BEING a business in Oxfordshire is becoming an arduous prospect.

Once a company has got over the stumbling block of finding a premises that does not charge sky high rents, they must then recruit.

But the lack of affordable housing means many potential employees are put off the area.

Those that remain are often driven to live miles from the company in order to afford rent.

The knock-on effect is a workforce that is battling congested roads as nobody can live within walking or cycling distance of their job.

But now companies will be even more watchful about locating in Oxfordshire given the county council's plans to introduce annual parking fees on businesses.

Council leader Ian Hudspeth believes other parts of the local authority's transport plan will mean more will take public transport instead.

But this is yet to be seen.

Taxing companies which have the ability to accommodate driving commuters seems like punishing those who understand the difficulties of their employees.

Without addressing the serious housing shortage and the struggling transport infrastructure, people will continue to use their car.

If businesses are put off from providing spaces due to the tax, it will simply frustrate neighbourhoods where there are no controlled parking zones.

Suburbs will be swamped with cars.

Mr Hudspeth and co have five years to overcome these issues, make this scheme viable and stop businesses from looking elsewhere.

LIKE something from a Miss Marple novel, but without the murder, we now have another clue to the mysterious postcard sender of Eynsham Hall.

The intended recipient of the postcard, sent in 1984, has been found - Celia Pagel is now living in Wheatley.

But some more detective work is needed after she revealed she did not know the identity of the phantom poster.

Could there be a clue in the card that jogs the memory of a reader and brings to light our anonymous messenger?

One can only hope the puzzle will be solved.

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