Weir Action Group

The Weir Action Group was set up after a public meeting called by the Parish Council on 8 March 2010.

There are about nine active members.

Carol Bateman (Chairman), Ray Strugnell, Richard Snow, Claire Salmon, Jess Loveday, Sarah Williams, Nick Withers, Sara Withers, Kristina Kurtz

The group’s aims are:

• Campaigning against both the proposed changes to Northmoor Weir, and to the volume of heavy goods traffic and traffic restrictions in Appleton resulting from this work.
• The group states its main aim to be: an immediate suspension of the proposed work to Northmoor Weir whilst a full public consultation takes place. This objective was achieved on Tuesday 30th March 2010: a reprieve for one year.

The group has been gathering information to find out the reasoning behind why the Environment Agency wants to replace the paddle and rymer weir at Northmoor. The volume of documentation is immense and takes some understanding and there is some referenced information which it is hard to access. To bring the situation to the attention of others we have: -

• sent letters and emails to the Environment Agency (EA) and our MP, Ed Vaizey and many villagers have sent letters and emails to appropriate people.
• provided information in the shop and on the village website
• been interviewed on Radio Oxford, local BBC TV and in local papers.
• met with Ed Vaizey and Simon Hughes, the EA Area Manager.
• the EA is having a public display of the work to be done on Tuesday 23 March.

The Weir Action Group has a Facebook group - just sign onto facebook and search for Weir Action Group.