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Building Better Neighbourhoods: The Contribution of Faith Communities to Oxfordshire Life
This is an important report about the valuable contribution to life in Oxfordshire made by all faith groups, highlighting many of the benefits: better health, great involvement in civic affairs, volunteering, looking after one’s own neighbourhood, running community buildings, working with other organisations and much more. The report is available here.
Model Parish Council Emergency Plan
How can small communities cope with emergencies when outside assistance from the emergency services is delayed?
Nearly all emergencies affecting communities will be dealt with routinely by joint response of the emergency services, local authorities and the major utilities. However, there may be rare occasions when circumstances, such as extensive flooding, storm damage or deep snow delay the arrival of outside assistance, and the community will need to help itself. It will do this more effectively if it has a plan.
This guidance has been created to assist communities to develop their own plan. The template can be adapted to fit a community’s own needs. To download a template and associated guidance go to Oxfordshire County Council’s website.
A copy of the Oxfordshire County Council / Oxfordshire NHS Primary Care Trust (PCT) booklet: Planning for a Flu Pandemic – Essential information for voluntary and community groups on planning for a Pandemic Flu outbreak can be downloaded here.
Examples of member councils' Emergency Plans are available at the OALC office.
Countryside Access: A Parish Guide
This new guide from Oxfordshire County Council to improving access to rights of way can be downloaded here.
Allotments: Advice From the Allotments Regeneration Initiative 
Details from a presentation and other useful material on Allotments provided by the Allotments Regeneration Initiative speaker at the 2009 OALC Winter General Meeting is available in the Members' Area
Free Condition Survey for Historic Churchyards in the North Wessex Downs AONB
Local stone mason and headstone repair specialist, Stone Art Memorials, in association with the North Wessex Downs AONB is offering a limited number of free condition surveys for local churchyards.
The survey will examine existing memorials and offer guidance to those responsible for their maintenance. Further information will also be available on safety issues and remediation such as re-erecting and anchoring existing memorials to lessen the chance of risk to the public. It can either take place as a single site visit, or as a facilitated session for family members.To qualify for this service, the churchyard or parish must be located within the North Wessex Downs AONB (Please see our website at www.northwessexdowns.org.uk for a location map).
To book your free condition survey, please contact the North Wessex Downs AONB office Tel; 01488685440, or email; info@northwessexdowns.org.uk . Further information on Stone Art Memorials can be found at www.stoneartcrafts.co.uk
Habitat Restoration and Creation in the Context of Community Groups & Parish Councils 
Since autumn 2006 all local authorities have been required, under the NERC Act, to ‘have regard to the purpose of conserving biodiversity’. The Act is interpreted to mean that they should consider wildlife in every decision they take. Local authorities, including parish councils, should try to restore their lost habitats and create links between them where possible, for example, a new stretch of hedgerow to connect two other hedgerows in the parish.
Habitat restoration Work on Letcombe Brook Photo: Sally Wallington:
Local environment groups have thus become vital allies to Parish Councils due to their knowledge of local species and their protection of local patches of wildlife habitat. All these groups are part of the whole picture for Oxfordshire’s biodiversity and deserve recognition as such. ONCF’s local environment group conference is run for them and many advertise their work parties on ONCF’s free weekly e-bulletin. For more information just email Cynth Napper, Community Officer, ONCF: cynth@oncf.org.uk www.oncf.org.uk
Discovering Oxfordshire’s Wildlife
Would you like to know where to see Oxfordshire’s natural environment? Were you inspired by Springwatch and want to see what wildlife is on your doorstep? Then go to Oxfordshire Nature Conservation Forum’s new interactive map and find Oxfordshire’s hidden wildlife treasures.
Oxfordshire has a treasure trove of habitats, from the limestone Cotswold hills circled by dry stone walls in the west to the beautiful wet grasslands and lowland meadows of the rivers Thames, Cherwell and Windrush. All these different habitats support a wide range of plant and animal species and the public can enjoy them by visiting one of the 200 nature reserves dotted across the county. Local wildlife charities own or manage most of these reserves. On our interactive website map we have listed over 120 that have year round access. Simply visit our map on www.oncf.org.uk. Zoom in and click the marker nearest your home for details of your closest wildlife site.
