Monthly Archives: December 2011

Council Chamber entrance

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Council Chamber
I am suprised to see quite so many new signs fixed round Abbey House pointing to the Council Chamber entrance.

There are two very grand entrances to Abbey House, the home of the Vale of White Horse District Council, but the door to the Council Chamber is not one of them. The new Council Chamber is really just a committee room entered through a small external door, and can be easily missed.

Tonight’s District Council Full Council meeting (Wed 14th Dec at 7pm) is at the Guildhall, now owned by the Town Council. So on this occasion Don’t follow signs to the Council Chamber Entrance!

Just looking at the agenda for anything of interest tonight …

A cross party motion …

Motion to be proposed by Councillor Angela Lawrence and seconded by Councillor Peter Jones: This council resolves to use every channel available to it to persuade the Government to alter planning law to recognise that a local public house becoming a shop is a change of use…

Agreement to changes to Abbey shopping centre plans that came through public consultation…. This £4M revamp by Scottish Widows has already been approved last week by the district planning committee, and there is a virtual fly through tour you can take on Youtube. Work to start in February and targeted for completion by Autumn 2012. …

Consultation on development to the Charter area should happen in Spring 2012 with plans by Autumn.

This England

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This England
Our Prime minister took the decision to use the veto against a new EU treaty which would have meant greater fiscal union. The treaty was driven by the leaders of Germany and France – their aim was to keep the Euro alive.

The sign you see on Abingdon Bridge tells of Abingdon’s close relationships with other European towns. The twinning society is one of our most popular societies.
This England
Walking over Abingdon Bridge, just past the entry sign, a man suggested I took a picture of the view from the bridge up Bridge Street. He said it was so wonderfully English with the flag flying – a beautiful sight.

I suspect we would like to have it both ways. We would like to continue to be an influential voice in Europe, but also keep our own tax making powers. But if the rest of Europe do move closer together without us,  that veto could be a defining moment in our relationship: not just with continental Europe, but also with our northern neighbour, Scotland – represented by the blue on the flag, who were not consulted about the veto, and who are pushing ever closer to a referendum on independence within the greater Europe.

Mince pies and carols invitation …

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Mince pies and carols
This morning instead of their normal church at Preston Road Community Centre the Vineyard Church took church out and invited people for Carols and Mince pies on the green at Reynolds Way.

Also on a less traditional church note, Revd David from Abingdon Baptist Church came to Trinity Church last Sunday.  He gave out invitations to coffee, mince pies, and carols at Coffee Aroma, Abingdon High Street from 18:45 – 19:45 on Thursday 15th.  All are very welcome …

Here is a fuller Church In Abingdon Christmas What’s On if you want more than mince pies and carols.