Blog 2016 -2017

The start of another council year with both Oxfordshire and Cherwell councils having the annual meetings on the same day.

5^th May Local elections for Cherwell DC. I was re-elected to a three member ward all the Conservatives were re-elected. We then escaped to Bavaria to recover. Flying to Zurich, hiring a car and driving to Lindau on Lake Constance (Bodensee) to stay in the Relais Michelin Star Hotel Villino.

View from our room “Paradiso” and part of the gardens

6-8May visit Lichtenstein via Austria

Lichtenstein – a sneak look into the Prince’s garden. Lindau is near Friedrichshavn where the Zeppelin airships were made and you can take trips from the same airfield.

17^th May 2016 – start of council year with Annual Council meetings both at Oxfordshire County Council and Cherwell District Council.

Cllr John Sanders puts the chain of office on Cllr Michael Wayne who becomes Chairman for 2016-17

Cllr Chris Heath becomes Chairman for 2016-17 for Cherwell District Council being sworn in by Sue Smith the Chief Executive.

New Cherwell Coat of Arms presented by Sir Tony Baldry former MP.

 19^th May – Bicester Garrison to meet new Chief of Staff.

20^th May – Lunch with friends from Australia

21^st May – Conservative Gala Dinner at Blenheim Palace

Rt Hon Dominic Grieve QC speaking

21^st – 22^nd May friends staying – visit Waddeston Manor

23^rd May – Langford Village School 20 year celebration

25^th May – London Chelsea Flower Show

26^th May -30^th May Friends and family staying

2^nd June – 8^th June Scotland for Army Ornithological Society AGM at Aviemore.

Capercaillie and Red Squirrel in Rothiemurchus forest

Edinburgh Castle

Ponies in friends garden near Edinburgh

8^th June Parish Liaison meeting at Cherwell DC

9^th June – OCC Group Meeting County Hall

10^th – 11^th June – London for Theatre visit and staying with friends

See Threepenny Opera at National Theatre and dine at Petite Blanc

15^th June – Emergency planning briefing at the Woodeaton bunker

16^th June – Wendlebury Parish Council

20^th June – Armed Forces Day flag raising at County Hall

20^th June – Summer Solstice and Strawberry Moon

23^rd June – EU referendum

24^th June – Oxfordshire ESU Dinner at Balliol College

Guests enjoying a pre-dinner glass of bubbly Col Bruce Duncan on left a contemporary of mine at Sandhurst Dinner – L R Frof William Whyte (speaker) Lucia Dumont from Paris – President of International Council, myself, Lady Felicity Blair, Catherine Robson

With Jane Easton ESU DG and Jan with Lord Blair Sample of the excellent dinner.

25^th June – ESU Members Conference Malmaison Hotel

Sunday with friends who joined us the dinner.

26^th June Churchill Lodge Summer reception

30^th June – Health Overview Scrutiny Committee

1^st 3^rd July – Visitors for weekend

4^th July – Love Labours Lost at Wadham College

5^th July – Oxford Buildings Trust visit to Chalgrove Church followed by Board Meeting

6^th July ESU AGM

7^th July – Audit Briefing OCC

OCC Group Meeting

8^th July – Members briefing County Hall

To London

9th July – Deep Blue Sea at the National Theatre

10^th J July return

12^th July – County Council

Son Andrew and family arrive from Australia

Rare picture of both my sons and grandson – Philip, Finlay (from Australia), Sam from Chesham and Andre from Australia

15^th July – son and family leave – Veteran’s Forum Brooke Barracks

16^th July – Jan flies to Seattle to stay with family

18^th July – Cherwell DC Full Council

20^th July – Piddington PC

Walk round Otmoor reserve and saw the rare Bittern now believed to be breeding.

21^st July – Ambrosden PC

23^rd July – Churchill Lodge cocktail party

26^th July – 11^th August – holiday with family in Seattle and villa at The Ocean Shores on the Pacific Coast of Washington state.

Cottage on the Ocean Shores of the Pacific

Seattle Market

Spitfire at the Air Show

16^th August – Graven Hill Village Holding Company Board Meeting

18^th August – Ambrosden PC

20^th August – Blue Plaque unveiling Raymond and Hope ffennell and their daughter Hazel, Creators of Hill End Centre for outdoor learning and education in 1926 Hill End, Eynsham Road, Farmoor.

