New Year message: Councillor Liz Leffman

AS 2026 arrives it is time once more to write my annual New Year message to the people of Henley via its popular and enduring local newspaper, the Henley Standard.

Time passes so quickly and as 2025 becomes 2026 we move beyond the mid-point of the 2020s, a decade that started with a pandemic and has witnessed very many high-profile events locally, nationally and internationally ever since.

It is important to pause and reflect and the Christmas and New Year period gives us the chance to do that.

The election in May has given me and colleagues the chance to serve the town of Henley and Oxfordshire as a whole for more time.

Yours is a lovely part of Oxfordshire with a community spirit and identity all of its own, set amid the beauty of the Chilterns.

It is important when writing this annual piece that I make clear that it is on behalf of the professionals at the county council who serve the area on a day-by-day basis.

It is the county council that provides the bulk of the local government services that you receive.

At this time of year people will be conscious of the gritter drivers who are out at all hours to try to keep our roads as safe as possible.

However, we also employ registrars who deal with births, deaths and marriages, highways workers who maintain our roads, social care workers for vulnerable adults and children, firefighters, librarians, schools staff, trading standards officers and many others.

All of those people are incredibly dedicated in the work that they do and they will very often be people you know and love as family members or neighbours. They share that connection that everyone in Henley and nearby villages feel with the area.

I know that these people will continue to provide high-quality services for you in 2026 all focused on our main aim of making Oxfordshire greener, fairer and healthier. For now though it is time to wish you a happy and prosperous new year. May it be an excellent period for one of Oxfordshire’s gems — the town of Henley.