Year: 2025
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All the updates from the latest Vale Council meeting
20th February 2025
The budget was the focus at the first full Vale of White Horse District Council meeting of 2025, alongside investment in housing and approval of a new council plan.
The district council met on Wednesday 12 February and approved its 2025-2026 budget.
The budget maintains investment in key areas including community support, housing and leisure facilities, while ensuring that residents will continue to receive excellent value for money for services provided by the district council.
Highlights include securing funding to ensure the council’s Community Hub will remain available through to April 2027. This important service provides practical support and advice for those with cost-of-living concerns or who are finding life difficult. More information is available on the budget on the council’s website and the budget news release.
Housing also featured significantly at the meeting, with a proposed change to the long-term empty property premium approved, as part of a longer-term strategy to tackle the issue of empty homes. The investment in the purchase of one/two-bedroom homes for use as temporary accommodation was also approved.
Other key items considered at the busy meeting included the council’s new council plan. Councillors reviewed At the Heart of the Vale, the Council Plan 2025-2029.
One motion was debated on the subject of devolution, which wasn’t passed.
Topics covered by questions included the council’s proposed new headquarters, Didcot Gateway.
View all the questions and answers here.
Appleton Sportsfield and Pavilion – Have your say!
3rd February 2025
Following the article in the April 2024 Advertiser, the Parish Council formed a Pavilion Working Group in September 2024 to consider options for the future of the Sportsfield and Pavilion. The Working Group would very much like your views and has developed a questionnaire which is in the February Advertiser as well as available on the Parish Council website: Appleton Sportsfield and Pavilion Questionnaire – Appleton With Eaton
We welcome everyone in your household completing a questionnaire – regardless of age! One copy will be in the Advertiser, but there will be extra copies at the Shop, if needed.
If you are responding via hard copy, questionnaires can be returned to the box in the Shop. If you have any issues getting to the shop, you can contact the Clerk at 07767 596650 or parishclerk@appleton-eaton-pc.gov.uk to arrange for your form to be collected.
We encourage everyone to respond to this questionnaire to have your voice heard on how you would like to see the future of your Sportsfield and Pavilion!
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Road Works – February 2025
22nd January 2025
The County Council has informed the Parish Council about the following road works coming up in February:
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Temporary Road Closure at Fyfield / Appleton, Netherton Road (70m west of electrical sub station) to facilitate replacement of culvert under the road
Starting on 17 February 2025 with an anticipated completion date of 21 February 2025 (date included)
To view the Notice, click here.
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Temporary Road Closure at Oaksmere, OX13 5QU for essential tree cutting works on 25 February 2025 between 09:30 and 15:30.
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Green Appleton – Repair Cafe
Come to Green Appleton’s Repair Cafe on the 8th February at 2pm in Appleton Village Hall!
Come along and bring your things to repair, or just have a cuppa and some of the excellent cake provided by our volunteers, and see what’s going on.
We are able to repair clothing, small electricals, computers, and bikes. You can also bring scissors, knives and garden tools for sharpening.
For anything else – drop us a query at greenappleton2021@gmail.com. Our repairers are very skilled, and may be able to help you.
It would be very useful if you could let us know in advance about your repairs. There is a paper form in February’s Advertiser and in the village shop.
There is also an online form at Repair Cafe Request Form.
Update on Highways-related issues
16th January 2025
Appleton with Eaton Parish Council and our local superuser (a volunteer who can sometimes fast-track highways related issues, such as pothole repair) met with representatives from the County Council and a representative from the District Council specialising in drainage earlier this month to discuss the issues of drainage and subsequent road damage at Oaksmere. Some other issues in the area were discussed. Here are some updates:
- The County Council (OCC) is going to do a flush-through of the pipe on Oaskmere under the field entrance by the large pothole/cone . This work will be done in the realm of the 28/29th of January. OCC believes that if this is blocked, a flush through may prevent the water rising further up the road, south, towards the A420, and flowing across the road.
- OCC is hopeful that the above will also eliminate the water rising in the verge further south. Thames Water has also been asked to investigate whether the water main under the verge is leaking and test the water.
- Potholes – Once OCC has been successful in stopping the water on the road, there will need to be initial targeted pothole work as a temporary repair to the worst affected areas. Further larger scale resurfacing will follow in the new financial year.
- Pool/junction under railings at the bridge – OCC has passed this onto their cyclic team to look at. Our contact will impress on the team that it should be done sooner rather than later due to the Himalayan Balsam as any new growth will prevent it from happening once again.
- Railings around bridge- This is on the Bridge Maintenance Team’s list and due to be done in this financial year. They are currently obtaining pricing.
The Council would very much like to thank our superuser for all of their efforts which have been instrumental inmoving issues forward. If you are interested in becoming a supersuer, please contact either the Clerk at parishclerk@appleton-eaton-pc.gov.uk or OCC at volunteercoordinationteam@Oxfordshire.gov.uk.
In addition, the Council has been in touch with the Faringdon Area Traffic Advisory Committee (FATAC) which is chaired by our District Councillor. FATAC has agreed that the speed at which vehicles enter Oaksmere is problematic and has asked OCC Highways to look at solutions, the main one being ‘’dragon’s teeth’’ road markings in a location further towards the A420 on the road entering Appleton.
If you have any other concerns, please do get in touch and we will do our best to put your queries to the best department for action.
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FAMILY BINGO 18th January 2025!
15th January 2025
Come to BINGO on the 18th January in Appleton Village Hall! Doors open at 4pm and eyes down at 4:30pm!
Tickets are available at Appleton Village Shop: £12 for adults/ £8 for children to include a hot dog or burger. Paying bar available.
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Advertiser February 2025
1st February 2025
The latest round up of news and information about our village from February 2025.
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Advertiser January 2025
16th January 2025
The latest round up of news and information about our village from January 2025.