'Give area better leisure facilities'

5:10pm Wednesday 16th May 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By Andrew Ffrench, covering Didcot and Wallingford. Call me on 01865 425425

Aidan Melville Aidan Melville

Leisure facilities including a skate park, better bus links and controls on commuter parking have been listed by South Abingdon residents as major priorities in a new survey.

Neil Boston, who runs community group South Abingdon Residents’ Plan, is conducting a consultation to find out what 10,000 residents, who live in about 4,500 households, would most like to see.

Hundreds of homes in the area have been leafleted and, so far, the consultation has received about 800 responses.

At the same time, Labour district councillor Aidan Melville has been contacted by residents suggesting that a new GP surgery should be set up near Preston Road Community Centre, incorporating a dental surgery.

Mr Boston said initial responses to the consultation would help the group to produce a more detailed questionnaire on what facilities residents want like to see, with households encouraged to respond online.

The group will use results to petition councils and other decision-making bodies.

Mr Boston said: “There are about 10,000 people living in South Abingdon and some homes in the area have been leafleted, while others have responded after seeing our survey advertised on local noticeboards. We have received about 800 replies so far, with some people providing more than one response.

Related links

“Given the size of South Abingdon, it is quite bereft of facilities and contains the Caldecott ward, which is considered a deprived area.

“We are trying to find out what residents’ priorities are and the information will then be passed on to the local authorities, police and housing associations.

“There is a rugby club, boys’ football teams, a community centre in Preston Road and lots of green space but there are few facilities for an area of this size and some people feel that South Abingdon has been ignored for too long.”

Mr Boston added that, so far, residents have called for new leisure facilities including a skate park, basketball and netball pitches, an end to commuter parking in streets like Wilsham Road, and better transport links.

He said so far only about four per cent of residents have flagged up a desire for more health facilities, and added: “A major problem in South Abingdon is that there is very little development land left and if you tried to build a new health centre on a rugby pitch then there would be hell to pay.

“Health covers a lot of different areas including counselling, but it has not come up on the radar much so far in the responses we have looked at.

“I’m not sure if there would be room for a health centre next to the community centre in Preston Road.”

Mr Melville, who is Vale councillor for Abingdon Caldecott and a town councillor, said: “The Caldecott ward is in the worst 25 per cent in the country for child poverty and there are lots of elderly people and mums with young children who would benefit from health facilities here.

“At the moment they have to trek to the surgeries in the town centre.”

For more details on the consultation, visit sarp.org.uk

Comments(22)

Feelingsmatter says...
5:28pm Wed 16 May 12

I agree with Mr. Melville. I visit several elderly people in the new development by the Marina, and along with the fact that the flats are crammed in so tight there's no parking, there really is very little to do. No corner shops, no doctors, no "center" if you like. With two skate parks in the north (ish) it's true that one is needed at the other side of town.

Report this post »

LORD PETER MACVEY 0X2 6EG says...
5:31pm Wed 16 May 12

Mr Boston added that, so far, residents have called for new leisure facilities including a skate park, basketball and netball pitches, but declined to comment when asked where the money would come from. But if all 10,000 residents pitched in only a tenner each then all this and more would be achievable. As to date nobody has expressed an interest in contributing to improving their community. Nuff Said.

Report this post »

steve king says...
8:29pm Wed 16 May 12

Lop sided England or what? the article above says how the non English speaking Chinese community have been given £300k, but this area of Abingdon continues to be overlooked, Caldecott ranks amongst the 25% most deprived areas in the country and Thameside school has only just come out of special measures. For years Abingdon Boxing club, located here has been trying to build a new gym yet successive councils have not helped them, yet Berensfield had over £100k given them by OCC for a new gym? Sure Abingdon has a skate park, but like the swimming pool, running track etc its all in the north of the town and why should the residents have to fork out for their own amenaties, the rest of the town hasn't, b.t.w, has anyone seen the all flags adorning the town/ock st/stratton way etc? they must have cost a fortune and for sure wont last until the jubilee, what a waste of money? money that could be well spent elsewhere.

