The people who will plan our roads, schools, social care, incinerators, libraries etc. for the next four years are standing at the County Council elections today.

In north Abingdon, Alan Bryden from the Lib-Dem party is retiring. So his place will be taken either

by Angela Lawrence from the Lib-Dem party

or Sandy Lovatt from the Conservative party, or Anne-Marie Heslop from the Greens or Denise Watt from Labour for whom I have no picture.

In central Abingdon, Lesley Legge from the Lib-Dem party is retiring. So her place will be taken either

by Tony De Vere from the Lib-Dem party

or Peter Jones from the Conservative party, or Richard Bullock from the Greens or Barbara Wynn from Labour for whom I have no picture.

In South Abingdon and Drayton, Mike Badcock from the Conservative party

and Marilyn Badcock, also from the Conservative party, are standing for re-election.

Also going for this position are Neil Fawcett from the Lib-Dem party

and Richard Webber from the Lib-Dem party,

or the Green Candidates, Rachel Bottley and Hazel Hornblow, or the Labour Candidates
Antonia Bance or David Banner for whom I have no picture.

Not only are there the County Council Election candidates above, but also the European elections – the candidates for that are too many to mention. Each party has a list of ten candidates in the South East region.

It’s time for the annual bedding plants to be put in the public flower beds – like these in the Abbey Gardens this morning.

The early June colour comes from more established plants,

like these at the back of Old Abbey House in the same Abbey Gardens.

Good pair of paddles on this young coot. But no sign of the parents at the Margeret Brown Garden nest.

Swan family on the River Ock. Dad is risk assessing the human with the camera.
Above the weir between the upper and lower River Ock, near Meadowside, mum joins the chicks for a little sun bathing after a bathe in the water.

Some more serious wildlife can be seen on the up and coming Views of the Ock.

This ‘Shock! Abingdon Gnome Beheaded‘ picture was one that I missed back in March. It got captured by the Abingdon Walks Instant Photo Blog instead.
Things are looking a little better for the Abingdon Gnome today. His head is back on, and he is not alone anymore.