LITTLE MILTON  NEWSLETTER

www.littlemilton.org.uk

October   2006

PARISH COUNCIL

The Council meeting held on Wednesday 213th September was attended four Parish Councillors, the Clerk, the District Councillor and County Councillor. There were three members of the public in attendance.

Triangle of land adjacent to Wells Farmhouse

The Clerk informed the meeting that the application to register the triangle of land adjacent to Wells Farmhouse had been re-submitted to OCC and that he had already received an acknowledgement of the documentation.

   OCC Highways

The Clerk reported that he had spoken to Mr Peter Ronald of OCC Highways in respect of the additional markings around the build-outs and the removal of temporary road signs as you approach the build-outs. Mr David Turner informed the meeting that the work had been ordered and it is hoped that the work will be completed in the near future.

   Listing of the Telephone Box

The Clerk stated that English Heritage had now submitted their recommendations to the Secretary of State and that a decision will be received in the near future.

Recreation Ground

The Chairman welcomed Mr Chris Gilding to the meeting. The Chairman explained that in response to a request at the Annual Parish Meeting for the Council to consider a Youth Shelter. Mr Gilding informed the meeting that a survey of teenagers in the village indicated that there was support for a youth shelter. There was a discussion on a possible design and it was agreed that it would better to hear the views of the young people involved and they would be invited to the next Council meeting. The Chairman stated that he would include a report in the next newsletter to inform the village and invite any comments.

The Chairman stated that the Recreation Ground Committee were still pursuing additional lighting for the MUGA.

The Clerk requested that the Council should consider the installation of a CCTV system to cover the play area as well as the entrance to the car park. It was agreed that the Clerk should consult with the Community Police Officer

Planning

P06/W0769 – 33 Chiltern View, single storey extension

This planning application has been granted by South Oxfordshire District Council

P06/W0903 – Wells Farm Cottage, re-siting of vehicle access and construction of double garage

The Council recommended that the application should be approved by South Oxfordshire District Council

P06/W0846 & P06/W848/LB – Lamb Inn, extension to existing premises to include a toilet block and courtyard area

The Chairman welcomed Mr Paul Thomas of Punch Taverns to the meeting. Mr Thomas was invited to give the background to the proposal. He explained that the current premises were too small to be economically viable and the current demographics of the location suggested that the development should be food led. He believed that the future of the Lamb depended upon a successful application to develop the premises.

The Council discussed the application and agreed that they fully supported the need to secure the long term viability of the Lamb. However they believed that the design, roof, facia and windows were out of keeping with the existing premises. The Council agreed to recommend approval of both applications subject to the reservations that had been expressed by the Council.

ORCC – Thame Area Review of Subsidised Bus Services

The Chairman read out from ORCC in which they offered the Parish Council free support and advice in conducting a survey of transport needs and used within the community. The information would be used to feed into the Thame area review of subsidised bus services that will carried out OCC

Village Shop/Post Office

The Chairman reported that he had spoken with a District Council Officer in respect of disabled toilet facilities in the proposed new building for the shop/Post Office. The information being given would allow the use of the facilities within the Pine Lodge in order to meet any statutory obligations. Mr Tim Robinson asked if minutes of the working party could be circulated to Council members. The Chairman stated that Business Plan would be presented at the December/January meeting.

The Parish Council will meet on Wednesday 11th October 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.

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 Mr Tim Robinson

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 .

SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL –GARDEN WASTE COLLECTION

Your bin will be collected on the same day as your normal refuse and recycling. Please ensure however that your bin is placed in a safe place that does not obstruct the pavement or highway. The dates for September are as follows:-

  Tuesday 10th and 24th October

If you are interested in this service please contact SODC Public Amenities on 01491 823416 or email: public.amenities@southoxon.gov.uk or visit www.southoxon.gov.uk

South Oxfordshire District Council’s new garden waste scheme is proving very popular, with over 4,000 residents signing up for the scheme. In the first week alone nearly 40 tonnes of garden waste was collected for composting- double the amount expected. (SODC Town and Parish Newsletter, July 2006)

COMMUNITY WASTE VEHICLES – DOMESTIC WASTE ONLY

The Oxfordshire County Council Waste Recycling Centres at Redbridge and Oakley Wood are open Monday to Saturday

8.30 a.m. – 4.00 p.m. and Sunday 9.00 a.m. – 4.00 p.m.

YOUTH SHELTER

At the Annual Parish Meeting in May, the idea was raised that the Parish Council should consider building a Youth Shelter on the Recreation Ground.