Report this post »

Feelingsmatter says...
8:32pm Wed 16 May 12

Couldn't agree more steve. Squandering money on our behalf seems to be a number one priority of the many powers that be at the moment.

Report this post »

LORD PETER MACVEY 0X2 6EG says...
8:44pm Wed 16 May 12

Feelingsmatter wrote:
Couldn't agree more steve. Squandering money on our behalf seems to be a number one priority of the many powers that be at the moment.
But you voted them in. If you feel that strongly get on the streets and do something about it like the French do. They don't put up with the cr@p that you describe Steve.

Report this post »

steve king says...
8:55pm Wed 16 May 12

If only it was that easy my lord, you and feelingsmatter witnessed the "everythings fine and dandy" attitude by an Abingdon councillor in a recent thread while trying to justify the £50k the town council are spending on the jubilee, for over a decade the TC was unanimously Lib/Dem and now the tory have a majority of one, Neil Boston has an uphill task ahead of him and I wish him the best of luck, perhaps he ought to start looking at other funding sources, sport England, NHS, Lottery etc, clearly it's no use relying on local council to improve your community.

Report this post »

LORD PETER MACVEY 0X2 6EG says...
9:21pm Wed 16 May 12

steve king wrote:
If only it was that easy my lord, you and feelingsmatter witnessed the "everythings fine and dandy" attitude by an Abingdon councillor in a recent thread while trying to justify the £50k the town council are spending on the jubilee, for over a decade the TC was unanimously Lib/Dem and now the tory have a majority of one, Neil Boston has an uphill task ahead of him and I wish him the best of luck, perhaps he ought to start looking at other funding sources, sport England, NHS, Lottery etc, clearly it's no use relying on local council to improve your community.
Exactly what I was saying. Why moan on here, get on the streets and sort it like our European neighbours do. If you do nothing, you get nothing.

Report this post »

Iain L says...
9:38pm Wed 16 May 12

I don't think I said 'everything is fine and dandy' Steve. What I did say was that the expenditure on the jubilee was not unreasonable, it's not going to be £50k. I have also spoken to a number of residents since last week's article and they pretty uniformly were looking forward to the celebrations. Just because three or four posters (often anonymous) happen to disagree with something doesn't mean they automatically represent some sort of silent majority.

As for what has been said on south Abingdon I fully agree with you that this area has been sadly neglected in terms of facilities and I will be supportive of the investment proposals for this area. I would particularly like to see more things for young people to do, although I'm slightly surprised that the skate park idea seems to be top of the queue given there is already one in Abingdon. I agree with you about a boxing club which would be a good addition to the town, I'd also like to see ten pin bowling in the town and if a south Abingdon site could be identified that would be all the better.

Report this post »

steve king says...
8:06am Thu 17 May 12

ian, the skate park was just an "off the top of my head" example of "stuff" available in the north of the town only and when you consider almost a third of Abingdons population live in the south then it is unfair, that a side, you say you want to help then here's a challenge for you and your fellow councillors.
We're told we are having a new £56 million shopping centre on the site of the Charter complex? this scheme also includes a new doctors surgury, why not use some of the developers 106/109 money (which is a levy on developers) to build a new doctors surgery in the south of the town? in doing so the "new" malthouse surgery could be half the size?

Report this post »

Feelingsmatter says...
9:05am Thu 17 May 12

LORD PETER MACVEY 0X2 6EG says...
8:44pm Wed 16 May 12

"Feelingsmatter wrote:
Couldn't agree more steve. Squandering money on our behalf seems to be a number one priority of the many powers that be at the moment.
But you voted them in. If you feel that strongly get on the streets and do something about it like the French do. They don't put up with the cr@p that you describe Steve."

Actually, no, I didn't vote for any of this particular shower. Resistance is futile in this neck of the woods, where those who have, have and those who haven't are too busy scraping together a living to take on the establishment.

