Wednesday 24 December 2014

he letter (High cost of shale gas, June 19) from your correspondent Susan Thomas just goes to illustrate how little general understanding there is about shale gas and its extraction.
Firstly, shale gas is not ‘mined’ — it is produced from wells in exactly the same way as ‘ordinary’ natural gas — which is, of course, precisely what it is.
Ordinary natural gas (methane).
The only difference is that it was difficult to extract until the transfer of already well-established technology (fracking) from the oil industry to the gas industry a few years ago.
Secondly, there is no reason — apart from bad practice — why shale-gas production should ‘irreparably pollute our water table’. We draw drinking water from very shallow sources (a couple of hundred metres at most) compared to the two or three thousand metres (sometimes more) depth where shale-gas host rocks may lie. The two are not connected in any way.
Breathe again, British beer drinkers!
In reality, one of the biggest bugbears facing a rational debate about shale gas is the complete lack of any impartial source of verifiable information. All the proponents, for and against, have their own agendas and their own axes to grind. Scaremongering is rife.

The hard truth is this: if we want to carry on reaching out for that little white switch on the wall, and enjoying our lights/computers/ fridges/TVs and the rest, we are going to need to produce energy.
Solar and wind generation are options, but we can only rely on them for a small proportion of our needs.
Shale gas has transformed the US economy in the space of five years. It may not be the magic bullet for Britain’s future energy needs, but at least let’s have a rational, informed discussion about including it in the available options.

High cost of shale gas

First published Friday 20 June 2014 in Letters

Sir – A while ago I wrote that shale gas may be better than nuclear energy as it is low in carbon and nil in plutonium. Indeed all of the main parties and even UKIP now say that we should embrace low-carbon shale gas to avert climate change.

However, I have since been conducting a great deal of my own personal research into the mining of shale gas and I now feel that my letter was very wrong and regret sending it. The extraction of shale gas will use harmful chemicals that will irreparably pollute our water table.

This in turn will destroy all of our thriving brewery businesses which require a lot of clean fresh water to brew tasty real ales.

The costs of cleaning the water will be enormous and our fine breweries may go bust. This fact alone will not make shale worth our while.

We only have four years of shale gas reserves in the UK also. It is worth noting that Shell and BP do not wish to get involved with shale.

The reason is that these business giants are aware that the costs involved in cleaning up the water supply will outweigh the gas profits.

Shale mining uses benzene which is proven to cause leukaemia. Therefore I find myself backing the Green Party here as they are the only party opposing shale gas.
Susan Thomas, Oxford

Cut out the particulates

First published Friday 5 October 2012 in Letters

TRAVELLING behind an Oxford Bus Company vehicle, I was impressed that it stated zero particulate emissions.
The air smelt clean and fresh, which makes a nice change from most other buses.
This is surely the way forward for other bus companies, since research is indicating the exhaust particulates lead to heart, lung disease and cancers. Benzene from vehicles also causes leukaemia.
There is a robust body of scientific proof that shows benzene is one of the main causes of this disease.
It seems we are running a two-tier system on our roads. On the one hand there are vehicles emitting highly noxious and injurious fumes while on the other hand there are vehicles whose emissions are relatively harmless to health. More needs to be done to ensure that all diesel vehicles have zero particulates such as the Oxford Bus Company buses.
Then our public health will improve and the NHS will save money. Our streets will be so pleasant if all vehicles are compelled to have zero particulate emissions.
SUSAN THOMAS
Magdalen Road
Oxford

it is human to err and politicians are not exempt from making mistakes.
The 2008 Climate Change Act introduced by Ed Miliband made a few errors unfortunately. One of these mistakes was to target carbon emissions by encouraging the sale of diesel vehicles to unsuspecting motorists.
These diesel vehicles are now found to be responsible for at least 7,000 deaths a year due to the irritating arborne particulate matter form their exhausts. The Government is now trying to rectify this legislative mistake by trying to deter diesel drivers from entering London and introducing stricter exhausts emissions rules.
Another strategic error was the closure of our coal power stations in a bid to curb carbon emissions.
Again it is a similar error to that of the diesel vehicles. Most of the power station emissions were steam and virtually no particulate matter or irritating pollutants.
So now we have an unintended consequence of a looming power shortage that will result in even more dangerous airborne pollution.
When winter power cuts arrive many homeowners will open up their fireplaces and start to burn coal and wood to keep warm. This will release dangerous particulate filled smoke. The burning of these fossil fuels indoors also negates the whole point of closing the coal power stations.
SUSAN THOMAS
Magdalen Road
Oxford

