Blog and Diary 2014-15

Blog 2013-14

Blog 2012-13

Blog 2011-12

I handed over the Chairman of Oxfordshire County Council’s chain on 20^th May 2014 to start another Local Government year.

I was then re-elected as Cherwell District Councillor for Otmoor on 22^nd May without opposition from any other party.

I am now represent both Oxfordshire County Council and Cherwell District Councils as councillor for Otmoor Division and Ward.

My other commitments include:

- Chairman of Oxfordshire & Berkshire branch of the English Speaking Union

- Director of Graven Hill Village Holdings plc

- Master of Churchill Lodge No 478

- Committee of Otmoor Archaeological and Historical Society

- Member of the Oxfordshire Blue Plaques Board

- Trustee of Victoria County History for Oxfordshire

- Member of South East Reserve Forces and Cadets Association representing Oxfordshire

- Trustee of the Oxfordshire Buildings Trust.

I am now back on scrutiny committees. In OCC Health overview Scrutiny Committee and Audit Governance Committee and on Cherwell DC Personnel Committee, Council & Employee Joint Committee and Budget Planning Committee.

3^rd June – Arncott & Merton Parish Councils

5^th June – OCC and CDC Group Meetings

10^th June – Cardiology to see if my heart is still working

- Locality Meeting, Bicester

12^th June – Horton cum Studley Annual Parish Council

14^th June – English Speaking Union visit to Studley Priory

Robert Venables telling members about his restoration of the Priory

One of the new stunning water features in the garden.

15^th June – Conservative BBQ at Royal Oak House, Beckley

16^th June Cherwell District Full Council

18^th June – Begbroke Science Park 15^th anniversary

19^th June - SERFCA meeting and lunch Edward Brooks Barracks, Abingdon

-Ambrosden Annual Parish Council

20^th June – Earth Trust Rose Ceremony

- London for theatre and other events

to 23 June

22^nd June – Blue Plaque – Roberson Scott – Burford

23^rd June – Armed Forces Day Oxford Castle

24^th June – Neighbourhood Planning briefing County Hall

- Budget Planning Committee Bodicote House

25th June – Encaenia 2014 Oxford University

Garden Party at St Catherine’s College

26^th June – OCC Group Meeting

- North Oxfordshire CA meeting

27^th June – ESU Planning Meeting

28^th June QOOH Affiliation, Banbury

- New College service and Dinner for the retirement of Prof Edward Higginbottom

29^th June – Masonic Charity Lunch Spires 4 Pillars

30^th – Victoria County History Trustees meeting

1^st July - Oxfordshire County Council

- Oxford Preservation Trust AGM Maison Francaise

- CDC Group Meeting

2^nd July – Audit Committee OCC

Personnel Committee CDC

Oxford Union debate

3^rd July – Health Overview Scrutiny Committee

4^th July – Oxford University Familiarisation Visit

5^th July – High Sheriff’s awards

Churchill Lodge Cocktail Party

7^th July – Cherwell Council

10^th July – English Speaking Union Oxfordshire Branch AGM and Croquet

12^th July – Blenheim Proms

13^th July – Blue Plaque Elizabeth Bowen, Headington

14^th Guests for weekend – garden looking lovely

Lots of butterflies in the woods

Large Skipper

Peacock

14^th July – Bicester and Kidlington Locality meeting

15^th July – Bicester Fire Station briefing and visit

17^th Jul – Oxfordshire Veteran’s Forum

18 – 21^st July with friends

Sunday lunch with friends on their terrace at Exmouth

21^st July – Cherwell DC Council

Directors meeting of Graven Hill Village Holdings Ltd

24^th July – High Sheriff’s Garden Party at his Headington home

Sir Tony Baldry – back to us with Lady Pippa Baldry in red. Brig Ian Inshaw DL talking to the Mayor of Bicester Cllr Lynn Pratt.

26^th July – Blue Plaque Alfred White Besseleigh

Alfred White’s descendants at the Greyhound

Dinner with friends

29^th Cherwell DC Budget Planning

30^th July – Governance & Service Delivery Committee Cherwell DC

31^st NOCA Meeting Bicester

1^st August – Dinner with friends in London

2^nd August – Visit National Trust

Regents Part open air theatre to see Porgy & Bess

3^rd August – Lunch with friends then pick nick in Hyde Park and Proms at Royal Albert Hall (Beethoven and Mozart)

Mozart’s Requiem.

4^th August – lunch in London with friends

WW1 commemoration in Banbury

QOOH on parade

5^th August – Arncott & Piddington Parish Council meetings

8^th August Blue Plaque unveiling William Penney

8^th – 10^th August friends staying (Chairman of Surrey CC)

11^th – 19^th August holiday at Lake Bled, Slovenia

View of the Bled Castle from the Grand Hotel Toplice, Bled.

