Subsequent research by the Oxford Clarion has shown that Oxfordshire County Council was planning to switch “14,000 street lights to part-night lighting” back in 2010, while in 2018 it adopted a policy of “protecting and enhancing the night-time environment by implementing part-night lighting and dimming”. (At the time the council was under Conservative control.)

The Liberal Democrats have won the Chipping Norton seat on West Oxfordshire District Council from Labour. The party had previously never finished higher than third. A by-election was held following Rizvana Poole’s decision to step down. Results were Mike Baggaley (LibDem) 403, Caspar Morris (Conservative) 383, Kate England (Labour) 350, Claire Lasko (Green) 152.

Around the city

• The price of an Oxford pint has risen from £5.06 to £5.42, according to a CAMRA survey. The most expensive beers were at the Head of the River (£6.55) and the Turf Tavern (£6.45). In the city centre, the cheapest pints were at the two Wetherspoons, and the White Rabbit (£3.80). Across the 25 city centre pubs surveyed, there were 85 distinct real ales, with the widest choice at the Royal Blenheim (pictured) and Turf Tavern. But CAMRA says smaller breweries find it hard to get a foothold in city centres dominated by large pub companies.
• Police have issued an urgent appeal to locate Nazim Kacem, 29, who they believe has information about Monday’s collision between a motorbike and bicycle in Summertown. The motorbike rider left the scene while the 17-year old cyclist suffered life-threatening injuries. Thames Valley Police say Kacem is from Oxford but is also known to frequent Bristol and Crouch Hill in London: “If anybody knows of Nazim’s whereabouts, you can also call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.” Four people have so far been arrested in connection with the investigation. A 14-year-old boy has been released without charge, while three others, a 50-year-old man, 41-year-old man and 37-year-old woman, all from Oxford, have been released under investigation.
• A new development of homes in Cutteslowe has opened. The development of 134 homes at Priory Grove has 67 affordable homes, of which 54 will be available for social rent, plus 13 shared ownership homes. Oxford City Council has worked in collaboration with developer SNG, whose spokesman Satwinder Kukadia said: “This is the beginning of what is designed to be a thriving community over many generations. We know that many more households need an affordable home in Oxford, so we’d encourage anyone who may have land that could become new homes to contact us.” Cllr Linda Smith, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “Priory Grove will make a life-changing difference to people on our waiting list and those whose dream of home ownership felt impossible in Oxford.” The homes are designed to be 60% more energy-efficient than required by building regulations, with solar panels and air source heat pumps.
• Nottingham is holding up Oxford’s Covered Market as an example of a thriving city centre market. An article in the Nottingham Post compares it to the city's Victoria Market, and describes it as a “shopping mecca bustling with locals, students and tourists”.
• Thames Valley Police are appealing for witnesses to an incident where a female cyclist was mugged on the Thames towpath south of Folly Bridge on Friday. The offender blocked her path with an e-scooter and gestured for her to stop. “He then grabbed the victim to her upper body, possibly in an attempt to take her rucksack. The victim kicked out at the offender and made an escape.” Witnesses are asked to call 101 or make a report online.
• The Clarendon Centre on Cornmarket, which is being redeveloped as research space and student accommodation, has been sold by owners Lothbury to an investor believed to be bitcoin and gold tycoon Roy Sebag. Estates Gazette reports he outbid the Crown Estate for the property; the Crown Estate consortium had already acquired the former Debenhams sites for lab space. Sebag is known as a “contrarian investor” and for his theories on the worth of money. The Clarendon is believed to have been on the market for over £30m.
• The Bishop of Oxford, Steven Croft, says in response to the resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury, “our focus in these coming days is and should be on the survivors of abuse […] We have been deeply moved and angered by the horrific abuse described in such terrible detail.” In a statement, he spoke of “the systemic failures of the Church of England in safeguarding set out so clearly and over many years… the Makin review makes for difficult reading”. He told BBC Radio Oxford that Welby’s resignation was “the right decision”.
• A partnership between Oxford City Football Club and childrens' hospice Helen and Douglas House will offer free match tickets for families who they are helping, season tickets for staff, and a chance for families to come along and join summer camps or watch training. After a visit last week, OCFC manager Ross Jenkins commented: “It was a privilege to go along and meet the staff and a couple of families who they are helping. It’s an incredible place and we will work with them now to help in any way we can.”
• Oxford’s gargoyles are being brought to life in a new extended reality interactive experience from TORCH Oxford. Visitors battle to protect the city from climate change, guided by computer-generated gargoyles. (We understand the event is currently sold out.)
• The Grapes on George Street has been named Oxford CAMRA’s Pub of the Year in the city. The pub reopened in August with eight handpumps and 40 keg lines. In the voting among CAMRA members, it narrowly edged out the Royal Blenheim, last year’s winner. The pub is run by Morgan Pub Co, a small London-based company which has also taken on the Gardeners Arms in North Parade Avenue and the Angel & Greyhound on St Clements (to be renamed back to the Oranges & Lemons). Witney’s Crafty Pint micropub won the ‘Town & Village’ Pub of the Year category, with last year’s winner the Brewery Tap in Abingdon as runner-up. The Crafty Pint took over from the previous Oxbrew and Drummers bars, and has regular live music and community quiz nights.

