Read my latest news and views…
Keeping phones out of the classroom
Mobile phones during the school day they distract pupils, disrupt classes, can lead to poor discipline and lower attainment.
Oxfordshire County Council confirm key road due to close for up to eight months
Council officers have confirmed: “…it is anticipated that the B4016 will be closed for up to eight months and that closure will commence in the summer of 2027.”
Plans to improve CCTV across Oxfordshire now agreed
Matthew Barber, Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley, has confirmed that all Oxfordshire councils are now signed up to join the Thames Valley CCTV Partnership. This comes after the PCC voiced concerns at the end of last year that delayed engagement may threaten the viability of the programme.
CCTV at risk in Oxfordshire due to lack of engagement from local councils
Police and Crime Commissioner, Matthew Barber, warned that plans to improve CCTV in Oxfordshire are at risk as local councils refuse to join a new partnership.
Councils have continually missed deadlines and now missed funding to support improvements to CCTV across the county.
Is the government calling time on local pubs?
Following the Chancellor’s budget in late November, which put an even greater tax burden on millions of people across the country, there was even worse news for our struggling hospitality industry.
New analysis from UKHospitality shows that the average pub’s business rates, even with the reduced multiplier and transitional relief, will increase 15% next year.
Will the demise of Police & Crime Commissioners save money?
The Home Office has announced the abolition of Police & Crime Commissioners, describing the role as “a failed experiment” and claiming massive savings.
In reality it is a thinly veiled move in the direction of centralisation and a loss of operational independence.