If you cannot access the website then we have a free printed map showing 60 key sites in Oxfordshire. Simply send a SAE to Oxfordshire Nature Conservation Forum. For more information on local wildlife groups and charities then click on our Nature Directory or if you would like weekly email environmental updates then sign up for ONCF’s FREE Environmental Bulletin.
For more information visit: www.oncf.org.uk or clare@oncf.org.uk. For a map send a 2nd Class Stamped Addressed Envelope to ONCF, Manor House, Little Wittenham OX14 4RA Clare Mowbray 01865 407034
Co-options & the Register of Members Interests – A Reminder
Parish and Town Councils should always let the District Council know when filling a vacancy by co-option, either caused by a casual vacancy or due to insufficiency of candidates at an election, so that registration of interest forms can be issued.
The District Council also needs to know as soon as a person has been co-opted to fill the vacancy so that they can be sent the necessary papers for them to register interests. This has to be done within 28 days.
Oxfordshire ClimateXchange
The latest news and upcoming events from ClimateXchange is available on www.climatex.org
For practical ideas showing what parish and town councils can do, a copy of the Defra publication: Parish and town councils – Act on CO2: Ways to tackle climate change is available here.
Cotswold Conservation Board: Guidance on Roadside Management for Parish Councils 
An abridged version of the Board’s position statement on The Management of Roadside Verges has been developed specifically for use by parish councils and other groups managing rural roadside verges in and around villages in the AONB.
Click here to view the guide on the AONB website, along with rest of the Board’s full position statements.
The Future of Farming and Forestry in the Cotswolds AONB
The Future of Farming and Forestry in the Cotswolds AONB - what do climate change and globalisation mean for farming and forestry in the Cotswolds AONB'. The report is on the Cotswolds AONB website
Good Practice Note on Play Policy
An OALC Good Practice Note on Play Policy has been produced in collaboration with Oxfordshire County Council, Oxfordshire Play Partnership and Oxfordshire Playing Fields Association. It sets out the background and rationale for a play policy. A very brief model policy covering the main points is provided as an Appendix. A copy can be downloaded in the Members' Area.
New ‘How to’ guide to Involving Children and Young People from Participation Works
Participation Works (www.participationworks.org.uk) have produced a new guide to involving children and young people in designing and developing play spaces. You can download it from their website.
Design for Play
This guide to creating successful play spaces produced by Play England is now back in print. The guide provides useful advice on running the consultation process and help with planning a scheme. It is packed full of case studies that illustrate the Playbuilder concept.
Design for Play: A guide to creating successful play spaces is available to download from http://publications.teachernet.gov.uk/
A printed copy may be ordered free of charge by calling 0845 600 9506 and requesting code DCSF-00631-2008. The County Council also has a limited number of printed copies available.
Managing Risk in Play
The Department of Schools, Children and Families has published an implementation guide to managing risk in Play provision (December 2008).
Managing Risk in Play Provision: Implementation Guide is available to download from http://publications.teachernet.gov.uk/
Alternatively a printed copy may be ordered free of charge by calling 0845 600 9506 and requesting code DCSF-00942-2008. The County Council has a limited number of printed copies available on request.
Why Go Out: What children, young people and parents in Oxfordshire say about going outside. A review of research, March 2010
Oxfordshire Outside is a campaign to make it easier for everybody to get outside There is considerable national and international research demonstrating the benefits for people of all ages in spending more time outside. Although much work has been done over many years to identify these benefits in Oxfordshire, the voices of children, young people and parents themselves are rarely heard.
This report brings together findings from a range of research projects to highlight the views of children, young people and parents in Oxfordshire and help us explore two questions:
- What stops children, young people and parents from spending time outside?
- What is the impact of spending more time outside?
A copy can be downloaded from here.
