LITTLE MILTON  NEWSLETTER

www.littlemilton.org.uk

April   2006

PARISH COUNCIL

The Council meeting held on Wednesday 8th March was attended by four Councillors, the Clerk, the District Councillor, and one member of the public.

Parish Council Vacancy

The Chairman reported that he had received the resignation of Mrs Isabel Fox from the Parish Council on 9th February 2006. As a result the Clerk had posted the Statutory Notice of the vacancy. The Clerk informed the meeting that the Returning Officer at SODC had not received a request to have the vacancy filled by an election and as a consequence the vacancy would now be filled by co-option by the Council. The Council agreed that a suitable notice should be put into the April Newsletter with a view to co-opting a suitable candidate at the May 2006 meeting.

Three Villages Car Scheme

The Chairman reported that the charges had been reviewed and that it had been agreed that the payment to drivers for any hospital trip would be £4 and that the Parish Council would make a payment of £2. It was also agreed that any parking charges would be paid by the patient. The Clerk informed the meeting that he had spoken to Miss Thelma Blake and had offered his services as treasurer. The Council expressed their support and believed it was a positive move to support the work that was being done.

The Orchard Pre School

Mr Stuart McGill informed the meeting that the Pre School had now secured the necessary quotes and would be progressing with the work. There is no planning permission required for the work. The Chairman also informed the meeting that Pinelog had been asked to produce the site plans for the relevant lease documents.

A329 Advisory Group

Mr David Turner reported that some members of the A329 Committee had met with representatives of OCC to review the road layout in the centre of the village with a view to making recommendations for further consideration. He also informed the meeting that the anticipated HGV vehicle count would take place on June 7^th. The date was chosen to be the same date as that of the 2001 survey to ensure that that as far as possible the data would be comparable.

Recreation Ground

Mr Mark Willis reported that he had received a second quote in respect of the work to be done in the play area in order to comply with the ROSPA report.

The Council agreed to use contractors for the forthcoming grass cutting season in order to assess its longer term strategy of ground maintenance. The recreation ground committee had made recommendations of using two contractors to ensure best value.

Village Shop/Post Office

The Chairman reported that the revised plans incorporating a Conservatory had been drawn up and would be circulated to Council members. The revised plans would be submitted with the Planning application to SODC.

The Council had a brief discussion on the concept of a community shop as it may be that there will be a need to separate the operation of the Post Office from the other activities. The Council did not make

any decision on this matter but agreed that it will need to be fully evaluated when the business plan is drawn up.

Any Other Business

Mrs Alison Shelton expressed the concerns of some villagers over the hiring rates for the Village Hall with particular reference to the additional premium for post midnight hours. The Council representative on the Village Hall Management Committee stated that the matter had been discussed at their last meeting and that a set of revised hiring rates would be issued.

Mrs Mabel Wood raised her concern that some residents would not have the space to store the wheeled bins proposed in the new Garden Waste collection scheme. The Clerk stated that this matter had been raised with SODC and they would consider it in their deliberations.

The Parish Council will meet on Wednesday 12th April 2006 at 8.00 p.m. in The Pine Lodge Little Milton unless there is a need to convene any planning or other meetings.

R. Fergusson Parish Clerk

Please note that the complete minutes of the Council are now included on the Council website www.littlemilton.org.uk  after they have been approved by the Council.

PARISH COUNCIL VACANCY

As you will have read in the Parish Council news the Council would like to fill the vacancy on the Parish Council by co-option. If you are interested in applying or finding out more about the position please contact me to obtain further information. As the Parish Council term will end in April 2007 the successful applicant will only serve for a year. This is an excellent opportunity to put your toe in the water of Parish affairs.

Raymond Fergusson, Parish Clerk

Freedom of Information Act – Parish Council Publication Scheme

Residents can see the records of the policies and practices of the Parish Council including minutes, financial information and responses to planning consultations, on request from the Parish Clerk (Raymond Fergusson –279150). Current Council member are:

                        Mr Stuart McGill          Chairman                      Mr Simon Oddie          Vice Chairman

                        Mrs Mabel Wood                                               Mrs Alison Shelton                                      Mr Barry Coward

BUS PASS AND TRAVEL TOKENS SCHEME

From 1 April 2006, the District Council will offer free bus passes to people aged 60 and over, the disabled and their necessary travel companions. Residents who have a current half fare pass which expires after 1 April 2006 does not need to do anything, their passes will automatically convert to a free pass. Residents whose half fare pass expires before 1 April 2006 should have received a letter from the District Council asking them to reapply.