Report this post »

Feelingsmatter says...
9:17am Thu 17 May 12

Iain L says...
9:38pm Wed 16 May 12

"I don't think I said 'everything is fine and dandy' Steve. What I did say was that the expenditure on the jubilee was not unreasonable, it's not going to be £50k. I have also spoken to a number of residents since last week's article and they pretty uniformly were looking forward to the celebrations. Just because three or four posters (often anonymous) happen to disagree with something doesn't mean they automatically represent some sort of silent majority."

Thank you for proving my point so perfectly Iain.(I choose to remain anonymous, by the way, because when I DID use my real name I got dog poop through my letterbox.) If you seriously think that expenditure on the jubilee is reasonable then you clearly have no clue as to how many of us feel! Voluntary groups are struggling to exist, local amenities are shrinking, the elderly are losing services which they rely on and whether or not it comes from the same budget it is obscene to waste so much on a big party!!!

As for your canvassing of local residents, what does "pretty uniformly" actually mean? Why has there been no support on this forum, apart from you, for the massive amount of money spent? Statistically, those against the amount spent vastly outnumber those who took the time to log on here and say, "It's a great idea!" In fact, I think you are the only one! Your silent majority assessment is wrong.

Report this post »

wizardofox2 says...
12:15pm Thu 17 May 12

Just to add a word of support to feelingsmatter I've just had a look on Abingdon Town Council's web site and hey ho the person responsible for organising this extreme expenditure is a bod called Alice Badcock, further investigation show's that Mrs Badcock is also town councilor for the Caldecott ward, the very ward that Mr Boston is talking about here! so it's ok to spend £50k on a kneeze up for the few but not direct some funding for a deprived area of Abingdon that houses 1/3rd of its population? something very wrong here !

Report this post »

Abingdon Neil says...
12:15pm Thu 17 May 12

Iain L - the reason parents in the south of town want a skate park down here is because they are not happy with the kids at the younger end of the skateboarding age group trekking all the way up to the north Abingdon one.

On the Jubilee spending - I think most people support having events in Abingdon to celebrate the Jubilee. We held a street party on our street for the Royal Wedding and are in no way 'party poopers'. The issue is whether the Town Council needs to spend £50K, or £30K, or anything near that level in order to do so.

Report this post »

wizardofox2 says...
12:19pm Thu 17 May 12

Thank you Neil, correct in every sentence

Report this post »

MattThom says...
1:37pm Thu 17 May 12

I think the flags, bunting and all that has been arranged for the jubilee is fantastic. I have a business in town and have heard only good, positive comments. it appears to be giving people the feel good factor which in these depressing is much needed. I do get fed up with reading negative comments all the time. Well done to the council. Great job done. Regards, Matt Thomas

Report this post »

LORD PETER MACVEY 0X2 6EG says...
4:33pm Thu 17 May 12

Feelingsmatter wrote:
LORD PETER MACVEY 0X2 6EG says...
8:44pm Wed 16 May 12

"Feelingsmatter wrote:
Couldn't agree more steve. Squandering money on our behalf seems to be a number one priority of the many powers that be at the moment.
But you voted them in. If you feel that strongly get on the streets and do something about it like the French do. They don't put up with the cr@p that you describe Steve."

Actually, no, I didn't vote for any of this particular shower. Resistance is futile in this neck of the woods, where those who have, have and those who haven't are too busy scraping together a living to take on the establishment.
I am sure that if you lot cycled around the mini roundabout at the end of Caldecott Rd in the morning rush hour and brought the entire area to a standstill for a few days you might see some reaction.

Report this post »

steve king says...
6:00pm Thu 17 May 12

Lord Peter, if only everything wrong in life could be sorted by a mass protest? and please don't make light of the very real issues the residents of south Abingdon have, just because most of them do not talk with a plumb in their mouth shouldn't diminish their relevence in the community that makes up Abingdon, nor dampen their ambition!

