Abingdon – Local Election Countdown – still time

Local Election Countdown
The district council has sent out a press release: Time to choose who represents you on local issues – make sure you’re registered to vote in time for the local elections on May 2nd. It includes an election countdown:

3 April –  deadline for candidate nominations ( take forms to district council office in Milton Park – pictured above)
4 April – details of candidates published

8 April – voters should receive a polling card (if registered to vote before 8th March)
12 April – deadline to register to vote in this election
15 April – deadline for applications to vote by post (5pm) – to download an application form visit whitehorsedc.gov.uk/elections
19 April – voters should receive a polling card (if registered to vote from 8th March to 12 April)
24 April – deadline for applications to vote by proxy (5pm)
26 April – people expecting a postal vote should call 01235 422528 to request a replacement if it has not arrived.

2 May – voting day (7am to 10pm)
3 May – election results

Residents not already registered at their current address can do so now at gov.uk/register-to-vote or by calling 01235 422528 for a registration form. Anybody who is not sure if they are registered to vote can check by emailing elections@southandvale.gov.uk with their name and address or by calling 01235 422528.

Abingdon residents are asked to vote for district councillors who will represent their local area and help make decisions on issues such as recycling collections, planning, housing, parking, leisure, and half the town’s play areas.

Abingdon residents are also asked to vote for town councillors who will represent their communities on issues that affect them, by commenting on planning applications and other proposals, and maintaining the Guildhall and County Hall Museum and Market Place,  allotments, cemeteries, and half the town’s play areas.

19 thoughts on “Abingdon – Local Election Countdown – still time

  1. Horsesmouth

    There is more than a strong rumour that Alastair Fear will be standing for a seat on the Town Council?

    Reply
  2. hester

    I am looking forward to seeing election statements. I will be looking for some creative but realistic ideas, specific pledges rather than vague dreams, an end to slagging off the “other lot” and rubbishing ideas if they “weren’t invented here”. I have no doubt that most of the present Councillors have the town’s interest at heart and work hard, but somehow, when it comes down to it, most of the energy seems to go in to tinkering at the edges, doing what has always been done, with just tiny changes.
    There have been plenty of ideas put forward, we don’t need more consultations – wouldn’t it be nice for the new Councils to sit down in the summer and set out a vision and action plan for the next 4 years, then report on progress every year and be held to account at the next elections.
    Another thing on my wish list would be an end to buck-passing between the Councils: it looks as if the (expensive) plans for reducing the numbers of layers have disappeared into the ether, so lets see them find ways of working together. They re all elected by us – indeed many of them are the same people – so surely they can co-operate to achieve some common ends?

    Reply
  3. Kelly Simpson

    I understand there are several ‘independents’ standing for the town council. It would be good to see people not having to toe the party line and possibly holding the balance of power. They would hopefully just vote for what they/people in their ward think is best for Abingdon. Party politics should not rule local councils.
    Perhaps some of the people on here who regularly criticise ‘the council’ should stand and actually try to achieve something positive instead of moaning.

    Reply
  4. Common Tater

    Daniel, Don’t be confused. It’s only to be expected when nobody is saying anything much worth saying.

    Reply
  5. hester

    Oh dear.. ..
    To answer Daniel’s question, there is no point in anyone standing just to moan. However I get the feeling that there are a lot of people who think they could bring some constructive ideas in to the Councils – people often say that new blood is needed and put forward ideas on here. It is those people who are needed: get in there and fight for the ideas you are puting forward on this and other blogs. I hope that existing Councillors wont mind me saying that they are all amateurs who want the best for the town – if others feel they can do better, go for it!

    Reply
  6. ppjs

    Getting the question right is important if we are to get the right answer.

    Q: How many pairs of animals did Moses take into the ark?

    A: None; it was Noah who built the ark.

    Rushing to get the answer without checking the question out first may lead to the wrong answer. In politics and government (local and national), this can be disastrous.

    Reply
  7. Horsesmouth

    Kelly – Hester et, if only it were that simple? The system doesn’t work anymore and it never will until we get rid of the middle layer, we need a unitary council, example, it looks like the lib/dems will take control of both district and town council in Mays elections, which will mean a return to what we endured 10 years ago when OCC was Tory run but the district and town councils Lib/dem which needless to say created a pass the buck – deadlock that did nothing to help the town. Abits was a classic example of that,
    We have a district council he’ll bent on flooding us with more new builds without a care that we have no improvement on infrastructure because highways etc are county councils responsibility, the above thread features Old Abbey House, it’s been empty for years despite the Vale saying they’ve tried to sell it, has anyone ever seen it for sale in any of the numerous towns estate agencies? Of course not because there’s a hidden agenda that we the public are deemed it’s none of our business! And do it goes on and on and on !

    Reply
  8. Iain

    i agree with part of what you say Steve (occasionally we do agree).

    The 3 layer system is costly, slows down decision making, obfuscates accountability and decreases transparency.

    I am generally quite critical of the current councils (the debacle with Old Abbey House being a good example of poor management) however they have put proposals to central government to move to a unitary authority to eliminate the middle layer. This is difficult as it is potentially bad for the careers of some senior politicians in west oxfordshire.

    It is central government where the blockage is as the secretary of state ‘is not currently minded to move to unitary in Oxfordshire’. They have said yes to Cambridge so maybe there is hope for the future.

    Reply
  9. Horsesmouth

    Iain I sincerely hope so, but that aside democracy just isn’t working anymore and what you’ve described is a prime example of how decisions that affect our everyday life and should be made entirely by local politicians aren’t? Morland Garden is a good example, as a pre cursor to Abits a second river crossing was to be built, but it didn’t happen so our traffic system is defunct and even if they found funding for it now Morland Garden was allowed to be built in its route! Morland Garden? No one wanted it and it’s not a case of nimby, all “our” councillors voted against it, our MP was vocally against it too but the decision for approval fel entirely to Cllr Nimmo Smith, Cllr for Henley!

    Reply

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