From the same date, the District Council’s travel token scheme will change. As an alternative to the bus pass, the Council will continue to offer travel tokens to the value of £20 per year but the eligibility age has changed from 60 to people aged 70 and over, the disabled(including children aged 15 and below) and their necessary travel companions.

For further information contact Vivienne Taylor on 01491 823413

www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/affordablehousing.htm .Alternatively, copies can be ordered by phoning 01865 816025 or emailing alice.goldsmith@oxfordshire.gov.uk

As a result of these changes we will not be organising the distribution of tokens in the normal way. If you wish to collect tokens or the necessary form for a bus pass, please contact Mrs Mabel Wood on 01844 279670.

Raymond Fergusson, Parish Clerk

SODC: WASTE MANAGEMENT CONTRACT

For a charge of £35 residents can arrange for their unwanted vehicle to be collected from within the District and a charge of £7.50 per bulky item e.g. fridge furniture etc. To arrange this service residents can call the Public Amenities Team on 01491 823416 or print a copy of the form from the Council’s website www.southoxon.gov.uk .

BANK HOLIDAY REFUSE COLLECTION

Please note the following changes to the refuse collection days:

Normal Collection Day                                                          Day to be Collected

Tuesday 18th April                                                                   Wednesday 19th April

Tuesday 2nd May                                                                     Wednesday 3rd May

Tuesday 30^th May                                                                    Wednesday 31st May

The revised collections may occur at a different time of the day compared to the normal collection of refuse so refuse and recycling should be placed on the kerbside by 7.00 a.m. in the morning. Please do not leave refuse or recycling out for collection on days other than your collection day, or any earlier than 6.00 p.m. the evening before.

The Oakley Wood, Redbridge and Drayton waste recycling centres will be open as normal over the bank holidays (8am to 5pm)

SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL -REFUSE SKIPS FOR APRIL

Our nearest Rural Community Waste Sites are at Chalgrove Village Car Park and Wheatley Primary School, Littleworth Road.

Please note that the following items have now been classified as hazardous household wastes and will no longer be accepted in the community waste vehicles.

TV’s, Monitors, Fluorescent tubes, Air conditioning units, Fridges/Freezers, Asbestos, Tins of paint (even if empty), Oil or Oil tins (even if empty), Car batteries, Gas cylinders.

The Oxfordshire County Council Waste Recycling Centres at Redbridge and Oakley Wood are open Monday to Saturday 8.00 a.m. – 5.00 p.m. and Sunday 9.00 a.m. – 4.00 p.m.

WHAT DO YOUNG PEOPLE WANT?

HAVE YOUR SAY ON FUTURE SERVICES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE

Over the next six weeks, South Oxfordshire District Council is asking young people, local residents and stakeholder organisations what they think about our draft youth strategy. We are running the public consultation from 13 March to 30 April.

The draft strategy aims to provide young people with a wider range of exciting, active and challenging opportunities in the local area. The plans, which will be delivered in partnership with other organisations, focus on four main themes, previously identified by young people in the district as being important to them. The themes include: Engagement and communication, the environment, recreation (including access to services) and community safety.

HAVE YOUR SAY

Please let us know what you think about the plans. If you link to the following address you can access the necessary feedback forms. www.southoxon.gov.uk/ccm/content/corporate-support/have-your-say/youth-strategy-consultation.en . You can the email back to us on haveyoursay@southoxon.gov.uk. Alternatively, you can print out, fill in and post it back to us, using our free post address.

Your comments will help us to strengthen the plans and develop some exciting actions.

If you would like further information about the Council’s draft youth strategy, please contact Katherine May on 01491 823047 or email Katherine.may@southoxon.gov.uk

Source: South Oxfordshire District Council

HAVING DIFFICULTY TRAVELLING ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT OR MOVING AROUND YOUR LOCAL AREA?

The Committee on Inclusive Transport (and Infrastructure), often referred to as CIT, is a small, friendly, independent ‘user group’ supported in its work by Oxfordshire County Council.   The forum represents anyone who has difficulty in using the highways, the pavements, public transport and the related built environment.

articipants include elderly people, parents, people with disabilities, and people who carry shopping or luggage on many forms of public transport – in fact almost everyone.

CIT meets about four times a year.  It meets in Oxford City Centre or at the various District Council offices, where participants and officers from various organisations discuss future proposals or issues which might affect the people of Oxfordshire.

