Headington Forum review of the year 2000

By Nicholas Newman
January,
· Headington, saw the new millennium get off to a sparkling start with fire-works in South Park," providing Headington's morale a much needed boost.
· A local 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had pleaded guilty at Oxford Youth Court to unlawful wounding of a teen-age boy.
February,
· The local TA began its annual recruiting drive for new members to its Slade branch. http://www.army.mod.uk/ta/local_ta_unit/ewessex.html#oxfordshire
March,
· Dangerous building waste was discovered dumped in Headington Hill Park.
April,
· Headington Forum began a search for men willing to spare their blushes and strip off for a nude charity calendar, and had ten volunteers. The Editor was very surprised at the number of offers from women volunteering to join the se-lection committee.
May,
· Labour Party loses control of Headington Ward and City Council at local elec-tions.
June,
· Headington Roadrunners A Team were victorious in the 11th running of the Ridgeway Relay.
· There were proposals by developers to build a private hospital on a scale lar-ger than the existing Acland Hospital site, on the Manor Ground site, against the wishes of the majority of the residents. (See web page: http://www.Headington.org.uk for details).
· Headington had experienced one full year of the controversial Oxford Trans-port Strategy, which many would argue has increased traffic levels in Headington as a result of traffic being dispersed away from the city centre into Headington.
July,
· In July the OOMF Festival extravaganza was held in South Park and it was great success.
· Headington Baptist Church announced plans for rebuilding.
· The council rejected the plans for a multi-million pound private hospital. (See web page: http://www.Headington.org.uk for details).
· Headington Area Strategy Committee launched.
August,
· Sandfield Road residents already suffering from the noise and congestion caused by two nurseries began a fight against plans for a third one in their road.
· Seventy residents of Stapleton Road held a summer street party to celebrate the Millennium.
September,
· Headington Forum called on Oxford to build a new concert and conference centre for the benefit of residents in Oxfordshire.
· It was the first anniversary of Headington Forum Newsletter.
October,
· The local authorities again repeated their long standing but vague promises to build Headington a swimming pool, but this time the location was on the Bayswater School site.
November,
· A Report criticizing Headington’s pioneering heart centre, based at the John Radcliffe Hospital, in Headington, recommended that staff work as a team. The Report blamed surgeons "personal animosities" for splitting the depart-ment and causing a number of nurses to resign.
December,
· Headington Forum together with New Headington Residents Association and other residents groups began the fight against a second attempt by developers to build a new private hospital and 87 flats on the Manor Ground site. For more information about the proposals contact http://www.Headington.org.uk.
· Headington Business Association, together with local residents associations celebrated a Christmas Festival in Headington, with Christmas lights, trees and amusements, to the great delight of all.
· Headington Forum newsletter is now available on: http://www.communigate.co.uk/oxford/headingtonforum/index.phtml
http://www.any-web.co.uk/main.asp?SiteID=AVUK&SpecID=headingt

Sources: New Headington Residents Association, Headington Forum, Oxford Civic Society, Friends of Old Headington, Oxford Mail and Times.