BBC Local Live: Oxfordshire on Thursday 3 March 2016

Summary

Updates on Thursday 3 March 2016
News, sport, travel and weather updates resume at 08:00 on Friday

Live Reporting

Andrew Humphrey

Didcot building 'will have to be demolished'published at 14:10 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2016
BBC South Today reporter is at Didcot A Power Station for the news conference from police and the Health and Safety Commission.
He has been told by the fire service that there's a strong possibility the rest of the building will have to be knocked down.
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Didcot A Power Station collapse news conferencepublished at 14:05 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2016
Thames Valley Police is giving a news conference on the operation at Didcot A Power Station.
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One person died and five were injured when part of the decommissioned building collapsed on 23 February, with three people still missing.
Learners waiting 10 weeks for testpublished at 13:55 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2016
It's taking up to 10 weeks to get a driving test in Oxford, according to the Driving Instructors Association, external, which says the national average is nine weeks.
Image source, PA
Banbury fares better with just an eight-week wait.
Weather: An overcast afternoonpublished at 15:00
BBC Weather
Cloud will develop through the afternoon with the odd light shower possible, but staying dry for most.
You can get a full forecast on the BBC Weather site.
Sport headlines: Victoria Pendleton Cheltenham decision next weekpublished at 13:14 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2016
BBC Sport
This afternoon's top sport stories:
- Victoria Pendleton looks increasingly likely to compete at the Cheltenham Festival after riding her first winner yesterday, with a decision to be announced next week
- Zeli Ismail has returned to Wolverhampton Wanderers after his loan expired
- In a talk at the Oxford Union former Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin Van der Sar said Louis Van Gaal was the best coach he ever had, external, even above Sir Alex Ferguson
Latest headlines: Poundland stabbing accused appears in courtpublished at 12:54 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2016
Andrew Humphrey
BBC Local Live
This afternoon's top stories in Oxfordshire:
- The man accused of stabbing a man to death in an Abingdon Poundland store has appeared at Oxford Crown Court this morning but did not enter a plea
- Food banks shouldn't become an institutional part of life, says a Church of England adviser in Oxfordshire
- Two lost soft toys found on GWR trains have been reunited with their owners
Plans put forward for merger of Conservative associationspublished at 12:35 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2016
Wallingford Herald
Conservative associations in Oxfordshire could be merged into one "super association", external under plans put forward yesterday.
Oxford's BMW staff advised to stay in EUpublished at 12:14 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2016
Staff at the Mini plant in Cowley are expected to receive an email from BMW today, highlighting what the company sees as the risks if Britain votes to leave the European Union.
Image source, PA
The German car manufacturer, which owns Mini and Rolls Royce, says its employment base could be affected.
Quote Message
There are some 250 European citizens who work within Rolls Royce, there are 70 nationalities within our Oxford plant. We've built our business on a 500 million market called the EU and I think that is a very successful business that we wish to continue to move forward.
Ian Robertson, Head of sales and marketing, BMW
Travel latest: A422 lane closure and Eynsham trafficpublished at 11:57 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2016
BBC Travel
- There's a lane closed on the A422 Ruscote Avenue eastbound in Banbury for barrier repairs
- It's looking heavy on the Oxford Road in Eynsham
You can get the latest where you are on the BBC Travel site.
Community heroes honoured for sterling work at awards eventpublished at 11:34 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2016
Oxford Times
The sterling efforts by ordinary people to make a difference to their communities, external have been recognised by the High Sheriff of Oxfordshire.
Oxfordshire teams take to the track in Barcelonapublished at 11:17 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2016
It's the penultimate day of the pre-season test at Barcelona ahead of the new Formula 1 season.
Grove-based Williams and Enstone's Renault have been tweeting their progress on the track.
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Man accused of Poundland stabbing appears in courtpublished at 11:02 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2016
Joe Nimmo
BBC News Online
A man accused of a fatal stabbing in a Poundland store has appeared for a plea hearing at Oxford Crown Court.
Trevor Joyce, 36, is charged with the murder of 61-year-old Justin Skrebowski in Abingdon on 7 December last year.
The Abingdon man appeared over a video link from HMP Bullingdon for a plea and case management hearing, but did not enter a plea.
He is due to return to the court for a pre-trial review on 2 May, with a provisional four-day trial scheduled for 6 June.
Banbury leisure centre to be 'heart of thriving community'published at 10:45 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2016
Dave Gilyeat
BBC News
A revamped leisure centre in Banbury will be "at the heart of a thriving community", Cherwell District Council says.
Image source, John M
Image caption,
The centre is the home of the town's only outdoor swimming pool
Woodgreen Leisure Centre is to undergo a £1.2m upgrade, with work expected to be completed by November.
Quote Message
We are delighted to be investing such a significant sum of money to create a true focal point where people can exercise, socialise and realise their full fitness potential.
George Reynolds, Deputy leader, Cherwell District Council
Latest headlines: Councils clash over future of Oxfordshire governmentpublished at 10:29 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2016
Andrew Humphrey
BBC Local Live
Today's top stories in Oxfordshire:
- Politicians on Oxfordshire County Council have hit back at a plan put forward to abolish the authority
- The man accused of killing a customer in Poundland in Abingdon last December has appeared in court
- Collection of ancient oak trees at Blenheim Palace has been named the greatest in Europe
GWR campaign reunites lost toys with ownerspublished at 10:10 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2016
Sue Paz
BBC News Online
Two soft toys found on trains have finally been reunited with their owners following a year-long campaign.
Image source, GWR
Great Western Railway launched a campaign to find the owners of more than 40 toys in its lost property office in November 2014.
The company said two bunny toys had successfully been returned to their owners, and any remaining unclaimed toys have been washed and are expected to be donated to children's charities.
Blenheim Palace oak trees 'greatest in Europe'published at 09:52 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2016
The collection of ancient oak trees at Blenheim Palace has been named the greatest in Europe.
Image source, Blenheim Palace
Image caption,
The King Oak tree at Blenheim Palace
Experts from Kew Gardens have been carrying out a survey as part of an international database of ancient trees.
It's thought the area called High Park was created by Henry I in the 12th Century and some of the trees are more than 900 years old.
Travel latest: Major delays in Banbury after collisionpublished at 09:39 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2016
Al Ryan
BBC Oxford travel presenter
There are long delays in Banbury after a collision between a van and a car on Hennef Way.
It's taking 45 minutes to get through the queues on Williamscot Hill and 35 minutes on the A422.
You can keep up to date with the BBC Travel site.
Canoe club in Banbury to celebrate 20 years in townpublished at 09:29 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2016
Banbury Guardian
Cherwell Canoe Club in Banbury is celebrating 20 years of being involved in the community and will mark the milestone on Friday, external.
Food bank use 'needs to be reduced'published at 09:16 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2016
BBC Radio Oxford
Reliance on food banks like those in Banbury, Didcot and Oxford needs to be reduced, according to Alison Webster who advises the Church of England in Oxfordshire on social responsibility.
Between April and September last year the food banks in Bicester and Banbury gave out three-day emergency food parcels to more than 1,700 people in crisis.
Quote Message
While feeding people is a moral imperative for all of us, it's also necessary to make sure we don't perpetuate the problem. There are countries in the world... where food banks are very much becoming an institutionalised part of social life, and I think many people here think that's not what we want in this country.
Alison Webster, Diocese of Oxford Social Responsibility Adviser
Council leaders set out vision for new local governmentpublished at 08:55 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2016
BBC Radio Oxford
The leaders of Oxfordshire County Council and the Vale of White Horse District Council are both calling for a change to the structure of the county's local government.
Media caption,
Ian Hudspeth and Matthew Barber give their visions for Oxfordshire's local government.
County leader Ian Hudspeth says that a single, county-wide authority would be the most efficient option, whereas Matthew Barber has backed a plan for four unitary authorities across the region.
Both councillors agree that a public consultation should be held on the issue.