CIT look into and advise locally on any difficulties faced specifically by people using public transport and highways.  The group offers this information to County, District and Parish Councillors, as well as other colleagues, to help make changes.   We have affected local and national policy, and best practice, for over 15 years and worked well with local transport providers and authorities during that time.

The independent Committee on Inclusive Transport is looking for more organisations and individuals to join them.  If you are able to attend any of the meetings then your travel expenses can be re-imbursed from the small budget that CIT holds.   Please note: you will need to bring a receipt for your travel, to the meeting, and fill in a claim form.

If you would like to contribute in this way or receive the minutes from the meetings, please contact:

Gwyn Huish, Chairman of CIT, on 01865-251946, or Deborah Whelan, Disability Equality Advisor, on 01865-815591 or e-mail gwynhuish@ocva.org.uk

LITTER BLITZ 21^st -23^rd APRIL

The annual village litter blitz will take place over the weekend of 21 April to 23 April. I will arrange to collect the equipment from SODC. If you feel that you can help please contact me. In previous years there has been an excellent response.

Raymond Fergusson (Parish Clerk) 279150

GRASS CUTTING ROTA FOR APRIL

Week ending 1st April, 2006                                        -          Raymond Fergusson    

Week ending 8^th April 2006                                          -           Phil Jones        

Week ending 15th April 2006                                       -          Stuart McGill

Week ending 22nd April, 2006                                     -          Tim Robinson

Week ending 29th April, 2006                                       -          David Hawkins

Week ending 6^th May, 2006                                         -           Raymond Fergusson

CHURCH CLEANING ROTA FOR APRIL

Week ending 1st April, 2006                                        -          Mrs. M. Davies/Mrs S A Dennis

Week ending 8^th April 2006                                          -           Mrs L. Lovegrove/ Mrs C Coward

Week ending 15th April 2006                                       -          Mrs E. Summers/ Mrs Angela Jones

Week ending 22nd April, 2006                                     -          Mrs. G. Taylor/Mrs H Ridley

Week ending 29th April, 2006                                      -          Mrs A. Hawkins/Mrs. S. Jones

Week ending 6^th May, 2006                                         -           Mrs. M. Davies/Mrs S A Dennis

This month we are back up to full strength as the lovely Angela Jones saw last month’s entry and thought that “it could be her” – wonderful!! We’re all, in fact, going out for an evening at the Lamb towards the end of the month. Cleaning certainly isn’t all work – we’ll be out to have a great evening together! Sorry no cleaning spaces available at present but should any arise you too will be able to volunteer and join the band!

Sally Ann Dennis 278029

CHURCH FLOWER ROTA FOR APRIL 

Week ending 2nd April                                                 -                      Lent                            

Week ending 9th April                                                  -                      Lent    

Week ending 16th April                                                -                      Easter arrangements

Week ending 23rd April                                               -                      Sylvia Taylor

Weekending 30th April                                                 -                      Sylvia Taylor

The flowers for Easter will be arranged on Saturday 15th April if you can help please come along after 9.30 am or contact myself

Teresa Quested

BELL RINGING PRACTICE DURING APRIL

Just to let Villagers know that the Bell Ringers will be ringing in St. James’ Church, Little Milton on 

Tuesday 4th April                                                                                 7.30 p.m. to 9.00 p.m.

Sunday 9th April                                                                                  10.30 a.m. to 11.00 a.m.

Tuesday 11th April                                                                               No ringing in Holy Week

Sunday 16th April                                                                                9.00 a.m. to 9.30 a.m.

Tuesday 18th April                                                                               7.30 p.m. to 9.00 p.m.

Tuesday 25th April                                                                               7.30 p.m. to 9.00 p.m.

The bells will be rung on Friday 21^st April in recognition of the Queen’s 80^th Birthday

Raymond Fergusson (279150)

At the end of February, bellringers from all over South Oxfordshire gathered in St. Peter’s, Great Haseley for their Annual Meeting. As an integral part of the proceedings there was a service in the Church, and the following are the concluding remarks given as an address.

My Sunday starts as you can guess quite early, and I like to listen to the early morning programmes on Radio 4. One of the first programmes is Bells on Sunday broadcast at about a quarter to six. Over the course of time, you hear bells coming from various towers all over the country-as diverse as Winchester is to Watford, Chipping Campden is to Chipping Warden, from Ebrington to Edgbaston.

Over the years I’ve learnt a lot, particularly about things such as Kent Treble Bob Minor, Plain Bob Major, Double Norwich Court Caters and I wait for the surprise in Bristol Surprise maximus. There’s magic in their very names. Each method rung discloses the number of bells there are in a particular tower.

