Any statements and/or petitions from the public under Standing Order 32 will be made or presented at the meeting.
Minutes:
The Executive received three statements from members of the public.
(1) Lesley Legge, on behalf of Abingdon Town Council, made a statement regarding the future use of the Old Gaol in Abingdon. She reminded the Executive that the Council’s policies included many sections around support for and working towards the vitality of Abingdon town centre as an integral part of the Vale. The Town Council saw this development as crucial to the town, its residents and its vitality. If the Executive’s decisions did not fully address the existing needs for cultural and community facilities, then as the population continued to grow, the lack of facilities would only further widen the gap. She believed there was a great demand for multi-purpose facilities for cinema, performance and meetings. The Town Council was working hard on vitality improvements in the town and it hoped its appeal was heard by the Executive. She pleaded that the Executive considered how in the past the Vale had backed a development which at the time was considered to be a community benefit but later, she considered had not been beneficial. Despite the strict confidentiality of the current process, which the Town Council accepted, she looked forward to working with the Vale on the Old Gaol development at the earliest opportunity. She hoped that the Executive had the necessary strength and expertise to ensure that any long term arrangements would maintain long term accountability and improved community benefit on this valued site. She urged the Executive to ensure community and cultural facilities for Abingdon now and for the future.
(2) Glynne Butt, on behalf of Community in the Old Gaol (COG), made a statement regarding the future use of the Old Gaol in Abingdon. She hoped that the Chief Executive’s recommendation gave equal weighting to financial considerations and the heritage and community considerations. In an earlier briefing from the Chief Executive to COG the analogy of choosing between a Rolls-Royce and a bicycle was made. The Rolls-Royce scheme had little or no financial receipt from the developer; the bicycle had a substantial capital sum. If the Council chose the bicycle COG urged the Executive to ensure that the scheme was good enough for this important heritage site, almost certainly the last for development in the town. COG hoped the scheme would promote the vitality of the town, improve the range of leisure and recreational facilities in the town centre, and would contribute to the quality of life for the whole community. If the Rolls-Royce scheme was chosen, COG urged the Executive to explore any variations to tailor it to Abingdon’s needs, even if it cost more. For example, would the Executive explore retention of the freehold title to the site? Would it negotiate hard on public access? Would it press for a cinema, an MG Club museum and a display area/gallery? COG wished to contribute to further discussions and hoped to bring funding to help achieve its requests. Whatever decision was taken, the future needs of Abingdon must remain on the agenda. The Executive was urged to ring-fence as much of any capital receipt as necessary to provide for the town’s needs.
(3) Derek Rawson, on behalf of Cumnor Parish Council, made a statement in support of the Parish Council's request for a Conservation Area designation at Cumnor Hill. He related this request to that received from young skateboarders in Abingdon a few years previous, which resulted in a new skateboard park being constructed. The request for a Conservation Area had been driven by requests from local residents who wished to see the character of Cumnor Hill retained and protected through Conservation Area status. Although there were no physical boundaries separating the area from its surroundings, he believed there was a distinctiveness in the views from the road and into the gardens and of the overall Sylvan setting. He could not guarantee all of the owners in the area would not wish to develop their gardens with new housing but suggested that the Executive considered the impact of not designating the area as a Conservation Area. There was a need to protect this early 20th Century development without relying on appeal decisions of a planning inspector. He urged the Executive to support the Parish Council’s request now while there was still an area to protect.
The Chair thanked the speakers for their statements.