June Chippy News out now!

Read the latest JUNE Chipping Norton News – now on sale around Town.

Last month’s Chippy election hit the national news – are we really, to quote The Observer, ‘The People’s Republic?!’ Read the analysis, plus how a big change at County Council could impact Chippy, Town Mayor re-elected and new Town Councillors meet at Town Hall.

There’s news about: Harpers’ cinema plan, hospital site demolition, Chippy Spring Clean, goodbye to our Heythrop hounds, spotlight on Pool Meadow, your mental health – and updates from Chipping Norton Health Centre as patient demand rockets. Plus all Local News, Arts, Clubs, Sports, Schools and Letters

Thanks to everyone for their contributions – and to all our readers. Send us your ideas for July’s summer edition  – Deadline 11 June. Email Chippymail@aol.com

NEWS ON SALE: for 50p at Aldi, Sainsbury’s, Coop supermarket, Post Office, Topside Pharmacy, Costcutter, Esso Londis garage, Gill & Co., Caffè Nero, West St News, Old Mill Bistro, Cotswold Newsagents, Rogér’s Fish and Deli, Crown & Cushion, Chequers, CN Health Centre, CN Hospital, CN Pharmacy, Bartholomews, Hidden Beauty, Jaffé and Neale, Café de la Post Chadlington, Highlands, Leisure Centre.

Buses through Over Norton

Watch out bus users! Stagecoach are advising that due to roadworks they will not be able to serve Over Norton Road and Over Norton Village from 7th to 18th June. They specifically mention the 50 but this could well apply to the 488 as well. Buses will use the A3400 and Banbury Road. see stagecoach website for more updates

Chipping Norton vote results

Here are the Local Election Results – see June’s Chippy News for more details

Oxfordshire County Council – Elected for Chipping Norton Division (includes villages): Geoff Saul (Labour & Cooperative) 1528 votes. Not elected: Maz Holland (Conservative) 1468, Malcolm Brown (Green) 390, Ivan Melet (Liberal Democrats) 201.

West–Oxfordshire District Council –  Re-elected for Chipping Norton:  Geoff Saul (Labour & Cooperative) 1201 votes. Not elected: Ruth Obasa (Conservative) 616, Malcolm Brown (Green) 263, and Ivan Melet (Liberal Democrats) 113.

Geoff Saul – new County & District Councillor

Natasha Whitmill – top of Town Council poll

New Town Councillors – Elected: Natasha Whitmill (Independent) 1259 votes, Rachel Foakes (Labour) 1124, Archie Miles (Labour) 986, Ruth Fisher (Labour) 976, Emily Holmes (Labour) 880. Not elected: Diamond Versi (Labour) 809 and Craig Strachan 483.

Thames Valley Police & Crime Commissioner – Elected –Matthew Barber (Conservative) 313,148. Not elected: Laetisia Carter (Labour and Cooperative) 233446 (after 2^nd preference allocations)

May Chippy News out now!

May Chippy News is out now!

CHIPPY VOTES: – 6 May sees elections for Town, District and County Councils – and our Police Commissioner. It’s your choice – see councillor candidate profiles and local issues in the May News.

READ ALL ABOUT: – Artweeks around town; spotlight on Chippy’s home care; Theatre, Museum and Lido reopen; recycling site rumpus; words about dog waste; run your own Speedwatch; and u3a celebration.

