The UK voted to leave the EU on 23rd June 2016. Abingdon voted to remain but had to go with the majority view. The alluring ”Take Back Control” slogan of the leave campaign won the day.

The two year process to leave the EU was triggered on 29th March 2017. There followed lengthy negotiations between various UK Brexit secretaries (who resigned one after another) and Michel Barnier (for the EU). An agreement was brokered between the UK government and the EU involving the UK paying a £39 billion divorce settlement – not a subject mentioned in the leave or remain campaigns.

On 9th January 2019, the House of Commons, including the Abingdon and Oxford West M.P., Layla Moran, voted against the agreement for a variety of reasons. Layla Moran wanted a People’s Vote. Brexiteers and the DUP MPs said they did not like the Northern Ireland backstop. Since then parliament and the government and the EU have been going round in circles, not re-negotiating the backstop.

People campaigning for a People’s Vote were on the Market Place yesterday in Abingdon. The People’s Vote say ‘ When it becomes clear there is no Parliamentary majority for any Brexit option, the only way forward will be a People’s Vote.’

On the other hand Leave means Leave campaigners say, ‘The Government must chuck their Chequers proposal – which if delivered would amount to Brexit in name only – and instead seize the opportunities of a World Trade Deal.’

Both sides are still working hard to influence pubic opinion and politicians as the clock runs down towards March 29th 2019.

This evening in Abingdon there was a concert that combined folk singing and the history of the struggle of ordinary people for justice, equality and freedom. The concert was performed by the Sea Green Singers, based in Oxford and with seven people from Abingdon.

The first song came from the Peasant’s Revolt in 1381 – an early protest movement where the leaders were executed. There followed songs from the Diggers, and the Levellers through to Peterloo.

Songs gave us a people’s history lesson and took us at the end of the first half to the Chartist movement whose aim was to gain political rights for the ordinary people. The video above is the singing of the Chartist Anthem.

In the second half we heard protest songs from the start of the industrial revolution and Tolpuddle Martyrs, right up to the Greenham Common protests and the miners strikes.

Then at the end we were reminded that the struggle still goes on for many ordinary people. Money raised from the concert goes towards Host Abingdon.

Another hot day and councillors at the town council meeting this evening did not have to wear the usual heavy robes.

The entrance to the Roysse Room for the town council meeting was by a back door as the Roysse Court is being redeveloped.

Members of the public, councillors, and staff were asked to stand as the Mayor of Abingdon-on-Thames followed the mace into the room. Then Reverend Charles Miller led prayers. The Mayor, Councillor Margaret Crick, then presented cheques to groups who had been awarded grants including Abbey Brass, Abingdon Music Centre, Abingdon Rotary, and Smash badminton.

Three members of the public addressed the council before the meeting. Among them Pat Bryden wanted to set up a memorial for Alan Bryden, a former Town and County Councillor, who did a lot for the town. She proposed some improvements to some of the tourist maps in the town centre, and the addition of seats to some bus stops on the Oxford Road. She will provide the resources if the town council agree.

There followed a lot of questions about the town bus service, being paid for by the town council for £30K. It will run from Monday to Friday, 4 times a day and will go through South Abingdon between 9:06 and 14:56. It uses the route of the 41 bus that was previously subsidised by the County Council. It will run for one year from September 2018 – August 2019.

The meeting then went through all the committee papers since the last Town Council, and an audit of the Town Council accounts.

Lastly there was a discussion of three proposals put forward by town councillors. There is sometimes a misunderstanding that the town council runs the town. But for some matters they need to lobby the Vale of the White Horse District Council (VWHDC)  on important matters about the town. All three proposals were addressed to VWHDC and were unanimously agreed by the Councillors.

1. The Upper Reaches Hotel has been boarded up for three years. What is VWHDC doing about that, and do they have any legal powers to influence the hotel owner? A letter will be written from Town Council to District Council to try and make the current situation public.

2. The toilets at the Charter are disgusting. Money had been put into the VWHDC budget to improve them, and the car park. So how is that going, and what are the plans for the charter generally? A letter will be written from Town Council to District Council to try and make the current situation public.

3. Parking enforcement is not top of the list of police force priorities but they currently control on street parking in Abingdon. In 2014 the VWHDC considered introducing civic parking enforcement, but rejected the idea. Could they consider it again in 2018 for the sake of the parking situation outside schools and the town centre? A letter will be written from Town Council to District Council

The Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers were dancing outside St Helen’s Church before the Abingdon Town Council Mayor Making. They were led by the Mayor of Ock Street, Harry Knight.

In St Helen’s Church, Councillor Jan Morter handed on the chain of office of the Mayor of Abingdon to Councillor Margaret Crick.

Margaret is an ex teacher who not only taught in England but also in the Bahamas. She became a member of the Town Council in 2007, and in the last year has chaired the planning committee, and been Deputy Mayor. She is a keen gardener and craftswoman, who behind the scenes donates handmade jewellery to help raise money for town events.

The new Deputy Mayor is David Pope, seen here signing the oath of office. David is also district governor for the Rotary International.

Margaret has chosen two charities that are close to her heart as the Mayor’s Charities. First is Abingdon Carousel who will soon take over running the South Abingdon Children’s Centre. Margaret said that a good start to life is so important for children. She also chose Be Free – Young Carers of Oxfordshire. Margaret was so impressed with how they bring together young people who have taken on the very adult role of caring for relatives.

The outgoing Mayor, Councillor Jan Morter, gave Mayor’s awards to:
* Emma Beacham, the founder of the Abingdon More in Common group.
* Anne Smart, one of the volunteers for Abingdon Cuts Plastic / Abingdon Carbon Cutters.
* Shirley Thompson as a volunteer for 20 years with the Abingdon Children Contact Centre, at Abingdon Baptist church, which allows separated parents to meet with children in a safe neutral place.