Around the county

• A booking system is to be introduced for Oxfordshire’s household recycling centres (“tips”), online or via telephone. The aim is to manage capacity while the city’s Redbridge tip is rebuilt (from 2025), and to dissuade illegal disposal of trade waste. Oxfordshire County Council says that other counties including Swindon, West Berks and Gloucestershire already have a booking system. Currently there are no access controls on Oxfordshire tips, meaning that people from neighbouring counties often travel to use them.
• Plans have been lodged for a 400-home development on the northern edge of Wallingford. The proposals by Croudace Homes for the Shillingford Road site include a “sports hub” and an additional 80 homes for older people. The site would be anchored around a spine street with segregated cycleways; smaller residential streets would have a shared surface. The proposals say “parking will not dominate the street scene… allocating spaces to specific dwellings does not represent the most efficient use”. Plans are now with South Oxfordshire District Council for consideration (P24/S3481/O). 1,600 homes have already been approved for Wallingford; taken together these would result in its population rising by about 40%. The town’s station closed in 1959 and is now a steam railway.

University and research

• The University of Oxford has begun a review of its ethical investment policy, following the Oxford Action for Palestine protests this year. It will consider whether to extend the current prohibition on “investments in companies manufacturing arms that are illegal under UK law”. The university says the review was initiated “in light of concerns raised by members of the University community”. Two webinars will be held this week and next to discuss its approach to managing its investments. The university and colleges together have over £6bn of endowments. The review committee plans to report in Hilary (spring) term. University members are asked to make their submissions via an online form by 16 December.
• Oxford University Students’ Union has put forward plans to abolish no-confidence votes and hold termly ‘direct democracy’ events, reports the Oxford Student. The SU has endured a tumultuous time in recent years with repeated no-confidence motions being brought.

Walking and cycling

• Commenters online raised questions after “unofficial looking” road markings appeared across East Oxford streets earlier this week. Images of bicycles with arrows denoting ‘Cowley’ or ‘City’ appeared painted faintly on the road. The Clarion asked Oxfordshire County Council for comment, who responded: “We have stencilled signs on some east Oxford roads to improve wayfinding when cycling. They will be completed with thermal paint later this week.”
• Staff at the John Radcliffe Hospital have been piloting a new Learn to Ride cycling course. Provided by Joyriders Oxford, it comprises six lunchtime sessions, plus the chance to acquire a “pre-loved” bike. The JR has recently installed covered cycle parking and a repair station. Instructor Laura Di Giacomo said: "Setting up the programme for OUH staff is a real honour. Cycling represents such an essential skill to tackle the challenges that our modern society poses: the environment, cost of living, traffic congestion, and health.”

• The cycle ban on Bicester’s pedestrian Sheep Street is to be lifted. The road, which is part of the National Cycle Network, has been closed to bikes since the 1990s. Oxfordshire County Council cabinet member Andrew Gant said allowing cycling was appropriate for a town “undergoing a period of change”. Local resident Kevin Hickman spoke at Thursday’s council meeting, saying: “I’m a disabled person. Under the current restrictions, I can get someone to drive me anywhere on Sheep St with a blue badge. But I’m not allowed to cycle to it. It appears to many I’m the problem because I don’t drive. We value and trust people when they drive, but not when they cycle. We hold cyclists to such a high standard of behaviour that it puts people off in the first place. Those who do are regularly chastised for finding their way through an environment designed for motor vehicles.” Conservative and Independent local councillors spoke against the plan, with town councillor Sam Holland (Con, East Ward) saying: “Sheep Street is extremely narrow in certain parts. This is unsafe and we need an outbreak of common sense to stop this scheme going ahead.” The ban will be lifted for a trial of up to 18 months, with signage to make cyclists aware of sharing space; cyclists may be asked to dismount during the Friday market. (We previously looked in detail at the Sheep Street cycling ban.)