We have investigated this idea, and there is a strong case for building one, with support from Thames Valley Police, South Oxfordshire District Council, and Oxfordshire County Council. Thames Valley Police in particular are strongly supportive, as a means to reduce vandalism and allow teenagers to feel ownership of the shelter and the surrounding area, and have produced a very helpful booklet with designs and advice on how to achieve the best result. We have also asked teenagers in the village if they think it would be a good idea, and have received a positive response.

Chris Gilding has kindly offered to lead the project, and the shelter, if built, will be made of tanalised timber and located at the far side of the Recreation ground, at the southern  end of the exercise trail. Current suggestions are that it would be about 12 feet wide by six feet deep, and open on three sides, with bench seating and solar powered lighting.

We would like to hear your views, particularly those residents in Cremar Cottages whose gardens back onto the Recreation Ground. We will be debating this at the next Parish Council meeting, which will be held on Wednesday October 11^th at 8.00pm in the Pine Lodge.

Please come along and let us hear your views, or write to Raymond Fergusson, Parish Clerk, at 27, Chiltern View, Little Milton.

Thanks        Stuart McGill   Chairman    Little Milton Parish Council

OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

NEW SEAT BELT LAWS FOR CHILDREN

A new law, designed to save as many as 2,000 children from death or injury as car passengers in the UK begins next week.  Yet many parents are either unaware of this change or have been misinformed by friends about exactly what the law entails.

What is the law?

The New Law for Children up to 3 years old

In the Front Seat
The child MUST use the correct child restraint.

In the Rear Seat

The child MUST use the correct child restraint.

In a licensed taxi or licensed hire car, if a child restraint is not available then the child may travel unrestrained in the rear. This is the ONLY exemption, and has been introduced for practical rather than safety reasons. You should always think about ways to make sure that a child seat is available.

It is the driver's legal responsibility to ensure that the child is correctly restrained.

The New Law for Children over 3 and up to EITHER 1.35 metres in height, OR the age of 12

In the Front Seat
The child MUST use the correct child restraint.

In the Rear Seat
The child MUST use the correct restraint, where seat belts are fitted.

There are three exemptions, where a child in this category does not have to use a child restraint. In each case the child MUST use the adult belt instead. They are -
1) in a licensed taxi or private hire vehicle;
2) if the child is travelling on a short distance for reason of unexpected necessity;
3) if there are two occupied child restraints in the rear which prevent the fitment of a third.
In addition, a child three and over may travel unrestrained in the rear seat of a vehicle if seat belts are not available.

It is the driver's legal responsibility to ensure that the child is correctly restrained.

The New Law for Children over 1.35 metres in height, or who are over 12 years old

In the Front Seat

The adult seat belt MUST be worn if available.

In the Rear Seat

The adult seat belt MUST be worn if available.

It is the driver's legal responsibility to ensure that the child is correctly restrained.

(Source OCC News desk September 21^st 2006)

GRASS CUTTING ROTA FOR OCTOBER

W/E 7th October                        -            Stuart McGill

W/E 14th October                        -            Tim Robinson

W/E 21st October                        -             David Hawkins

W/E 28th October                        -            Raymond Fergusson

W/E 4th November                     -            Phil Jones

CHURCH CLEANING ROTA FOR OCTOBER

W/E 7th October                        -            Mrs E. Summers/ Mrs A Jones

W/E 14th October                        -            Mrs. G. Taylor/Mrs H Ridley

W/E 21st October                        -            Mrs A. Hawkins/Mrs. S. Jones

W/E 28th October                        -            Mrs. M. Davies/Mrs S A Dennis

W/E 4th November                     -            Mrs L. Lovegrove/ Mrs C Coward

Sally Ann Dennis 278029

CHURCH FLOWER ROTA FOR OCTOBER    

W/E 1st October                        -            Anne Hawkins

W/E 8th October                           -            Anne Hawkins

W/E 15th October                        -                                             

W/E 22nd October                        -            Maggie Wheeller

W/E 29th October                        -            Maggie Wheeller

We are looking for new volunteers to help with flowers in the church.            

Teresa Quested

BELL RINGING PRACTICE DURING OCTOBER

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

Tuesday 3rd October                                                7.30 pm. to 9.00 pm

Tuesday 10th October                                                7.30 pm. to 9.00 pm

Sunday 14th October                                               10.30 am to 11.00 am

Tuesday 17th October                                                7.30 pm to 9.00 pm

Tuesday 24th October                                                7.30 pm. to 9.00 pm.