NEWS ON SALE: for 50p at Aldi, Sainsbury’s, Coop supermarket, Post Office, Coop Pharmacy, Costcutter, Esso Londis garage, Gill & Co., Caffè Nero, West St News, Old Mill Bistro, Cotswold Newsagents, Rogér’s Fish and Deli, Crown & Cushion, CN Health Centre, CN Hospital, CN Pharmacy, Bartholomews, Hidden Beauty, Jaffé and Neale, Café de la Post Chadlington. Other outlets may reopen in May. Thanks to everyone for their contributions – and to all our readers. Send us your ideas for June – Deadline 14 May. Email Chippymail@aol.com

Farmland behind Lords Piece Road

Questions over farmland development – In March significant changes were made to farmland in Chipping Norton behind Lords Piece Road. This appeared to include uprooting trees, ground levelling, laying hard core over an existing watercourse and creating a new pond.  Local residents have raised concerns about the loss of the stream, of trees and of wildlife habitat, as well as their views of Chippy’s iconic mill and so contacted WODC. A planning application was later submitted for an agricultural building for hay and straw storage 49 metres (160ft) long and 8.2 metres (27ft) high.  The location lies within the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Conservation Area and within the setting of the grade II* listed Bliss Mill.  The planning application (21/00785/FUL) can be viewed on WODC’s website and the deadline for comments is 13 May.

New Charity wanted by M&S Foodhall

The Team from M&S Chipping Norton Foodhall are looking for a new local Charity to support! Since they opened in 2019 they’ve been helping Lawrence Home Nursing Team – with raffles, fundraising events, and a ‘Charity Day’ when staff can choose something they can do.

They normally choose a Charity for 1 year. If you run or support a Charity and would like to be considered please email Kerry Spencer, their Charity Champion at 23454379@marks-and-spencer.com with a summary about the charity – or leave it for Kerry at the Click & Collect desk. M&S Chipping Norton colleagues will choose in a vote.

Vote Chippy on 6 May!

It’s your chance to ‘Vote Chippy’ in the 6 May Local Elections – for County, District, Town Councils and Police & Crime Commissioner. Here are the profiles sent by the local council candidates to the Chipping Norton News. See next week’s May Chippy News for these and news on all the issues, but we’ve put these online early for postal voters who can vote from 20 April

Will we lose ‘our’ Guildhall?

Should we be consulted? Chippy’s 16th century Guildhall, used as Town Hall for years, was owned by the old Chipping Norton Borough – but taken over, at no cost, by the new West Oxfordshire District Council in 1974. Our Town Council had the right to use part of it. Now WODC don’t want it, and want to sell it or charge a commercial rent – with none of the proceeds likely to stay in the Town….and they haven’t asked us. Our Town Council are discussing their response. See April’s Chippy News.

6 May Election – Polling Station help

Could you help make sure our local elections on Thursday 6 May run smoothly?

West Oxfordshire District Council who run the elections, need (paid) staff to help as either Presiding Officer or in support at polling stations in local town and village halls including Chipping Norton, Spelsbury, Salford, Swerford, and Sandford St Martin.  Hours on the day are  6.15am through to 10pm inclusive of breaks. Please contact election.staff@westoxon.gov.uk for further information.

APRIL CHIPPY NEWS IS OUT NOW

CALLING ALL CANDIDATES – Are you standing in Chippy for Town, County or District Councils in May’s local elections? Please send your picture and 100 word profile to chippymail@aol.com by 9 April. We’ll put them all in next month’s Election Special. Our 2000 readers would like to know!

It’s SAFE STEPS TO SUMMER with Chippy’s own ‘reopening roadmap’. Let’s support our shops and businesses and have some fun. This month: search for Chippy’s covid superheroes; help smarten up the town; ideas for youth projects wanted; the future of our Guildhall; dogwatch to combat thefts; join Chippy’s firefighters……. and find those APRIL FOOL news stories.

NEWS ON SALE for 50p at: Aldi, Sainsbury’s, Coop supermarket, Post Office, Coop Pharmacy, Costcutter, Esso Londis garage, Gill & Co., Caffè Nero, West St News, Old Mill Bistro, Cotswold Newsagents, Rogér’s Fish and Deli, CN Health Centre, CN Hospital, and Café de la Post Chadlington. Other outlets may reopen in April.Thanks to everyone for their contributions – and to all our readers. Send us your ideas for May – Deadline 9 April. Email Chippymail@aol.com