It’s not the first time that I learnt something of bell ringing, since at school in the Mathematics class, we studied the patterns formed by the various changes.

But Bells on Sunday, wherever the tower, is always utterly flawless-beautiful in time and rhythm, totally expert in execution, co-ordinated in a way hard to believe, speaking of the total dedication and total discipline.

On one Bells on Sunday, the featured tower was Ilmington in Warwickshire, and I picked up my ears. I thought back and remembered one particular Remembrance Sunday, half muffled bells and all that. The bells sounded hauntingly beautiful, in a very poignant way, and then all of a sudden, a rope broke, or was it a stay that had snapped-and everyone all over the village and surrounding fields heard it.

The thing about bell ringing is that when there is a mistake or a problem, everyone hears it. For the sound of our bells reaches far and wide. By our mistakes we are known.  Now, we in and week out, practice nights, or on a Sunday morning calling us to worship, you all come together as a company to ring out our bells, calling us to worship, and their sounds fill the air.

Yes, you ring, calling us to worship, you ring for weddings, special celebrations, times of joy and times of sadness. All these things are crucial and vitally important. But it doesn’t stop there. Entrusted to you is something far greater, more profound than all of that.

That needs some explanation.

On the wall of the Ringing Chamber in Ilmington Church hangs a rhyme:-

Ye ringers all that do come here

Give head and hand and heart;

The head for will

The hand for skill,

The heart for worship’s part.

When we rededicated the bells in Great Milton a few years back, I put together this prayer of rededication.

O Lord our God, the author of all good things, we dedicate to your great honour and glory the bells of this Parish Church of St. Mary, Great Milton. As their sounds enfold the complete parish, may they serve as a reminder that your love fills all things and may they ring out a message of joy, love, hope and peace, for the praise of your Holy name.

Your job, your holy calling is to do just that, to remind us that God’s love fills all things and it is for us to proclaim it.

That is what you are called to proclaim through your ringing. It is to do with our head, our hands and our heart.

Sometimes we will make mistakes, sometimes we will get the changes wrong and everyone will know about it. But with perseverance, courage and dedication we will begin to get the proclaiming right.

Maybe you feel that your band is not yet ready for Bells on Sunday, but if you deliberately set out to fulfil your calling of proclaiming joy, love and peace, together as a band, then the grace of God will make up anything that is lacking in our faltering heads and hands and hearts.

So, may the bells through your calling ring out and continue to proclaim that the love of God does enfold all things.

If we seek to do just that, even in a small way, then there can be no greater calling than that.

Victor Story (01844 279498)

FROM THE RECTORY.

HOLY WEEK AND EASTER IN OUR BENEFICE.

Palm Sunday falls on the 9^th April ushering in Holy Week. On that day we begin to follow Jesus as he makes his way up to the cross on Good Friday. The Palm Sunday crowd asked the question, “Who is this?” It is a question for us all to consider as we watch him turn over the tables of the money lenders

in the Temple, wash his disciples’ dirty feet, share in a supper with them, pray so hard that the beads of sweat appear as drops of blood in the moonlight, see him being betrayed, and be watchers as He is nailed to the  Cross and saying “Father forgive!” Then on Easter Day we celebrate that God had found a way through death, to bring to birth the New Creation, where love is stronger than death, where hope overcomes despair and where we, as God’s agents, are to share this new life to bring about a renewed world.

As the hymn has it:-

Deck thyself, my soul, with gladness,

Leave the gloomy haunts of sadness,

Come into daylight’s splendour,

There with joy thy praises render.

The Services for Holy Week are as follows:-

Palm Sunday:  Holy Communion 8.00 a.m at St. Peter’s, Great Haseley,

                        Sung Communion 9.30 a.m. at St. Mary’s, Great Milton

                        Family Service 11.00 a.m. at St. James’, Little Milton.

Maundy Thursday   Holy Communion 7.30 p.m. St. Mary’s, Great Milton

Good Friday            A Meditative Service for the Day, of readings, prayers

                                      Music,  11.00 a.m. St. Mary’s Great Milton.

Easter Day               Holy Communion  8.00 a.m. St. Peter’s, Great Haseley

                                 Festival Sung Communion 9.30 a.m. St. James, Little Milton                                                                                       

                                  Festival Sung Communion 11.00 a.m. St. Mary’s, Great Milton.

Unfortunately for logistical reasons, it will not be possible to have an Easter Craft Morning on Maundy Thursday morning at Little Milton this year.