Tuesday 31st October                                                7.30 pm. to 9.00 pm.

Raymond Fergusson (279150)

A TIME TO KEEP SILENCE.

‘For everything there is a season…a time to keep silence, and a time to speak’, but most prefer the latter. Silence, they find is very uncomfortable, even embarrassing. Others can’t stand it and find it too threatening. Many in today’s world have become so inured to a background of noise that they’ve largely lost the ability to listen, or don’t know what listening really means, let alone the value of silence and how much there is to be heard in it. Indeed, so accustomed have they become to continuous noise that if it stops and stillness falls, they feel imprisoned. It frightens them, means nothing to them-for them it is simply nothing, just a terrifying emptiness and void.

In many respects it is the same with darkness. There are many who are fearful of the dark and hate venturing out without a torch. The dark means nothing to them: they believe there is nothing to be seen it. It is just a frightening emptiness full of the threat of invisible and unknown danger.

But there’s another side to this, and it is revealed to us when we experience being out at night in open country. It’s not the emptiness and abyss that we once believed. Once our eyes have become accustomed and adjusted to the darkness we can see a great deal. We can see the stars and constellations, glow worms, foxes, badgers, and all manner of creatures, great and small which, if it were not dark, would be hidden from us.

It is much the same with silence. Once we have become adjusted and accustomed to it, we discover it’s not the empty thing we once supposed. All manner of messages may be picked up it, including, if we are on the right wavelength, messages from the God who, in the words of the old collect, ‘puts into our minds good desires’.

I’ve said, ‘the right wavelength….of God’. We are now thinking of an approach to prayer.

This is very hard to explain, for each one of us approaches God through our own personal private stair, and we mustn’t prescribe for others. But what I believe is helpful, and what I think is required of us all, and that is deliberately to bring ourselves into the stillness and silence of God, to bring less of ourselves to him and our own personal desires, rather to seek more of him, to be sensitive to him, more open to him and his inspiration. In this way we come to know him better, and, by contrast, we recognise our own faults and limitations, our need of help, and how far we are from being perfect.

 Recently a friend came and we were talking together on prayer. I spoke of how I value the time of stillness and quiet in church in the early morning. The time when I offer to God myself and my daily work, and how, in return I receive my life-his life within me.

Somewhere in the conversation we sought for an image of prayer, which we thought helpful. It’s like dropping a stone into a deep well of water-living water- and waiting patiently for the echoes to return. Echoes which can inspire us encourage us, empower us.

The story is told of St. Francis that when he sent his Friars out to the villages and cities of his world he told them, ‘Preach the Gospel everywhere. Use words if necessary.’

If we were to seek to do that, it should always start from silence, and it should never be noisy.

‘Be swift to hear, slow to speak. For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under the sun. A time to keep silence and a time to speak.

Victor Story

FROM THE RECTORY.

FROM THE REGISTERS. We welcome into the family of the Church Beatrix Grace Fallon Gelling who was baptised in St. James’ on the 16^th September. Please do remember her and Jenifer and Robert in your prayers.

MARGARET HUE-WILLIAMS.

We were all saddened to learn of Meg’s death on the 8^th September after a long illness, which she fought so bravely and courageously and always with tremendous joy. In Meg Little Milton has lost a person of tremendous stature. She loved our village, and was a tremendous supporter of our community. We can think of how she directed her energies to keeping the Post Office open, the way she opened her garden for the many good causes, her support for the Christmas Fayre, the Harvest Lunch, the Food Frolic when we were raising money for the bells. All of us in so many ways will miss her, for we loved. Our prayers go out to Georgina and Michael and all the members of her family and friends whose grief is so acute at this time.

SUNDAY 29th OCTOBER.

The Revd. James Watson, Rectory of Wheatley warmly invites all from the parishes of the benefice to join together with the congregation of St. Mary’s Parish Church Wheatley and the congregation of the United Reformed Church in Wheatley for a joint Communion Service on the 29^th October at 10.00 a.m. in Wheatley Parish Church. Whenever I am away, the services in our benefice are usually covered by the clergy of the Wheatley team, and I’ve often wondered how we could in some way reciprocate. Arising from that came the invitation. I believe it would benefit us all to worship in a different setting, and to see and to meet fellow Christians who, after all are our neighbours. Thus on the 29^th October there will be no services in our own benefice, instead we shall all go to Wheatley for 10.00 a.m...

ALL SAINTS DAY

All Saints day falls on Wednesday 1^st November, and there will be a celebration of Holy Communion in St. Mary’s, Great Milton at 7.30 p.m.

REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY, 12th NOVEMBER.

The Services for Remembrance Sunday will be

Holy Communion at St. Peter’s Great Haseley at 8.00 a.m. followed by laying a wreath on the village War Memorial.

Sung Communion at Little Milton at 9.30 a.m. during which we shall lay a    wreath on the memorial in the Church,

Benefice Remembrance Day Service in St. Mary’s Great Milton beginning at 10.45 at their War Memorial.

DEANERY EUCHARIST.

There will be a Deanery Eucharist for the Aston and Cuddesdon Deanery on Tuesday 31^st October at 8.00 p.m. in Christ Church Cathedral. The service will    be led by the Archdeacon of Oxford and followed by refreshments. All welcome. It would be good if our group of parishes were represented.

Victor  01844 279498

SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS

This month we are meeting on 1st October for a Brunch meeting at Lucinda’s home,3 Chiltern View and on 15th October in St James’ Church. The session begins at 11.00 a.m. and finish at 12.30p.m.

At the start of a new “academic” year we would once again welcome like to welcome any new child or children between the ages of approximately 4 and 12 years with or without their parents. Why not come along and try it out? You won’t be disappointed!

S. A. Dennis 278029

BENEFICE SERVICES FOR OCTOBER

ALTAR CARPET

This has really had it !!

If you have a spare rug or carpet (predominantly blue or red) that you no longer need we would be happy to give it a new home beneath the altar. The size needed is approximately 48” x 87”.If you can help please phone Raymond Fergusson on 279150 or Sally Ann on 278029.

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

SUNDAY SERVICES IN OCTOBER

 OTHER CIRCUIT EVENTS

Sunday 29th October, 10.30 a.m. at Christchurch, Thame. This service of Holy Communion will be led by the Chair of our new Northampton District, Rev Alison Tomlin. 

Wednesday 4th October, 7.45pm, Great Milton Church Council Meeting

Thursday 12^th October, 7.30 p.m. at Christchurch, Circuit ‘Living Faith’ course begins. This is designed for those seeking membership.

For further information please ring me.   Evelyn Holme 278938

MEG HUE WILLIAMS

Many of you will by now have heard the sad new that Meg died on Friday, 8^th of September, at home in Willowbank Cottage, after a long fight against cancer.

I first met Meg 15 years ago, and over the years developed enormous respect and admiration for this quite extraordinary lady.

No one cared for Little Milton more than Meg, and she was a constant source of ideas, support and wisdom. Her contribution to the welfare of the village was enormous, yet it was rarely noticed, because Meg wanted no thanks, or to be given any credit for what she did. So, an unseen yet powerful hand was constantly at work moving and shaking, to the benefit of all. To give just one example (she wouldn’t thank me for any more!) without Meg, we would have lost our Post Office forever.

Meg was nobody’s fool, and I found her a superb judge of character, and a great source of wisdom when called upon. She opened her house and gardens for village fund raising events, allowed us storage in her barn, and her gallery for Harvest Festival. The fact that Dorchester Abbey was chosen for her memorial service probably says more than words can- she had won the hearts of so many, a Cathedral was needed to house them.

Goodbye Meg-the village owes you so much, and will miss you. You cannot be replaced.

Stuart McGill

NEWS FROM LITTLE MILTON SCHOOL

We welcome John Derrick, Katherine Erwood, Sara Lyden and Luke Maslen to our Reception Class, and Eleanor Walton to Year 3.  We hope that they will all settle down very quickly and be enjoying their time at Little Milton School.

This term’s topics include The Rain Forest, Fires, including the Great Fire of London and Dragons, and Change!  We have organised visits to the Living Rainforest near Newbury, and a Dinosaur exhibition at the Natural History Museum in Oxford, to reinforce the work that we are doing in school.

At the moment, we are practicing for our Harvest Festival, which is being held at 9.00 am on Friday October 6^th, at St James Church.  Children from the Orchard Pre-School will be coming along, and it would be lovely to welcome people from the village too.

ADMISSIONS TO PRIMARY SCHOOL – SEPTEMBER 2007

If your child was born between 1^st September 2002 and 31^st August 2003, you should be looking around schools in earnest!  Applications for admission to primary school need to be with Oxfordshire County Council by 20^th November at the latest.  Please ring for an appointment to look around Little Milton School if you are interested in your child gaining a place here.  We have copies of the admissions book and forms etc at school, ready for interested parents to collect. 

Eve Hunter