The Town Council met in the Roysse Room, a former schoolroom. Councillors were reminded to speak clearly as the acoustics are not ideal, and one request was made for improved lighting so papers can be read more easily.

Mayor’s Engagements
Mayor Cllr Rawda Jehanli has had a busy schedule but was unable to attend this meeting. Deputy Mayor Cllr Skinner took the chair.

County Councillor’s Report
* East St Helen Street Junction – A long-awaited redesign is in progress, with local input said to be vital in getting the details right.
* Lodge Hill – Work is also underway there, designed to keep traffic moving and avoid complete road closures.

Vale of White Horse District Council (VWHDC) Report
* Leadership Change – The Chief Executive has stepped down at a time of uncertainty about the council’s future.
* Joint Local Plan – The Planning Inspector has asked VWHDC and South Oxfordshire to withdraw their joint plan, citing poor coordination with Oxford City over housing numbers.
* Flood Prevention – The trash screen near Chiltern Close needs urgent attention to reduce repeated flooding. The Environment Agency and UKAEA are involved.

Environment, Amenities & Infrastructure Committee
* Cemetery Chapel – Renovation work is complete, with suggestions it could now be used for weddings and christenings as well as funerals.
* Bus Shelters – New shelters have been installed, and maintenance is underway. Praise was given for the cleaning and upkeep on Radley Road.
* Play Areas – Improvements at Chiltern Close and Chaunterell Way (and elsewhere) are being funded mainly through Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) developer contributions.
* Stratton Way Underpass – A grant is being sought to improve lighting.
* Traffic Island Monk – The removed figure will be repurposed as a bug hotel in Boxhill Wood.

Community Committee
* Fair Music – The Council has asked fair operators to reduce noise later in the evening.
* Bridge Safety – Plates are now covering most of the holes on the Ock bridge near the fair. The Town Council will ask the District Council to place plates over the latest holes, to ensure safety during the fair.
* Grants Awarded – Support was given to Mental Health Natters, Abingdon Youth Football Club, Home Start Southern Oxfordshire, and other groups.
* Town Crier – The newsletter will now be published quarterly. Councillors need to be aware of deadlines for articles.

Planning Committee
As the only member of the public present, I was invited to comment or ask a question at the start. Having skim-read the council papers online, I stood up to praise the planning committee for its workload and persistence. Unlike other committees (which meet once between full councils), the planning committee has met five times.

It has:
* Commented on dozens of routine planning applications, objecting where necessary to overdevelopment.
* Responded to major consultations and pressed for local action.
* Written a strong letter to David Wilson Homes about delays to Oxford Road sewer works.
* Monitored the slow delivery of promised North Abingdon facilities (shop, pub/café, over-55s housing, and primary school).
* Attempted to meet the NHS commissioning board about GP provision in Abingdon; when rebuffed, involved the local MP, who also struggled to make progress.
* Pushed for South Abingdon to be included in the SESRO (Abingdon Reservoir) environmental assessment.
* Continued to monitor Dalton Barracks development and traffic impact.
* Advanced work on the Neighbourhood Plan.

At the end of the meeting one councillor noted that the usual process of formally proposing and seconding minutes before discussion had been skipped. The tone was more informal than usual, and the open meeting ended in just 45 minutes.

I left before councillors discussed a confidential matter. This may have related to the Abbey Hall, where heads of terms have reportedly been agreed for transferring ownership to the cinema operator — or perhaps to something new.

Candidates have been announced for the upcoming Oxfordshire County Council elections on 1st May 2025. Abingdon’s representation remains unchanged with three county councillors. However, due to new boundaries, the total number of councillors across Oxfordshire will increase from 63 to 69.

Alison Rooke, who served for many years as a county councillor and is currently Chair of Oxfordshire County Council, has retired. Nathan Ley and Neil Fawcett are both standing for re-election.

Conservative candidates are standing under the banner ‘Local Conservatives’ to distance themselves from the national party.

This is likely to be the final election for Oxfordshire County Council in its current form, due to proposed reorganisation of local government into unitary authorities. The County Council has suggested a single county-wide unitary authority to retain services such as social care and transport. Meanwhile, West Berkshire, South Oxfordshire, and Vale of White Horse District Councils have proposed a joint alternative: a new ‘Ridgeway Council’. Final proposals are due by 28th November 2025, with the new council potentially in place by 2028.

The Annual Parish Meeting took place on March 26, 2025, from 7:00 to 9:23 p.m. in the Roysse Room, Abingdon.

Mayor Councillor Gabby Barody opened the meeting, welcoming attendees and emphasising her year’s theme of ‘inclusivity’, exemplified by the appointment of multi-faith chaplains. She reflected on key events, such as the Christmas Day Lunch at Peachcroft Christian Centre for those who might otherwise be alone, and announced a Twinning Conference from April 4–7, 2025, in Abingdon, where mayors from Abingdon’s twin towns will share experiences and strengthen connections.

Reports from the Town Council Committee Chairs followed, with full details available online at (https://www.abingdon.gov.uk/annual-parish-town-meeting-2025).

