Caroline Lucas, of the Green Party, was in Abingdon this lunchtime. She spoke to members of the Green party, and some other interested people, and answered questions in the back room of the Brewery Tap.
She is here to support the Green Party candidate for the Abbey Northcourt ward, Cheryl Briggs, in the upcoming local elections on Thursday May 2nd. That is when we, the voters of Abingdon, choose a new Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council, and a Vale of White Horse District Council.
Now is the time that people are thinking of putting their name forward to become a councillor to try to make a difference for Abingdon, and parties are looking for candidates. People can either be selected to stand by a political party, or stand as an Independent. The following link has an introduction on how to become a councillor.
The Abingdon wards are as follows :
Abbey – 2 Town Councillors
Caldecott – 4 Town Councillors
Dunmore – 4 Town Councillors
Fitzharris Wildmoor – 1 Town Councillor
Fitzharris Ock – 2 Town Councillors
Northcourt – 2 Town Councillors
Peachcroft- 4 Town Councillors
Abbey Northcourt – 2 district councillors
Caldecott – 2 district councillors
Dunmore – 2 district councillors
Fitzharris – 2 district councillors
Peachcroft – 2 district councillors
Just to add to Backstreeter’s useful info, you don’t actually have to live in the ward for which you decide to stand, but will need to find people living there to nominate you.
How about you standing again, backstreeter?
David, I have lost the last 2 times but might try again and stand as an Independent. It will be a lot of work writing and delivering newsletters and probably cost a bit too. But if I get organised and can find a ward that is not too big I might stand for the Town Council.
We live on Ely Close on the Ladygrove Estate, and appear to be in a ward with no name! Is there one pink line too many on the map?
Go for it !
Is it town and VALE council elections. ? If so now is the time to ask how your councillor behaved in some of the bizarre (putting it politely) decisions that have occurred in the Vale over the last few years and hte disastrous effects they have had on Abingdon IMHO.
Yes, there are Town and Vale elections in May – and yes, now is a good time to let Councillors know what we think is important, what we will be basing our votes on in May and ask them what their attitude will be on those issues in future.
Bill – the diagram is a little bit confusing as the Town and Vale wards arre not the same.
The labels relate to the Town boundaries and Ladygrove is part of the Fitzharris Ock ward (view the drak pink lines).
If I read the map right the pale pink line along Ock Street shows the boundary for the Vale Wards, and Ladygrove is part of the Caldecott ward for Vale Elections.
I agree it is quite confusing.
according to the meadya, local elections are an indicator of what people think nationally.
So, letting councillors know what is important to me locally will just confuse matters, surely?
I know this is true because the BBC told me that my last vote (for an MP) was all about BREXIT.
@David Surman; whilst you raise a valid point the reality is that the councillors have no actual input on the ‘decision’ no matter how bizarre or lack luster or awful (or good or great or worthy).
It is the unaccountable, unelected, nameless faceless council officers who do the deals and then advise the councillors to vote in favour or against.
Iain and Bill –
Part of the confusion is that the main roads are also shown in pink – and though it is a pale pink, it does look like Marcham Road is a boundary, but it isn’t!
Iain – you are right that Vale and Town wards are different for Fitzharris and Abbey Northcourt. This map shows the Town wards. For the Vale, the two Fitz wards are joined together and the Abbey & Northcourt wards are joined.
This means that Bill, you are in Fitzharris Ock for Town and just plain Fitzharris for Vale elections
I hope this vaguely makes sense – but don’t blame me, blame the Boundary Commission!
Thanks for clarification Helen, much appreciated
Had a card from Cheryl drop through the door this morning, I guess the spellchecker was turned off to reduce carbon emissions as the front message reads ‘Happy New Year from Cheryl and the Abindon Green Party’. Hmm 🙂