Category Archives: community

Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council Meeting – September 30th 2015 – Part 1

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Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council Meetings
There was a meeting of Abingdon Town Council this evening.
Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council Meetings
There had been a meeting of the Guildhall Committee, back in July, that outlined plans for the Guildhall redevelopment. The final plans will be agreed in November. The Town Council heard about progress on these plans from the architect this evening.

The main points are that there will be a new transparent (glass) entrance at ground floor level, down to the left of the picture, into what is currently the old unused cloakroom area, and backstage. That entrance area will have a bar area with tables, a reception, and a community space. Opposite the new ground floor entrance, new stairs will be added, and the existing lift will be refurbished.

Where the big old stage is currently (left of building), there will be rooms on three levels including community spaces, and storage, accessible by stairs or lift.

The current Abbey Hall will be designed as an acoustic box to allow cinema or performances, that won’t disturb neighbours. It may have raked seating, and the new stage, and cinema screen, will be opposite where the stage is currently.

A new platform lift, at ground level, will access the older Guildhall rooms .
Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council Meetings
The Town Council are set to undertake a Neighborhood Plan for the Abingdon-on-Thames area and have drawn up new town boundaries. They include the Drayton Road development; and green belt areas in North Abingdon set for development in the Vale of White Horse District Council’s Local Plan. The red line also takes in an area, the other side of the A34, known as Abingdon Common.
Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council Meetings
Upcoming events announced by the Mayor at the meeting included:
* Abingdon Fair Service at 8pm on 4th October.
* Les, the Residents Parking Warden is retiring next week, and there will be a reception for him.
* Mayor’s Charity Quiz at Long Furlong Community Centre this year. 23rd October. Tickets are £15 with buffet. It raises funds for the Over 70’s Christmas Party,

To be Continued.

Children’s Centres in Abingdon could close

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Children's Centres in Abingdon
Nicola Blackwood, local MP, is pictured here at South Abingdon Children’s Centre, in happier times.
Children's Centres in Abingdon
Oxfordshire County Council are soon to consult on the closure of most of the 44 Children’s Centres in Oxfordshire to save £8 million annually, cutting by half the amount they spend on children and family services. They will probably look to move all Abingdon area services to the early intervention hub on Stratton Way, and relabel it as a Family and Children Centre.

Children’s Centres have made a difference to parents as well as children, with parenting courses, and local support for families.

They are highly regarded for aiding child development pre-school.

They are a safe place to get help from the excellent staff who are known locally.

The consultation on these proposals will be in early October. The County Council say “Lack of resources coupled with the dramatic increase in workloads arising from Child Protection and Children In Care means that the current operation of discretionary support and help based on universal provision is no longer tenable.”


I would have thought that given there has been a dramatic increase in Child Protection issues in Oxfordshire, now is not the time to cut the budget by half.

Preston Road Jackpot

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Preston Road Jackpot
There was a Jackpot payout of £200 at the final Bingo game this evening at Preston Road Community Centre.

There were about 40 people playing this evening. The modest profit made by bingo helps to keep the centre going, and is an evening out for people locally.

The local councils (Town and Vale) are generous in giving grants that allow the centre to fit new fire doors when the old ones get too rickety, new sliding partitions to insulate and soundproof the different areas, and to maintain and improve the fabric of the building.

But without dedicated trustees and other volunteers it would not work. Other Abingdon Community Centres are the same.

Community Shop – Big Ballot Box Tour and National Flower Arranging Day

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Big Ballot Box Tour
BBC Radio Oxford were in the Friends of Abingdon Community Shop, in Bury Street, as the final part of their “Big Ballot Box Tour” series.
Big Ballot Box Tour
They had brought with them a set of Lego figures of the candidates which have been made by a historian in Oxford – see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-england-32531812
Big Ballot Box Tour
Five of the seven candidates for the Oxford West and Abingdon constituency were there. Those who missed the broadcast can catch up via http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02qf5ks .

(Thanks to Hester for the pictures.)
Big Ballot Box Tour
Once the politicians were out, Abingdon Flower Club took over the shop, and were busy arranging flowers as 1st May is National Flower Arranging Day. The displays will be left up in the window over the bank holiday weekend.