News

David Gill writes: We are now at the end of the fourth week of the building work at Holy Trinity Church which means that we are nearly at the half-way point. Here are some photographs showing the servery floor beginning to be laid and the entrance area being levelled up and re-surfaced.

Please see below a summary from Sean Woodcock MP on his work throughout October.

Cerys Upstone
Policy and Communications Officer for Sean Woodcock MP
Email: cerys.upstone@parliament.uk

October Round up

October started by returning back to Banbury from Liverpool after the Labour Party Conference. As Parliament was still on recess for a little while longer, I was able to continue prioritising local businesses and organisations. I am always out and about around Banbury and North Oxfordshire, meeting with people and speaking to residents.

This has included schools and education providers, like Bloxham Grove Academy, Wykham Park Academy, and Orchard Fields School. I also visited Banbury College to mark T Levels week, celebrating the amazing vocational courses offered to post-16s to train them up for the future.

I have also been out celebrating successes and listening to the concerns of local businesses, including Cleenol, Revival MK 2, Cross Embroidery, Wyatt’s Garden Centre, and many more. These visits give me an opportunity to speak with staff and managers about any possible issues, and if any casework is raised, my team and I can then intervene to help where I can.

Speaking to individual residents about their issues has also been a priority. I have held drop-ins for people in the constituency to speak to me and have held meetings with constituents to understand how they need my assistance.

I have been lucky enough to also attend some new local developments, such as the opening of the new PlayZone in Princess Diana park and the Grand Opening of Rosalie nursing home. These new facilities will be great for local people, catering for different groups of people with different priorities.

In Parliament, I have spent time sitting on the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill Committee, which aims to put power back in our regions and communities. I have also been elected to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee. Housing is the most common issue that constituents bring to me in casework, so I look forward to using this new role to represent their issues more effectively.

Concerns regarding FirstPort is also something I have been working on, having attended a meeting where witnesses from across the UK shared harrowing accounts of their experiences with FirstPort, the country’s largest property management company. The testimonies were deeply troubling and revealed a consistent pattern of neglect and mistreatment of leaseholders. Despite recent scrutiny, it’s clear that FirstPort has made little meaningful progress. FirstPort must take real responsibility and deliver the accountability and reform that residents deserve. I was pleased that the Minister of State for Housing, Matthew Pennycook, has acknowledged this and confirmed that action is being taken.

I have been attending lots of meetings on the issues that matter to constituents, such as on warm homes and delivering for rural consumers, a drop in on ‘care week’, and a meeting on enforcing the hunting ban. I have also visited the Army as part of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme I am on, which is teaching me lots about those working on the frontline. I also met with the Water Minister, Emma Hardy, about Thames Water. I was pleased to hear that the number of fines are being increased, and that any increase in bills must be spent on infrastructure, with refunds given if Thames Water don’t deliver. I will continue fighting so local people get the service they deserve,

In terms of local wins, I have been delighted to hear that the Secretary of State for Housing and Local Government has said he will not call in the OUFC Stadium application and it’s back to Cherwell District Council for final sign offs. I hope the new stadium can go ahead as speedily as possible, something which I have been campaigning for on behalf of local fans. I have also welcomed the start of work being done to the Maternity unit at the Horton, following a £3.3m investment into our local hospital.

As always, any issues, please email me at sean.woodcock.mp@parliament.uk and I will be happy to help.

Maureen Hicks writes: Thinking of all those have died, been wounded in body or mind or who have served for our freedom I wanted to do something to mark my personal respect in a tangible way. I had seen a fall of poppies cascading from a turret at the Black Watch Museum in Perth when the poppies from the Tower of London were touring the country.

So, the idea of creating a fall of poppies for our own War Memorial in Sibford was born. Joined by friends, knitters and crocheters we sorted or purchased wool and got busy. In addition to the usual red poppies we have created a few white ones to remember those who chose not to fight but worked in other ways to support the nation. Several Sibfordian Quakers served in the Friends Ambulance Service recovering wounded soldiers from the Front Line. There are also a few purple ones to remember the animals, especially the horses, who bravely supported the military in the First World War.

While thanking all those who have made poppies. I hope our own fall of poppies will add a special touch at this time of Remembrance.

The Governors of Sibford Gower Primary School would welcome interest from any potential new Governors committed to raising educational outcomes of all children at our small, popular village school.

Potential new governors should have a willingness to

• Work positively with others as part of a team to provide strategic leadership and challenge to the head teacher.
• Develop their knowledge and understanding of their role and of the key issues and priorities facing primary schools by attending training, reading papers, attending evening meetings (4 virtual and 2 face to face per year), and visiting the school.

