Clarion Weekly, 22 November 2024

This week's top stories

On Tuesday much of the county woke up in a winter wonderland. We invited Clarion readers to send us their best pictures, and here they are.

Beautiful though it was, it caused disruption. The Severe Weather Emergency Protocol for Oxford’s homeless was activated. Heavy snow in the north of the county disrupted bus services. School services to Chipping Norton, Burford and the Warriner School were cancelled, with one bus unable to get out of the hilltop village of Leafield, while Stagecoach stopped buses around Banbury.

Saturday is the anniversary of the first council homes built in Oxford. We mark this with a long read on the history of council housing in Oxford – featuring Blackbird Leys, Margaret Thatcher, a Viscount, and the Cutteslowe Walls. Thanks to Oxford City Council for their support as we worked on this.

Oxfordshire County Council says it is “winter ready” following upgrades to the gritter operation. With the completion of a new salt barn at Deddington (pictured), no road salt is stored uncovered, which reduces wastage and means salting can be just as effective with a lower density.

30 vehicles are stored at three winter depots around the county: Deddington, Drayton and Woodcote. The renewed fleet ranges from 26-tonne mainstays to a 3.5-tonne “baby gritter” used for narrow roads and Park & Ride sites.

OCC salts 42% of the county’s road mileage, which it claims is one of the highest rates in Britain. Gritting within the ring road is carried out by Oxford City Council.

Around the city

• The Mini Cooper Convertible is once again being produced at BMW’s Cowley plant after a nine-year absence. The previous model was built in the Netherlands from 2015 to 2023. Engines are built in Warwickshire and body pressings in Swindon. The new model has a “completely new interior and exterior design”. Stefan Richmann, head of the Mini operation, said: “We are thrilled about the start of production of the Mini Convertible, now being produced again at the Oxford plant, the home of Mini.”
• Thames Water has begun connecting the new water main west of the Botley Road rail bridge – one of the factors that had delayed the project. This work will continue into the New Year. With the water main now complete east of the rail bridge, the walkway is due to revert to its original side of the road. The works on the pedestrian ramp up to the station are also largely complete, though the path remains narrowed as we go to press.
• A candelit vigil was held on Wednesday at Radcliffe Square for International Transgender Day of Remembrance, to mourn trans people who have lost their lives over the past year.
• Overall satisfaction with Oxford City Council has risen slightly according to the results of a residents’ survey. The most liked services were parks and open spaces (79% satisfied), museums (79%), and recycling/waste collection (71%). The overall picture showed just 54% of Oxford residents are satisfied with the council's performance, a slight improvement from 52% in 2023. Residents say they felt safe during the day in their local area (87%) and in the city centre (90%), but less safe at night (69% and 68%). 78% feel their local area is a place where people from different cultures and backgrounds get along well – up from 76% in 2023.
• But housing remains a source of concern. Only 16% of Oxford residents said they were satisfied that Oxford City Council is building enough decent homes, in line with the 17% level in last year’s survey. (We wrote about the struggle to build homes in Oxford in our ‘Housing Week’ series.) Council leader Susan Brown said: “Building more affordable housing is my number one priority and one that we have been delivering on. What I most want to say to residents is: we hear you. Oxford City Council will continue to fight to build new homes, create new jobs & seek fairer wages for everyone in our city.”
• Oxford’s Living Wage is to increase to £13.16 per hour next year. The rate, set at 95% of London’s, is not compulsory but has already signed up 130 businesses employing over 27,000 people in the city.
• The state of Cowley’s Templars Square centre was in the spotlight this week as local MP Anneliese Dodds met with leaseholders Redveco. Four Labour county councillors have contributed £5000 in councillor funds towards murals to brighten up the centre; the rest of the funding will come through the leaseholder's development fund. Anneliese Dodds’ spokesperson told the Clarion that Redevco will be submitting a planning application for the demolition of the old Nelson pub in the next few weeks, and setting up areas where pop-up businesses can operate: “She will keep pushing for action to get the centre sorted out, for the sake of local people and businesses.”