Trains and buses

• Plans to complete the Oxford–Cambridge railway have been unveiled. East West Rail proposes to build a new line from Bedford to Cambridge, extending the Oxford–Bletchley line which opens next year. Trains would run every half hour between the university cities, 6am to midnight. Journey time would be 1hr35 in total, compared to 2hr30 via London. Stations would be built at the new towns of Cambourne and Tempsford. The line would be fitted with discontinuous electrification, where sections of overhead line would charge battery-electric trains as they pass. At Islip, a passing loop could be installed to let fast trains overtake stopping trains and freight. Platform capacity at Oxford is limited, and Cambridge trains could run onto the Cowley Branch Line or the Didcot Parkway shuttles. The station could be adapted for increased passenger numbers, with changes to stairways and platform access. The full consultation is now online, with a closing date of 24 January. Drop-in events will be held in Oxford Town Hall on 19 November (2pm-7pm) and Bicester John Paul II Centre on 21 November (2pm–7pm).
• But the plans continue to cause controversy in Bicester. Added to the Oxford–Milton Keynes service and the Oxford–Marylebone trains, there would be six trains an hour from Bicester to Oxford. These extra trains would result in Bicester’s London Road level crossing barriers being closed for most of the hour. EWR says it has considered building a new road bridge but that it would not provide journey-time savings; instead they propose a pedestrian/cycle bridge at the site.
• The new bus lane on St Clements is to become permanent. At an Oxfordshire County Council meeting on Thursday, cabinet member Andrew Gant said: “We never thought this was going to be the magic bullet that would solve everything at once, but it has made a difference.” Speaking for Cyclox, however, Danny Yee cautioned that this should not be the end-game. “The traffic filters may reduce traffic to the point where the bus lane is not necessary, but not to the point where most people will be willing to cycle mixed with motor traffic. This is one of a number of schemes which significantly affect cycling but which have been pitched entirely as bus schemes.”

Oxfordshire politics

If this is your first week (welcome!), each week we round up what we've spotted our MPs doing. Two disclaimers: we stay away from any cabinet/front bench portfolios, and casework tends not to make social media, so what you see here isn't the full picture of their efforts for their constituency (or country). Our inbox is open if you have anything to share.

• Banbury MP Sean Woodcock revisited the Warriner School in Bloxham, and held a surgery in Cropredy. He wrote an opinion piece for LabourList on how he was struggling with the arguments around assisted dying . He waded into the debate on Oxfordshire’s streetlights, attended an event at the Banbury Museum, and campaigned in the Chipping Norton council election. He described the Remembrance Sunday commemmoration in Banbury as “a really beautiful service”.
• Oxford East's Anneliese Dodds has been at the Paris Peace Forum in her ministerial portfolio. She encouraged people to complete the East West Rail consultation. She attended the Remembrance Sunday parade in Oxford.
• Oxford West & Abingdon's MP Layla Moran has secured a meeting with the Transport Secretary over delays to the ongoing Botley Road rail bridge works. She said that local business owners are experiencing up to a 60% drop in income, and are concerned about the impact of trade over Christmas. In Parliament, Moran spoke of Network Rail’s mismanagement of the station upgrade and requested a meeting with the new Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh. Speaking after their meeting, Moran commented: “I am glad the Secretary of State heard my concerns and agreed to meet with me to discuss them. Network Rail have demonstrated utterly shambolic project management, and residents have lost all faith in them to deliver this project." She also spoke in Parliament about flood defences for communities like Abingdon, and met with her local children's hospice at the APPG for Children Who Need Palliative Care.
• Witney’s Charlie Maynard wore odd socks for Anti-Bullying Day. (Anyone whose kids are as into Andy & The Band as some of ours will need no further explanation.) He filmed a video update for the Witney Oxford Transport Group, the rail campaign which he previously chaired. He visited Penny Hooks Farm Trust, a farm that works to help autistic adults, flagging up their Christmas Fayre. We thought this exchange was a lovely example of cross-party politics: Witney, we salute you. Finally he attended the Remembrance Day events at Carterton, home of RAF Brize Norton.
• Didcot & Wantage’s Olly Glover hosted his party leader Ed Davey who, in one of his trademark stunts, was learning to drive a bus: the aim was to draw attention to the Budget’s hike in bus fares from £2 to £3. In other “large vehicle” news, Glover also met with the Oxfordshire Fire Brigades Union to discuss NI cuts and governmental support; and this week saw the first meeting of the Transport Select Committee, of which he is a member. He asked the Secretary of State a series of questions, including crucially the high costs of transport infrastructure in the UK when compared to other countries – or in local terms, why would it be so expensive to build a station at Wantage? He attended Remembrance Day in Didcot.
• Calum Miller in Bicester & Woodstock has been campaigning on East West Rail’s impact in Bicester, particularly on London Road level crossing: here he is on the BBC explaining his position, and encouraging residents to respond to the consultation. He visited Bicester Baby Bank, attended fireworks in Long Hanborough and attended Remembrance Day in Bicester.
• Freddie van Mierlo in Henley & Thame this week visited Nettlebed Primary School, joined the Dementia APPG, campaigned for reform to the House of Lords, and for action on driving test shortages. He met local farmers discuss the impact of the budget plus other issues like bovine TB. He attended Remembrance Day in Thame.

