In the first election for the Thames Valley Police and crime commissioner (PCC) back in 2012 the turnout was 13.3 per cent. That was thought to be disappointing.

The 2016 PCC election is the first election, that I remember, where no literature has been delivered to our door. We will wait and see the turnout with interest.

In the Parish Meeting, Abingdon Town Council provide updates of its work over the the last year. Each committee chair reports back on the work of their committee to members of the electorate who attend. This year there were 8 members of the public and Sophie Grubb from the Abingdon Herald.

A new council were elected on 7th May 2015, comprising 10 Conservative, 8 Liberal Democrats, and 1 Independent.

Key Issues from the Chairman of Finance and General Purposes:

Guildhall: the council could not get funds for the more ambitious plans they had before the election. None of the commercial partners were able to bring in sufficient funds, and their operating model was not compatible with the continued public use of the building.

Town Planning: The town council has set aside £10,000 towards a Neighbourhood Plan that could end up costing £70,000.

Lodge Hill four-way interchange: costs range from £8m to £13m. The North Abingdon housing estate could bring in £9.6m in developer funding.

Bury Street: Aberdeen Assset Management have asked to be released from their commitment to spend around £50m on redeveloping the Charter. They have not found investment partners. The District Council are asking that instead they upgrade the Co-op and Poundland shops.

Budget: 4.54% increase in Council Tax precept for the Town Council. Guildhall Project to cost £2,184,000 of which £934,000 will be a loan.

2 new Residents’ parking wardens have been employed. The County Council has come up with a better deal to keep this scheme going.

Key Issues from Amenities and Recreation:
90 new trees have been planted in the cemetery
Negotiations about a site for a new cemetery are happening confidentially
Some of the 8 Town Council play areas had safety surfaces improvements
New town signs will be going up
Town fisheries being reviewed
Abingdon in bloom successful again

Key issues from Community Services Committee:
A 2nd monthly Farmers Market has been allowed
Monday Market will be given better publicity
Markets are seen as a way of increasing footfall not a money generator for the council
Market Place was booked on 156 days last year
Grants process being revamped
23rd April – Clubs and Societies Day

Key issues from Guildhall Committee:
Plan includes:
Groundfloor entrance and cafe area – glazed at front
Removal of ramp and old steps
Improved access from Bridge Street
Stage moved to other end and Abbey Hall soundproofed
Prices for hire likely to come down after comparison with Didcot and Wantage
Previous hirers are being kept up to date with plans to entice them back

Museum
Mousehole opened as cafe
20 volunteers now help
Jane Bowen – curator since the re-opening in 2012 – has retired.
Lift now working and there are plans to cover it to stop rain getting in to the mechanism
Weather Vane to have scaffolding removed shortly

Planning
Considered 281 plans
40 members of the public came to speak
Stopped Drayton development on 3 occasions for not abiding by conditions

Town Matters raised by members of the public
Town bus service to be axed. Will the town council support a community group setting up a community bus as is happening in Witney? Town Council are happy to talk but have no budget.
Children’s Centres. Scope for communities to get share of funding to keep centres open. Will Town Concil get involved? This is a County Council matter.

There was a meeting of Abingdon Town Council this evening to consider reports from the council’s sub Committees, and agree next year’s budget.

The meeting began with a prayer from Revd Charles Miller where he prayed among other things “Inspire the council with a right judgement in all things, and … a zeal for the common good.”

Councillors expressed concern about the mud on the road left be lorries leaving the Drayton Road building site, and the danger presented sometimes by lorries turning into the site. The Mayor undertook to write to the district council to express the town council’s concern.

There was then a heated debate about setting up a working group to consider the council’s future carbon cutting. Conservatives first suggested postponing the working group agreed at a previous town council. They then proposed it be set up under Widdecombe rules so that the ruling Conservative party have 3 members, and the opposition Lib-Dems 2. This left the independent Angela Lawrence out in the cold. But the Widdecombe rules were voted through by all the Conservatives; all the Lib-Dems abstained, and only Angela voted against. She appeared to be the one most passionate about making things happen in this working group.

A decision was made to allow a 2nd monthly Farmer’s Market. There was also a discussion of Market fees. On this occasion it was Conservative Councillor Vicky Jenkins who was a lone voice. She said that the town council was subsidising the Farmer’s Market whose rents were 38% less. Both Markets should be treated the same.

Other committee papers were all agreed including those on the Guildhall which I will return to soon.

There followed a party political discussion on the budget. The Lib-Dems proposed some amendments to the budget. These included adding £60K to the Community fund to help save Abingdon’s Children’s Centres, and £30K not £10K towards pushing ahead with the Neighbourhood Plan. To pay for these changes they wanted efficiency savings, charging more for some council services, and not putting quite so much towards the future cemetery fund, or buying additional Christmas lights.

In the end this amendment was voted down largely on party lines with Angela Lawrence the independent and another councillor choosing to abstain. The main Conservative argument was that the Lib-Dems should have thought of these ideas earlier and got it properly discussed through committees beforehand.

But it did produce a good lively debate. When everything is agreed beforehand town council meetings can be as dull as next year’s budget sheets.

At the recent meeting of the Town Council planning committee it was recommended that the town council lead the development of a Neighbourhood Plan for the town.

Thame has a very good neighbourhood plan that gives a framework for decisions about future development – all agreed in a referendum of the town. Wantage will soon have one too.

People in South Abingdon have already been through consultations towards developing a Resident’s Plan (called SARP). A lot of work was put in by volunteers gathering information, working with people who had already developed successful Residents Plans. As a result a questionnaire was put together to go to every house in the area. That was sent to the Vale of White Horse District Council for approval, and was never heard of again. Perhaps, instead, the Town Council can bring back that good work into the town’s neighbourhood plan.

At the meeting, Hester, representing The Friends of Abingdon, said The Friends are very much in favour of such a plan as it will allow more local control of CIL Money (Community Infrastructure Levy paid by developers to build in the area), and help control development. The Friends hope to see a wide variety of people involved to ensure the process is inclusive.

So the next stage is for the town council to put money in the budget for next year, to hire a consultant with the expertise to lead such a process, and get all sorts of people involved. Then in a couple of years we can all vote on it.