WE should be thankful for the very small amount – 0.3 per cent – of harmless carbon dioxide in the troposphere that has allowed life on earth to flourish.
Nasa satellite data has shown that carbon dioxide levels are not increasing in the troposphere in the way that alarmists have predicted.
Furthermore, most of carbon dioxide emitted is removed via the carbon cycle and ends up in rocks such as the white chalky cliffs of Dover.
Politicians are milking man-made or ‘anthropogenic’ climate change for all it’s worth. It provides a comfort blanket for any error regarding flood management.
The main drivers of climate are the following:

Orbital variations and tilts in earth’s axis away from the sun known as the Milankovitch Cycles. These periodically bring on lengthy ice ages.

The Coriolis Effect of rotation which contributes to vigorous wind patterns that result in typhoons, etc.

Solar radiation and solar sunspot cycles.

Regarding the sun, solar physicists and Nasa believe that earth is heading for a mini ice age as our sun is becoming less active.
This quiescence occurred during the last Solar Maunder Minimum in 1645 and resulted in frost fairs on the Thames for 70 years.
Prof Michael Lockwood states that the position of the jet stream is affected by solar input, not carbon dioxide emissions.
The cold winters of 2009/2010 occurred as measured low solar activity altered the position of the jet stream. The jet stream can bring in freezing Siberian winds and blocking high conditions when it is stuck.
Yes, we should focus on reducing dirty hydrocarbons from traffic for our health’s sake, but it is foolish to believe we can control our weather.

Energy policy destroying our rural heritage

First published Thursday 14 August 2014

OUR wonderful national parks are a vital part of our rural heritage that need to be cherished.
I was, therefore, horrified to read that the Government had considered granting licences to drill for shale gas in our national parks.
Has this country gone barking mad?
One only has to look at the American drilling sites to see what an infernal mess is being inflicted on the landscape. America is also a giant continent in comparison to our tiny country. I very much doubt that America would allow drilling in its fine national parks.
We have leapt out of the frying pan and into the fire. Now that Didcot Power Station and others are gone, there is a predicted energy shortfall.
Hence, the rash dash for gas at all costs.
We need to take time out before making rash decisions.
Drilling for shale has the potential to destroy our beautiful countryside and pollute some aquifers.
At the moment we import very cheap American coal for much of our energy. However, this is soon to change as the coal power stations are closed or blown up.
Soon, our energy bills will shoot up to pay for new nuclear power stations. Frankly, our energy policy is a shambles.
Susan Thomas, Magdalen Road, Oxford

POLITICIANS are constantly telling us how wonderful it is to be a member of the EU yet no one has suggested we apply to the EU Disaster Fund for help.
This is because they are selfishly focusing all their energies on trying to get themselves elected in this year`s MEP elections.
So may I suggest that we must now urgently apply to the European Union Solidarity Fund. This EUSF was set up to respond to major natural disasters within Europe. The Fund was created as a reaction to the severe floods in central Europe in the summer of 2002. Since then, it has been used for 56 disasters covering a range of different catastrophic events including floods, forest fires, earthquakes, storms and drought.
Please can any elected politician reading this now, act immediately. People need more sandbags and practical help.
We pay billions into the EU. Now is our turn to get something back.
And finally, the public should be allowed a debate on membership of Europe, as all these little-known perks would then come to light.
It was the height of arrogance for Labour peer, Lord Mandelson, to say that the electorate cannot be trusted with a referendum on EU status.
SUSAN THOMAS
Magdalen Road,
Oxford

Tuesday, 26 August 2014

Let’s get money from the EU Disaster Fund

It's time to tap the European Union Solidarity Fund

First published Wednesday 12 February 2014

Jet streams are causing these weather patterns

First published Friday 31 January 2014 in Letters

WITH the woeful prospect of yet more heavy rains, some people are worried that it may be caused by man-made climate change.
However it is our jet stream, not carbon dioxide, that causes our weather patterns. The jet stream either brings wet, mild westerlies or colder air systems from the north and east.
Man-made anthropogenic climate change provides a political comfort blanket for any error regarding flood management.
The main driver of climate in the UK is the position of the jet stream.
The position of the jet stream is affected by solar input, not by carbon dioxide emissions, according to scientists.
The cold winters of 2009/2010 occurred as scientifically measured low solar activity altered the position of the jet stream causing it to bring down freezing polar air.
Yes we should focus on reducing dirty hydrocarbons from traffic for our health’s sake but it is foolish to believe that we can affect our weather by lowering carbon emissions.
SUSAN THOMAS Magdalen Road Oxford