Across Oxford’s independent media

• In a remarkably timely piece, the Oxford Sausage takes a night walk in Oxford and looks at the city’s distinctive streetlights.
• Daily Info reviews the Axiom of Choice, a “quirky caper through set theory, war, and French maths pranks”. (We love this city.)
• Ox in a Box tries the Christmas feasting menu at the relocated Mowgli restaurant at the Westgate.
• Oxford Student interviewed Peter Mandelson, candidate for the university Chancellorship (who is, curiously, advertising on Twitter).
• Cherwell, meanwhile, argues that the Chancellorship is of no use.
• Over on Facebook, we spotted this reel on the history of the Radcliffe Camera.

This weekend

• Oxford’s Christmas Lights Festival runs from today until Sunday, with family-friendly events across the whole city.
• The Victorian Christmas Market continues on Broad Street until Sunday.
• Thames Valley Police’s annual Road Death Memorial Service is this Sunday. Those bereaved by traffic collisions – 22 people were killed on Oxfordshire roads last year – are invited to join the emergency services at St Mary's Church in Thame. The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims was adopted by the United Nations in 2005 and is observed every third Sunday in November.
• Wychwood School on Banbury Road is running free games design workshops for Year 5–6 kids every Saturday (10am-11.30am).
• Caper Bookshop in East Oxford has three author events coming up this week. On 16 November at midday the founder of Leon, Allegra McEvedy has an interactive cooking demonstration in support of her new children's cookbook 'Chefs Wanted'. Then 19 November at 7.30pm ‘How to throw a fabulous dinner party’ with Rosie MacKean’, and on 21 November at 6.30pm, ‘In Writing: Conversations with Nell Frizzell and Hattie Crisell’. (We haven't had the customary ‘Worth travelling for’ press release from the Magdalen Road crew this week, but this is developing into quite a hotspot…)
• Oxford has so many classical concerts each week it seems invidious to single one out, but Opus 48 at the University Church on Saturday promises to be something quite special – Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms (West Side Story meets the Book of Psalms) plus Howells and Finzi.

Dates for your diary

• Christ Church, Oxford’s cathedral, has published its Christmas programme – this year with four ‘Nine Lessons and Carols’ services plus the Messiah and a brace of Christmas concerts. If you prefer heartfelt guitar ballads to angelic choristers then here’s St. Aldates’ programme over the road – including, winningly, ‘Beer and Carols’ (“the cheapest pint in town and rowdiest carols around”). And Cowley St John have a full programme at their three churches.
• Creation Theatre’s Hansel and Grettel runs from December 1 at the North Wall.
• Penny Hooks Farm Christmas Fayre: Saturday 23 November, 10.30am–1.30pm. If Charlie Maynard is recommending it (see above) then so can we.
• Independent Oxford's Christmas Market is at Tap Social Brewery, also Saturday 23 November.

Notes from Clarion HQ

We had an unprecedented influx of newsletter subscribers in the last week – welcome each and every one of you! Once a week, we send you an Oxfordshire news digest, plus links to any long reads we published during the week.

We were flattered to be mentioned in despatches last week about live-tweeting council meetings. We’ve been doing this for selected County Council meetings since our early days and we’re delighted to see it taking off elsewhere, this time in Bristol.

This not-so-subtle homage to Kelvin Mackenzie’s third most notorious front page amused us. We’re happier taking the 1892 Clarion as our model rather than the 1992 Sun, but that’s why plurality is good. Right?

And finally, guess where our editorial meeting was this week? We discussed, inter alia, Bluesky vs Twitter and our coverage of the upcoming County Council elections in May. Let us know what you’d like to see in our reporting.