Welcome to the Baldons WebsiteSat, 28th January 2023

The Website

The Baldons Community website is the place to come for information about our parishes.
It serves the villages of Marsh, Toot and Little Baldon in Oxfordshire. We hope you find it useful. 

Looking for an interest group  or upcoming events? Need to know the times for the Mobile Library or Fireworks Night? You're in the right place

Using the Baldons Community website you can stay up to date in the areas that you care about. Just look down the navigation menu on the left to see what is going on in the Baldons. Click on a section to see more. A plus sign means there are sub-sections to go into.

Please contact us if you have questions concerning the parish or the work of the Parish Council, if you have any concerns that you feel the Council should be aware of or where it can help or support you.

NB The Parish Council is not responsible for content appearing on this website.

Content and Contacts

We rely on local people to help keep content up to date. Ideas and suggestions? Please contact Peter Burke

Latest News

Local news: click here.

Follow This Link for an Update from Baldons Community Action Group

Newsletters

You can find an archive of newsletters going back to 2014 by clicking here

Mary Braybrooke

As many of you will know, Mary Braybrooke sadly died on 12 December.  There will be a memorial service at Dorchester Abbey at 2pm on Monday 27th February, which will be led by the former Bishop of Oxford, John Pritchard.

We hope to include a fuller tribute to Mary shortly, but I wanted to include a personal note in this edition. 

Mary became part of this community when her husband Marcus was appointed vicar to the Baldons and Nuneham Courtenay in the early 1990s.   Mary, a social worker, was a Child Care Officer, a Kidney Support Officer, pioneering surgery-based social work, as well as a magistrate.

She played an integral part in Marcus’ ministry both locally and internationally, as part of the worldwide inter-faith movement, and indeed her work on different faiths’ view of organ transplants won international recognition.

I met Mary just as I was heading off to university, when she arrived in the Baldons, and throughout my adult life she was a much loved and inspirational influence in my life.  She was an enthusiastic part of village life, whether singing in the church choir, on the stage in the Baldons Players am-dram society, playing in the handbell team or setting up local groups to support those who were house-bound, among many other activities.

Although she had retired from the magistracy before I joined, her steadfast faith and her belief in justice inspired me, and she encouraged me in my ambitions to become a magistrate and always wanted to hear how it was all going.  

Mary and Marcus had retired to Devon in 2021, but visited the Baldons in October, when despite significant frailty, she still took an active part in a Team service at Clifton Hampden and was pleased to see many local friends.  I know I will not be alone in missing her wisdom and perspective on the world, and in sending love and prayers to Marcus, Rachel and Jeremy and the whole family.

Natasha Eliot

Another Solar Farm Proposal

This proposal, if it proceeds, will significantly impact the area.
The exhibition was held on 8th November but information is available online.

Details here: www.nuneham-solarfarm.co.uk 

Proposed New Constituency Boundaries Announced

The new boundaries are now out for consultation. The Baldons would be relocated to the Wantage constituency, now renamed Didcot and Wantage. You can see further details, including a link to use for your response, here.

Baldons Parish Council - an announcement

The Baldons Parish Council and the people of Marsh Baldon Toot Baldon and Little Baldon were deeply saddened to hear the news of the death of Her Majesty Elizabeth The Second. The council extends its sincere condolences to members of the Queen’s family and our new King Charles the Third .

Books of condolence have been available in both our churches, St Peter's and St  Laurence’s, for anyone wishing to pay their respects.

Dorothy Tonge

Chairman
 

Have your say!

Consultation on new traffic filters in Oxford. See here for details.

Fireworks

Took place on November 5th on the Green. Good turnout, fun was had by all
You can see some drone video footage here

Drone photo courtesy of Joe Cullen

Stretching Classes every Tuesday

Fitness / stretching classes Tuesdays in the village hall 15 & 22 November
Contact zoetfitness@outlook.com 

Annual Churches Cycle Ride

This was held on 10th September. Details here

We had a great and joyful turnout on the Green. More Details here.

 

 

 

 

CPRE Trustees Wanted

Details here

 

Ukraine

In the light of the terrible events unfolding in Ukraine, many villagers will be wondering how they can help. Here are some suggestions from the Ukrainian Institute. And the Disasters Emergency Committee is open to donations.

 

 

New Solar Farm Proposed At Nineveh Farm - Update July 2022

This is a significant proposal which is likely to impact on the village.

See here for details of the proposal, and here for the Parish Council's Response.

​The proposal has now been approved by SODC. See here for details of the approval and here for the latest update.

 

 

 

Fallow & Fields

For details of the new take-away menu see here.

 

 

Local Plan Update - December 2020

For latest details of the local plan, click here

Challenge to Grenoble Road Expansion and Local Plan

Bioabundance Community Interest Company is challenging the South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035 (LP2035) on the grounds of climate change, improper pressure put on councillors to adopt the plan, excessive and incorrectly calculated housing numbers, and inadequate consultation.