Show some Bulldog Spirit

First published Tuesday 21 January 2014 in Letters

IN times of adversity we must pull together with our indomitable British bulldog spirit.
The county council has taken the extraordinary step of appealing for our help and charity in the face of stringent budget cuts.
We all like to poke fun at politicians from time to time, but the fact remains that our local councillors work incredibly hard and deserve credit.
Just the other day, I chatted to a councillor who had spent an entire day answering emails from her constituents.
Oxfordshire is one of the wealthiest counties in the United Kingdom and in theory we could surmount this blockade if we all pull together.
I will be following Michael Hugh-Jones’s suggestion and will be making a donation to the county council fund. I hope that many others will do likewise.
The county council now needs to make the process very simple to encourage as many donations as possible.
It feels better to give than to receive.
SUSAN THOMAS Magdalen Road Oxford

We’ve made it worse

First published Monday 16 July 2012 in Letters

RECENTLY the Taliban executed a young woman for adultery in line with the strict Sharia law in Afghanistan.

Ironically, Sharia Law is now prevalent in Libya thanks to the monumental incompetence of our Foreign Secretary William Hague.

Under the democratic regime of deposed Gadaffi, Libya had exemplary rights for women.

Indeed I would go as far to say that Colonel Gadaffi was a good leader.
Under his rule, Libyans had free university education and free electricity.
Even the unemployed were entitled to receive a comparable wage as that of a working person. Women had full and equal rights.

Gadaffi was correct in saying that the rebels were Al Qaeda.

William Hague was the prime instigator of the military action. He fancies himself as a Rambo action man.

There are those who believe that Gadaffi was behind Lockerbie or the murder of WPC Yvonne Fletcher.

There is no proper forensic proof to corroborate either of these theories.

The shots that killed the WPC could not possibly have come from the Libyan embassy.

Gadaffi was smeared and used as a fall guy.

His son also gave millions of pounds to the LSE.

Our Government has cocked up by killing Gadaffi and enabling repressive Sharia law to take the place of the democracy.

Libya is a mess now thanks to William Hague.

Well done idiots in the Foreign Office. You have excelled yourselves again.

SUSAN THOMAS,
Magdalen Road,
Oxford

it seems to me that any member of a planning committee should possess a modicum of artistic ability and a sense of aesthetics.
This would assist in planning decisions where an artistic eye is needed such as the Port Meadow development.
Another planning eyesore is the over large modernistic animal laboratory in South Parks Road.
This concrete monstrosity is an absolute eyesore and should never have been passed as the huge oppressive pillars jut onto the pavement blocking all daylight.
Finally during a recent trip to the planning department I had a good opportunity to look at the Westgate design.
The tall John Lewis building appears to herald the grand entrance of the new shopping centre.
This John Lewis building looks like an upturned shoe box.
It is crass,vulgar and completely out of keeping with the historic nature of Oxford.
Oxford is a beautiful city and deserves better designs than this ugly rectangle.
Therefore will all the budding Vermeers and Van Goghs in our planning department please endeavour to use their collective artistic skills and improve this shoe box tower block?
Otherwise I foresee another regret filled scenario when the full impact of the ugly entrance block design is realised.

Electric transport is the way forward for our city

First published Tuesday 26 November 2013 in Letters

IT IS pleasing to read that electric cars are being promoted in a north Oxford car club, see above, November 15.
Ordinary vehicles give off particulate matter and nitrous oxides that are harmful to health. Diesel fumes are especially harmful. Diesel is linked to heart disease and inflames arteries.
Benzene fumes from petrol have been proven beyond scientific doubt to cause leukaemia. The Lib Dems state in their policy manifesto that electric vehicles should gradually take centre stage. This visionary plan would lead to improved respiratory and cardiovascular health. These electric vehicles need plenty of electricity to charge up.
My main worry is that closing coal power stations such as Didcot may result in insufficient power to do this: a shame, as Didcot did not emit pollution, following expensive recent improvements to its stacks.
Oxford once hoped to become a world leader selling electric cars. Incentives need to be reinstated immediately.
Electric transport is the way forward and will lead to healthier and happier city dwellers.
SUSAN THOMAS, Magdalen Road, Oxford

