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The following documents have been added to the website:
Parish Council Minutes - Jan 2021 Reading Room Minutes - Jan 2021 Reading Room Extraordinary Meeting Agenda - Feb 2021 Reading Room Extraordinary Meeting Minutes - Feb 2021 District Councillor Report - Feb 2021 County Council Media Release
People in Oxfordshire are being advised that more needs to be done to drive down new cases of COVID-19 in Oxfordshire with a decline in figures still only taking the county back down to levels experienced in December. The number of cases in the county in the week-ending 5 February was 134.5 per 100,000 compared to a figure of 191 per 100,000 on 29 January. However, on 11 December the number of cases was 124.6. Ansaf Azhar, Oxfordshire County Council’s Director of Public Health, said: “We’ve done a good job in getting case numbers down in Oxfordshire but the figures here and elsewhere rose to such heights in late December and early January that we still have ground to make up. Now is the time to really make an impact. “Over the last twelve months we have seen that if you give COVID-19 an inch it will gladly take a mile. We face uncertainty around the spread of different variants and what that means for our recovery from the pandemic. We also know the new UK variant is now the dominant form in UK, and if we were to relax now the case rate will not only go up but it will go up very fast to a very high level due to its increased transmissibility. “The government and NHS are now asking people aged over 70 to get in touch to book a vaccination if they have not received a letter. This is great news! However, we should not let any of that take our eye off the ball in terms of the simple rules to follow in our daily lives to drive new cases down further. “The lower we can get the figures, the better position we will be in to respond to any issues that may arise down the line. We must continue to be vigilant and keep our distance from people, wash our hands, wear a face-covering and abide by all of the lockdown restrictions on not mixing households. “If ever there was any doubt, we know, now almost 12 months on from the first cases in Oxfordshire, that COVID-19 is a formidable adversary. It is only by taking individual responsibility for our actions that we can get ourselves into good shape as winter changes to spring. We also need to give the vaccines the very best platform to do their bit. “I would also urge anybody who shows any symptoms to get themselves tested and if they are positive to self-isolate. There’s a lot of capacity on offer for testing and a great deal of very good advice on self-isolation. In all of these areas, we are much more advanced than we were looking back to March and April of 2020.” To stop the spread, residents are being asked to follow the rules and get tested when they have symptoms of the virus, however mild. For those who test positive for COVID-19, help is available. Information, support and advice on self-isolation has been published on the county council’s website or residents can download the information as part of a self-isolation support pack. People are also being asked to get vaccinated when eligible. Anyone over 70 can now arrange a vaccination through the national booking service by visiting www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination. Further information on this is available on the NHS website. Latest Parish council information is shown on this page,
Parish Council Meetings and Minutes Latest Document - County Councillor's Report Dear All,
Following the announcement of another national lockdown last night I want to sign post you information that we currently have. I have attached the national guidance in full as well as announcements on support for businesses in the coming days which has been published this morning by the treasury. We will be sending round further updates as we go forward. Councillors & Community Hub Your councillors are here to help and please remember we also have some of our COVID Support Grants available still to help local efforts so please get in touch. Also our Vale community hub is still operating and the details I currently have are: Vale Community Hub is available from:
Vaccination update. A lot of surgeries are now getting ready to roll out the vaccines, but please can I stress that you will be contacted when they are able to give you a vaccine. This is further complicated across the villages as some will “point” to Swindon NHS, if registered at Elm Tree Surgery, whilst other surgeries will point towards Oxfordshire NHS. No matter what direction – it is imperative to follow the advice of the NHS and the surgery where registered. Below is a short snippet from a recent release: “When patients are offered an appointment for the vaccine, it may be at another location and not their normal GP practice building. Patients will be provided with information about where they will need to go for their appointment and what to expect - this may be via the phone, or through a letter either from their GP or the national booking system. The NHS will let patients know when it is their turn to have the vaccine. It is important not to contact the NHS for a vaccination before then. The public have an important part to play to help the NHS to deliver the vaccination programme. People are being asked:
With this in mind, please be very vigilant as there are phishing texts and emails going around when it comes to vaccines. I have attached a useful link on this, please spread awareness. https://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/scammers-target-residents-with-promise-of-covid-vaccine/ If you need to use the NHS please do, don’t wait until it is too late. Follow the guide online as to the correct services to use https://www.nhs.uk/ Useful Websites If you have found any which have been useful for yourselves, please let me know and I will include them going forward for others. https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus https://www.oxfordshireallin.org/ http://www.svbs.co.uk/ www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/stopthespread https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coronavirus-covid-19-staying-at-home-tips/ http://www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/services-and-advice/coronavirus-community-support https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/council/coronavirus-covid-19 https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-abuse-how-to-get-help https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/c19/coronavirus-covid-19/ As ever, any questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Best wishes & stay safe, Cllr Simon Howell Watchfield and Shrivenham Ward 17th November 2020  VACANCY FOR A PARISH COUNCILLOR The Council has one vacancy at the moment and would like to co-opt a Councillor. If you would like to be considered, please send CV/Letter of interest to the Clerk. Deadline for applications 11th Dec 2020 For further information, please see our website details below or contact the Clerk or Chair Richard May. [email protected] [email protected] https://www.greatcoxwell.com/parish-council.html To stand for election to become a parish councillor you must be:
Disqualifications from standing There are certain people who are disqualified from being elected to a parish or community council in England and Wales. You cannot be a candidate if at the time of your nomination and on the day of the election, any of the following are true:
Remembrance Sunday was marked on Sunday as planned by our small group of three who laid the wreaths at the War Memorial and read the Act of Remembrance and the Kohima Epitaph. It was good to see the villagers who stood at their doors or gateways and joined in the two-minute silence with us. It leant an air of normality to the proceedings and added solemnity to the occasion. We hope that next year we will be able to be back to normal. Thursday, Armistice Day is also the day of the funeral of Revd Dr Derek Turner. Please remember him and Revd Maureen on the day and in your prayers. If you have not seen it elsewhere, you may be interested in this link that was sent to me by a friend in the Arts Society Upper Thames, which tells the story of the burial of the Unknown Soldier in Westminster Abbey, commissioned by Westminster Council and including the Military Wives Choirs singing 'Abide with Me'. https://westminster.gov.uk/unknownwarrior100 Keep safe, everybody.  After much consultation it has been decided that because of the latest Covid-19 situation we should not hold our usual Act of Remembrance at the War Memorial this year. However, we feel it is only right that we mark the occasion in some way albeit in a much more simplified way.
In order to lay the usual wreaths on Sunday, Richard May on behalf of the Parish Council and Pam Smith on behalf of the WI, will carry the wreaths to the War Memorial, leaving the cross roads at 10.50 and keeping two metres apart down the road. At the War Memorial, the words of Remembrance will be said and the wreaths will be laid. This will then be followed by the two minute silence at 11 o’clock. The words of the Kohima Epitaph will end the ceremony. We will then return up the village. We would ask you not to attend the ceremony so that the Government guidelines can be observed, as otherwise we would have to prepare risk assessments, etc. Those along the route are welcome to observe from their doorsteps. Anyone who wishes to lay a personal wreath or cross is, of course, welcome to do so but are asked to wait until the road is clear (about 11.10). Thank you Dear Councillor’s - in advance of the official government announcement this afternoon, we are writing to inform you that Oxford City will be moving to the ‘high’ level of the COVID alert system from Saturday 31 October.