Oxfordshire Play Partnership
The latest OPP information, including recent minutes of meetings, Oxfordshire Play Strategy and the Action Plan are all now available on the OPA (Oxfordshire Play Association) website, and will be regularly updated. They can be found under the ‘Play Resources’ tab on OPA’s website at www.oxonplay.org.uk
Other documents relating to Play issues available here are:
For Funding News please click here
For details of current consultations please visit our Consultations page.
Job Vacancies & Jobs Wanted
Lewknor Parish Council - Vacancy for Clerk/Responsible Financial Officer
Lewknor, a small rural parish of some 625 residents with an annual precept of approximately £11,000, is seeking a part-time Clerk/RFO to be in post in November 2010. The contract would involve 30 hours per calendar month at a salary of between £3100 and £3400 per annum, depending upon experience and qualifications. The successful applicant will be expected to work from home, apart from attending scheduled meetings of the Parish Council, normally twelve per year, plus the Annual Parish Meeting. The Clerk /RFO would be required to:
- prepare and publish agendas and record the minutes of meetings;
- implement the council’s decisions;
- maintain all financial records and administer the council’s funds;
- prepare and manage the annual budget and handle the audit;
- advise the council on relevant legislative issues.
Good administrative skills, computer literacy and a broadband connection are necessary. Training in Local Government procedural matters will be provided if/as required.
For further advice, call the retiring Clerk/RFO, Jeff Jefford on 01844 281449, who will also be on hand for as long as is necessary to effect a handover to an experienced Clerk or to act as mentor to a novice.
To apply, e-mail a CV with a covering letter, including the names of two referees, to the Chair of the Council, Caroline Hjorth, at Scklhjorth@aol.com by 8 October 2010.
Vacancy for Clerk, Appleton with Eaton Parish Council
Appleton with Eaton Parish Council is seeking a Clerk who is able to take responsibility for all administrative aspects of the Council and also to act as the Responsible Financial Officer. The vacancy is from 10th August 2010, but ideally with some overlap with the present Clerk.
Duties include the production of agendas and minutes for meetings, carrying out the Council's decisions and advising the Council on procedural matters. Other duties include updating the parish website with agenda, minutes etc. Parish Council financial work includes dealing with the payment of bills, managing the accounts and annual audit, budget preparations and dealing with VAT issues relating to Parish Projects. Training is available. Good communication with the Chairman is essential.
The post is part time, 30 hours per month with hours to suit. The Clerk works from home and attends Parish Council meetings which are held at 7:15pm on the 1st Monday of each month (except Aug). Appleton with Eaton is a small parish containing two villages with an annual precept of £13000. The salary is Scale LC2 18-22 (pro rata), depending on experience.
The ideal candidate must have good organisational and computer skills, including Excel spreadsheets. Broadband internet connection essential.
To make an application, please email a CV and covering letter to the present Clerk, Mrs Jane Dymock at appletonwitheaton@tiscali.co.uk. Further details can be viewed and downloaded at http://www.appletonwitheaton.org.uk/clerk
Vacancy for Clerk: Ramsden Parish Council
Ramsden Parish Council is seeking someone able to take responsibility for all administrative aspects of the Council and also to act as the Responsible Financial Officer. The vacancy is from 1st October 2010, but ideally with some overlap with the present Clerk during September.
Duties include the production of agendas and minutes for all meetings, carrying out all the Council's decisions, advising the Council on procedural matters, managing the burial records and producing brief monthly updates for the Newsletter and village web site. Parish Council financial work includes dealing with the payment of bills, managing the computerised accounts and annual audit, budget preparations and dealing with VAT issues relating to Parish Projects. Training is available. Good communication with the Chairman is essential.
The post is part time, averaging 30 hours per month with hours to suit. The Clerk works from home and attends Parish Council meetings which are usually held at 8pm on the third Wednesday of each month (except Aug and Dec). Ramsden is a small village with an annual precept of £9100. The salary is from £3246 pa, (based on 364 hours pa) according to experience.
The ideal candidate will have good organisational and computer skills, including Excel spreadsheets. Broadband internet connection essential.
For further information or to make an application, please contact the present Clerk, Mrs Hilary Warner ramsdenpc@cogges.eclipse.co.uk 01993 771809
Contact the OALC office for details of those seeking posts.