Wilding – The rewilding of the Knepp Estate in Sussex
Village Notice Board
Botley West Solar Farm (received by KPC)
| Notice of Acceptance – Botley West Solar Farm Dear Sir/Madam, Thank you for having registered your interest to keep up to date with the Botley West Solar Farm. We are pleased to let you know that the Planning Inspectorate (PINS), acting on behalf of the Secretary of State, has accepted the Development Consent Order (DCO) Application for Botley West Solar Farm. This is a significant milestone as it means that our proposals will now progress towards the Examination stage of the process. Before reaching this stage, our team undertook two phases of consultation to inform the assessment and design of the Botley West Solar Farm. We are grateful to everyone who has taken an interest in our proposals and has spent time engaging with us as we have worked to reach this stage. We have produced a Project Update Newsletter to highlight the design changes and considerations that have been made in our final DCO Application. It is available to view here and via the document library on the project website: www.botleywest.co.uk The upcoming Examination is a key part of the process. We are looking forward to working with our colleagues, examiners and interested parties to ensure that the Botley West Solar Farm can be delivered in the best possible way. Accessing our documents The full DCO application documents can be viewed and downloaded free of charge online on the Botley West Solar Farm page of the Planning Inspectorate’s National Infrastructure Planning website under the Documents tab: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/EN010147/documents The document library on our project website (https://botleywest.co.uk/document_library.html) also provides a link to these documents. Next Steps Until 27 February 2025, the Botley West Solar Farm team is inviting members of the public and any interested stakeholders to consider whether they would like to submit a Relevant Representation to PINS. By submitting a Relevant Representation (a written summary of a person’s views on the Application), the person (or organisation) will then become an ‘Interested Party’ to the Examination. Interested Parties will receive ongoing correspondence from PINS on how to get further involved and have the opportunity to submit detailed written representations and attend and participate in the Examination hearings. Members of the public have until 11:59pm on 27 February 2025 to register as an Interested Party and submit their Relevant Representation to PINS, via this link: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/EN010147/register/register-have-your-say Our communications channels are still open for any questions or comments you may have. You can find them at the bottom of this email. Kind regards, Mark Owen-Lloyd Project Director, Botley West Solar Farm |
| Email: info@botleywest.co.uk Freephone Information Line: 0808 175 3085 Freepost: BWSF Website: www.botleywest.co.uk |
CDC’s Local Plan Review
Akeman Street Road Closure
Kirtlington Orchard Wassail 18th January 2025
THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION, KIRTLINGTON BRANCH REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY, 10 NOV 24
The Royal British Legion, Kirtlington Branch, will meet at St Mary the Virgin Church, Kirtlington at 10:45 before proceeding to the war memorial for the Remembrance Service at 11:00 hrs, concluding back at the church.
If you are non-military and wish to parade with the Royal British Legion, Kirtlington Members to remember a family member or friend, please do. If you have their medals, please also wear them with pride on your right lapel.
Royal British Legion, Kirtlington Branch members will be in the Oxford Arms after the service. It would be lovely to see you there.
Kirtlington Fireworks!
Thames Valley Police Reporting
The following details for police reporting were provided by PCSO Ian Wilkins for Kirtlington Parish Council to share on the village website and social media.
High Concern
Always call 999 if a crime is happening directly at the time of concern, especially if there may be a risk to the reporting person or others as it is happening. This can include persons in a vehicle smoking drugs and fearing they may drive under the influence.
Non Emergency
The non emergency number 101 can be used after an incident has occurred or the threat has gone. It can also be reported via the Thames Valley Police web site via the below link:
https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk
If it is a generic question or invite contact the local police team via the below email address:
KidlingtonNHPT@thamesvalley.police.uk
Please note, this is not a crime reporting email as it is not monitored 24 hours a day.
Desired details for an incident are:
- Vehicle description (colour of vehicle and type – car, van, motorcycle) and registration number.
- How many people / approx. age / and descriptions of clothing – hair styles – ethnicity and who has done what.
- Mobile phone footage / images / or if they have CCTV.
As stated this is only desired and we advise no one to put themselves at risk or a later target to get this information. Report the information at the earliest safe time via one of the methods above.