Report this post »

Feelingsmatter says...
6:10pm Thu 17 May 12

I would cycle if I could M'Lord, but unfortunately I am physically unable to do so, which is one of the reasons why I cannot actively protest.

"I do get fed up with reading negative comments all the time. Well done to the council. Great job done. Regards, Matt Thomas"
The negative comments are aimed at the amount of money squandered on rubbish, NOT the cosmetic stuff like flags, or the bun-throwing, which will bring people into the town and, hopefully, your shop. Sorry you're fed up with negative comments, but perhaps if our council listened to us we wouldn't object so much!! Are you seriously happy with the work carried out in the market square a few years back? Beautiful, mature trees ripped up to be replaced by expensive saplings which even now only give shade to the insects? What about the stupid circular benches that mean you have to contort your neck to talk to the person you're sitting next to? NO NEED for that to be done!! THAT is why I comment in a negative manner, although if you come on here often you will also know that I defend Abingdon at every possible opportunity.

Report this post »

Iain L says...
10:36pm Thu 17 May 12

Neil - thanks for explaination on skate park - not a facility I know much about. Is the one by the leisure centre well used (no agenda here - genuinely interested).

Steve - an interesting challenge on the health centre. Obviously there are already 106/9 demands being made on tge development, specifically the library, health centre and day care facility. I agree would be interesting to see whether health centre is better located in the town centre or south Abingdon. I suspect the challenge will be that the loss of a town centre facility could be difficult for some residents, particularly I'm thinking of tge various sheltered housing units in the vineyard area for example. A good idea to think about though and i'll happily raise in tge consultation process although I have limited influence here as the town council is not the planning authority.

Feelings matter - I understand your view and appreciate you feel strongly about it. However I don't agree with it. This is not because I am unsympathetic to the challenges of the current economic situation, but I think a council has many commitments, some involve providing social services, others are about community celebrations and creating vibrancy in the town. I talk to many people in my capacity as a councillor and I can promise you they don't all have tge same views as those you express. Hopefully we also spend some of the council tax on things which you value too, for example we give grants to organisations such as Abingdon bridge, the basic trust and cab all of which provide support to people in challenging situations.

Report this post »

MattThom says...
11:23pm Thu 17 May 12

Feelingsmatter, to know who you really are would be nice, if your going to comment on my posting I would like to know who you actually are. As for the flags and bun throwing bringing people to our shop, means nothing to me financially because our office will be shut for the entire celebrations. I will be in town enjoying the celebration with my family, in the town I was born in. I do not post on here because I really can't be bothered with all the bickering that goes on. I felt compelled to do so for the jubilee fun that has been arranged. Its a time for positivity and fun, not doom and gloom. That's it from me, I have no more to say on this, other than I hope you enjoy your extended bank holiday. Regards, Matt Thomas.

Report this post »

Abberdon says...
2:19pm Fri 18 May 12

I dunno, when I ived in Saxton Road and we had nothing to do, which was most of the time, we just made our own fun, no need for a gym, we just went down the Plasters Arms or the Air Balloon and had a fight with someone, just to keep in practice.

Or went down the Market Place to taunt the Edwards twins and tip over the Fritzi hotdog van.

What's wrong with modern youth? Don't they know how to amuse themselves anymore?

As for not knowing about skate parks, where do you live? Norman Road?

Now town councilor, it is not up to council to provide 'vibrancy' at all.

That wil come as a natural outcome of good planning, good community understanding and meaningful consultation and intelligent design (NOT of the super Christian variety there!).

So, a BIG learning curve for those now in council, eh?

Report this post »

Iain L says...
8:45pm Fri 18 May 12

Unsurprisingly aberdon - I live in north Abingdon, representing a ward there. I have heard of the skate park idea, I'm just asked why people wanted one as mobody has told me up until now. Obviously you are omniscient aberdon so never ask anyone anything you don't already know the answer to?

I disagree with your view that council's can do nothing to encourage town vibrancy and will continue to work towards that aim.

Report this post »

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree