The Town Council met in the Roysse Room, a former schoolroom. Councillors were reminded to speak clearly as the acoustics are not ideal, and one request was made for improved lighting so papers can be read more easily.

Mayor’s Engagements
Mayor Cllr Rawda Jehanli has had a busy schedule but was unable to attend this meeting. Deputy Mayor Cllr Skinner took the chair.

County Councillor’s Report
* East St Helen Street Junction – A long-awaited redesign is in progress, with local input said to be vital in getting the details right.
* Lodge Hill – Work is also underway there, designed to keep traffic moving and avoid complete road closures.

Vale of White Horse District Council (VWHDC) Report
* Leadership Change – The Chief Executive has stepped down at a time of uncertainty about the council’s future.
* Joint Local Plan – The Planning Inspector has asked VWHDC and South Oxfordshire to withdraw their joint plan, citing poor coordination with Oxford City over housing numbers.
* Flood Prevention – The trash screen near Chiltern Close needs urgent attention to reduce repeated flooding. The Environment Agency and UKAEA are involved.

Environment, Amenities & Infrastructure Committee
* Cemetery Chapel – Renovation work is complete, with suggestions it could now be used for weddings and christenings as well as funerals.
* Bus Shelters – New shelters have been installed, and maintenance is underway. Praise was given for the cleaning and upkeep on Radley Road.
* Play Areas – Improvements at Chiltern Close and Chaunterell Way (and elsewhere) are being funded mainly through Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) developer contributions.
* Stratton Way Underpass – A grant is being sought to improve lighting.
* Traffic Island Monk – The removed figure will be repurposed as a bug hotel in Boxhill Wood.

Community Committee
* Fair Music – The Council has asked fair operators to reduce noise later in the evening.
* Bridge Safety – Plates are now covering most of the holes on the Ock bridge near the fair. The Town Council will ask the District Council to place plates over the latest holes, to ensure safety during the fair.
* Grants Awarded – Support was given to Mental Health Natters, Abingdon Youth Football Club, Home Start Southern Oxfordshire, and other groups.
* Town Crier – The newsletter will now be published quarterly. Councillors need to be aware of deadlines for articles.

Planning Committee
As the only member of the public present, I was invited to comment or ask a question at the start. Having skim-read the council papers online, I stood up to praise the planning committee for its workload and persistence. Unlike other committees (which meet once between full councils), the planning committee has met five times.

It has:
* Commented on dozens of routine planning applications, objecting where necessary to overdevelopment.
* Responded to major consultations and pressed for local action.
* Written a strong letter to David Wilson Homes about delays to Oxford Road sewer works.
* Monitored the slow delivery of promised North Abingdon facilities (shop, pub/café, over-55s housing, and primary school).
* Attempted to meet the NHS commissioning board about GP provision in Abingdon; when rebuffed, involved the local MP, who also struggled to make progress.
* Pushed for South Abingdon to be included in the SESRO (Abingdon Reservoir) environmental assessment.
* Continued to monitor Dalton Barracks development and traffic impact.
* Advanced work on the Neighbourhood Plan.

At the end of the meeting one councillor noted that the usual process of formally proposing and seconding minutes before discussion had been skipped. The tone was more informal than usual, and the open meeting ended in just 45 minutes.

I left before councillors discussed a confidential matter. This may have related to the Abbey Hall, where heads of terms have reportedly been agreed for transferring ownership to the cinema operator — or perhaps to something new.