LVCA Chairman’s Update

Posted on by

Well summer is upon us, although some days it feels more like autumn or winter, I hope you’re enjoying the good weather when it’s here. Here’s my latest update on the LVCA’s activity.

The hall improvements continue, we are fast approaching the refurb of the ladies’ toilets, work taking place from August 12th – 25th is to bring them to the same look and standard as the gents and access toilet. We have been very fortunate to obtain government funding via Cherwell District Council which has given us the bulk of the costs, while we’ll also be using our own funding to pay the difference.

We have submitted a grant application for an upgrade to a heating control system that works with our online booking system that identifies what the required temperature is and uses indoor and outdoor probes to know when to put the heating on and for how long to heat the room to the required temperature. Within this grant application we have asked for more loft insulation. We hope to get an answer soon.

We will be starting in the autumn to apply for grants in the hope we can raise enough funding to upgrade the kitchen and install a dishwasher, hopefully this will complete the refurb for the next few years.

The VAS (vehicle speed indicator) unit has been along by the school for several weeks now and we have the first stats reports which will be published on facebook and our website shortly. It’s been a very useful tool and hopefully reminds people about their speed. We still have a few ‘boy racers’ who spoil things for the rest of us. We will continue to move the unit around as a reminder to continue the good speeds that the vast majority of people are adopting on the estate.

We now have agreement to replace all the street name signs on old Langford that are still the original ones. These will be done in batches hopefully during the financial year, all of which smartens us up and makes it once again easy for visitors to read the street names.

The general election has delayed the exhibition of the proposed two London Road options and as yet we don’t know when these will now be revealed. Please watch our facebook for updates.

We have had more changes to the 108 bus service through Langford. These started on July 1st, we have published the new timetable on our website for viewing or downloading a copy. You can click here to do so right now.

Finally, LVCA is in need of some help in the form of a person with a few hours to spare to assist in the administration of the classes we now run. This can all be done from home and just requires IT literacy. There must be someone amongst the 5,500 residents of Langford that can help with this.

Please contact me via email or phone if you’d like to discuss:

chairman@lvca.org.uk (tel: 07811 283257)

Kind Regards,

Carole

Carole Hetherington

Chairman, Langford Village Community Association (LVCA)

Latest 108 bus service timetable

Posted on by

There are some changes to the 108 bus timetable, reflecting the extra services recently added.

Here is the latest timetable from 1st July 2024. Click on the image for an enlarged view or to download and print off a copy.

Rosé Wine Tasting at the Hall – Sat 13th July at 5.30pm

Posted on by

Rosé Wines are the go-to wines for summer for many people who enjoy a well chilled and fruity refreshing drink on a long hot summer day. So we invite you to join us for a tasting of a variety of rosé drinks on Saturday 13th July at 5.30pm to 8pm, starting with some fizz, a cocktail and a variety of wines from various countries.

Whilst this is going to be an informal tasting, there will be a little information as to how these wines are produced, the different styles available and hopefully it will encourage you to try something you might not have considered. We will also have an option of some red wine for those who prefer this style, although our prime focus this time is rosé.

We will also have a tea tasting available for those not wishing to partake in the alcohol offerings. Sample a variety of teas ranging from decaffeinated, fruit, black and green. 

To complement the wines and the tea, there will be an assortment of cheese and biscuits provided.

This evening will be free of charge, although you will need to reserve your place by email to bookings@lvca.org.uk.

Please do this right away to ensure your place. The tasting is open to all over the age of 18.

If you enjoy the evening, you may like to leave a donation to cover costs.

Please do come and join us for a relaxed evening at Langford Village Community Hall.

Voting arrangements for New Langford residents

Posted on by

We’ve been notified ( via Councillor Cotter ) that residents of New Langford will need to go to the Garth to cast their vote at the General Election called for July 4th 2024. 

The previously used temporary polling station sited on Corncrake Way will NOT be in place and so we’re helping to give early notice of this to all on New Langford. 

The decision to make a polling station at the Garth instead of on Corncrake has been taken by the elections team based at Cherwell District Council. There has been no explanation.

Some residents have already expressed concern about this change and feel it is either too difficult or too distant for them to get to the Garth to vote.

If this is the case, there are two alternatives that New Langford residents can consider. You could choose to register to make your vote by post or by proxy, where you give another person permission to go to your local polling station and to make a vote as per your instruction.  

To apply for a postal vote the deadline is 5pm on June 19th and you should click here to read more and follow the instructions.

To apply for a proxy vote the deadline is 5pm on June 26th and to learn more you should click here and see if you wish to choose this method.

The polling station at Langford Village Community Centre will also be open on July 4th and remains the place for residents of original Langford Village areas to vote. People with New Langford addresses are not able to vote at the Hall and must go to the Garth on election day.

All polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm and voters are reminded that they must now provide an accepted form of photo id in order to be able to vote.

EWR Update for Spring/Summer 2024

Posted on by

To read the latest newsletter produced by East West Rail please click here.

EWR has also recently announced that because of the General Election called for July 4th there will now be a delay in revealing its findings on the possible route of a new crossing at or near London Road.

Originally this information was expected to be unveiled in June but this will not now happen until a later date which is so far unstated.

Election Result

Posted on by

Here’s the result of the vote to elect a new district councillor for Bicester South and Ambrosden held on 2nd May. It’s a win for Frank Ideh of the Liberal Democrats.

He will now join the two other Cherwell district councillors who already represent Langford’s residents and other people who live in the near vicinity.

Local Elections May 2024

Posted on by

There will be 4 candidates standing for the local Cherwell District Council ward (Bicester South and Ambrosden) at the election on May 2nd.

Click here for details of the candidates as shown in the elections notice of April 5th.

We will also be asked to cast a vote to elect Thames Valley’s police and crime commissioner (PCC).

Click here to find some details about the candidates who’re standing for PCC.

The Langford Village polling stations will be open on May 2nd from 7am to 10pm.

A springtime walking route through Langford and Graven Hill

Posted on by

The new 2024 walking route we posted to our facebook page has proved quite popular so here it is for our website followers and friends who’re up for somewhere else to stroll nearby.

You can walk from any point on the map/route though the marked start (A) and finish point for this one is the postbox at the Peregrine Way and Shearwater Drive junction. Start with a walk down to Jubilee Lake then over to Graven Hill via the Rodney House roundabout and back through the tunnel beneath the A41 and over the London Road to return to Langford again.

To download and print off a copy of the map just click here

OR to download a gtx file for a navigation device or phone app click here

The full distance of the route is around 3.5 miles and so it will take between an hour or two to complete, longer if you choose to stop at one of the two coffee shops, the wine bar or the pub – all of which you’ll be passing. Why not let us know how you get on with a comment here?

Daffodils near the entrance to Graven Hill in late March 2024 (outside of the public access area)

posted by Chris A’Court

The Welcome to Langford leaflet is here

Posted on by

Do you know of new people who’re moving onto Langford Village?

Langford Village Community Association and FLTR Coffee have recently worked together to produce a leaflet with essential local information to assist all Langford newcomers as they start to settle in here.

All our local Bicester estate agents and letting agencies now have supplies of the leaflet to hand out and there are also some in FLTR and at the Langford Village Community Centre Hall, in Nightingale Place, OX26 6XX.

Please ask any new residents if they’ve received a leaflet and, if they haven’t got one, encourage them to pick up a copy soon – or you could help out by dropping a copy to them.

Many thanks,

Carole, Chairman LVCA