21^st August – Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum – Dad’s Army inspected by Brig Inshaw DL

23^rd August – Parish Meeting in Islip

24^th August – Regents Park London to see Jesus Christ Super Star

25^th August – 30^th August – Winchelsea and Rye –Rye Jazz Festival

30^th August – 31^st August with army friends in Sussex

1^st September – Thrupp village meeting to discuss traffic and parking.

6^th September – Bicester Town Council

Arncott PC

8^th September Seniors Forum Bodicote House

Horton cum Studley PC

Charlton PC

13^th September – Islip PC (too late!)

ESU School Leavers Awards

14^th September ESU Committee

16^th September – Blue Plaque unveiling

17^th September – Concert Dorchester Abbey Brahms Requiem

18^th September – Cadet Challenge St George’s Barracks

19^th September – Merton Parish Council

20^th September – Piddington Parish Council

ESU Ditchley Park Visit

21^st September – OCC Performance Scrutiny Committee

22^nd September – Health Meeting Kassam Stadium

23^rd September School Transport Appeals

26^th September – VCH Trust meeting

29^th September – VCH Volume 18 book launch Rycote Park

30^th September – Health Overview Scrutiny Committee

2^nd October private lunch party

3^rd October – DFAS Mathematical Institute

4^th October Bicester area Transport meeting and area locality meeting

5^th October – Oxfordshire Provincial Grand Lodge

- Blue Plaque Board – Oxford Town Hall

6^th October – Wendlebury Parish Council8th October Dinner Party Paddock Cottage

7^th October Royal Albert Hall concert

10^th October – Oxford Buildings Trust Trustees meeting

11^th October Islip PC

OCC Election selection board

12^th October – Appeals Panel County Hall

14^th October – Business Rates seminar County Hall

17^th October Graven Hill Directors Partnering Board

Cherwell DC Full Council

18^th October – A34 review County Hall

19^th October – Blue Plaque unveiling.

To Berlin and Potsdam

The German Parliament building roof where mirrors reflect the light down into the chamber.

Platform 17 (Gleis 17) at Gunewald Station in Berlin where the Jews were loaded on trains for the death camps from 1941 -45.

24^th October – Return

25^th October ESU Rhodes Scholars Reception – Oriel College

ESU Committee Members with the High Sheriff (Sara Taylor) in the Champney’s Room, Oriel College

27^th October – Pensions Committee

- OCC Group Meeting

28^th October – London

29^th October – see Amadeus at National Theatre

31^st October – Cardiologist appointment

Cherwell Councillor Forum

1^st November OCC Full Council

Arncott PC

2^nd November JR Liaison Hub

CDC Group Meeting

Otmoor Archaeological & Historical Society

3^rd November – Schools Firework Poster Competition County Hall

4^th 6^th November – friends staying

7^th -November – Churchill Lodge

8^th - November - CDC Full Council

Thrupp PC

Reserve and Cadets Awards at Pembroke College

9^th November – Audit and Governance Committee County Hall

10^th November – OCC Group meeting

Horton cum Studley Parish Council

12^th November – SE Bicester Ring Road consultation

14^th November – OCC Appeals Panel

16^th November – Piddington PC

17^th November – Health Overview Scrutiny Committee

21^st November – ESU Committee

22^nd November Merton PC

23^rd November – Swalcliffe Barn visit with Oxford Buildings Trust

24^th November Graven Hill Directors

Dinner Leander Club Henley

25^th November – National Carers Rights Day Kassam Stadium

26^th November – London to see Peter Pan at the National Theatre

27^th November – ESU Thanksgiving Lunch at Studley Wood Golf Club

2^nd -4^th December friends staying for early Christmas get-together.

5^th December – Churchill Lodge

6^th December – Victoria County History lecture and reception

7^th December – Otmoor Archaeological & Historical Society

8^th December – visit to army at Bicester Garrison

8-11^th December Charlotte aged 2 staying

12^th December – ESU AGM London

SERFCA Meeting

13^th December OCC Full Council

Appeals Committee

14^th December Audit & Governance Committee

16^th December Graven Hill Village Directors lunch

19^th December Cherwell DC Full Council

20th December – supper party with friends

21^st December – OCC Leaders Drinks party

28^th November – Cherwell DC Group Meeting

- SOCA Executive Council meeting

- CDC Group Meeting

Computer hard disk fails so have lost December diary

27^th December fly to Seattle

January Seattle, Sydney Australia, New Zealand (both Islands)

Thailand

14^th February return to UK

15^th February Oxfordshire County Council Full Council meeting