Withdrawn funding for business support ‘disappointing’

South Oxfordshire District Council will be withdrawing the funding for the Market Town Co-ordinators, including Thame’s, Becky Reid, from the end of the year.

Thame Market Town Co-ordinator, Becky Reid

SODC is responsible for the Economic Development of its Market Towns, Thame, Henley and Wallingford, and it is from that department that Becky’s salary was covered. Thame Town Councillors at Tuesday’s meeting of the Thame Neighbourhood Continuity Committee (TNCC) considered the MTC role to have contributed positively to the economic vitality of the town (SEE REPORT from the recent Thame Business Forum meeting) and expressed disappointment at the withdrawal of the money by SODC.

‘We have been ignored’

The Town Clerk, Graham Hunt, said: “All three Market Towns, Henley, Wallingford and Thame, have put in significant justification for maintaining the post, but we have been ignored.”

Cllr Bob Austen, Chair of the TNCC, said that the only words he could think of for South Oxfordshire District Council, were those used in the novel, Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons (to describe Adam Lambsbreath’s cows): “..Graceless, Aimless, Feckless, and Pointless.”

‘Local businesses have benefited’

A spokesperson for the Economic Working Group of 21st Century Thame, with whom Becky has worked  on many projects, including Small Business Saturday, the Great British High Street competition, the Food Trail, Business Surveys and Business forums, said: “It is very disappointing that this funding for the continued economic well-being of Thame, which SODC purports to support, has been taken away. Becky has been instrumental in bringing to fruition so many of the good things that have happened in Thame this year. These projects and events have helped local businesses benefit by keeping the visitors and local people coming into town, and contributing so much to Thame’s economic well-being.”

Thame Town Council will continue to employ Becky for next year out of its reserves, but has stated that the following year, there would have to be an increase on the Precept for Thame Council Tax payers, if she is to be kept in post after 2018.

Committee members agreed that the Town Clerk should write to express, in the strongest possible terms, the concerns of the Council at the decision to cut £11k of funding for the Market Town Co-ordinators.