The Village of Charney Bassett

November’s Charney Chatter

October’s Charney Chatter is here!

I spent the parliamentary recess visiting as many individuals and organisations as I could. I met with the founders of innovative companies like Rosemor and Aquobex, whose cleaning and flooding solutions respectively attract custom from around the world. I visited hotels like the Bear and Milton Hill House, hotels being one of the sectors of the economy that has been particularly badly hit by lockdown, with some people being more reluctant to return to their previous way of life. At gyms like tfd Health and Fitness and Fitness Space people are keen to get back their previous way of life – and as a gym-goer myself I understand them! – they just have to book in advance and adhere to a higher standard of hygiene than perhaps they did previously. No bad thing, in my book.
At Farmer Gow’s I saw not just what a great family day out the farm is for young and old, but also met the proprietors of successful businesses that Anne Gow has as tenants on the site, from LissieLou, the cake decoration business, to Bark and Berry Dog Grooming and the Oxford Yurt, a pretty impressive glamping site – I’ve never been glamping myself, but if you like doing so I’d check them out. I was pleased to make my first visit to the Westmill Wind and Solar Farm and delighted they were successful in their bid for Government funding for a new visitors’ centre that will increase the number of visitors 6-fold.
Along the way there were lots of other independent businesses, like Didcot Glass and Glazing, Emma’s Vintage Style, 30 Something and Bob’s Butchers. Charities too, like Children Heard and Seen, which supports the children of prisoners – more on that in a future column. On my Facebook page (davidjohnston4wantage) you’ll see I’ve started ‘three questions’ with the owners of different organisations to spread the word about organisations people might not have heard of.
On my week off, we went to the Lake District, but unfortunately I crocked my knee on a crag and am currently on crutches! It’s my first real experience of having restricted mobility and it does bring home quite how many places are inaccessible for those who need to use crutches or a wheelchair to get around, something I’ve understood only theoretically before. Parliament is probably one of the worst examples, although I’m grateful I’ve temporarily been given an office nearer to the House of Commons to reduce the walking I have to do. As ever, if I can help with anything then do get in touch via david.johnston.mp@parliament.uk

The next Council meeting will be convened around 7.15 pm for a start at 7.30 pm on Wednesday 9th September 2020. The meeting will be a ‘virtual’ meeting held over SKYPE.

Residents of the Village are welcome to join by SKYPE. Please can they contact the Parish Clerk in advance for joining instructions, as indicated in the agenda.

Has arrived!

For all the news!!!

From your MP – David Johnston, July 2020

The most exciting news since my last update is Grove station being put on a list of rail projects to be assessed for Government funding, part of the Beeching Reversal Fund commitment made in the Conservative manifesto. It does not mean that we will be successful this time round as there are 50 other projects on the list, but I have been plugging away with ministers since I was elected and will keep doing so until we are successful!

I have enjoyed being able to visit local shops, pubs and other businesses in Faringdon, Wallingford, Didcot, Wantage and elsewhere across the constituency as they reopen. Of course, some businesses didn’t close and were grateful to the local community for the support they showed during lock-down – some have told me that products they never sold in normal times suddenly flew off the shelves!

In preparing to speak in the Business and Planning Bill – which lets pubs, bars and restaurants seat and serve us outside more easily – I discovered we have 85 pubs across the constituency, making Wantage and Didcot joint 7th out of 650 constituencies for the highest number of pubs. We have a huge range and they are at the heart of our towns and villages – do please support them and our shops and other businesses whenever you can.

In parliament it has been a busy time as we head towards recess. I was put on my first bill committee, in which you scrutinise legislation line by line, for the Trade Bill. The Trade Bill is designed to create continuity agreements for us with the countries we have been trading with through the EU, from South Africa to South Korea and it will also create a new Trade Remedies Authority to recommend action if UK producers are subjected to unfair practices. I was pleased to be a co-sponsor of the Local Electricity Bill, a 10-minute rule bill that would allow local communities to sell the electricity they generate themselves, as at the moment the costs are prohibitive.

After the recent unauthorised traveller encampments we had at Great Western Park and in the Ladygrove area, I raised the issues of anti-social behaviour that constituents experienced in both the House of Commons and with the Home Secretary, Priti Patel. I’m assured that measures that will enable these to be dealt with more quickly will be coming forward soon.

During recess, I will be trying to visit as many businesses, charities, individuals and other places of interest as I can, beginning with those that I was not able to visit due to lockdown. If you have a suggestion of somewhere you’d like to see me visit, do let me know via david.johnston.mp@parliament.uk

TRAFFIC REGULATION NOTICE
ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT, 1984

Notice is hereby given pursuant to Section 14(2) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act, 1984, that the Oxfordshire County Council

TEMPORARILY PROHIBITS THE USE OF THE HIGHWAY
BY ALL MOTOR VEHICLES

LOCATION: Charney Bassett, Longworth Road

REASON: To facilitate carriageway patching works

DURATION: Starting on 24 August 2020
The anticipated completion date is 28 August 2020 (date included). This is a 24 hour road closure.
(Traffic Regulation Notices cover a maximum of 5 consecutive days.)

ACCESS: Limited access will be maintained for emergency service vehicles and for frontages within the closed section of road, subject to the progress of the works

SUGGESTED ALTERNATIVE ROUTE: via Main Street, Northmead Lane, Hyde Road, Winter Lane, Unnamed Road and vice versa

Jason Russell, Director for Infrastructure Delivery
Communities
Date: 23 June 2020

For further details and alternative route see map on the website.

 

CHARNEY HALL & FIELD TRUST

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

WEDNESDAY 22nd JULY 2020

7.30pm – this is a virtual meeting held on Zoom

Read the Annual Report here.

To join the meeting  OR to submit a question to the AGM and receive a post meeting response, please contact charneychaft@gmail.com or gildersleeveslucy@gmail.com or David Sibbert 868734 before 15th July.