Further Post Office Response to KPC
Dear Ms Broughton
Thank you for your email regarding Post Office services in Kirtlington. This has been passed to me for response.
As you know Kirtlington Post Office closed following the resignation of the postmaster and the withdrawal of premises for post office use. We appreciate that the community in Kirtlington are concerned about the branch closing and have requested an outreach service for the area.
It may be helpful to explain that the costs of running the Post Office branch network have increased in recent years, however the funding we receive from the Government to maintain the loss-making, typically rural part of the Post Office network, which includes outreach branches, has not changed in line with these costs. This inevitably means that difficult decisions have to be made in order to prioritise our limited resources to support those branches that will benefit the most customers, and to provide sustainable services for all Post Office customers across the UK.
As previously advised, we have carefully reviewed service provision in the local area to determine the accessibility of alternative services nearby, and as you know we are not looking to replace the branch in Kirtlington at this time. Unfortunately, this would also include the provision of an outreach service for the community. You can find our Principles of Community Engagement principles-of-community-engagement-june-2024.pdf (postofficeviews.co.uk) this will provide you with information in relation to the communications we undertake in respect of changes to the Post Office Network.
We apologise to our customers who may have to travel further to access services. I can assure you we continually review our branch network, and should the current situation change, we will update our customers in the local area.
Kind regards
Michael
Michael Norman
Policy & Briefing Manager
Corporate Affairs, Brand & Communications
externalaffairs@postoffice.co.uk
Post Office Limited is committed to protecting your privacy, information about how we do this can be found on our website at www.postoffice.co.uk/privacy
Post Office Response to KPC
KPC contacted the Post Office on several occasions regarding the closure of the Kirtlington branch to ask why the Parish Council and village customers were not consulted and to enquire why the replacement travelling Post Office, which had been promised previously, has not been provided. Below is the response we received on 7th August 2024.
Dear Ms Broughton
Kirtlington Post Office
Troy Lane, Kidlington, OX5 3HA
Thank you for your emails dated 7 June and 17 July 2024, on behalf of Kirtlington Parish Council, regarding the closure of the above Post Office which took place on Tuesday 18 June 2024.
We note with concern that you did not receive a response to your first email and sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused as a result of this lapse in communication.
Your concerns regarding the closure of Kirtlington Post Office have been noted and I would like to take this opportunity to assure you that we are fully aware of how important the Post Office is for our customers in your local community. However, as you may know Kirtlington Post Office was operated on our behalf on an agency basis, rather like a franchise, and regrettably, as the Postmaster resigned and the premises were withdrawn, the branch closed in June 2024.
I would like to explain that Post Office is facing a particularly challenging period, as are other high street retailers. The impact of rising costs and inflation mean that Post Office must ensure its limited resources benefit the most customers across the country, and that the network remains sustainable. As such the Post Office has undertaken a comprehensive review of the network to ensure that it continues to meet evolving customer needs in this very challenging economic climate. This review examined the network at a very detailed, local level, analysing customer demand and accessibility of Post Office products and services. Consequently, it has informed our plans for the Network as we work to ensure that, our funding and resources are allocated to deliver maximum benefit for all customers.
Unfortunately, local demand in the area of Kirtlington Post Office currently is not at a level that can sustain a full service branch and we will therefore not be replacing this branch, at this time. There is an alternative Post Office at Weston on the Green that has capacity to serve additional customers.
May I also take the opportunity to explain that Kirtlington was not a Consultation but a Notification to communicate the unplanned closure of the branch. Consultations seek local feedback, including from Parish Councils, on access to, into and inside a change in premises, however a Notification does not seek such feedback.
We apologise for any inconvenience caused to customers. Post Office will, as a matter of course, continue to review customer demand in the Kidlington area should it change and require additional Post Office provision in the future.
We appreciate your interest and thank you for taking the time to contact us.
Yours sincerely
Carol Holas
Consultation Team Support
National Consultation Team
How to contact us:
postofficeviews.co.uk
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Post Office Limited is committed to protecting your privacy. Information about how we do this can be found on our website at www.postoffice.co.uk/privacy