Let’s be proud of British relief for disaster zones
PASSIONATE: Band Aid and Live Aid founder Bob Geldof
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First published Monday 30 December 2013 in Oxford Mail

DURING this season of goodwill, we should reflect on the plight of those less fortunate than ourselves.
We should also feel proud of our generosity to suffering children in war-torn and destitute countries.
Our Coalition Government has increased foreign aid and a great deal of good has been done. The 1984 Band Aid charity song Do they Know it’s Christmas? left a huge impression on a very young David Cameron. He decided, aged 18, that he would help the starving mouths in Africa as soon as he came to power.
The Lib-Dems fully supported the brave, and sometimes controversial, decision to increase our donations via foreign aid. As giving individuals the generous British people have donated more to the typhoon disaster victims in the Philippines than any other country in the world.
And, finally, the charitable actions of Oxford pensioner Michael Hugh-Jones deserve a mention. This gentleman donated his winter fuel payment to help others in fuel poverty – an action that embodies the true spirit of Christmas.
SUSAN THOMAS Magdalen Road Oxford

Published just before the Government decided NOT to intervene again!!

Nothing good can come if we intervene again
4:00pm Thursday 29th August 2013
ONCE again our Foreign Secretary is adopting a gung-ho approach by initiating an air strike in Syria. The previous attempt of regime change to rid Libya of Colonel Gaddafi has not been a resounding success by any means.
The situation in Libya is now very unstable and al Qaeda groups have taken the place of a pro-Western regime that had even donated funds to our country.
So William Hague has already made a huge strategic error in Libya. Furthermore, if we had played our cards right, our Government could have extracted a lot of money from Gaddafi who was desperate to have his life spared. We do after all need some funds in our coffers.
Once again, the Foreign Secretary is the ringleader in trying to launch a military strike this time in Syria.
Has no one any common sense any more?
Libya is in a dire mess because of Mr Hague, and recently their prime minister’s chief aide was kidnapped by rebels.
Nothing good can come of our intervention and there is the potential to ignite an even greater conflict.
SUSAN THOMAS

Views blighted

First published Friday 21 November 2014 in Letters

Sir – I am writing further to the letter by Mr Oppenheimer (November 13) about the charitable status of Oxford University in relation to its stance on altering the height of the ugly buildings on Port Meadow.

The charitable status does not exonerate nor excuse the hideous error.

Furthermore, any accountant will advise that most educational establishments such as fee paying schools and colleges become registered charities.

This is purely for tax reasons.

Charities do not have to pay council tax, nor do they pay capital gains taxes on second or multiple properties.

Indeed there are a lot of financial perks associated with charitable status.

I once shared a joke with a senior tax inspector who joked that he was now the trustee of his canteen charity at work in order to minimise his own tax bill.

Therefore Oxford University cannot use this charitable status as an excuse to avoid repairing their Castle Mill building mistake.

If anything the argument goes against them as this status maximises their financial position. They can thus easily afford to rectify a development that will blight the historic views of Oxford for generations to come.

Susan Thomas, Oxford

Too much cash spent on transport schemes instead of repairing roads

First published Friday 29 November 2013 in Letters
Last updated 07:38 Saturday 30 November 2013

ONCE upon a time Oxfordshire County Council was given a five-star rating by the Audit Commission under the capable hands of Keith Mitchell. Sadly its finances are now going rapidly downhill and not purely because of the austerity cuts either. Precedence has been given to sexy transport strategies in lieu of mundane pothole repairs.
Millions of pounds have been spent on fatuous transport schemes, most of which have actually made our roads more dangerous.
On my own doorstep I have seen millions spent on Cowley Road and Iffley Road, both of which are now slightly more hazardous. Iffley Road now has two car lanes and two cycle lanes but not enough space for all four, so vehicles are swerving suddenly in to the cycle lanes; an accident waiting to happen. Another scheme is in the wings to spend £800,000 on The Plain roundabout. Meanwhile, school transport and potholes are given the elbow. They are not on the sexy transport scheme list. Indeed one such exciting scheme, the Green Road roundabout, earned its inventor, Ian Hudspeth, an award.
Never mind the numerous near-collisions on this roundabout. County councillors are approving numerous schemes that will earn them kudos at the expense of bus services and pothole maintenance. Mr Hudspeth has wasted at least £60 million on transport schemes, enough to pay for school buses.

SUSAN THOMAS
Magdalen Road
Oxford

Oxford is leading the way forward and setting an example with policy

An electric hybrid bus in Oxford that is better for the environment.

