Compliments and ‘brick bats’ from Thame town meeting

THAMENEWS.NET itself came in for some praise at the annual Town Meeting last Tuesday, when a resident asked if the council had any influence over the local paper’s lack of Thame news content and poor delivery record.
Agreeing that the paper was, “a disaster for news”, ex town and district councillor, Mike Welply complimented ThameNews.Net on its regular coverage of local news and events, and requested that the editor consider including an opinion page expressing the editor’s own views in, what he called, “a more robust manner.”
The local Thame Gazette reporter, who was present at the meeting, said that she “had taken on board” the comments expressed.

Other questions from the floor included:
? A request for more litter bins on Lea Park from Mary Stiles. Cllr David Dodds said that this was a district council matter and informed the meeting that the district council was currently looking at re-cycling litter bins for the town centre.

? The poor quality of the accoustics in the town hall was drawn to the attention of the coucil (as can be vouched for by the Editor and others, who struggle to hear what’s going on during council meetings, especially since it adopted a circular configuration for the tables which means that many councillors have their backs to the public and press seating). The mayor said that the matter was being “dealt with.”

? In answer to a question from Mary Stiles about the decision not to include a Zip wire in the new plans for the Southern Road Recreation area, councillors re-itterated that they had made their decision on “Best Value criteria” and the Clerk added that the new scheme would include “four pieces of new and exciting equipment from France for the over 16s.”

? A resident from Chiltern Vale thanked the council for the new bus shelter at the top of Oxford Road, and asked if the seat could be re-instated at Spring Path. Apparently there is some dispute over whether it is the responsibility of the town, district or county council.

? Following a question from the floor about improving the situation for residents’ parking in the town centre, the town council said that it is now addressing the situation.

? Congratulations were given to the council from Mr Nigel Ayres for a “magnificent job” of work at the re-designing and planting of the Memorial Garden.

? The last question of the evening came from Mary Stiles who wanted clarification as to whether the money taken from the council’s swimming pool fund to buy the museum was a loan or not.
Cllr David Dodds said that, as the money was “for community use,” it was “a legitimate use of the fund.”