Around the county

• The planning application for the Botley West Solar Farm has been received by Government. As a “national infrastructure project”, the decision will be made by the Secretary of State rather than by local councils. The process typically takes around 18 months. The application has not yet been formally accepted by the Planning Inspectorate, but once this happens, anyone wanting to have a say will need to register with them. After a public examination – several months of meetings – the examiners will make a recommendation to Government. The current Energy Secretary is Ed Miliband, who approved three solar farms shortly after coming into office in July. In September, he said: “Every solar farm we reject makes us less secure and more exposed. The faster we go, the more secure we become.”
• An opposition councillor on Oxfordshire County Council is to be appointed ‘SEND Champion’ to highlight issues around special educational needs. OCC’s Cabinet has agreed the new post after the full council called for the SEND community to have greater involvement in decision-making. Since June, the council has had a SEND Youth Forum where young people (“a collection of equals with different opinions on most matters”) can influence OCC’s services for those with special needs. SEND Conversations discussion events are also taking place. OCC’s cabinet member for SEND, Cllr Kate Gregory, told local government journal The MJ this week that the system is “unsustainable across the country”, highlighting the refusal of government to uprate the funds paid to special schools since 2014.
• Oxfordshire children are seeing an increase in respiratory illnesses as winter approaches, according to Oxford University Hospitals. Clinical director Shelley Segal said: “For the majority of children, these illnesses will not be serious and care can be provided at home.” However, OUH says that if the child “is breathing with effort that is getting worse, with quicker or deeper breathing , or is feeding or eating much less than normal” then parents should contact GPs (or NHS 111) as soon as possible
• The future shape of Bicester’s historic Market Square – currently mostly used as a car park – is up for consultation. Cherwell District Council says it wants “a welcoming environment honouring Bicester’s rich history with enhanced green spaces, accessibility, and areas for community events”. A six-week consultation has just begun. The council stresses that “we do not have any specific proposals for Market Square at this time”. Two in-person events will be staged in the town next week.
• The anti-LTN Independent Oxford Alliance party says it is planning to stand “around 30 candidates” in next year’s elections to Oxfordshire County Council – taking it outside the 13 seats within Oxford. The party has not previously stood outside the city but has four seats on the City Council. IOA chair Anne Gwinnett says in her Annual Report that “Getting seats on the County Council is a strategic priority, given that it is the Liberal Democrat-led County Council that is driving the damaging decisions on roads and traffic restrictions.” Following boundary changes, 69 seats on the County Council will be up for election in May. Three IOA candidates have so far been announced, including Ajaz Rehman (for Churchill & Lye Valley) who currently sits with one of the other independent groups on Oxford City Council. Dr Gwinnett added: “Soon after their election [to the City Council], IOA councillors reached out to other independents, as a result of which the IOA group and the other 3 independent groups of councillors (11 councillors in all) are cooperating informally around shared objectives.” In a statement to the Clarion last May following scrutiny of views expressed on her Twitter account, Dr Gwinnett wrote that “Each of our independent candidates constructs their own manifesto based on feedback from people in their constituency.”
• A public meeting in Woodstock on Thursday looked at the crisis with the town’s surgery. The town’s GPs say the building is “not fit for purpose” and that they need to expand to cater for new houses built in the town, but that there is no room on the current site. The GPs have identified a potential new site on Banbury Road; the town’s former police station, now derelict, had been favoured by many residents for its central location, but is currently subject to a planning application for redevelopment into retirement apartments. Labour activist Nick Melliss attempted to raise the issue at a meeting of the NHS Integrated Care Board this week, but said: “When I tried to ask my question and explain how bad Woodstock surgery is for people with mobility needs, mine was the one voice they didn’t want to hear. […] If I or other mobility scooter, wheelchair or pram users were inside when a fire alarm went off, narrow corridors mean we wouldn’t be able to get out. This unsafe situation has gone on too long and must be rectified with a new surgery for all Woodstock residents.” The public meeting was chaired by town mayor Ann Grant: speakers included local MP Calum Miller, councillors and representatives of Blenheim Estate.
• An upgrade to Benson Sewage Treatment Works has given it 29% more capacity which, according to Thames Water, will “greatly reduce the risk of storm overflows during spells of heavy rainfall”. Oxford, Cholsey, Dorchester and Witney sewage works are also earmarked for expansion. Local councillors were invited to tour the expanded facility, together with Henley & Thame MP Freddie van Mierlo. He said: “I welcome all investment in the constituency to increase capacity to handle sewage and decrease storm discharging; clearly far more needs to be happening.”

University and research

Some days we feel lucky to live in this city. Tuesday was one of those days.

• Voting is drawing to a close for the University of Oxford’s new Chancellor. The second round has taken place this week, with five shortlisted candidates. Results are due to be announced next week.
• A new Professorship of Artificial Intelligence has been endowed at the University of Oxford. Michael Wooldridge, whose work focuses on multiple agents working together to solve problems, will be the first Ashall Professor of the Foundations of AI.

Walking and cycling

• Ian Loader has begun work as the new chair of Cyclox, Oxford’s cycling campaign. As Professor of Criminology and Professorial Fellow of All Souls College, he recently authored a paper on “15-minute cities and the denial(s) of auto-freedom”. His talk to Cyclox’s AGM this week asked “Who’s responsible for road safety?”