Might I just remind you, that all are welcome to share in Holy Communion at any of these, or indeed, any other Services. If you feel to receive the sacrament would be helpful to you then please do not hesitate to come.

Easter Joy and Easter Blessings be yours.

A PRAYER FROM SOUTH AFRICA.

Slow me down Lord!

Ease the pounding of my heart by the quieting of my mind.

Steady my hurried pace with a vision of the eternal reach of time.

Give me amidst the confusion of my day the calmness of the everlasting hills.

Allow me to know the magical restoring power of sleep.

Teach me the art of taking one-minute vacations….

Of slowing down to look at a flower, to pat a dog, to read a few lines from a good book.

Let me look up into the branches of the towering oak and know that it grew great and strong because it grew slowly and well.

Slow me down Lord, and inspire me to send my roots deep into the soil of life’s enduring values that I may grow toward the stars of my greater destiny.

Victor

01844 279498

SUNDAY SCHOOL

Numbers are healthy! There were 17 on March 5^th and 14 on March 19^th last month: so why not come along and find out why? As from this month we are changing the times for our 2 sessions. They will remain on the 1^st and 3^rd Sunday each month for the immediate future but both sessions will BEGIN AT 10.45AM and END AT 12.15 i.e. both the session in Church (generally Godly Play) and the Brunch sessions will run for 1 ½ hours each and begin and end at the same time. This should make it easier to remember and avoid any clashes with Church services. Our dates this month are:

April 2^nd at 10.45 – 12.15 Brunch meeting at Chris’s (1 Chiltern View)

April 16^th EASTER DAY – no Sunday School Teaching Session

(and on April 9^th there is a family service to which all children are warmly welcomed led by Victor together with the Jeffery Family). Watch this space for new ideas as a result of our Diocesan day out led by the Bishop and Jenny Hyson on March 11^th!

Sally Ann Dennis (278029)

on behalf of all the Teachers

LITTLE MILTON ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH MEETING.

The Annual Meeting will be held on SUNDAY 23^RD APRIL, 2006 following the evening service which begins at 6.30 p.m. in the Church.

At the meeting we shall hear various reports on how we are doing and what has been happening and looking forward to this next year. Various elections will be held, including that of Churchwardens, and also the new P.C.C. to serve for this year. Every resident of the Parish is entitled to attend and elect the Churchwardens. Those on the Church Electoral Roll may elect those who are to serve on your P.C.C. If you are not on the Electoral Roll and would like your name added, then please do speak with our P.C.C. Secretary, Mr. Paul Jeffrey on 278424.

The Annual Meeting does give everyone who is concerned for St. James’ the opportunity to come along and ask any questions they may have. The times we live in today are very different from those

who came before us. You know yourself how village life has changed, and similarly the way that the Church has sought to serve the parish has had to change.  Time was when every parish had its own parson, but that is no longer possible. It is quite usual, for instance, for one clergy person today, to have more than six parishes. All of this calls out for greater active participation by you, the people in the pew. After all, as we say in Church, we are the Body of Christ. Each one of us must think more carefully what that means for us.

What of the future? All we can say for certain is that it will be different from the past. Changing demography and leisure interests are changing the face of Sunday, but yet we are called to witness to and proclaim, the Gospel of our Living Lord who is the same yesterday, today and for ever. We are

not called to be spectators in this, but active participants. My prayer is that we shall be faithful to our calling.

BENEFICE SERVICES FOR APRIL

GREAT MILTON METHODIST CHURCH Minister:  Revd. Derick Chambers Tel: 212019

SUNDAY SERVICES IN APRIL

Circuit Service: Thursday 13^th April 7.30 p.m. Maundy Thursday Communion and Healing Service at Chinnor led by Rev Charlotte Collins

For further information please ring me.

Evelyn Holme 278938

NEWS FROM LITTLE MILTON SCHOOL

It was nice to see so many people from the village at the Spring Fair, held in the Pine Lodge on 18^th March.  Together with the Friends of Little Milton School, I would like to thank you all for your generous support.  The very enjoyable event raised over £1000, which will be put towards the cost of providing Smart Boards in our classrooms.

Our Juniors enjoyed a visit to Oxford Town Hall, to hear Berlie Doherty speak about her books, as part of the Oxford Literary Festival.  The children enjoyed speaking to Berlie after her talk, and she signed books for many of them.

By the time you read this, we will have taken part in the Wheatley Partnership of Schools Junior Music Festival.  This is a great event, where our children join in a mass choir, with children from the eleven schools in our partnership.   They have been busy learning songs from Oliver, The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins.

Eve Hunter