Author Archives: Backstreeter

County Council and Police Commissioner Elections

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On Thursday 6th May 2021, local elections are scheduled. Here in East Abingdon we have had 3 brochures through our door. The pandemic seems to have reduced the usual flood of leaflets.

These elections involve all 63 seats on Oxfordshire County Council, currently controlled by the Conservative Party. 3 of those seats are in Abingdon:

Abingdon East
Cheryl Briggs – Green
Jill Kirkwood – Freedom Alliance. No Lockdowns. No Curfews.
David Pope – Conservative
Alison Rooke – Liberal Democrat
Edward Shelton – Labour

Abingdon North
Michel Grandjean – Green Party
Nathan Ley – Liberal Democrat
Charlotte Njeru – Conservative
Norma Queralt – Labour
Geoff Sandford – Freedom Alliance. No Lockdowns. No Curfews

Abingdon South
Arjun Bais – Labour
Neil Fawcett – Liberal Democrat
Christopher Palmer – Conservative
Eladia Posthill – Reform UK

The County Council spends 80% of local government expenditure, and dwarf district and town council expenditure by a long way. Their main areas of expenditure are:
* Adult and children’s social care (biggest expenditure by a long way)
* Education and learning
* Highways and transport
* Public health improvement and prevention services
* Waste disposal and recycling (the district council collects waste)
* Fire and rescue and community safety
* Libraries, cultural, registration and coroner’s services

There is an election for the Police and Crime Commissioner for the Thames Valley Police:
Matthew Barber – Conservative
Laetisia Carter – Labour and Co-operative
John Howson – Liberal Democrats
Alan Robinson – Independent

There is an election for Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council – Fitzharris Ock Ward:
Caroline Bullock – Labour
Rawda Jehanli – Liberal Democrat
Cavan Pirouet – Conservative


Abingdon Carbon Cutters have arranged an online hustings where you can book a place here.

The Abingdon Facebook group, run and moderated by James Davis, has also arrange a hustings where candidates are sent questions via the group. Their answers are then posted back through the Facebook group.

St George’s Day and Shakespeare’s Birthday in Abingdon

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St George’s Day (April 23rd) is being observed by Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council with the flying of the St George’s flag.

The Sue Ryder shop are also observing the day with a display of red and white clothes, wool, handbags, and St George’s Flags.

The exact date of William Shakespeare’s birthday is not recorded, but it is most often observed on 23rd April. He did die on 23rd April 1616.

In Abingdon Virginia, the Barter Theatre has found a way round the restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic. They have performances at an abandoned drive-in movie theater – the Moonlite Theater on the edge of Abingdon. Currently playing at the Barter Moonlite is The Tempest by William Shakespeare.

From the Skies – squares and circles

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Daniel has been filming, from the skies, the new development off the Dunmore Road. The outlines of the first properties are visible as squares or rectangles.

He has also been flying over South Abingdon where the sewage treatment works are next to the Drayton Road Allotments which are next to a quarry.

When I walk or cycle round the sewage treatment works the overwhelming impression is the fizzy sulfurous smell, but from the sky you see circles.

Abingdon Market Place falls silent at start of Prince Philip’s funeral

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The bell of St Helen’s Church tolled for fifteen minutes. Then a minute’s silence was observed on Abingdon Market Place at 3 P.M in remembrance of H.R.H Prince Philip.

The Town Crier, Deputy Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, Mayor of Abingdon-on-Thames, and Town Clerk led the silence in Abingdon, an event held throughout Britain.

At the same time, at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, members of the royal family surrounded Philip’s coffin. The coffin was then taken inside the building for the service, as organ music played.

There were also tributes in the window of the Sue Ryder Charity shop nearby, and Waitrose.