Trains and buses

• Oxfordshire residents are being asked to vote on the route of the Christmas light bus which will tour the county across three dates in December. Route choices are extensive but options include Abingdon, through Oxford and Wheatley.
• City councillors are calling for a network of express shuttle buses from Oxford’s Park & Ride sites to the John Radcliffe Hospital, saying this would benefit workers on low incomes and particularly those who have been priced out of the city by high housing costs. A motion is to be brought to next week’s Oxford City Council full council meeting by Edward Mundy & Hosnieh Djafari-Marbini of the Community Independent Group. However, it risks not being heard if the previous motion, an Independent Oxford Alliance motion on the Zero Emissions Zone, takes too long. The motion says shuttle buses would “provide a clear incentive to any visitor or employee to take the bus rather than drive the final miles from the ring road. Due to minimal stopping at bus stops, shuttles will provide very little competition with key bus routes into the city.”
• Bus fares on Sundays in December will be capped at £1 across Oxfordshire. The scheme aims to reduce congestion and encourage new users to try the bus. A similar offer in 2023, operating in just the run-up to Christmas, led to a 7.4% rise in bus journeys.
• The campaign for a railway station at Grove rolls on with local MP Olly Glover securing an audience with rail minister Lord Hendy this week. Hendy was said to be supportive, but highlighted the challenge of value for money in capital investment. He also raised issues of overcrowding on GWR intercity trains and Didcot–Oxford electrification.
  

Oxfordshire politics

If this is your first newsletter (welcome!), every week we share what we’ve spotted our MPs doing. We generally stay away from front-bench portfolios, Select Committees and All-Party Groups to focus on the local. Casework seldom makes the headlines, so this is (we hope) not a complete picture of what your MP is doing. Our inbox is open if you have news: we are all the Clarion.

The big issue of the week in Westminster was the farm protest. Thousands of farmers – including many from Oxfordshire, south-east England’s most rural county – protested in Westminster against proposed changes to inheritance tax.

Regular readers of the Clarion will know we have a “no Jeremy Clarkson” rule, but we think this week is an exception as he was front and centre in the protests. The four LibDem MPs with rural constituencies met with farmers in Parliament and campaigned through the week to “axe the family farm tax”. As a Labour MP, Sean Woodcock is duty-bound to defend the tax, but nonetheless met a farmer from his constituency who'd travelled down for the protest, commenting that he was elected for all constituents and would meet as many people as he could who wanted to talk to him. The Prime Minister responded that “most farmers won't be affected”.

• Banbury MP Sean Woodcock commented that more local people had contacted him about the Assisted Dying Bill than any piece of legislation. He's set up a public meeting to discuss it and give residents a chance to make their voices heard ahead of the vote. In a seemingly innocuous tweet supporting the Labour Party's policy on Ukraine, he invoked the ire of both Tories and Corbynites all over the internet and went mildy viral (who says Twitter is dead?). In constituency visits he visited a care home in Chipping Norton.
• Oxford East MP Anneliese Dodds was at COP29 where she was working on driving action on the climate crisis – a matter of great concern to many voters in Oxford East. A spokesperson for Dodds told the Clarion that Anneliese particularly focused on measures to deliver jobs and economic growth as well as climate justice, including announcing funding for ‘clean cooking’ (preventing cooking with polluting fuels like wood and charcoal); support for African countries to get early warnings about extreme weather; and for displaced people living in climate and water-stressed areas.Back in Oxford, she participated in the Rose Hill Lights parade; and like other MPs across Oxfordshire, she organised a meeting with constituents about assisted dying, ahead of the vote next Friday.
• Didcot & Wantage’s Olly Glover hosted a visit from LibDem party leader Ed Davey, campaigning on rising bus fares and the consequences for high streets. They painted pottery in the Funky Teapot, and Glover took him to see Be Free Young Carers in Didcot. In Parliament, he asked about prosecutions for organised criminals in rural areas, saying: “We need to do more to not only protect them, but to protect food supply for all of us.” Explaining the background afterwards, he commented:

There has been a recent rise in organised criminals targeting farms, which are family homes as well as places of work. Since 2023, property worth more than £400,000 has been seized by the TVP Rural Crime Task Force across South Oxfordshire & the Vale. Farmers in my constituency have been telling me about the huge impact rural crime has on their livelihoods and wellbeing: we need to do more to not only protect them, but to protect food supply for all of us. I welcome the Solicitor General’s commitment to implementing the Equipment Theft Act and look forward to seeing farmers and growers in my constituency and beyond being protected by it as soon as possible.

