Liz Leffman: New Year Message

IT has become a tradition that the leader of the county council provides a New Year message to the Henley Standard and this is the first time I’ve had the pleasure of undertaking this task.

The Oxfordshire Fair Deal Alliance came to power in May after the elections.

Back in the summer we set out objectives for the new administration, including tackling the climate crisis and inequalities in the county, focusing on the wellbeing of residents and increasing investment in an inclusive, integrated, county-wide active and sustainable travel network fit for the 21st century to improve choice and reduce car journeys across the county.

We are currently in the midst of our first budget-setting process and those themes were very much guiding lights in the proposals that have been made. We will set our first budget in February.

Of course, while all this is going on we are all, as individuals and organisations, still dealing with the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic.

Gradually through 2021, things returned more to normal but it is fair to say that we are still not back to how things were in 2019 and before. Covid continues to present new challenges.

Henley and the surrounding parts of Oxfordshire’s Chilterns are beautiful and valued areas of the county. They are very much part of Oxfordshire’s rich local identity.

I would like to reach out to the people who live within the Henley Standard’s readership area to wish them a healthy and prosperous 2022.

Let us hope that as the new year progresses we steadily begin to overcome the pandemic.

My best wishes to you all.