If you would like to find out more about becoming a Governor and how to apply for one of our vacancies, please contact Lauren Hayes, senior governance professional to the Warriner Multi Academy Trust e.james@warriner.oxon.sch.uk

Trustee appointed Governor Application – Sibford Gower (pdf)

Trustee appointed Governor Application – Sibford Gower (Word doc)

David Gill writes: We are now at the end of the third week of the construction  work at Holy Trinity Church. All is going according to plan and we remain confident that the work will be complete in time for our Christingle Service at 5.00pm on Sunday 14th December.

We are conscious of , and apologise for, any inconvenience to  car drivers whilst the width of Main Street was temporarily reduced. In particular this may have affected parents when taking their children to school and collecting them at the end of the day. The good news is that this part of the project is now substantially over with the road width being fully restored.

As of Wednesday (29 Oct), if you drive through one of the congestion points in Oxford you will be charged £5 for the day.

As residents of Oxfordshire, Sibford villagers are entitled to a permit which allows them 25 days of free travel through all six charging points. If you have two cars, you can get a separate permit for each (ie 50 days in total), but only if the cars are registered to different people.

You can apply online here. You’ll be asked to upload scanned images of the vehicle V5C registration document, and of a utility or council tax bill or some other proof of address.

If you’re unable to apply online, you can apply by phone on 01865 519 800.

More information here.

If you’re travelling to the JR, avoid the congestion charge by approaching via the northern bypass. Similarly for the Churchill  – either take the most direct route via the JR or take London Road through Headington from the bypass.

Oxfordshire County Council has been informed of a temporary emergency road closure on Main Street, Sibford Ferris whilst boundary box exchange works are carried out for public safety reasons.

A temporary Emergency Notice is being made to implement the temporary closure and will operate from 23/10/2025. The anticipated completion date is 27/10/2025

Access will be maintained for emergency service vehicles and for those frontages within the closure area, subject to the progress of the works and liaison with the works supervisor. 

Further information regarding the works may be obtained by contacting Thames Water Helpdesk on 0800 316 9800.

T16897 Main Street, Sibford Ferris Main Street, Sibford Ferris

Your webmaster adds: According to Causeway one.network the actual roadworks are at the Woodway Road junction. Keep this in mind as you try to make sense of the diversion signs.

David Gill writes: There has not been lot going on internally in the last week but this will change next week when hopefully the stone floor will start being laid.

David Gill writes: Building work (“reordering”) to improve the access and facilities at Holy Trinity Church commenced on 5th October. It is a big job but we remain confident that it will be completed on time and  that  services  in the Church will resume before Christmas. Here are some initial photographs of the work that is taking place.

A resident has kindly provided details of this training scheme to Sibford Ferris Parish Council. Whilst online training will never be as good as in person training we felt it would be useful to share this information as even a small amount of extra knowledge can be useful in an emergency situation.

https://www.bhf.org.uk/how-you-can-help/how-to-save-a-life/how-to-do-cpr/learn-cpr-in-15-minutes  

Due to the Parish Council currently being inquorate with only two members, District Cllrs Chris Brant, Phil Chapman, and Doug Webb have been temporarily appointed to the Parish Council.

The temporary appointments will cease once the Parish Council is quorate without the temporary appointees.

Whilst we very much appreciate the District Cllrs being willing to join us in order to help us continue to act for the community, we feel that the best way for decisions to be made for the benefit of the local area is for the council to be made up of people from the parish. 

Are you interested in making a difference?

We’re looking for enthusiastic people who want to help maintain and improve our village. The current term for this position runs until May 2026, at which point you would be welcome to stand for re-election.

The Parish Council meets four times a year (in Mar, May, Sep, and Dec) with additional meetings called as needed for planning applications or other urgent matters. We anticipate holding an extra meeting to co-opt new members, so please express your interest soon.

CRITERIA FOR STANDING AS A PARISH COUNCILLOR

Candidates must fit at least one of the following criteria –

• On Electoral Register (i.e. registered to vote) for the parish
• Have occupied as owner or tenant any land or other premises in the parish/community area over the last 12 months
• Lived within 3 miles of the parish over the last 12 months
• Their principal place of work is in the parish and has been for at least 12 months

If you are interested in filling one of the remaining three vacancies on the Parish Council or have some questions about the role please e-mail Kirsty Buttle, the Parish Clerk, on sibford.gower.pc@thesibfords.org.uk