• Freddie van Mierlo in Henley & Thame went up the St. Mary's church tower in Henley, and learned about the work of local churches and the debt centre. He received a response from the health minister regarding the Henley step-down beds: she won't call in the decision, but recognises the process needs to change. He challenged the government in Parliament to improve the crowded Chiltern Railways services from Haddenham & Thame. Henley & Thame is a constituency shaped by the River Thames, and van Mierlo met the Chief Executive of the Environment Agency to raise a host of riverine issues: the closed footbridge at Marsh Lock, flood alleviation in Wheatley, and bathing water status in Wallingford/Crowmarsh.

• Oxford West & Abingdon's Layla Moran visited Botley Primary School to see their enhanced provision for children with special educational needs. She asked a question in Parliament about investment in Primary Care, raising concerns of GP surgeries in Summertown on this issue, and followed up the same issue as chair of the Health Select Committee, meeting representatives of the Royal Colleges to understand about the challenges facing frontline health services.
• Witney MP Charlie Maynard hosted an event in Parliament on ‘less survivable cancers’. He explained: “My sister Georgie, mother of three, was diagnosed with brain cancer 18 months ago. She’s undergone surgery, chemo and radio and spoke at the event. These cancers are truly terrifying killers: they collectively account for more than 42% of the cancer deaths in the UK each year and each has a five-year survival rate of less than 20%. They are all chronically underfunded with not enough research, early diagnosis or effective drugs.” In a cross-party event also featuring local councillors Liam Walker (Conservative) and Andrew Prosser (Green), he took questions from Wood Green School sixth-formers: topics raised included Brexit, university fees and the cost of housing.
• Bicester & Woodstock MP Calum Miller continues to highlight East-West Rail’s impact on Bicester, asking local residents to respond to the consultation. The likely closure of the London Road level crossing to car traffic is the main sticking point.

This weekend

• Christmas market season has started and it’s the Indie Oxford Christmas Market at Tap Social in Botley on Saturday.
• Banbury’s Victorian Christmas Market is all weekend.
• A fascinating two-part event at St John’s College, Songs of Resistance, looks at the history of protest songs. A panel discussion at Sunday lunchtime will be followed by an afternoon performance of the songs of Nina Simone.

Dates for your diary

• Under the banner ‘Christmas in Oxford’, Oxford City Council has rounded up the markets and festivals taking place in the city throughout December.
• World-famous Oxford historian Timothy Garton Ash is to speak at an event held by Oxford for Europe on 27 November. He will ask where Britain will, and should, stand in relation to Europe under a new British government and in the second Trump term.
• Oxford Green Fair. Sunday 1 December 10:30am-4pm, Oxford Town Hall. Green gifts, campaigns and Green Father Christmas. Now in its 43rd year. Grand opening by Benny Wenda, West Papuan Independence Leader.
• Oxford Independent Book Fair is just down the road at the same time: Sunday 1 December, 11am-4.30pm, Examination Schools, High Street.
• Witney Christmas Market. 5–8 December, 10am-6pm. Marriotts Walk. Handcrafted gifts, local treats, and artisan goods.
• Light and Gold, 7 December. The City of Oxford Choir will be celebrating Christmas as the season of light and renewal, with favourites by Byrd and Darke plus modern classics and congregational carols. Two performances in the University Church: one at 7pm, and a shorter “relaxed performance” for families at 5.30pm.

Oxford’s independent media

• Ox in a Box recommends Oxfordshire's Top 10 Christmas Markets.
• The Oxford Sausage visits The Goldfish Bowl on East Oxford’s Magdalen Road…
• …and Bitten Oxford visits the Tiny Teahouse on the same street.
• Daily Info talks to the team behind this year’s Oxford Playhouse pantomime. (Oh no they don’t, etc.)
• A YouTube film celebrates 100 years of Brown’s Cafe in the Covered Market.
• Cherwell takes a literary tour of Oxford.

Notes from Clarion HQ

A new post from the Morris Oxford blog is always a delight, and this week we enjoyed the tales behind the ties at the Bear Inn – a Clarion editorial meeting favourite. Particularly this coda in the Feedback section:

Bill Clinton did not inhale in the Turf Tavern. Everyone in Leckford Road OX2 knows that it was here that he didn’t inhale. Imagine everyone’s surprise when he turned up (unannounced) in the street last year and spent nearly an hour hanging out with our neighbours, reminiscing about his happy days as a student here. The kids didn’t know who he was. Their mom, who is American, was overcome!