Dear [Forename]
I'm going to start with normal updates and end with a short synopsis of the talk given by Andrew Crawford at our AGM, on the particular issues relating to the infrastructure and facilities available to the residents of this area.
The Beacon car park is now open again although at the moment the ticket machine doesn't appear to be working.
The Joint Local Plan is is out for the final consultation along with the relevant supporting documents and the evidence the plan is based on. This is what is called a regulation 19 Consultation which means that there is very little that we can comment on at this stage. It is mainly to check that the plan complies with national policy and legislation, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have to read it!
So the question we need to ask is: Is the plan “sound” in accordance with national policy and guidance?
This means that the plan must provide a strategy which, as a minimum, seeks to meet the councils’ objectively assessed housing needs. It also needs to be consistent with achieving sustainable development and it must be deliverable over its period (i.e. by 2041). The plan must be based on proportionate evidence and all of the studies that form that evidence base are also available and need to be reviewed. This includes the Infrastructure Delivery Plan which must also be “sound”.
There is a Consultation open on location of Polling stations. Comments are open until 21 October 2024. The main thing is our area is that they want to move the Polling station from the Beacon to the Methodist Church in Newbury Street. To take part - follow this link.
https://theconversation.southandvale.gov.uk/legal-and-democratic/vowh-polling-districts-and-places-review/
Wantage Leisure Centre renovations. According to the District Council:
“A total of £24,984 was invested in renovation of the sports hall (re-sanding floors and painting walls and floor lines), part funded by £17,334 of S106 developer contributions towards improving existing facilities in the local area.
The council also have plans to refurbish the swimming pool changing rooms over the next year, adding a further upgrade to the town’s leisure facilities.
There will be a multi-million-pound major energy-saving project at both Wantage Leisure Centre and White Horse Leisure and Tennis Centre, starting later this year."
There is is no mention of the learner pool which we have been promised...
Newbury Street GP Practice Patient Group is holding their annual meeting shortly:
To find out What's new at Newbury Street? go to the Mably Way Health Centre at 7.30pm on 7 November when Newbury Street PPG will be holding their meeting. If you want to join via Zoom the link is HERE or the Zoom Meeting ID is 846 8983 7704 and the Passcode: 658484
Finally a short synopsis of the talk given by Andrew Crawford, on the particular issues relating to the infrastructure and facilities available to the residents of this area.
Andy talked about the basic physical and organisational structures and facilities (e.g. buildings, roads, power supplies) needed for the operation of a society. e.g.:- Schools, Roads/Footpaths/Cycle Ways et al., Rail Network, Primary and Secondary Health Care Facilities, Waste Facilities, Leisure Centres and other Recreational Spaces, Drainage, water treatment and sewerage, National Grid and so much more.
He talked about the fact that we pay for the infrastructure either directly through General Taxation, Council Tax, Fees etc or indirectly through bills we pay to people like Thames Water or Fuel providers. He mentioned that some will be funded as an effective tax on property developers.
The government passes on the general taxation monies to other public or quasi public bodies such as the NHS, the County Council or Network Rail, for them to spend on capital projects such as the expansion of Mably Way Health Centre, schools, road and rail improvements. They also allocate some funds to particular types of projects such as Public Sector Decarbonisation (the Vale has successfully bid into this twice for around £7 million to decarbonise its Leisure Centres) and Local Authority Housing (the Vale received 50% funding to acquire 18 houses for refugees).
Regulators such as Ofwat and Ofgen allow regulated companies - Thames Water, Eon etc, to increase their prices to pay for capital schemes such as reservoirs or enhancements to the National Grid network.
Developers pay through section 106 agreements (S106) or Community Infrastructure Levies (CIL).
The S106 agreement for Crab Hill is over 300 pages plus appendices. In cash and kind it delivers over £30 million of infrastructure (that’s £20,000 per house) across over 100 different pots. It includes part funding for Wantage Eastern Link Road and the new Secondary School in Grove as well as a new Primary School, play areas, sports pitches, and a Community Centre on Crab Hill itself. It also includes contributions for Leisure, cycling footpaths etc and for many local organisations – Sweatbox , VCI, Scouts, Museum etc. It doesn't include any contribution to health services.
CIL is much simpler and is generally a flat rate. Whilst monies must be spent on new or improved infrastructure, the rules are more flexible on what and where it can be spent and there are fewer controls and reporting requirements.
Questions from the audience related to house builders holding up handover of infrastructure such as the pitches on Grove Airfield, or turning the steps in the alley from Mary Shunn Way into a slope. He pointed out that there is a lack of people at the Vale to chase these things.
When asked why decarbonisation is the focus at the leisure centre and not an improvement on facilities, he simply said that this was what the grant was for. There was no explanation as to why Wantage is the last leisure centre to get any improvements. When questions about parking were raised, he stated that he didn't think there was a parking issue in Wantage. Some of the audience were frustrated with the lack of communication from the councils, but Andy stated that he always responds to residents emails. So in that light - this is his email address if you want to get in touch. Andy.Crawford@whitehorsedc.gov.uk
For details of all roadworks around the country - see https://one.network/.
You can read previous newsletters at https://wantageandgrove.org/newsletters.php and find a list of many of the sports, cultural and community organisations in OX12 at https://wantageandgrove.org/organisations.php
Thanks for reading.
Best wishes
Julie
Julie Mabberley
Campaign Manager
Wantage and Grove Campaign Group
www.wantageandgrove.org
https://www.facebook.com/groups/wantageandgrovecampaigngroup