Next came a district council report to the town council.
One subject of note was that the Yellow Submarine charity are waiting for the Charter vaccination centre to close and will then take possession of the space (could be at the end of March) and are looking at a major program of refurbishment. They are looking for some grant funding for quite a big project to make this space useful to disabled youngsters and teenagers. It will support those with learning difficulties or autism and also other community groups working in this general area.
The Town Council meeting proper then began. There was a minutes silence for Ewart Hemings, the ex Mayor and Freeman who died in December. Then councillors went through the committee papers one by one. This was also the meeting where the 2022/3 budget was set. Committee names have recently changed. The Museum and Guildhall committees are now part of the first committee to report and called Community Advisory Committee.
The Town Council have budgeted £52,410 for the Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum (70th) Jubilee. Councillor Samantha Bowring, the leader of the council, said this is because the town of Abingdon has a strong interest in royal events. The highlight of most royal events in Abingdon is the Bun Throwing Ceremony. Councillor Bowring said, ‘Be assured! Buns will be thrown.’
There was £30,000 for an Integrated Youth Support Project. The next step is for a Youth Council to begin from Apr to Jun 2022.
A grant of £3,250 will be awarded to Radley Lakes towards the cost of the creation of an entry hub on Barton Fields, for the wider Radley Lakes area and the management of Barton Fields as a nature reserve.
Environment and Amenities Advisory Committee
A small task-based working group of four councillors was set up to look at improvements to play areas. £60,000 was put into the budget for this purpose.
The council is also putting together a biodiversity plan with the help of John Killick, an expert in Oxfordshire Flora living in Abingdon.
The finger point signs round town were discussed and are in need of attention.
Town Infrastructure Advisory Committee
Oxfordshire County Council are putting in camera enforcement of traffic restrictions and the first schemes are in Oxford. Abingdon could bid for some in a future allocation. One area suggested was the iron bridge at St Helen’s Wharf where drivers can often be seen going the wrong way over the one way bridge.
It was also agreed that the Town Clerk write to the County Council to request a blanket 20mph limit across Abingdon and a 30mph limit on the peripheral roads – Audlett Drive, Twelve Acre Drive, Dunmore Road, Copenhagen Drive and Colwell Drive. This would be subject to discussion with Oxfordshire County Council.
Finance, Governance and Asset Management
The budget was passed after a presentation by Councillor Samatha Bowring. This included some new items such as £8,346 towards changing CCTV in town to change from analogue to digital, and speed indicator signs £15,000. (There has been a nationwide move to reduce traffic and speed of traffic within towns for reasons of safety of the emissions and traffic flow, especially in those close to schools. For this to be successful it will need supporting infrastructure. So some of the developer funding for speed indicator signs.)
There was £30,000 funding to Abingdon Carousel, a base from which all kinds of family services can operate.
The council will be putting funding into a new community woodland. A site has been identified and there are volunteers able to help, and the plans for this project will be revealed later this year
The council’s net expenditure requirement is £1,830,659. Of that the precept (council tax) will raise £1,755,659, and grants and developer funding of £75,000. The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) or developer funding is a charge which can be levied by local authorities on new development in their area.
The current housing developments in the north of the town will mean an increase in the number of residents included in the Dunmore, Peachcroft and Fitzharris Wildmoor wards and so it requested that the district council be asked to review the distribution of membership between wards, within the context of a council membership of 19.
Finally there was a special motion. The council agreed to support the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill, a private member’s bill currently going through parliament aimed at tackling the climate crisis and environmental disaster. It would enshrine in law a commitment to deliver policy and action in line with the latest science.
I am in favour of 20mph limits on roads where there is a high level of pedestrian and cycling activity. However, I hope that the County’s Highway’s Committee will give close attention to the judgement of traffic police – something it seems not to have always done in the past.
Laws have to policed and laws which aren’t policed allow for a general disregard for regulation. Quite a few 50mph (old national speed limit) roads in the area are virtually unpoliced and the limit is honoured in the breach rather than the observance.
Today, changes to the Highway Code have been introduced and are in force. I wonder how many roadusers know with any clarity how the changes relate to their activity on the road. Legislation is all very well and good; education is better.
Agreed, but note that national speed limit on single carriageway roads in non built up areas is 60 not 50: https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/legal/speed-limits/#uk-national-speed-limits-for-different-roads
(To clarify: 60 for cars not towing and motorcycles, unless a limit lower than the national limit is displayed)
£52410 for bun throwing…….? Where on earth is this money going?
if they could find £18,000 for 4 (at the time) tiny saplings on the marketplace I am sure they will find a way to spend £50k plus on buns… It’s what councils are best at!
Not just on a bun throwing, though that probably has a lot of additional costs such as road closures and security, which don’t come cheap. Wait and see the full plans for the long weekend before criticizing. And remember all the visitors and spending it brings into the town.
My point is that former NSL roads have had a 50mph limit imposed, but they are not policed. Sorry that I didn’t express that as clearly as I should.
20mph is far too fast.
There should be a 5mph limit across Abingdon. This would ensure that by the time you have managed to leave the town limits, it’ll already be time to turn back for home, thus encouraging the use of cycles which can do 10mph and working-from-home. Zero carbon, too. 5mph in towns, 10mph on motorways. So simple.
That’s not a bad idea PH64. Although -5mph would be better so we can then ensure no one ever comes to town or near our in a car every again … That’ll sort the problem out once and for all.
Oxford mini pumps out 1000 cars a day. And Nissan? Ford? Honda…
It’s a good job I turn my TV off standby.