The day was chilly. No stalls on the Market Place. But later, a couple of boats from AV Boats on the River Thames took out some hardy people.
We caught the bus to Oxford to buy art materials that used to be so much better at Prices – a much-missed shop. Bus tickets are currently £2 as part of a government-financed scheme to get people onto buses.
Then for a walk as the setting sun shone through the clouds behind St Helen Church.
The Ukraine flag was again flying over the County Hall in Abingdon today.
There was a minute of silence in workplaces and public places such as Abingdon Library to mark the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Work will begin on strengthening the first arch of Abingdon Bridge in late March. A notice has gone up in the Thames Street car park to say no parking from 20th March to 27th April.
The bridge was reduced to a single lane with traffic lights from May 2021 to November 2022 to protect the arch and allow exploratory work. I would expect the traffic lights to return during the repair work.
Nominations for candidates start on 20th March. So you have about a month to decide if you want to stand. I was an independent candidate for the town council 4 years ago but didn’t get in. It was an interesting experience.
New for 2023 – you must show a photo ID when voting at a polling station. If people have not got a photo ID, they can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate by 25th April. It can be applied for online and needs a National Insurance Number and a digital photo. See https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/voter-id
The voter ID scheme was agreed upon by parliament last year. According to opendemocracy.net, between 995,000 and 3.5 million people do not have the required ID. It will affect some age groups, ethnic and gender groups more than others. Voter turnout in local elections is low in any case, and this could reduce it further.