Councillor Neil Fawcett (Community Committee) discussed grants to local partnership organisations like The Abingdon Bridge, supporting young people, and Abingdon Carousel, aiding young families. He noted these partnerships deliver excellent value, achieving more than the council could alone and enabling groups to secure additional funding. He also confirmed that Fun and Music in the Park will revert to its previous format: a free morning for families followed by a paid music event, following feedback on last year’s full-day ticket model.

Councillor Colin Sanderson (Town Infrastructure) highlighted a survey of 88 bus shelters, many in poor condition, paving the way for a planned maintenance programme. He announced that repairs to town centre finger posts will begin next week. Adding bicycle racks to the Market Place is complicated by multiple stakeholders (three councils), with progress tied to a forthcoming road layout change around the area. Restoration of the Stratton Way underpass murals, the first project in the revamped public arts strategy, is also set to start soon.

Councillor Tom Greenaway (Environment and Amenities Committee) presented a report with images showcasing new exercise and playground equipment, the resurfaced Ock Valley Walk, and a flood container for sandbags. He highlighted the ‘Letters to Heaven’ postbox at Spring Road Cemetery, which gained widespread attention after going viral on social media, prompting a BBC Radio Oxford interview.

Councillor Jim Halliday (Finance, Governance and Asset Management) provided a figures-focused report, detailing a £2.24M budget for 2024/25, a £250,000 Abbey Hall roof repair (addressing asbestos and RAAC issues), and a 4.94% council tax rise for 2025/26—equivalent to £7.57 annually for a Band D household. The Abbey Hall work will be completed by March 31, 2025, allowing the Abbey Cinema to resume operations, though the hall is considered a liability, and the council is seeking legal advice on future options.

Councillor Mark Giddins (Planning) reported reviewing 144 planning applications and efforts to influence major projects, such as the South East Strategic Reservoir Option, to preserve Abingdon’s character.

Following the committee reports, Simon Hills, Chair of the Neighbourhood Planning Group, outlined the Neighbourhood Plan’s next steps: final adjustments by the Town Council following recent consultation and a recommendations report, further public consultation by Vale of White Horse District Council (VWHDC), review by a planning inspector, and a referendum. He cautioned that delays could arise due to a limited number of planning inspectors nationally.

Lucille Savin from the Abingdon Green Forum outlined the work of the Abingdon Carbon Cutters, and described the current 3 monthly focus of the Green Forum is sustainable food.

PCSO Ali Blood spoke on neighbourhood policing priorities in Abingdon, identifying the top three as tackling Violence Against Women and Girls, retail theft and fraud, and anti-social behaviour.

Councillor Penny Clover, representing the Royal British Legion, detailed plans for the 80th anniversary of VE and VJ Day, including ceremonies on May 8, 2025. The Town Council has opted against a traditional Bun Throw, instead exploring a fun, bun-throwing sporting event.

Several community groups delivered excellent presentations:
* The Abingdon Bridge
* Abingdon Damascus Youth Project
* Abingdon Carousel
* Friends of Abingdon Civic Society
* Guild of Town Criers
* One Planet Abingdon and One Planet Abingdon Youth
* Oxfordshire South and Vale Citizens Advice

Christ’s Hospital (submitted a report, unable to attend)
Be Free Young Carers (submitted a report, unable to attend)

Particularly moving were talks by young people who, having benefited from The Abingdon Bridge, now support their peers, and by Kate, a young woman from One Planet Abingdon’s youth group. Their reports are available online (https://www.abingdon.gov.uk/annual-parish-town-meeting-2025).

Finally, the discussion of town affairs was brief, addressing only pre-submitted questions:

Can you help accelerate work on the Oxford Road Roundabout? The response was complex and subject to change. Thames Water encountered a legacy sewer connection issue for a new estate, missing the permitted roadwork window. Developers and Thames Water are exploring alternatives, but priority A34 works may delay progress until 2026 if the new plan affects that junction.

Why was a 20 MPH speed indicator placed on a 30 MPH stretch of Oxford Road? Oxfordshire County Council recommended this, and their reasoning was provided.

What will the Town Council do to reduce dangers and maximise opportunities from the upcoming local government reorganisation? The Town Council has begun exploring this, and are reluctant to take on more responsibilities without resources. Hester Hands, the questioner, suggested a Town Council/Neighbourhood Forum, which councillors deemed worth considering.

Local government in Oxfordshire currently operates under a two-tier system. Four district councils and one city council manage services such as planning and waste collection, while Oxfordshire County Council oversees education and roads. However, the government is encouraging the creation of unitary authorities — one-tier councils that combine these responsibilities.

On February 24, 2025, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils wrote to West Berkshire Council, proposing a forum to explore the possibility of a new unitary authority. This follows public meetings where the idea received positive feedback.

At the same time, discussions are ongoing with other Oxfordshire councils about an alternative single county-wide unitary authority. West Berkshire are already a unitary council but not big enough. They will consider the Vale and South option as well as the option of combining with other Berkshire unitary councils.

Some Abingdon residents could well welcome this proposal, as it could revive historical ties to Berkshire. The Vale of White Horse was North Berkshire until 1974.

Typically, new unitary councils should serve populations of at least 500,000.

West Berkshire: 161,448 (2021)
Vale of White Horse: 138,913 (2021)
South Oxfordshire: 151,820 (2021)
Total population: 452,181 (2021)

The total population will have increased in the four years to 2025 but it would need to increase by almost 10% to be 500,000.