First published Thursday 12 December 2013 in Letters

I AM proud that Oxford City Council is one of three local authorities in the entire country to introduce low pollution buses and a low emission zone. These clean buses have removed all the deadly particulate matter known as PM2.5. These sooty ultra-fine particles have been shown to cause heart disease by medical studies published in the Lancet. These particles are not to be confused with pure carbon dioxide which is harmless to health. Oxford city is leading the way forward and is setting a fine example. These dirty PM2.5 emissions are the ones we should be targeting. A strategic error was made when pure carbon dioxide was designated as a pollutant in the 2008 Climate Change Act. This played into the hands of unscrupulous carbon markets and left us in danger of power cuts. It is the dirty hydrocarbons from traffic fumes that are deadly to our health.
Therefore the emissions targets should have been aimed more at transport rather than at cleaner running power stations. We need enough cheap electricity to power clean electric cars. This will improve our health substantially. Traffic emissions lead to lung cancer and arterial disease. So try and use the local car clubs and think of buying electric cars, as one day petrol will run dry.

SUSAN THOMAS
Magdalen Road
Oxford

Saving energy is key to meeting all our needs

POINTS: David Williams

First published Wednesday 8 January 2014 in Letters

THE article featuring Green city councillor David Williams raises some interesting points about saving energy. It is nice to know that Oxford City Council is looking into ways of cutting fuel bills.
Cllr Williams talks of community projects as being the way forward in our energy sector. An example is the Osney Lock Hydropower scheme which won the backing of EU grants to encourage self-sufficiency in energy production. This do-it-yourself approach embodies the new paradigm shift in our energy markets.
The paradigm shift is a move away from centralisation of energy production to decentralisation or small-scale community approach. What are the pros and cons of this decentralisation of energy shift ? Well, a look at basic maths tells us this: n The decentralised, community Osney scheme may produce power supply for a mere 50 dwellings n In contrast, the centralised Didcot power station, recently closed, produced power for three million homes. The maths are worrying.
The decentralisation paradigm shift suggests we surmount this mathematical deficit by serious energy savings.
There have been huge advances in green, eco-insulating materials for buildings; this is one industry growth area we can thank the Greens for.
The new thermal exterior and interior wall claddings can result in big energy savings, even for Victorian homes of single brick construction.
The public needs to be helped more, as this vast range of new insulating products can be confusing. Free insulating grants are still available, so why not apply if your home is cold?
Eco grants have not been removed by the recent green levy reforms in our energy bills that were implemented by the Coalition to save poor consumers paying tariffs to rich landowners for wind farms.

SUSAN THOMAS Magdalen Road Oxford

Design is too boxy

First published Monday 28 July 2014 in Letters

Sir – Firstly I must say how pleased I am with Oxford City Council planning department for listening to my objections regarding neighbouring developments.
Thanks to their efficiency one proposal was amended.
The other other proposal to build on to an historic Coach House in Magdalen Road has been thrown out altogether.
I, therefore, hope that this efficient planning department will take another look at the Westgate proposal.
The drawings looks absolutely hideous and are too square, modern and boxy looking.
It is hardly an improvement on the attractive gabled facade we have at the moment. Gabled roofs are found in most beautiful historic towns of medieval origin.
Therefore the current gabled facade is more appropriate for historic medieval Oxford.
I did suggest to the architect that the ugly square lines line could be broken up with a crenellated battlement design that would be in keeping with the nearby Castle.
The square box design urgently needs to be improved as Oxford is a very special city.
Susan Thomas, Oxford

We deserve better than this ugly ‘shoe box’

First published Monday 15 December 2014 in Letters

It seems to me that any member of a planning committee should possess a modicum of artistic ability and a sense of aesthetics.
This would assist in planning decisions where an artistic eye is needed such as the Port Meadow development.
Another planning eyesore is the over-large modernistic animal laboratory in South Parks Road.
This concrete monstrosity should never have been passed as the huge oppressive pillars jut onto the pavement blocking all daylight.
Today’s letters

Seek to solve, rather than criticise councillor

Police should act on the boulders in road issue

Temple Cowley Pools and Gym is an asset

This road crossing panto has really been a joke

City centre car parking charges aren’t going up

The answer is for people to start showing that we have the power

Does this mean the club will not be using venue?