The rest of the county will remain at ‘medium’ (tier 1) level at the present time. The national three-tier system, which was recently introduced in England, classifies areas as medium (tier 1), high (tier 2) or very high (tier 3), based on their numbers of infection and overall risk level. What will change? The move from tier 1 to tier 2 will result in the introduction of a number of additional restrictions in the city of Oxford. Overall, it means that Oxford residents will not be permitted to socialise with anybody outside of their household or support bubble in any indoor setting, whether at home or in a public place. You can read more on the government’s website about what ‘high’ restrictions will entail. Why is Oxford moving? Oxford city will move into tier 2 as a preventative measure to stem the transmission rate and protect our most vulnerable residents. Over the past three weeks, we have not only seen a continued rise in cases in the city, but increasing evidence of the spread of the virus, beyond people in their teens and twenties, to older and potentially more vulnerable age groups. Hospital admissions have begun to increase as a result. We know that transmission of the virus takes place largely as a result of inter-household mixing. By moving Oxford into tier 2, which prevents households from mixing in indoor settings, we are taking preventative measures to stop the situation from escalating further. This is particularly important with events such as Halloween, Bonfire Night and Diwali approaching, when many households will be planning to come together to socialise. Keeping all our residents safe The central government decision to move Oxford into tier 2 follows intensive discussions between local authority partners, MPs, central government and Public Health England. All partners across the Oxfordshire system had strongly advocated for the county as a whole to move to tier 2 on account of rising cases across all districts combined with the spread of the virus beyond people in their teens and twenties to older and potentially more vulnerable age groups. We are disappointed that, despite clear evidence showing the virus is now spreading rapidly across the county, the decision was taken to move just Oxford into tier 2 at the present time. However, we will continue to push for the rest of the county to move as soon as possible. We realise that having Oxford in a different tier to the rest of the county adds complexity. To help with this, we are publishing a comprehensive set of Q&As about the new restrictions on our website at www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/highalertlevel. These set out the rules residents need to follow in high alert areas and provide advice for those who regularly travel between areas in different tiers, for example to go to work or school. We will be working with partners across the Oxfordshire system to issue extended communications informing residents about the new alert level and urging people to adhere to the new restrictions. We would be very grateful for your support in promoting these messages to your constituents and urging all residents across the county to continue to follow prevention measures, including keeping your distance, washing your hands frequently, and using a face covering. Kind regards, Yvonne Rees and Ansaf Azhar Chief Executive Director of Public Health  Read here
People in Oxfordshire are being advised to be extra vigilant, particularly over half-term, as cases of coronavirus continue to spread across the county. Evidence shows that, in the past two weeks, the virus has spread to a much wider age range across the county and is no longer confined to younger people in urban areas. Hospital admissions have begun to increase as a result. Oxfordshire County Council’s Director for Public Health Ansaf Azhar said: “Across all areas of the county, we are starting to see a significant shift in the spread of the virus beyond people in their teens and 20s to older and more vulnerable age groups. This is a really concerning development. We know that, once the virus starts to spread to more vulnerable groups, then hospital cases will rise and deaths will inevitably follow. “We have seen what’s been happening across the north of England and how the virus has quickly taken hold across huge swathes of the community. Based on the current trajectory of the virus, we could well find ourselves in a similar position in just a few weeks’ time if we do not take collective action now.” “With half-term approaching, as well as events such as Halloween, Bonfire Night and Diwali coming up, it’s very easy to get caught up in the excitement of meeting up and celebrating with friends and family. But we mustn’t forget about COVID. We need to do everything we can to keep our families and communities safe and stop the spread. “I know the temptation will be to meet up and socialise over half-term. However, the virus thrives when people are in close contact with one another. So I would strongly urge everyone to limit their social interactions and focus instead on the many COVID-secure family activities that are taking place over half-term.” Oxfordshire is currently at the ‘medium’ or tier 1 level in the COVID-19 alert system. This is the national three-tier system, which classifies areas as medium, high or very high based on their numbers of infection and overall risk level. Discussions have taken place this week with central Government about whether all areas of Oxfordshire should move to the ‘high’ alert level, given concerns over the spread of the virus to age groups beyond people in their teens and 20s to potentially more vulnerable groups. The decision has been taken not to move the county to a high alert level at this stage. However, the situation is being monitored extremely closely and Oxfordshire’s Director of Public Health and Council Leaders are pushing for a move to happen as soon as possible. Moving to a high alert level would mean that residents could not socialise with anybody outside their household or support bubble in any indoor setting, whether at home or in a public place. Leader of Oxfordshire County Council Ian Hudspeth said: “In light of the escalating situation across the county, we are pushing hard for Oxfordshire to be moved to a high alert level. This would be a preventative measure to stem the spread of the virus and protect the county’s most vulnerable residents. “We are aware that some businesses, particularly the hospitality sector, would be affected if we moved to a high alert level, and we welcome the announcement from Government today that additional support will be available. “However, we must do everything we can to keep residents across the county safe. We know that the majority of transmissions occur when different households mix, so increasing our alert level to high, which prevents households from mixing socially in indoor settings, is one of the best ways we can help our residents at this critical time.” |
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