Details here

 

 

From Our County Councillor

Robin Bennett Writes: See here

 

From Our District Councillor

Sam Casey-Rerhaye Writes: See here

 

 

Seven Stars 

 

Latest News: The pub is now open 5 days a week for food and drink. See here for details.

As always, if there are any questions, don’t hesitate to raise them with a member of the committee or to info@bncsltd.com. 

Please phone on 01865343337 or 07747681005. Click here for details of the pub and here for the menu.

Also on Facebook

 

 

Mole Inn 

The mole is open for business. Details here.

 

 

 

 

 

New Deli in Nuneham!

See News Section for details

 

 

 

2021 Farewells

Over the year 2021 the village has said farewell to several longstanding residents. They will be greatly missed.

Dr Ron Hewitt died in March. 

Peter Day died on 19th May Obituary here.

Joan Martin - June

Beryl Polley - August

Peter Delafield - September. More details here

The Rev Tony Moore, formerly our parish vicar, also died during the year - see here

 

Recycling Centres open again 

See here for details

 

 

Baldons and Nuneham Courtenay Facebook Community Group

This Community group has now been set up. It is a closed group. Local people can apply to join by following this link: 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/649072455902829/.

This is a useful resource for those who want to communicate with neighbours to offer or request help at these difficult times.

 

Pandemic Scammers

Beware! Here is a warning from the County Council about unscrupulous people who are taking advantage of the pandemic to swindle the public.

 

Painted Stones Around The Villages

Seen them? More here

 

Cockadoo Closure

Sadly our beloved local pub/restaurant, the Cockadoo at Nuneham Courtenay, has been forced to close. The statement from the management can be read here:

http://www.baldons.org.uk/news.php?template=2&id=631

The two local pubs in the Baldons, the Seven Stars and the Mole, have reopened for business. Details are on the websites:

https://www.sevenstarsonthegreen.co.uk/

https://themoleinn.com/

 

 

Baldons waste Collections

Details here. 

 

 

Local Plan

There is a revised SODC Local Plan with huge implications for this community and this is now at the Examination Stage, following a recommendation by the Inspector that it be accepted. Comments may still be submitted until 2 November, see here for the latest information.

 

 

Gravel Extraction

 

There has been a proposal from Oxford County Council to develop a large gravel extraction site north of Nuneham Courtenay, between the A4074 and the Thames. This has been opposed in the strongest terms by the local community and by the Brahma Kumaris, who will be greatly impacted. The consultation period has ended but it is still no harm to let your views be known.

 

The current position is that the proposal has been placed on hold as economically unviable. We hope that remains the case.

 

 

.  

If you want to write directly to the local government office, please do so, and reference site SG42 in an email to mineralsandwasteplanconsultation@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Or you can do so online at: 

https://consultations.oxfordshire.gov.uk/consult.ti/MWDraftSitesPlan/consultationHome

Here is a link to the full minerals and waste plan: https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/sites/default/files/file/planning-minerals-and-waste/OMWLP_SiteAllocationsFINALPLAN.pdf.

 

Please see also a message from Councillor Elizabeth Gillespie under 'News' (click here).

 

 

 

The Baldons Neighbourhood Plan 

The Neighbourhood Plan is important because it will give residents a say on future development in the Baldons. The Parish Council shares the view that people will want to take the opportunity to influence the future of the place where they live or work and that the Plan for the Parish should be written by the Parish rather than by Planning Officers.

Latest update here

For full details read here

Please contact us on: baldonsplan@gmail.com.

 

The Baldons Neighbourhood Plan Referendum Result

 

The Baldons neighbourhood plan received an overwhelming majority ‘YES’ vote at referendum on the 4th October 2018. The official results are:

Electorate eligible to vote: 320

Votes Cast: 154 or 48.1%

Votes Yes:   140

Votes No:    14

Details have been posted on the SODC website

http://www.southoxon.gov.uk/services-and-advice/planning-and-building/planning-policy/neighbourhood-plans/baldons-neighbourhood-

 

Reports will now go to members of the Cabinet and then Council to formally adopt the plan.

 

 

Newsletters

Click here to see an archive of parish newsletters

 

 

Teenagers for tennis?

I would like to guage interest in the idea of a simple youth tennis tournament as a way of the under 18s in the area to meet one another in a fun way.  
If enough people are interested to get critical mass, we can start to think about date, courts and format.
Please send me an email at domnewland@yahoo.co.uk if you are interested in hearing more or getting involved.
Dom Newland 

 

Baldon Runners

The Runners are out and about, at 8 am on Saturdays. There will be 9 am sessions for those starting or restarting running, in the New Year.

 

Click here for details

 

 

 

 

South Oxfordshire Local Plan

The Council which was elected in May 2019 has decided not to adopt the Plan developed by the previous Council. This decision has been overruled by The Secretary of State for Housing, Robert Jenrick. SODC is challenging this decision. Watch this space.

 

 

Defibrillator on the Village Green

Now installed. See News, click here.

 

 

 

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Grenoble Road and the Green Belt

There is still a threat to the Green Belt. Details here

 

Upcoming events

See bottom of page