Yes I did swim and dive in!

Lake Bled from the Castle

23^rd August – Aldwych Theatre London for Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies a nine hour marathon but with dinner in the middle started at 2pm ended at 10.45 pm but a wonderful programme.

24^th August – lunch party with friends in London

25^th August - another lunch party in London

26^th August – back to the Proms for a Brahms concert.

29^th August – Silver Dinner St John’s College Oxford – cancelled at last minute!

30^th August to 2 September – visiting friends in Ramsgate

3 September – Otmoor Archaeological & Historical Society – Islip “The Roman Army”

4^th September – Graven Hill Village Holdings directors meeting

- ESU School Leavers Awards

- Cllr Melinda Tilley with the award winners

8^th September – Bicester Transport Workshop to discuss Bicester road developments where members are insisting on a Bicester western ring road and not an urban street.

9^th September – Oxfordshire County Council – Full Council

- Cherwell DC Budget Planning Meeting

- Islip & Merton PC (the planning meeting went on to long to get to the PC meetings)

10^th September – Dentist

Council & Employee Joint Meeting

CDC Council & Personnel Committee

11^th September – JR Hospital for Myocardial Perfusion

12^th September – Installation of new Provincial Grand Master at Kassam Stadium

14^th September – fantastic concert at Dorchester Abbey with the OSJ and Sir James Gallway.

16^th September – visitors from Seattle

17^th September – OCC Audit Committee

Langford Village AGM

18^th September – Health Overview Scrutiny Committee

- North Oxfordshire Conservative Association committee

- Ambrosden PC

4^th September ESU Chairman’s Reception, Dartmouth House, London

Dartmouth Hose, home of the English Speaking Union (www.esu.org). Why not join – local Oxfordshire events plus membership of a London Club for under £40 a year!

25^th September – Opening of Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum by HRH Princess Royal

27^th September – lunch party near Banbury

28^th September 50^th wedding anniversary party

30^th September Cherwell DC Group Meeting

1^st October – Provincial Grand Lodge

Otmoor Archaeological & Historical Society, Islip

Voluntary Organisations Forum, Banbury

2^nd October Oxfordshire CC Group Meeting

3^rd October – Blue Plaque unveiling Cecil Kimber

4^th – 6^th October – visiting friends in Yorkshire

7^th October Cherwell DC Budget Planning Committee

8^th October – Bicester & Kidlington Are Partnership meeting

Locality Meeting

Bicester Highways meeting

9^th October – OCC Science Vale Briefing and visit to Diamond Light Source

11^th October – Oxfordshire & Berkshire Branch ESU Dinner Wadham College Oxford

P1020757

In discussion with Lord Hurd

14^th October Merton & Islip Parish Councils

16^th October – Education Committee

- Wychwood Lodge

17^th October – Bicester and Kidlington Locality Meeting

19^th October – Lunch engagement

20^th October – Home to School transport appeals

Cherwell Full Council

22 October – Locality Meeting Bicester

23^rd October – ESU reception for Rhodes Scholars

John Howell MP addresses the Rhodes Scholars at Oriel College

25^th October – Oxford Council No 105 Witney

26^th October – Lunch Chesham

29^th October – Cherwell DC Group Meeting

30^th October – Oxfordshire CC Group Meeting

31^st October – Fly to Thailand 3 nights in Bangkok

4^th November- Fly to Saigon

Saigon traffic chaos!

Fantastic “The Deck” restaurant on the Saigon River

5^th October visit Viet Kong tunnels

7^th November – embark on R/V Mekong Prestige for 7 nights cruise to Siem Riep via Pnom Pen Cambodia.

Visit Killing Fields and S21 the Khmer Rouge murder sites

15^th November disembark and stay in Siem Riep

Visit temples

17^th November fly back to London via Saigon and Dubai

18^th November – Cherwell DC Budget Planning Committee

19^th November – OCC Audit Committee

20^th November Oxfordshire Health Overview Scrutiny Committee

Patrons Dinner, Leander Club

OCC Group Meeting

21^st November County Armed Forces Champions Meeting (Chairman)

22^nd November – OCC Conservative Group study day on budget and 2015 election.

23^rd November ESU Thanksgiving Lunch Christ Church

With DG of the English Speaking Union Jane Easton and the speaker Colonel Jack GHoodman USAF (Retd)

25^th November ESU Committee

26^th November Cherwell DC Group meeting

27^th November Noke Parish Meeting

29^th November Apollo University Lodge meeting, Randolph Hotel

30^th November visit from family

1^st December Gravel Hill Village Directors meeting

Churchill Lodge

2^nd December Victoria County History trustees and reception

3^rd December Bicester Transport Steering Group

Otmoor Archaeological & Historical Society Islip

4^th December South East Reserve Forces and Cadets Association RAF Benson

5^th December IoD Directors Training

7^th December New College Advent Carol Service

9^th December Oxfordshire County Council

Merton and Islip Parish Council – arrived and meetings cancelled!

