Henley Residents Group (HRG) has announced that Stefan Gawrysiak, District and Town Councillor for Henley-on-Thames will be the HRG candidate for the county election on May 4th.
Stefan, a former Mayor of Henley and Assistant Head Teacher of Gillotts School, said that this election was “the most important election for the last 10 years.” Residents of Henley have felt for a long time that Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) is remote, unresponsive, and inept at dealing with Henley’s problems. Over the past 8 years we have had nothing from OCC.
- No action on pedestrian crossings
- No action on air quality
- Mo action on HGV through traffic
- Funding removed from local buses
- Funding removed from children centres
- Pot holes, pot holes, pot holes AND potholes that have to fixed twice.
- Henley schools this year face cuts of £60,000 in their budgets.
- NO beds in Townlands Hospital and poor levels of social care
During the past 4 years Henley’s County Councillor has received £100,000 in allowances – that is £25,000 per year. OCC allowances were increased by 25% cynically 1 year after the election; these increases were not in the Conservative manifesto.
Has Henley received value for money? NO. Do we want 4 more years of doing nothing? NO.
Real Devolved Local Power and Decision Making.
This election is the most important for 10 years because in the next two years Oxfordshire could become a single authority with the abolition of District Councils. The danger is that OCC will become even more remote. If OCC becomes responsible for every facet of local government then it will be a disaster for the town. OCC must devolve powers down to Henley as a parish council. Give Henley the money to fund the town buses, give Henley the money to fund our children’s centre, give Henley the money and we will fix ALL the pot holes in the town.
We need real devolved local power and decision-making. Therefore it is crucial that we have an INDEPENDENT VOICE speaking solely for Henley and not one that will vote with the party whips. At County and District our local Conservative Councillors have never voted against their party line, not once.
I have lived and worked in Henley for 30 years and I am deeply committed to this community. I taught at Gillotts School for over 30 years and retired as Assistant Head Teacher. Gillotts is a fantastic local school with dedicated teachers and inspiring leadership, we must secure new 21st century buildings for them.
I believe in working my socks off for Henley. I am President of Henley Bridge Rotary Club; a Governor of Badgemore School; help organise the Henley Half Marathon; on the Committee for the wonderful Henley Show; and I am responsible for the Horticultural section at this brilliant Henley event. With Maggie Atkinson I started Music on the Meadows MOTM for the young people of Henley to showcase their talents; it is also an excellent free community event for Henley which has now run 3 times.
During my time as Mayor we refurbished our wonderful toddler playground and the Mill Meadows toilets. We deep cleaned the town centre streets and removed evening business waste. As a SODC district councillor I have helped to secure £400,000 grants for Henley. Skatepark, Rugby Club, Cricket Club, HAODS and the YMCA. I believe in working hard for the community of Henley on Thames.
As Henley’s HRG County Councillor I am Independent of “National Parties and Politics.” I will not be influenced by national party stances; I will speak and work as the INDEPENDENT VOICE FOR HENLEY. Henley is a fantastic place to work and live. At County level I am fed up with nothing being done for Henley. I have a proven track record of getting things done. I say it, I mean it and I will do it.
This is what Think Local Vote Local means.