I would like to thank official for her honesty

Finally, during a recent trip to the planning department, I had a good opportunity to look at the Westgate design.
The tall John Lewis building appears to herald the grand entrance of the new shopping centre.
This John Lewis building looks like an upturned shoe box. It is crass, vulgar and completely out of keeping with the historic nature of Oxford. Oxford is a beautiful city and deserves better designs than this ugly rectangle.
Therefore will all the budding Vermeers and Van Goghs in our planning department please endeavour to use their collective artistic skills and improve this shoe box tower block?
Otherwise I foresee another regret filled scenario when the full impact of the ugly entrance block design is realised.
SUSAN THOMAS Magdalen Road Oxford

Department must take another look at centre

An artist’s impression of the Westgate development

First published Wednesday 23 July 2014 in Letters

FIRSTLY I must say how pleased I am with Oxford City Council Planning Department for listening to my objections regarding neighbouring developments. Thanks to their efficiency one proposal was amended.
The other proposal to build onto an historic Coach House in Magdalen Road, has been thrown out altogether.
I therefore hope that this efficient planning department will take another look at the Westgate proposal. The drawings look absolutely hideous and are too square, modern and boxy-looking. It is hardly an improvement on the attractive gabled facade we have at the moment. Gabled roofs are found in most beautiful historic towns of medieval origin. Therefore the current gabled facade is more appropriate for historic medieval Oxford.
I did suggest to the architect that the ugly square lines could be broken up with a crenellated battlement design that would be in keeping with the nearby castle.
The square box design urgently needs to be improved as Oxford is a very special city.
SUSAN THOMAS, Magdalen Road, Oxford

Eating right can help to counteract exposure

First published Friday 14 November 2014 in Letters

We all know that smoking tobacco and exposure to other pollutants such as diesel, benzene or PCB’s can cause cancer. However, there are also foods we can eat that help to counteract the risk.
Scientific evidence has established that cruciferous vegetables contain vital cancer-fighting components that offer powerful protection against carcinogens.
These compounds are found in the vegetables broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts and kale. Eating these foods daily, steamed, supports the body’s natural detoxification process.
Broccoli, cauliflower, and other cruciferous vegetables uniquely contain health-promoting phytonutrients that help prevent the onset and halt the progression of colon, breast, prostate, thyroid, cervical, and many other cancers.
Finally, the pigment chlorophyll, found in all green veg, binds tightly to carcinogens found in burnt or barbecued meat and tobacco smoke.
SUSAN THOMAS
Magdalen Road
Oxford

It looks like we have dodged a bullet here

First published Monday 27 October 2014 in Letters

I was pleased to learn that Oxfordshire is to be an exclusion buffer zone that prohibits fracking permanently.
It seems that there are some definite advantages in having our own prime minister living right on our doorstep in this very wealthy county.
Oxfordshire has some very wealthy citizens living in very expensive houses.
A recent study into fracking showed that the value of a home or farm near to a drilling operation would be halved or worse.
Today’s letters

This finding was quickly redacted or hidden in the report by civil servants, who were keen to avoid panic.
However, I have no doubt that this economic finding would have been observed and acted upon by our locally residing prime minster.
Prime Minister David Cameron would not have wished to upset the local apple cart too much.
Thus we serendipitously find ourselves in an exclusion zone.
Regarding the environmental concerns, shale gas is a low carbon energy source and we do need more gas.
However, the concomitant infrastucture associated with fracking is not so clean.
Diesel burning lorries will be needed and they will pollute the air with dirty carcinogenic emissions.
In theory there is no risk to our water aquifers.
In practice, water tables will be polluted if the sides of the well wall leaks.
This has happened in America and tap water could be set on fire.
So it looks like we have dodged an environmental bullet here thanks to the wealthy property found in Oxfordshire.
Susan Thomas, Magdalen Road, Oxford

Friday 17 October 2014

A big thank you

10:00am Thursday 5th April 2012

I AM writing to say a big thank you to our local Pcso, Helen Duffield.
Community police officers like Helen work exceedingly hard and often do not get the recognition they deserve.
Whenever there is a problem in East Oxford, Helen is always available to resolve the matter amicably.
She has helped residents in Magdalen Road with an ongoing problem of antisocial and drunken behaviour by a regular cohort of middle-aged men who like to loiter and drink in the area.
Sometimes these people shout very unkind comments at Pcsos as they do their duty. This is completely unacceptable as they work extremely hard, walking miles every day.
Helen Duffield always has a lovely smile and is a real credit to her profession in every way.
So on behalf of local residents I would like to say a big thank you to Helen.
SUSAN THOMAS Magdalen Road Oxford

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