10^th December Grand Lodge London

11^th December Horton cum Studley Parish Council

12^th December – Oxford University Conferences Oxford reception

13^th December Institute of Directors Dinner Balliol College

Oxford Blues entertain members with their excellent Barbers Shop choir

14^th December OSJ Concert Ashmolean

15^th December Cherwell DC Full Council

Cake to celebrate 40 years of OCC

16^th December – cardiologist appointment – all OK!

18^th December Ambrosden Parish Council

19^th December – Lunch at Apple Tree Amersham with Maj Ron Venn and Wendy

24^th – 26^th December – Christmas with Susie, James and Charlotte in Putney

Charlotte Harroway ages 6 weeks

3^rd January fly to Australia via Dubai on Emirates/QANTAS to visit son Andrew with Jacquie and Finlay

Finlay aged 2½ meets a new friend

Andrew, Jacqui and Finlay

17^th January – fly to Bangkok then Ranong, boat to Koh Payham island in time for the sun set seen from our cabin.

Drinks with friends at “The Hippy Bar”

30^th January fly to Dubai and home on 31^st.

3^rd February – Locality Meeting Kidlington Fire Station

4^th February – Cherwell DC Overview and Scrutiny Committee Banbury

Otmoor Archaeological and Historical Society, Islip

5th February OCC Health Overview Scrutiny Committee

OCC Group Meeting

8^th February -Oxfordshire Youth Concerto Final Sheldonian Theatre

10^th February – visit villages affected by the rail construction traffic

12^th February- English Speaking Union Ploughman’s Lunch at Balliol; College with Dr Simon Townley speaking about the Victoria County History

14-15^th February - Guests for the weekend

16^th February – Funeral of a member of Churchill Lodge

17^th February – County Council Full Council meeting

Budget Planning Committee, Bodicote House Cherwell DC

19^th February – ESU Committee Meeting

- Arncott Parish Council

21^st February Canvassing for Nicola Blackwood MP

23^rd February – Houses of Parliament escorting Rhodes Scholars from Oxford University on a visit organised by the ESU

24^th February – South Oxford Conservative Association committee meeting

26^th February – Otmoor Archaeological and Historical Society Committee

27^th February-2^nd March February visitors for weekend

1^st March – Mozart Concert at Sheldonian Theatre

2^nd March – Churchill Lodge, Witney

3^rd March – tour of Self Build site at Graven Hill Bicester

4^th March – Otmoor Archaeological & Historical Society

5^th March – Appeals Panel OCC

Pensions and Benefits Sub Committee

OCC Group Meeting

7^th March – ESU AGM Dartmouth House, London

10^th March – CDC Budget Planning meeting

11^th March – Personnel Committee

Council & Employees Joint Committee

Fly to Venice until 16^th March

17^th March – Piddington PC

18^th March – OCC Group meeting

19^th March – SERFCA AGM and Dinner London

20^th March Piddington village meeting

Watch eclipse

2015-03-20 10.27.49

21^st March – Ramsgate until 23^rd March

25^th March LDO Workshop Bodicote House

Graven Hill Director’s Meeting

26^th March – Money Laundering brief re-Graven Hill Village

28^th March – Churchill Lodge Ladies Festival Dinner, Pembroke College

31^st March – Merton PC

1^st April – Otmoor Archaeological & Historical Society, Islip 8PM

- CDC Group Meeting

7^th April Graven Hill Director’s Meeting

Arncott PC

8^th April – ESU Visit to Royal Military Academy Sandhurst

9^th April – Horton cum Studley PC

- Oxfordshire CC Group Meeting

11^th April –Blue Plaque unveiling

14^th April OCC Full Council

- Islip and Merton PC

15^th April – Blue Plaques Board

18th April – Dinner at Begbroke

20^th April – Graven Hill Master Plan meeting

21st April - Piddington PC

22^nd April – Army Benevolent Fund luncheon

- Locality meeting Ardley EFW plant

23^rd April – Health Overview Scrutiny Committee

WW2 Russia Convoy Medal ceremony, Oxford Town Hall–

Ushakov Medal Ceremony to British veterans of WW2 Arctic Convoys. A truly humbling and moving ceremony to over 40 veterans who were doing their duty in their late teens and early twenties. Presented to them by the Russian Ambassador.